Birthday adventures

We celebrated my grandson‘s second birthday yesterday at Chuck E. Cheese. He turned 2 earlier this month, but this is the time we found that worked best for everyone to celebrate.

It’s ironic that we are celebrating at Chuck E. Cheese because this is where I used to take his mother for her birthday parties, and she’s almost 30 now.

It’s hard to believe this place is still around, but it looks much different. There’s a TV screen on the floor that’s interactive, and there are no longer any of the tubes that you can crawl around in (where your kids used to go and hide when it was time to leave🙃) I’m sort of glad those tubes are gone because they used to just smell like pee and distress. 

Now they have a Chuck E Cheese wind tunnel and since my grandson was afraid to go in by himself, guess who was nominated? 😵‍💫 Someone had the brilliant idea to catch the tickets in my shirt and I was still finding them 15 minutes later. 

We had a fun time celebrating. It’s so amazing to watch him grow and yes, the years do go by far too quickly. 

Until next time, Mr. Cheese. 

-H

The Pamela Anderson documentary

Last night, I finished watching the Pamela Anderson documentary on Netflix, titled "Pamela: A Love Story." I would definitely rate it an 8 out of 10. I find her to be relatable in many ways.

What stood out to me is that she's done with wearing makeup full-time (she's in her 50s), and I feel like I've sort of adopted that way of thinking, too. I used to wear makeup all the time and then suddenly, no thanks. I eventually only wore minimal makeup, and then a bit more when I went out at night on weekends. I even went through a stage where I was selling it—quite recently, in fact, but it was always mostly about skincare for me. However, it's the makeup that sells.

I also appreciated her story about her abusive relationship with Tommy (from Motley Crue). They had a tumultuous relationship, and she had two kids with him, Brandon and Dylan, both of whom are the spitting image of Tommy. But she never stuck around after the abuse started, and I admire that about her.

Whenever I think of blonde bombshells, Marilyn Monroe or Anna Nicole Smith comes to mind, both of whom had lives that ended far too early and had tragic lifestyles. I had never thought much of Pamela Anderson until now, and I think she's intelligent, caring, and has a great story to share.

Anyway, if you're looking for something to watch, I think it's a great documentary. Have you had a chance to watch it? What were your takeaways?

Have a great weekend.

Balancing work and home

I've been mandated at my day job to work from the office at least two days a week. This puts a damper on my morning workout routine, and I have to wake up a bit earlier to squeeze in a workout. Then, I have to rush around to allow myself at least a half-hour, accounting for traffic and weather, to get to the office.

While I don't particularly enjoy working in person all the time, I realize I am fortunate compared to some colleagues who leave home at 5 am just to drive in.

That being said, I believe there is some benefit to finding ways to streamline and make my home life a bit easier, especially on the days I work in the office.

One of the tools I use is an app called Plan to Eat. It is SUPER helpful for me because I can plan my meals for the week, create a schedule, and it even generates a grocery list for me. * FYI, if you click the link and sign up we both get credit for it. :)

Since last July, I've lost 25 lbs, and I'm slowly but surely trying to find ways to meal prep so that I'm less likely to rely on the vending machine at work. I find this app helps me, along with My Fitness Pal - Premium.

Anyway, I thought I'd share my thoughts on things that have worked for me since going back to the office a couple of days a week.

Stay warm and be well. H

News coming...soon?

Thrilled to share the exciting news that I might be on the brink of a book contract! While the deal isn't inked yet, the anticipation is building, with a promising phone call on the horizon.

As part of this exciting journey, I'll be reentering the realm of social media after a brief hiatus. Admittedly, the prospect is a bit daunting, but I'm gearing up for the challenge.

Here's to a prosperous and successful 2024 – may it be a year filled with literary achievements and exciting new ventures! 📚✨