Season of the Witch

I have had a growing fascination with witches, lately.  Witches are almost always powerful women, embodied with supernatural abilities which they can use for good or bad.  The first witch I remember seeing was in the animated Disney movie, The Sword and the Stone.  Madame Mim, a short, tiny ugly old women nearly gets the drop on the wizard Merlin by acting crazy, cunning, and seductive, all in equal turns.

Read more

#GIRLBOSS Review

Like most other reviewers, this is a book you can finish in days.  Unless you have trouble finding time to read or hate reading.  Then, maybe, I dunno, you probably don’t read blogs either.

Sophia Amoruso, founder and owner of Nastygal.com, writes with refreshing ease, neither assaulting the reader with self-help mantras nor harshly condemning the choices previous generations have made by going to Ivy League schools and working for a Fortune 500 company.  She does however, explain, how and why hustling can be profitable and rewarding.  Not hustling in the negative sense, like being a drug dealer or other illegitimate activities but hustling as in owning your own side business.

Her advice, life stories, and bon mots come from her position at the top, becoming wildly successful in the span of 7-8 years, busting her ass and never slowing down, all before turning 30.  She appeals to the reader like an extremely successful older sister.  Despite being a few years older, I could really relate to Sophia.  While her advice seems tailored for young women, “girls”, in their twenties, I think older women can also respond to her importance on hard work, no fear, and learning things for yourself.  Young women seem to want to advance due to outside influences to either please their parents or keep up with classmates.  Older women with work experience under their belt have seen opportunities pass them by and are more primed to create more opportunities for themselves.

While I have not read Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In, I had just finished Dave Ramsey’s The Total Money Makeover just prior to reading #GIRLBOSS.  Amoruso espouses many of the same money management tips, such as the golden rule “Cash is King” and the blessing that is starting a company without loans.  Both Amoruso and Ramsey explain the ability to build wealth either for yourself or your company once you are debt free. Both stress the importance of having a good team, especially if you are not good at numbers.  You don’t have to struggle to do everything yourself.  Surround yourself with people you trust and that have a way of making sure you perfectly understand the process.

 Here are my five favorite takeaways from #GIRLBOSS;

1. 1.        As a leader if you do not understand something, speak up and ask questions.  Do not be embarrassed, it is essential you understand because you are responsible for all the people working for you.
2. 2.       Listen, observe and form relationships with your customer base.  Be observant, see what people respond to and always find free marketing.
3. 3.       Work hard and don’t ever say “that’s not my job”.  Those that aren’t above doing whatever task falls into their lap will advance and prove they are an asset.
4. 4.       If success happens, there will be many others looking to tear you down.  Do not try to fight back or get involved.  Focus on making your brand a head and shoulders above the rest.
5. 5.       Money looks better in the bank.  Do not spend everything.  Money in the bank will give you more clout and can save your company when bad or tight times may come your way.

Readers, what are your thoughts?  Are you interested in reading this book?  Are you looking to handle your career “LIKE A BAWSE”?

Read more

Books - Talk Nerdy to Me, Hey Hey Hey

Oh Robin Thicke.  I feel like you, too, are trapped by the male expectation to be a dirty hound-dog whilst keeping a good figure and being involved with copious hot babes.  Sometimes I think you just want to drink extra beers on the couch and fart loudly whenever Paula Patton isn’t around.

Blurred Lines reference aside, I have finally found something blog-worthy this week.  The last few weeks in May I went to a college graduation/mother’s day weekend and drank, then went to a wedding as my bestie’s plus one and drank, then went out for a friend’s birthday party last weekend and drank some more.  But you can’t blog about how much you drink, I mean you could but that’s oversharing.

In between these events, I have been reading like a beast.  Like, a nerdy beast.  Nerdy, because well….now nerdy is a good thing and reading books back to back to back is still within the realm of old-school nerdism.  It’s the best when you have a brand new library card and your library stocks a pretty good selection.

What have I been reading?  Well a combination of science fiction, short stories, blogger books, home décor, etc.  A real grab bag.

The Twelve

I didn’t finish this book until the bitter end, mainly because one third of it follows around characters that ultimately don’t matter to the core characters.  These are peripheral characters that only have minor influences on the main story.  Also a majority of the female characters are horribly clichéd.  They exist as love interests or eventual hostages, even the one who was a doctor. 

The Shining Girls

I did finish The Shining Girls.  It has an interesting premise but seemed horrifically brutal toward women.  The motivation of the killer was ill-defined and ultimately unsatisfying.  Also the time travel elements, while fantastical were neither well-defined or innotive.

Let’s Pretend This Never Happened

Okay, I loved this book.  Jenny Lawson grasps what makes our childhoods seem awkward actually can give us strength as adults.  Never judge on face value and treasure what makes you different.

Me Talk Pretty One Day

This comes quite close to Tina Fey’s Bossypants record for making me laugh out so many times.  Why I had never thought to pick up a David Sedaris book until recently, I’ll never know.  I suspect perhaps because his books are always soooooo popular, I thought somehow they wouldn’t appeal to my off-brand sense of humor.  Then I realized my sense of humor is pretty broad and all-encompassing actually.

I Was Told There Would Be Cake

I read this alongside with Me Talk Pretty One Day and was amused by the similarities both authors share living in New York City.  Working under crazy woman and the logistical nightmare that is moving in NYC. 

Woken Furies

This is the third book in the Takeshi Kovacs novel series, starting with Altered Carbon, which I highly recommend.  The author has a habit of introducing peripheral characters at length that ultimately slow down the pacing but I do enjoy his sci-fi world building skills.

You

From the same author as Soon I Will Be Invincible, this book follows the rise and fall of a fictional video game company.  The protagonist is ultimately not as fleshed out as the other characters and so makes for an unsatisfying hero but I did like the author’s insights into the video game industry, especially the parts in which the programmers have to expect and anticipate players that actively try to break the rules or system of the game, just because they can.

Tenth of December

Short stories aren’t really my thing but I have started to enjoy writing some of my own.  I wanted to see what a master of the short story writes about and was pleasantly surprised.  I didn't like every single story but the majority provided insight on some interesting characters. 

Home By Novogratz

I’m pretty much obsessed with the Novogratz style. I like that both Robert and Cortney originally came from the South and really balance each other.  Robert usually goes for weird funky lighting and art pieces while Cortney focuses on the nuts and bolts, like storage and comfortable furniture.  In this book they work with a variety of budgets, so you can find tips for copying their style no matter what your budget is.

So what are ya’ll reading these days?

Read more

Just What Kind of Blog Do You Think This Is?

Tell me, because I have no idea.  Seriously.

I originally started this blog as an outlet for my wreath shop on Etsy, appropriately named SugarSkull Industries' (W)Reef Shop, because I love a good pun. I read online that the best way to build up an audience of which to introduce my wares was by casting a wide net into the blogosphere.  Fair enough, I thought.  Plus I love writing and telling funny stories about my childhood, like that one time I found a dead bird in our backyard playhouse that my mom took great lengths to sew little fabric curtains for, which made me believe for a short time that we actually had an evil, Satanic playhouse that was murdering small animals.  Turns out we just left the little front door open and an an old bird was looking for a quiet place to pass on.

So maybe I started this blog for the wrong reasons.  I mean who hasn't heard of a wreath.  "Oh excuse me, ladies and fine gentlemen!  Allow me to introduce the newest thing, straight from Paris, you have never seen anything like it, I promise!  Behold--the wreath!"

I started with a bold direction for my blog.  Nothing exactly new or innovative but tried and true.  I enjoy reading Radical Possibility and thought, hey I like decorating my house, I love exploring the nearest city, I love drinking gin! I settled on posting some fun home decor DIY projects, artistically impressive photos of my travels, and the occasional think piece on whatever my little dorky heart desired, like books, music and/or anything comic book related.  The readers would surely flock.  I am and will forever be an optimist. Fatally optimistic is what my paternal grandmother once said.  I, of course, was like, "What the hell, Granma?"  (She prefers the spelling without a "d")

I'll be honest, I did have fun posting.  Even though my DIY projects were sadly short-lived.  I have neither the imagination nor skill to come up with successful DIYs on a regular basis and forget taking successful photos of the whole enterprise.  Seriously, are there any night owl bloggers?  And if so what do you post?  Do you take your pictures at night, after work like I try to?

I don't travel enough to take beautiful landscape pictures of things like an abandoned cemetery or like, a duck pond.  I don't have a mate or children to take pictures of or, conversely, to take pictures of me while doing DIYs.  Sorry if I left  you with the impression that I may or may not be left handed.

So what is left then?  The funny stories, I guess?  I could try cooking but come on, not even I'm optimistic enough to beat that dead horse.  Also, I'm like a remedial cook at best.  I know how to cook some stuff, like spaghetti, meat loaf, tacos but I'm not adventurous and at the first mention of a food processor or mixer, I give up.  I got a rice cooker, an 18 year old toaster, a blender and a panini press.  I mean I can't even make rice unassisted.

I could try the fashion angle.  Taking pictures of every single outfi---nah, scratch that.  I'm too lazy.  I got bored halfway through that last sentence.

So what are your thoughts?  What do you look for in your favorite blogs?  After 6 months of blogging, I'm asking you, dear readers, what do you like to read about?  What gets you interested and engaged?  Just curious.

; )

Marg

Read more

A Look Back - 2013 (Part Two)

Hola muchachos!

Welcome back to the real world.  Sadly, now is time to put away the cookies, hot cocoa, mashed potatoes, Christmas ham, and wrapping paper.  We must now go to back to our jobs, messy homes, and hope for a even better year to be on it's way.  Fear not, though.  Let's take a look back on what 2013 has brought us.  Or me, I guess, specifically.  (Sorry, I sound like a jerk)

2013 Books

I didn't end up reading too many books this year, mainly because the fourth book in the Song of Ice and Fire series (Game of Thrones) was such a slog to get through.  While people who had HBO were freaking out over the Red Wedding, I was plodding through the boring adventures of Cersei Lannister and the Greyjoy Brothers, Theon's uncles.  A task to be sure.  So when I finally finished eight months later, 2013 was almost at an end.  I did manage to read two memoirs, a decent murder mystery and a young adult novel. (because I'm a nerd, we've been over this)

WHY GOD!?!

Recommended if you were born in the 80's and felt like an outsider.  Not recommended if you don't listen to rap which I don't.

Read more