Sheils Writes

Just an 80's girl in a modern world!

  • I was first introduced to the material girl in 1983 when her album was laying on the floor in my parents living room.  My sister had bought it.  We didn’t have a way to pre listen to music.  I just found music on the living room floor.  I was 18.

    While Madonna got busy ruling the world in 1984, I got busy at community College getting an Associates degree in Secretarial Science, but we would continue to grow together.

    We desperately seeked Susan while getting into the groove in the mid 80s.  Eventually by 1989 we expressed ourselves when I decided I’d start wearing pants to work to get more in touch with my masculine side.

    While she justified her love in 1992, I was up with my newborn son, Mike, watching her on MTV going deeper & deeper into the wee hours of the morning.  Those were some wild times we shared!

    Fast forward us to 1996, now we are both Mom’s, me with my 2nd, her with her first, Lourdes.  My son AJ & Lourdes basically grew up together.  The Evita soundtrack got me through some late nights at that time.  I vaguely remember some sort of little bo beep phase, Chanel vamp nail polish & her reading a children’s book, Little Miss Spider, while promoting Bedtime Stories during this time period.

    In 2004 she became Esther & had embraced Jewish mysticism, I found my way to bikram yoga & ordered myself a red string bracelet for good luck.  I drank yerba mate tea & American Life became one of my favorite albums (still remains my favorite to this day).  “I do yoga & pilates, in a room full of hotties so I’m checking out the bodies & you know I’m satisfied” are some favorite lyrics of mine.

    I came to see her in concert later in life. Finally seeing her at Yankee Stadium with my sister & her wife for her MDNA tour.  I’ll never forget our very flamboyant NYC subway ride to the venue, I honestly had no idea of this following she had.  I lived in the Connecticut suburbs, my eyes had been opened.  Then, a second show with my son at Madison Square Garden in 2015 for her Rebel Heart tour.  Two very memorable concerts.  Watching her take the stage both times bought tears to my eyes.  Seeing her with my son meant so much to me.  She spans generations.  She represents so much of my life to me.  My growing up years, my mom years, my years of trying to be confident & strong.

    Life has gone on, she’s still selling out stadiums, I’m in Florida listening to her latest on Spotify, hoping I’ll see her again someday.  Often thinking back to the day we first met, on that record album on my parents living room floor.  Borderline will forever hold a special place in this forever fans heart. 

    We still have our later years to go, me & Madonna will see our 70s, 80s & God willing our 90s and we will keep dancing and singing together!  Everybody, come on!

    Rebel Heart Tour (2015) Madison Square Garden, NYC
  • Right now I’m pre-tired, as in I’m basically tired all the time…so, then, what exactly is retired?  “Re” means again, at least I was taught that in elementary school.  So does retired mean tired again?

    I’m hoping it means something different when the time does come, give or take 10 years for me personally.  However, as tired as I am lately by the monotonous daily grind, I am aiming to have more energy when I finally enter the great unknown that is retirement.

    I started working in 1979 when I was 14 so by 2034 I’ll have worked the better part of 55 years of my life. I can maybe slow down.  Somehow I don’t think I’ll ever truly stop working in some capacity.  Perhaps I’ll call my next chapter my “I’m still here but I just want to sleep until 7:30 am, slow down a bit and rest but still do stuff” years or maybe “un-tirement”.  Be less tired.

    Actually, that’s sounding really good  and I hope to have many good years of that part of my life to enjoy!

    Until then … I’ll keep on truckin’!

    Let’s (keep) going!
  • … I have no idea what I’m doing …

    I’m doing lots of things but I’m not finishing them.  I have a vision of what I want, but it doesn’t come together.

    I have a recurring dream about packing to catch a flight, not sure to where.  However, I never make it.  I’m stressed, overpacking a suitcase, looking at a clock, heart racing, then wake up and am grateful it was just a dream, but I repeat and repeat this dream.  It’s stressful.  I googled the meaning of this type of dream and was intrigued by one of the meanings…

    “You’re worried about missing an opportunity.   The plane represents something in your life that you’re hoping will take off & reach new heights (i.e. a project)”

    Bingo! 

    I am new at this, trying to find my voice, wanting to write, not knowing what to write, but I know it’s something I want and I will just keep going.   I’ll get that suitcase packed, I’ll sit on it to zip it shut, and I’ll make that flight!  Just need to keep trying.  This won’t be another unfinished dream.  I’m getting older, I want to do one thing that can be successful.

    This adventure of writing will get bumpy at times, but I’ll get on that plane one day and fly away!  Parachute pants, I’ve got you packed!  Stay tuned!

    #truth
  • Recently I visited my childhood home.  The time has come to say some goodbyes. I’ve been thinking a lot lately of all the memories made here.  Many right on the famous back porch, pictured below.  Birthday cakes, bbq’s, spontaneous card games, many, many conversations, laughs, loud voices to be heard over the neighbors lawnmower.

    I have been saying this house holds the secret ingredient to happiness which is love & laughter.  I was very lucky to have had this house as a steadfast character in my book of my life, the one who always has your back, in good times and hard times.

    Loss is coming at me fast & furious lately.  I’m trying to let it do its thing, come & go, but damn it’s hard.  Are we lucky to get older, to have to deal with loss?  Yes, I guess, because it’s the memories that remain & those are the cherished pieces to our life puzzle.  Just missing a few from my box right now.  When the sadness eases and I find them, they’ll fit a little differently. They’ll be a bit broken & torn at the edges due to the grief process they endured, but I’ll be grateful that all the happy memories made the journey with me and I’ll have them back to complete the puzzle of my life.

    Porch pic
  • I arrived in Florida!

    We decided we wanted to live here for warmer weather & a better quality of life.  Not yet retired, but we’ve downsized, simplified & are slowly learning a more relaxed style of living.

    “They” said, “you’ll miss the change of seasons”, not really.  “They” said, “but it’s so hot”, yes, that’s true.  Bikram yoga enthusiast, eh, just do some postures here & there, no studio necessary.   “They” said “you’ll miss pizza & bagels”, well, ok, you got me there…although Colony Grill in St. Pete has given me a Connecticut bar-style pizza fix when I need it.

    Culture, this state has plenty of culture…any Friday night trip to WalMart has got that covered!  Acapulco Tropical just down the road, empanadas aplenty right there!  Bunker Hill vineyard & winery in Duette appropriately located in, well, a bunker, in the middle of nowhere.  A must visit for all new to the area!  Need I go on.

    Hurricane prep, been there, done that.  Stocked up on dry snacks at the Dollar General and got the “it won’t be so bad” from the cashier.  Ran with that and we were OK, thank goodness!

    A few other faves that need a mention:

    LECOM Park in Bradenton — Spring training! ⚾️

    Anna Maria Island —

    – The Beach Hut, best ice cream on the planet! 🍦

    – The Porch!  Best fine dining in the world! 🍷

    Scavengers Marketplace in Palmetto for treasure hunting!  💯 A few faves here are:

    – Paper & Twig! (best handcrafted bookmarks & journals!)

    – Shuffle Furnishings (best custom made chairs!)

    – BB’s booth!  Grab some nostalgia and trinkets to spruce up your home!

    However, my favorite place to be in Florida is in my home.  I’m comfortable & relaxed, sitting on my porch, doing absolutely nothing at all.

    Sunshine state of mind 🌞🌴🏖
  • I had so much fun making these!  I used the Diamond Painting Sealer (link below) to keep the gem  dots in place.

    Craft therapy is new to me.  I’m enjoying discovering what helps me forget any worries, keeps me busy, less doom scrolling on my phone & less mindless snacking in the evening hours.  I like the end result too!  Try it, you’ll like it!

    Coasters!  https://amzn.to/3uWWrDm

    Diamond Painting Sealer!

    https://amzn.to/4c0cHnI

    Yowza!
  • My Mom hit a milestone birthday!  90!  We marked the occasion with a house party for her with friends & family!  However, I didn’t know what to get her as a gift.  Then it hit me, I decided a nice book of memory for her of all the pictures I took at her party and a few before and after!  The result was more than I could have imagined.

    I used both my phone to take pictures and a disposable camera for a different perspective on the day!  Here are the links to both the book I used & the disposable camera!  I’ll be planning now for her 100 year memory book!

    Order scrapbook here! ⬇️

    https://amzn.to/3wO7sar

    Order disposable camera here! ⬇️

    https://amzn.to/3Io5dgM

    Memories for Mom
  • I don’t want to.

    I’m at a point in my life where I am quite content to do mostly nothing, maybe crafts, sometimes walk and then sit on the couch.  I’m happy to be right here.

    I see so much spiraling around me about “doing hard things”.  Today opening a new jar of pickles was pretty hard for me, and you know what, I even opted out of that.  My husband did it for me.

    I took a 1-2-3 punch in 2018/2019 and was cured of stage 3 colon cancer.  I was 53 years old.  I decided to let that be my last hard thing.

    I’m here on behalf of all those who are happy to wake up, shower, get dressed and go to work, 5 days a week.  That’s pretty hard.  Accomplishing that feat repeatedly earns you your time to do nothing if you choose.

    Join my crusade to not do hard things!  We got this!  Pickle jars and all!  Let that sh*t go!

    Today’s challenge
  • I really enjoyed doing this gem/dot craft!  It kept me sitting still, and also kept me from boredom snacking!  One of my ongoing struggles.  You can order this at my Amazon Associate link below!  I’ve got a set of retro coasters on order!  Can’t wait to get started on those!

    https://amzn.to/42S1dyA

  • Flashback Friday!  Who remembers this craze!  Treated myself to this throwback of “Color Me Beautiful” from, wait for it, 1980!  Such fun!  I originally borrowed this book from the library back in the day, eventually went to the bookstore and purchased a copy because there was no Amazon.   Unfortunately donated my original copy many moves ago.  Glad to have one back in my hot, colorful, hands!

    What’s your season?Order your copy of Color Me Beautiful here! https://amzn.to/3I9p8zH

    Coloring as “therapy”!  Order this 1980s fashion coloring book here!

    https://amzn.to/49CPHJl