Little Magpie

chasing shiny objects

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Shiny Objects

Shiny Objects is an occasional newsletter intended to inspire, energize and excite.  It’s for people who have a vague recollection of being interested and interesting.  Give me under 10 minutes once or twice a month and I'll tell you about something new, introduce you to someone intriguing or point you toward something novel… all broken down into bite-sized chunks.  This is a guide to useful things for the taxed and the time-starved.  You’ll walk away with a pep in ... View Post

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Why You Need A Mastermind Group (and how to form one)

This post originally appeared in 2014... however, the content is just as relevant today... so I've updated this post! In 2009, a motley crew assembled in a cafe in northwest Arkansas, a region that was rapidly amassing "best places to live/work" awards and becoming an unexpected frontrunner compared to more recognizable metro areas in the United States. The group was full of passionate, intense, turbo-charged type-A personalities.  While a small group in an arguably small (but thriving) ... View Post

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How To Hostess With The Mostest

’Tis The Season! This time of year, everyone should get an award just for showing up every day, amiright? A number of years ago, I decided that was not how I wanted to look at the holiday season - or life in general. I want to feel joyful, warm and relaxed in the company of others - not exhausted and maxed out. When I was growing up, we lived in a lot of interesting places… and my parents were always warm hosts with a knack for entertaining. From evenings with friends in a tall, old house ... View Post

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Starting A Podcast Habit

Podcasts have had their moment, but now they are really having their moment… there’s a sudden resurgence, and I think that’s partially in response to many of us beginning to feel overwhelmed by all the content dancing before our eyes. I love podcasts for three reasons: I can fixate on doing a deep dive for information on a specific topic or niche that is currently fascinating to me. I’m able to focus and “turn off” all the overstimulation by simply listening (and giving my eyeballs a ... View Post

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I Was Raised By A Pirate

This post originally appeared on Arkansas Women Bloggers in early 2016 for the "Adventure" theme. After our recent family adventure to check out the solar eclipse, it felt like time to share it again.   In Singapore in the early 1990s. I was raised by a pirate. A Frenchman running from the law sold him his vessel, and together we sailed out of Port Royal - the city so wicked it sank into the Caribbean Sea - and out into open waters to circle Dead Man’s Key. The boat would pitch ... View Post

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8 Browser Extensions You Need In Your Life

  Ok, first and foremost: what the heck are browser extensions? Let’s use Wikipedia’s succinct definition: a plug-in that extends the functionality of a web browser. It’s like one minute you’re Inspector Gadget, strolling along casually saving the world (aka browsing the internet), and the next minute you’re shouting “Go, go gadget arms!” and you have (browsing) super powers. A Bit About Browsers This article assumes you are not using the default browser that came installed on your ... View Post