​The end-of-year holidays are upon us: Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, and a host of other celebrations. It’s been a rough year. I think we all deserve to unplug and take a break.
 
This week I’m shifting from “blogging all the way” to “celebrating all the way.” Whatever I do, I do one hundred percent!
 
As many of you know, I’m Jewish all the way… And while I honor the holiday—Chanukah—that celebrates my roots, I also partake in Christmas. When it comes to celebrating holidays, my philosophy is the more, the merrier. Happiness seems to be in short supply this year, so I’m borrowing some joy from the end-of-year festivities.
 
This year, Chanukah took place December 10 through 18, which left a weeklong gap before Christmas. The eight days of Chanukah are now over, and I already cleaned and stored the menorah. Now, it’s time to bring in the Christmas spirit into the house—no questions asked—and it’s already checked off my list. All that’s left for me to do is stuff the stockings for the family. Then, I plan to spend these next few days relaxing, baking, and enjoying the winter weather—from inside my home next to the fireplace while watching some Hallmark movies, of course! Listening to some Christmas music might also be in store for me.
 

I’m looking forward to seeing 2020 come to a close—just like my Santa is doing here. I envision him saying, “Let’s pedal all the way into 2021!” 
 
The New Year is just around the corner—I’m staying positive.
 
No matter what you celebrate this time of year, I wish you and your family the most heartfelt Happy Holidays. 
 
  
Much love all the way,
 
Michelle

   The challenges that come with COVID assail the entire world. Not one person lives life as they did before. The year 2020 turned the tables on us. In many ways and for many people, the challenges of this year went beyond just controlling the epidemic and enduring the present—in most cases, the pandemic and quarantine impacted our perspective of life. ​Many wish to erase 2020 from their life’s calendar, or at least fantasize that they could rewind the year and have it play out differently—and so do I. 
 
   We hope that 2021 will bring a fresh start and new opportunities; we trust that innovation will offer a suitable vaccine and that COVID will be a thing of the past. While I pray for both, I’m skeptical that 2021 will be COVID-free. In 2022? Maybe. It’s sure more realistic, but nothing is guaranteed. 

   Time flies; it’s already December 2020. This past year brought weighty trials and changes my way—some I shared and some I kept to myself. The point is not what happened, but what I am doing with it. Challenges and changes are formidable for everyone, even the positive ones. I strive to find the good in everything and apply it for a better tomorrow. And, yes, 2020 changed my perspective of life. Living in a big city, owning a big house, and living a flashy life are no longer part of my dreamy horizon. I hope for some peace and quiet, a tranquil life, with a blue horizon where the water kisses the sky, the sun paints the water in shades of gold, and the moon adds its shades of silver to the dark ocean at night; a place where I can breathe salty air and fall asleep to the sound of rolling waves. 
 
   Living a dream is easy. Making it happen is another thing. Those of you who know me won’t be surprised to find out that I’m already in the midst of tomorrow’s adventure. 

   While ​writing is my outlet, it’s not my everything—obviously, I don’t write 24/7, not even every day. Among the many things that I find joy and interest in is art. For years my husband and I have been visiting galleries and auction houses and collecting art. It started before we got married—galleries and auctions used to be part of our dates. ​

​   So when I’m not writing, I’m arting. Just that now, instead of collecting, I’m selling. The journey of arting is not less fascinating than writing. Whether it’s the subject or the provenance, there is a true story behind each piece of art—a story you can learn or a story you can make up.
 
   I am inviting you to take a peek into my arting journey and discover a world of beauty where history and facts are unfolded with colors, where there is something for everyone. ​

​​I wish you happy artsy holidays!
 
Michelle