Hi!

I’m Berit and I would like to tell you a little BIT about me.

FIRST AND FOREMOST :

FAMILY:

I am a Mother of of FOUR Children who is in her FIFTIES.  In less than one year, I will be the mother of FOUR teenagers.  Yes, that’s right.  A lot of hormones (including my own as a peri-menopausal woman) are at play in my home. I used to think three kids in diapers was challenging.  That was then, this is now.  I have two boys and two girls. Unless I have explicit permission, I intend to leave them (and my brilliant husband) out of my blog posts.

Speaking of blog posts, due to an abundance of F words on my mind this year, I’ve given myself the challenge of writing a post each week writing about one Fword at a time for a year. 52 (or more) entries in all. What is this fascination with the F words? I don’t know. But that letter keeps coming up, in my last name, the street I live on, the word that came into my head when one of my sons found a garter snake in the cupboard (the french speaking “F” word emerged). 

FEARS/FATE/FAITH

Life Altering/Scary Experiences:

The first one was enduring and surviving a brutal rape at age 29 while living in Berkeley, California.

The second significant experience occurred 6 years ago when my youngest child (daughter), who was just 6 years old, was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor (medulloblastoma). She was subsequently treated (and dare I say “cured”?) at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

My two traumatic, painful and challenging journeys have ignited a passion within me to write so much more about both experiences. I’d like to write a book or two to help and inspire others who may have traveled or are still traveling similar paths and continue my own healing too. In the midst of updating my daughter’s CaringBridge site, I realized that the writing was both therapeutic and enjoyable for me. I believe that challenging situations are easier to navigate when you don’t feel alone. You can read more about my journey with my daughter’s cancer here.

And YES, I have FAITH.  I had/have to rely on that to survive. (Along with family, friends and two fabulous female therapists).  I will admit I have questioned my faith and perhaps I have even temporarily lost it from time to time along the rockier parts of my life’s journey.  That said,  I’ve chosen to believe things happen for a reason and that there is a divine plan.

FITNESS/ FUN

I like to golf (and would like to golf a lot more someday in the future), run, walk, do yoga, dance, ski, swim and pump iron too! I like feeling strong and being in shape. I am currently training to run my 4th 1/2 marathon in SF.

Fun for me includes being with friends, family, traveling and I LOVE a good party!!!

FASHION PASSION:

I have a bachelor’s of science degree in nursing. I LOVED my career as both a staff nurse and nurse manager. But I’ve always loved art, english, writing and the retail/fashion world as well.

I’m not exactly sure when or why the passion for fashion all started. It could be because I wore some of my sister’s “hand me down” clothes as a child?  I tend to believe that people are either born with a shopping “jean” and a passion for fashion or they aren’t.  All I know is that ever since I can remember, I’ve loved admiring beautiful clothes, coordinating outfits and particularly WEARING them.  It didn’t take me long to become an “expert” shopper and bargain finder when I got my first job at Dayton’s department store in 1978. Despite the fact that I didn’t work in the apparel area,  I elected to scope out the clothes racks during every work break.  I remember my first “steal” and still have it in my “I will never throw away” apparel collection.  A pair of white Calvin Klein shorts that I got from the Dayton’s Oval Room (with my employee discount) for under 5$.

While in school being introduced to the world of my chosen profession, nursing, I remember thinking my ultimate dream nursing job would be to eventually become the nurse manager.  I immediately noticed I could wear street clothes with a lab coat in that role. Eventually I worked my way into that dream role.  In the meantime, as a staff and assistant nurse manager, I enjoyed the challenge of trying to make the all white nursing uniform fashionable.  I spent a considerable amount of time at The Gap on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, Ca. circa 1984-1990 buying inexpensive white clothes to supplement my uniform.

On a humorous note, I took a demotion in ranking for a movie role I was given because I liked the Captain’s outfit better than the Admiral’s.  Star Trek 2.

I don’t believe one must spend a fortune to create a look and style. Obviously designer/couture dressing requires money but one can definitely create a signature or lovely look for less.  I definitely think there are some essential elements of dressing well and knowing a few  principles helps in creating a great look and style.  One important element is knowing your body type and what types of clothes are most flattering, accordingly. I think it is fun and rewarding helping others find fashion items that work for them too!

“Fashion fades, only style remains the same.”-Coco Chanel

“Fashion is architecture: it is a matter of proportions.”-Coco Chanel

‘The best colour in the world is the one that looks good on you.”-Coco Chanel

“Nature gives you the face you have at twenty; it is up to you to merit the face you have at fifty.”-Coco Chanel

Even though I LOVE fashion, I plan to write about many other things as well. I’m hoping I can live up to Coco’s words and deliver some poignant, entertaining, humorous and inspiring words to merit my own OVER fifty face during the next 52 weeks!!!