Believe it or not, I find work gratifying. Helping other people is my passion and designing products to heal some of the ravages of mother nature is what I was born for. But of course, that's not all I do. Just like you, I like balance and I like fun. Despite living in always sunny Southern California, I love turning my garden into an exhilarating palette of fuchsia and red. The smell of the Sweet Elysium really makes me smile.
My daily routine might be a lot like yours. I awake to the rustling of my dogs around me and start my first cup of coffee. They try to persuade me to feed them before the sun rises but that's really rather uncivilized. I like some order in the household so I take this time to clean up the backyard. I'll hose everything down, clean up after my beloveds' and when the sun finally does peek it's head up, the morning breakfast begins. I play with them while I watch the oceans tide.
My life is sort of a harmony between researching and experiencing. I am likely right and left brained: analytical yet creative. I appreciate the amazing beauty of Yosemite's ever-changing colors: the purples, blues, and grays and immediately see how those tones work in a canyon-inspired color line.
When it comes to entertainment, I hearken back to the BBC Sherlock Holmes mysteries. The exotic locations, the danger in the bazaars of Morocco give me such a thrill yet again, the analyst in me is always trying to work with Holmes to figure out "who did it?" The same goes for the Agatha Christie mysteries. The lush landscapes of a prized estate backed against the fear of a villain lurking who eventually gets found out.
It can certainly ignite ones appetite! And when it does, you would find me designing in the kitchen as I do in my laboratory. As I am in charge of my own, small household, I can experiment with delicious favorites like bison burgers stuffed with Bleu cheese and a Greek salad. Combining flavors is a lot like color and chemistry. Certain flavors tone down while others highlight.
But I'm not all creative and analyst. I have many sides. I'm a nurturer and one of my most rewarding hobbies is dog rescue. I work with others to foster and raise usually abandoned dogs in an emotionally healthy environment so they can be placed in homes permanently. My own dogs serve as the foster dog's mother or Alpha dog so they can learn boundaries and feel safe. In the end, they are usually free of separation anxiety and make someone very happy.
So between all my passions, were you to walk into my home, I might ask you for advice on how to get my oven cleaner without those horrible fumes, or have a chat with you while I try to find ways to organize all my paperwork in my ever-shrinking back office. It's wonderful to watch a romantic comedy or reminisce about just how Ronald Reagan was able to speak his mind so openly and still be liked by so many foreign opponents.
Then, if you asked, I'd speak about my late husband; my ultimate hero whom I met while working at Merle Norman. He was a linear-brained architect who paradoxically taught me the nuances of enjoying rough-it camping in a teepee, the transcendental joy of what it means to sail a boat or how he didn't even blink an eye when I once showed up for a very tense meeting having forgotten to button and zip my pants up that morning. Yes, they fell down.
Did I happen to mention I can laugh at myself?
Last but not least, I'm infatuated with red velvet cupcakes, adore the cozy feeling Autumn gives me, miss my gentle and heroic Doberman, Lady and consider each and every one of you my extended family whom I love working for.
It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance!
~ Colleen
