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Lovie McGee – Living Life With Passion Cover: Lovie McGee, owner, Love Realty Photography by Kyle Zimmerman Hair and Make-up by Colorado Salon
A Balancing Act by
Beth Donahue The Five C’s of Business by
Susan Gorges Celebrating African American Women Lifestyle For the Love of Crafts by Joyce DePow Healthy Food for Body, Mind, and Soul by Lisa Polisar Archangel of Fudge by Janice Morrow |
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COLUMNS The Inner You Women on the Web Great Reads
DEPARTMENTS From My Desk Starting Up Women on the Up & Up Worthy of Note |
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I watch in wonder as a young woman I know balances her job, two children, husband, and dog. I don’t know how she does it. I think women are amazing as they juggle so many things at once. As a single woman I had worked two jobs, volunteered, and maintained my friendships. I don’t know how I did it. Just thinking about it makes me tired. I think women know what everyone else wants, but they seldom know what they themselves want or need. I have worked very hard to determine my own needs to become more whole. Here are some suggestions to bring more balance into your life. 1. Give yourself a Placelift Let go of everything negative in your surroundings. Photos, books, and art should hold positive thoughts and feel inspiring. Surround yourself with items that feel peaceful or calming. I like candles, incense, flowers, books, good soap, and 2- ply toilet paper. 2. Practice Forgiveness A course I once took—Miracles—says forgiveness is giving up hope for a better past. Start by forgiving yourself. Once you do that, you can forgive others. This gives us freedom from the past and loosens the bonds of anger, resentment, and despair. I finally forgave my sister for not being the sister I wanted. It set me free. 3. Take time to be present Become present and focused every moment. Living in the past or focusing on the future means you miss the now. Eliminate the haves in your vocabulary: must have, should have, might have, and could have. Stay in the magic of the moment. I relished every second recently when friends were visiting. I developed a wonderful sense of gratitude that still remains with me. 4. Face each day with an I can attitude Letting go of self-limiting beliefs brings new things into our lives along with the ability to tackle seemingly difficult challenges. Every day brings a new opportunity for self-discovery and accomplishment. Each day when I get up I ask, “What exciting things will happen today?” 5. Create Surprises Awaken your senses and practice random acts of kindness. It is so much fun! I love to buy a retired older person’s lunch or breakfast anonymously or pay the toll for the car behind me. I always look for ways to be kind and to surprise others and myself. 6. Cultivate Beauty Create beauty through your everyday activities and in your surroundings. I have cultivated what I refer to as my “sanctuary.” The place where I live is peaceful, comfortable, and reflects my love of the Southwest, books, and my spirituality. 7. Embrace Laughter Laughter enhances our physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. I love laughing until I think I am going to wet my pants. My best friend passed away a number of years ago, and I miss him so much because he used to make me laugh on a regular basis. 8. Give yourself simple extravagances and heal thy indulgences Garnish your life with little pleasures that won’t destroy your wallet or your health. I have learned to appreciate good, healthy food. Food that is organically grown is much healthier and tastier. I indulge myself in Vegan style chocolate chip cookies. I can eat the whole bag and not feel guilty! 9. Draw your Life Draw a circle and then cut it into pieces like a pie. Write in each piece an area of your life: work, family, church, friends, and children. Some pieces may be larger than others. This will show you how out of balance you may be. Use items 1 through 8 to assess each life area and focus on how you can enhance other life areas. Do this every now and then and you will be amazed at how well you are doing. The goal is to get all the pieces the same size.
What is the one thing that you would like to have in your life to bring it into better balance? Decide what you need that would make you more peaceful and calm. Being balanced is not easy. It takes work and the ability to focus on your needs. While it isn’t easy, it’s worth it. You truly will feel better mentally, physically, and spiritually. Beth Donahue, MH is a solution-oriented
counselor and hypnotherapist
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A Proud Heritage
In honor of Black History Month we are proud to feature African American women in our state. The African American community enjoys a long and proud heritage in New Mexico and we are eager to bring you some of their fascinating stories. Featuring powerful African American women is not new to our magazine. Over the years we have brought you many stories. Did you know that our very first issue of Albuquerque WOMAN (predecessor to New Mexico WOMAN) featured Sister Dolly on the front cover? You may remember her as the determined woman who single-handedly set out to feed the homeless in Albuquerque several decades ago. Sister Dolly taught me that if you don’t put your hand out, no one will put anything in it—a lesson that has served me well. The ever-beautiful Linda Cotton graced our fifth anniversary cover. Linda still entertains us with her rich, full renditions of jazz, blues, and gospel music. We see and hear her often at many fund-raisers for important community events. Charlie Morrisey was also a very, very special woman. We featured her in July of 1991. We interviewed her shortly before her death; our cover was the last photo ever taken of her. That picture is the official photograph used in the Charlie Morrisey Research Hall you’ll read about in “Celebrating African American Women.” I’m especially proud of this issue. We have brought to light some fascinating information about the powerful women’s organizations created in New Mexico long before most women ever dreamed about networking. Jahaan Martin has done a superb job of researching the women and the history of these groups. I know you’ll find them fascinating. And then there’s Lovie! If you don’t know Lovie McGee, you’re in for a treat. As I read her story I saw shades of Sister Dolly. Talk about a woman who gives from her heart—she is involved in many community projects and initiatives and now is solidly behind a new program in conjunction with A.P.S. called C.A.I.R. Find out how you can help! We have also featured Tamarind King as our Young Woman to Watch. We first met Tamarind when she was nominated and subsequently named a 2004 Young Woman of Promise. If you ever have the opportunity to hear Tamarind tell a story, please take advantage of it. This extremely talented young woman will delight you. We promise. The energy in this issue of New Mexico WOMAN is reflective of the enthusiastic energy we found when we brought together a group of African-American women from the community to join us for lunch and to brainstorm ideas. This issue is the result of that meeting and we thank you for all of your input and support.
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Born in Oklahoma and reared in Kansas City, Missouri, Lovie came to New Mexico for the health of her twin boys, John and JaRon. Both were severe asthmatics and, after nearly losing one of them twice, the doctor told her to find a drier climate. She found a job at Kirtland and moved to Albuquerque. As a single mother, Lovie’s job at Kirtland wasn’t enough. To supplement her income she got her real estate license and went to work for Century 21. She feels she was at the right place at the right time when, after seventeen years, outsourcing threatened her job at Kirtland. It was a blessing in disguise as she was allowed to take early retirement and decided to go for her real estate broker’s license and open her own agency. It was the right move. The boys are grown with families of their own and own downtown Albuquerque’s Disco Music Store and Recording Studio, (505) 244-1974, which produces recordings under their Blaksol label. John is the general manager and JaRon is in charge of the recording studio when he isn’t teaching dance at Arthur Murray. Lovie chose real estate because, in her words, when she moved to Albuquerque, there were many realtors who just told her “no,” she had no chance of owning a home. “I didn’t want that to happen to anyone else. Even the down and out still deserve a home. I give them a chance and tell them how to make it happen.” She finds her greatest job satisfaction in “helping people who otherwise would not be homeowners; people who never thought they could own a home.” Two of those clients stick in her mind. One was a homeless Gulf War vet whom she helped to find a home of his own. He cried at the closing because he thought he’d never own a home. Another client was a woman in an abusive relationship. Her sister brought her to Lovie, who assured her that “of course she could own a home.” It changed the woman’s whole outlook on life and her self-worth when she moved into her new home. Lovie admits to having little free time. What she does have she spends with her family including seven grandsons and seven grand-daughters. She loves music, dancing, and exercise. She practices T’ai Chi and says that yoga changed her life. She has been a strong activist in the community as a member of the National Council of Negro Women, the African American Cultural Association, the Albuquerque Public Schools Superintendents Council on Equity, and the African American Task Force. She is past chair of the Housing Committee of the N.A.A.C.P., and Vice-chair of the Chelwood Vista Neighborhood Association. She served on the Albuquerque Human Rights Board for eight years, is a member of the National Association of Women Business Owners, and, as a member of the Democratic National Committee, serves as ward chair of seven voting precincts. Lovie has found herself involved in some areas usually associated with parents, not grandparents. Even with her own children successfully launched in life, she finds the time to be active in her grandchildren’s school, serving as past president of the Hoover Middle School P.T.O. Finally, and possibly most important, she has launched the Community Academic Initiative Resource Center (C.A.I.R.) to help close the achievement gaps in our New Mexico Schools. Lovie still finds time to be active in her church, New Hope Full Gospel, where she has been a Sunday school teacher and is active in a program to feed the homeless. Her awards are equally impressive. She has received the Governor’s New Mexico Distinguished Public Service Award, The Public Service Award from the Albuquerque Realtors’ Association, the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Real Estate Agent, and PNM’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Award. In 2002 she was ranked 42 in the list of the Top 50 Women-Owned Businesses in New Mexico, and climbed to 32 in 2003. “I love serving better than anything,” she says. “Making a difference. Teaching kids that there’s a better life, a better way. I work with the elderly as well because I look at my mother, my grandmother, myself and see that we’re all in this world together. If we don’t help each other, it’s all for naught.” Lovie advises young women seeking success in life, “It’s all in your mind. If you think you can, you can. If you believe you can achieve, you will. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t become something, because you can.” February is the month associated with love and passion. Lovie McGee exemplifies the best of both. Lovie McGee can be reached at Love Realty, 1524 Eubank N.E., Suite 6, Albuquerque, NM, 87112. Phone: (505) 256-8306 and website http://www.loverealtyhomes.com. Sabra Brown Steinsiek is a frequent contributor to New Mexico WOMAN and the author of the prize-winning novel, Timing Is Everything, the first book of her Taylor Morgan Trilogy. She can be reached through her website, http://www.sabrasteinsiek.com |
Pending Legislation from the
N.M. Restaurant Association: The
purchase of a fine bottle of wine is a considerable investment.
Re-corking gives a restaurant customer the From Victoria Sanchez-Martinez, Development Director, N.M. Restaurant Association, (505) 343-9848 or www.nmrestaurants.org. Count calories, not just carbs
+ exercise = Counting calories and exercise are not new, but the combination works! So to kick start a healthy weight loss program: pick a calorie counter and a pedometer. Example: cut 200 calories per day for a year—that’s a 20.9 pound weight loss! You will be amazed at how much better you’ll look and feel! From D.J. Jones, Personal Trainer and Motivator, DivaskinZ www.DivaskinZ.com “99 Ways to Make More
Money in the 21 st Century” Expo More than 20 workshops concentrating on: How to Make Money on the Internet, Making Money for Publishers and Writers, and New Business Opportunities. March 19-20 at Sweeney Center in Santa Fe. From Carol Douras, Chief of Stuff at Sage Ways Lifetime Learning Center, call (505) 271-7029 for more information. Change the look of your home without spending a fortune Create some warmth during the cold winter months by adding throw pillows, afghans, and throws in bright colors and textures. A collection of candles in several shapes and sizes also adds a different look and feel to your surroundings. From
Cynthia Kirkpatrick, Designer Extraordinaire, National Women’s History
Project A Tip for Single Working Moms: The
Great Pile-up My laundry used to pile up on my bed. I would sleep under it and use it for extra warmth in the winter. Help stop the great pile-up by washing your kids’ clothes by kid. In other words, load the washer with only one child’s clothes. Wash them on cold/cold so you can put anything in there. Sort by weight not by color—put shirts, bras, underwear, and light pants in one load and put jeans, sweat-shirts, and socks in another. Create a two-part laundry basket and teach your kids to separate by load. Then the clothes go into the washer and back to their rooms, and they can fold and put them away (if they are old enough, of course). Now you are not sorting before washing, after washing, and folding it all yourself. From Juli Farresta, JFarresta and the Resta Design. Supermom, supercook, super designer of magazines. www.jfarresta.com, or (505) 281-9406. |
