To give you a little background, in case you haven’t read the “about/bio” page of this site, I am publishing the “about/bio” here within the blog.

At the beginning of 2008, I made a resolution to do sirsasana (yoga headstand) by the end of the year. Knowing that meant I needed to amp up my practice, that led me to find a yoga studio that offers a kind of “all you can practice” monthly fee. The studio I found was also in need of a website (work I do). We made a deal to do the work that included a barter and voila! Yoga teacher training…which I completed as a summer intensive. I received my certification August 17.

As I began preparation for the yoga teacher training, I wondered if this meant the end of Verbal Remedies, which I had been writing and illustrating for more than 10 years. I decided the first morning of training that I was willing to let it go. It didn’t seem like there was any energy behind it anymore. I hadn’t drawn Lorelie (the featured character seen to the right basking in the sun in Sydney, Australia courtesy of Pripo and Rainbow Teplitsky) in at least 6 months. And…the work never amounted to enough money to make a living doing it.  Being a single and a 50 something year old woman, it seemed the prudent thing to do was put my attention to work that monetarily supports me.

Much to the chagrin of my children many times, my nature is to be extremely forthcoming with what I am willing to talk about. “Mo-ommmmm…” ending with a grunt. In keeping with that, this is hardly the usual kind of “about” article. Since Verbal Remedies is a work of my heart and soul, it is appropriate to give you a little heart and soul detail.

Ten years ago I left a 26 year marriage; had my book Dare to Dream published and remaindered (means the publisher dropped it) within 9 months in 2001; the giftware company who contracted a Verbal Remedies giftware line went bankrupt. They gave me 2000 Lorelie cloth dolls when they couldn’t pay out my contract. Those and the 7000 books I purchased from the publisher were destroyed by the French Broad River flood. And of course my personal life was just as ridiculous. Though I intended a strong “I can do it” posture, inside I was flailing around looking for rescue.

All of it is inspirational for Verbal Remedies. I have learned enough to know that I have the opportunity to learn something new everyday. Though we are in the midst of a very uncertain world in so many ways, we are also in the midst of the opportunity to focus on what is right about it and tap into those resources. That is what we as humans do best. Particularly those people who travel across oceans and continents to establish a new home in this land. With the exception and inclusion of Native Americans, that would be all of us…or our ancestors.

On the first day of yoga teacher training (remember earlier that morning I had decided I was willing to let go of Lorelie and her Verbal Remedies) I walked into the studio and introduced myself to the other person to arrive first. She introduced herself as Lorelie. What would you think? I laughed and shrugged and adopted a wait and see attitude.

We finished the training and I took a trip out West to absorb what I had received through the summer. The conventions started and by the time they were both over, I felt my passion once again rising to be a voice of inspiration, of asking myself and others to take a look and see if we are living the life we feel called to be living. Of course the first person I spoke to is myself. I had to answer that I was still holding onto an imaginary pole, afraid to really and truly let go.

My teacher said “relax”. I did, with the help of some muscle relaxers for my broken arm. On the morning of September 15 I began work on the mechanics of a blog. Two hours later I flipped over the handle bars of my bike (trying to do two things at once) and landed mostly on my left elbow. I’d never broken anything before. Beyond my immediate “how will I continue my yoga practice” sadness, I realized also it might be a little difficult to write the blog using only one hand on the keyboard. Was that a message that I was barking up the wrong tree or an opportunity to see how much I really wanted to do the work and continue my yoga?

You are reading the answer I chose. I am happy to be back. I am amazed at this feeling of “gotta do it”. I attribute my yoga teacher training and subsequent practice. And I lovingly offer the hand of gratitude to my teacher Derek Rinaldo for his guidance through this last passage. Y’all need to take a yoga class from Derek. Worth the trip to Asheville. Seriously.

As for the bio part of this, what matters is really only a handful of things. I was born in Philadelphia August 1, 1953. Which means I am a Leo. I was married at the silly age of 18 (almost 19) for 26 years, have 3 magnificent people as my children who have brought additional magnificent people into my life, including 5 grandchildren. I love France so much that I believe I must have been a French woman in a past life and hope to live there again for a short time in this life. I paint, I sculpt, I sew Halloween costumes for my grandchildren, I design marketing materials on my laptop which is a MacIntosh. I practice and teach yoga. I have 2 dogs and a whole bunch of delightful friends.

I write and illustrate a Verbal Remedies blog.