Tag Archives: Michelle Ghilotti

THINGS That Aren’t Things

THINGS That Aren’t Things

THINGS that aren’t things.

I told Josh about 10 or 11 years ago that material gifts didn’t make me happy. He agreed (I thought he might), so we came to a simple and sweet decision for ourselves as a couple: for special occasions throughout the year, not just for Christmas, we’ll make and/or write each other some THING (we are both writers, and, Josh, for example, writes beautiful poetry).

Surprise was also an element we love around these types of “THINGS”… a year and a half ago he gave me an invitation on beautiful paper that read “You are invited to a poetry reading tonight at 7pm”…

We also decided to continue to **experience** THINGS together. Creating this new life in France is one of those THINGS and taking a spontaneous three hour train ride to another part of the country (Aix-en Provence) recently for a couple days is yet another.

THINGS that aren’t things…looove those types of THINGS. It’s what led us to start the Greater Good Party in Los Angeles and other cities in the US, as well as be present together for ongoing prison reform work over the last few years (a new creation coming from our desks soon, notes about that THING in these photos), keep an eye out…

Ah, these THINGS — they add years to a life…they add joy, memories, connection, calm, meaning and magic (as does he). And I love this, I love this little life.

How are you loving your life this season?

Let’s make happiness your business by creating your authentic brand…

To the best of the rest of your life!

Life is good.

Re-Branding Empty Nesting (Video)

Re-Branding Empty Nesting (Video)

On a mission to rebrand empty-nesting!

Because it’s only sad if we make it so.

ENJOY YOUR LIFE!!! [Our kids learn more from watching us do that than almost anything else].

Josh and I burned the midnight oil in NYC, and hit the ground running in Paris our first two months there, too, before coming back to the U.S. to complete the process for our French long-stay visa. Our bodies have literally not stopped moving inside this latest expat and empty-nesting journey.

We’ve lived out of suitcases, moving from one fun place or neighborhood to the next (10 apartments or hotels in total in Paris & New York as we explored where we wanted to be) and we’ve LOVED every minute since we left LA on August 15th.

Our recent month in New York will go down as one of the best times of our lives. All our friends here, plus the vibrancy of the city held us tight this month as we awaited our French visas. It was the…Best. Time. Ever.

And now to continue re-branding empty nesting (second adolescence!?!) inside of our expat journey in Paris.

Paris and New York City are always a good idea! As is rivaling the fun your kids are having in college!

Empty nest, full life!
ENJOY YOUR LIFE.

Even if you don’t have college-age kids, how are you having fun? What adventures are next for you!?

Let’s make happiness your business by creating your authentic brand…

To the best of the rest of your life!

Life is good.

Home Is Where We Are

Home Is Where We Are

Home is where we are.

We spent one month in New York recently and the empty nest is not empty. It was like Josh and my house or dorm room party every night. 🙂

And — a first time for everything! We recently spent our first Thanksgiving in 18 years without Nolan, but his Friendsgiving with 20 friends in Paris felt perfect as we were waiting for our French visas in the Big Apple…

Home Is Where We Are

Grateful — always — for choosing an adventurous life and for a partner who is up for anything and who I enjoy as much today as I did in ‘98 (actually, maybe more). Grateful, too, for a relationship with Nolan that only grows and gets more fun by the day as he explores and adventures on his own.

This is the life I’ve always wanted and created space for — for me individually before I met Josh, for us as a couple when we got together, and for Nolan in his own life. Exploration of self and an exploration of the world…

“Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.” Usually what I say at night, three times — like a mantra as I breathe in and out just before closing my eyes.

Ushers in more dreams to take the place of those already in motion. 

What dreams, adventures or closeness are you putting in motion?

Let’s make happiness your business by creating your authentic brand…

To the best of the rest of your life!

Life is good.

A United Front

A United Front

The musician says in the middle of his set: “You guys are sharing a scarf!”

This is our UNITED FRONT that’s not a front.

As we sat inside a recent intermission, I’m feeling all the gratitude as we continue to sit in the States (NYC) and Holland (the dog) is in the French countryside with dog sitters and Nolan was on a train to another country on his own to meet up with friends, I will share this below:

A United Front

It’s taken us at least six months to get to this moment of sitting here waiting for our visas to come through for France and England/the UK. In short, when you look at someone else’s life and think oh it must be nice, let’s remember it takes effort for each of us to make something happen.It hasn’t been “easy” for us. Not this time anyway. And remember for yourself that it doesn’t necessarily have to be easy to be really, really awesome.

We don’t have the visas in hand just yet (hoping they will be approved and complete in 2 to 3 weeks while we’re here) but even without the visas, I feel complete living this life with this guy and my two other guys, too.

Laugh with us — the only two beings who *are* official in France are Nolan with his student visa and Holland who funnily enough just got his pet passport and who can freely travel within the EU as a French resident.

We soon will join them as official, too. For now — to enjoy NYC for another couple weeks!

Let’s make happiness your business by creating your authentic brand…

To the best of the rest of your life!

Life is good.