How to lose weight and eat cookies!

I've been on a bit of a weight loss journey!

Internet Marketing Adventures

I've been learning how to market myself on the internet...it's a daunting task. There are a million and one ways to do it and a million and two folks teaching you how to do it.

I've scaled down my services and I'm teaching women how to be confident using their voices for work and in life.

I'd love for you to check out my new and somewhat improved website http://www.tangelaekhoff.com/

The writing is mostly biz and kinda life related, but soon, soon, soon, I'm getting my books up on Kindle. And my creative non-fiction itch will be scratched.

Thank you for reading!


Tangela

P.S. What have you been up to?

Hello, I'm back!

Hello friends!



I've been away getting up my new website and business  www.tangelaekhoff.com . I also finished an online business course that teaches women how to use the web to make money online.

Let me just say...it's been mind boggling.

I've launched a personal coaching business which has been fun and interesting.

I'm always looking for clients...so if you need a big push to move yourself forward in your business or life, send me an e-mail!

I've missed writing for fun for creativity's sake...and just for me. That's part of why I'm back to Homegirl !

My website and business are up and running...so, now I'm settling in on my vision. I feel like I took my eye off of the ball for me. I'm a writer, dammit.

So this is the first thing I've written just for me. Sure, it sucks...but I'm glad I did it!

Changes. Changes. Changes.

They say the only thing constant in life is change. They are right.

I won a scholarship to  Marie Forleo's online business school! I am sooooo excited. B-School is a great opportunity to meet other women who own their own businesses, and most importantly, an opportunity for me to learn how to successfully leverage my talents as a speaker into a lucrative online business. I'm adding personal coaching to my business, so I am hoping to turn all of this into online lessons that people actually pay money to learn.

Marie has made millions online and with her live events, and I want to learn how to make money + help other women, especially those who have struggled with unemployment, underemployment....and the crushing self-esteem issues that come along with it.

I think I am now in the path of the right people. Just praying that God sustains us for a couple of months.
I will still blog about life and "stuff" here, but I will be focused like crazy on building up a business that actually sustains and supports our family.

Send good thoughts my way, as I continue to send love and light to you.

Arm In Arm (Mother's Day)

There is nothing more beautiful for a mother than when the kids get along and silence befalls a home. Tonight the boys fell asleep arm in arm. Two sets of ridiculously long eyelashes brushed Cassiopeia. Two taupe arms embraced the genetic best friend. Two little boys, who normally bite the crap out of each other,  bared sleepy smiles instead of tiger-like fangs.


I watched in awe as closed eyes darted back and forth, as if reading the credits of a movie. They slept. Together. Arm in arm. These boys. These brothers. They destroy my home during the day. They destroy me by night with the illumination of love. I did nothing to earn this feeling. Yet, I gobble it up like a baker's daughter. I allow the sweetness to permeate my once-cynical soul. I was told I couldn't have any more children. Yet here they are.


And, I felt like Holly Hunter in Raising Arizona. 


I want to say to my husband, "Bring me a toddler, DaddyFixIt. Bring me a toddler."


Raising Arizona would probably never be made today. We are a culture that takes kidnapping,  in the most literal form, very seriously.  But, the movie is the best visual chronicle of what being a mother is supposed to be. Love. Longing. The desire to be loved and to love without condition or description. It is what it is.


Tonight, my accent, my horrid, southern accent finally served me well, as I cut off the light in their room, and attempted to imitate the sublime Holly Hunter aloud. I tried to push back the tears, and said, "I love them soooooo much."


They will be out of school in a few days. I won't be loving their taupe asses then...


Happy Mother's Day, friends. Savor the good times...like when they are passed out slam asleep.

Demi's New Twitter Handle

I totally gave Demi her new Twitter handle. Wonder if I'll get credit... or chocolate???

Brush

My heart aches.

Then, I feel a slight, cool brush of air that combs over the fine hair on my arm.

I remember He's right there. Beside me. In the pain.

I remember because He tickles me daily.

He gave me laughter. He gave me sorrow.

Like a sandwich cookie.

He's on one side.

I'm on the other.

But in the middle is where life resides.

The shocking sweetness of the good stuff.

The grainy, lumpy, crystals pretending to be creamy good stuff when it's bad...sometimes it's very bad.

The tear makes a great escape, and then comes the tumble.

I have brush with death.

He coaxes me back to life.

The air on my arm gently spells, "Be here. Be now."

Comfort in calligraphy that brushes a heartache into a heart fully awake.

                                                 ~Tangela Parker Ekhoff  (9/21/11)

I wrote this after my Mom died. I have a book full of poetry. My favorite pastime is making fun of poets and writing poetry...and eating cookies.

Funny that even when I'm sad...I'm thinking about cookies. I'm actually very happy today and I'm thinking about cookies. Life has taken a turn for the good...and I'm thinking about cookies. There is not one damn cookie here in the house that I actually want to eat. But, I'm thinking about cookies. I'm going for a walk. I'll stop at the bakery on 1st street...and buy a donut. They don't have cookies.