You will all remember Valarie from her WWK Profile and from her guest blog Everything Must Go (EMG). I was very excited to see that she had started her own blog because she has been a great source of information and inspiration to me. I hope you will visit her her new web digs at ShinySparklyVal. I’m sure you will enjoy her just as much as I do.
Tag: wwk
Women Worth Knowing: Meet Melinda
I met Melinda when we were working together as vocalists in a Latin jazz band. When that tall, confident drink of redheaded water walked into the rehearsal hall for the first time, I thought, “Great. Now I really have to go on a diet. And get a better bra. And do something with my hair. And grow about six inches.” But I quickly learned that one of the nicest things about Melinda is that she shares her spotlight with ease and graciousness, and even if you can’t stretch yourself out to meet her long-legged beauty ideal, she’ll make you feel comfortable enough that it doesn’t even matter anymore. There isn’t even the slightest whiff of Mean Girl about her. Oh…and probably the most important thing, she introduced me to the $8 store!!!
Melinda is a true romantic, and lovely soul. She looks for the good in people, and strives to be her best self in any relationship. She is creative, and kind, and is absolutely fearless.
I could say a lot more, but I don’t want to step on the toes of what she sent in response to the Q&A, so here she is in her own words.
Meet Melinda.
Name: Melinda
Age: Mid-fabulous 40s
Preferred Job Title: Sustainability Communications Coordinator
Industry: Local Government/Green Initiatives
Who are you?
I am a daughter, a mother, a sister, a lover and a friend. I am vulnerable and fearless.
Describe your family:
I’m a single mom with two fabulous children, Chandler (21) and Delilah (6). My parents were high school sweethearts and even after their divorce, remained friends. My mother passed away a year and a half ago.
The first hour of my day:
I subscribe to a night owl lifestyle and prefer the first hour of my day to begin as late as possible while lounging in bed sipping coffee. This preference isn’t exactly conducive to being gainfully employed, so I drag myself out of bed at the last possible moment after soundly abusing my alarm clock.
The last hour of my day:
Reflective. Sentimental. Worn.
As for the rest:
The life of a full-time mom and professional is a non-stop circus of chaos and joy. In between the lion-taming act and balancing on the high wire, I enjoy being with my family and staying in contact with my wonderful extended family comprised of close friends.
I am dedicated to making the world a better place for my children, thinking globally and acting locally. Whether its environmental issues or simply preserving our cultural/historical treasures, our legacy as a generation is hinged on personal accountability and responsible stewardship.
My priorities in life begin with God…I feel like a child in His presence. Sometimes faithful and focused, but at other times rebellious and questioning. Thankfully, I am a work in progress.
A pop culture diva, I am a singer, avid reader, television junkie and movie fanatic. My brain has more useless information stored away in the form of trivia that I fear alot of important files have been overwritten or deleted altogether…
I’m getting older and wondering about the significance of my life and if I’ve accomplished anything meaningful. I know where my ashes will be scattered when I die, but the burning question is, “What next?”
Women Worth Knowing: Meet Jennifer
Jennifer is another friend made through a friendship first with her husband, and the third Jennifer among the Women Worth Knowing project, which bears out the popularity of the pretty name. However, like her counterparts here, this Jennifer is entirely unique.
A creative woman, she is the owner of One Star 
Designs, making and selling her own jewelry. She is crafty and practical, and I have introduced her to other of my friends through Facebook and LiveJournal because of her wealth of knowledge regarding Celiac disease, and gluten-free living. One of the things I really appreciate about her, is her willingness to share information. When Jennifer knows something, she will take the time to teach someone else about it. She doesn’t just store up her knowledge: She actually uses her knowledge to help other people.
Jennifer is a kind, compassionate woman, whose appreciation for life and living it are apparent in all she does. She cares about people. She cares about connections. She cares about–well, if you’re reading this, there is a good chance she cares about you.
Meet Jennifer.
Name: Jennifer Julian
Age Range: 30’s
Preferred Job Title: Homemaker/Jewelry Designer
Industry: Wearable art!
Describe your family: I have a crazy Yeti of a husband and a little dog that talks back when you speak to her. My husband, Justin, is a kind, loving, generous man with a heart as big as he is. Our dog, Pumpkin, is a little orange and white Jack Russell Terrier who would tell you she’s a pretty pretty princess who deserves to be respected as the royalty she is. We humor her and give her lots of cookies when she isn’t being a pain in the neck.
What does the first hour of your day look like? I don’t have a typical day. I consider myself a homemaker, but I generally put in far more hours working on my business than I do standard homemaker stuff. I usually keep whatever schedule Justin is on, which varies. When I wake up, I get settled on the sofa, get my laptop on, and start the digital side of my business. (Networking on Facebook and other sites, hunting for new suppliers of inventory, taking care of sales and answering questions, etc.) After the initial wave of that is over, I’ll start beading, maybe after starting a load of dishes or laundry.
The last hour? By the end of the night, I’m usually still working. We’ll sit and watch a movie or a TV show while I bead. Eventually, Justin will force me to stop long enough to get me into bed…if I don’t fall asleep with my tools in my hands. Did I mention I’m kind of a workaholic? Justin is constantly trying to convince me to focus on resting, and we’re working on that. It’s a work in progress.
What makes you feel successful? A day when I feel I’ve done what God wants me to do, spent some time with my husband, and gotten some work done, is a successful day to me. I feel most successful when I can use One Star Designs to help people. Sometimes I’m able to give jewelry to people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to get it and need a good lift up. The other night we went to see a concert, and the band lives on the road only on the donations of others. They don’t even charge to play. It was a great honor to be able to outfit the woman in the band with plenty of new sparklies. That made me feel far more successful than any sale.
What brings you joy? God, Justin, Pumpkin, making people happy, old school goth music, and a good horror flick!
What women do you admire? Mother Theresa is a role model of mine, because of her love and compassion. She stood up and said that there are no ‘throwaways’ in life, that we’re all worth loving and caring for. She did what God told her to do, despite any cost to herself, caring for those that nobody else would.
What do you like best about yourself? My creativity. It allows me to see the world from a different angle than most people. Many people look at a cemetery and see death, and are afraid of it, or hate it. I don’t see it that way. I also see it as a celebration of life, monuments to those who have gone before that testify to what they left behind. I also see the way the shadows and light play off the stones and see the beautiful art contained there. My creativity lets me see that things aren’t just black and white, I feel I see more of the whole spectrum of color between.
What advice would you give boys about girls? Girls think with their heart, and many times it’s out on their sleeve, exposed. Just remember that and be gentle.
How do you overcome adversity? God. I pray about it, ask what I should do, and He tells me. And some of the time, I actually do it. The rest, I forge ahead, stubbornly, and after banging my head against the wall a few times I remember, ‘oh, yeah, God told me to do it this way’ and I actually do what He says.
How do you want to be remembered? My sister says that my epitaph should say ‘she never met someone she didn’t like, and probably loved them all more than she should have’. I don’t necessarily agree with either side of that entirely. I just want what the Bible says about God at the end: ‘well done my good and faithful servant’. I just don’t want anyone to die feeling unloved, and if I leave having accomplished that as much as I can, I’ll be happy.
Women Worth Knowing: Meet Emily
I really like Emily Reese.
Some introductions are easy because words about the women just flow. Some introductions are harder because I can’t quite wrap words around what I feel. Emily is one of the harder ones because when I think of her, my brain just shuts off. Why? Because I smile so widely that my thinking centers shut down, assuming that I’m in the middle of some bubbly kind of fun. See, when you’re with Emily, it’s usually in the middle of some bubbly kind of fun because Emily IS bubbly kind of fun.
When I think of Emily, I am simply overwhelmed with fondness for her. She is sweet and considerate, obliging and helpful, and wants very much for you to feel at home, and happy in her company. She is the Florence Nightengale of friendships, caring and nursing, keeping watch over the temperatures, and doing what needs done to keep things healthy and in good shape. And the usual: She’s smart, she’s funny, she’s informed, and she can cook up a storm.
Meet Emily.
Name: Emily Reese
Age Range: 20s
Preferred Job Title: Stay at Home Mommy
Industry: Autumn
Who are you? I’m Autumn’s Mama, Ryan’s Beautiful Wife, Judy’s Angel Baby, Zoe’s Center of the Universe, Nash’s Florence Nightengale, Nita’s Mobile Cat Bed
Describe your family: I’m married to my soulmate, who is a wonderful, though not always easy man. I’m mother to the most beautiful, goofy, intelligent little girl in the history of ever. I have a Wonder Pug and two kitties.
What does the first hour of your day look like? I feed everyone, make sure everyone uses the potty where they’re supposed to, then enjoy some cuddle time while watching Nick Jr.
The last hour? A shower if I’m lucky, working on my novel, putting my cold hands and feet on Ryan and listening to him squeal.
What makes you feel successful? I feel successful when Autumn figures something out, or when I get compliments on her. That means I’m doing a good job.
What brings you joy? Pugs. They’re just furry bunches of love snot and exuberance. Also, when Autumn gets really excited about something she’s discovered and laughs out loud and does an excited dance.
What women do you admire? I admire my Mom, she’s taught me that you can do anything by yourself if it’s for the right reason.
What do you like best about your closest friend? He still lets me put my cold feet on him, even though it makes him squeal. : )
What do you like best about yourself? Feature wise? I’ve always liked my eyes. Personality wise, I like my need to nurture. It’s very rewarding.
What advice would you give boys about girls? Don’t touch mine. Also, always introduce yourself to a girl’s parents the first time you go over to their house. Nothing says “little $hit” like waiting outside by the mailbox for her to get home from school and her parents having to ask who you are.
How do you overcome adversity? Lists help. If I can just make a list of the steps I need to accomplish to overcome my problem, I feel like I can tackle the little steps and get through it.
How do you want to be remembered? As a good Mommy, a supportive and thoughtful wife, and a daughter to be proud of. After that, everything is just gravy on the potatoes.
Women Worth Knowing: Meet Grace
Many years ago, ten to be exact, I was entertaining an out-of-state, visiting friend by helping her pack up the apartment of one of her friends. It was a strange situation, and I would swear drugs were involved somewhere, but I think they had been all smoked up before I arrived. As I was wrapping up dinnerware in newspaper, the barely lucid Friend of the Friend was hissing and spitting over a horrible Jezebel of a woman, who had stolen her man. The more I listened to the crazy, the more I thought, “I need to meet this woman.” It was a The Enemy of The Crazy could be my Friend, sort of thing. About a year later, I did meet her. And you know what? I was right, Grace is pretty nifty.
Grace is better than nifty. If you need to know how to cook something, clean something, make something, or get anywhere, Grace is your girl. Since I have known her, she has been as devoted a friend, wife, and mother as anyone could be. She is doggedly loyal, loudly and proudly protective of her friends and family, and is the kind of woman you want in your cache of friends. She is smart and informed, and when she takes a stand, you better believe she’s done her homework and she is not backing down.
You can count on Grace. She is the kind of girl who remembers not only your birthday, but your favorite cake, favorite color, that you are allergic to peanuts, and love party hats–and she makes it happen for you. Grace is salt of the earth, good people.
Meet Grace.
Name: Graciela to my hispanic brethren but I answer to Grace
Age Range: 40s
Preferred Job Title: Supreme High Priestess…….or Mom. Mom is good.
Industry: currently I am an unpaid child educator, psychiatrist, life coach, imparter of etiquette, chef, maid, chauffer which means I am a stay at home mom at the moment thanks to the perfect storm of a downturn in the t-com industry and crazy taxes in New York state that moved my job to Florida.
Who are you? I am woman, hear me roar! I am many things to many people but I try to underpin it all by being the best me I can manage at any given moment. I am a wife and mother first and foremost. I didn’t get married until my thirties and despite being told I’d never get pregnant (or carry to term if I did), I had 2 amazing children in my mid to late thirties. Turns out they were right about the “to term” part but I figure I need to really rock the mom thing because it’s clearly a gift I didn’t expect to have. It’s hokey but I try to make the most of every moment with and for them. I’m a pretty good wife and daughter if I do say so myself. I’m a fantastic friend and formidable foe–hurt somebody I love and just see what happens. I am a freelance photographer for our local paper as well as a town blogger for the same publication.
Describe your family: While I love my parents and brother, they got relegated to “relative” status once I got married and had my wee peeps. Dave, Johnny and Reagan are my family, my core, my inner sanctum, my reason for being. I have a circle of close friends who are the family of my heart if not my blood.
What does the first hour of your day look like? To paraphrase the fantabulous Dolly Parton, it involves stumbling to the kitchen in search of a cup of ambition. Once I smell the elixer of life brewing, I wake up the boy child for school, get him cuddled, dressed and fed while keeping him on schedule to get out the door on time. At some point the girl child toddles down the hall and onto my lap for her snuggles and kisses before her daily feeding marathoin commences. Hubby gets woken gently if I have time or gets jumped on by a child otherwise!
The last hour? I’d love to say something profound but I tend to be playing on Facebook and/or watching reality trainwrecks on Bravo. My name is Grace, and I’m addicted to Real Housewives of all kinds as well as competitive hair dressing and fashion design.
What makes you feel successful? I never believed your feelings of worth should be tied to other people until I became a mother. When one of my intelligent, well mannered, well behaved children is complimented for any of the previously listed attributes, I feel immensely proud. I also love being the hostess with the mostess, to have a gathering of pals in my home for food and fun. I love when people leave feeling full and happy.
What brings you joy? Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens……well, maybe not the kittens since I am allergic to cats. The sound of my kids belly laughing, waking up spooned with my husband, the smell of October in western New York, football on Sundays with sauce simmering on the stove. I love a good book and strong cup of coffee, my gal pals and making my house a home for the people I love.
What women do you admire? People you don’t know…..my friend Jennae, who is raising one son with autism and one with life threatening food allergies to pretty much everything with a diligence, determination and grace that humbles me. My friend Janet, who had a tough row to hoe as a single mom but who now, as a grandmother and friend, is the warmest, kindest, most giving person I know. Globally? Golda Meir, Sandra Day O’Conner, every woman out there making the best of each day one little success at a time.
What do you like best about your closest friend? She’s bright and feisty, generous of spirit and has a huge heart. She’s also the person I want with me in the trenches when it all goes to hell because she’s totally loyal and would have my back. And she makes killer cheesecake!
What do you like best about yourself? I am comfortable in my convictions and beliefs, and believe me when I say I am often NOT on the warm and fuzzy, politically correct side of things. There’s been many a time that I was the only person facing right with a million others facing left and I’m okay with it.
What advice would you give boys about girls? Don’t try to figure girls out. We cry when we feel joy, we really do believe that shoes are connected to happiness and that chocolate fixes things. Just respect girls, love girls, hold open doors and be polite. Treat every girl you meet like you’d want somebody to treat your mother and sisters.
How do you overcome adversity? With prayer and determination. One of my dad’s favorite sayings is that God will steer the boat for you, but you have to do the rowing. We just went through a cancer scare here and all I could do was offer it up to God and keep on keeping on for my family.
How do you want to be remembered? With a smile, an anecdote, a recognition that I did the best I could every day and that my children and husband knew every day that they got the best of me and were loved with all my heart.
The Outside Lane 