Hi Everyone,

I’m back!

Oh my gosh! Were you wondering what the heck happened to me?! I decided to take some time away from my writing to design my new ICOVET website. What d’ya think?! I’m super excited about how it turned out. I know what you’re thinking. Have I recently completed a computer design program? Have I geeked out? The answer is NO, and NO, I had help. Lots of help! I’m not tech-savvy at ALL!

So, you can imagine my fear once I finally bit the bullet and purchased my new website template from Tonic. These are beautifully curated cocktail-inspired websites that can be completely customizable to fit your style and needs. If these designs weren’t beautiful enough, their names would have you saddling up to the bar and yearning to try one. Each design is cleverly named after a popular cocktail; what’s your drink?!

I’m not going to lie; teaching this girl new tricks was more challenging than I had expected. However, the team at Tonic was great at (virtually) holding my hand and walking me through unknown parts. Once I got the hang of it, I was on my way to creating a website that reflects me while giving my creative juices a jolt. Guess what?! I did it! Who knew?

Having great photos was essential to my site. I enlisted my friend and fashion photographer Nikki Baxendale, a brand expert extraordinaire. I’m fortunate to have her help me. Taking our cue from a gorgeous sunny day, we both agreed the photoshoot should be at a beach nearby. I’m not a natural when it comes to having my picture taken; awkward comes to mind, shocking, I know. Nikki was fantastic at making me feel at ease, cracking jokes and helping me channel my inner supermodel. BTW, It’s waaay more complicated than it looks, “These thorns are prickly, are we done yet?!” I was thrilled with the results! 

Along with great photos, I needed great content. Thus, the more challenging of the two—is the who, what, when, where and why of my website. I began to have a lot of self-doubt surrounding this. Who was I? What was my message? Why was I doing this? And when did this all come to be? I started undermining myself and losing confidence. It took many motivational quotes from Pinterest and my son’s encouraging me to continue, “Mom, this is so cool; you have to finish it!” I needed to be brave, reminding myself of the why. 

Life is short (excuse the cliche). My twenties feel like yesterday; I’m in my late 50’s. WTF?! When did this happen? Honestly, each day is a gift. I’m putting my best foot forward, living life to the fullest. Like most of you, I, too, am trying to figure out this life thing. Whether it’s a conversation or something new, I’ve learned. I love to share. No topic is off-limits, and I’m not afraid to say it how I see it. From writing about my own experiences, I aim to be relatable and inspire while being authentic.

When asked, what do I do? Who am I? I sometimes struggle with how to answer. I’m many things, wearing a variety of hats to fit the occasion. I’m an ongoing project of self-reinvention. Quickly reverting to the archives of my life’s accomplishments and what I’m passionate about. It’s not an easy task. I’m putting myself out there, which can be scary, “what will they think of me?” I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t worry a little. There’s a fine line between going for it and deciding to let fear stop you in your tracks. I say, GO FOR IT!! You have nothing to lose except fear itself!

“you cannot live great things if you live in fear.”

 I can’t explain; there’s a burning desire inside of me, needing to share my stories, experiences, epiphanies, what I’m hungry for (spoiler alert, it’s not always food), my dreams and wishes. So, ICOVET has become a platform for me to have those conversations and connect with you. I believe we can learn from each other’s experiences through these connections, especially while we’ve been stuck inside during a pandemic. And, not to mention, it’s fun! 

I created ICOVET as a travel journal for my one-month trip to Paris. A journey of a lifetime. Let’s say; It was everything I expected and more. However, what I didn’t anticipate was the journey I would soon venture on once I returned. 

The redesign of my website was more than changing out a few pictures. It was a process. It meant rereading old blogs (141 to be exact) and my thoughts and reliving several moments: some good, making me laugh, and yes, some were hard to revisit. My new ICOVET website reflects where I am today, that is to say, my best place, and I’m not stopping, realizing (as most of you have) how much we’ve missed during this pandemic. The good news is there’s a flicker of light at the end of the tunnel. It’s time to start living again.