Category: #TheFab50s

9 things I do not want to give up in 2019

My good, good work friend and fellow Connecticut blogger,  Jamie Taylor (jamieeverafter dot com) inspired me to write this blog today when she recently posted about the things she was not willing to give up in the year 2019.   I “liked” her Instagram post because this kind of thinking is the polar opposite of what you expect to hear from anyone in the early days of a New Year.

At any rate, it got me thinking about my own will not give up list for 2019 so here  is that list (in no particular order):

 

Coffee

 I cannot leave the house without my coffee – nothing fancy, just a dark roast, completely black with natural sugar does the trick – I tried leaving the house without coffee once and it wasn’t pretty – I seriously thought I was coming down with something (smile).

 

 

Edge Strong workouts

I cannot imagine doing what I do for a living without the benefits of a good workout each weekday morning.  It is not only a stress reliever but it also keeps me physically fit:  Check out my blog post:    LJ: Stronger than before…

 

 

Social Media

Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Twitter, Yelp, you name it – I’m on it and loving every minute of it.  Check out my blog post:    R U Social?

 

 

Pampering (hair/feet/nails)

It’s no secret that I have a weekly standing hair appointment at the salon every Saturday morning so getting my nails and/or feet done on a monthly basis is par for the course:  Check out my blog post:   Put your slippers on…

 

 

Wine

I make my living as a TV/Digital/Social Media Account Executive in a highly competitive, pressure-cooker work environment.  I do this all on 100 percent commission so a nice glass (or two) of red wine is more than welcome on the weekends – Check out my blog post:    10 things I cannot live without today

 

 

Movies

As I’ve posted about before in TVFL, Growing up Hollis my mother Jean would take her 7 children to the movies on Saturdays armed with candy and snacks: Check out my blog post:   Movie Buff   To this day watching movies on TV, Mobile tablets or even at the theater is a regular pastime.

 

Salad (with protein)

I absolutely loooooove salad any time of the year – not just the Summertime and I pile my salad with some or all of the following ingredients: romaine lettuce, spinach, kale, fresh veggies, mixed nuts, cheddar cheese, hard boiled eggs, sesame seeds, chick peas, grilled chicken, homemade croutons and low fat dressing.   The low fat dressing is a semi-joke considering what goes into building my salads.  Check out my blog post:   New Haven, CT Fall(ish) eats! 

 

 

Golf

I finally learned how to play Golf last Summer at Lyman Orchards Golf Center in Golf Fore Women 101 and I must say I’m truly looking forward to the Summer again so I can hit the links with my newfound lady golf friends!   Check out my blog post:  Ready Fore Golf

 

 

Beauty Sleep

Over the years I have alternatively read or heard that a good night’s sleep is overrated and you really don’t need that much rest for your body to function at its best.  I disagree.  When I get at least 7 hours of sleep at night I tend to be more mentally alert and better able to handle multiple tasks at hand the following day.   Check out my blog post:   What it means to be a woman of a certain age…  

 

 

So that’s my list for 2019, how does your list compare?

 

Sincerely,

 

 

TVFL

 

My Top 3 Goals in the New Year

Good or bad it is officially the holiday season.  Thanksgiving is a not so distant memory, Christmas Day is looming and the New Year is right around the corner.

So today I thought to myself why not start early on my top 3 goals in the New Year before I get too caught up in the frenziness of the holidays…

 

Goal 1:

Make Clean Eating a regular part of my lifestyle

I’ve fallen off from clean eating more often than not this past year so in 2019, I resolve to do the following:

  • To not give in so much to temptation (mainly unhealthy eating)
  • To try harder to eat unprocessed, locally sourced foods that I (preferably) cook myself
  • To snack less and instead eat several small meals during the day
  • To drink more water in between meals
  • To eat more whole grains, veggies and fresh produce

 

 

 

Goal 2:

Work out smarter

It is a fact that I currently work out 5 weekday mornings a week but to tell you the truth I could be working out smarter as opposed to harder.  Here’s what I plan on doing in the New Year:  hydrating during my workouts, using heavier more challenging hand weights while working out and doing cardio after my team training, not before.

 

 

Goal 3:

Step up my retirement savings plan

I am 56 years old and not too far away from the legal retirement age so I resolve in 2019 to start putting away more money towards my retirement as it’s looming and will be here before you know it.

 

 

On that note, Cheers to the Holiday Season!

 

 

Sincerely,

 

TVFL

 

 

Ready Fore Golf

So glad I finally got off my duff last summer and signed up for golf lessons for women (smile).

Here’s what happened:  I was leafing through the Hamden/North Haven Adult Ed catalog when I happened upon a course listing in the Enrichment Class section called Golf Fore Women 101.   It felt serendipitous as I have been talking about taking golf lessons for what felt like ages so I promptly called to register for the Saturday morning 5-week session.

Then I called my girlfriend and broadcast industry colleague Ginger, who, like me, owned her own set of golf clubs but still did not know how to play.  Ginger was grateful that I thought of her and I felt lucky to know her (smile).

 

Me and Ginger on Day 1 of our lessons and the women we met in Golf 101

 

The reason why I felt so lucky was because I actually bought my own starter set of golf clubs 11 years ago but for some reason or another, nothing ever seemed to come together for me in terms of taking golf lessons or being consistent about actually wanting to play.  Here’s the rundown:

 

2007

I purchased my own set of “lady” golf clubs for $105 dollars (down to the shoes, hat, gloves, pink golf balls, etc.) and although I initially had good intentions, this set sat in my garage year after year collecting dust…

 

My starter set of lady golf clubs

 

2011/2012/2013/2014

Since by now I still had not learned how to play, I spent multiple years volunteering as a “Beverage Cart Driver” at our News 8 annual golf tournament where we invited our clients out for a day of golf.

 

2015

I finally took two private lessons (a gift from my bf) at Lyman Golf Center in Middlefield, CT with John Wilson, who came highly recommended from a former News 8 co-worker and female golfer.

 

Lyman Golf Center – this is  3 years ago…

 

After my two lessons with John,  I wrote a blog post about my experience in The View from Lajeune:  Check out my blog post:  Taking fun seriously…my very first golf lesson

 

2016/2017

At the annual Travelers Tournament in Cromwell, CT (one of my fav live golfing events and spectator sports)

 

At the annual Traveler Tournament in Cromwell, CT. Always a good time. Turns out my cousin Bear from Rhode Island was working there that week

2018

By now I was so desperate I even fake caddied for my boyfriend last Summer while he enjoyed ‘the game’ (smile).

 

And it was right after this fake caddy moment when I happened upon the Enrichment course listing in the Hamden/North Haven Adult Ed catalog…

 

Golf Fore Women 101

The Saturday morning Fall classes I registered for ran from September 15 – October 13 (10am -11am) and consisted of about ten women.  Our first session was mostly in the classroom where we talked about ourselves and what brought us there and then learned about Golf from a theoretical perspective.

My Saturday morning classmates – I’m gonna miss these ladies

 

Let me tell you, there is a lot to learn here.  Golf  is truly a game of and for life… Throughout our introductory 5-week course Marissa Kulig Crow, our LPGA Coach and Club Professional, very patiently taught us the following:

 

  • Essentials – equipment selection and appropriate golf attire
  • Golf Clubs
  • Golf  Course Layout
  • Golf Terms
  • Golf Scores
  • Forms of Golf Games
  • Golf Shots
  • Networking
  • Stretching and Yoga
  • Golf Etiquette 101

 

Lesson 1 –  The Driving Range

 

Here we are lined up and on our way to the driving range

Lesson 2 – The Full Swing

 

The full swing – one of my favorite golf swings

Lesson 3 – Chipping/Pitching/Sand

 

Chipping Pitching Sand Wedge was probably one of the most difficult lessons we took – here is me and Mary Ann – one of my favs

 

Lesson 4 –  On the Putting Green

 

Today’s practice will be on the putting green – the short game – where a lot of golfers struggle

Lesson 5 – The Apple 9 Golf course 

It felt so funny because today’s lesson #5  (final lesson of Golf Fore Women 101) was actually golfing on the Apple 9 Golf course.  We played 3 holes during our last lesson.  It was so fun!  I am looking forward to next Summer and Fall so I can take Golf Fore Women 201 and 301 and work on perfecting my game!

 

Me and my girls – enjoying our last day of Golf Fore Women 101!

 

Sincerely,

 

 

TVFL

10 things I cannot live without today

Here are 10 things that I, as a middle-aged female adult, cannot imagine living without today…and these are not in any particular order…

 

First, I tend to feel better inside and out when I am eating clean and getting my proper rest.

 

Could not imagine not working out at the gym Monday through Friday – for my sanity, stress relief and for staying in tip top physical shape.

 

 

Going out to the movie theater or to a live theater performance or play while enjoying my favorite snack(s).

 

 

Love me some sushi (and sashimi) a minimum of one or two times a month!

 

 

 

Going away on vacation is a way to decompress as well as broaden my horizons.

 

 

Pampering myself – face, hair, nails, feet and body massage is a must!

 

 

A nice glass or two of wine after a long, hard day at work is more than welcome.

 

My life is infinitely much better when it is shared with that special someone…

 

 

Family and friends are two of the most treasured components to my small but meaningful world…

 

 

And lastly, where would I be today without a good Church home?  Faith is most certainly “the conviction of things not seen.”

 

 

Sincerely,

 

TVFL

 

LJ’s Style

LJ’s style…where did this conversation come from…oh, now I remember:  one of my gfs was talking to me about her 15 year old daughter and how she had so much style for her age.   Not just the style of her clothes but also how she wore each piece – well.  She made such an impression that she was constantly receiving praise from her teachers, family members, other girls her age, etc…It definitely got me thinking, Growing up Hollis I really didn’t have any style.  I was the baby girl of the Hollis family and one of 9.   My father Jonie B., my mother Jean, one older brother, one younger brother and 4 sisters.  And since I was the  “baby girl” of the family, my style was whatever clothes I could fit into that year that had been passed down to me (smile).

To this day, my style will forever be eclectic and sometimes even out of the ordinary.   I’m not complaining, merely stating a fact (double smile).

Here are some of the many styles that I possess today…

 

Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner:

 

My Caffeinated Wake Up look

 

 

My Healthy Lunch Choices look

My fav Sushi Dinner look

 

Work:

 

My chit chat at the water cooler look

 

My Taking Care of Business look

 

My I’m Feeling Myself look

 

Church:

 

My 2 Blessed to be Stressed look

 

Gym:

 

My Daily Workout Gear look

Post Work Events:

 

My i Hope They Like This Arrangement look

My I Hope I Picked Out The Right Outfit For This Event look

 

Romantic Dates:

 

My Valentines Day Birthday look

 

My Dinner and a Movie Date look

 

Play Dates:

 

My jumping into the weekend look!
My Ski Date look

 

My pool party look

 

Vacations:

 

My On my way to vacay look

 

Bedtime:

My Hot Bubble Bath before bedtime look

 

And finally my thanks to God for blessing me with a good life, good family, good friends, good health, good work, good love in my life and a sunny, positive attitude.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

TVFL