Just me, being me! — Jodi A Watson

I love to think about the simple things that set me apart from others & how my uniqueness contributes to my individuality. From my preferences to my little quirky habits, every aspect of me adds color to my personal canvas. Today, I invite you to take a closer look at what my quirkiness looks like.

Color Choices

I've never been one to pick a favorite color. Instead, my home decor leans towards neutral, to provide a serene & calming backdrop to the chaos of daily life. However, sometimes I think my wardrobe suffers from multiple personalities disorder, as it’s a mix of black clothing - many LBD’s, black trousers & perfect black tees; I guess working in the fashion district in NYC for many years did that to me. Also, it’s flooded with white tops, as I cherish the timelessness of a good crisp white shirt with subtle design details. As the mom of two boys, I find myself wearing quite a bit of blue & white stripe combos, not purposely, it just happened that way; think Nantucket or Cape Cod blue! And lastly there's pink – the color that never fails to spark joy for me, like my beautiful Phalaenopsis orchid or my ‘once a year’ (cue to my dear husband 😆) Mother’s Day pink peonies!

Culinary Adventures

I remember growing up, for any special family dinner it was off to Kiku, a hibachi restaurant in NJ, that we went to; my father absolutely loved for all of us to celebrate there for special occasions. Childhood memories stuck with me, as I still really love Asian cuisine; it holds a special place in my heart. The blend of flavors, alongside the aromatic spices and the vibrant colors make my eyes dance with excitement. No wonder I pick up the orange chicken each visit to TJ’s. And speaking of favorites, thinking back, one of the best Chinese food dinners I’ve had was, believe it or not, in Kingston, Jamaica at Dragon Court - superb! I’ve also said to my husband, an Asian cooking class is definitely on my bucket list for this year, so please hold me accountable.

Overcoming Fears

Ah, the highway & the open road - an American symbol of freedom and adventure! Yet, when I first got my driver's license, the thought of driving on the highway filled me with nothing but fear & anxiety. I remember buying my first car at the age of 25, it was a silver Mini Cooper with a black top. I ordered it custom at the car dealership & it took eight loooong weeks until it was ready. When I finally got the call, my mom took me to pick it up & I couldn’t have been more excited. Normally, while driving my parents car to the mall and running my many errands, I always took the back roads instead of the highway, but when my mom and I were on our way back from picking up my brand new shiny car, I was behind the wheel following her, she “accidentally” took me on the highway (RT 17, to be exact): at that very moment it was ‘merge or die’, so I merged on & started driving with the flow of traffic! After that near death defying experience, I conquered my fear. And with much time, practice & moving to the ATL, I’m still rolling on the highway!

Melodic Accents

There's something undeniably charming about a proper British accent. I remember while growing up in Barbados and attending St Winifred’s School, I had lots of expat friends and their parents had strong British accents. Also, whenever we’d go to Jamaica for summer or Christmas holidays, we’d link up with our British cousins and I’d love to hear them speak, asking them to repeat words over & over again 😆. Not sure if it’s the cadence, the word pronunciation, or the eloquence, but it's like music to my ears. To this day, I also love to watch British movies on Netflix, probably for this very reason. Shout out to The Summerhouse Estates & Top Boy! My favorite!

Attention to Detail

I've always been someone who is quite particular about certain things, driven by a desire for precision and perfection. Whether it's arranging flowers in a vase, setting the table-scape for entertaining guests in our home or organizing my personal closet & workspace, every detail matters to me. I remember while working at Donna Karan, I’d clear my entire desk every day before going home & wipe it down; my coworkers would ask me why do I continue do this? I really think because it was a hyper focused environment, it helped me to declutter my mind & create a clean canvas for the next work day. The same goes for my bed in the mornings, it has to be made right after I get up (teaching my boys this has been a tall task). I know I’m not perfect & don’t claim to be, but I do have a deep appreciation for the beauty that lies in order & organization.

Productive Peaks

While some thrive in the wee early hours of the morning at 4am-5am, (I really need to read that book The 5am Club) or burn the midnight oil, I find my most productive time of day falls between 9am and 12pm. That’s my sweet spot of time to have work meetings or run errands. For me, it’s the window of time where my mind is sharp, my creativity flows freely and my productivity level is up.

I guess all of my little quirks and eccentricities are what make me truly unique. Embracing them allows me to be who I am, with no apologies. So here's to simultaneously celebrating all of our similarities & what sets us apart from one another. Don't let your little quirks slow you down, or take you off the ‘highway of life’, use them to accentuate the positive & shine brightly! Have you ever stopped to think about what defines you?

With gratitude,

Jodi