Forgot Password?

Laura Egley Taylor

Then a miracle occurs . . .

When the going gets tough, the tough. . .

March 25th, 2011

DANCE!

Cleaning up 35 years of magazining is painful.

So, obviously, is saying goodbye to the fabulous Production Department trio we’ve* had the opportunity to be, back in the  golden days of yore** when we worked together to create a magazine.

So when Melissa stopped by last night, Mel and I stopped our cleaning and sighing, threw a CD (one I had found in a pile of old review submissions), Totally ’80s for Kids, into the computer, cranked up the volume, and danced our saddened hearts out.

 

P.S. For the record, I am not a fan of ’80s pop, but I have to admit it’s hard to beat for the post-apocalyptic office dance party. Thank you, Kool and the Gang.#

*Managing Editor Melissa Chianta, Staff Photographer/Ad Production Manger Melyssa Holik, and I

**i.e. as recently as the March-April issue, but the uncertainty of the future makes the charmed past seem so long ago


#

Tags: , , , , ,

[ 1 comment ]

listen up, kids: here’s what we’re gonna do

February 4th, 2011

tastingSo, the other day, Mel (staff photographer Melyssa Holik) and I were just hanging around, shooting the breeze, sprawled out on the bouncy balls we use for desk chairs and stretching breaks, staring up at the ceiling and asking each other those age old questions: “What do you want to do?” “I don’t know. . . . what do you want to do?” “I don’t know; what do you want to do?” . . .

Not really, of course. We’re still working on the March-April issue, so we’re not exactly at a loss for entertainment. But, lately when we’re avoiding work (and not playing Nerf basketball or using our Procrastination Spitball Dart Pad or making up haikus with our nifty Haikube set), we’ve been talking about how much we enjoy our Peggy’s Kitchen shoots* each issue—and how we can bring more of that fun to the Mothering website.

In that spirit, Mel and I have decided to use this blog space as an occasional forum (and showcase, if we’re successful!) for our crafty creative efforts. This month, we’ve come up with some things we think it might be fun to make for Valentine’s Day, and we’ll be blogging about them here.

Stay tuned. . .

#

P.S. Thanks to the magic of modern-day technology, I’m able to stop by from the future with links to the projects that we will be doing, er DID:

Bag Some Sweets for your Sweetie

OMG Truffles

Paper Doll Bookmarks (with fabulous hair!)

Love Poetry Magnet Kits

Snow Globes

Fun and Easy Felt Necklaces

#

*The ones where we make and shoot the recipes ourselves, with the help of the Mothering staff, then put out all the dishes for a staff tasting and review. Really wonderful staff bonding time over yummy new dishes and lively stories.

Photo: Since I don’t have any shots of Mel and me lying around aimlessly, here’s one from the last Peggy’s Kitchen staff tasting. (I believe that in this photo, staffers were discussing the merits of Managing Editor Melissa Chianta’s choice not to measure out the chocolate chips that went into the wonderfully chocolatey brownies—but to “just throw them all in.”)

#

#

Tags: , , , , , , ,

[ Comments Off ]

been meaning to post about this for weeks!

February 3rd, 2011

spitball-dartboardThe Procrastination Spitball Dartpad Mel (staffer Melyssa Holik) gave me for Christmas.

Way yonder more excuses and distractions (suggestions run the gamut from “go for a coffee run” to “walk in circles”) than Mel and Melissa (Managing Editor Melissa Chianta) and I need in the office. But, boy, it’s brought us a lot of laughs. And direction, of sorts.

#

#

Tags: , , , , , , ,

[ Comments Off ]

poetry at work

February 2nd, 2011

our-future

(Haikus created by Melissa, Mel and me, with help from of the very fun Haikube set Peggy gave us)

A Vision for My Future

hero inside I
travel after grand fortune
happy wind woman

* * *

dreaming glorious
a gorgeous light on my eyes
touches lofty ground

* * *

#@&*#!! hellbent moonlight
it’s clamor which shines our heart
the riches bust wild

* * *

As you might guess, some days in our office are more technically productive. Others are merely rich.

#

#

Tags: , , , , , ,

[ Comments Off ]

exhilaration (and anticlimax)

December 7th, 2010

ta-daTa-da! We are done, finished, through. Jan-Feb issue 164 is outta here!

After the frenzy of layouts and proofing and file-sending, late nights and long hours, Managing Editor Melissa Chianta just signed off on the last page—which is a huge relief, and, as always, pretty much a source of wonder.

But it’s also anticlimactic. Since after a day or two to catch our breath (And after, that is, we also finish up the digital version of the magazine, adding links and digital bonus material), the whole process starts all over again. . .

Still, it feels good to have put this one to bed. High fives all ’round!

#

Photo of my computer screen today, showing some of the digital bluelines our press, Quad Graphics, has posted as they assemble our pages prior to printing.

Tags: , , , , ,

[ 2 comments ]

women at work: just another day at the office

November 15th, 2010

cinnamon disaster

In which Laura and Mel (staff photographer Melyssa Holik) shoot hot drinks for Jan-Feb, spill cinnamon while trying to sprinkle a fancy pattern on the surface of one of said drinks, and, absent a vacuum cleaner, discover that effective traffic cones can be hastily constructed out of paper when circumstances demand.

Meanwhile, Managing Editor Melissa Chianta, who might have thought she was going to get some editing—or even some managing—done today, finds herself agreeing to go for an impromptu manicure in order to better serve as outdoor mug-hugging hand model for the hot drink photography team.

(Yes, these are the women with whom I work. And, yes, I am very lucky—and very grateful.)

Stay tuned for the results of the trio’s efforts!

#


manicurePhotos: 1) Mel’s self-portrait (this shot made the cut for her photo-a-day project); and 2) Melissa takes a break from work to show off her manicure (while still holding on to the tools of her trade in the other hand)

#

#

#

#

#

#

Tags: , , , ,

[ Comments Off ]

speaking of miracles

June 9th, 2010

summerWe have a July-August issue! Or we will shortly.The magazine was on press Tuesday night, so we’ll be getting the bound copies next week sometime.

This one feels miraculous because we had several seemingly insurmountable obstacles to overcome and, as of a week ago, still didn’t know how we were going to resolve things.

But the logjam broke on Friday, and just about the whole staff leapt into action (including our dear Fulfillment Manager Sarah Patamia, who made a mid-afternoon coffee-and-brownie run to help Melissa, Mel and me through an energy lull, then turned around and went out to buy us a fan, since it was the hottest day of the year and our air conditioning had died), working together to birth the issue.

And in other semi-miraculous happenings:

• My 20-year-old son, Reeve, who historically has been cautious (and sometimes seems to have inherited my knack for anxious imaginings), went on his first solo backpacking adventure Monday night. Stuck it out through rain and hail and mosquitoes and made it back home in one happy but exhausted piece.

• Thursday night, unable to wind down after getting home around 11 p.m. (See: anxiety regarding insurmountable obstacles, above), I went out for a walk with Reeve. Bent down to pick up a lucky quarter I saw in the street and almost couldn’t get up again. Muscle spasm. Lower back. I’ve heard about them but never experienced one. Five days later, I can almost put my shoes on without wincing. Huge perspective check. I’m very, very grateful that this was not something more serious. And thrilled to be almost back to normal. The human body is its own miracle. . .

• After one of the cooler Springs I can remember—this seems impossibly quick, but—it appears to be summer. And it’s been toasty (for Santa Fe, anyway: upper 80s, low to mid 90s), but lovely. To celebrate, Tim and Reeve carried our kitchen table out back last night for supper in the cooling evening air.

So, now I’m full of gratitude for the miraculous (or even the merely remarkable), have taken a couple of days off to restore mind and body, and am just about ready to dive back in and get to work on September–October.

#

Photo: Ah, summertime! Our oldest cat, Koufax, observes the morning from the mud room. We’ve been sleeping with the back door wide open at night; no need for screens because, miraculously, Santa Fe doesn’t have mosquitoes. (Yes, that’s a litter box, right by the back door. It’s there because, ironically, our still sort of feral kitty, Twombly, refuses to go out back.)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

[ Comments Off ]

whatever you, do . . .

March 9th, 2010

PANIC!

panic-day

#

According to Mel’s possibly-nonexistent-but-who-cares-because-it’s-great-entertainment Daily Calendar of Interesting Days, today is Panic Day, a day on which, I”m told, everything is worth making a fuss over, and everyone speaks loudly and urgently, in all caps and with a lot of exclamation points.

Which was a huge relief for me, having just last night ACCIDENTALLY KILLED MY LAPTOP!!!!

NOOOOO! UNDO, UNDO, UNDO!!

It was nice to know that not only was I allowed to panic, I was encouraged to do so—and had good company in the panicking. Mel and Melissa were admirably  supportive, launching into histrionics as I told my woeful tale of getting up off the couch (NO, not the COUCH!) and tripping on the cord (ANYTHING but THAT!!) and pulling the laptop onto the hard floor (THE FLOOR! OMG!). Needless to say, we laughed a lot throughout the day, which went a long way toward helping me deal with the loss of my five-year-old electronic sidekick.

And meanwhile, Associate Publisher Lally O’Mara McMahon restored my will to live by ordering a new trip-proof Mac for me.

OMG! OMG!! A NEW COMPUTER!! I CAN’T STAND IT!!!

#

Photo of the cheery production department white board

Tags: , , , , , , ,

[ 1 comment ]

behind the scenes @ issue 159

March 9th, 2010

openerOr, how to make a production “miracle” happen.

1. Realize at the almost-last minute that you can’t use the photo of a medicine cabinet you thought you could get permission for. (The one you grabbed from an online cabinet shop and Photoshopped a stock photo of a bowl of soup into a month ago and forgot you didn’t have the rights to, the one that Managing Editor Melissa Chianta has been patiently and persistently leaving message after message all week for the owners of . . . but to no avail.)

2. Put Mel (Staff Photographer and Ad Production Manager Melyssa Holik) on the hunt for white medicine cabinets that are 1) in town, 2) immediately acquirable, and 3) at least somewhat aesthetically pleasing. Oh, and 4) don’t cost the $635 the one I found does. (Being Mel, she’ll know to take 5–10 minutes first to research this online before taking the search to the streets.)

3. Dig around in the props cabinet for the the blue bowl we bought for our soup shoot back in November.

4. Send Mel out to pick up 1) the remarkably inexpensive medicine cabinet ($30!) she discovered online at a local home improvement store, and 2) some chicken broth from her house. (Here again, being Mel, she’ll remember to also grab a spoon.)

5. Ask Candace (Product Review Editor Candace Walsh) whether she might happen to have any little medicine cabinety things in or around her desk since she’s always getting product samples in the mail.

6. Marvel as Mel returns in less than 30 minutes and assembles the cabinet and heats up the broth in less than 10.

7. Hover as Mel fills medicine cabinet with freebies provided by Candace and a steaming bowl of soup.

8. Note as Mel begins shooting that medicine cabinet seems to be tilted toward camera; wonder if it’s just you showing signs of late-stage production delirium.

9. Shake your head in amazement as Mel whips out her iPhone, equipped with the Carpenter’s Tools level app, places the level atop the medicine cabinet and adjusts accordingly.

10. Watch as Mel shoots away, downloads photos, and hands them off to you to choose from and drop into Cynthia Lair‘s* article on foods that heal.

. . . and TA-DA! Sent the page off for a proof and we were done. Less than two hours—start to finish.

This kind of stuff happens all the time, of course, but rarely so seamlessly and quickly. Maybe not officially a miracle, but close enough for me.

#

Image above is from the opening spread of “Your Kitchen Medicine Cabinet,” March–April 2010, on stands now.

*For fabulous tips and recipes—and especially for her delightfully wacky cooking videos, visit Cynthia’s site, Cookus Interruptus.

#

#

Tags: , , , , , , ,

[ 3 comments ]

Deadline Pressure meets Hat Day

January 15th, 2010

hat-day2Mel has this new calendar, see? And she told Melissa and me yesterday (which was Clean Your Desk Day, by the way) that today, January 15, is Hat Day. And we both forgot.

But, luckily, Melissa happened to have with her a multi-purpose scarf of versatility—which she was able to transform, impressively, with a flick of her wrist, into a sumptuous turban. And I had a pair of scissors and an old magazine from which I was able to fashion (ironic choice of words, considering the result) an almost-looks-beaded-if-you-squint-real-hard headband. And Mel was there, with her bona fide plaid cap, anchoring our Production Department Hat Day with haberdashery legitimacy.

No, of course, we don’t have time to be making and modeling hats. But we figure the endorphins from the laughter just might produce a surge in both creativity and productivity . . .
#

#

Photo: Perhaps I should be a bit more reluctant to post this, but here’s a shot of the three of us on this very busy, very silly day.

#

#

#

Tags: , , , , ,

[ 4 comments ]


.
Find us on facebook Follow us on twitter
Sign up for our newsletters Subscribe to our RSS feed




     DISCUSSIONS              JOIN NOW or SIGN IN
How to stay positive when DH is negative? posted by rockportmama, Sun, 04 Dec 2011 21:31:30 +0000
I feel lost and lonely (kinda long and a bit of a rant) posted by DesertFlower, Sun, 04 Dec 2011 19:11:43 +0000
Help me battle the green eyed monster posted by greenmom4, Fri, 25 Nov 2011 14:38:01 +0000
need to know im not the only one :-( posted by totallyhadenuff, Thu, 24 Nov 2011 08:05:23 +0000
Made A Change And DH Is Loving The "New" Me posted by IwannaBanRN, Thu, 17 Nov 2011 11:59:54 +0000

Bottom Box