Jun 10, 2013 |
TheRealMojo68
So. Y’all know I’m a Trekaroo Superoo, right? I get to write reviews for family-friendly based activities, restaurants, and destinations. I’m loving it. I haven’t received a sponsored assignment yet, but I’m so okay with that. Because I love writing reviews. Even if they’re based out of my own little town.
Another reason I love Trekaroo is the giveaways they offer every week with their Monday Madness. This week is no different. But it is. This week is a doozy. A week-long stay at a west coast timeshare through ResorTime.com.
Now, I’m not affiliated with this giveaway. Which is good. ‘Cuz I’m trying to win. Which would be good. ‘Cuz then I could review the experience. It’s a win-win-win. But that’s just me being selfish. I’d love for you to win instead, if you want to give it a try.
Can you find your way to Hawaii? Las Vegas? Sedona or Scottsdale or Carlsbad? Do you need a week away from it all with the ones you love the most?Sometimes you just need a break. Can you see yourself sitting poolside while the kids play, or sitting with the family all around the picnic table enjoying your own BBQ?
Then y’all need to check this out. Click on my Superoo badge above or below this post and you can read Katie Dillon’s Trekaroo Contest post. Full of information about the timeshares and plennnnty of chances to enter for your own vacation. [Disclaimer: by entering through my link, I get a bonus entry. So thank you. But truly, good luck! If I don’t win, I hope you do!]
Don’t forget to share your own link so you can earn bonus entries, too!
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
TheRealMojo68
You can read all my Trekaroo reviews here: RealMojo68
You may also enjoy reading:
Do You Trekaroo?
I’m a Trekaroo Superoo!
Five Things Friday: TRAVEL
Following Fabian
Destination: Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Michigan
Destination: Mission Inn [“Tell ‘Em Tony Sent Ya”]
When I Get To New York
May 29, 2013 |
A few posts ago, I wrote about watching Under the Tuscan Sun and how I desperately want the white dress.
Well. I bought myself a dress. It’s not white. There’s no black belt. Am I’m a few sizes bigger than Diane Lane. But I bought a dress.
I Wore a Dress. And I Wore a Hat.
And I love it.
I wore it for the first time today.
I’ve struggled with my hair since getting it cut last week. Melanie always does such an amazing job. But I couldn’t duplicate the salon style in my own home. Then we caught The Great Gatsby at the theater this weekend, and I became enamored with the abundance of short hair styles.
Today I love my hair. Even wispy after a long day and getting windswept just before this photo, I love my hair.
It’s not always magazine-beautiful. But I like my short hair. Today, I love it. Tucked under a matching blue headband, I felt the part. I felt coordinated. I felt…
Confident.
I’m not a Size 0 or even a Size 6. I have an eczema flare up on my face that rivals any teenaged pizza delivery kid in town.
And today I wore a dress.
Dreaming.
I felt strange. As though I’d been waiting for this moment. It was so much more than a dress. It was, as I thought it would be, an embracing of who I already am and letting what’s inside shine out.
A few months ago I wouldn’t have shared these photos. I wouldn’t have been confident enough. But today I am.
Today, I’m okay with being bigger than a Size 6. I’m okay with a less than perfect complexion. And I’m even okay with showing a yard that still needs some clean-up.
Because this is Who I Am.
And let’s face it: nobody’s perfect. Nobody’s even what you see. So much of us is hidden or ignored. That’s not to say I’m not going to strive for something better. But I’m not upset with the way things are.
How can I tell my daughter, “You’re Worth It!” if I example to her a lack of confidence or self-control? How I be a good role model for Dot if I’m constantly struggling with how I present myself or have a lack of willingness to participate in life?
Granted, you’ll (hopefully) never see a photo of me crawling out of bed in the morning… there are just some things y’all don’t need. Like a spider in the shoe or fingers on the chalkboard. I don’t want to leave you with that kind of experience. And me before coffee is exactly that. You’re just gonna hafta trust me on this.
There’s Nothing in My Cup!
Today was also about having fun and letting Dot take the lead. I simply handed her my iPhone and said, “Do your thing.” Inherently amazing behind any camera, she allowed me to be goofy and dramatic. I made a few suggestions of what types of photos I was hoping for, and she did the rest. Have I told you how amazing she is?
We had a time of fresh air, laughter, togetherness. And it was all free. And in my own backyard.
The legacies I leave my family are more than just my duties and responsibilities. As I’m putting energy into action to accomplish goals and dreams, I don’t want to lose sight of the “little” things. I don’t want to be so focused on writing that I forget to look. I mustn’t be so burdened with a drive to get to Italy that I neglect my own town. I can’t concentrate so hard on working that I forget how to play.
Going Places
Maybe someday I’ll have a slimmer body, whiter teeth, and a stamp or two in my Passport [Note to Self: get a passport]. Until then, I’m more than comfortable with who I am.
I’m confident enough to wear a dress. And a hat.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Follow us on Instagram!
Hannah E. Realy: @herealy
Molly Jo: @TheRealMojo68
You may also enjoy reading:
She Wore a White Dress. And She Wore a Hat.
You’re Gonna Make It After All
Where are you, Paul Varjak?
As Long As You Love Me
May 17, 2013 |
Five Things Friday at Frankly, My Dear…
Two weeks ago I posted the first of what I hope to be a long running series, The Friday Five. Once or twice a month you can share Five Things about yourself.
With Memorial Day just around the corner bringing with it the start of summer, this week’s theme is about Travel. Have some amazing travel memories or a trip on your bucket list? Share them here. Be sure to check back often and encourage your friends to add their own Friday Five!
And now, the Mojo Friday Five Things: My Travel.
1. I love all things Italy. Even when I don’t know they’re Italian. I’m fundamentally drawn to Italian architecture, gardening, designs, flavors, color palettes and personalities. I talk a lot with my hands. I drink strong coffee. I’m loud and boisterous at times. The Godfather Trilogy will always be my favorite movie series. My ethnic heritage is a hodge-podge of all things Europe. I am perhaps, at best, 5% Italian, but that is the part I cling to. I’ve never been to Italy, but it is most definitely on my Bucket List.
My Favorite Coffee Mugs
2. I’m a little afraid of driving. Especially at night in unfamiliar places. [Case in point: Following Fabian.] I never used to be, but the older I get the harder it is for me to drive into unknown territory. I also have mini panic attacks when I’m away from Bedford Manor for more than two nights. I miss my cats too much. I worry about leaving the house empty. The only places I can go without worrying about my home is Disneyland and The Mission Inn. Okay, that’s not true. I can also drive to Las Vegas and sometimes the beach or mountains. I just need to drive more often. Like I used to. Because the world is just waiting for me to discover it!
Mob Moll.
3. I would love to live in New York for a year. I would love to stroll through Central Park in autumn, and see the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade live from the street. There’s a certain kind of cement magic when I’m surrounded by buildings towering over sidewalks. The sights, sounds, and smells of a big city are something I must experience.
4. I love watching travel shows. Aerial America and Skyview are just two of my favorites. I also love historical stories about travel: the Oregon Trail, how the Wright Brothers were the first to fly. These are all imagination takers that inspire and enthrall me.
5. I like to dress the part. When I’m at Disneyland, I wear capris and a fun Mickey sweatshirt. If I’m heading to the Mission Inn, I’m never without heels and perhaps my brown hat. Vegas calls for a bit more rugged look of jeans and my leather jacket.
Who I Am
Thanks for taking this journey with me. Here’s your extra bag of nuts: My dream is to be a writer/traveler like many of the great stories I read and movies I watch.
Be sure to catch all my travel reviews at Trekaroo!
TheRealMojo68
And now it’s your turn: What are your favorite travel stories? If you’ve written a Blog post about them, link it up below. If not, just list them in the comments.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
You may also enjoy reading:
When I Get To New York
I Like Driving at Twilight
Destination: Mission Inn [“Tell ‘Em Tony Sent Ya”]
Destination: Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Michigan
Do You trekaroo?
I Want a Mr. Potato Head
She Wore a White Dress. And She Wore a Hat.
May 13, 2013 |
I’m always surprised (although it’s obvious that I shouldn’t be) that the storylines I’m most attracted to are those with writers as the protagonist. Whether it’s a book, television show or movie… if there’s a writer involved, it holds a certain magic that I can’t find anywhere else.
John-Boy Walton was my first love. The episode “The Achievement” is still an all-time favorite. Richard Thomas, the actor, later portrayed another writer in one of my guilty pleasure films, Stephen King’s IT.
Jo March of Little Women lives my life. An awkward tomboy, dreaming of something beyond her home, she left… only to return to the family she loves and write about them.
Julie Powell wrote about Julia Child who wrote a cookbook. And not just any cookbook. Mastering the Art of French Cooking is still on my Wishlist. For those of you new to Frankly, My Dear… the movie Julie & Julia inspired me to start blogging.
Eat, Pray, Love is another wonderful story about a writer trying to find herself.
But it’s Under the Tuscan Sun that grabbed my attention this weekend.
Although I’ve had the DVD for several years, it’s been quite a while since I last watched it. For Mother’s Day, I did just that. Dot treated me to a Starbuck’s Apple Pie Frappuccino [Note to Self: Get more of this. Often. It’s the coffee-law!] and I settled into my Writer’s Corner (chair. It’s a chair.) and was instantly romanticized by the story of Katherine. Oh, you thought the movie was about Frances, the writer? It is. But my story is about Frances and Katherine, her new Italian friend.
During her season of finding herself, Frances confides in Katherine. Katherine takes her under her wing and encourages Frances to lose her fear of, well, everything. Katherine enthralled me, and the characters around her, with her zest for life. She drew Frances out of her shell. She commanded attention wherever she went. And she almost always wore hats. The big brimmed, feminine kind of hats that Audrey Hepburn would have adorned. If Katherine were real and you were lost in a crowd, you’d need only to look above the heads for her hat, and you’d be lost no more.
I don’t want to ruin the movie for you if you’ve not yet seen it. So I’ll skip any spoilers. But I must mention the dress. The white dress. It’s not a wedding dress. It’s simple yet elegant. Cinched with a simple yet elegant black belt. And Frances, after consulting with Katherine, wears it confidently.
I saw that dress. I saw a writer, who on a whim moved to Italy, and bought a white dress. I saw confidence and adventure and romance and life and courage…
I want that dress!
Not because I want the characteristics it portrays. But because I am finding myself already full of those characteristics and I can think of no better way to show it than to wear such a dress.
A year ago I wouldn’t have thought to wear a dress. Unemployed and feeling less than accomplished, a leg riddled with eczema patches… a dress most certainly wasn’t in the cards.
Oh, but it’s so much more than just about wearing a dress. It’s about grasping life with both hands and yet letting go. It’s eating the ice cream cones in the hot sun. Drinking wine in the backyard. It’s celebrating the failures and acknowledging the successes that come with every day of just waking up and being alive.
That dress is about being alive.
I. Want. That. Dress.
It is definitely worth saving my pennies for. If I have any extras, I’ll just toss them into the Fountain when I finally get to Italy.
And believe me. I’m getting there.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
You may also enjoy reading:
Mojo Movie Review of the Week: “Eat, Pray, Love”
Mojo Movie Review of the Week: “Julie & Julia”
Building a Better Me: Making (Better) Memories
Where are you, Paul Varjak?
Mojo Movie Review of the Week: “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”
When I Get To New York
If I Could, I Would…
My Personal History of Coffee (and a Keurig Review)
Apr 20, 2013 |
You know those moments that you think, well, I missed that boat by a mile, and so you quit thinking about the trip? Yeah. So that happened.
Last year when I was otherwise unemployed but had a great amount of time available, I began writing short reviews for Trekaroo. You know Trekaroo. I’ve mentioned them here and there.
So after a few reviews, I received an email. Would I like to become a Superoo? A sponsored reviewer. Well, heck. I get to write. I get to travel (even locally). And they give me an outlet for my creative musings? Who wouldn’t want that. Sure, I said. I’m interested.
Good, they said. We choose our Superoos once a year. In Spring.
Darn, I said. I dislike waiting.
But wait I did. And then, my reviewing slowed. Not because I wasn’t interested. But because I had a Cookbook to produce. And I was still unemployed which meant the wallet wasn’t conducive to excursions. When I did start working, well, you know. There’s these things calls bills I needed to concentrate on.
So. I waited on Trekaroo. And they waited on me.
I was sure I’d missed my chance. That ship has sailed. That plane has flown. (Are you picking up on the travel metaphors here? It’s not intentional. But hey, whatever floats your boat…)
I haven’t written a review for months. Out here in Southern California it’s practically summer. Yup. I’m not gonna be a Superoo this year.
Darn.
Or… am I?
Enter the Email.
Congrats! Your contributions to Trekaroo have caught the eye of our Superoo Council. You have been awarded coveted Superoo status.
After pouring through thousands of Trekaroo passports, the Superoo Council was particularly impressed by your reviews and other contributions to Trekaroo over the past year. Without you, Trekaroo wouldn’t be the top resource for families who love to explore and travel. We are proud to announce you as one of our 2013 Superoos today on our blog.
How. Happy. Am. I!!!
Yes. That’s right. I’m THAT happy! It’s wonderful, as a writer, to see long term efforts pay off. It’s even more wonderful to be recognized when you thought you were buried under the mud.
Thanks for pulling me up and out, Trekaroo.
And now… TheRealMojo68 is ready to fly! Or… drive. Or… eat. Or… play. Or… oh, heck! Just send me somewhere fun!
LET’S GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD!!!
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Check out my Trekaroo Profile and Reviews!
TheRealMojo68
You may also enjoy reading:
Do You trekaroo?
My Trekaroo Reviews
Destination: Mission Inn, Riverside, CA
Destination: Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Michigan
