CHICKS ROCK!

Friday Forum: Valentine Faves

2012-02-10T10:00:00.002-05:00

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, we're thinking a lot about love and friendships. What have been some of your favorite Valentine's Days -- whether with a partner, your best friend, or even a family member?

Link Love for 2/10

2012-02-09T11:00:00.002-05:00

While we're waiting out the rest of winter, let's perk it up with a few links we love.

Alexia Vernon thinks you have something to learn from watching how people place orders at restaurants.

Girl w/Pen celebrated 39 years of Roe v. Wade in a post that seems even more timely now, a few weeks later.

In Good Company posted 5 difficult questions to ask yourself if you're an entrepreneur -- that are also important to ask in life.

Lindsey Pollak lists 15 important resume tips for those of us just starting off or needing a brush-up.

What have you all been reading and writing online in the last few weeks? Be sure to leave links in the comments.

My Relationship With Dickens

2012-02-08T10:00:00.001-05:00

Charles Dickens’s 200th birthday was celebrated worldwide on Tuesday, February 07, 2012, and I suspect there will be celebrations for the rest of the week too. I listened to two BBC radio specials about the author, his work, and Indian views about both. I did not know there is such a strong affinity for the 19th century English writer in my mother’s birth country, but now that I do I am not surprised. Themes of social discord, money, poverty, child labor and abuse Dickens explored in his work resonate with many modern-day Indians. I believe (as do many others, I suspect) that novels such as David Copperfield, Great Expectations, A Christmas Carol, and Oliver Twist continue to attract readers today from all over the world because of the author’s ability to weave a variety of characters and their experiences together seamlessly.

I have a slightly odd relationship with Dickens’s novel, Great Expectations. I first read it in high school, and was confused by the two endings; the original one still depresses me, while the revised one is a bit too fairytale-like for my tastes. I would re-read the novel over the years, always with the false hope that the main character would avoid getting sucked in by his cold hearted childhood acquaintance as an adult, but alas, he never does. I continue to marvel at the writer’s prose, yet I am saddened by the characters’ journeys and ultimate ends. For reasons I cannot explain, Dickens’s depiction of the main character’s rise and fall in Great Expectations affects me in a visceral way. I think this is why it remains my personal favorite of his publications.

I always light up when I see Dickens’s novels in bookstores and in my shelves at home, no matter how dark they are. I look forward to revisiting more of his work in the near future. Dickens’s work reminds me that no matter how hard my life can get, the trials of his characters in the 19th century make my own slight in comparison.

Truth No. 2

2012-02-07T23:52:00.004-05:00

Sally is not available this week, so enjoy today's post by TWM Founder Kristina Leonardi:

Tell me what's wrong with having a little faith in what you're feelin' in your heart. - The Dixie Chicks (via Patty Griffin)

I try not to think as much as possible. This serves me well for many reasons. First of all, I am somewhat dyslexic, so the more I stay out of my head, the clearer things are for me. And forget about speaking; whenever I do my seminars what I say has to come from my heart and gut otherwise I would get super-confused and choke from stage fright and the fear of sounding stupid.

I have learned to operate this way more and more; it reduces stress by keeping me connected to myself and in the flow of life, in harmony with who I am and what I need or want at any given moment. It is the best source of motivation, decision-making and communications tool I possess because I have harnessed and developed it as such.

In the movie Jerry Maguire, Tom Cruise confronts Cuba Gooding, Jr. about why he hasn't been offered a ten million dollar contract yet, citing that how he is off the field is how he needed to be on the field. "Right now you play with your head....in your personal life: heart....Play the game Rod, play it from your heart and you know what, I will show you the kwan. That's the truth, can you handle it?" Jerry knew that if Rod did what he loved with love, then, and only then, would he be able to show him the money.

And that doesn't just hold true in the movies. Steve Tisch, proud co-owner of the NY Giants declared that the key to their big victory this past weekend was that they "...played with heart, with passion, with love for each other and for the game of football."

Does that negate, replace or even diminish all the hard work, training, strategy, talent and skill necessary to achieve such great heights? No, of course not. But it's the thing that will make the difference between a good team and a great team, a good life and a great one.

Most of us are taught to live by our heads, logic and ego, not by our hearts and guts. But only when we listen to our hearts and put love into everything are we our most authentic selves, which means living our truth. And when we are living our truth, we can then more easily speak our truth, and stand in our truth. And that is the best way to guarantee peace and prosperity in our lives, no matter what the circumstances may be.

Million dollar contract, Lombardi Trophy or not, we are all players the Superbowl Game of Life - so are you playing with your head or your heart? Give me a buzz and I'll make sure that unlike Tom Cruise's confrontation with Jack Nicholson, you can indeed handle the truth and start living in alignment with who you are and what you want to make happen both on the field and off!

P..S Find out what's in YOUR heart at TWM's upcoming Visioning Workshop on 2/18/12!

Madame's Legacy

2012-02-06T10:04:00.000-05:00

Last week I went to visit the Madame Alexander doll factory, which I was excited to learn is located in NYC's own Harlem neighborhood. I know someone who collects dolls, so I thought it would be fun to take her there. Not only is it a doll factory where the prototype dolls are handmade, it is also a doll hospital where people can send "injured" dolls for repair, and a Heritage Gallery displaying hundreds of classic collectible dolls from the Madame Alexander line.

I don't know much about dolls (that is to say, not any more than I knew back when I was six) but regardless, it's always fun to see something behind the scenes. My favorite thing was learning more about Madame Alexander, the company's founder, who was a pioneering business woman of the 1920s. She founded her doll company in her kitchen in 1923, and over the following decades nurtured it into an internationally respected business.

It turns out, she also developed a lot of the features I took for granted in my own childhood dolls. Madame Alexander was the first doll maker to license literary and film characters for look-alike dolls (like Rhett and Scarlett from Gone with the Wind). She created "sleep" eyes, which are eyelids that close when the doll is lying down. She manufactured the first line of hard plastic dolls in the 1940s. Madame Alexander's Cissy dolls were the first to be modeled after an adult woman's body as opposed to a baby or young girl. (Yes, this was several years pre-Barbie, and Cissy is more properly-proportioned!)

Bottom line: the dolls are really cute! And for me, they become more so when I realize they represent the legacy of a woman who must have faced every challenge the early 20th century posed to talented ambitious women, and still rose to the top doing what she loved. That's inspiring.

Images from madamealexander.com

Friday Forum: Collectibles

2012-02-03T11:00:00.003-05:00

These days, collecting records seems to be all the rage. It's not quite dolls, baseball cards, or stamps, but it's a cool hobby.

Is there anything you used to collect as a kid or have started collecting as an adult?

Manifest Your Dreams

2012-02-02T12:30:00.000-05:00

TWM's Visioning Workshops have gotten so popular that even now that they're offered more times throughout the year, they still sell out! Get the details here and save your spot today!

VISIONING WORKSHOP: Using Your Creativity and Intuition to Gain Clarity, Find Focus and Manifest Your Dreams
Saturday, February 18th, 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Feeling a little confused with all that's going on with your career and the economy? Not sure what to do next with your life? Maybe your just a bit unsatisfied overall but can't exactly pinpoint what it is...

Our Visioning Workshop can help you sort it all out!

Come to our popular and powerful semi-annual workshop for a creative, transformative afternoon where you will make a collage to manifest your heart's desire - and you may be surprised as to what that turns out to be.

It's not unusual for participants to start new businesses, relationships, families or career paths as quickly as weeks or months after the workshop. If you are looking for both answers and results to help figure out where you are right now in your life and where you want to go next, this could be thing exact thing you need to push you forward and take you there.

COST: $85 for TWM Members*; $135 for Non-Members
*TWM Members can bring a friend at the member rate!
LOCATION: TRS Professional Suites, 44 East 32nd St, 11th Floor

RSVP on Facebook or by emailing sally@thewomensmosaic.org.

Hatred Where I Live

2012-02-01T10:00:00.002-05:00

I know hate exists, but I will never cease to be shocked but its ferocity at times. When I heard of the recent firebombing of two synagogues in New Jersey, I was disturbed even further to learn that the suspect is from the town I currently live in, and that the synagogues are located in two nearby towns I know quite well. The close proximity of these attacks to where I live, and the hatred that fueled them reminds me that I don’t have to look overseas or in other areas of my country to discover people who are full of rage; they can be my neighbors.

When I saw pictures of the suspect, I was also struck at how non-descript he looks. He looks bored as he stands chained in an orange prison jumpsuit, and much older than his nineteen years. I have two cousins who are the same age, and they look and act nothing like the suspect to these heinous crimes. I sometimes wonder what factors led to someone stepping out of the law to indulge in violence that takes lives, or threatens to do so. Were they born with mental issues that lead them toward anti-social and then criminal behaviors, or did their environments influence their decisions to do ill? I tend to think that both create lone wolves or groups who revel in violence and hate speech. I shudder to think of gatherings of people united by hatred and expressing these feelings by words and actions, living near me and those I care about. I wish I could ignore their existence, but I cannot.

I will not let paranoia take over my life, but I am definitely more aware of people around me. Like millions of others who move in and out of New York City on a regular basis, I learned to be more alert after 9/11. This recent case of anti-Semitic violence reminds me of this even more, especially since it hit so much closer to home.

Feverish

2012-01-31T12:15:00.001-05:00

Sally is sick with a fever today, so she hopes you take this opportunity to catch up on some old posts.

Free and Equal in Dignity and Rights

2012-01-30T09:36:00.002-05:00

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton appeared before the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, this past December to speak in celebration of Human Rights Day. Human Rights Day honors the moment in 1948 when, after several years of debate and deliberation, the UN voted to ratify a Universal Declaration of Human Rights, affirming that all human beings on earth are "born free and equal in dignity and rights," and that governments cannot remove or assign those rights, but instead have a responsibility to protect them for ALL citizens under their care.

Incredibly powerful stuff. In many ways, this declaration came decades ahead of its time--many of the countries that voted in favor of it had yet to recognize the full citizenship of all their people. We still had segregation in the southern U.S., repressive colonialism existed throughout much of Africa, and women still fought for gender equality all over the globe. But the declaration passed, I imagine because of the inherent truth of it, in spite of the fact that the world leaders of the day could not have comprehended the vast significance their affirmation would take on in the decades to come.

Secretary Clinton spent her time at the podium last month articulating the vastly important message that leaders are supposed to lead, often in big bold strokes that their people may not be ready for. She focuses on how, for all the progress that we've made worldwide in the past century securing human rights for women, indigenous people, racial and ethnic minorities, religious groups, and people with disabilities, there is another group that has yet to be fully recognized as deserving of human rights--gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.

Her speech is mind-blowing. It is clear, direct, simple yet challenging...and honest. It gets to the heart of the questions that people on all sides of the sexuality issue ask, and the beliefs they hold dear, and begins to grapple with them--the way we all are going to need to speak within public discourse if additional progress is ever to be made.

I happen to adore Hillary, but even if you don't, you should watch this speech from beginning to end, and listen. It's thirty minutes long, but well worth it. She transcends politics here, in a way that we need many more of our politicians to do. And she's right. Changes are coming, and I, for one, want to "be on the right side of history."

What did you think of this speech?

Friday Forum: Movie Magic

2012-01-27T11:00:00.002-05:00

The Golden Globes have passed but there are still the SAG Awards and Oscars to look forward to, so let's talk movies. What were some of your favorites in 2011? Which did you wish you had seen?

Who Do You Love?

2012-01-26T12:00:00.000-05:00

Every so often, we call on all of you to send us your guest posts and some of you take us up on it and generously share your story.

But now we're wondering: whose writing do you love or who do you think we should get in touch with to be a guest blogger? Whether it's your favorite blogger or somebody you know personally, let us know by leaving a comment or sending an email to chicksrockblog@gmail.com!

Abuse From Afar

2012-01-25T10:00:00.000-05:00

I have a friend who is in an abusive relationship. It started off with emotional bullying, and has moved forward to some physical roughness. If my friend still lived in the United States, I would report the incident even if they didn’t, even at the risk of losing a friendship. I believe that living in fear and dread of the person sleeping beside you is something unbearable. I dealt with it in my own family circle, and had a good friend and former teacher die at the hands of her abusive husband. I worry about those I love and care for when they are in positions like this, because I never want to feel like an enabler. My family friend who was killed had a neighbor who knew all about the abuse and never called the police. My mother happened to run into her soon after our mutual friend’s death and found it hard to contain her anger towards her. I think she felt guilty; I know I would.

I find that when friends share troubling information with me, they are not usually looking for advice. I have often felt like an emotional dumping ground for people’s problems in the past. Now, if friends or family keep sharing the same problems with the same people without changing their methods of dealing with it all, I call them out on it in the firmest and most respectful way possible. Sometimes I am told to back off, and when I am, I respond by saying that if they don’t want my input, they should stop confiding in me. Tough love is hard to dish out, but I find that I must do it at times.

I hope my friend will protect herself and her baby. Since she is on the other side of the world, all I can do now is pray that she will not become just another statistic.

How do you handle abuse when it happens to people you love?

A Different Kind of Fitness Goal

2012-01-24T12:00:00.001-05:00

As I write this, I'm trying to find a position to sit in that doesn't cause me pain. I've been going to the gym regularly for the last couple of weeks and last night I had one of the most intense workouts I've had in months. And today I'm feeling it!

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, working out and doing yoga has helped keep me sane as I try to figure out my next step. As the weeks go by and my savings take a bigger hit, I feel the stress of joblessness even more and need something to focus on.

Before now, I never really saw fitness as something therapeutic, but it really can be. I'm not trying to lose weight or fit some sort of ideal body type (other than perhaps my own). I knew before I started the year that I had a goal of getting in the best shape of my life, but now that I'm pretty much there, I've started to feel the other benefits of regular physical activity, like providing a release, helping clear my head, etc.

I'm not sure if I'll keep this up when I don't have as much free time, but I'm hoping that I do, at least as long as it makes me feel this good.

Kekla in Hollywood Redux

2012-01-23T15:13:00.005-05:00

Well, last week, in honor of Dr. MLK Jr. Day, I went in for some shameless self-promotion. I guess I'll follow it up this week with a little bit more of the same:

I'm excited to report that my second novel, CAMO GIRL, was recently nominated for an NAACP Image Award. You may remember that my first book, THE ROCK AND THE RIVER, received a similar honor two years ago. Well, let me tell you friends, it does not get old!

I'm looking forward to going again to Los Angeles in February to rub elbows with celebrities of various stripes, and to get a glimpse of a world that seems so far removed from my own. Last time, I was really nervous about every aspect of this adventure--the red carpet, the movie and television stars that I might encounter, the overall Hollywood feeling of it all. So incredibly nervous, in fact, that I didn't let myself enjoy it all nearly as much as I should have.

This time, I feel better equipped to deal with the randomness of my upcoming Image Awards journey. I've grown a lot in the last two years. Personally and professionally, I know who I am and where I fit in the world, and I feel much more confident that I can take the red carpet by storm!

Stay tuned for more updates on Kekla's NAACP Image Awards Adventure, Chapter TWO!

Have you ever gotten a second chance to overcome a big obstacle or face an unusual opportunity? How did it feel?

Friday Forum: Homebody

2012-01-20T09:22:00.002-05:00

Sometimes all we need is a little break -- a day home alone with nothing but our thoughts.

When you get to spend a day at home, what do you usually do? Do you catch up on laundry or your DVR? Or do you get restless and go out after only a couple of hours?

The Truth in What You Hear

2012-01-19T10:00:00.018-05:00

CHICKS ROCK! welcomes Amanda as a guest blogger this week:

Amanda Grant lives in Hoboken, NJ and enjoys spending time with her two year-old son Isaac and dancing. She left her successful 24-year career and founded USAdopt in New York to help potential parents navigate and accelerate the U.S. adoption process.

Have you ever considered adopting a child from the U.S. but thought: “if I adopt in the U.S., the birthmother can take back her baby” or “it’s too expensive” or “I won’t adopt from foster care because those kids are beyond healing”? If you’ve had these thoughts or similar ones, I encourage you to hear me out and reconsider the possibilities.

Four years ago, I was in the same place. I knew I wanted to become a parent by adoption, even though I wasn’t married, but didn’t know where to begin. All I knew was what I “heard” which wasn’t encouraging. So I researched and today I can tell you that most of what we “hear” about domestic adoption is incorrect or incomplete. I’m the proud mother of a beautiful, healthy boy born in New Jersey who I adopted at birth.

I had a positive experience adopting my son but not everybody does because the misinformation makes it challenging for even the smartest to filter out the facts. I became so passionate about helping people navigate the complex process that I left my 24-year career in asset management to start USAdopt.

USAdopt is a domestic adoption consultancy (not an agency or facilitator) that guides people through the process and prepares them for every step. When people know the facts, it often changes their perspective on and opens doors they didn’t know existed. For example, did you know:

Domestic adoptions cannot be revoked once finalized in court; they’re permanent.
Birthmothers cannot come back and take your adopted child. Even in an open adoption, the amount of contact information you provide is in your control.
There’s an adoption for every budget. There are tax credits, subsidies, grants, loans and fundraising alternatives to finance an adoption.
It’s usually less expensive to adopt from the U.S. than another country, and there’s a greater likelihood of receiving accurate medical history.
There were over 22,000 newborns available for adoption in the U.S. in 2010.
Many foster children, given a safe and loving home, will grow to be responsible, productive, self-sufficient adults.
Being single or part of the LGBT community does not reduce your ability to adopt a domestic child.

These are just a few of the facts that aren’t commonly known, and there are many more. We offer a free consultation so to find out how USAdopt can help you achieve your dreams of building a family, please contact me at agrant@usadopt.com.

A Vicarious Escape

2012-01-18T10:15:00.003-05:00

With bitterly cold weather and shorter, darker days for the next few months, and no set getaways planned for the near future, I escape into books, good movies, and television when I can. My new favorite television show that helps me escape when I want to is House Hunters International. There is an American version of the series, but I prefer seeing how people from all over the world buy or rent properties from countries other than their own. The locations can be beautiful, mediocre, or horrible, but none of these details deter me; I am interested in what motivates people to live outside of their comfort zones.

I know what it is like to live outside of my comfort zone; living in Indonesia in a rented house was definitely a challenge. I became accustomed to the extremely hot climate, mosquitoes, and battled food poisoning on and off for the first six months of my stay there. When I rented the house, I had to pay my rent for one year in advance, which was something I had never heard of before. I remembered this when I saw an episode of House Hunters International based in Indonesia, when a very uninformed expatriate grappled with the inevitability of paying all of her rent up front. Of course, the rent for one year tends to be much lower than in the United States; as an ESL teacher, I was given a housing allowance that equaled $10,000 US dollars, and paid $2,000 extra of my own money to rent the house I wanted that was walking distance from the school. The advantages and disadvantages of living in another country unlike my own made me more open-minded, even more so than I was before. House Hunters International reminds me of the education I received about these matters.

Of course, I will not be satisfied with “arm chair” escape only. These distractions sustain me while I get used to 2012 and make plans for it. I am definitely getting many ideas!

What are your favorite vicarious escapes from the daily grind?

Unresolved Resolutions

2012-01-17T12:00:00.000-05:00

When I look back on it, figuring out a resolution for 2011 was one of the easiest tasks I've been given. My life was a little all over the place and I had several short- and long-term goals in mind, but the one thing I knew for certain was that I wanted to jumpstart my love life and keep it up through the year.

This year, things are even more unstable in many ways, but I can't think of one thing that I want to focus on for the whole year. I've considered having mini resolutions like I did a couple of years ago, but that doesn't feel right. Yet not having any makes me feel like I won't be able to accomplish the things I want to get done in 2012, especially since my 2011 resolution was so successful.

Here are some things I've been considering: get in the best shape of my life (I'm already close to that), save more money and pay off more debt (can't focus on either until I'm earning money again), don't buy any books until I finish the ones I own (hardly significant enough for a resolution), and a few others.

I probably won't end up with a resolution at all, but the thought bums me out, so I'm hoping you'll all help me out: Do you still make resolutions? What are some you have considered for this year?

The King and Me

2012-01-16T10:15:00.008-05:00

Three-day holiday weekends don't quite take on the same significance when you work from home. When these Mondays roll around, it's really easy for me to forget things like the post office being closed, or that friends might be free to hang out. Last night, someone casually reminded me that most offices would be closed today, and I admit I felt a little ashamed that I'd forgotten it was already Dr. King day. That's one special Monday I do try to make note of every year.

To celebrate, I am going to post the link to my newly updated website, which went live at the beginning of the month, and show off my new book covers. Fire in the Streets, due out in August, is the companion to my first novel The Rock and the River. Set in 1968 Chicago, the books follow teenagers who participate in the civil rights movement there, and later contemplate joining the Black Panther Party.

In addition, I have another book coming out in May, a contemporary young adult novel about a girl dealing with difficult friendship and family circumstances. It's called 37 Things I Love.

In 2012, I'll begin research on a non-fiction book exploring the history and impact of the Black Panther Party, written for young readers. I'm particularly excited about this project, as an extension of my interest in studying the civil rights movement and the various dynamics of social change that went on during that time period. (Dr. King's time period, as it happens.)

It might seem that the proper thing to do on someone else's birthday (observed) is to talk about him, but I don't think Dr. King would mind me horning in on his limelight. After all, he lived his life the way he did largely so that people like me could have new opportunities. I'd like to think that, however small my contributions to the world might be, Dr. King would be proud of me for making them.

Friday Forum: Day of Service

2012-01-13T12:29:00.000-05:00

This weekend is a long one for some of us, thanks to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. In honor of the holiday, Monday is also a National Day or Service, giving us an opportunity to get out and volunteer and be active in our communities.

If you're getting involved on Monday, what project are you working on? If you can't participate, what sort of activity would you do?

Link Love for 1/12

2012-01-12T13:09:00.000-05:00

It's our first link love round-up of the new year, and it's a good one. We hope you enjoy reading these posts as much as we did.

Awaken Your CAREERpreneur shares the benefits of working for a non-profit.

Downtown Dharma wants you to remember 5 ways to think happy.

Girl w/Pen gives us yet another reminder that -- surprise! -- girls can do math.

In Good Company has one of the best things you'll read to start the year: a step by step guide to getting motivated.

Lindsey Pollak takes it back to basics with 7 essentials for a successful job search.

What have you been reading or writing online? Be sure to leave links in the comments.

Dealing With Temporary Ailments

2012-01-11T10:00:00.000-05:00

I am currently fighting a cold, and during times like these I do not like myself very much. My nose is red, my energy is low, and I feel like I am moving in slow motion. As a child I recall enjoying being sick (or pretending to be so) because it meant being home from school and watching all of the television I wanted. Now I find it to be a great hindrance, because there is so much to do and when I am sick I cannot accomplish as much.

When I start to feel unwell, I usually unleash an assault on the infection consisting of medication, tea, and plenty of rest. This usually works, but sometimes the bug is too strong that I have to weather through it, while still attempting to shorten my illness. Even though I feel mostly useless during this time of recuperation, I keep myself occupied when I can focus on anything in particular, telling myself that I will get through the haze to become more productive again. Sometimes I feel like I will be sick with a cold or flu forever; then I kick myself for being so self-centered, when I know there are people who suffer from much worse ailments.

Being sick temporarily is perhaps my body’s way of telling my mind to rest and slow down, even when I really don’t want to. When it happens, I try to remember that and hope that I do what it takes to get better as soon as possible. I find that keeping a positive outlook also helps; when I can do that I find my sickness to be much shorter.

How do you handle colds, flus, and other temporary ailments?

My Downtime

2012-01-10T12:00:00.003-05:00

It's now the start of my second week without a job, and it's been a bit strange so far. I've learned some things about myself, starting with the fact that I don't seem capable of sitting still for very long. I don't know if it's because I'm freaking out about not having a job or if I just don't know how to relax, but apart from a couple of days when I took one nap, I haven't given myself much down time.

I'm spending my days applying to jobs, interviewing, looking for side gigs, talking to recruiters, and staying active (and sane) with hot yoga and the gym. In the next couple of weeks, I'll also be working on an application for a grad program at the American University of Paris.

This is not at all the image my friends have of how I'm spending my time. When I talk about how tired or sore I feel, they look at me like I'm crazy and make comments about how easy it is to not have to work.

I don't know how much longer I can go without having a job and feeling like I actually have a purpose, but I'm hoping this doesn't have to last long enough to make a difference.

Have you ever had downtime from work (by choice or not) that kept you as busy as you were at work? Did you ever take a real break?

Hometown Pride

2012-01-09T13:25:00.003-05:00

When I go home to the place I grew up, it's always nice to see familiar things. To eat in familiar restaurants, shop in stores that don't exist elsewhere, and generally re-experience the best sights, sounds and flavors of my childhood.

One of those flavors happens to be DeBrand Fine Chocolates, a small (you guessed it) chocolate maker based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Best. Chocolates. Ever. I say this as a person who isn't always a big chocolate fan. I always choose vanilla ice cream. When it comes to candy bars, I'm more likely to go for sweet and fruity Skittles rather than bitter dark chocolate. But I do love DeBrand. They make everything, from simple filled chocolates to elaborate mounded truffles and exotic designer chocolates. All tasty.

Despite appearances, I'm not trying to be an advertisement for DeBrand here. As a kid, I didn't even know DeBrand was a local company that people might not have heard of. I assumed they were everywhere. So when I grew up and learned that this special treat was Fort Wayne-specific, I was a little disappointed. They always seemed bigger than that to me.

I'm especially fond of DeBrand's new Faces of Diversity chocolates, which feature light to dark chocolates molded in the shape of faces. About a year ago, I saw these particular chocolates featured in O magazine in their "Look What We Found" feature, which shows off little novelty gifts and accessories.

I remember feeling so proud of seeing a Fort Wayne thing appear in a national magazine. Unaccountably proud. I remember thinking how neat it was that something from my hometown had come to the attention of someone as influential as Oprah. (Okay, that might be a stretch--it's doubtful that she takes note of every detail even in her own magazine.) But I was having a particularly rough day, as I recall, and it meant something to me, to see a little box of chocolates I knew well had made it to the big time. It sounds cheesy, maybe, but it gave me hope.

At home over the holidays, I received a Faces of Diversity box for Christmas. I'm still savoring them, bit by bit!