The Midlife Woman

Childhood Weeping Willows

There is no doubt the willow tree presents inspiration. This particular photo is breathtaking. Weeping willow trees always remind me of home. Growing up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, there was no lacking of trees. Our neighbors planted a willow tree along the shared drive. Long weeping branches and beautiful deep blue-green leaves, it was a site to behold. During World War I, Claude Monet painted a series of weeping willow trees honoring the French fallen soldiers. In addition to his son Michel serving in the army, Monet’s friendship and admiration for Clemenceau the leader of France at the time, resulted in these beautiful paintings. In 1923, he underwent two cataract operations. Rumor has it that the surgery allowed for viewing ultraviolet wavelengths of light normally excluded by the lens of the eye, thus affecting his color perceptions. It is also said that repainting occurred after his operations. Willow trees are native to China and very common in the Northeastern US. There...

Success is attainable for everyone. Rocawear was established in 1999 upon the dramatic success of rapper and co-founder Shawn “Jay Z” Carter. The apparel collection was designed to fit an urban lifestyle, and quickly became a target brand for street-savvy hip-hop consumers. Roc-A-Fella Records served as the initial launch pad to what is now an international brand of clothing. I am a Motown fan, an old skool r & b girl. Break dancing came about in my time. Raising children at the onset of the hip-hop phenomena, I cannot and did not support a lifestyle that endorses hate, the degrading of others, or the abuse of verbal freedom that SOME rappers engage in. Passing judgment, especially publically, would also be wrong. I digress. The Jay Z success story is truly amazing and worth sharing, an inspiration the hip-hop community can embrace. This Brooklyn born young man, raised in the projects by a single mom, achieved what many would classify as...

Your children, my children, our children

The number of underprivileged and disadvantaged children in our local communities is ever growing. I believe caring for children is everyone’s responsibility. Over the years, hubby and I have supported the local youth through volunteering, opening our home to local kids, as well as monetary donations. There is no good, acceptable reason for our children to live without basic needs, a sense of belonging, or a lack of love. Children are the future, a reflection of who we are as parents, as a community, as people. America’s Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics (Forum) is a collection of 22 Federal government agencies involved in research and activities related to children and families. The forum reports based on child well-being indicators spanning seven areas: Family and Social Environment, Economic Circumstances, Health Care, Physical Environment and Safety, Behavior, Education, and Health. The report revealed in 2010 health insurance coverage rates...

Enjoy Italian food, I do. Being passionate about cooking and Italian food, when myblogspark offered the chance to be part of the Italian Days event, I quickly responded. Publix is featuring the Viva Italia Sale now through March 2nd. You can score some great saving on General Mills brands such as Progresso, Pillsbury, and Green Giant to name a few. As an added incentive, save an extra $5 when you purchase 20 qualifying products. If than isn’t enough General Mills is sponsoring a Publix Italian Days Sweepstakes. Enter for a chance to win one of four grand prizes of $10,000 worth of free groceries or one of 200 $100 Publix gift cards being given as prizes. There are three ways to enter the Italian Days Sweepstakes. Click –Visit ClickCallMail.com. Register, log in, and participate in any current promotions. Call – Call the General Mills/Publix hotline, at 1.800.627.6059, and be sure to say that you want to enter the Publix Italian Days...

Oh my am I ever old. I had no idea what PSP represented. I know the iPhone and I own an LG smart phone. Would love to own an iPad or maybe even a kindle. But a PSP, blank. One of my great nephews was rambling on about the newest psp game and I really had no clue what he was trying to tell me. Eyes fixed on his while shaking my head yes, I leaned toward my niece and whispered, what is he saying? A gaming machine, made by Sony. A PlayStation Portable. Oh you mean something a game boy right? Well not exactly but that is the idea anyway. How embarrassing, especially since we have a PS2 gaming system in the next room! It is quite remarkable how we parents are very quickly removed from the latest children gadgets and popular toy scene as rapidly as they grow up. I am by no means technologically challenged but...

Lexmark beat Wall Street’s expectations, showing a fourth-quarter profit and ending shares up 10 percent. The company’s strong laser printer sales drove the jump, according to Reuters. Laser printer sales rose 11 percent, despite the fact that the printing industry has been struggling as customers move to digital content. Furthermore, within the last year, Lexmark had a market cap of $2.74 billion and generated more than $500 million in cash. Lexmark’s profits may indicate that the company is gaining momentum in the market share from rivals. “Our business is seeing the positive impact in the key strategic investment in technology and services along with the manufacturing and support infrastructure reductions we have made over the last several years,” Lexmark Chief Executive Paul Rooke said during a conference call with analysts. “ I’m wondering if their Outsmart Evil marketing campaign was the final push in this newest revenue increase. The slogan is quite popular and very economically relevant. Check out their Outsmart...

POP Display Trends – Creative and Sustainable

Searching for a new way to present and increase product sales? It may be time to rethink your display approach. The two major factors altering the game for POP display designs in 2011 are improved economic conditions for the retail sector and increased consumer interest in sustainable packaging. Stronger Retail Sales Affect POP Display Retail conditions are trending upward. Retail conditions improved slightly in 2010 compared to 2009, which was significantly improved over a disastrous 2008. Same store sales and new store openings are cautiously rising, causing the competition for shelf and floor space to heat up. Accordingly, eye catching and space saving designs for POP display will be crucial. Eye-catching displays are essential to keep merchandise moving and a space saving design provides the essential storage alternatives as product demand rises. Time to grab attention and boost sales. Consider the psychology of color.

End Violence Against Women – Believe World Tour

Did you know one in three women in the U.S. will become a victim of abuse or partner violence in her life, and it is estimated some 15 million children witness violence in their families each year? Familiar with the experience and emotion involved with domestic violence, I understand why oftentimes speaking out does not come about for many of the victims. Being outspoken comes natural, is an attributes and therefore expected of me. Anyone that knows me personally without doubt will confirm this fact. A former Avon sales representative, mother of two sons, and divorcee of an abuser is more than enough motivation for me to speak out and support the Avon Foundation for Women to end violence against women.

Search says: Popular Valentines Day Gifts for Women

What are the most popular Valentines Day gifts for women? A nationwide survey found on Google stated that among all the sweetheart gifts that one can give, flowers and jewelry own the top Valentines Day gifts. Flowers were considered by respondents to be the best gift to give followed by jewelry, tickets, food, alcohol, perfume, and cologne. Yahoo presented this answer from Cha Cha, claiming chocolates were and still are the number one Valentines Day gift. Finally Bing returned a Fatwallet.com news article which presented the four highest ranking valentines gifts for women as hotels, flowers, jewelry and candy. This was based on search analysis in 2010. They forecast these Valentines Day gifts to be among the top consumer interests again in 2011. Choose one of the top four gifts guys, your sweetheart will likely be very happy!