Gardening, Google, and Gabs

Posted: May 20, 2013 | Author: Adrienne Martin | Filed under: Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

I want to grow stuff.

Yup.

I hope it all works out.

I have no experience but just decided to go for it.

Flowers, herbs, Italian flat leaf parsley, lettuce, and tomatoes.

I hope that when we find our next place in a year or so, we can have a real garden and MAYBE even some chickens!

Have you seen this video?

WILDLY inspiring.

Last week I did a whole gang of deliveries for our friend who owns a delivery company.

Google had hired Crumbs bakery to make a gagillion cupcakes for a marketing coup they planned in the Boston area and our friend has Crumbs as a client. So he called everyone he knew to deliver cupcakes for a week.

Googles plan was to surprise businesses with cupcakes and a little note that said ‘get more customers with google ads! enjoy these cupcakes!’

I am fascinated with internet marketing so was completely fascinated that GOOGLE would be doing this kind of marketing.

Sort of genius in a way, going a bit old school like this to get people’s attention.

I brought cupcakes to every single kind of business – auto body shops, dentist, banks, investment companies, clothing stores, schools, and random businesses run out of folk’s homes.

It was not a perfect mission/coup as some of the boxes had names on them so they were to be delivered to specific people within that company. Many times that person either did not exist or they no longer worked there. I said, on many occasion, ‘Gee, Google needs to do more googling.’ LOL. I am so funny. One business no longer existed but the ladies where super happy to have cupcakes for their guests that evening!!

Most people were charmed and excited for cupcakes. Some people gave me the stink eye and could not be bothered and were very skeptical. A few times I had to be like ‘JUST TAKE THE CUPCAKES!!’ Jeez.

It was really fun. And from a marketing perspective, very interesting.

Granted Google has a humungous budget and could afford to do this kind of marketing campaign but if you have a small business, or any business, or like this kind of stuff, what do you think? Is marketing changing? I know some big internet marketers who were recently giving talks on direct mail marketing!! As in SNAIL MAIL! Scandalous!

Whatever you think, marketing HAS changed and as a business you HAVE to do things to stand out to get more business.

But first and foremost, provide a good service, naturally!

This is Gabs, our 2 year old.

Just sitting in a field, picking dandelion flowers.

The ultimate in presence and enjoying the moment.

So much to learn from the littles.

We are about to embark on potty training this summer so that should be interesting.

I had a pivotal moment this weekend when I left the house with both our children (the other is eight) and only had ONE small bag with me!

Times they are a’changing!

Have a great week!

Love,

Adrienne

 

 

 

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What I Learned From Using a GPS For The First Time

Posted: May 14, 2013 | Author: Adrienne Martin | Filed under: Uncategorized | Leave a comment »

I occasionally work for our friend Owen who owns a delivery company.

He got a huge client that needed deliveries for a week and a half and he desperately needed drivers who would do 20+ deliveries each day.

Since that was so many deliveries and they were all over the place, my husband borrowed a GPS for me to use as neither of our cars have them.

I was ambivalent but let him stick it on my windshield.

As I was backing out of our driveway and this GPS lady began to talk to me, I shouted to him half kidding, ‘I don’t like this bitch telling me what to do.’

He replied calmly, ‘Relax, you will like it! It is really helpful!’

‘Harumph,’ I sighed.

Lesson One: Clearly I have issues with authority and being told what to do. 

I put in the first address anyway and drove away.

Once I reached an area I was not familiar with, I had to trust that the GPS lady (and the map on the screen) was right.

‘Harumph.’ again.

Then my mind when to Crazy Town (not unusual for me).

What if I had put in the wrong address?

What if they lead me to the wrong place?

What if I get lost?

What is happening?!?!?!?!

Lesson Two: Clearly I am a control freak. 

On this day, I was doing about 20 deliveries. And after about the fifth delivery, I finally let go, and totally got into it. It really worked and there was nothing to worry about at all. I mean, hello, I traveled alone for many months in a foreign country with just a Lonely Planet book as my guide. Could I not handle a little GPS system?

Apparently I could because as I said above, after a few deliveries, I really enjoyed it.

It was like being completely present and being guided just in the right direction and trusting that this was just right, just as it should be. I was a giddy school girl in my car, singing along to every song, marveling at every flowered bush (it is spring here in the NE). It was almost corny. But so so fun.

And that got me thinking…

We all actually have our own internal GPS.

But do we feel it? Sense it? Listen to it? And most importantly TRUST IT?

Hmmmmm…..in my experience, no.

Even if my inner GPS is telling me something, I do the whole above song and dance. Why is this bitch telling me what to do? Is she right? What if she’s wrong? What the @#$% is going on??

But what I do notice is that when I trust and follow this internal system (that is ALWAYS right), life just flows. It is pretty cool. I am a giddy fool.

So Lesson Three is…trust your own inner GPS. 

And finally, Lesson Four is if you are going to rely on your inner GPS, make sure you are well fed. 

At one point, way past lunchtime, I was doing one of the last deliveries. I unknowingly put in the wrong town but just drove where my new BFF, the GPS lady, told me to.

As I was driving in the complete wrong direction, it hit me – I had put in the wrong town. And then all of a sudden my car seemed to pull over, right into a convenience store parking lot! How lucky. I got some sustenance (albeit crappy sustenance but goodness knows I just needed something) and I was on my way.

Tomorrow I am at it again, again doing 20 or so deliveries. GPS is in the car, lunch and snacks are packed and my pissy attitude gone.

I love this thing!!

It has a split screen – OMG!!!

Thanks for reading! Not too long ago I wrote a post on How to Increase Your Intuition so if you liked this maybe you’ll enjoy that!

Love,

Adrienne

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All the good is gone!

Posted: May 7, 2013 | Author: Adrienne Martin | Filed under: Uncategorized | Leave a comment »

Yesterday I was walking my two and a half year old daughter to the park.

On the way there we saw a little old Italian lady across the street, I think I have seen her before and our eyes met and she kind of waved her hand and seemed to say something. Little old Italian ladies are funny. I come from a long line of them on both sides of my family so I felt an instant connection with her.

Then, on the way home, we saw her again but on the same side of the street.

As we approached each other, we were both smiling. When we got close enough to be within talking distance she waved her arm up in the air and said, with conviction,

‘All the good is gone!’

I looked at her quizzically at first and then with a big smile said,

‘I’m here to bring it back!!’

I doubt that is what she expected me to say LOL.

We then chatted and laughed and talked about good things.

I had just experienced the most magical and wondrous weekend becoming a Oneness Blesser. So much love, so much healing, so much connection with the Divine. It is all hard to put into words.

So when I came in contact with this little old Italian lady that I felt so connected to and having her say, even with a smile on her face, that all the good was gone, well, I just found it so curious and quite funny.

But when I left her and my daughter and I continued walking home, I realized something.

I come from a long long line of little old Italian ladies who held onto this ‘all the good is gone’ type energy. It is deeply embedded in my family’s DNA lineage! I can imagine that there were many times the good was gone – hard times here in the US and back in Italy with things such as war, loss of children, husband, poverty etc. But on a gorgeous spring day, in a place where the majority of the time, things are pleasant and even beautiful, my friend, this little old Italian lady was still holding onto ‘all the good is gone’ energy.

And that’s ok. It is her truth or what she is connected to right now.

But it made me think about my lineage and all that heavy, gloom and doom energy that has been passed down from generation to generation (I’ve seen it, heard it, felt it, and lived it myself). It made me think about all that we carry around with us sometimes without even knowing it!

It is my goal now, to heal some of that energy. For all the little old Italian ladies in my family (living and not), for myself, for my children. And after experiencing what I did this weekend at the Oneness Blessing workshop, I know I can. I know we all can.

Do you find you are carrying energy from your lineage?

It is a quite interesting and curious thing, isn’t it?

Love,

Adrienne

 

 

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April Roundup – DIY Projects Galore!

Posted: April 29, 2013 | Author: Adrienne Martin | Filed under: Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

It has been a long month here in Boston.

Much of it wonderful and beautiful – the weather has been perfect, the idyllic spring we always hope for has been with us. Baseball, little league, and girls softball has taken over here at our house, a sure sign that spring has arrived.

But a lot of it has been challenging to say the least. I have been doing my best to stay present and positive and that has resulted in many, many DIY projects from bread to cleaning products to toothpaste to lip balm. It has helped to keep things simple and productive while trying to process all that has happened in our world. It is my hope that you, your family and all you know are okay and my thoughts and prayers are with you if you have been directly affected by what happened – we all have – but some more than others. Love and light to all.

So…let’s talk DIY projects. I never thought that I would be into all this but the DIY bug has it me strong.

1. Bread

I have made this recipe more times that I can count now and I just love it. It is a big hit with the family and so so easy to make.

http://www.simplysogood.com/2010/03/crusty-bread.html

2. Cleaning products

I have been using vinegar, baking soda and essential oils to clean. I even used baking soda, vinegar and boiling water to unclog a drain! It is amazing what these simple products that many of us have around the house can do. I find that baking soda can leave a film so I use it mostly in the tub, sink and spot cleaning on the floor. Vinegar seems to work great too but I am not crazy about the smell. So I am going to work on some combos and other recipes and will get back to you once I have cracked the case on what works best.

3. Toothpaste

This was fun! Using a base of coconut oil, baking soda and peppermint essential oil, I embarked on DIY toothpaste! Much of the conventional toothpaste we all use has a lot of crappola in it that is not best for our health (ironic, isn’t it?!?!). I found a great combo of ingredients that I loved (which included raw cacao butter as well!) and when I made it, I never wrote down the recipe. Oopsy. So next time I promise to get it all written down for you!

4. Lip Balm

I started with this DIY Whipped Body Butter:

http://holisticsquid.com/whipped-body-butter-homemade-lotion/

It whipped up great in the whipper, almost the consistency of cool whip (by the way, i can’t even think of the word cool whip let alone say it without thinking of this).

Unfortunately, it began to harden as time went on. It is a bit pesky with this stuff. Too cold? Then mixture is too hard. Too hot? Then it melts back into a liquid. So again, I am playing with it and have some ideas I will keep you posted about.

But for a long time I have wanted to make some kind of lip balm based off a recipe that my mother has used to make an amazing baby balm product. It came out GREAT! I have given it to a few friends for them to test and will be tweaking this recipe as well. This ‘lip balm’ will have many other uses. I am hoping to make a video showing you how to make it and ALSO have this awesome recipe available for sale! These details are all being worked out but I will let you know ASAP when it is all ready to go!

There is something quite empowering about making your own food, your own body care products and doing DIY projects. Not only can you take control of the food going into your body but the products you put ON your body as well. Our health and well-being are in our hands and it can be fun and empowering to do so.

What are your fave DIY projects?

Please let us know in the comments below!

And be sure not to miss out on anything by liking my Facebook page!

Thanks so so much.

Love,

Adrienne

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It’s not all rainbows and kittens…

Posted: April 4, 2013 | Author: Adrienne Martin | Filed under: Uncategorized | 6 Comments »

…or is it?

I woke up this morning with all this on my mind.

In the past few months I have begun to look at the world a little differently.

Much MUCH less putting everything into categories.

This is good.

This is bad.

This is right.

This is wrong.

I hate this.

I love that.

This sucks.

This does not suck.

It has really freed up my head space and is pretty cool.

If you are not categorizing everything, there seems to be less judging that goes on (for self and others) and less stress.

And the world looks so different!

It’s totally all rainbows and kittens!

But then there are days where if is totally NOT all rainbows and kittens.

Like, not even a little bit.

If you begin to look at the world differently, then WTF where you looking at before?

What have you been doing all your life?

Judging, categorizing, giving yourself and everyone else a hard time.

And if you begin to do much MUCH less of that, who are you?

So you cry or punch things or struggle with the whole concept.

Of course there is right and wrong, you scream (in your head)!

Of course that person is BAD for doing those things that hurt you

What about that douchy person who is always bothering you?!?!?

What about myself?!?! I am totally a douche! Jeeeeeez!

And aren’t some things GOOD? Like heavy metal and butter? Aren’t they so so so so good???

But when you lean into all that, you see how confining and not super freeing those thoughts are, even the thoughts about ‘good’ stuff because you are still categorizing. And if there is ‘good’ there must be ‘bad.’

Most of these thoughts don’t really serve you or anyone else.

So you sit with it all. Feeling the space in your mind that has been freed up.

Then you see a little peek of a rainbow.

You hear a kitten meow.

I am being silly now, but you get the point.

Freeing your mind of the prison it can sometimes be in is like rainbows and kittens.

Pretty sweet!

And peaceful!

Whatchoo think?

Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks!

Love,

Adrienne

adriennemartin.com is on facebook! you can give a like here! thanks xoxo

P.S. I have heard a lot of chitter chat online lately about using pictures and snazzy saying pictures and how you need to be very careful about using them and giving people credit for those. It’s important! I’ve decided to make my own, it’s easier and kinda fun. But I draw like a 6 yo. Oh well. Rainbows and kittens rock!

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Tales from Domestic Goddess Land

Posted: April 3, 2013 | Author: Adrienne Martin | Filed under: Uncategorized | Leave a comment »

This post really should be titled

I have no idea what the f*ck I am doing

But that’s a smidge crass, isn’t it?

Although it is very true!!

I have no idea what I am doing.

But…

This week the Domestic Goddess bug hit me right smack in the face.

I made homemade toothpaste, I baked bread FROM SCRATCH, I darned socks, and I washed and scrubbed the kitchen floor with homemade cleaner.

WOWZERS.

Here’s the toothpaste, I have been using it all week (container was not full).

It is a mixture of coconut oil, baking soda, peppermint essential oil and sea salt.

It is nothing like regular toothpaste. Nothing!

The jury is still out on it but I am committed to keep on trying – the ingredients do need some tweaking so I will play around with the next batch.

I’ll keep you posted!

The bread was AMAZING and ridonkulously easy to make.

The recipe I used is this:

http://www.simplysogood.com/2010/03/crusty-bread.html

It was sent to me by my friend and budding first time author, Daisy Prescott, she rocks.

Here are some pics:

It was very exciting.

Maybe I was too excited.

I don’t get out much these days.

I am up for trying more breads now, especially some ‘loaf’ varieties for sandwiches and such.

If you have any bread recipes you like, please do share in the comments below.

I’ve got lots more to share on my Domestic ‘Goddess’ journey as well as the regular journey.

If you’d like to keep up with all that’s up, Facebook is the way!

Click here to head on over there and give a like!

Be sure to click on ‘add to interests’ so my riveting posts get to ya!

See you soon!

Love,

Adrienne

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