HIGH FASHION

[caption id="attachment_25" align="alignleft" width="225"] Most Popular Female Outfit[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_26" align="alignleft" width="225"] Forest Gump[/caption]

First things first::

I decided to save my immigration fund and hit the road of pre-promotion for the book alone! With all the information at hand I figure, How hard can it be? Honestly, I don't believe in short cuts: I have to put the hours in, make mistakes and figure out which way suits me best!

On the shrinking waistline? It is definitely not shrinking yet! Last week the bike was my best friend: Just going down to the grocery store equals a mini "Tour-de Maple Ridge!" It is all mountain terrain! The thighs are becoming more muscley but the love handles found their spot on my body they really like.....to be continued!

Our chosen country is a melting pot of different nationalities!  Immigrants from all over the world are calling Canada their new home! Which is cool, because it is all about globalization! We are all part of one big family, regardless of colour, accent or upbringing. One of the major differences between here and let's say Germany (where I grew up) or The Netherlands (where we lived for 12 years) is the attitude towards being different!

Here ONE CELEBRATES DIFFERENCES, whereas  in the two European countries,

YOU NEED TO FIT in to be accepted!

Let me elaborate. Among the many acquaintances we met along the way and friends we made I am definitely not known as a fashionista! Far from it! I never know what is in fashion, I only know what feels comfy and what not to wear if you have short legs, a no bra size and.-now- wobbly upper arms.

Where we lived in our little village in Holland, the ladies look fabulous!!! They spent lots of money on the items displayed - and it showed! Name brands, the newest styles, well-groomed from tip to top!  Believe it or not, these ladies know how to cycle in their high heels,  how to balance their grocery bags and their kids on the front and rear seats of their bike AND still look good!   It was a pleasure to watch, but put on a lot of pressure to "fit in!"  Personally I believe as long as it is clean and not torn, put it on! Oh well, it is easier said than done! Especially there! Germany is the same. Even if people don't mean to, you are being judged and looked up and down upon if you don't display some sort of style! But this was then, this is now:

Imagine our relief when we heard on the radio that Vancouver still ranks among the top 5 places in the world to live, but is named "most unfashionable city in the world" by the people who should know!

One of the items Dominic (the "fashionable" husband) was stressed out upon arrival, was the added expense to buy a brand new wardrobe for our new life here in Vancouver!  Actually, we live in Maple Ridge,a still undiscovered gem in high fashion circles, ignored by any species slightly in tune with fashion!

Maple Ridge is a mecca for horse lovers, it is the rainforest of BC, the area of choice to bring up your children. Considering these facts one finds  residents displaying their flip-flops, rain boots or track suit bottoms more than anything else! Judging by the amount of sports wear seen in the street, one can come to the conclusion that the locals are  among the fittest, healthiest, most active  people anywhere (don't know if this is true or not)!

Dominic is in heaven, he can finally live out his honest summer style, inspired by Forest Gump, and nobody gives him a second look! I am in heaven, because there is no need to buy any new clothes whatsoever!

Either way of living and attitude towards fashion is just fine. You have to decide how to deal with it on a personal level.! But here is the dilemma I am facing:

It is too easy to fall into the trap of "no-fashion". It is too easy to put on the loose-fitting bottoms, crocs and hit the road. And the best thing is: Nobody cares! In order to keep some personal pride and get a sense of being " extra-ordinary" I make sure to put on my European outfits every day (if they still fit over the expanding waist) and get fabulous compliments!

Impulsive Decisions, write a book and shrink my waist

One of my personal characteristics is being impulsive!

Our first month in our new home was spent completing tedious tasks about our old home. Skype was our medium of choice! Due to the nine hour time difference we had to be up, alert and  business-like in the  early hours of dawn – or sometimes drag out our days past midnight.

After most things were organized my brain went into “let’s do something crazy –over drive- mood”.  It was the first Sunday in February!  I woke up with the determination to write a book.  The blueprint was in my head!  Straight after our breakfast I planted myself behind this little PC.  It was neither tedious, strenuous nor a boring task.  The fingers were dancing over the keypad! It was fun and refreshing to put down the story of Strawberry Lounge.  It took two months to complete “Very Berry Extra-Ordinary “and another month to rewrite the first draft. In total I rewrote the book three times until I was happy and before it was sent off to the editor in Tenn. USA.

The editing is done, the waiting game has begun! The manuscript has been sent back via train, truck and automobile plus with the possibility to be held back at the border!

The saying goes: Patience is a virtue! This is one characteristic I have struggled with for the last 40 years. That’s why it is presented to me again and again, in various forms, shapes and situations.

We are not talking about major time pressure or deadlines-yet! What is being tested is my own impatience and a compromise of the promises I made to all individuals involved. My plan is / was to get “Very Berry Extra-Ordinary” published by the end of this summer!

If learning to be patient isn’t bad enough, I discovered another shortcoming. This one not related to my character but to physical appearance: Middle age- love handles on the mid-section and flabby upper arms have set in!  Since the age of 27 I always had a 6-pack and nicely shaped upper arms. Not anymore! What happened?

For the first time in over six years I have the time to sit down to eat in quiet and peace. No rushing around, nothing to organize, no last minute shopping trips for the coffee lounge, no need for taxiing our boys around to their various activities yet.   Years of ownership saw me running around like crazy, too busy to keep the pounds on. Now life is so much more relaxed - perhaps a bit too relaxed...

Anyway, to revive me from personal misery I decided on a plan of action: Activities to Lose my unwanted extras and to Gain publicity for the book.

Here is what I am doing:

No more crunches. For 30 years my abdominals performed the same old same old! Enough is enough- they are bored to death. Hand me weights, let’s do Pilates and yoga exercises for a reshape of this body part!

During the weekly swimming session I happily mingled with the ladies in the medium lane: It was for sheer enjoyment and to be happy to move the body!

Not anymore!  The next time you can find me in the fast lane again for some serious free styling. Still for enjoyment, but with the goal to shape and reshape!

Next on the list:

30 push-ups every second day!  And, no more late night ice-creams or cookie attacks while watching yet another useless romantic comedy!

To get in depth information on how to promote a book I follow the Jack of all trades, Jack Canfield. So far I watched his videos, watched a live broadcast and listened to a call-in show.  One of the best ideas I heard is to attach a charity to the book.

I am currently searching for a suitable group that I could support with my book on "mother-preneurialship”.

Furthermore, I am researching various magazines on the Dutch, US, English and Canadian market to find out about their target group. Which one is most suitable to promote my book?

Another plan is to do presentations at various locations at various venues, e.g. local churches, Universities, Lady Circles or Chamber of Commerce. After a few phone calls and personal conversations I received prices for various rooms and locations.

Further, I am on a mission to get in touch with the editor of our local newspaper. I've got some funny articles to offer him as filler for the summer period. Not much to report yet! A personal visit was unsuccessful, a follow-up phone call and e-mail hasn’t been answered yet!

The most important thing is: I know what to do! And I am doing it!

I just have to find out HOW TO DO IT! But that is the fun bit...

The alternative is to call Jack- or to enrol in one of his courses – but, this would obviously shrink my First-Year-Canada-Fund. Thinking about it more closely, he wouldn’t help me personally. His business partner would! In the form of a detailed course program which reveals tried and tested methods by authors who made it to the New York Times Bestsellers List.

Let me think about this...to be continued!