Dear 2016, Slow. Up. I just picked my word for the year and finished off my New Year's Eve champagne like five minutes ago and now it's two days until February!
Whew.
My big announcement and how it affects this blog
So, in case you missed it...
I had a big day yesterday! I filed to run for Paducah City Commission and announced my candidacy on Facebook. I was so overwhelmed by all the support I received and I wanted to make sure and share this big next step with all of you.
I've thought a lot about this blog (and Pantsuit Politics) as I got close to announcing my candidacy. The traditional advice is to clean up your Facebook and other social media platforms. Remove offensive posts. Take down anything that could anger a voter. When I recently wrote this post, many of my friends who knew I was considering a run for office questioned my timing... and maybe my judgment.
But here's the thing.
I've lived my life online since 2011. I've written a lot about a lot of things from parenting philosophies to politics to religion to my marriage. I couldn't take it all down even if I wanted to and - the truth is - I don't want to.
I want to be a politician. I suppose I already am. But that's not ALL I am. I'm also a mother with thoughts on sleep-training and a wife with thoughts on therapy and a citizen with thoughts on gun control and a church goer with thoughts on faith.
I am all those things and the sooner we allow politicians to be complex people with complex beliefs the better off we all will be.
So, the answer to how my candidacy will affect this blog is - it won't, except hopefully it will teach me all kinds of lessons I can share. I'm still going to come here and be honest and be vulnerable. I'm still going to go on Pantsuit Politics and be "Sarah Holland from the left."
If something I say means someone won't vote for me, then so be it.
Come November 7th I hope to be Paducah's next City Commissioner, but it will be a shallow victory if I don't recognize the person I became to get there.
I'm counting on all of you to keep me honest and to keep me real. Win or lose it's going to be a heck of a journey!
If you want to get involved with my campaign or make a donation, check out my campaign website!
My NEW favorite solution to the winter doldrums
I hate taking the Christmas decorations down. Not only because it's a tedious task, but also when it's over everything feels so plain. At first, it's not so bad because everything is fresh and clean for New Year's... but then January and February and all the cold, gray days they bring seem to stretch in front of me and I miss the twinkling lights and magic Christmastime brings.
Happy 70th Birthday, Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton is a badass and today she turns 70 years old.
I've loved Dolly for a long, long time. It started with her completely charming and totally endearing portrayal of Truvy in Steel Magnolias - one of my top 5 favorite movies of all time. In fact, I really fell in love with Dolly the actress before I fell in love with Dolly the musician.
Baby Products: Fantasy v. Reality
I recently found some old imported Google Notebooks. When I was pregnant with Griffin, I used one of these notebooks to organize the baby products I wanted for my baby registry.
Wait, that’s a lie.
I used one of these notebooks to organize my desired baby products before I was pregnant with Griffin. That’s right. I had everything picked out for my registry before I was even pregnant. Yes, it is very, very sad. Yes, my obsession with baby products knows no end. Yes, I’m the person you go to if you are setting up your own registry.
However, did I actually use any of these products? Heck, no!
5 Children’s Music Albums That You Should Blast on the Stereo
Several years ago, before Griffin was a twinkle in my eye, I stumbled across an interview with Stefan Shepherd on NPR. Shepherd writes Zooglobble, a blog dedicated to reviewing and sharing the newest children’s music. When asked by the host why kids couldn’t just listen to The Beatles or Rihanna or whatever their parents were listening to, Shepherd explained he thought it was important that his daughter listen to music that explored subjects and issues she understood. He didn’t want her only listening to songs about romantic love (the primary subject of most pop music) or other adult subjects any more than he wanted her only reading Jane Austen or Michael Chabon.
Things I've Worn ELEVENTY MILLION Times
One of the things that worked for me in 2015 was a capsule wardrobe. Paring my wardrobe down to 36 items made me think hard about the items I wear a lot and the items I hardly wear. Not everything in my collection was new and I'd thought I'd share the pieces that made the cut and that I've been coming back to for years.
5 Important Takeaways from Making a Murderer
If my Facebook feed is any real reflection, I spent part of my holiday break like many, many of you - binge watching Making a Murderer.
For those of you who spent your break in slightly more productive ways, Making a Murderer is Netflix series that tells the true story of Steven Avery, who served 18 years for a rape he didn't commit and then was arrested for a murder two years after being released.
