Fashion and People Watching...

Someone asked me recently; "Where do you go to people watch?" Well, truthfully, you can go most anywhere and be entertained...but for myself, when it comes to fashion and people watching...I tend to gravitate toward my two children who seem to know the current trends and like 'Gossip Girl' ....they know what is going on in the Big Apple making the news. They live and work in NYC and they see it all, including many celebrity sightings, sometimes almost daily. Me on the other hand, living in a small quite town...I see no celebrities...life is not all glamorous here, not at all. I get to look out my window and see the older gentleman across the street bending over to pick up his morning newspaper every day with half of England and France hanging out of his pajamas. Not much of a fashion statement, and also not something that you want to wake up to each and every morning.

Such a beautiful city...When I visit NYC, I walk the streets, shop, ride the subways, go to Irish Pubs and people watch...A LOT! (5th Avenue is the place to be to view for the high end luxury of retail. Might I suggest visiting there at Christmas time, as it is fabulous to see the lights and stores dressed up for the holiday.) I have a tendency to make small talk often with those around me, where as my children say nothing to people, they just look and listen...Asking me not to speak would be like taking a fish out of the water...some things we just need. 

You don’t just watch people here, you watch their poodles and pugs, too. People dress their dogs like you and I dress our children....classy, trendy and they spare no expense.Through my children, I have learned that you don’t just watch people, you eavesdrop on them or even sometimes follow them. There are no ethical qualms regarding this,..no sir. People know that what they do and say on the streets of New York is fair game. So where can you go to truly see it all happening? Well, it appears, or so I have heard through the grapevine that dog runs are among the best places in town to watch the natives socialize, frolic, flirt and nuzzle. Central Park is fabulous to people watch but don't hesitate to stray off the beaten path...Brooklyn, Manhattan and Tribeca. Many are there living the dream. As Jay-Z and Alicia Keys sang; "Empire State of Mind" ...Now your in New York, there's nothing you can't do, big lights will inspire you..."

So, you might wonder...just who has time to chase people around and do all this people watching? We all do of course, but most of us don't do it in a stalking sort of way. It happens every second, every minute of the day. We are making observations of others everywhere. To those who visit these larger cities like NYC that I speak of, most of them are complete strangers to how reality really is and they can become a nuisance to these celebrities that are just trying to live a normal life outside of the studio or concert venues. If you are a mature person of wisdom, you may pass these people every day, say on your way into work and see someone famous walking her pup. You see her, and if eye contact is made, you smile and pass by. 

There is a certain respect that one must have for these people that are in the spotlight on a daily basis, and believe it or not, these people tend to respect those of us whom acknowledge them with a glance, nod, or smile, and carry on much more than you might think. Although we may see them as 'goddesses' of the entertainment world, they are just normal people at the end of the day that go home, eat dinner with their families and snuggle up to a good book, or movie script and turn in for the evening. On the contrary to what so many people think, these people put their pants on one leg at a time, just like you and me. They deserve respect, just like you and me. 

People watching is something that most of us do, just some more than others. We learn about current trends not only through fashion icons and magazines, rather first hand. What many people read about in newspapers or view in magazines, my children see daily. I love to hear their stories. At any age, I truly believe that we learn. My kids are my tool. I learn through my children. I enjoy a text from them or a photo on Facebook, or a phone call telling me that I'll never believe who they just saw? 

Regardless of if you live in a big city or not, there is fashion everywhere around you, some spectacular, some (like my neighbor) not so pretty...and people watching goes on in local stores, parks, pubs, etc. I believe that you can learn a lot about a person through something as simple as people watching. 
If you haven't already...you should give it a try!  

If you are visiting NYC this weekend and really want to get some people watching in might I suggest taking a subway ride? Sunday January 13, 2013 is the 12th Annual NO PANTS subway ride. See the link for the locations and for heaven sakes...take your cameras. You won't see celebrities, but this is almost as good! Oh if they were all only wearing sexy undergarments from my store, Simply Delicious Lingerie... www.simplydeliciouslingerie.com Visit our online boutique for low, low prices!

http://improveverywhere.com/2012/12/03/save-the-date-no-pants-subway-ride-2013/

www.SimplyDeliciousLingerie.com 

Dreams and Ambitions...

So often, we tend do associate "dream" to mean deepest desire, vision or ambition, and "follow your dreams" to mean pursuing your deepest desires.So what is it really? Peace of mind, contentment, hopefulness, well being? Well, what if "dream" were to be interpreted as internal wisdom, and "follow your dreams" meant to be guided and inspired in unique and profound ways by our internal wisdom?In life, sometimes we really only get one true chance to chase a dream. By doing so you are either moving forward, moving backwards, or you are standing still, feeling somehow that life is passing you by…that's because it probably is!

In reality, moving forward, somehow feels better than going backwards or even standing still, certainly when viewed over a longer period of time.Unfortunately, many people spend most of their present moments in the past, and get stuck living their life as if they were looking back through the rear view mirror of their car. Here's is some advice for you...As long as you allow the constraints of your present situation or past experiences, such as past failures or missed opportunities, to control your thinking process, you will never live to see your own dreams come true.Don't think in reverse, because the past is a trail that is left behind. It is only when you decide to move forward or move on that you can become the mental architect of your own personal transformation. 

I was raised to dream big, so naturally I didn't raise my children any differently. We all have ideas of what we want our lives to become. Some people want to get married and settle down, start a family, and some want to succeed in other ways such as in business. So where do you start? The first step is to get specific about what you want from life. Many people have a tendency to stagnate or drift in life, because they either don't know what they want or they live their life fulfilling the expectations of others.In order to live your dream, stop believing in what is, and start believing in what you truly want! How you choose to live your life has everything to do with your chosen beliefs, through which you filter all of your experiences.For years after my divorce I dreamed of owning my own business. Even if that business was just a 'mom & pop' type business, it was my dream. Sometimes we get scared and don't know how to act, or react on decisions. Some people fear falling flat on their faces. Look at me, you don't see any broken bones do you? No, why? Because I fell so many times that I started bouncing back up. Mistakes and failures make us who we are. They build character and that determines what type of person we become. 

My life hasn't been easy, but it hasn't been terrible at all either. In fact, my life has taught me some valuable lessons that enabled me to teach my children. It taught me to fight, and to never give up on something that in your heart you felt so strongly about. Take my kids for example. Both so very different yet in many ways similar. They are unique and extraordinary in ways that I can't even explain. They are givers like myself. The take pride in who they are both on the inside as well as the outside. 

They have traits that only a mother could be proud of. My son, my oldest who is 28 followed his dreams when he changed majors in college at the end of his first degree. He came to me and said "Mom, I want to do something else with my life so I signed up for school in Houston!" My daughter, my youngest 26 had lived there after being relocated for a marketing/sales position and we visited her often. My son hated snow, and cold and loved palm trees, sunshine and fashion...so we packed out bags and moved to Houston. He gave up all of his friends, a good job and family to pursue his dream knowing that he was going to live in NYC when this was all said and done. A few days ago, I moved him from Brooklyn to the upper east side of Manhattan. He's been there for a year. He works in retail in visual merchandising and he loves what he does. He also gets asked to work on movie sets for films shooting in NYC where he gathers costumes and wardrobes for actors/actresses in the films. He is fulfilling his dreams and as a mother I couldn't be more proud of him! 

My daughter, a marketing major from Michigan State lives in Houston Texas, and has resided there since 2008. In two days her life is about to change as she moves to NYC where she too is about to embark on a new way of life and her own true bliss! She is pursuing her happiness, and as a mother, I couldn't be more proud of her! You see, our children are an image of who we are in so many ways. I raised them with the understanding that reality is what we make of it. You can sit back and watch your life go by, or you can make that decision to make a change in your life today that will have great impact on those around you. Don't look back 20 years from now and wonder 'what if?' Tomorrow could change your life.

Look at my own life for example; My siblings are nothing at all like me and their careers in comparison to mine are like night and day. I am and always have been the black sheep of the family and I see that as a good thing, not a bad thing at all. My goals, objectives and realities are all mine. I make my desires and my dreams my destiny. 

What are your dreams? Where do you see yourself 5 years from now? Where do you see yourself 20 years from now? In life we will make mistakes. There is always wiggle room (as I tend to call it) to adjust and reevaluate things so that we can determine how to proceed. Owning my businesses was a big endeavor on my bucket list and another thing that I can now scratch off. A coworker reminded me a few days ago about something on my bucket list that I had mentioned to her a while back. For me, starting a business was  much easier than getting up in front a a bunch of strangers and singing "I Got You Babe" at a karaoke bar with a hottie guy, hopefully the man that I'm destine to end up. I'm narrowing down my bucket list... and checking things off little by little. What are your dreams, and do you have a bucket list? Only you hold the key to your future. Only you can determine what/who will make you happy? 

www.simplydeliciouslingerie.com