Category: home and family


Learning how to show your love instead of just saying I love you

Learning how to show your love instead of just saying I love you

Do you remember that exhilarating feeling the first time someone you adored said those magic words, “I love you?” And do you remember the gut-wrenching feeling the first time you realized that someone who’d been throwing around the L word didn’t really love you? At least, not in the way you needed? How you demonstrate your love matters. John and…

Blogversation 2012: Wrapping up a year of online conversation

Blogversation 2012: Wrapping up a year of online conversation

Throughout this year, several bloggers have engaged in a conversation here and on their blogs — asking questions of each other and responding.  It’s been an honor to share Newvine Growing with these smart, thoughtful, articulate, committed women: Mary Jean Babic Kay Hoffman Goluska Lauren McCabe Maria Stuart Amy Throndsen Eleanor Traubman Lesley Ware Jennifer Worick Every week, one of…

Blogversation 2012: Has the Newtown tragedy changed you?

Blogversation 2012: Has the Newtown tragedy changed you?

Throughout this year, several bloggers will engage in a conversation here and on their blogs — asking questions of each other and responding. Others are absolutely welcome to join the conversation, as well. Learn more about the ladies of Blogversation 2012. Today’s question comes from Kay Hoffman Goluska, who blogs at Pen on Pointe.  She’s @PenOnPointe on Twitter. The original topic…

The "we" and "me" of Hurricane Sandy and beyond

The "we" and "me" of Hurricane Sandy and beyond

The morning after Halloween, I was riding my bike through our Brooklyn neighborhood and all seemed normal. A woman carrying a Starbucks coffee carried on a cellphone conversation about how many trick or treaters they’d gotten, a jogger wearing white earbuds and spandex dashed by, a dog walker dutifully scooped up poop. And it all made me suddenly, intensely angry.…

Blogversation 2012: What's your relationship with stuff?

Blogversation 2012: What's your relationship with stuff?

Throughout this year, several bloggers will engage in a conversation here and on their blogs — asking questions of each other and responding. Others are absolutely welcome to join the conversation, as well. Learn more about the ladies of Blogversation 2012. Today’s question comes from Mary Jean Babic, a Brooklyn-based writer and a new blogger on a Tumblr site called…

Blogversation 2012: What would your perfect holiday season look like?

Blogversation 2012: What would your perfect holiday season look like?

Throughout this year, several bloggers will engage in a conversation here and on their blogs — asking questions of each other and responding. Others are absolutely welcome to join the conversation, as well. Learn more about the ladies of Blogversation 2012. Today’s question comes from Eleanor Traubman, Creative Times, @creativetimes on Twitter: If you could wave a magic wand and…

Blogversation 2012: Do you have a "go-to" movie?

Blogversation 2012: Do you have a "go-to" movie?

Throughout this year, several bloggers will engage in a conversation here and on their blogs — asking questions of each other and responding. Others are absolutely welcome to join the conversation, as well. Learn more about the ladies of Blogversation 2012. Today’s question comes from Kay Hoffman Goluska, who blogs at Pen on Pointe.  She’s @PenOnPointe on Twitter. Do you have…

Blogversation 2012: What practical tips can you pass along?

Blogversation 2012: What practical tips can you pass along?

Throughout this year, several bloggers will engage in a conversation here and on their blogs — asking questions of each other and responding. Others are absolutely welcome to join the conversation, as well. Learn more about the ladies of Blogversation 2012. Today’s question comes from Mary Jean Babic, a Brooklyn-based writer and a new blogger on a Tumblr site called…

Blogversation 2012: Who's your professional female role model?

Blogversation 2012: Who's your professional female role model?

Throughout this year, several bloggers will engage in a conversation here and on their blogs — asking questions of each other and responding. Others are absolutely welcome to join the conversation, as well. Learn more about the ladies of Blogversation 2012. This week’s question comes from Jennifer Worick, jenniferworick.blogspot.com, on Twitter as @jennifer_worick: Who’s your professional female role model? This is…

Making our own luck by being open to possibility

Making our own luck by being open to possibility

Late in the summer, I finally made it through an aging copy of Psychology Today in a magazine stack next to the bed. I kept that magazine since 2010 because its cover promoted an article on making your own luck, though I can’t begin to explain why it took me two years to read a well-written piece on a topic…

Blogversation 2012: What did you do on your summer vacation?

Blogversation 2012: What did you do on your summer vacation?

Throughout this year, several bloggers will engage in a conversation here and on their blogs — asking questions of each other and responding. Others are absolutely welcome to join the conversation, as well. Learn more about the ladies of Blogversation 2012. Today’s question comes from your Blogversation hostess, Colleen Newvine Tebeau, @cnewvine on Twitter. What did you do on your…

20 years ago, I was just home from London …

20 years ago, I was just home from London …

Watching the Olympics this summer has been fun and not just because Ryan Lochte is about the cutest thing to happen to swimming. Seeing all the images of Big Ben and the Thames make me nostalgic for my experience on a Temple University summer program in London 20 years ago. Now I feel like it was a bit of a…

Blogversation 2012: What have you done when some life-altering event has happened to you?

Blogversation 2012: What have you done when some life-altering event has happened to you?

Throughout this year, several bloggers will engage in a conversation here and on their blogs — asking questions of each other and responding. Others are absolutely welcome to join the conversation, as well. Learn more about the ladies of Blogversation 2012. Today’s question comes from Kay Hoffman Goluska, who blogs at Pen on Pointe.  She’s @PenOnPointe on Twitter. What have you…

Blogversation 2012: When have you had an a-ha moment about your life?

Blogversation 2012: When have you had an a-ha moment about your life?

Throughout this year, several bloggers will engage in a conversation here and on their blogs — asking questions of each other and responding. Others are absolutely welcome to join the conversation, as well. Learn more about the ladies of Blogversation 2012. Today’s question comes from your hostess, Colleen (@cnewvine on Twitter) — inspired by Lara Zielin (@larazielin). When have you…

Blogversation 2012: What do you do to deal with the heat?

Blogversation 2012: What do you do to deal with the heat?

Throughout this year, several bloggers will engage in a conversation here and on their blogs — asking questions of each other and responding. Others are absolutely welcome to join the conversation, as well. Learn more about the ladies of Blogversation 2012. Joining the Blogversation today is Mary Jean Babic, a Brooklyn-based writer and a new blogger on a Tumblr site…

Before I die … an interactive art installation

Before I die … an interactive art installation

John and I recently spent a day in Woodstock, that small New York state town best known for the music festival that shares its name. As we wrapped up brunch at the lovely Oriole9, we saw this huge chalkboard in their entry way: It called to mind Jennifer Worick’s recent Blogversation question: What is the one thing in life that…

Blogversation 2012: What routines or rituals do you engage in at the start and/or end of the day?

Blogversation 2012: What routines or rituals do you engage in at the start and/or end of the day?

Throughout this year, several bloggers will engage in a conversation here and on their blogs — asking questions of each other and responding. Others are absolutely welcome to join the conversation, as well. Learn more about the ladies of Blogversation 2012. Today’s question comes from Eleanor Traubman, Creative Times, @creativetimes on Twitter: What routines or rituals do you engage in…

Reblog from Lisa McGill: A Change Will Do You Good

Reblog from Lisa McGill: A Change Will Do You Good

Facebook can be an incredible tool: thanks to Mark Zuckerberg, I reconnected with a high school friend I’d known as Lisa Crozier. At the time, she was a young widow with two small girls, grieving the loss of a husband she deeply loved and trying to be a good single mom. Even better than us getting back in touch, Facebook…