Welcome! “Where Bloggers Live” started out kind of like HGTV’s “Celebrities at Home,” but…with bloggers! We all like to peek behind the scenes and see inside people’s homes, interests, and lives, so every month this wonderful  family of amazing women shares their work-spaces, homes, towns, and thoughts, with posts based on specific prompts. It’s been so interesting over the years to see the different ways each of us interpret the topics.

This month’s prompt is: Glimmers: Life’s Little Miracles

Glimmers are small, everyday moments that spark a little feeling of safety, connection, or joy…the opposite of triggers. The term was coined by clinical social worker Deb Dana. These tiny cues help regulate the nervous system, lower stress, and gently shift the body toward a calmer, more relaxed state.

Deb Dana developed The Basic Glimmer Practice, which “helps you learn to notice and name glimmer moments – to stop and feel the spark of joy a glimmer brings.”

The five basic steps are:

1. See
2. Stop
3. Appreciate
4. Remember
5. Share

Long before we selected this as a topic for Where Bloggers Live, I had a note in my phone app titled, “Things That Make Me Happy.” And one day as I was browsing my 12,905 notes, I noticed it and realized…ahh, these are actually glimmers! So I’ll share them with you here, in no particular order…and maybe some will resonate with you.

A breeze blowing sheer white curtains

Breezes in general

Brewed iced tea with orange

Taking a picture I love

Not feeling pain

My daughter contacting me

Water: in it, near it, hearing it

A good night’s sleep

Spending time with people who make me genuinely laugh/smile

Holding/petting animals

A nice smelling room

Shadows dancing on the wall

Unexpected messages from people i like

Golden afternoon sunlight

Music

Sunsets

Warm air in the evening

Pretty flowers

Napping

Sitting on a bench in the shade

People watching

A clean room

Getting just slightly buzzed 😊

Mastering a new phrase/grammar in another language

Good hair days

Surprises

Snow

My Christmas tree

Brightly-hued autumn leaves

I’m so grateful to have so many little things that I really love, that make me happy. I’m grateful that such small, seemingly insignificant things can bring me such joy and brighten my days.

What are your glimmers?? I hope you have many -)

Please visit my friends’ blogs to see what their glimmers are:

Daenel at Living Outside the Stacks
Em at Dust and Doghair
Jodie at Jodie’s Touch of Style
Leslie Once Upon a Time Happily Ever After 
Sally at Within a World of My Own

Welcome! “Where Bloggers Live” started out kind of like HGTV’s “Celebrities at Home,” but…with bloggers! We all like to peek behind the scenes and see inside people’s homes, interests, and lives, so every month this wonderful  family of amazing women shares their work-spaces, homes, towns, and thoughts, with posts based on specific prompts. It’s been so interesting over the years to see the different ways each of us interpret the topics.

This moth’s prompt is: If I Could Donate $100,000 to Any Charity, Which Would It Be and Why?

I don’t fantasize about windfalls (much). I pinch pennies, and calculate airfare and monthly rent.

But I do have causes that matter deeply to me. When I can, I send $10 here, $25 there.

After watching my sister and our family struggle for ten years with her early-onset dementia, that issue became painfully personal. I witnessed her slow decline. I saw her withdraw from life. Her personality shifted from ever-gentle, kind Snow White to – hate to say it – something closer to the evil stepmother. Ouch.

That change made everything harder for the people caring for her…especially my brother-in-law, who carried the weight 24/7 right up until the end. I often think about what $100,000 might have meant during those years. Professional care. Someone who could have coaxed her outside for some fesh air or a change of scenery. Someone to relieve my brother-in-law so he could rest, breathe, live a little.

Research matters, of course. But if that money could ease the daily reality for families in the thick of it? I would happily write that check.

Another cause close to my heart – shocker – is animals.

If I had that kind of money, I would direct it toward rescuing horses caught in the slaughter pipeline. It’s only in recent years that I’ve understood how common this is; how many horses end up in kill pens at auction. These aren’t animals bred for meat. They’re sport horses, race horses, babies, even stolen horses. Some are lame or injured and no longer “earning their keep” for owners they’ve served faithfully all their lies.

Many people believe slaughterhouses have closed in the U.S. Technically true. The workaround is that horses are simply shipped to Canada or Mexico instead.

Horses are so needlessly good. They cooperate with our demands. They work for us. And then too many of them end up crammed into overcrowded trailers, standing nose to tail in dark pens, awaiting their cruel fate.

I would love to fund a rehabilitation program – land, veterinary care, staff – where injured and old horses are treated, made comfortable, and allowed to live out their years in peaceful retirement on a grassy hillside.

Both choices come down to the same thing: easing suffering when it’s hardest to bear.

I don’t have $100,000. But if I did, I know exactly where it would go.

Please visit my friends’ blogs to see where their philanthropic hearts lie.

Daenel at Living Outside the Stacks
Em at Dust and Doghair
Jodie at Jodie’s Touch of Style
Sally at Within a World of My Own

Leslie Once Upon a Time Happily Ever After  <- I’m waiting with bated breath to see if Leslie joins us this month!

 

Welcome! “Where Bloggers Live” started out kind of like HGTV’s “Celebrities at Home,” but…with bloggers! We all like to peek behind the scenes and see inside people’s homes, interests, and lives, so every month this wonderful  family of amazing women shares their work-spaces, homes, towns, and thoughts, with posts based on specific prompts. It’s been so interesting over the years to see the different ways each of us interpret the topics.

First, can we just take a moment to appreciate our new graphic?? Our own talented Em from Dust and Doghair created it for us. She was so clever to show, quite literally, “where bloggers live” on the world map! But…I look so lonely, all the way over there (in Thailand) all by myself. Oh, poor me 🙂

Back to it…

I feel like I’m in the minority when I say I Love Winter. I realize some people have to be out in freezing cold temps for hours and hours…or don’t have have proper cold weather clothing, or having a long outdoor commute to work, etc…and winter is uncomfortable and a pain.

But I am (knock on wood) fortunate enough to not be tortured by winter. And I can really just enjoy its benefits…and then go inside when I get cold!

And I’m writing this on January 5, from sunny Thailand, where the daytime temps are in the mid-80s and at night it only goes down to about 65. So I’m not getting any winter at all this year!

But my five favorite things about winter are:

Snow

Oh, how I love the snow! And living most of my life in New York I hear all the whiners people with their “but it just turns brown and disgusting,” and “but shoveling is back-breaking” complaints. They are not wrong. HOWEVER, in the beginning, for a few brief shining moments, it is MAGICAL. And that is the part I love. Seeing the first flakes fall, always an event. If you’re at school, or work, everyone feels obligated to dash to the window to ooh and ahh…even though this is a sight they’ve seen dozens if not hundreds of times in their life. It is special Every Single Time.

When the snow falls it’s like the world slows down. Sounds are muffled. Everything ugly or dirty gets a sparkling frosting of white.

Life literally does slow down, if not stops. School is canceled, meetings get pushed back, shops stay closed. People drive slower.

Henry James was wrong…the two most beautiful words in the English language are not “summer afternoon,” but “snow day.” There is nothing better than waking up to your annoying alarm reminding you to go to work or school…then getting the call from The Powers That Be that it is a SNOW DAY. Go back to sleep, my little friend…burrow back under your warm covers…get up later and have hot cocoa while you watch the snow fall. You have no obligations today…it’s a Snow Day. 

Yeah, eventually you’re gonna have to shovel…and it will turn grey and gross…but those are a small price to pay for turning the world into a winter wonderland and absolving you of your daily mundane tasks…for just a moment.

Early Nights

Another characteristic of winter I think many people do not like, but I love is…early sunset, early dark. When the sky is almost dark by the time I get home from work, I have no choice but to put on my nightgown, heat up some soup, and curl up on the sofa with a blanket and a kdrama…by like 5:30pm. Work? Study? Vaccuum?? No. It’s NIGHTTIME.

Winter’s long nights are the perfect time to hibernate. We all need a break. Bears go in their dens, plants go dormant underground..we also need a break. A chance to rest, refresh, recharge for the new year ahead. From Christmas til almost March is my hibernation period. I’m resting. Don’t bother me.

No Sweating

I am a sweater. “One who sweats,” not “a knitted or crocheted garment worn for warmth.” I have a very low sweat bar. If it’s above 50 degrees and I am moving…I am sweating. And I hate sweating. I’m a face and head sweater. Meaning, y face is dripping, my hair is soaked, my bangs are floopy-doopying instead of swooping gracefully across my (sweaty) brow. My clothing is soaked. Shirt, bra, underwear. If it’s against my skin, it’s WET. If I’m wearing anything other than the blackest black, I have wet spots showing. If I sit in the car, I leave the seat wet.

It. Is. Not. Fun.

Winter is the only time all year I can move…and not sweat. And even that is not a firm rule. If I’m wearing many layers to keep me warm while outside…and I’m moving…I’m sweating under them.

While I was going to school in Korea, they were the coldest winters I’ve ever experienced. And I walked almost half a mile to class. You had to layer up or you’d freeze in the face of the Siberian winds blowing down from the north. But when I got to class, and pulled off several outer layers…I was The Only One Sweating. Sigh. Seven degrees outside and I’m sweating.

But I sweat a lot less in the winter.

Contrast of Seasons

“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness” ~ John Steinbeck

I do love winter. I also love spring…and fall…and summer. I love them all for their contrast to one another. If the winter were not as long and dark and cold, would I appreciate the coming of spring as much as I do?

John said it better than I can, but you know what I mean 🙂

Layering Clothing

I do love layering different colors and patterns and textures. But in the warmer months (March-December) I just Can Not. Put one piece of clothing over another? Are you out of your MIND?? What do people say all winter: “layer your clothing, the layers trap heat.” Trap Heat are the two ugliest words in the English language!

But in the cold of winter? I am free to build layer upon layer…sometimes even a third layer! These outfits are so much more visually interesting to me. My summer wardrobe is a little dull. But fall/winter?? Plaids atop stripes atop florals with a side of leopard! Whee!

I do love winter. I could probably have come up with TEN favorite things…like the year-end holidays…and twinkle lights…no mosquitoes! But…I’ll stop here so you can go visit my friends’ posts and see their favorite winter features.

Daenel at Living Outside the Stacks
Em at Dust and Doghair
Jodie at Jodie’s Touch of Style
Sally at Within a World of My Own

Leslie Once Upon a Time Happily Ever After  <- and a special cameo appearance from Leslie!

 

 

Welcome! “Where Bloggers Live” started out kind of like HGTV’s “Celebrities at Home,” but…with bloggers! We all like to peek behind the scenes and see inside people’s homes, interests, and lives, so every month this wonderful  family of amazing women shares their work-spaces, homes, towns, and thoughts, with posts based on specific prompts. It’s been so interesting over the years to see the different ways each of us interpret the topics.

I thought at the end of the year we could do a little wrap-up of our favorite posts/events from the year…and I’ve had Quite the Year! From double eye surgeries, to the loss of my sister :-(, two trips to Japan, leaving Korea at the end of my visa, staying in California, Florida, and Texas…and ending up back in Japan for the end of the year…it’s been a LOT.

I’d have to say my favorite trip was my 4-day adventure in May to Fukuoka. I had to physically leave Korea (and my student visa) to return as a “tourist” on a new 3-month visa. Since I couldn’t fly yet due to my eye surgeries, my only recourse was a ferry to Japan. It was sort of a whirlwind trip right in the middle of bad news from back home, unenrolling myself from Korean language school…and between eye surgeries one and two.

But in the middle of all the chaos was this shining respite in JAPAN – a place I had heard of for so long from my mother. Not necessarily in spoken word, but in the things we lived with – all her furnishings, art, housewares, etc, brought back to the US from their time spent in Yokahama in the 1950s.

My sister was still a child when she and our parents lived in Japan, long before I was born. Interestingly, despite being the one who actually lived there, she never shared the deep affection for Japanese culture that both my niece and I somehow inherited. And now my daughter, as well.

Still, making this journey just a few days after she passed away, I had her heavy in my heart…and being in this beautiful place that I’d dreamed of for so long…made for a very emotional trip.

One of my main destination goals was to see the giant reclining Buddha at Nanzoin Temple. It was (for me) an exhausting hike up a seemingly never-ending incline. When I finally got to the top, and was able to sit and catch my breath and look at this wonderous statue…all my emotions just released and tears poured down my face as I sat surrounded by tourists, families, and vloggers filming.

That was certainly one of my most emotional moments of the past year…as well as a memorable blog post for me.

Two other favorite posts were 1) the continuation of my “best seasons to travel to South Korea” series and 2) a brief history on Korea’s cherry trees. Both focusing on spring…specifically cherry-blossom time, such an iconic season in the country. I was just coming off my first eye surgery and wasn’t really supposed to be up and out yet, but I had missed cherry blossom season the year before because of my knee injury, I wasn’t going to miss it again!

I made two outings to the Hapjeong area to photograph some streets known to have beautiful cherry-tree-lined streetscapes. I was a little blind and looked monsterish, but the trips were worth it to me as they resulted in some of my favorite pictures of 2025.

Hope you’ll take a look at my friends’ blogs as well and revisit some of their favorite memories from 2025.

PS – the new, adorable Where Bloggers Live graphic at the top of the page is courtesy of the generosity, talen, and hard work of Em at Dust & Doghair! Thanks, Em!

Daenel at Living Outside the Stacks
Em at Dust and Doghair
Jodie at Jodie’s Touch of Style
Sally at Within a World of My Own

Welcome! “Where Bloggers Live” started out kind of like HGTV’s “Celebrities at Home,” but…with bloggers! We all like to peek behind the scenes and see inside people’s homes, interests, and lives, so every month this wonderful group of five bloggers family of amazing women shares their work-spaces, homes, towns, and thoughts, with posts based on specific prompts. It’s been so interesting over the years to see the different ways each of us interpret the topics.

I have several philosophies about illness.

One: Unless they kill me, I’m going to recover

And the vast majority of illnesses are not going to kill me. So I don’t worry too much about them.

Two: The Three-Day Rule

I know many people that go straight to the doctor at the first sign of anything being wrong. And I’m not saying that’s wrong, that’s just not my method. I hate going to the doctor…I find it expensive, inconvenient, and a time-waster. So I avoid it if possible. By following the 3-day rule.

I wake up one day and I’m sick. Sore throat, fever, stomach funkiness, whatever the case may be. Unless I am literally incapacitated by pain (#kidneystones) or something truly seems life-threatening…I wait three days. If I don’t see improvement after three days, then I will consider going to the doctor. Most things do start to improve naturally in several days.

I’m not against vaccines, I’m just not much of one for them for myself personally (see above re going to the dr; inconvenient, etc). I do keep certain things in the house to help allay symptoms when I’m not feeling well. At the first tingle of a sore throat, I double-dose with echinacea & golden seal. That’s the most houly-ghouly medical thing I do. I feel the liquid is better than the pills. I put two droppersful of the foul tasting liquid in something that will mask the fermented dirt water taste…preferably whiskey, but orange juice or iced tea will do in a pinch.

I always have Theraflu type things around to help ease coughing and help me sleep. Until I started traveling, I always had hydrocodone at the ready in case of kidney stone pain. If I don’t have strong pain killers when kidney stone pain hits, I end up in the emergency room on a morphine drip. Traveling internationally, it’s hard to transport good pain killers in and out of countries that are stricter than the US.

I live alone, so I try to always keep a couple things on-hand to get me through sick times. Other than the things mentioned above, I try to always have canned chicken noodle soup, cream of chicken soup and minute rice, bread for toast.

I’m not a fussy sick person. I just kind of like to be alone to sleep as much as I want in a quiet room. Hmm, that sounds pretty much like normal life.

Hope you’ll take a look at my friends’ blogs as well and see how they treat themselves when feeling under the weather.

Daenel at Living Outside the Stacks
Em at Dust and Doghair
Jodie at Jodie’s Touch of Style
Sally at Within a World of My Own

Welcome! “Where Bloggers Live” started out kind of like HGTV’s “Celebrities at Home,” but…with bloggers! We all like to peek behind the scenes and see inside people’s homes, interests, and lives, so every month this wonderful group of six bloggers family of amazing women shares their work-spaces, homes, towns, and thoughts, with posts based on specific prompts. It’s been so interesting over the years to see the different ways each of us interpret the topics.

This month’s Where Bloggers Live prompt stumped me more than I expected: “Top Ten Things I Couldn’t Live Without.” Because taken literally, the list is short and boring: air, water, food, shelter (check, check, check, and check). But the spirit of the prompt feels more like what are the things that make life richer, gentler, easier, and more worth living? And that I can answer.

So here’s my list:

1. My Daughter

I tried to get out of putting her on this list because it seems so obvious. But leaving her off would feel worse.

2. My Camera

It’s not just about photos; it’s about how it changes the way I see the world. A camera teaches you to notice the way shadows fall, the details hiding in corners, and fleeting moments that might otherwise slip away.

3. Books

My first passport. My escape from the routine of daily life. I can’t imagine life without something to read.

4. Natural Light

I crave it. My mood depends on it. And it’s the magic behind so many favorite photos. A room with good light can make me feel at home anywhere.

5. Good Water Pressure

Because really, a weak, sad drizzle of a shower can ruin my whole day. Strong water pressure is one of life’s underrated joys. I don’t know if I mentioned the downstairs shower at my niece’s house where I stayed last month – that shower is like a power washer – it’s incredible!

6. My Phone

Yes, I know, it’s cliché. But mine holds my calendar, my maps, my camera roll, translators, notes I keep, my connection to people far away. I would be lost without it!

7. Hope (or something to look forward to)

I think all of us need a “next thing” on the horizon, whether it’s a trip, season two of a favorite show, or just dinner with a friend. It’s the little promises to myself that keep me hanging on.

8. A Cozy Nap Spot

I have always been a napper. A couch, a bed, even my car on a sunny day. There’s nothing like the mini escape from life a nap can give you.

9. Curiosity/Interest in New Things

It’s the thing that pushes me to keep learning, to walk down unfamiliar alleys, to try new food, to ask “why.” Without it, I wouldn’t be here writing this blog post, or about to embark on my “world tour” adventure!

10. Iced Tea

I thought I should end on something profound, but, honestly, I can’t live without my own home-brewed iced tea. It’s absence is a distraction, its presence a familiar comfort.

So that’s my ten: the small daily things that keep me going. If you’d asked me at other times in my life, this list would have included dogs, cats, and even my car. But here, now, these are the essentials.

Hope you’ll take a look at my friends’ blogs as well and see what is most important to them…

Daenel at Living Outside the Stacks
Em at Dust and Doghair
Iris at Iris’ Original Ramblings
Jodie at Jodie’s Touch of Style
Sally at Within a World of My Own

Welcome to Where Bloggers Live: 2025! Happy New Year! “Where Bloggers Live” started out kind of like HGTV’s “Celebrities at Home,” but…with bloggers! We all like to peek behind the scenes and see inside people’s homes, interests, and lives, so every month this wonderful group of seven bloggers family of amazing women shares their work-spaces, homes, towns, and thoughts, with posts based on specific prompts. It’s been so interesting over the years to see the different ways each of us interpret the topics.

A Realistic Guide to Enduring Korea’s Hot, Humid, Monsoon-filled Summers

Happy August. Happy muggy, humid, sweltering, disgusting August.

Korea is known for summers that are all of the above: muggy, sweltering, monsoony, hot, humid…gross.

This month’s blog topic is “how do I stay comfortable in the heat?” Well, first off, I don’t. I am NEVER comfortable in the heat. I’m a sweater. With a capital SWEAT. And I’m a head sweater. So two steps out into Korea’s sticky summer air, and my scalp is dripping. My face is sweating. Rivulets are running. My bangs get soaked and plaster themselves to my forehead.

It ain’t pretty.

So, how do I stay comfortable in Korea’s summer heat? That answer has two parts…

Avoidance at All Costs

How do I stay comfortable in the heat? I don’t. I avoid going outside in the heat. If I have to go out I plan to go as early in the morning as possible and then return home to spend the bulk of the day inside in air conditioning.

Just like how I hibernate inside in January and February with the cold early nights, curled up on the sofa under a cozy blanket, watching a k-drama…I hibernate in July and August as well. I just stay in. I accept few invitations and don’t make many plans for myself if I know it’s going to be over 90 degrees…and especially if it’s also humid.

I Get a Little Help from my Cool(ing) Friends

And if I absolutely MUST go out, like trekking half a mile up a hill to class (thank goodness THOSE days are over with!), then I make sure to keep certain things with me.

Hankies

My father was a handkerchief guy. Blowing nose, wiping sweat, it was an all-purpose disgusting rag he kept in his pocket at all times. I have followed in his footsteps except tht I do NOT blow my nose into it, yuck. But for sweaty face wiping, they’re invaluable. I used to have literally hundreds of vintage hankies both inherited from my mother and that I found myself at tag sales and auctions. Sadly, I had to get rid of almost all of them when I left the US, and now I am getting by on just four. FOUR. There is always one in my purse or camera bag when I go out, regardless of time of year, cuz I always sweat.

Paper Folding Fan

In my purse, I carry a folding fan my tutor brought back for me when he and his friend traveled to Japan last year. It’s perfect for my purse because it takes up very little room. It’s good for helping to dry your face that you just mopped up with the hankie.

Electric Handheld Fan

I know these have existed in the US for ages but almost as like a novelty, they were cheap and ineffective. But when I started following BTS on social, I saw them with these little electric handheld fans, and people all across Korea seemed to use them. So I got one when I got here…I paid about $15 for mine and it’s worth every penny. It’s USB chargable and a charge holds for a really long time. It has three speeds, and even the lowest is pretty powerful. It bends so you can either hold it in your hand, or stand it on a table or desktop as a tabletop fan. AND it acts as a phone charger, as well! It easily fits in my camera bag. I could GET it into my purse, but it’s tough if I also have a glasses case in there, too.

Cooling Wipes

Gatsby Wipes, or some variation thereof. These are body wipes that have a menthol/alcohol base and feel cool on your skin. They also come in sheet sizes that you can wrap or drape around your neck for a cooling feeling. I haven’t seen the Gatsby brand in the US, but Biore makes some, also. I don’t like them quite as much as the Gatsby, but they’re better than nothing!

Note: the menthol/alcohol-based wipes, if you’re wiping your face (which, of course you are), don’t get them near your eye or undereye, cuz the fumey vapors will waft up into your eye and that’s not good.

Sun Umbrella

I have only used this by chance, when I happeed to have an umbrella due to the threat of rain, but instead it got sunny. It’s like walking around with your own personal shade. So many people in Korea and Japan always walk with an umbrella with a uv-protectant lining to keep the sun and sun’s harmful rays off them. And you can even get a thingy that attaches your handheld fan to the umbrella handle so you get fanned as you shield the sun. Brilliant!

Cooling Strips

Also called Fever Strips, they’re very popular here and in Japan. They’re like the cooling wipes but they have a gentle adhesive (like a band-aid) so you stick them on your forehead (or your secret crush does when he finds you limp with fever on the street and carries you home on his back, SIGH) and it helps relieve the hot fevery feel. You could also apply them to your wrists or the back of your neck just for general cooling on a hot day.

Other Cooling Ideas

• Stay in the shade whenever you can
• Drink lots of water. Always have a bottle of water or electrolyte/sports drink with you
• If you happen across a washroom or water fountain, run cold water over your wrists for a minute or two
• Or even better, if you can put your feet in a cold stream, oooohhhh
• In Korea, some of the fancier areas have “smart bus stations,’ that are enclosed and air conditioned in the summer, and heated in the winter. These can be life-savers if you’re out for the day and just need to sit in the cool for a few minutes before continuing on.
• Wear natural fabrics, like linen, cotton, rayon. These are more breathable than nylon or polyester and let the air circulate and cool your body
• Take your shoes off (when safe). Like your head, a lot of heat is trapped in your feet…and if you can release them, even if just for a few minutes, you can get some relief. When I used to car, I always kept a pair of slides or flip-flops in my car to slip into at the end of a long, hot day. It felt so gooood.
• Avoid drinking alcohol. That frosty beer or cool cocktail can seem cooling, but it actually makes you feel warmer.

I know a lot of these seem like common sense, but sometimes we forget the simplest remedies.

I apologize, I have pictures saved somewhere for this but it’s the day I’m leaving Korea 🙁 and I’m running out of time for the things I HAVE to do, so…sorry 🙁  No pictures or links. Guh.

Please do take a look at my cool friends’ blogs as well…

Daenel at Living Outside the Stacks
Em at Dust and Doghair
Iris at Iris’ Original Ramblings
Jodie at Jodie’s Touch of Style
Sally at Within a World of My Own

Welcome to Where Bloggers Live: 2025! Happy New Year! “Where Bloggers Live” started out kind of like HGTV’s “Celebrities at Home,” but…with bloggers! We all like to peek behind the scenes and see inside people’s homes, interests, and lives, so every month this wonderful group of seven bloggers family of amazing women shares their work-spaces, homes, towns, and thoughts, with posts based on specific prompts. It’s been so interesting over the years to see the different ways each of us interpret the topics.

Oh boy. This one’s gonna be a doozy. This month’s theme is Makeup/Beauty/Skincare.

Uhm. I don’t really…do that.

I brought makeup to Korea with me, and I think I used mascara once. Which makes it extra ironic that I’ve lived in Korea, the world capital for skin care and beauty, for two years and have still not adopted a skincare routine.

I stopped wearing daily makeup around 2018 or 2019. Not because I’d given up on myself, but because I’d stopped caring what anyone else thought. I’d put on a little something for outfit photos because yeah, it helps on camera. But in real life? Nope.

Even when I did wear makeup, I’m such a face-sweater it would all melt off in minutes. Just a total waste of time and money.

That said, Korean makeup is lovely. So natural and subtle. Most of the time you can barely tell it’s there, but it still works its magic…highlighting, softening, balancing. I’ve even considered going in for a Korean makeup makeover and lesson. Maybe. We’ll see.

Now when I see Americans or other non-Koreans on TV, I’m like whoa, makeup! Like the whole point is to make sure you see it.

As for skincare, sure, I’ve tried products over the years. We all want to believe the promises on the label. But honestly? Most of them never feel all that different to me. Not enough to justify the cost or effort.

The one thing I do do (I said doo doo) is moisturize. I might wash my face with dish soap (true story), but I will always moisturize afterward. Immediately, while my skin is still damp.

I’m very particular about moisturizers. They must be light, water-based, and absolutely cannot contain sunscreen. I understand why they add it, but for me it’s like Saran Wrap—instant heat flash, pores blocked, full sweat meltdown. Let me decide when and where to use sunscreen, thank you.

My moisturizing journey started with the original Oil of Olay, stolen in drops from my mother’s vanity in the ’70s.

Mother: Did you use my Oil of Olay?
Me: No.

That lasted me for years, until they changed the formula. I blame the advent of sunscreen.

After suffering through a disappointing (and costly!) series of thick, greasy, pore-blocking imposters, my niece recommended Avalon Organics CoQ10 moisturizer. It was a bit pricier, but worth it. Light, effective, and with a lemon-vanilla scent that reminded me of homemade ice cream my aunt and uncle used to make every summer in their hand-cranked wooden bucket ice cream maker. Sadly, eventually they too jumped on the sunscreen wagon. I bought old stock off eBay for a while, but eventually it disappeared.

Then came another cycle of wasting money on disappointing products that contained (#HowManyTimesCanISaySunscreen) sunscreen, until I discovered Trader Joe’s Nourish Oil-Free Antioxidant Facial Moisturizer. It’s light, oil- and sunscreen-free, reasonably priced, and easy to find (in the US). I’ve been using it for at least five years, and unless they ruin it, it’ll go to the grave with me. I brought two bottles to Korea in 2023 and just restocked in March when I was in the US.

Did you think anyone could write seven paragraphs about moisturizer? Surprise!

And since I’ve got nothing to say about “beauty” (other than it being in the eye of the beholder) here’s a quick body moisturizer tip that I have used since my teens:

Baby oil. The cheapest kind you can find. Keep it in the shower with the shampoo and conditioner. After your shower, while you’re still wet, wrap your hair up in a towel turban, then drizzle baby oil over your body…arms, legs, everywhere (except under your boobs, no extra moisture needed there). Lightly swipe it on, give it a couple minutes (brush your teeth, blow your nose, squeegee the shower door, do Keigels, whatever), then towel off. You won’t wipe it all away, it’ll have sunk in just enough to keep you moisturized all day. Fast and cheap.

Want to feel fancy? Pour the baby oil into a resealable bottle, spritz a couple spritzes of your favorite perfume into it (just a little), use as above, and enjoy longer-lasting scent on your skin and your towels. And no, it won’t ruin your towels.  You’re welcome.

And I can’t talk about skincare without mentioning that South Korea is the skincare capital of the world. Koreans really do have stunning skin. That “glass skin” look..smooth, poreless perfection. They market products to help you get it, but honestly, I think they’re just born that way. Decades of sun avoidance, umbrellas, visors, hats, masks, sunscreen every day. I think that’s what keeps their skin so beautiful.

You’ve probably heard of the 10-step Korean skincare routine: double cleanse (oil + water-based), exfoliate, toner, essence, serum, sheet mask, eye cream, moisturizer, click your heels three times and clap your hands. And sunscreen, of course. Every single day. That’s…a lot. Of steps. Of products. Of money. Pass.

In conclusion: I may look ugly…but at least it was cheap to look this way 🙂

Take a look at my friends’ blogs as well, to see why they’re so beautiful…inside and out…

Daenel at Living Outside the Stacks
Em at Dust and Doghair
Iris at Iris’ Original Ramblings
Jodie at Jodie’s Touch of Style
Leslie at Once Upon a Time Happily Ever After
Sally at Within a World of My Own

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Welcome to Where Bloggers Live: 2025! Happy New Year! “Where Bloggers Live” started out kind of like HGTV’s “Celebrities at Home,” but…with bloggers! We all like to peek behind the scenes and see inside people’s homes, interests, and lives, so every month this wonderful  group of seven bloggers family of amazing women shares their work-spaces, homes, towns, and thoughts, with posts based on specific prompts. It’s been so interesting over the years to see the different ways each of us interpret the topics.

Let me be clear: summer is not my favorite season. I don’t thrive in heat. Or humidity. Or blinding sunlight. But even I have to admit—there are things about summer that I really do love.

Here are five of them:

1. Summer Blooms

Flowers everywhere. Garden tours, roses blooming through picket fences, buckets of cut flowers at roadside stands. Potted plants on the patio. Summer is lush and floral…and I love that.

2. The Beach

Okay, I love the beach year-round. But a summer beach day is its own special thing.

It starts early…pre-8 a.m., slipping past an unmanned toll booth, stealing free entry like some kind of coastal criminal. The beach is quiet. I can set up wherever I want (which is where the ocean comes almost to my feet). No crowds yet. Just me, the waves, smooth sand, and a few gulls waiting for their morning meal.

The day unfolds slowly: dozing in the sun, dunking in the water, waking up sweaty and salty. The ice cream cart guy singing his song: Ice Cream! Get your ice cream here! Fudgesicles! Popsicles! Fuuuudgy Wudgy Bars! I eavesdrop on the family next to me. I watch never-ending games of beach paddleball. Pretzels arrive with a friend. The seasoned fries from the concession stand are perfect. My cheeks get just a little sunburned.

And the ride home with air conditioning and radio blasting is heaven. Yeah. I really do love summer beach days.

3. Ease of Dressing

Winter dressing is a logistical nightmare. Layers upon layers: “Do I need a sweater under this?” “What about gloves?” “Should I bring a backup scarf just in case?” “Light jacket? Medium jacket? Heavy jacket? Forget it, I’ll bring them all.”

Summer? So easy.

Put on dress. Leave house.

That’s it. No coat, no “oops I forgot my ___.” You forgot nothing. You are fully dressed in one step. It’s a tiny daily miracle.

4. Long Days

It’s like we spend ten months waiting for two glorious ones when the days stretch out loonnggg.

Even though I also adore winter evenings when I’m in my nightgown and on the sofa in front of the tv by 5pm, there’s something about long summer nights that’s just magical.

Dinner on the patio in the long shadows at 7:30. A walk at 8. Sunset that lingers until almost 9pm. Summer days give us the extra time we need to just breathe….

5. Eating Outdoors

This might be my favorite of all.

The moment I see a cafe owner dragging tables out onto the sidewalk, I feel joy.

Brunch with a friend at an awning-shaded table. French toast. Brûléed grapefruit. Bottomless mimosas. Enjoying the food, the company, the fresh air, the people show parading past. Life is good on those days.

And here in Korea, heading out after dinner to a crowded, noisy pojang macha, sitting at tiny plastic tables under the stars, drinking and laughing the night away.

So no, summer’s not my favorite season. But it’s got its charms.

I hope you’ll take a look at my friends’ blogs as well, to see what their favorite things are about summer…

Daenel at Living Outside the Stacks
Em at Dust and Doghair
Iris at Iris’ Original Ramblings
Jodie at Jodie’s Touch of Style
Leslie at Once Upon a Time Happily Ever After
Sally at Within a World of My Own