Author Archives: Ilene

Two Worlds

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  I’m back in my hostess dress again!  This time, I’m serving up mimosas and lattes to celebrate my guest of honor, Chris Carter from The Mom Café.  I really can’t gush enough about Chris.  She’s a new friend who feels like an old friend, because she’s just that wonderful. She’s warm, wise, inspirational, funny, and her writing is full of gratitude, encouragement and reflects her very strong faith.   Once you have read her post here, I encourage you to visit The Mom Café to read some more of her amazing material. I love the topic Chris has chosen for … Continue reading →

For The Love of Lisa and Ashley

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  Today is a huge day for me!  It's basically up there with signing a book deal, or being chosen as one of BlogHer’s Voices of the Year. Lisa and Ashley of The Dose of Reality are featuring a post I wrote on their blog!   I’m completely humbled by this for many reasons, but mostly because I adore them and I also learn so much from them! First of all, they are super smart.  Did you know they were able to scientifically prove that Arie Luyendyk Jr.is the best kisser on the face of the earth?   They also … Continue reading →

In Defense of Ex-Husbands

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  **Before I write one word here, let me begin by saying, that today, my heart belongs to Boston.  I send my condolences and prayers to all who were affected by yesterday’s tragedy. And, for those of us who have been gifted with life for one more day, never forget that we are here to live, and use up every inch of the space that we have been given.  So, dammit, go out and live. ** ### If you had asked me “what happened” a year ago, the answer wouldn’t have been the same. It would have been fueled with emotions, … Continue reading →

Facing Fears and Finding Freedom

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  Today, I'm trading in my Doc Martens and skull cap for a cocktail dress and stilettos and setting the table with fine China and crystal, as I welcome my first guest blogger.  If you have not yet met Christine from Love Life Surf, you’re in for a real treat.   Christine was my first friend in the blogosphere so it’s only fitting that I’ve invited her to be my first guest here on this page. I’m also pretty certain that Christine was the first person to ever leave a comment on one of my posts. If you’re a blogger … Continue reading →

Play for Her

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  “Today’s the day,” he said, as he stood next to my mat. “Today?” “Come on, let’s go,” he said, not giving me a chance to change my mind.  “Clasp your fingers behind your head.”I placed the crown of my head on my mat and clasped my fingers together as he had instructed.    “Kick your legs up.” I kicked my legs up into his hands and he lifted them straight into the air.  He held my ankles, firmly at first, then lightly, and then he let go of his grip entirely. My legs began to sway back and forth. “Don’t talk yourself out of it,” … Continue reading →

The In-Between

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  I’m late. As usual.   I run to the car, without the time to second guess combining the thick black rimmed glasses with the billowy skirt and the sturdy black boots.  I wonder if my boss questions what happened to that woman who showed up to interview, in the urban chic business attire, the patent leather heels, and the straightened, shiny hair,  which today, piles onto my shoulders, bigger than usual, thanks to the slight bit of damp on this cool spring morning. It’s spring break week, my work schedule at the mercy of friends willing to take my … Continue reading →

Presence

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I’ve recently begun reading Kristen Lamb’s blog, which I highly recommend to any writer/blogger.  She’s a goldmine of information and also understands and teaches to finding success as a writer in the digital age.  Last week, Kristen blogged about the importance of having successful author presence.   What exactly does this mean? As Kristen noted, presence is a hard thing to explain, but if I were to take my stab at defining it, here’s where I would start.   Own Your Space Presence is about owning your space, whether that space means your blog, your book, your social media page, your … Continue reading →

Dear Supreme Court

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  Dear Supreme Court,   I’m not coming to you today as a human rights activist or a gay rights activist or as a liberal. Rather, I’m coming to you as a highly flawed individual who has failed at my 11-year marriage.   As a heterosexual woman in the middle of a divorce, I’m asking you to recognize marriage equality. Because in my belief, any two people who are willing to a make marriage work, should have one. Marriage is hard. And if you must know, it’s been too hard for me to figure out so far in this lifetime. … Continue reading →

How to Trash a Vet’s Office in 30 Seconds

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    “Mom, if I ate 50 hot dogs, how much would I poop?” “Dude, can we talk about this later?” “It would be like fifty times the poop I make now, right?” “Stop,” I mutter.  I eye Dr. S. apologetically as she works on Dolly. “It’s ok,” she says.  I have boys. She kneads the dog’s belly. “It might be intestinal. I’m going to take some x-rays.” Dr. S. whisks the tiny shih tzu out of the exam room and down the hallway.  The dude and the two girls spill into the waiting area and run around in circles.  … Continue reading →

A Favor

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It was a beautiful Saturday. My children jumped on the trampoline in our backyard and swung on the swings of the ancient play set and rode their bicycles through the grass.  Their voices carried into the yards of neighbors as they played catch and chased the dog. A mile from here, many of the yards, yards where children played last summer and early last fall, are still empty, as my neighboring town of Union Beach, New Jersey was one of the hardest hit towns in the state by Hurricane Sandy.  Blocks of homes were wiped out, if not flooded to … Continue reading →