Hey! I’m Deborah
However you found your way here, I’m so pleased you made it.
I love to open hearts and ignite emotion in people by sharing very personal stories, thoughtful commentary, and everyday inspirations. One of my favorite things to do is to connect deeply with people, especially those I don’t know—true strangers—most of whom I meet out and about doing everyday things. Sometimes we hug, at their initiative, right there in a grocery aisle or in Starbucks. The interaction is always so genuine.
I feel incredibly honored to be in that moment. It’s not easy sharing our truths, though as humans, we need to. Something very magical happens when I connect with someone. I still don’t know why it happens or how to bottle it. I only know that extraordinary moments can’t be forged. They happen organically and authentically, and in the least likely places.
I hope this blog is one of those places.
I trust you’ll find truth and inspiration here. I don’t shy from tough subjects. In fact, I thrive on writing about them because they are real and impactful. But I also delight in spreading joy. In essence, I write about and share anything that moves me and hope they move you, too.
I possess an insatiable amount of curiosity and thus write about a very wide variety of topics. Some topics simmer to the top such as art, communications, movies, and music, but the heart of this blog is the As I See It section. These are my heartfelt ponderings on a plethora of subjects that don’t fit into a niche. Some are easy breezy and others are serious. In any case, it’s a work in progress.
On a more personal level…
I love words and am a newbie artist exploring abstract art.
I’m a DIY traveler with my husband Ron whom I knew I wanted to marry on our fist date September 1, 1980. We have two sons, Brandon and Shaun, as well as three grandchildren.
I thrive in tidy, bright spaces with tons of natural light; *know* my way of loading the dishwasher is the correct way; and believe music is sustenance for the soul. I like the minor notes. I read mostly nonfiction. I like real. I prefer imperfection.
I’m a lateral thinker which means I’ve often been berated for being “all over the place” when communicating, a cellular-level communication style I was born with (and can no more change than my eye color), a reality I once detested, but now entirely embrace. Linear thinkers are traditionally more revered and I might have a chip on my shoulder about that. I’ve devoted a fair amount of time to the study of human communication styles and will gladly embark on a discourse from even a modicum of perceived interest.
I’m an empath.
I trust my gut intuition.
My favorite mantra is: Life is Change. This fact is strangely comforting in the most difficult of times.
I wish I understood poetry more; love lichen on branches; get giddy over wild birds playing musical chairs at the bird feeder; have watched some movies more than fifty times; like to make lists; don’t care for the color yellow (you won’t even find a yellow post-it note in my home); believe the earth is round; and delight in sending handwritten notes.
I love to drive my car down the winding tree-lined bohemian highway where the sunlight and shadows waltz with the breeze.
I’m an organic-only, label-reading, cart-returning, survey-responding, plastics-avoiding, bring-my-own-shopping-bags grocery shopper. I believe healthy, pesticide-free food is essential and that we either pay the farmer or the pharmacist.
I admire people who live authentically—out loud—and care not one iota of what others think of them. Somehow, they defy human nature and I am in awe of them. They. Are. My. Heroes. 🩷
My professional background…
I retired in 2018. My degree in Mass Communications with an emphasis in public relations allowed me to have a wonderful career communicating with the public. I spent nearly all of it as the spokesperson and public affairs manager for my local public health agency, a mosquito and vector control district. In that role, I created multiple strategic and award-winning communication programs and materials which allowed me to utilize all forms of communication. With the arrival of West Nile virus and subsequent human outbreaks and sadly, deaths, I interviewed with various local and national media outlets hundreds of times over the years, including live interviews on CNN Headline News, ABC News, Mornings on 2, and numerous guest appearances on several local television shows. My collaborations have resulted in a front page story with the Wall Street Journal, a feature story with ABCs Nightline, numerous photos and stories issued worldwide by award-winning photojournalist Justin Sullivan of Getty Images, and a public service announcement with Lindsay Wagner of Bionic Woman fame.
I found working with the media challenging and exhilarating and subsequently had the absolute pleasure of training managers and peers statewide to develop strategic soundbites and to interview on camera and in crisis situations.
During my tenure, I founded and chaired the Crises Communication Committee for the more than 60 agencies in the state mosquito and vector control association, crafted their first state-wide crises communication manual; and chaired several public relations committees for various task forces, leadership associations, and state agencies, as well as for the Public Relations Society of America’s local chapter.
I wholeheartedly subscribe to the business of public relations: establishing and maintaining a mutually beneficial relationship between an organization and their public on whom its success or failure depends. But it’s more than that. Persuading people to change their behavior, even if it’s to ensure they don’t get a deadly disease, is just as rewarding as it is difficult. Public relations is a crucial component to any business but is often underrated and highly underutilized. I dedicated a large portion of my early career proving its value and am proud to have had inspired the formation of several public relations departments in my field and to have helped elevate public relations as a whole into crucial management entities over the years.
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Thank you for reading.
May you find delight and inspiration here.
Be well. Stay curious.
Love and light,
By doing what you love, you inspire and awaken the hearts of others.
— Unknown