This Wednesday, March 8th was International Women’s Day and some groups were calling women to stay home. Not work. Not shop. Not contribute. No show. Let the world see the economic impact of women not being available. I couldn’t stay home. Most of us couldn’t. We have jobs, appointments and obligations. Continue reading
Many of my friends are single, divorced or widowed, like me. Some of them hate Valentine’s Day. I don’t.
Before I married at the ripe old age of 34 I was never the gal who was always in a relationship. In my adult life I’ve spent about as many Valentine’s Days alone as I have with a boyfriend or spouse. Continue reading
Rooftop Toast!
Finding ourselves dateless and craving a stress free New Year’s Eve, my friend Susan and I decided to celebrate the passing of 2016 with a relaxing movie marathon sleepover.
We scheduled massages in the afternoon of the 31st, saw a movie and then she came to my place. We talked of life, shared stories, listened to music, made a sumptuous dinner of braised lamb shanks, and drank a little Champagne. (And by ‘a little’ I mean a lot!) Then we Continue reading
Myra McElhaney of Atlanta, Georgia released Building A Life You Love After Losing the Love of Your Life on January 12, 2016 with a launch party at Georgia Public Broadcasting where Vikki Locke of LRK Media interviewed the author about her writing.
A writer and speaker before losing her husband Phil to a brain tumor in 2009; McElhaney was accustomed to using personal stories to illustrate ideas and techniques for business. After the loss of her husband, friends and associates began introducing McElhaney to other widows and widowers hoping she could help them to navigate through their grief. Those conversations prompted her to share her experience and insights in a memoir.
Using her trademark humor and irreverence, McElhaney opens the book with a chapter called, “In Bed with Jose Cuervo” and gives readers a brutally honest look at her roller coaster ride through grief. While sobbing in her Ben & Jerry’s, doing grief therapy with a professional and railing at God, McElhaney realizes that she wasn’t married to a dead man and just waiting to join him.
“Raw and honest and yes, even funny,” says TV Journalist/Author, Kimberley Kennedy. “If you are suffering loss, I urge you to let Myra’s story help you navigate the waters of this very difficult storm. She is bright, shining, living proof that joy does indeed wait on the other side.”
Building A Life You Love After Losing the Love of Your Life is available on Amazon.com. You can learn more about Myra McElhaney’s speaking and writing at www.MyraMcElhaney.com.
“Behind every successful woman is a tribe of other women who have her back.” Unknown
Sean O’Keefe, me, Vikki Locke and Kimberley Kennedy
This has been one of the best weeks of my professional career. My tribe really outdid themselves.
On Tuesday, January 12th my memoir, Building A Life You Love After Losing the Love of Your Life officially launched with an event at Georgia Public Broadcasting. Continue reading
It’s Thanksgiving Day, the family’s all here. A time to give thanks for all things we hold dear.
The turkey’s been stuffed and put in to bake. Mama has made a chocolate pound cake.
There’s dressing, potatoes and a pot of green beans. This is the prettiest table that I’ve ever seen.
There’s cranberry sauce and a pumpkin pie. There’s a squash casserole I can’t wait to try.
A pecan pie and a potato soufflé, I’ll just forget about my diet today.
There’s a jar of pickles, some macaroni and cheese. And someone has brought a big pot of peas.
Some sourdough rolls, hot with butter. “Is it time to eat?” I heard someone mutter.
Let Papa ask the blessing, make it short and sweet. I’m thankful for everything and I’m ready to eat!
By Myra McElhaney
(From my poetry book, Musings on Major and Minor Matters that May or May Not Matter, Published in2011. Available on Amazon.com)
As always, I love your comments!
I recently went on a whale-watching expedition while on an Alaskan cruise. We had seen one or two whales in the distance, blowing water high into the air, arching their backs just above water then diving with their tails flipping up as if to wave. Continue reading
In the old days miners carried a yellow canary into the mines with them as a primitive early warning system.
Dangerous gases could form easily in the mine if something upset the balance of the underground air. The little birds had sensitive respiratory systems so if just a small amount of the colorless, odorless, tasteless but deadly gas was in the air a canary would stop singing, began to sway and fall off its perch and drop to the bottom of its cage. It was said that, “If the canary hits the deck, the miners hit the exits.” Continue reading
Myra and Marilynn
Today I honor the memory of my dear friend, mentor and confidant, Marilynn Mobley who passed away in September.
The first time I met Marilynn Mobley was at the local chapter of the National Speaker’s Association. Back in those days we called it GSA. Then we would pass around a microphone and everyone in attendance would introduce themselves briefly. We somehow managed it. Continue reading
In honor of #WomensHistoryMonth I’m posting about women who inspired me.
Teresa and me. Way back in the day!
Teresa Miller (then Teresa Carey) was a student working part time when a conversation with her changed the trajectory of my life.
I’d graduated high school a couple years earlier and was working at the Chestatee Regional Library; happy to have an ‘office job’ rather than continuing to work at the cotton mill where I’d worked the summer after graduation. Teresa was a couple years younger and a student working part time.
“Why don’t you go to the junior college?” she asked. Continue reading
Enjoy Life and Do Good! 