So Here I Am, with Jarlene Culiner

by Angela Smith | May 12, 2020 | Guests, Real Stories by Real People

Today, I am so excited to share J. Arlene Culiner (or Jill Culiner) with you! She has had an amazing, adventurous life! And she’s gorgeous to boot! But, like many writers, she doesn’t like to “toot her own horn” even though she has every right to. Thank you so much for joining us today, J. Arlene Culiner!

By J. Arlene Culiner, and Being the Great Procrastinator

So here I am, a writer as well as being “The Great Procrastinator”. Before actually sitting down to work on a story or article, I’ll cook something, fool around, brush the dogs, wander here and there, think about tackling the heaps of papers everywhere. Eventually, I’ll force myself to get started, but writing this article for you, Angela, has meant weeks of procrastination. Why? Perhaps because the title is so daunting: Real Stories by Real People? How much easier it is to invent characters (even if they are often disguised self-portraits), and drum up plots. But write openly about myself? Sheesh… I had no idea it would be so difficult.

Perhaps because the title is so daunting: Real Stories by Real People? How much easier it is to invent characters (even if they are often disguised self-portraits), and drum up plots. But write openly about myself? Sheesh… I had no idea it would be so difficult.

Why? I suppose because it will sound like bragging, it will be tooting my own horn, and I’m not fond of doing that in public.

Well, here goes: I was one of those kids who ran away from home at seventeen. I craved a big life. I wanted city lights, country lanes, endless romance, and adventure. No ideas of a big comfy home and security could lure me. I wanted to see the inside of a coal mine, to walk (alone) across much of Europe on dirt lanes and paths, to sleep in fields, spend time in the Sahara desert, trudge through Ukrainian snowstorms, be a belly dancer in Turkey, an artist, a writer, a musician, an actress, a photographer, and, of course, be an international femme fatale.

So I did all of those things.

Okay, I’m not saying I’m brilliant at everything. I’m not. But I’ve done/am doing exactly what I set out to do. These days, I play oboe, English horn, flute, tuba, and baroque oboe in four different (amateur) orchestras, I am a contemporary social critical artist which has meant I have traveled all across Europe with my shows, I live in a mini-museum (http://www.jill-culiner.com) in a small French village. I very occasionally work as an actress (https://vimeo.com/188556966), I narrate audiobooks, and I’m a writer of romances, mysteries, and non-fiction (http://www.j-arleneculiner.com). I also tell stories on Sound Cloud ( https://soundcloud.com/j-arlene-culiner). My photography exhibition about the vanished Jewish community, La Mémoire Oubliée, traveled through Europe and went to Canada under the auspices of UNESCO and the French Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and these days, I often go do research in very strange, forgotten places where I can’t speak a word of the language.

I’ve lived on the English moors, in a Bavarian castle, in an adobe house in Hungary, in a Turkish cave, on a Greek island, in London, Paris, New York, Toronto, San Francisco, Amsterdam, and in many small villages all over the place. Yes, I’ve taken silly risks, I’ve been in grave danger far too often, I’ve been a complete failure at many things, I’ve never had enough money to do anything the easy way, or to stay in flashy places, or to own a car that is worth more than five hundred dollars, but I sure do have fun. And, by the way, I’ve never owned a television: why would I want to sit passively in front of one? 

Like Agnieszka Szumska, another one of your guests, I’m a vegetarian because the idea of being responsible for animal suffering is terrible. I also eat organic food, and I love and rescue dogs and cats. I protect as many animal, plant, insect, and reptile species as I can, and live very simply. I make my own bread, sauerkraut, pickles, and fruit juices; I bottle food for the winter; and I avoid air travel and use public transportation. For us, going on a holiday means walking out of the house and taking an ancient pathway to another village — something that is possible all over Europe. I try to be nice to everyone, and I smile at the people I pass on the street. If anyone wants to chat, I’ll lend an ear.

            I suppose it will be no surprise that, although I also write romance books (it’s a rather conventional branch), I do create unconventional heroines. Yes, they are real people, but they are always older — in their 40s, 50s, and 60s — and they take chances, dare to follow dreams. Of course, my heroes aren’t slouches either. I also try to make my romance books as rich as possible, in vocabulary, plot, information, and with sentences that flow and are beautiful.

            You, Angela, say you write romance in order to solve love’s mystery. What a lovely goal. I write romance simply because falling in love (despite its complications) is truly delightful.

I suppose I’ve said it all.

Thanks, for letting me visit.

Author Website http://www.j-arleneculiner.com 

Blog: http://j-arleneculiner.over-blog.com

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1728686415/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JArleneCuliner/

Color Street Team Leader Shares 5 Tips for Success in Business and Relationships

by Angela Smith | Apr 14, 2020 | Guests, Real Stories by Real People

I’m super excited today to introduce you to Billie Breeden. She’s a retired nurse, now following her dream as a business owner with Color Street, and she’s here to offer tips for success in business and relationships. Not only relationships with your spouse, partner, or family, but relationships with yourself!

Let’s give a shout out to Billie Breeden. Thank you for joining us today!

by Billie Breeden, Color Street Team Leader

Hello! I am Billie Breeden. Thank you, Angela, for asking me to interview on your page.  I am a retired nurse and a business owner. I am a wife and mother and grandmother. My husband Jack and I have been married 40 years this July. We have had some wonderful years together, lots of adventure, and love each other as much or more as we did 40 years ago. Angela asked me if I had any relationship advice since I have been married so long. The best advice I can give is to pick your battles, don’t sweat the small stuff, give more than you receive, and support one another.

The best advice I can give is to pick your battles, don’t sweat the small stuff, give more than you receive, and support one another.

Here’s the thing—we all have faults and weaknesses. If we dwell on the faults of one another, however small or insignificant they might be, they can turn into big things. Is it that big of a deal if your husband throws his dirty socks in the bottom of the closet and leaves them there? It is aggravating, but in the grand scheme of things is it worth fighting about?

My husband has always been my greatest fan and supporter and I his as well. We both have an entrepreneurial spirit and have tried and failed at many things. But we are always there for each other, encouraging one another to try again. It takes commitment and dedication to make a relationship work.  I don’t believe you should expect more out of your spouse than you are willing to give. If you are keeping score on who has done the most, then failure is certain. Love one another deeply and give more than you receive.

I started my nursing career at the age of 22. I was a licensed vocational nurse for 17 years and I have been a registered nurse for 29 years. I went to RN school when I had 3 kids at home and worked full-time. I had to be very disciplined about studying, getting up at 5 in the morning while the kids were still sleeping, it was difficult at times, but well worth the sacrifice. Nursing was very good to me. It supported us many times over the years when my husband pastored small bi-vocational churches that could not afford to pay a full-time salary. The thing I loved the most about nursing is that you are there to support others at some of the happiest and some of the most difficult times of their lives. Seeing new life welcomed into the world was always a blessing. My last few years of nursing have been as a Director of Nursing in nursing homes. It is a very thankless job at times especially for the staff, but one thing I tried to instill in them was what a privilege and blessing we had to be able to help someone have hope and joy in the last days of their life.

I will be 68 this year. I hate saying that because it sounds really old. I don’t believe we are ever too old or too young to dream or accomplish our dreams.  I do believe age is what we make it out to be. Last year, I did my first half marathon at 67, and I did a second one in February this year. I gave up a successful career in nursing to start a business in direct sales because I saw the potential to achieve my dream of being a business owner. We are never too old to succeed at something if we are willing to do the hard things.  When I started training for the half marathon, I could barely walk a mile without getting out of breath. When I started my business in direct sales, I could barely talk to a stranger, much less sell them something. Unless we are willing to step outside of our comfort zone, we will never be successful. And we have to realize that success does not come without failure. I have failed many times, but I am not willing to give up my dreams because I have failed in the past. Our future is what we make of it.

We are never too old to succeed at something if we are willing to do the hard things. 

My business is called Nail Spice. It is a direct sales business with Color Street. I always said I would never sell anything because I am not a salesperson. I happened on Color Street at a craft show. At the time I was selling organic soaps and skin care products that I had made myself.  It was very difficult to sell, and I was not making money at all. The lady across from me was selling Color Street. I watched her all day. She had tons of people coming to her booth and trying and buying her products. I eventually made my way to her booth and tried a sample of Color Street and I was absolutely hooked! I always loved having pretty nails, but I hated regular polish because it was so much trouble and I despised going to the nail salon. I couldn’t stand the way fake nails felt and sitting in a noisy nail salon and paying that much money was just not my thing! To make a long story short, I was so obsessed with the fact that Color Street was 100% nail polish in a strip that went on dry with no tools or drying time and stayed on for 10-14 days,  I signed up a few days later to become a stylist.  I am now a Team Leader and have a team of 18 ladies under me! It is the most exciting thing I have done in a very long time and I am so passionate about it I think everyone should do it!! The great thing about Color Street as a business is you can go as far as you are wanting to go. Some people do it for a hobby and a little extra cash. Some, like me are making it their full-time business. It is just like any other business. It does take work and time and effort for it to grow. I am still learning, but here are a few things I have learned about being successful in life and business.

I am still learning, but here are a few things I have learned about being successful in life and business.

1. Have a daily routine. I get up early every morning before my husband does. I have a devotional and prayer time and I journal my thoughts. After that, I spend at least 30 minutes reading or watching videos on personal development. I believe this is so important no matter what you do. Never stop learning and growing. After that, I usually cook breakfast. I have been doing this for my husband from the beginning. We always had breakfast when I was growing up and it is how I start my day off right.
2. I spend several hours a day on my business. I work on social media posts, I do customer follow up, I mail out samples and stock orders, and look for ways to improve. I did this when I was still working full-time as a nurse. Again, you must be willing to do the hard things if you really want to be successful.
3. Know your why. Why do I want to be successful I business? Why do you want to be a writer? Knowing your why is what will keep you going when times are difficult.
4. Set goals. Short term and long term goals. And do something every day that moves you toward achieving those goals.
5. Take care of yourself. Eat as healthy as you can, exercise several times a week, even if it is a leisurely walk, and enjoy your life and your family. Have some fun!

I would love for you to check the beautiful nail strips out at https://nailspice.com and if you would like to try a sample you can go to https://billiebreeden.com and click the sample link.

I am in the process of developing my personal website: billiebreeden.com.  (My husband is doing this for me, he is a multi-talented man!) My plan is to post business tips and motivational posts in addition to tips and tricks for my Color Street business. Check out billiebreeden.com for links to my business and social media accounts, and to request a sample. I would love to connect with you! My goal has always been to encourage others. I believe my purpose in life is to help others live their best life.

Thank you so much for joining us today, Billie!

I have to say, I have tried NailSpice and love them! I’m super hard on my hands as a writer, a gardener, and just housework and caring for animals, etc. NailSpice has been amazing to keep my nails looking great without hefty prices. And I absolutely love the creativity with Color Street names. Long Time no Sea and Are yo Madrid-ing me. How awesome is that? And a caveat: I do not make any type of commission on this or any other posts. Just trying to share real stories real people.

Thanks for stopping by. Next month we have Julia McKeena, CEO and founder of Managerine LLC. She’s got an amazing story, so be sure to check her out!

Agnieszka Szumska Loves DIY, Organic Food, and the Idea We Can All Become Better Versions of Ourselves

by Angela Smith | Apr 7, 2020 | Guests, Real Stories by Real People

Welcome to my first addition of Real Stories by Real People!

My goal is to feature two stories a month, the first and second Tuesday of the month. And one day a month, the last Thursday, I plan to feature a geographical location. Because stories are all about settings and people! As an office manager, one of my favorite parts of the job is to interview people. Crazy, right? I don’t like hiring people (because that usually means someone left and then you have to go through the process of finding the right person, etc. etc), but I enjoy the interview process because as a writer, I have always been curious about people and what makes them them. You can say psychology was one of my favorite subjects in school. That and Geography, because I love learning about new places I will likely never go. Including the French Alps, which is where today’s guest works! And my favorite part of writing stories is to create characters. This is why I’ve decided it would be fun to feature stories about real people I have met during my writing career! And maybe elsewhere. Especially in this day and age, with the Coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic and our world constantly changing, people are more important than ever, so I want to celebrate them and their stories! And you never know, I might throw in a fictional character story/interview in as well.

So today, I welcome my first guest. Agnieszka Szumska loves DIY, organic food, and the idea we can all become better versions of ourselves.

If you are interested in being featured, please go HERE. You do not have to be a writer or business owner. You simply just be you.

Who are you as a person? What are you likes, dislikes?

I am very easy going person. I love to learn new things everyday. DIY is my thing. I love to make my own cosmetics and I eat only organic food. I love animals and I have a very special bond with dogs. I am vegetarian. I speak few languages – Polish, English and French. in the past I was fluent in German but without practice it all went away. I love good food. I love long walks. I am a book worm as well. I love the idea that we can all become a better version of ourselves. That is why I watch Impact Theory and Marie TV. My goal is to be my own hero. I hate liars. I try always to surround my self with good people. I am a person who somehow always have an advice for someone who is asking for it. I try not to criticize people. I always try to see their problem from their point of view. I like to relax with a good music. Sometimes it is Vivaldi and sometimes it is coco jambo.. heheh. I always try to find a movie that will bring me something. A good real life drama is good but a silly comedy is often very welcome as well. I love tea. When I was living in UK the afternoon tea was my thing. With the whole corona situation I have decided to take care more about my health. I started yoga and meditation. It was not easy because my brain is always busy busy busy. I have huge imagination. When I was little girl I was talking to the moon and trees.

I find nearly everything interesting.

What is your career?

I am a receptionist in a small hotel in the French Alps.

Walk me through a typical day in your business/career/life?

Since I work only in the winter and summer season, days at work are very intense. After the season it is totally different.

What is your biggest pet peeve about that day/business/career/life? Biggest frustration? Biggest source of joy?

When I am at work I love to have that high quality contact with the customers. Many of them became my good friends. What I do not like about my job is that sometimes people are very aggressive for no reason at all.

Do you have any relationship advice?

Yes. Be kind and full of respect. Give as much as you are receiving.

Do you have any favorite quotes?

Mostly quotes of Paulo Coelho.

Where can we find you online?

I have an Instagram account agnieszka 11_31

Thank you so much to Agnieszka for being the first person to jump into my Real Stories by Real People!

Be sure to check back next week, as I have a retired nurse turned Color Street Team Leader on the blog.