– Jane
· · · Jane’s Thread · · ·
Don’t Judge Me!
My apartment is a mess. My kitchen renovation, delayed since July, is in its final stages, which means that there is currently a large plastic sheet dividing my living room from everything else. My brand new stove sits in the dining area. Pantry items and dishes...
So You Think Publishing is Glamorous
A NYTimes obituary for Daniel Menaker caught my eye a few weeks ago, because his wife's name was one I recognized, Katherine Bouton, the colleague and friend of a good friend. I called my friend to share my sympathy for this loss, and she suggested loaning me My...
Finding Joy During You-Know-What
This morning I opened up a red, Mrs. Fields' cookie tin to uncover a treasure trove of buttons. I spent close to an hour sifting through its contents, setting aside ones I'd like to use in my sewing projects and putting the rest back to return. They were gifted to...
Warning! Did You Receive a $200,000 Offer From Me?
If so, you were also a victim of my Instagram account getting hacked. I began to get messages from followers on Tuesday alerting me to this scam. I'm so grateful to you for: Not taking the bait Caring enough about my safety to sound the alarm The experience chilled...
Home (Not Quite) Alone
While we're all staying close to home or totally self-quarantined, there's a sense of aloneness. Many of us, however, have an unkind Board of Directors in our heads. I am compelled to offer three suggestions to combat those voices and/or a sense of isolation. Using...
Having a Bad Day?
Does it ever feel like the world is conspiring against you? That no action you take touches the mountain of work ahead? That you are constantly thwarted? Oh, yeah: Mercury Retrograde is upon us. Yesterday was that kind of day for me. Nothing felt right. I'm in the...
Artist, Coach Thyself!
I had a blinding flash of the obvious last week when one of my mastermind trio suggested I apply my well-seasoned coaching skills to my own new venture: creating one-of-a-kind penny rug pillows and wall-hangings. As Homer Simpson would say, "Doh!" Somehow, I had...
How Big Are Your Carrots?
I made it through a 5-day Ayurvedic cleanse which ended on Tuesday. I'd thoroughly prepared my cupboards (still under renovation) and plastic-coated my countertops (plywood stand-ins for my eventual Caesarstone ones), then gave myself over to a period of reflection...
Scarlett’s Web(site) Suggestion
I wrote about my skepticism over an idea Scarlett, my image consultant, made when I showed her my new artist's page back in July. She said something like, "It would be very cool if you could duplicate those images with current ones of your penny rug designs and you...
When Are You All In?
How often will you do and do, yet remain unaware of how much you've accomplished? I'm fortunate to have another human being listen to me account for my actions twice a week. I prepare for our calls by adding to my ongoing list of Actions before we speak. But it's...
Too Quick to Judge
Before I begin, simply writing the word 'judge' brought a lump to my throat since the recent death of a woman I admired greatly, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. It is an enormous loss, and I mourn her passing. When my fabulous wardrobe stylist, Scarlett...
Who Gets New Head Shots During a Pandemic?
Me! I had a photo shoot with the remarkable Katie Settel this week. I had author shots taken a year ago, but wanted to update my website, social media and marketing offers with a fresh look. The past collection was no longer speaking to me, plus I've added 'artist'...
Have You Been Pigeonholed?
I used to like to compare myself to Paul Newman. (Have you stopped giggling?) He came into my life first as an actor. Then a race car driver. Then a salad dressing maker. I didn't think less of him as an actor when he started Newman's Own. I thought, "Wow! He's...
Have You Even Tried?
I hear that message in my head when I reject something out of hand. Like Instagram. Too many hashtags and paper airplane thingy's. I want to reject it (before it rejects me). That voice--"Have you even tried?"-- comes from a wonderful anecdote I heard Susan Daniels...
What If Only 1 Person Signs Up for Your Offer?
As the mother of high school kids (back in the day), I sat at a roundtable of parents where everyone bragged that their kid never slept through the night when they were babies. However, back in the day, when I was the mother of a that toddler, no one admitted that...