A Happy Place to Be

When I lived in Atlanta a few years ago, I was lucky enough to adopt two amazing kittens from an organization called Furkids, which is Georgia’s largest no-kill animal shelter.  Furkids was born in 2002 when a young woman named Samantha Shelton rescued a stray mother cat with kittens, but was unable to find a […]

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Germ Girl of the Month: Julia Murray

Name: Julia Murray Grade: Junior in college Julia Murray is a dynamo.  She is a student ambassador at her South Carolina college, maintains her spot on the Dean’s List, and also owns and operates her own photography business. Specializing in weddings and portraits, Julia is one of those rare people who has found and started working her […]

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Germ Bans Bossy

Beyonce, Jennifer Garner, and Jane Lynch are doing it, and now Germ is doing it too.  We’re pledging to Ban Bossy. Leanin.Org and Girls Scouts of the USA are the masterminds behind the Ban Bossy movement– a public service campaign to empower and encourage leadership in girls.  Why?  As Jane Lynch says, the word bossy […]

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Dear Abraham Lincoln…

In honor of Abe Lincoln’s birthday, we thought we’d share part of a lovely piece written by brilliant author, illustrator, and designer Maira Kalman. “In Love With A. Lincoln” first appeared in the New York Times in 2009, and while the entire piece is too lengthy to share here, we had to at least share […]

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Master Stylist, Master Artist

My hair stylist, Allie Paronelli, is a rock star.  Okay, maybe not an actual rock star, but she comes really, really close.  She’s sought after and in demand, and her work is constantly featured in national fashion and beauty magazines.  She’s worked with Amber Heard, Marlee Matlin, Jane Krakowski, Mandy Moore, Lisa Kudrow, Bryce Dallas […]

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It Gets Better

In 1968, a young girl wrote a letter to Leonard Nimoy’s Mr. Spock, asking for advice. She said her mom was black, her father white, and because of this she was having trouble figuring out where she fit in. The letter appeared in a teen magazine called Fave, followed by Nimoy’s thoughtful and detailed response. […]

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How to be Tactful

“Tact is the art of making a point without making an enemy.” — Isaac Newton I am a southern girl at heart. I was raised by southerners– a southern mother, a southern daddy, southern grandparents, a giant, closeknit southern family. As I’ve made my way out into the world, personally and professionally, I’ve taken all […]

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