Ramblings, ideas and memoirs of a joyous adventurer. Absinthe aficionado. Empathetic thinker-feeler. Verbose writer. Avidly authentic. Hydrangea fanatic. Snow leopard lover. Joy huntress. Promising my devotees a honest glimpse into my life as I live with freedom, power and full self-expression in an unfiltered and sometimes distilled way. CHEERS!
Lyrics: You got a thing about you I just can’t live without you I really want you, Elenore, near me Your looks intoxicate me Even though your folks hate me There’s no one like you, Elenore, really Elenore, gee, I think you’re swell And you really do me well You’re my pride and joy, et cetera Elenore, can I take the time To ask you to speak your mind? Tell me that you love me better I really think you’re groovy Let’s go out to a movie What do you say, now, Elenore, can we? They’ll turn the lights way down low Maybe we won’t watch the show I think I love you, Elenore, love me Elenore, gee, I think you’re swell And you really do me well You’re my pride and joy, et cetera Elenore, can I take the time To ask you to speak your mind? Tell me that you love me better Elenore, gee, I think you’re swell, ah-ah Elenore, gee, I think you’re swell, ah-ah Ah
“It is never too late to be what you might have been.”
Mary Ann Evans (known as: George Eliot) (English Novelist, Poet, Journalist, Translator; November 22nd, 1819 ~ December 22nd, 1880)
“By paying attention to the subtle signals the woman within is constantly trying to send us, we can learn how to reflect our own best image, even if our pocketbooks don’t match our exquisite taste.”
“Simplicity is a fashion statement every woman today can make no matter what her personal style has been in the past. That’s because true simplicity nevers disappoints. Once you learn that less is more, then enough becomes plenty, and your entire outlook on life–including fashion–is transformed.”
“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 3-27-22)
1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower
“If I was to remove the inauthentic things in my wardrobe, I might only be left with a handful of items. I need to work on this.” (Heather Houston 3-27-22)
“Today can be the day…any day can be the day of choosing to be the woman you were meant to be. I will take some time discovering my inner style and make small additions to dress and live into myself.” (Heather Houston 3-27-26)
–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 93-95 of 501.
I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.
“I am grateful for my sewing skills.” (Heather Houston 3-26-26)
“I appreciate my interest in baking and need to explore more of this art.” (Heather Houston 3-26-26)
“I am thankful that the flowers are blooming for spring.” (Heather Houston 3-26-26)
“I am grateful for my cap sasin tolerance.” (Heather Houston 3-26-26)
“I am blessed to have been able to dream big and then get in action to achieve my intentions.” (Heather Houston 3-26-26)
“I appreciate my partner getting up super early to drive me to the airport for my work flight to Hawaii.” (Heather Houston 3-26-22)
“I am thankful the line through airport security took 2-minutes…no lines!” (Heather Houston 3-26-22)
“I am grateful the 6+ hour flight to Hawaii seemed to fly by.” (Heather Houston 3-26-22)
“I appreciate that the rental car assignment at the airport was seamless.” (Heather Houston 3-26-22)
“I am grateful to have visited the Honolulu Swap Meet early in our trip so we could find great things for those we love back home.” (Heather Houston 3-26-22)
#79 Woman, Woman (Gary Puckett and The Union Gap) 👍🏼
Lyrics: Woman Woman Have you got cheating on your mind? On your mind Something’s wrong between us That your laughter cannot hide And you’re afraid to let your eyes meet mine And lately when I love you I know you’re not satisfied Woman Woman Have you got cheating on your mind? On your mind I’ve seen the way men look at you When they think I don’t see And it hurts to have them think that you’re that kind But it’s knowing that you’re looking back That’s really killing me Woman Woman Have you got cheating on your mind? On your mind A woman wears a certain look When she is on the move And a man can always tell what’s on her mind I hate to have to say it But that look’s all over you Woman Woman Have you got cheating on your mind? Oh, woman Woman Have you got cheating on your mind? Oh, woman Oh, ho, woman Have you got cheating on your mind? Oh
“To choose clothes, either in a store or at home, is to define and describe ourselves.”
Alison Lurie (American Novelist and Academic; September 3rd, 1926 ~ December 20th, 2020)
“Long before I am near enough to talk to you on the street, in a meeting, or at a party, you announce your sex, age and class to me through what you are wearing–and very possibly give me important information (or misinformation) as to your occupation, origin, personality, opinions, tastes, sexual desires and current mood. I may not be able to put what I observe into words, but I register the information unconsciously; and you simultaneously do the same for me. By the time we meet and converse we have already spoken to each other in an older and more uiversal tongue.”
Alison Lurie (American Novelist and Academic; September 3rd, 1926 ~ December 20th, 2020)
“At first this revelation can be disconcerting, even discouraging. But on reflection, it can be an exciting discovery because now that you’re authenticity beginning to cherish and channel your authenticity through creative choices, you can learn how to become not only bilingual but fluent in expressing yourself.”
“How many cares one loses when one decides not to be something but to be someone.”
Gabrielle Bonheur“Coco” Chanel (French Fashion Designer and Businesswoman; August 19th, 1883 ~ January 10th, 1971)
“Before my story began…: (Heather Houston 3-26-22)
1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower
“I feel ashamed that my clothes do not reveal my authentic self. I say I want to be authentic, but from a mile away they do not reflect me at all. I need to work to change that.” (Heather Houston 3-26-22)
“I have not made much room on this in the past 4 years, and I am discovering myself culturally, As such, I am waiting to see what unfolds after I attend the Indigenous conference in Oklahoma. I think the connect with my community will unfold some parts of me that have been dormant.”(Heather Houston 3-26-26)
–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 92-93 of 501.
I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.
Lyrics: I take two, okay You say you want a revolution Well, you know We all want to change the world You tell me that it’s evolution Well, you know We all wanna change the world But when you talk about destruction Don’t you know that you can count me out, in Don’t you know it’s gonna be all right? (Ah, shu-bi-do, ah) Don’t you know it’s gonna be all right? (Ah, shu-bi-do, ah) Don’t you know it’s gonna be all right? (Ah, shu-bi-do, ah) You say you got a real solution Well, you know We’d all love to see the plan You ask me for a contribution Well, you know We all doing what we can But if you want money for people with minds that hate All I can tell is, brother, you have to wait Don’t you know it’s gonna be all right? (Ah, shu-bi-do, ah) Don’t you know it’s gonna be all right? (Ah, shu-bi-do, ah) Don’t you know it’s gonna be all right? (Ah, shu-bi-do, ah) You say you’ll change the constitution Well, you know We’d all love to change your head (ah, shu-bi-do, ah) You tell me it’s the institution Well, you know You better free your mind instead (ah, shu-bi-do, ah) If you go carrying pictures of chairman Mao You ain’t gonna make it with anyone anyhow Don’t you know it’s gonna be all right? (Ah, shu-bi-do, ah) Don’t you know it’s gonna be all right? (Ah, shu-bi-do, ah) Don’t you know it’s gonna be all right? (Ah, shu-bi-do, ah) All, all, all, all (ah, shu-bi-do, ah) All, all, all, all right (ah, shu-bi-do, ah) All right, all right (ah, shu-bi-do, ah) All right, all right (ah, shu-bi-do, ah) All right, all right (ah, shu-bi-do, ah) All right, all right (ah, shu-bi-do, ah) All right (ah, shu-bi-do, ah) All right, all right (ah, shu-bi-do, ah) All right, all right (ah, shu-bi-do, ah)
“‘I haven’t got a thing to wear’ does not of course, mean that we must report to nakedness or seclusion; it means that our wardrobes contain nothing that might match our mood or offer a just reflection of our current lives.”
Kennedy Fraser (American Essayist, and fashion writer; 1948)
“Today, I only want you to consider your real life and the clothes you wear every day. Do they really reflect the woman within? What about the clothes that speak to you from the pages of your illustrated discovery journal? What about the clothes that hang abandoned in your closet?”
“Clothes have a life that is quite independent of their shape and color.”
Kennedy Fraser (American Essayist, and Fashion writer; 1948)
“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 3-25-22)
1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower
“I am sure my current wardrobe does not fit the inner woman I am. To create a wardrobe you need extra funds to invest in yourself and I have never been that lucky. I have had to rely upon practicality and function over my own self reflection. The clothing I have been posting in my illustrated journal actually reflect me more closely, but do not fit into my work life. Clothes abandoned in my closet are historical reflections of my past trying to show my true self. I haven’t purchased anything really new in almost a decade.” (Heather Houston 3-25-22)
“Because of my work, I default to wearing one pair of pants the entire work week and alternate new shirts everyday. I consider it a uniform of sorts. It greatly reduced laundry and I am mostly comfortable. However, it does not reflect my style. I think it is time to revamp my wardrobe over time and pick a new piece to add when I have the time and energy to go looking. Even if I purchase something I can modify to meet me in my style interests could be fun. I will put some further thought into this idea.” (Heather Houston 3-26-26)
–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 92 of 501.
I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.
“I appreciate synchronicity that shows up in my life over and over again.” (Heather Houston 3-24-26)
“I am grateful for the signs sent by the Universe in my eagle sightings.” (Heather Houston 3-24-26)
“I am grateful for having synesthesia as it makes my experience of life technicolor.” (Heather Houston 3-24-26)
“I am thankful for the abundance of love in my life since I began loving myself.” (Heather Houston 3-24-26)
“I appreciate the positive core values I learned from others who have influenced me throughout my life.” (Heather Houston 3-24-26)
“I am blessed to wake up each morning with my two favorite beings…Neil my love and Kiva our dog.” (Heather Houston 3-24-22)
“I am thankful for my FitBit which reviews my sleep to help me find strategies to get the most rest each night.” (Heather Houston 3-24-22)
“I appreciate my mother offering to pay for my weekend trip to a summer family reunion. Thank you mom! This is a wonderful birthday present.” (Heather Houston 3-24-22)
“I am blessed that my head cold is not advancing into an infection. Thank you immune system for being so strong.” (Heather Houston 3-24-22)
“I am grateful for our neighborhood taco shop. Such a yummy meal when cooking dinner seems overwhelming.” (Heather Houston 3-24-22)
Lyrics: Set me free, why don’t you babe? Get out my life, why don’t you babe? You really don’t want me, you just keep me hanging on You really don’t need me, you just keep me hanging on Why do you keep coming around, playing with my heart? Why don’t you get out of my life When seeing you just breaks my heart again There ain’t nothing I can do about it You know I need love Set me free, why don’t you babe? Talkin’ ’bout love Get out my life, why don’t now? You really don’t want me, you just keep me hanging on Get out my life, why don’t you babe? Get out my life, why don’t you babe?
My Distilled Life 