My parents told me that I was born in a blizzard. Given that I’m a December baby and fourth generation Brooklyn girl, that’s not entirely surprising. Snow was a regular feature of our winter lives. I walked to and from school in it, from kindergarten to college, and later to work. Sometimes that required snow boots, hat, scarf, coat and mittens. I don’t generally miss that weather, living in Southern California. On the rare occasions when I do, I can drive a couple of hours and go play in it before heading home to 60- and 70-something temps. That’s a big part of the reason why I pay the paradise premium. I really hate huddling against the wind and cold; it always made me feel like an old lady.
When I saw the images this week of so many people dealing with #snowmageddon blackouts in South Texas of all places, my heart went out to them! These are families, many with seniors and children already impacted by a year-long pandemic, now struggling without light, power and heat! I wrote this week’s Forbes.com piece for them. You might find it helpful too. In it are tips for your safety, physical health, mental health, kids, home and pets.
Candlelight dinners aren’t always about romance, especially for single seniors
(Photo by C Technical from Pexels)
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BONUS NUGGETS
Last Friday marked the Lunar New Year, celebrated around the world, especially in China and Chinese-expat communities. In this Forbes.com piece, I shared three Chinese design traditions with wellness design potential. I’ll bet you only know one: Feng Shui! This piece shares insights on that one, plus two more. Xīnnián kuàilè (Happy New Year!)
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BOOK BUZZ
I shared my personal journey from couch potato to wellness warrior with the Salonpas blog. You can read that here.
PS: I’m always grateful for glowing reviews of my books. You can find them on Goodreads and Amazon. (I’d greatly appreciate your reviews too! Here’s a downloadable form to quickly and easily write one you can copy/paste onto your favorite book sites.)
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TRADE BUZZ
- Do you work in the residential building, remodeling and design space? If so, please check out my FREE International Builder’s Show virtual presentation this week! The topic is Wellness Design for the 55+ Homebuyer. You can find it here (for a limited time), and earn continuing education credits toward your certification where applicable.
- If you’re a homebuilder interested in adding wellness design features and selling points to your projects, visit the new Builders’ Programs page on my website to find out about a special new consultation offer.
- If you’re in the industry and interested in current trends, sign up for a free webinar I’ll be a guest panelist on. Here’s the signup link.
