Editor’s Letter: September 2023

Perfectionist Wannabe is getting a revamp this fall.  Here’s what you can look forward to seeing from me and this site.

I’m back.  This time, it is not temporary.

After spending the last eight months trying to create the site I dreamed of, I decided to abandon it and revamp this site.  This is the only site making money from past content.  I now know how to create what I want, so all I have to do is write and post.  I don’t have to go through an error report from Google that is so long it makes you faint.  Site maintenance may take up a lot of my time right now, but at least I get more of my time back to write and post content, as compared to the other site. 

Last fall, I took a course at Conde Nast College in London.  They showed me exactly how I needed to take my content and create something I am going to love as I go forward. I learned the business and marketing side of digital content creation for fashion brands, as well as for Vogue and other Conde Nast publications.  

As I was going through old content to repurpose on this site, I was reminded that I need to do fluff pieces, because that is what generates money.  But I also need to write the longer pieces that garnered most of my loyal followers over the years.  Those are the pieces that reflect more of who I am.

With Meta’s new Threads, I can start building my new audience that I created through Instagram, and direct them over to this site, like I used to do with Twitter when I was writing about hockey.  

So bear with me as I update the hundreds of articles on this site, create new content and fix/update things.  For those who come here for the recipes, luckily, I saved a few of those at The Fashion Reader before I deleted the plugin here (oops!).  But don’t worry.  Those recipes will be back up soon.  After all, this is where I go to find those recipes I love.

There will be one small change to the recipes.  I HATE those long ass narratives people write before a recipe.  I just want to get to the recipe already!  So I’m only going to add a few words at the beginning and then you’ll find the recipe.  You won’t even have to scroll down the page to get to the beginning of the recipe card.

If there’s a recipe you loved and can’t find it on the site, ping me, because it may not have survived the plugin deletion.  Hopefully, I’ll have the recipe somewhere and can upload it for you.  

So that’s housekeeping matters.

What’s New in My Universe

So my friend and filmmaker Edwin Walker messaged me last month asking me what was going on in my universe, because he sensed something was up. He was in the middle of an interview with The Boston Globe and he told them they needed to contact me. When he left a voice message on what happened, it was like he realized, the universe is strong around her. She’s working on something.

He would be correct.

I am currently working on two book projects simultaneously. I also started selling books online. Ends up, there are a lot of people out there willing to spend 3-figures on special edition books and autographed copies. So I’m selling my collection.

Between the day job, two book projects, Matthew’s Book Corner, and this site, I’m up to 5 of 7 streams of income. When I start clearing my closet, that will be the 6th stream of income.

I am at that stage in life when I feel like less is more. I have so much stuff. I am tired of carrying those things around with me in life, so I am letting it go. Maybe I’m just preparing myself for the next stage in life…my new journey. Getting rid of the things that clutter up that new path is important.

In the coming months, you’ll find an updated interview with Edwin Walker. We’re also working on a few different projects together, so stay tuned. It’s fall season, so it’s horror book season for me and many others. Each week, PW will be showcasing a new title or two you should get your hands on.

I started a new series on here that the Gen Z’ers (and a few Millenials) were asking me for, and that is an Adulting 101 column. I started them off with one that has been making the rounds: starting a Sick Day Pantry.

As for the fashion portion, I’ve been going back and forth with this topic for some time. There was something Conde Nast loved from the assignments I turned in and that was BOOKS + FASHION. They loved how I styled fashion pieces with books. It even got the attention of Instagram and they emailed me and said I needed to create more posts like that. Recently, I’ve seen Marc Jacobs post something weekly on what he’s currently reading. So yes, there is an interest in these types of posts, but I can’t tell you how much time goes into creating ONE PHOTO. That’s actually why I don’t do it often. [I have a lot of things to do!]

Going through what people are actually reading on this site when it comes to fashion, I’ve found that people want to know what to buy that is fashionable and worth investing in. As in, what will withstand the test of time? I’ve been working on my wardrobe for the last 20 years. I’ve picked up on a few things about what to invest in that will withstand the test of time. Some of those items I even picked up at a thrift store and it’s still going strong (and they’re over 50+ years old). The most important thing when building your wardrobe is learning what your style is. I have different versions of myself. I have the side that goes to premieres and red carpet events. I have the fashion industry side (which demands more couture and designer pieces). I have the everyday work, at home, and film festival wardrobes. So my closet represents me and the things I do, but it also allows me enough leeway to reinvent the look, so it doesn’t get boring. Accessories will always be one of the most important items you will ever add to your closet, but it is important to buy the right things, not the items that will be out of style in a few years.

There’s also been a request that I get in front of the camera more. Going back to how much time goes into that (and I have a lot of things to do), that is yet to be seen if I will do that. But talking to some of my actor friends, you may see them on this site wearing designer clothes and holding books, instead of me. Only time will tell.

So bear with me as this site gets a revamp. Content will be continuously flowing, and this space will be continuously evolving. It’s a post-pandemic world and my new universe means following my dreams.