Hi Sweetie Pies!
Not wanting ye old year to go by without thanking it for the great things it had to offer, here I present PeaceBang’s Awesome List of 2012. These are things that helped me feel my best last year.
They are in no particular order, just as they come to me. Please keep in mind that the ongoing sources of blessing in my life, like my church, my friends and family, etc., don’t get mentioned because they weren’t new in 2012. These are the NEW things and these are mostly the health and beauty things. In no particular order:
1. My neeeeeeiiiighbors, Penny and Andy. I have never known or cared about horses before in my life, but these two beautiful creatures have allowed me to start almost every single morning with fresh air, unconditionally loving companionship (as my beagle accompanies me out to the stables), that delicious smell of warm horse snorfling, and the opportunity to make an offering to creation (carrots, oat cakes or peppermint sticks) in the form of two gorgeous 2,000 lb. animals.
2. Starbucks for your French Roast Keurig cups and your Refreshers. I bow to the evil empire. You help me get through my day.
3. Sambucus sugar-free elderberry syrup, Umcka Cold Care, Whole Foods Whey Protein Powder, and Amazing Grass Green Superfood, and frozen fruits: thank you for making a healthy breakfast smoothie an inviolable reverent for me, and helping me control my blood sugar and weight (The Umcka Cold Care is a tincture that I take when I’m feeling po’ly). Thank you to Maud Staeyert for the recommendations of Sambucus and Umcka, which sound like some kind of Siberian law firm.
4. I am amazed and thrilled by the results of Nerium AD, a skin care product that I actually sell now, for completely re-surfacing my skin, undoing years of sun damage to my chest, solving life-long blotchiness, easing wrinkles and lines, obliterating permanent acne on my forehead and generally making me feel beautiful. I knew when I first started using Nerium that it was unlike anything else I had tried, and honey, I’ve TRIED ‘EM ALL! I bought into the company because I knew I’d be hawking this product to everyone who asked me how I get such great skin at my age. It’s a commitment – like any skin care product, you have to apply it every night (or pretty much every night). It’s expensive, but you can order it to be delivered every other month instead of once a month. When it comes to my skin, I am willing to spend good money for good results.
Here I am without a stitch of make-up or product (just Badger cocoa butter lip balm), two weeks shy of my 47th birthday. This is a girl with sensitive combination skin, scarring from years of horrible cold sore blisters (can’t see the scarring any more) and lots of sun damage. Puffy ruddiness: gone (I’m still pink but that’s just my complexion). Chronic forehead zits: gone. Small lines around eyes: gone. Scarring around nose: gone. Blotchiness: gone. Bumps around edge of chin: gone. Bumpiness on chest: gone. I’m a believer and an evangelist. I would attach my name to something I wasn’t thrilled with myself.
4. Belden C. Lane, Ravished by Beauty: The Surprising Legacy of Reformed Spirituality. And Camille Paglia for Glittering Images: A Journey Through Art From Egypt To Star Wars. Two great books that have helped inspire and clarify my own work on integrating mission, spirit and image with individuals and communities.
5. Kerrilee Pietroski of Catalyst Hypnosis Center for inviting me to participate in the Virtual Gastric Bypass Surgery hypnosis and for being a fierce and loving advocate in my recovery from compulsive overeating. The VGB has helped me immensely and Kerrilee’s hypnosis CDs that I listen to every day are helping me to replace the mean old voices in my head with her voice of compassion and sanity.
6a. Olivia by Duval guest house in Key West, Florida, where I was able to take a vacation last January. It was a highlight of the year spending hours floating in the pool.
6b. To my neighbors Rick and Mary who opened their pool to me this summer, allowing me to swim almost daily. There is no form of exercise that does me so much good, body and soul, as swimming outdoors.
7. Two supplements: Calcium with Vitamin D3 and Glucosamine Chondroitin. I credit these two with doing away with my aches and pains and constant chills.
8. “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” on TLC. It was a sheer delight to get together with my cowgirl friend Katelin and have our HBB date every week. I love this family, and I think Alana is the next Dolly Parton/Mae West/Sophie Tucker.
9. Jean at Rudolph Adamo Hair Salon in Cohasset, MA and the staff at Kyma Med Spa in Norwell, MA. You do great work in a beautiful, serene and professional setting and I’m so glad I found you.
10. The entire company, production team and everyone involved in “Paragon Park: The Musical” at The Company Theatre. Being part of such a creatively fulfilling project was invigorating, inspiring, and totally joyful.
Okay, pigeons, you next! Your top feel-good new things of 2012?
I’m planning a vacation in February with my 23-year-old daughter, and on the strength of your recommendation, looking at Key West! I’ve never thought of going there, but it looks like a lot of fun. Wondering whether the clothing-optional policy at the Olivia pool is new, and if not, whether it was strange… [Hey, K: Key West is fantastic for maybe four nights. There's not a lot to do unless you're a water sports person. I was ecstatically happy to spend most of the day as a fat, happy mermaid in the pool. I'm no nudist but I think there is spiritual and physical benefit in getting fresh air on as much of your bod as you can (and are comfortable with) and in being around people who are comfortable in their skin. It's very gay, of course. No one gives a rats' tushie whether you're in a bathing suit or buck nekkid. The management at Olivia is very good and they gave me a blender for my room so I could have smoothies every morning. - PB]
Well, it sounds perfect! Four nights is, in fact, what we planned. And I like the smoothie idea. I’ll share your comments with my daughter Beth, and book the flights!
After decades of dying my hair at home I had it done professionally because I wanted to go red and I wanted a shade that wouldn’t be WRONG. I’m at the age where I don’t want to look like The Old Lady Who Obviously Dies Her Hair. It was more expensive than my bottle of Nice and Easy, but it looks fabulous and natural and I have gotten so many compliments on it. I’m seriously considering bleached blonde come summer…
Still offering Nerium samples? Your skin looks great.
I do see that the active ingredient, oleander, is a mixed bag of a botanical. Perhaps fine for topical use.
[YEA, because it's POISON. But yes, it's great. Where are you located? I do give out my sample bottle for locals but it's kind of silly to send them through the mail now because if you order a bottle, you can return it within 30 days for a full refund. I'll e-you. xoxo - PB]
Seems that Nerium doesn’t deliver Canada