Michelle Obama on Jimmy Kimmel

Michelle Obama is the epitome of grace for me. Self assured, unabashedly herself, kind, open, so intelligent and now that she is no longer in the fishbowl of the White House, she can show her true colors in full glory. And she is not afraid of color--just take a look at her style! Watch her here on the Jimmy Kimmel Show, talking about her new book The Light We Carry. This woman has class and her own, expressive style...

The Neighbor's Window

In 2020, the Oscar was given to The Neighbor's Window for best live action short film. In the middle of the pandemic, many of us probably missed it. My friend Todd shared it with me the other day and I thought it worthy. It is a modern story about modern life in a big city, with universal truths, and as Marshall Curry, the filmmaker states, "a well told story is a powerful thing! It can change the way we see the world and it can help us to notice other people and care about those other people and maybe love each other a little bit more." He dedicated the film to his mom, whom he credits for teaching him his craft, where he learned his craft: "for her and all the other storytellers out there..."

Music: Two Songs I Love

One of the best things I did two years ago was to make a conscious decision to stop listening to cable news all the time. I have been a news junkie for years, obsessed with politics and gobbling up every dirty detail of human foibles. Maybe it was the guilt of having a mom who grew up in Nazi Germany, knowing that so many people just turned away and ignored what was going on...But I came to realize that I didn't need the 24/7 news cycle and in fact, to say it was toxic was an understatement...I finally did turn away from most of it and instead, turned up the music, which had always been a big part of my younger years. Am I glad I did! I really feel like a changed person because of it...I love to sing along too--something so uplifting about that--even though my voice has a lot of be desired. I try and make sure no one is really listening and I belt it out, mostly in the car or when I am painting...Here are a few songs a good friend shared with me recently--the first is a Stephen Stills, Judy Collins version of Handle with Care that I hadn't heard before and the second is an absolute unknown gem of a song entitled Bluebird of Happiness from an obscure British band called Mojave 3.

Painting of the Week

A little warmth and coziness for winter…

Charity of the Week:

My friend Emma, who lost her dad at 15, is raising money for Good Grief, an organization that helps kids deal with the death of a parent. Please consider donating towards her goal as she runs a half marathon.

About The Author

New York City based contemporary artist, Pam Smilow, began writing the creative lifestyle blog “things we love” in an effort to foster a sense of community during times of isolation and reflection. To read more about her and her art, visit her website and check out the essay written by the Hammond Museum's Frank Matheis entitled The Sophisticated Innocence of Pam Smilow.