– Jane
· · · Jane’s Thread · · ·
Perfect Child
Remember that sister I mentioned who cheated me out of my Ginny doll clothes? All I wanted was her attention. She was beautiful, creative, smart and bigger than I was. I wanted to sleep in the bed with her, cuddle, have her love me and pay attention to me. But, no....
Lonely Childhood
This is a work in progress. Names have been changed to protect the truly innocent from my childhood opinions. Even though there were four of us kids, I felt alone. It helped when my brother Jay was born, because I had my own real Betsy Wetsy to take care of and...
A Time I Knew Defeat
Here's my first post since declaring July the time to share more personal, non-entrepreneurial, writing with you. Remember, positive support only. Thank you! A paid job in a theatre company? How lucky could a girl get? I was hired as the property mistress at the...
Cup Holder Wisdom from Oprah
I love writing. There, I've said it. Growing up, my mother labeled us. "Jane, you're the artist." (Thank God I got that one!) "Meredith, you're the writer. Barbara, you're the pretty one. Andy, you're the funny one." Because my older sister was awarded claim to all...
Talk About Passion!
Since speaking and writing about getting picked, I've become more aware of the invitations I've received from women business owners seeking my support and endorsement. I'm always delighted when successful women like Nancy Williams find me and my blog and view it as...
Wisdom from My Landlord’s Father
I rent space from Cynthia Overgard, President and CEO of HypnoBirthing CT. She has a warm and welcoming space in an office building well-located in Westport on the Norwalk/Westport line directly across from Whole Foods and Panera Bread and equi-distant between I-95...
Are You a Better Pick-er or Pick-ee?
I gave my first public talk last night about my trip around the world to a joint audience of Living All the Way and Ladies Who Launch members and guests. The response was thrilling, and the feedback extremely helpful. An experience I shared that was particularly...
Thanks for the Testimonial, Joan Cavanaugh
My talk this week about Living 25,000 Miles Outside Your Comfort Zone is Wednesday night. I got my first review after giving a Mastermind colleague of mine a sneak preview. Joan Cavanaugh, who has worlds of experience and has heard thousands of speakers, sent me...
My First Indiegogo Contribution
I've known Diane Ripstein since I joined the National Speakers Association in 1997. I knew that she was a communications expert par excellence. I'd seen her present to audiences and demonstrate her vast skills as a business leader and authority on the subject of...
3 Dozen New Outfits with Scarlett
I didn't buy a lot of stuff on my trip, but I do want to show off the few things I did purchase. Of course, my go-to professional for this assignment is always Scarlett DeBease. She was here this morning for under three hours, and we (she, really) came up with 36...
Comfort Zones ‘R Us?
On June 11 I'll be giving my first public talk about my Semester at Sea--the experiences I had traveling with 550 students around the world, visiting 11 countries, most of which are not touristy in the way Americans, especially me, expect. Things like heat (in...
My First Best Friend
When I attended Camp Chinqueka, a sleepaway camp for girls, back in the last century, I met Cookie, aka Marisabina, Russo. We were great friends back then and re-discovered our relationship when she attended my alma mater, Mount Holyoke College. She truly is my...
How Often Does This Happen?
When was the last time you were thanked for unsubscribing from a newsletter or distribution list? For me, it was on Sunday. Since I've arrived back in NY, I've been listening to my heart and gut and noticing what I feel like doing, versus what I should be doing....
My Hierarchy of Needs – Post Travel Post #1
My Semester at Sea (SAS) is behind me now. Ninety-plus days of luxurious freedom to travel, meet new people, see the world and not have any responsibility. As a Lifelong Learner (LLL), I audited classes--no papers, no exams, no getting called on in class. As a...
Feel the Bump
I received a certificate yesterday as I graduated from pollywog to shellback. This rite of passage was earned by 600 of us onboard while crossing the equator. The ritual included being slimed with blue fluids (fish guts, they said), jumping en masse into the pool...