Write what you know. This is what they tell you. And so, for the most part, this is what I do. I write about my interests, my passions, events I’ve attended, people I meet, places I visit. This has served me well in my blogging life.
I envy fiction writers though because they don’t always write what they know. They use their imagination to write about and take their readers into other situations, other worlds.
An old cover of Entertainment Weekly featuring author Stephen King.
But perhaps it is because the advice to write what you know should not be taken at face value. Writing what you know doesn’t only refer to events, people, and places in your own personal life. It refers to emotions and feelings. Like Method actors who tap into their own experiences in order to portray a role.
Two-time Oscar award winner Daniel Day-Lewis is a method actor.
Yes, that’s it. Write what you know but don’t be limited by your own experiences. Explore the world. Whether you are writing a feature story, a blog or the next great American novel, do some research, experience, and experiment. If the topic is something you do not know about, then by all means, find out about it. You can talk to an expert, interview others who have experienced and work from there.
As some of you readers may already know, I ‘m all about giving back. For example, I work for a company that has a whole department devoted to finding ways of giving back! But that’s a topic for another post. I do like to support philanthropic projects and events that not only give back but are also fun.
Two projects I am currently working on involve food and charity. I am participating in these projects by providing social media consulting and coaching, pr, and my cheerful disposition (and believe me, when dealing with huge projects as a volunteer, a cheerful disposition goes a long way!)
George Clooney and Brad Pitt, two actors who love to give back, are both nominated at the Oscars this year.
This Sunday, I will be live tweeting from the Red Carpet at Kimera Restaurant’s 4th Annual Red Carpet Event – Oscar Viewing Party, February 26th at 5pm. I am not a big dress up kind of person myself but I do enjoy the movies, people watching and good food — which is why Kimera Restaurant and Lounge’s special Red Carpet Party to celebrate the Oscars is perfect. The event will feature a red carpet entrance, a full buffet dinner, cocktails, ample viewing of the awards ceremony and a silent auction to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association of Orange County. There will also be a special appearance by Peggy Tanous, a former “Real Housewives of Orange County” cast member. If you are on Twitter, follow these hashtags #kimeraredcarpet #oscars
According to owner Karyn Ghoukassian, “This event provides an excellent opportunity to give back to the Alzheimer’s Association of Orange County, and it is our pleasure to support such a worthy cause in our community.”
Guests will be greeted at the event with the full red carpet treatment, complete with simulated media interviews and a fashion panel awarding attendees who are “best dressed,” among other categories. Inside, a full buffet, cocktails, and hors d’oeuvres will complement the awards show displayed on screens throughout the restaurant. The cost for the event is $75 per person, (tax and gratuity not included) which includes one specialty cocktail, hors d’oeuvres, and a full dinner buffet. What a deal!
The second project I am volunteering for is the Taste of Huntington Beach on April 29th, 2012 for the benefit of the Children’s Library of Huntington Beach. But I’ll tell you more about that next time. For more information about the Taste of HB, visit www.tastehb.com and facebook.com/tasteofhuntingtonbeach
I went out and done did it. Cut 12 inches off my hair. Okay so it was months ago but I’m only posting now. It seemed more than a hair cut then- it felt to me like a major change. It wasn’t the first time I’d had short hair but this felt different – it was liberating.
Over the last year, I was living frugally and my usual $50 hair cuts were the last thing on my mind. You see, I liked making a day of going to the salon and getting my hair washed, cut and colored – so the cost was upwards of $50. I tried a cheaper place one time and the hair dye absolutely burnt my scalp. So to save money and maybe because I was just a wee bit lazy, I let my hair grow and grow. Finally when I got tired of tying it up in a ponytail and the greys had grown way out, I decided to cut it all off. What’s more, I had decided to give it up for a good cause — Locks of Love.
To find THE person to do the honors of chopping it all off for charity, I tweeted and posted on Facebook. A handful of salons and hairdressers had offered to do it so it was great that I had choices. It turns out, cutting hair for Locks of Love is something many salons do in fact — they cut your hair for free when you donate the locks to charity. I ended up choosing Armando – whom I was Facebook friends with even if we hadn’t met. I think we connected because I had seen some of the charitable cut-a-thons his salon had sponsored and we exchanged a few messages. Also, I had often driven by his salon on PCH. (You can’t miss it – it’s next to the Ferrari dealership.)
I went to Armando A Joshua Christopher Salon and met Armando for the first time. He cut my hair, I left happy. I vowed to return but I need to save up to afford his mad styling skillzzz. I haven’t cut my hair since. One day, Armando, some day — I’ll be back!
