"Working" On Your Birthday As Comfort

As time goes by, we at Reading Comfort continue to ponder what comfort means to us (as you no doubt have learned by now). One aspect of the concept of comfort that makes me happy is how utterly subjective and personal it is.

For instance, today is my birthday and today I take comfort in working on my newest business. Many have balked at this and I must admit that my head is full of little voices saying "you shouldn't work on your birthday, you should be out having fun". Fun is another concept that is completely subjective (for instance, my sister's idea of fun is sky diving. Um, no).

Because I feel so passionately about what I do, often my work is fun. Or, at least it is for me. Honestly, I couldn't think of a better way to bring in this new year for me than to pursue my greatest love; healthy baking.

Reading Comfort was born of love and passion when Myrna invented the Book Buddy for her mother, a voracious reader who had trouble gripping a book due to arthritis. A decade later, that love has touched countless others.

As a new business owner, I can think of nothing more inspirational.

Do you work or play on your birthday?

Lying In Bed All Day: Taking A Break As Comfort

Good morning! I am working from bed. Again. I am also practicing not judging myself for this. Yes, not judging because I haven't run 3 miles, tidied up the apartment and made my husband a healthy breakfast by 8am.

I've been reading a book (using my trusty Book Buddy, of course) called I Was A Really Good Mom Before I Had Kids and the overriding theme is how mothers make themselves crazy by constantly criticizing themselves and others regarding what it means to be, and what it takes to be a "good mom". While I'm not a mom myself, I can totally relate to the constant barrage of judgement going on in my head. Here is what my head tells me I should get done in a day in order for it to be deemed "successful".

• Workout
• Make healthy meals for myself
• Make healthy meals for my husband
• Work= Make clients happy
• Run errands
• Complete any household tasks (bills, appointments, laundry, organization...)
  
• Blog
• Market my business
• Wear something cute
• Call/see a friend
• Test a new recipe
• Pay attention to my husband
  
• Follow a spiritual practice

Some days the above is doable, and can be incredibly gratifying. Other days, it's completely overwhelming and I wonder, who am I doing this for anyway? Why do I feel guilty if I don't get everything done? What about not feeling guilty if NOTHING gets done?

I've always been the one who looks like she has it all "together", while simultaneously feeling like I'm about to fall apart. I'm curious to see if I let some of this go, maybe it will fall into place. I have a hunch it will...

I just found a wonderful blog post on the virtues of writing in bed. Thank you, Kimberly Willis Holt! I feel so much better.

What does "taking a break" mean to you?

Color As Comfort: What's Yours? Have No Idea? Let's Explore...

When someone asks me what my favorite color is, I completely blank. This also happens when I'm asked about favorite songs, food, movies...

When I saw this intriguing series of questions in the September Edition of House Beautiful that could help me determine, once and for all, what my truly favorite color is, I had to jump in. And I want to take you with me.


1. What's the first color you see in the morning?
White

2. What color are your eyes?
Hazel

3. What color do you wear the most?
Blue

4. What color do you never wear?
Purple

5. What color do you wear when you want to feel sexy?
Red

6. What color gets you the most compliments?
Green necklace or turquoise scarf

7. What color is your lipstick?
Clear, only use lip balm

8. What color was your living room when you were growing up?
Dark, greyish blue

9. What color was your bedroom when you were growing up?
White wall paper with primary color fat stripes; red, yellow, green, blue...

10. What color are your sheets?
Green

11. What color was your favorite crayon as a child?
Pink

12. What color is your car?
Charcoal grey

13. What color was your prom dress?
Black

14. What's your favorite gemstone?
Peridot

15. What is your favorite flower?
Peony or tulips; pink

16. What color makes you happiest?
Butter yellow

17. What color depresses you?
Maroon

18. What color calms you?
Green

19. What color makes you grind your teeth?
Anything fluorescent

20. What color would you like to try, but are scared to?
Purple


Well, I don't know how much clarity was gleaned from this, but it was fun. Honestly what comes to mind from this is that perhaps my favorite color is pink. Why? I think of the other colors I adore:

Grey
Blue
Green
Yellow

What makes me the most happy is when any of these colors is accented with...pink!

And of course, my favorite Book Buddy design is Sweet Charlotte...that should have been a sign.

Pink is my final answer. Your turn!

Back To School Days: Do You Have Your Book Buddy?

Photo courtesy of Bermuda Onion

When I was in college, I went to the library to use a computer, in the community computer room. There were no computers in dorm rooms and no one could even fathom a laptop. And I'm not THAT old, people. This was in 1995.

In 2007, EDUCAUSE published a study that reported laptop ownership on campus had increased from 52.8 percent of the student population to 75.8 percent in a two year time frame. Oh, and 36% of students owned two computers.

I love my laptop. I'm kind of obsessed, actually. What makes using it all the more pleasurable is my trusty Book Buddy. By placing my laptop on top of the mini desktop, it zaps away any heat the computer is generating, while the pillow portion allows me to find the most comfortable position to work. I know I have said this many times, but I utilize my Book Buddy everyday, for many, many hours.

If you or someone you love is heading off to school, you must consider giving something they never knew they wanted, that they will then adore more than they thought they ever could. Seriously.

Oh, and it's genius for books, too.