Riding a Roller Coaster - with my Girlfriends by my side

It's been a roller coaster week. I won't get into the details, but someone went out of their way to make my life painful. It hurt to be the target of someone I've treated fairly and with respect. It really hurt. It was a lower-than-low, strange, sad, painful experience.

On the upside, I had three get-togethers with girlfriends (some previous close sister-like friends, some new friends of friends who welcomed me into their world with acceptance and support). Every single time I'm surrounded by supportive women, I'm completely humbled and so very thankful. These women graciously offer their ideas, contacts, positive reinforcement that my dream is reachable - and a willingness to help me stretch out farther towards it. I recognize how blessed I am and thankful for the amazing women in my life.

Then, back comes the lowness of others who mistreat and misquote. Wait a bit and it's back up to the summit with amazing women who inspire and support me. The ride continues.

I know this is life. I'm fine with that. It just humbles me when such extreme emotions can be defined in the short course of a week. I, like the little girl in the photo, would be in trouble without the hand of a loving friend to hold onto and the honor of their company through the high and low points of life.

This week makes me want to be a better friend. To be there for my friends during their roller coasters of sadness, doubt, sickness as well as to celebrate with them the achievement of getting through the low points and recognize their efforts when they are riding high on success, strength and well-deserved happiness.

Having a roller coaster week or know a girlfriend who is? Don't be afraid to reach out to your girlfriends - to support them or ask for their assistance in riding out the challenges that we all have to face from time to time. Be there for them and they will be there for you. Thank goodness for Girlfriends!

TIP TUESDAY #18 - How are you and your Girlfriends celebrating National Mom's Night Off?

Did you know that you get a free pass tomorrow (Thursday, March 20th) for a night out with your girlfriends? Well, thanks to RACHEL HAMMAN, founder of National Mom's Night Out, you're free to go to dinner or just spend time with your girlfriends!

Rachel, a guest on a recent podcast is RACHEL HAMMAN. Rachel also wrote Mom's Night Out - Even inmates get time off for good behavior!

AND, Rachel donated several copies of her book to Girlfriendology for prizes for this month's Girlfriendology Contest*. Just enter the contest and you'll be in a drawing for her fun book with great girlfriend stories!

So, this week's TIP TUESDAY question is:

How will you celebrate National Mom's Night Out?

Personally, I had a girlfriends night last night (Thanks Joan, Allison, Amy, Cheryl, Nancy and Venus), a girlfriends afternoon on Sunday (again - thanks Joan! Debbie, Cindy, Sherman, Pat, Barbara and Peggy) and have a girlfriends night tonight with Paula, Becky, Jill, Judy, Lynn and the lovely Tina. So, I'm making a week of it! So can you, so get started!

* Another AND ... The February Girlfriendology Contest podcast is now live and features our first ever girlfriend contest winner interview. (Thanks so much Georgia for sharing this amazing story about your girlfriend Sally - pictured together here.) This could start a fun new tradition of interviewing our monthly winner!! Have a great girlfriend story and want to share it on our podcast? Enter the contest!

Just a quick Thank You to a Girlfriend

At the very end of the work day today, something happened that really hurt me. I packed up my stuff and headed for home, still playing over the scenario in my mind. Normally, I would have arrived home and blown off a little steam by telling my husband the situation but today I had somewhere to go and somewhere that I needed to be mindfully present. My afterwork plans were very important to me on a personal level that warranted that I be completely engaged.

On the drive home, I called Tina. My friend Tina gets me. She knows my dreams and believes in me (and them). She maintains focus on the important things in life and helps me to strive for them too. Although she'd never believe it, she mentors me when I deal with important issues and cares about even the silly, little things in my life.

All in the course of a five minute call, I had a better outlook on things and an understanding of how petty the event was that happened at work. So many things are so much more important. Things like love, friendship, caring for others. Things like friends who believe in me and who listen and care.

Thanks Tina. On my drive home, you helped me steer clear of the petty issues and aim for the big stuff that matters, like dreams, hope, love.

Do you have a friend that can cheer you up and remind you of the important things in life? Are you that kind of friend to a girlfriend? Be a girlfriend. Call a girlfriend. Show how thankful you are for your girlfriends!

TIP TUESDAY #17 - Your Favorite Girlfriend Blog

Have you met any friends on the Internet? Found any bloggers with whom you can relate and share their thoughts? Located an old college girlfriend or 'googled' an childhood friend?

Personally I love how the Internet can build community - especially among women. This week an online event is going on that does just that. The Ultimate Blog Party is an event hosted by 5 Minutes for Mom and gathers postings from over a 1000 women-only blogs. Check it out and you may make a new friend! (or two!)

So, this week's TIP TUESDAY question is:

What is your favorite girlfriend blog?

This can be someone who know personally or a woman that you've just read on the Internet that you admire, are inspired by or that teach you something that you need to learn.

A few of my favorite girlfriend blogs: KATIE HACKER - a great friend and beader who inspires me creatively and challenges me to make time for beading!, LINDA PETERSON - another girlfriend who is creative and has a wonderful outlook on life that she journals on her blog, JILL MACKAY - a dear friend and advisor who also creates amazing jewelry designs and (recent podcast guest) MARGOT POTTER who has a sassy, creative style through her blog on beading and life in general.

Now it's YOUR turn! Take a look through the list of ULTIMATE BLOG PARTY girlfriend blogs and share your favorites! Thanks Girlfriends!

Additional Prize for March Girlfriendology Contest!

Recent Girlfriendology Podcast guest, RACHEL HAMMAN, believes moms deserve a night off. So much so that she wrote the book on it. And, she founded National Mom's Night Out which is coming up on March 20th!

Well, actually, Rachel wrote the book - with her girlfriends who told real stories about real moms who just need some time off for good behavior. Rachel and the moms wrote: Mom's Night Out - Even inmates get time off for good behavior. And, she sent Girlfriendology two copies for more prizes on our Girlfriendology Contest this month.

Enter the contest with your story of a creative gift you've given to or received from a girlfriend - and you'll be in the drawing to win! (Plus, you have a shot at the Starbucks giftcards and Girlfriendology Journal.)

So, tell us about your creative girlfriend (or yourself) and keep the National Mom's Night Out celebration going all year! Thanks Rachel!!!!

National Mom's Night Out - Get out of the house Girlfriends!

From International Women's Day to National Mom's Night Out - do you get the feeling we need some time to recognize, celebrate and appreciate women and moms?!

Our guest on our NEW podcast is RACHEL HAMMAN. Rachel founded "National Mom's Night Out" - which is coming up on March 20th. In addition, Rachel wrote Mom's Night Out - Even inmates get time off for good behavior! Rachel tells us more ...

About National Mom’s Night Out

Who could use a break? If you are a mom, you probably raised both hands at once. That’s why I’ve founded a new holiday for all of us overworked, underappreciated moms. “National Mom’s Night Out” is the third Thursday in March, and it’s a celebration which encourages moms to leave the little ones and hubby at home for one night. It’s a guilt-free excuse for moms to go have fun with friends and reconnect with who they are besides being a mom. Skeptics (read: “husbands”) might argue, “You already have a holiday… It’s called Mother’s Day.” I would answer them by respectfully pointing out that although we do celebrate being moms on Mother’s Day, we do so as a family. We go out to brunch with our kids or see a movie (probably a cartoon) with our children. This is all well and good, but nowhere on that day do we get to celebrate the other facets of our personality. National Mom’s Night Out lets a mom reclaim a bit of her pre-motherhood identity. It affords us the chance to take off our sweat pants and strap on some sexy heels and go have a good time. (Perhaps trade in our baby bottles for a wine bottle for at least one night.)

Although the third Thursday in March is the “official” date to treat ourselves to a night out without children, I am hoping that moms across the country will carve out time for themselves on a more regular basis. We need to land somewhere near the top of our own “to-do” lists to ensure that our spirits stay recharged. Making time for yourself may seem selfish, but taking care of number one makes it possible for you to take care of the rest of your family more effectively.

So, set the laundry aside and leave money out for your kids to order pizza and come join me for National Mom’s Night Out!

Thanks Rachel for founding National Mom's Night Out and for talking with Girlfriendology on our new Podcast!

*For details visit www.RachelHamman.com

Celebrate International Women's Day!

March 8th: Today is International Women's Day. It is celebrated as an official holiday in Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. In these countries, men give flowers, cards and gifts to women - wives, daughters, coworkers, etc.

In the U.S. it appeared to be celebrated in random events in large cities. (Not nearly enough though! It should be a National Holiday!) Thankfully corporate sponsors have participated and supported this event.

As a woman, with a mission to encourage female friendship, it reminds me to reach out to other women. My belief is that if I have a girlfriend in South Africa, I will care more about South Africa. The same if I have a friend in another area of town, suddenly I listen more intently when the media reports a crime or accident in that neighborhood.

Did you celebrate International Women's Day? If so, how? If not, how can we raise awareness and support for this in the future? However you spent your day or your thoughts on this event, remember to be thankful for being a woman, for the women who came before us to bring freedom and rights and for the women we can help - even just by being their friend.

TIP TUESDAY #16 - Favorite Girlfriend Gifts

Do you have a girlfriend who always gives you your favorite gift each birthday? Or maybe a friend who thinks she gives you the best gift when it doesn't even resemble your sense of style?! Either way, you've no doubt experienced the ups and downs of being a good girlfriend gift giver and recipient.

So, this week's TIP TUESDAY question is:

What is your favorite gift to give a girlfriend? Or the favorite gift you've received from a female friend?

I've bragged about my friend Terri in the past. She knows the shops I love and buys me gifts that always are my favorite. And, she gives gifts with such genuine friendship and generosity that I always feel inept when giving her a gift! Through Terri, and other girlfriends who bless my life, I learn so much about giving, sharing, caring and paying attention to others' likes and dislikes. I always learn so much from my girlfriends.

Your turn! Tell us what gifts you've given or received that have been special. Inspire others with your creativity, your girlfriend's thoughtfulness or just the general closeness of dear friends. Give the gift of sharing with your girlfriends here at Girlfriendology!

New Girlfriendology Podcast with inspiring, creative MARGOT POTTER

Author, designer, creativity guru, blogger, actress, singer, TV personality and BQOTU (Bead Queen of the Universe), MARGOT POTTER, took time out of her wild schedule to share her wonderful energy, wit and wisdom with Girlfriendology in this week's podcast.

Listen in to find out how this busy, creative, inspiring woman believes girlfriends have to mentor each other, be thankful for the women who have gone before us and work together to make us all stronger. Discover the 'power of we' and 'super girlie good power' along with how to live life following your bliss.

Listen in as we talk with author of the highly successful Impatient Beader books, Margot Potter on how to live a life following your bliss and as your authentic self. You'll be glad you did!

March is National Craft Month so we're celebrating creative women! One way we're celebrating March is by daily postings on the GirlfriendologyToo blog (for the creative side of girlfriends). We're also talking with creative, inspiring women about their creativity, friendships and girlfriend advice.
Every week Girlfriendology talks with a girlfriend author or expert. Leave comments below for women we should interview on future podcasts. Thanks Margot! Thanks Girlfriends!

Great Girlfriend Info for all you Work at Home Moms (or wannabes!)

You know how one web site leads to another, which takes you to yet another and before long you're on a totally different subject matter than when you started?! I found myself on a site that was very well done, informative, and while I'm not a 'mom' (do pets count?), I found myself reading and being very impressed with the information and style presented. It was one of those - "I should share this with my girlfriends" kind of moments!

So, I contacted Lisa Mills, the founder of Work At Home Mom Revolution and she was gracious enough to share her story and her passion for helping women find fulfillment and income while meeting the needs of their family by being at home. So, from LISA:

I started my site, Work at Home Mom Revolution, a little over a year ago. I really feel that the Internet has opened up a whole new world of possibility to moms who want to work from home. There are so many opportunities available online to make money, whether it's starting your own business, working as an independent contractor, virtual assisting - you name it.

My main "girlfriend" support for the last few years has been the community at WAHM.com. I've learned so much from the other moms who frequent the discussion board there. Also, that's where I found my first and primary job as a transcriptionist. I believe networking is key to finding the right work at home job. It's also key to avoiding the multitude of work at home scams out there.

My site is set up to provide information not only to those moms looking for work from home, but also those already working there. I try to mix the posting of new job and business opportunities with helpful articles on productivity, personal finance, parenting, saving money. And frequently, there's a little bit of my own personal life in there. I often throw in something just because I find it interesting or funny.

I'm really excited about how far Work at Home Mom Revolution has progressed so far. I've met the traffic goals I set for myself when I started the site. But what's really exciting is that I've met so many nice people and made so many online friends through the site. Working from home can be lonely at times, so this has really been a blessing.

Check out Lisa's site and send it on to your girlfriends who will benefit from this information. Thanks Lisa!

TIP TUESDAY #15 - Winter care advice for Girlfriends

BRRR! It is cold here in the Midwest and Spring can't get here soon enough! Long nights, short days, low temperatures and potential for dangerous driving are great reasons to hibernate at home with a new puppy, some good books (Eat Pray Love and The Girl's Guide to Building a Million Dollar Business) and a DVR with American Idol, Survivor and, of course, Oprah.

With all this indoor time, it seems to be perfect for pampering ourselves - right?! And, believing that we get the best advice from our girlfriends, this week's TIP TUESDAY question is:

How do you pamper yourself in the Winter? Share your favorite skin care products or routines that make you feel good even when it is freezing outside!

Generally I like the start the discussion but there's a reason I ask - I don't have any good advice in this area and need yours! My skin is snake-like, my lips are pealing and my nails are cracking. Not a pretty picture I know, but a true one and one that needs your input! Please share your Winter beauty and skin care tips with your girlfriends!

New Girlfriendology Podcast - Girlfriend's Travel Expert BETH WHITMAN

I love to travel. I mean it. I really LOVE to travel. However, I admittedly am hesitant to travel on my own which stops me from experiencing places that I dream about visiting. And, I think we women often miss out on travel adventures for the same reason - until now!

Meet travel addict BETH WHITMAN. Beth has traveled for over 20 years to countless countries and cultures. She's taught classes on solo travel for women, has written a book - WANDERLUST AND LIPSTICK: The Essential Guide for Women Traveling Solo and has an active website and blog with a world of traveling tips.

Beth talked with Girlfriendology on our weekly podcast about her travel lifestyle, destinations and adventures and her advice for being a woman and traveling solo. Listen in for great travel tips and wonderful worldly wisdom. Thanks Beth for sharing and inspiring! Now let's get packing and go travel!

What is a girlfriend?

Just a normal week, actually, until Friday. On Friday two things happened. But I'll get to that in a minute.

On our little dead-end, tree-lined, built in the 1920's street, we have lots of friends. Anne, Ann and Ann live here. Four babies were brought home last year and Sunny and Dolly are currently pregnant. We have happy hours in the summer and book club throughout the year. Houses are bought and sold. Friendships are made and kept even after moving away. We 'do life' together and feel very blessed for our neighbors.

One of our neighbors, Eula, worked until she was about 82 (five years ago) and brought us cookies, came to our New Year's Day brunch and showed us pictures from when she was a missionary in Africa and went big game hunting to feed a village. Her daughter and son-in-law live on the other side of us so she walked by frequently and always made great conversation. Being such a part of our neighborhood, we were shocked and deeply saddened to find out on Friday that Eula had passed away Friday morning. Our neighborhood will miss this wonderful, kind, loving person.

Also on Friday, my girlfriend Angie, who has been on bed-rest for a couple months, called to tell me that she is being induced this weekend. Baby Madeline will join the world probably today and very hopefully as a small but healthy baby. (Welcome baby Madeline!)

This day of sadness and anticipation stirs the question: 'what is a girlfriend?' I wouldn't say Eula was a typical girlfriend - we never went out to dinner just the two of us or shared shopping tips, etc., but she was definitely a friend to so many of us and her spirit will be missed by knew her. Angie is a girlfriend (and she does have great retail and style advice!) and follow each others lives through jobs and other important life changes.

To me a girlfriend can be many things - from a nice, caring neighbor to a friend I call on a regular basis to laugh with and catch up. Girlfriends are more than just a friend who happens to be female ... a LOT more. Girlfriends have an interest in our lives and cheer us towards our dreams. They laugh, cry, brainstorm, plot, shop, eat with us - whatever our need is for them as a friend. And, girlfriends allow us to be ourselves and they love us for exactly who we are. Each of our girlfriends bless our lives with qualities and lessons that are important and memorable.

Think about YOUR girlfriends. Who is a casual friend who you cherish just knowing, living near or working with? What best friends of yours are always on call to be there for you - in good times and bad? Now think about ... what can you do to bless their day or show them how much they mean to you? AND now ... DO IT! Reach out. Call a friend. Bring her favorite Starbucks drink to a coworker/girlfriend. Send a card or write an email. Show your girlfriends not only how much their friendship means to them but also that you know what it means to be girlfriend. Thanks girlfriends!

TIP TUESDAY #14 - Girlfriend Podcasting Advice?

The recent PodCamp that I attended (a seminar for Podcasters and people in "new media"), found me in the company of a bunch of techies - but I was happy to see more women than in previous technology events. Having a little experience in the technology world (I was on the USB initial marketing team and marketed computer audio equipment), it was overwhelming but also extremely invigorating. Through podcasting (and blogs and audiocasting) there are so many more ways to communicate with others which is an exciting time to be Girlfriendology and building community with women all over the world promoting female friendship!

My girlfriend Dana is a big podcast fan. She listens to podcasts nightly to put her to sleep or in the middle of the night if she wakes up. Another girlfriend, Carrie is one of the Diva Cast - a popular podcast of five, fun, fourty-something female friends who I met up with at PodCamp. (I was very lucky to have her there as well as her fellow Diva Sharon and their techie guru Robin - anything is better with a girlfriend along!)

So, this week's TIP TUESDAY question:

Do you listen to podcasts? If so, how often? Why? Which ones? What podcasts would you recommend for your girlfriends?

Part of our goal at Girlfriendology is to, like a helpful girlfriend, share information with each other that makes our life better. Perhaps our podcast with ELLEN SHUMAN on emotional eating would help you or a friend. SHELLEY BALL-DANNENBERG recently did a podcast with us on dyslexia. BETH WHITMAN is about to do a podcast with us on traveling solo. All these are based on being a good girlfriend to you.

Let us know of any "girlfriend authors or experts" we should interview on our Girlfriendology Podcasts - email ideas@girlfriendology.com. And listen in to a few podcasts and let us know what you think. We're here for our girlfriends and we'd love to hear from you!

Happy Valentine's Day Girlfriends!

Wearing my only red sweater, I went to work today. I bought chocolates to leave at everyone's desk before they arrived and cookies for a treat later in the day. (The checkout cashier at the grocery this morning asked me who I was planning to "suck up to"!) Really, no one. I just love Valentine's Day.

February 14th is the perfect day to celebrate friendships. The hearts and flowers just remind me of caring for people, like we need/love to do when it comes to girlfriends (or why else would you be reading this?!). The cards and emails connect me with friends near and far who, like me, are just glad we're 'doing life' together and are friends in this big old world.

I'm thankful for this day to stop and think about LOVE and my friends who mean so much to me. To Bridget and Cath, who sent cards, you're so sweet! To Carole, Becky, Tina, Kate and Cyndee who emailed Valentine's wishes - it brightened my day. To all the women who inspire me and love me for who I am, I am forever thankful. Thanks for blessing me with your thoughtfulness and friendship!

Like what 'they' say about Christmas should be everyday, I'd put Valentine's Day right up there too. Thanks girlfriends for your love and friendship. Show your friends, tell your friends you love them. Happy Valentine's!

p.s. Listen in to Dr. Karen Gail Lewis in the latest podcast as she shares great advice and insight about Valentine's Day and female friendship!

TIP TUESDAY #13 - Ways to make your Girlfriends' Valentine's Day Special

I had the priviledge of interviewing author, relationship psychologist and women's retreat leader Dr. Karen Gail Lewis for our latest podcast. Dr. Lewis (aka: Karen) offered great insight on the value of female friendships and how this romantic holiday really is all about showing those special to us that we LOVE them.

This Thursday is Valentine's Day. Romance may come and go, but girlfriends stick with you. Don't they deserve a Valentine's card, a thoughtful or fun email, or just a call to tell them how much you love being friends with them? Inspire others by answering this week's TIP TUESDAY question:

How do you show your girlfriends that their friendship means the world to you? How do you make them feel loved and appreciated?

Remember the Valentine's Day cards we shared as kids? Actually, it was probably more about quantity of cards than quality of emotion back then. Show whatever quantity of girlfriends you really appreciate exactly how much you value the quality of their friendship this Valentine's Day. Then, inspire others when you please share with us ... what can you do to show your Girlfriend appreciation and love this Valentine's Day?

p.s. And, check out our Girlfriendology Contest this month which is on the same "LOVE your female friends" theme. Win prizes and share inspiration, just by being a girlfriend! Happy Valentine's Day Girlfriends!

Adventures and Travels in Finding New Female Friends

My girlfriend Dana connected with several women on a diet website. Soon they were talking, emailing and sharing their struggles and successes together. After several months of their online friendship, they decided to 'take it offline' and meet for a weekend in Chicago. Dana arrived first and nervously knitted away time before her new 'friends' arrived. Would she enjoy them in person? Would they get along for the weekend or was this a weird idea to meet for a girlfriend group get-together with women she just knew online?

An older woman in the lobby made conversation with her and Dana explained that she was there waiting on a several friends that she had made over the internet. She admitted she was somewhat hesitant if this get-together was a good idea or not. Sensing her nervousness and unsure of the situation, the woman asked Dana, "They're women, aren't they?"

I met up with an internet 'girlfriend' this weekend. Carrie contacted me a few months ago because we both have podcasts for women. We shared our challenges and experiences and enjoyed getting to know each other. Carrie is one of "The Diva Cast" a popular podcast of five forty-something fun, fabulous friends. I met her and one of the other Divas (the fun and funny Sharon). They are so great and I'm thrilled to know them. (Plus, Robin was also very fun to meet you!) And, I love when successful women are so fun and nice! They generously shared their ideas with me and encouraged me to continue to grow Girlfriendology.

What's the lesson? The moral of the stories? The inspiration? Go for it. Make a new friend. It might be on the internet or over the phone, it could be a new neighbor or a coworker, perhaps it is just a woman you ended up talking with at the grocery store or in a yoga class. We women NEED girlfriends and you never know where you'll find them - but you know you're life will be much better with girlfriends!

p.s. And, Dana and her diet diva girlfriends had a blast in Chicago. (The diets, however, did not have a good weekend!)

Girlfriends helping Girlfriends ... and 20% of kids who need our help

One of the major benefits of female friendship, is all that we learn so much from our girlfriends. From a very young age we help and educate each other on every level - personal, professional, emotional, etc. As girlfriends, we help each other and share information to make our lives better, happier and healthier.

Now add to that that women are the primary caregivers for children and often faced with the responsibilities of making sure they grow up to be healthy and happy. That's a lot of responsibility - but it's all okay, if we have girlfriends to help us!

Shelley Ball-Dannenberg is definitely a great girlfriend to moms, teachers and kids. As a Certified Dyslexia Testing Specialist, Shelley helps parents, teachers and children learn how to diagnose and get treatment for dyslexia - a hereditary neurological language-learning disability that affects 20% of children.

In our latest podcast, Shelley shares with all of us how to make life better for kids, moms and teachers who are working through dyslexia. Through her company DTIS (Dyslexia Testing and Information Services), Shelley "empowers parents, informs teachers and connects children with their full potential." And, as a mom, Shelley knows first hand the challenges as she helps her daughter (who has dyslexia) reach her full potential. 20% of children means that you know someone dealing with dyslexia - a mom, a child, a teacher - someone who could use the information that Shelley shares with Girlfriendology in this informative interview.

Check out her website www.dtisinfo.com and email Shelley for consulting and information. Don't let a child wait another day to start working towards a better life. Thanks Shelley!

p.s. And join us for Valentine's Day for a very special podcast with relationship psychologist Dr. Karen Gail Lewis. We'll discuss how to have a great Valentine's Day regardless our relational status and explore how we as girlfriends can support each other through all phases of our lives!

TIP TUESDAY #12 - Cleaning advice for Girlfriends?

The week away plus a new puppy and a very full schedule equal one messy house. Since I know my girlfriends also lead busy lives being moms, teachers, cooks, volunteers, etc. (and not all of you have cleaning assistance!) I thought it might be helpful to hear from you and to share together our cleaning tips. So, this week's TIP TUESDAY question is:

What cleaning/organizing tips do you have? How do you maintain your home and your life without going crazy or going into hiding?

If I were to have a tip (which should mean I follow it!), mine would be to set a timer and clean for a specified amount of time. I did that last night for one hour - I unpacked from my recent trip, cleaned the bathroom, folded/put away clothes and just basically straightened things up. This limited time makes me stay on task and not stop to read a magazine I just found under my bed or get interested in a TV show or hang out with the puppy. Having a limit to my time makes me focus and work fast with my limited time commitment.

So, since we're girlfriends and we learn from each other - what is your cleaning tip for other female friends?

January Girlfriendology Contest Entries - Girl's Night Out stories for YOUR vote!

You, yes YOU, are hereby requested to VOTE! Tis the year, right? Well, at Girlfriendology, each month is the time to VOTE for your favorite girlfriend story. And, this month you get to vote for your favorite Girl's Night Out story.

So, read the following girlfriend stories and VOTE! Winners will be announced on our Girlfriendology podcast! Just a reminder - the January Contest asked for your stories on Girlfriend Get-togethers and Girl's Night Out (GNO) events. Here are the top ten for your votes! (Either vote by leaving a comment on the site or emailing ideas@girlfriendology.com.)

(1) There are nine of us: my sister and myself, two of my best friends and five cousins who rent a cabin together every May. We call ourselves the ‘cabin chicks.’ We have so much fun when we get together. We laugh, talk, sing, dance, eat and drink. Every year I think up a craft for us. One year every one of us decorated a t-shirt. Another time we made bracelets on memory wire with beads and alphabet beads. We have so much fun thinking up a simple craft and then doing it.

We also try to get together several times a year for a pajama party/sleepover. We all bring snacks and stuff ourselves while we talk about our next cabin trip. We stay up late, laughing and talking. Since we are the cabin chicks, we have shirts with chicks on them, we have chick pins and other jewelry, we have chick pajamas, chick socks, and lots of chick items to decorate the cabin with. You'd be surprised how many chick things you can find, especially at Easter. When we go out to eat or shop, we all dress in our chick shirts and everyone stops and stares. We sure draw attention and have so much fun! They call me the queen of the chicks, since I have the most chick things. They also say I can find chick things anywhere we go. I guess you could say that I’m a chick magnet! Our favorite saying is "chicks rule"!!

I don't know what I’d do without the chicks. They are my family and my best friends!! We are always there for each other. I guess you could say we are like peas in a pod (or chicks in a nest)! We are all different, but together, we bring out the best! We compliment each other. So, in closing, chicks rule!!!

(2) My daughters are my friends and one of the best times we had together was this past Mother's Day. Even my daughter's Mother-in-law wished she could have joined us. It is something I will never forget.

We started the day at an estate sale, went to antique shops, yard sales - stopped for lunch at an A&W and acted like teenagers enjoying mugs of root beer and being goofy - now I am 50-something but don't let that out. Then more bargain shops. It was the best time I ever had.

Also I have made a new girlfriend in the hospital this Sept. and we email and telephone each other as 80 miles separate us.

(3) Our "Diva" Group has a very special tradition and it is lots of fun every time.
On "monument" birthdays, 40 - 50 – 60 - we treat the birthday girl with as many presents as she is old! Some are fun - some are special - and of course the guest of honor has to open every one before she gets to eat cake. It's lots and lots of fun.

(4) Our church has a monthly "Ladies Night Out". It is a night where women can get together for food, games, laughing ... to the point of crying, fun times, and just all around good memory making. It is something I look forward to every month!! We play this great game where we do crazy stunts, sayings, actions - and it is so funny! We have become quite close, too, because we share very personal/hard things we are dealing with. I love going to "Ladies Night Out" because it is therapeutic and rejuvenating! It is great to escape the stresses of 'life' and just be a girl surrounded with super girlfriends!

(5) I think the most favorite girlfriend night out was when I lived in FL. One Friday evening many of us gathered at a friend's house to swim and just relax. We were pampered by having manicures/pedicures and could even have our hair cut by a stylists from our church.

Everyone brought their favorite snacks and board game. We stayed up late eating, talking and being pampered. The home was on a canal, so not only did we get to enjoy the pool, but see other things indicating that we did indeed live in paradise.

Our friend was gracious enough to let anyone spend the night. All of us became closer friends that evening and looked forward to the next time we could get together.

(6) This might not seem quite like a girlfriend event but it is to me and I always look forward to it. Our family had the pleasure of being in England for two years and upon my return I found that everything had changed. I knew that it would but old friends seemed puzzled at why I couldn't slip right back into my old life.

I had been involved with Girl Scouts in the past as a leader but this time I dove right in - the women I was meeting from other troops at other schools in other areas were funny, committed to Girl Scouting as a wonderful program to inspire and lead young women and they all enjoyed a good laugh as much as I did.

I now am our Service Unit Manager and between the monthly meetings, e-mails and phone calls, I look forward to my communications and interactions with these women. Christine is a breast cancer survivor - last year I hosted a THINK PINK party for her where two of us shaved our heads in solidarity. Tracie meets me at the dog park where we solve the problems of the world while our dogs play. Lynn and I work in education and share joys & concerns. Cynthia's enthusiasm for Scouting pumps me up and we love brainstorming. Sally, Maureen, Ann & Anne (moms of some of the girls in our Cadette troop) and I commiserate over the "joys" of having 7th graders.

To paraphrase Kris Radish in her podcast on your website - Girl Scouts are great! And I'll add that they are even better as an adult!

(7) For her 40th birthday, my friend, Celeste, had a slumber party for all of us from our Phi Mu alumnae group. Seven of us ranging in age from 23-50 and from seven different schools brought college scrapbooks and photos, sat around in our pajamas, drank, played games, ate wonderful appetizers & desserts, watched a cheeky Hugh Grant movie and laughed our butts off. A most apropos way to welcome a new decade!

(8) Every month we have a Ladies Night Out at our church. Good food, great friends, and fun games. I made three of the best friends of my lifetime at Ladies Night. I have the best support network ever.

The norm is that we play Quelf - a crazy, intense game with wacky roolz. One night we couldn't touch each other's game pieces, one lady had to ask her foot for permission to speak and have her foot give her permission. I had to make a flushing and gurgling sounds whenever someone paid a penalty, and many other wacky happenings. It was a giggle-fest for sure. And we bonded over the humiliating stunts and singing and poems about our armpits. You can't get a better night than eating too much, talking too much, laughing a year's worth with great friends. It refreshes the soul to laugh with your friends.

(9) I love to cook and I have several other girlfriends who also do. Each month we have a ‘gourmet girls’ dinner where the host sets the menu and gives each of us recipes to make and bring. We all love creating a new dish and getting together to have a spectacular dinner. It is my favorite meal every month!

(10) One of the most successful girlfriend events that I've hosted is a FLOWER ARRANGING PARTY. I live near a farmer's market with a vendor that sells beautiful flowers on Saturday mornings. So, I created an Evite and invited all of my girlfriends to my house. I borrowed card and patio tables and had five tables set up in my backyard. Then, I purchased inexpensive tableclothes, floral foam, baskets, etc. And, a set of garden tools and water bucket to put the flowers in for each table. I purchased everything from a local dollar store, so it wasn't too expensive. Each attendee was required to bring one bouquet of flowers and an appetizer to share. As the host, I provided the drinks and all of the filler flowers (baby's breath, fern, eucalyptus, etc.). The evite made sure that guests arrived with the understanding that their bouquets would be split between the entire group (Surprisingly, this was a very important thing to mention). When people arrived, I assigned one guest to accept the bouquets and to divide them between the water buckets on the tables. Then, when everyone arrived we started arranging. It was one of the funnest girlfriend days ever. The girlfriend who was voted with the best flower arrangement walked away with a bottle of "Marilyn Merlot" wine (which I purchased special as a prize). Everyone got really into it, even my friends who did not consider themselves crafty types. And everyone went home learning something new about each friend by exposing their creative sides.

REMEMBER! We need YOUR vote! Comment below or email ideas@girlfriendology.com by midnight EST February 10th. Also, check out our February contest for your chance to share a story and receive a prize, as well as be featured in our Girlfriendology Podcast. Thanks for sharing girlfriends! Sounds like you have lots of great Girlfriend Get-togethers!

Back to the 'real world' - but with my girlfriends!

Making it back from Paris in less time than a full day at work is pretty amazing. Actually, it is 'time travel' that invigorates me and gives me time to pause and think about life, places, adventures, God, people, the husband and puppy that await me, etc. The time difference plays tricks with me and my brain bounced around from ideas and dreams, to worries and fears. All in all, international travel is fascinating and surreal - and I love it.

Fortunately for me, I return home to a country of friends, a city of neighbors and a home with a cute, but bigger, puppy. Phone calls and emails check in on my safe travels and international adventures. Lunches are planned with girlfriends (Lisa and Becky - see you next week) to catch up on all the little details that make up our lives. Life is good. Being home is great.

The real world also brought back a sad reality of a friend with a very ill infant. I had prayed for Daniel while in the Atlantic sky and return to learn that there are more severe diagnoses and potential challenges ahead. I wish there was 'time travel' for my girlfriend and her husband. I wish they could travel to a place where Daniel was well and they are able to laugh together as a family. I'd transport them to a place where they're happy not sad, rested and relaxed not stressed and where answers and solutions would reveal themselves. If only I really had the power of time travel.

But back in the 'real world' with a real time difference and still a bit of jet lag, I'm blessed to have friends, health, a sweet puppy, a warm house and a good life. Thanks friends for caring about me and my travels. Thanks girlfriends for the gift of your friendship and for all the happy memories of times together. And, if you're the 'praying kind,' please say a special prayer for Daniel and his parents. Pray that time will be a friend and that they will share great moments together.


P.S. One of my Christmas gifts from a very dear, thoughtful friend (and a wonderful gift buyer!) was from my friend Terri who gave me "Eat Pray Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert. It was the perfect book to read while traveling and while pondering big life questions. For me, it was a very spiritual, uplifting book that made me look at people differently. Like on the Paris train with the gypsy accordion players, I noticed people's eyes and tried to see the beauty in every person. During my many sleepless nights I prayed for Daniel and my friends and to learn the lessons that I need. Thanks Terri! It was great to have something from you with me in Germany and France. It really made my trip much more meaningful and enjoyable!

Hello from Paris!

Hi Girlfriends! Bonjour from PARIS! (Not KY!) Can I just tell you that even in this wild country, all I really want is my girlfriends to hang out with?! Tonight I snuck away from my coworkers and just went to the Eiffel Tower on my own and it was wonderful! (Aside from wishing you all were there!) Funny how being in a distant place will make you miss those people who are closest to your heart. (Like you girlfriends!) Nothing like being in a foreign country to make you appreciate those who you feel closest to!

So, BONJOUR my Amis! (Hello by Friends! - Actually check out our new products on Cafepress for a French/Friend design!) Can I just tell you how much I miss my girlfriends?! Cath, Becky, Deana, Terri, Paula, Tina, Judy, Bridget, Anne, etc. - I miss you and wish you were here!

TIP TUESDAY #11 - Girlfriend Packing Tips

It's a little late for me, I leave tonight for Frankfurt, but we got some great comments to our travel tip request last Tuesday. So, let's stay on this little travel journey together. This week's TIP TUESDAY question is:

What packing tips do you have for traveling? Maybe it's traveling alone or with the family - what do you do to make it easier, tighter, better - with everything you need??

Again, a little late for me, I'm taking too much I'm sure to Frankfurt and Paris, plus I need to have some room for things we'll buy there. (We get to spend a day in Paris just 'trend shopping'!) I'm just concerned I have the right shoes and warm enough clothing without taking my HUGE coat!

I'll check in from the road but please share tips among yourselves!

P.S. Again, I'd highly recommend any travel books by Marybeth Bond. Listen to her podcast for great girlfriend or personal travel tips. Check out her web site for the "Gutsy Traveler" and her travel books for women!

Girlfriend updates, podcasts, teleseminar, travels ... busy week!

I love hearing from my girlfriends. Updates on their lives and their family, job, pets and social activities. I love knowing what they're up to and how they spend their time. I feel closer to them just knowing their schedules, their shopping finds, funny things their kids do/say. Even if, like today, it is a stressful update of a child in need of a miracle, I at least know what's going on and will keep her family in my thoughts and prayers. Any update from a girlfriend just helps me connect with them and I love that.

So, in an effort to reciprocate, here's the update from Girlfriendology Headquarters (aka: my very cold basement home office!):

1. The new podcast is posted with the December Contest Winners. Listen in for great stories on being thankful for Girlfriends - you'll be inspired. They share so openly and express their girlfriend appreciation. And congrats to the winners of the contest prizes! (But, aren't you all winners?!) Enter the January contest and take your girlfriend out for Starbucks on Girlfiendology!

2. I spoke this weekend with Dr. Karen Gail Lewis, a respected psychologist on relationships. She is amazing! She's written books (like her latest, With or Without Men: Single Women Taking Control of their Lives), conducts Unique Retreats for Women, etc. We'll interview her for the podcast on Valentine's Day but I wanted to make you aware of a special teleseminar (for single women) she's giving THIS WEEK! Check out her web site for all the details!

3. And finally, this time tomorrow evening I'll be on a plane for Frankfurt (then on Friday will take the train to Paris). As much as I'm thrilled to be going (I love travel and especially international travel - on an expense account!), I would much, MUCH rather be going with a girlfriend (or two, or three!). I'll try to check in via the blog from the road but will have to see if WIFI is easily accessible in Europe.

So, I won't be on the blog much in the coming week but I'd love if you'd still read, comment, share, forward, spread the word on Girlfriendology. It is a wonderful world - so much so because of the women who bless our lives. Thanks for making it a wonderful world for me!

And, because I just found it and it seems to fit my journeys and love of girlfriends, here is a quote from an old issue of O magazine on friendship:

"For happiness she required women to walk with. To walk in the city arm in arm with a woman friend (as her mother had with aunts and cousins so many years ago) was just plain essential. Oh! Those long walks and intimate talks, better than standing alone on the most admirable mountain or in the handsomest forest or hay-blown field (all of which were certainly splendid occupations for the wind-starved soul). More important even (though maybe less sweet because of age) than the old walks with boys she'd walked with as a girl ..." Grace Paley

Thanks girlfriends! Bonjour!

GNO, Girlfriend Get-togethers, Laughter and maybe some Wine!

When visiting Minneapolis recently I had dinner with my friends Amy and Kate and two of Amy's girlfriends. Over soups and wine to thaw our chilly bodies, were conversations, laughter, sharing and caring - the kind that warm your soul and remind me how special female friendship is to me. It was a fun, low-key evening where, I believe, everyone left feeling wrapped in 'girlfriendship.'

The current Girlfriendology Contest is about Girl's Night Out (GNO), Girlfriend Events (birthdays, showers, celebrations) or just Girlfriend Get-togethers. It doesn't have to be a formal event with invitations, special attire or limos. Getting together with girlfriends can be casual or dressy, festive or reflective, lots of friends together or just two girlfriends catching up on life. What matters is that time is spent together, that friendships are grown and we can be ourselves with women who love us for who we truly are.

What is your favorite GNO or girlfriends event? Was it a special birthday or dinner in the home of a girlfriend? Was it just coffee together or a much needed walk-talk? I'd love to share your ideas, stories, amusing tales - from recent events or even times growing up when you spent quality time with your best girlfriends and how those memories make you happy. Share - you'll inspire others. (And, join the contest and win Starbucks gift cards so you can take your girlfriend out for coffee on Girlfriendology!) Have fun girlfriends!

TIP TUESDAY #10 - Girlfriend Airport Travel Tips

Monday and Tuesday this week found me in Atlanta (and airports in between). Next Tuesday I head for Germany and France which means more airports and an even "longer time to hang in the sky." (Sorry, some old John Denver line!)
So, this week's TIP TUESDAY question is:

What tips do you have for airports and flying?

Don't get me wrong, I generally LOVE airports. The energy, the people watching, the movement of people on a mission going somewhere with a whole bunch of strangers, the interaction and conversations, the anticipation of 'time travel' to a different destination ... it is a luxury that I recognize and appreciate for the opportunity.

However, there are also the long security lines, even longer transports to terminals, super tight seats, waiting on the tarmack, delays, unexpected changes in plans ... the spectrum of life's ups and downs (literally) all in the space of a few hours between destinations.

My tip is to walk. I walked from Check-in at Delta in Atlanta through the underground tunnel and back and forth on Terminals A, B and C yesterday. It helped me occupy my time, gave me lots of people watching opportunities and helps me feel better for the snacks I consume (in lieu of a real meal!). I get energized from airports, inspired by the different people who's path I cross and sometimes even blessed by smiles and random acts of kindness along the way.

Share your airport travel tip. Selfishly, I can use it before next week's international flights. Hopefully others can share and benefit from tips so we help each other have safe and enjoyable journeys, or as my Dad called it 'traveling mercies.'

P.S. For great girlfriend or personal travel tips, check out the podcast with Marybeth Bond. She is the "Gutsy Traveler," and the #1 Women's Travel Expert. From places to visit to how to pack, shop, dress, etc. Marybeth's the expert. Check out her and her great travel books for women!

Spending time with Girlfriends - like Carrie, from The Diva Cast

At our girlfriend dinner on Wednesday night, my friend Judy stirred and stirred her mixed fruit. She had more pineapple than other fruits and she couldn't mix it enough to make it look, as she said, "interesting". That's kind of how it is with a girlfriend group. You need some diversity, some difference in opinion and age, women with different backgrounds and lifestyles. Combine these together and you definitely get interesting.

Stir up five fun, fabulous, forty-something females from Atlanta, GA and you get not only interesting, but you get life, laughter, love and all kinds of conversations. CARRIE RUNNALS, one of The Diva Cast, spoke with me yesterday for our weekly Girlfriendology Podcast.


The Diva Cast is a podcast with Carrie and her Diva girlfriends Sharon, Suzanne, Julie and Amy. They discuss real life issues like marital counseling and sex, and interview authors and experts on all types of interesting subjects. Listening in is like overhearing a really fun conversation at a nearby table in a restaurant - only this way you're allowed to laugh out loud and share it with your friends!

Carrie shares her passions with Girlfriendology - for her friends (Divas and others), her family and her love of writing and books. Recently she started Words-to-Mouth, a blog and complementary Internet talk show introducing readers to authors beyond the printed page. Even with her busy Diva life (being a mom, wife, writer, investor, Podcast Diva and now with Words-to-Mouth), Carrie graciously spent time with Girlfriendology talking about her girlfriends and living life with passion. Listen in - you'll love listening to Carrie!

So, like that fruit salad, mix up a bunch of your girlfriends together and see how interesting the conversation gets!

P.S. It was great to talk with Carrie because she has become a girlfriend of mine from finding Girlfriendology online and recommending Girlfriendology to friends, mentioning it in interviews, etc. (Thanks Carrie!) She demonstrates to me the beauty of female friendship - where we help each other. Just think how wonderful the world would be if we all supported each other with friendship, ideas, assistance! Go for it!

Girlfriend Get-togethers - time with friends

Is your schedule stretched to capacity? Overwhelmed with your To Do list? Exhausted just thinking about what all you have/need to do? Or am I the only one?

Right now I'm stressed. I want to spend time on Girlfriendology but I have multiple jobs right now - not including home responsibilities, taking care of the new pup, etc. I have to set boundaries on my time because it is just such a valuable, limited commodity at this point in my life.

This week was hectic at the job (and I haven't even taken down the holiday decorations yet!) but I knew spending Wednesday night with my girlfriends was a priority, no matter what. My girlfriend group was getting together at Paula's candle-lit home for a salad pitch-in dinner and to catch up on life. Ruth Sara was still in town which was perfect! Judy climbed up the street to make it. Joyce was new and Debbie was back after a hiatus. (Becky and Melody were sick - hope you're better soon! Tina is moving her dad this week. We missed you!)

Six women gathered around the table to share a meal and our lives. Connections were made (like Joyce and Debbie realizing they had a very personal connection at a funeral three years ago) and plans were set (future dinners together, running into each other on an upcoming trip, etc.). The food, a contribution 'salad bar,' was perfect for New Year's diets (even with all the treats Paula tempted us with!).

However the real nourishment was to our female spirits. We laughed, teared up, shared our frustrations, disappointments*, goals, secrets, joys. My stress floated away in the positive energy in that special home. It was a healing evening. A hopeful gathering. A female 'family' who do life together. And I don't know what I'd do without these caring, beautiful girlfriends.

Are you stressed? Dealing with life? Who better to 'do life' with than your girlfriends?! This month's Girlfriendology contest asks for your comments on Girl's Night Out events or just Girlfriend Gatherings. Please share. Your ideas and advice will inspire others. And think how much better life would be with less stress and more time with girlfriends!

* Caroline Cheshire of HealingBaskets.com shared great advice for caring for friends in her recent podcast with Girlfriendology. Listen in for advice on how to help your girlfriends deal with life and be the girlfriend to them you want to be.

Helping Girlfriends Heal - New Podcast with Caroline Cheshire

Unfortunately we all know women who are dealing with struggles - divorce, cancer/illness, taking care of aging parents, losing jobs or losing loved ones. I have several girlfriends going through 'stuff' right now - Dana and Allison are both on chemo and dealing with their treatment options, Lisa (aka: LL Cool J) just lost her aunt (and a friend of mine), Beth and her husband have separated ... just look around and there are people hurting and struggling.

As a girlfriend, how can we help? CAROLINE CHESHIRE not only lost her baby several years ago, but she also lost some friends who didn't know how to talk to her after her miscarriage. This, and seeing the difficulty that some people have in supporting their friends and family through trying times, inspired her to start HealingBaskets.com. Her passion for people and helping us help each other during situations like divorce, losing a job, being a care giver, etc. has lead to a web site with great gifts and gift giving recommendations for our friends and family in need. She shares insight into what to say and do (listen!) and even what to NOT say or do. Great girlfriend advice for times when we need a girlfriend to help us do the right thing.

I had the honor of speaking with Caroline (and her beautiful British accent!) for the Girlfriendology Podcast. I was impressed with her thoughtfulness and inspired by her genuine passion for helping us help others. She's a women whose business is about making it a better world, one relationship at a time. (Which is exactly the same goal as Girlfriendology!) Thanks Caroline for sharing and for making us better girlfriends through Healing Baskets! (Tell your girlfriends about www.healingbaskets.com!)

TIP TUESDAY #9 - What's your girlfriend tip for a healthy life?

Did you make a New Year's resolution to lose weight? Eat more healthy? Exercise more? (I did, as I sit here on the internet while the treadmill sits idle!)

So, this week's TIP TUESDAY questions are:

What do you do to stay in shape and healthy? What exercise or diet plan seems to work for you? (What can you stay with longer than the first few weeks of January?!)

For me, walking is the best exercise program I can maintain. I walk on Saturdays with some girlfriends. Pretty soon we'll train for the half marathon (to walk, not run!). I do enjoy my treadmill when I have good reading materials and have the time to spend on it. And, I need to write on a calendar what I do to hold myself accountable!

What do you do? Please leave a comment. Maybe you'll inspire other women to stay healthy and happy in 2008!

P.S. Interested in more info and a very interesting, informative interview? Recently Emotional Eating Coach Ellen Shuman talked with me on our Podcast about 'healthy at any size.' Listen in! Not only did we talk about being healthy but also the healthy relationships we can have with our girlfriends by not allowing negative body image influences.

Vote for favorite Girlfriend Story (from Dec. Girlfriendology Contest)

Sure the primaries are starting, but we'll have a whole year of election news. So, here's your opportunity to VOTE for the best Girlfriendology Contest Submission for December! The request was to write in your best girlfriend story. And, for the first time, YOU are invited to vote for the best story!

The top five prize winners will each receive a Starbucks gift card and, the top overall winner will also receive a Girlfriendology Journal. (In addition, in December we had the "Great Girlfriend Gift Giveaway" so 31 books/prizes were given away to 31 women who submitted stories!)

Drum roll please! Please vote on the COMMENTS button below or send an email to ideas@girlfriendology.com. Here are the top 10 entries:

(1) When we moved to our new house we didn’t know anyone in the city. Fortunately we found a house by a very nice woman who made me feel right at home. Janet would bring over food, invite me to dinners with her girlfriends, pick up our mail when we were on vacation, etc. It really made me love the neighborhood because I had such a great friend and neighbor.

(2) I moved a lot growing up and each time was more difficult as I got older and needed girlfriends nearby. When I had to move my senior year of high school to another state, my friend Rachel stayed in touch with me with phone calls and letters. She kept me up to date on all my other friends, what I was missing, what she was up to. I know it was a simple thing but it meant the world to me – that she valued my friendship and that she genuinely missed me. She was a good example of friendship to me.

(3) I am so thankful for my friends because they are so thoughtful. I have started Weight Watchers and they are so very supportive of me. They are always asking how things are going, how much weight I have lost, and just how I am looking. They make me feel good. One of my friends even makes her snacks now so I can still enjoy eating snacks with them when we have our "ladies night out". I think that is so considerate! Friends are always there for each other, and know when you need the extra love. We help each other through things.

(4) I worked in an ER with three other great nurses. We recently all took jobs in different hospitals but have managed to make a point to get together 1-2 times a month for dinner. As you can guess, our jobs are very stressful and we all have children and are married. We range in ages from 26-57. I'm thankful that I've found these wonderful girlfriends to share my life stories with. We agree that your job can suck the life out of you but girlfriends are there to breath the life back into you. We all feel re-energized after getting together for laughs, sometimes tears, hugs, and the promise that it won't be long before we see each other again!

(5) My best friend and I grew up together. From the time we were seven years old we lived two houses down from each other. I was nicked named her 'Shadow' because every where she went I went. We are both 39 years old and live on two different coast but we still talk once a month. It's like I still live two houses down from each other. We are still best of friends to this day!

(6) Right now I am so thankful for a girlfriend who has sent gifts, encouraging emails and cards after cards while I recover from an ankle fusion. It has been rough but only her and my sister have stuck with me through it all on a regular basis. Others only ask when they see me out. It means so much to hear from her weekly.
(7) I could not make it through the holidays without my sister, who has been such a friend, and the church secretary, who has listened over and over again to me. I am still recovering from surgery. All I wanted was to be able to make my divinity I make every year for my Mother for Christmas but did not think I would be able to stand and make it. Today I made two batches and was able to send my Mother, who will turn 79 on New Years Day, her divinity for Christmas. This means more than any gift I could get.

My Church Secretary has encouraged me over and over as I've struggled because I could not decorate for the holidays but I am managing to do some goodies. So I don't know what I would have done without these two and another Lady friend of mine who emails and keeps in constant touch.

A person recovering from a surgery and dealing with wheelchairs, walkers, crutches and constant changes needs girlfriends. I also faced a scare of breast cancer in the midst of all this. So I praise God for these three friends.

(8) I am thankful for my girlfriend Sherry because we are identical twins and are so much alike that I can talk to her about anything and she understands. We have been best friends since the womb so we have a bond that can never be broken.

I am also thankful for other dear friends like my friend Sue who I have been friends with since High School. Even though we live far apart we still keep in touch and are there for each other during the bad times as well as the good. Girlfriends truly are a gift that should be treasured. One that is priceless.

(9) I am SO thankful for girlfriends! Without them I wouldn't have the job I do today! My friend Chris and I LOVE to craft. During law school we joked and joked that we would love to create something called Arts and Crafts Law so we could somehow practice law and craft at the same time. Well, law school passed and she went back to work for the government and I went to work for the government and corporations. She NEVER forgot our conversation.

As time passed, I began to meet clients that had a need for my services. So many wonderful and talented artists began to encourage me. I lost my job with my big firm and was devastated. When I called my friend she said "Remember that conversation we had in law school? What is stopping you from finally practicing Arts and Crafts Law? You have created it you know."

Her encouragement (along with my other girlfriends) allowed me to pursue my dream. I am so thankful because girlfriends listen AND REMEMBER!

(10) I love my girlfriends. Each one is totally unique, and yet we're often so much the same. We all have our strong and weak points, and as girlfriends, we encourage and tolerate those points accordingly. Some remember your birthday, and some still love you even if they forget, but no matter what happens we ending up staying girlfriends.

Why do I love my girlfriends? It's simple. It's Girlfriendtelepathy. The ability to communicate and exchange critical messages non-verbally. It's the raised eyebrow and half-smirk that you exchange with her when a cute guy walks in. A wrinkled nose and an eye roll when he says something cheesy.

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So, who do you think has the best girlfriend story? VOTE!!!

Girlfriend Entrepreneurs Club - should you start one?

Tina is a interior/pillow designer. Judy is a techie and writer (with a talent for poems and being funny). Joyce is creating a shop for heirloom gifts for children. Paula and her daughters started a catering business. Helen (who joined us for the first time today) is working on a book and a new source of income. (Becky, "the Kitchen Goddess", and Melody, the Tupperware Manager Maven couldn't join us - but we missed you!) And, you know me, I'm dedicated to building Girlfriendology - a place for 'inspiration, appreciation and celebration of girlfriends.'

We're a diverse group - some are neighbors who've known each other for years, some are new friends and new entrepreneurs. We meet monthly to help each other grow our businesses and see our dreams become reality. And, to assist each other with challenges we struggle with, but also very much to celebrate our successes together.

WE ("Women Entrepreneurs," what WE call ourselves) met today to not only explore our dreams and businesses, but to discuss how our group can best benefits each of us. One part of our discussion this morning was men - should we allow them in the 'club?' It was a tough decision because we don't want to exclude other entrepreneurs who need a group to help them with their businesses. To be honest, I crave the unique strength, energy and support that I receive from women entrepreneurs - things that I very much benefit from and value. Nothing against men, but men and women communicate differently and, to me, it just seems to work best in an environment where WE 'speak the same language.'

Are you an entrepreneur or someone with a dream? Perhaps you should start a girlfriend club to help and hold each other accountable toward reaching your dreams. I'd highly recommend it as much for ideas and support as for the camaraderie and community. Not an entrepreneur? Start a Mommies group or book club, a group of girlfriends to go to dinner or bowling every month (or monthly GNO - 'girls night out'), a knitting night group or scrapbook 'sistas, take classes or experiment on gourmet recipes together. Just do life together. And who better with than your girlfriends?!

TIP TUESDAY #8 - 2008 Girlfriend "Goals"

Happy 2008 Girlfriends! I hope the holidays were happy and that you enjoyed great times with your family and friends. The festivities and social plans may be over - so hopefully there is time for us all to look ahead to a great '08.

From being an entrepreneur for several years, I recognize the benefits, and need the structure, from goal setting. It helps me focus on the important 'stuff and make sure I commit my time and efforts to what I really want to happen. As I alluded to in the previous post, I also think this is good when it comes to friendship. Not that it is a forced mandate or a cold, clinical approach to what should be a warm, personal relationship. But, it does help to have goals for your time - be it professionally, personally (family and friends), physically (health-wise), etc.

So, this week's TIP TUESDAY question is:

What are your girlfriend goals for 2008? Is there a particular girlfriend you need to focus on to help her or be more of a friend? Do you need to make time for your girlfriends or to meet new friends?

In addition to setting goals as a good way of making changes in our lives, I know that it makes me more accountable if I share them with someone. (That's why I have a couple girlfriend mastermind groups who challenge and encourage each other to reach our goals.) Having a very full schedule and not a lot of cash, I know a realistic goal for me has to be simple, yet heartfelt. I commit to sending Thank You notes to my girlfriends in 2008. I want to be a better friend by acknowledging how much my girlfriends contribute to my life and make sure that I tell them how special they are to me.

What are your goals? Please share and check back in with updates. Girlfriendology is about inspiration, appreciation and celebration of girlfriends. Consider goals of inspiring others, showing your appreciation or going out of your way to celebrate your friendships. 2008 will be great - with your girlfriends by your side!