Hazel Thornton's Blog, page 2
March 17, 2025
Menendez Miracle #6
I have written previously about the first five Menendez Miracles.
And I have written more recently about the roller coaster of Menendez legal ups and downs in this frequently-updated post: If I Could Hold a Press Conference.
Last week, after yet another lengthy, unnecessary, prejudicial, and error-filled press conference by DA Hochman, Governor Newsom announced that he has set a hearing date for the brothers before the parole board. He had already ordered a risk assessment to assist him in considering clemency, which would also be part of a parole process should they be resentenced.
Clemency hearing date for Menendez brothers set by California Gov. Gavin Newsom (USA Today)
For two people who were sentenced to life in prison WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY of parole, and who have not (yet) been resentenced, I’d say a parole board hearing for Erik and Lyle is a miracle, wouldn’t you?
The date to pencil in on your calendar is June 13. And the resentencing hearing (a separate still-viable path to freedom in the hands of Judge Jesic) is currently (re-)scheduled for April 17-18.
Are you a Menendez supporter?If you are, great! Please leave a comment, scroll down to see what you can do to help, and spread the word by sharing this blog post with others you think may be interested.
However, if you aren’t a supporter, please refrain from commenting. I’ve endured enough criticism in the past 3 decades to last me a lifetime, thank you very much!
If you’re just not sure, you’re definitely not alone! I didn’t know, what to think either, until I spent 7 months as a first-trial Menendez juror (1 month jury selection + 5 months trial + 1 month deliberations). My book, and this flow chart, will help you decide.
What’s YOUR verdict? CLICK the image to view, download, and print the full-sized (free) PDF chart. SHARE it with both supporters and doubters. Order your copy of my book here: Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror
What can you do to help?SIGN the petition (I only share family-approved petitions.) Justiceforerikandlyle.org (For more information, or if you experience difficulties, contact info@justiceforerikandlyle.org.)WATCH the latest update from Crime Analyst (YouTube, 21 min.) Menendez Brothers: Why DA Hochman Is Wrong & Newsom’s Intervention Changes Everything CONTACT Governor Newsom to express your support for the brothers. https://www.gov.ca.gov/contact/ SHARE this post, the featured charts, and whatever else you find helpful on my website. https://www.org4life.com/menendez-juror REMEMBER: This is a marathon, not a sprint.The story’s not over!
I created this Venn diagram in 2016, when interest in the case started picking up again on the 20th anniversary of the murder convictions. This was before I knew there would be SEVERAL miracles paving the very long path to the BIG one. CLICK the image to view, download, and print the full-sized PDF chart. SHARE it with other supporters!
The next Menendez Miracle? — The ReleaseErik and Lyle walking free after 35+ years? Why not?
No matter how many pieces are in place now, it will still take a miracle.
But, as we’ve seen, miracles do happen!
Resources The Menendez Murders Flow Chart What’s YOUR verdict? Enough is Enough: The Menendez Tapestry 4-min video Hazel’s Top Menendez Media Picks Books, Documentaries, Dramatizations, Podcasts, Websites Complete First Trial Courtroom Videos Watch for yourself on CourtTV.com.(The corrupt second trial was not televised.) Menendez Juror Website More resources, News, FAQ, etc.______________________________________________________Hazel Thornton is an author, genealogist, and retired home and office organizer.Book: Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror Book: What’s a Photo Without the Story? How to Create Your Family Legacy Book: Go With the Flow! The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook Feel free to link directly to this post! Click here to ask about other uses.Copyright 2025 by Hazel Thornton, Organized for Life and Beyond
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February 22, 2025
We’re All Related (and why it matters)
Click image to learn more and register for RootsTech.
It’s ti-i-me!
Time for RootsTech, that is (March 6-8, 2025), and time for my favorite feature, Relatives at RootsTech.
The largest annual genealogy conference in the world is a hybrid event. If you register for the FREE virtual portion of the conference you will get a different experience, of course, than if you go in person. But there are benefits in registering, even if you are only semi-interested, and even if you can’t attend on those dates. Like what? Like access to recorded educational sessions from previous years, and access to Relatives at RootsTech.
What is “Relatives at RootsTech”?It’s a tool that shows how you are related to others who are also registered for the conference. The first time I saw that I was related to tens of thousands of other conference goers I thought, “Well, that can’t be right.” But when I realized how many people attend RootsTech, and how many have common ancestors with me on the order of 10 generations back, and thought about how many descendants those ancestors must have by now, my doubts vanished.
Why do I like Relatives at RootsTech so much?It reminds me that everyone is related. While I may not be related to YOU, I very well also might be!It’s fun to be able say you’re related to a client, or friend, or colleague, and also to know exactly HOW you’re related.It can benefit your research and enrich your life to connect with a distant cousin who is researching common ancestors.Did I mention it’s free?Can I trust Relatives at RootsTech?No. It’s not a matter of trust!
This link isn’t working and I don’t know why. Just register for RootsTech and you’ll see Relatives at RootsTech!
FamilySearch is a crowd-sourced world tree, so it’s subject to errors introduced by users who are not experienced genealogists. But it also includes a plethora of free resources and many wonderfully-documented ancestor profiles. The Relatives at RootsTech tool provides the path by which you are supposedly connected, based on input from you and other researchers. It’s up to each of us to analyze the information we encounter, and to make corrections (or to at least initiate discussions with other researchers) if we are in possession of more, or better, evidence.
How to use Relatives at RootsTech:First, register for RootsTech. There is no cost for the virtual part of the conference, but you will need to create an also-free FamilySearch account to get started.Look for the Relatives at RootsTech feature during the month before and the month after the conference.If you don’t see that you are related to anyone, add a couple more generations to your tree (first yourself, then your parents, then your grandparents, and so on) until it connects with the larger world tree.If you don’t see that you are related to anyone you know, ask someone you do know to also register for the conference so you can see if, and how, you are related.If you are related, but it’s 10 generations back and not all of the names look familiar, use the provided path as clues. Document each step along the way on both sides before resting assured it is a legitimate path to a common ancestor. I’ve had some good luck with the paths I’ve been presented, but I am always wary of each step (branch, leaf) until I see (or find) sufficient documentation for each one. I don’t want to end up climbing someone else’s family tree!If you don’t have time to do the research now, take a screenshot to refer to later.What if Relatives at RootsTech isn’t available?The reason Relatives at RootsTech is exciting is because it’s not available all year round. It’s only available the month before, and the month after the conference. This is the only time you can find out how you’re related to living persons, since living persons are not searchable on FamilySearch (or other genealogy platforms) for privacy’s sake.
What is available all year, though, is a page called Famous Relatives. In the same way you saw (and proved) you were related to a friend, acquaintance, or distant cousin, you can see (and prove) whether or not you are related to a famous person in one of the following categories: Leaders, Inventors and Scientists, Entertainers and Artists, Trailblazers, and Athletes.
So, even if you aren’t related to ME, you are almost certainly related to somebody famous.
Why Does it Matter?Is it important to have famous ancestors? No, of course not! It’s mostly just fun.
As I wrote in my introduction to the Albuquerque Genealogical Society, whose board of directors I joined last month, “Most of my ancestors immigrated to America from the British Isles in the 1600s. The most intriguing ones (so far) include Quakers, loyalists, slaveholders, and that one 3rd great-grandfather who went to the gold rush and was never heard from again.”
Most of my ancestors were unsung pioneers and farmers (plus a few drunks and rent-jumpers). Some I’ve traced back 12 generations, while others left so few records of themselves that I’m stuck only a few generations back in time searching for them.
I think it’s important in these divisive political times to focus on what we all have in common, not what separates us.
If we go back far enough, we are all descended from so many ancestors that finding common ground is inevitable. If I find that I am descended from royalty, or related to famous people, the point is not that I’m special. The point is that we are ALL special. Even those ancestors who left few records are special. People who think they aren’t related to royalty, just don’t know yet that they’re descended from both royalty and their servants. And, if you live in the United States, and you aren’t a Native American, you are an immigrant no matter how long ago your family came here.
Related blog posts and Resources:
How and when to find a common ancestorv
(I solved a family mystery and determined my relationship to a historical figure by finding our common ancestor. And you can too!)
What the heck is a second cousin once removed?
(Even genealogists need charts to figure out cousin relationships.)
Black Lives Matter in Genealogy Too
(Aka Slaveholders in the Family)
Are we all descended from royalty?
(Spoiler alert: Most of us are distantly related to rulers such as Charlemagne, Genghis Kahn, and other historical figures with an abundance of descendants.)
Witches in the Family
(Included here for the sections called “How do I know we’re really related, though?”, “Do the math”, and “My ancestors are all immigrants, and yours probably are too”.)
Genealogy Resource Roundup
(These are the resources I use most often.)Are you registered for RootsTech?
Are WE related? Who else are you related to?
Please leave a comment below!
______________________________________________________Hazel Thornton is an author, genealogist, and retired home and office organizer.Book: Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror Book: What’s a Photo Without the Story? How to Create Your Family Legacy Book: Go With the Flow! The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook Feel free to link directly to this post! Click here to ask about other uses.Copyright 2025 by Hazel Thornton, Organized for Life and Beyond
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The post We’re All Related (and why it matters) appeared first on Hazel Thornton.
January 8, 2025
How Christmas turned into a Virtual Winter Retreat
I usually spend Christmas with Jane, my best-friend-since-we-were-14. Usually, she flies from Boise (where we grew up) to my house in Albuquerque. (My brother and aunt live here too, and she calls us her Christmas family.) Sometimes when I tell people she is coming they say, “Do you have anything special planned?” And I reply, “I just told you. Jane is coming!” No, we don’t usually have much else planned. We are too busy watching TV, eating, and talking.
↑ ↑ This is us, pre- and post-COVID, when we inadvertently switched hairstyles.
But things change, and sometimes things happen. This year, when we agreed she wasn’t coming (for reasons that are not important here) I said, “But we can still have a fun week spending Christmas together virtually.” How? Well, it’s not like we’ve never watched TV together at the same time before, while texting our comments back and forth during the show.
Then I added, “What if we added a productivity component and made it into a Virtual Winter Retreat?” Jane was enthusiastically like-minded, and so we did.
Our agenda was pretty loose, but I’ve found that a little structure can go a long way.
Each morningWhatever time we got around to it, we shared our goals for the day. We agreed on categories and aimed for one thing (completion or progress) in each category, per day. If we had time for more, and felt like it, we did more. Some days lots more.
Our categories, including a sample day, were:
Adulting (anything we find boring but still needs to be done)Me: Review budget and expensesJane: Renew auto registrationHealth (including, but certainly not limited to, physical activity)Me: PT exercisesJane: PickleballShort-term project (something with an internal or external deadline)Me: Write January newsletterJane: Take donations to GoodwillLong-term project (something on which we want to make a little regular progress)Me: Genealogy researchJane: Clean up yardWe are both writers, so we both routinely have some short- and long-term writing goals. Check out Jane’s Wikipedia page! And if you aren’t already familiar, check out my books.
BTW, my own personal categories during the year are usually Home, Work, Self, and Others, as described in this blog post: The Chinese Menu Time Management Technique. During Virtual Winter Retreat I realized I needed to revise my goals and activities if I want to keep those same categories during retirement. And one day I worked on that. But your categories might be different, and the ones we elected to use during our retreat suited us both at the time.
Each afternoonAt 4 pm we convened for the following agenda:
Compare notes on what we accomplished that day. No need to dwell on what we did not accomplish.Our lists course-corrected naturally as we went along. And we weren’t working on things that required in-depth coaching.Watch up to 4 episodes of a TV show we’d picked together.We chose A Discovery of Witches on Netflix (and we finished, and enjoyed, all 3 seasons), but it could have been anything. A few previous favorites have been Deadwood, The L Word, Shameless, and Alone.Eat dinner.Sometimes we coordinated what we were eating, and sometimes we didn’t. For example, one night we both made snack boards and another night we both ordered Thai.
↑ ↑ My snack board incorporated a mini gouda wheel and mini Triscuits in the foreground. Jane’s design echoes the snowflakes on the tablecloth. (Or wrapping paper, or whatever that is — I was focused on the food and forgot to ask!)
After a week of this (Christmas Day to New Year’s Eve) we agreed we had both been productive and had fun, too!
It was a good way to end one year and set ourselves up for success in the next.
I suggested a Virtual Birthday Retreat, around the time of our late spring/early summer birthdays, and would be willing to do it quarterly. (Maybe not a whole week each time.) But Jane wants to do it more often and is welcome to do so with other friends, in whatever format suits them.
Ideas for creating your own Virtual Retreat:Call it whatever you want: Retreat; Boot Camp; etc. Words matter. They set the tone for what you want to accomplish and how you want to feel. A Boot Camp is generally stricter and has more well-defined goals than a Retreat.Invite whomever you want, or create a Solo event, ala this Literature and Latte blog post: How to Create Your Own Solo Writing Retreat. (Thanks to Julie Bestry for sharing this link with me and our other NAPO writing friends!)Make the focus whatever you want: Getting lots of little (but important) stuff done? Making progress on a big project? Pampering yourself and catching up with friends?Make it however long you want. 1 day minimum, but a week (like we did) is stretching it for most people and situations.Communication is key. Choose a platform for sharing your ideas and comparing goals/progress. Text -OR- Email -OR- Messenger. (OR phone -OR- Zoom -OR- etc.) It will drive everyone crazy, and be ineffective, to have the messages spread over multiple platforms.Decide how much money, if any, you want to spend. Will there be food? Will you try to coordinate it?Even if your retreat is business-oriented, and even if you are doing it solo, be sure and build in some fun. It doesn’t have to be TV! (Not that there’s anything wrong with a little Guilt-Free TV.)About participating in others’ virtual retreats
Jane’s thoughts:
It has been a great retreat. I am proud of what I got done and thankful to your support in every way. Also, several of my friends immediately said, “I want to do that!” I am boot camping with one and will be having a weekend retreat with another next month.
I have a couple of annual virtual events coming up that I did not plan. (I am just a participant.) The ones I am thinking of are the very public RootsTech genealogy conference and a private group Writing Retreat. They will be very different from each other, but they have one thing in common: I will enjoy them more, and get more out of them, if I give them my full attention.
How do I do that?
I reserve the days on my calendar and do not schedule other things on those days.I plan to be in a quiet, comfortable location for Zooming. (In my case I’ll just be home, on my laptop, at my desk.)I make sure I have easy or already-prepared meals on hand.This allows me to enjoy the events as stress-free as possible.
Have you done something like this, or think you might?
Please share with us in the comments below!
______________________________________________________Hazel Thornton is an author, genealogist, and retired home and office organizer.Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror What’s a Photo Without the Story? How to Create Your Family Legacy Go With the Flow! The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook Feel free to link directly to this post! Click here to ask about other uses.Copyright 2025 by Hazel Thornton, Organized for Life and Beyond
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December 16, 2024
Celebrating 20 Years
Please join me in celebrating 20 years of membership in the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals. NAPO has been the foundation of my professional life and business. I’m retired now, but I’m still an emeritus member. For 17 of those years I helped clients to declutter, simplify, organize, and refresh their homes, offices, schedules, and lives. Some of them I helped to discover their ancestral roots and tell their family stories, too!
Thank you allFirst, I want to thank you all — friends, family, colleagues, clients (especially clients), business networking contacts, joint venture partners, assistants, newsletter subscribers, flow chart users, blog and book readers, and social media followers — for joining me on my solopreneur roller coaster ride! I am so grateful for your business, your friendship, and your support.
Milestones2004 – Discovered NAPO and attended my first NAPO-LA regional conference (as a non-member) in February. Started doing free “needs assessments” for my friends, with the intent of becoming a professional organizer in my retirement…which was not at all imminent at the time…or so I thought.
2004 – “Surplussed” (laid off) by the phone company in December, after 21-1/2 years. NOT retired. NO benefits. Immediately joined NAPO. (Read more of my story here: Born to Organize.)
2004 logo
2019 new logo — NAPO has grown and changed too!
2005 – Founded my company, Organized for Life. Created my first website. (Click here for a blast from the Wayback machine.) Started monthly newsletter, Org4life News. Volunteered briefly as NAPO-LA’s Chapter Librarian.
2005
2005 – Attended the NAPO2005 conference in San Diego.
2005 – Moved to Albuquerque in July and co-founded Professional Organizers of New Mexico with six local colleagues.
2007 – Earned IRIS certification in Home Staging and Interior Redesign by taking Sandy Dixon’s week-long hands-on intensive course in beautiful Evergreen, Colorado.
2007 – Attended the NAPO2007 conference in Minneapolis and was inspired to create a new logo and tag line. (Read more of the story: The egret represents freedom from clutter)
BEFORE: My first business card was corporate-looking and boring. Also, it seems my newsletter was only published quarterly at that time.
AFTER: The egret taking flight logo and tag line encourage you to rise above your clutter and find the freedom of getting Organized for Life.
December 2009 = End of Year 52010 – Accepted into NAPO’s Golden Circle of members with 5+ years.
old logo
2010 – Created the Original Clutter Flow Chart to help you declutter when I’m not right there by your side!
Click here to help yourself to a complimentary copy of the ORIGINAL Clutter Flow Chart!
2011 – Attended the NAPO2011 conference in San Diego.
2011 – Started offering Custom-Branded Clutter Flow Charts to other professional organizers for use with their own clients, presentations, and marketing prospects.
2011 – Compiled the previous year’s weekly Facebook time tips into an indexed and cross-referenced e-book, It’s About Time: 52 tips to help you take control of your time and your life! (no longer available)
2011 – Coordinated a team of local volunteers for an episode of A&E Hoarders. (View our behind-the-scenes photo album.)
2012 – Attended the NAPO2012 conference in Baltimore.
2012 – Upgraded to a new, combined website and blog. (Read Web Designer Janet Barclay’s story: Another Professional Organizer Chooses WordPress for her Website )
2013 – Attended the NAPO2013 conference in New Orleans.
2013 – Joined the NAPO Virtual Chapter and served as their Secretary for a year.
2013 – Combined 15 flow charts (plus articles, worksheets, resources and instructions) into a new e-workbook: Go With The Flow! The Clutter-Clearing Tool Kit for an Organized Life.
Click here to help yourself to a complimentary copy of the ORIGINAL Clutter Flow Chart!
2013 – Introduced Resource Roundups for DIY Organizing.
2014 – Attended the NAPO2014 conference in Scottsdale, and participated on the Ask the Organizers Golden Circle Panel.
That’s me on the far right.
2014 – Earned Superstar Blogger status in the Professional Organizers Blog Carnival. (
2014 – Joined the NAPO Authorship and Publishing SIG (Special Interest Group).
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2015 – Attended the NAPO2015 conference in Los Angeles, at which I was recognized as a POINT Platinum MVP and recruited as a POINT Committee volunteer. (POINT is a message board for NAPO members.)
2015 – Joined APPO (which eventually became The Photo Managers) and became a Certified Photo Organizer, which rekindled my longtime interest in genealogy.
Old APPO logo
New TPM logo
2015 – Added Virtual Organizing Services to my repertoire.
Logo from Sheila Delson’s Virtual Organizing Training Program
2016 – Began offering Family History Research Services.
2016-2017 – Cue cliche record scratch sound. My past collided with my present when reporters started calling again to interview me about my experience as a juror on the first Menendez brothers murder trial in 1993-4. My book, Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror was republished and I traveled to Los Angeles several times for interviews and to work with Robert Rand, the journalist whose book was the basis for the NBC 8-part series Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders. (More about this on MenendezJuror.com. See also The Menendez Boxes Project photo album. The Juror helps the Journalist get organized!)
2017 – Presented “Networking for Introverts” at the NAPO2017 conference in Pittsburgh.
2017 – Was honored to receive the prestigious President’s Award at the NAPO2017 conference in Pittsburgh.
2017 – Started blogging about my Mom’s Boxes.
2018 – Attended the NAPO2018 conference in Chicago, and APPOCON2018 in Raleigh.
2018 – Achieved Megastar Blogger status in the Professional Organizers Blog Carnival.
2019 – Earned the 4th of 4 available (at the time) NAPO Certificate Badges (Residential Organizing, Life Transitions, Workplace Productivity, Household Management).
2019 – Achieved Top 100 Organizing Blogs status. (My usual middle-of-the-pack position varies over time, but I just noticed I’m #14 in 2024!)
2019 – Joined the Association of Professional Genealogists and co-founded the Genealogy Organizers Facebook group.
2019 – Attended the APPO (now TPM) conference, and Southwest Writers conference, both right here in Albuquerque.
December 2019 = End of Year 15
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2020 — Once again, cue cliche record scratch sound. COVID-19 changed some things for all of us, and everything for some of us. For starters, I was all set to be a co-presenter in a session called “Yikes, I’m 60ish! What are my options?” (still available to NAPO members) at the NAPO2020 conference in Orlando. Instead, that conference was cancelled and we had to wait for the 2021 virtual conference to make our presentation. This year also marked the end of my 5-year volunteer role on the POINT committee.
2020 — Sadly, lost my feline office manager and constant companion of many years. The End of an Era: RIP George
2021 — Published my book, What’s a Photo Without the Story? How to Create Your Family Legacy, in which my organizing and downsizing experience dovetails with my interest in photo management and genealogy.
2022 — Joined the NAPO emeritus program, and helped to create similar programs for PONM and TPM retired members who want to stay involved with, and contribute to, their professional communities.
2022-3 — Presented several programs to various NAPO chapters, TPM (The Photo Managers), and AGS (Albuquerque Genealogical Society) based on my book What’s a Photo Without the Story? How to Create Your Family Legacy.
2023 — Reformatted and added content to my previous collection of charts and published my book, Go With the Flow! The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook
Click here to help yourself to a complimentary copy of the ORIGINAL Clutter Flow Chart!
2023 — Started posting High Five Friday weekly posts on Facebook.
2024 — The increased public and legal attention to the Menendez brothers murder case this year meant more interviews for me. I don’t often blog about this, but I do have a Menendez blog category and a Menendez Juror section of my website.
December 2024 = End of Year 20 .
Not listed:Clients organizedCarloads of donations to GoodwillCarloads of books to Friends of the LibraryClasses attendedBooks readPresentations givenHours donatedAdditional volunteer jobsGuest blog posts writtenNetworking accomplishedFriendships forgedWhat’s next for Org4life?
Albuquerque Genealogical Society
That’s a good question!
Well, there’s nothing next for my business, Organized for Life.
And this is probably my last professional milestone blog post, too.
But there’s surely lots in store for me.
I will continue being involved in NAPO, PONM, and TPM until it’s no longer fun. (I’m currently the most active in the NAPO Authorship and Publishing SIG.)
And I’ve agreed to take on a new role, at least for a year: Vice President of the Albuquerque Genealogical Society.
I will keep my website and publish new blog posts when I have something to say, and, for now, I still have my monthly newsletter to write. As I say in Org4life News: I’m retired from my second career as a professional organizer. But I’m still here to help, even if it means making referrals to my trusted colleagues for services I no longer provide.
Stay tuned, and we’ll both see what happens.
Thank you all for a wonderful 20 years!
Your comments are welcome below.
______________________________________________________Hazel Thornton is an author, genealogist, and retired home and office organizer.
Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror What’s a Photo Without the Story? How to Create Your Family Legacy Go With the Flow! The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook Feel free to link directly to this post! Click here to ask about other uses.Copyright 2024 by Hazel Thornton, Organized for Life and Beyond
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The post Celebrating 20 Years appeared first on Hazel Thornton.
November 20, 2024
Clearing Social Media Clutter
Things are changing in the social media world. Not just recently, but constantly and relentlessly. And I’m drowning in social media clutter.
Should I add new accounts? Delete old ones? Continue ignoring the ones I’m not using? Arrgh! It’s a problem for me, but also one that’s easy to procrastinate solving because social media accounts don’t occupy physical space. They don’t even consume digital storage space unless, of course, you are creating images and videos for posting. Then it can add up fast.
NOTE: If you don’t have as many accounts as I do, count yourself lucky. If you have no trouble deciding which platforms to use, and are not overwhelmed by them, feel free to skip this post! Meanwhile, I’ve had a number of acquaintances express a desire to read such a post. Here you go!
Social Media DiscomfortI think everyone experiences social media discomfort, even if it’s only a momentary frustration with how something didn’t post the way you expected it would, or failed to reach your intended audience. And everyone’s got a different level of tolerance. Some get frustrated and leave a platform altogether because:
They can’t keep up with changes in features and algorithms.There are too many settings to manage.They don’t know how to curate their feeds to their liking.They’re unsure how to handle “friends” who are argumentative or who post too much.They are reluctant to learn anything new.I’m sure there are additional reasons.S= SortI wasn’t even sure where to start. Finally, it occurred to me to apply some good old-fashioned organizing principles to the problem. Why not use the S.P.A.C.E. method that served me so well during my professional organizing career?
First I gathered all my accounts together in one list — I took inventory. Sorting normally means putting like items together to see how many you have and which of those you want to keep. Sorting social media into categories is tricky because some of the platforms provide mixed and cross-over services.
Here are some examples:
Business v. Personal — Business is business. Personal can include hobbies and interests. As a first-trial juror, the Menendez brothers murder case is more than a hobby for me, but it’s not something I want to talk about 24/7, either.Media types — Some platforms are image-based (Instagram). Others are video-centric (YouTube, TikTok), or feature short form written content (Twitter). Where it gets tricky is if a platform (Facebook) allows a combination of media types and sharing from other sources, but their algorithm constantly changes, prioritizing one over another without saying that’s what they’re doing now.Platform owners and interoperability — For example, Mark Zuckerburg owns the Metaverse, which includes Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and Threads. Reels posted on Instagram can be automatically (or manually) posted to Stories on Facebook, which can be super handy, or super annoying depending on how you look at it. (I did not include Messenger in my inventory because it’s a communication tool more like texting or emailing than it is like social media.) And sometimes politics is a factor. Enough said.Target audience — The people you want to reach, and your reasons for wanting to reach them, may have changed over time. Or, the people you used to reach may have moved to another platform by now.Taking inventory:Facebook — personal profile (Hazel Thornton)Facebook — business page (Organized for Life and Beyond)Ex-Twitter — @org4lifeEx-Twitter — @menendezjurorInstagram — @hazelthornton2022Instagram — @menendezjurorInstagram — @clutterflowchartsInstagram — @photostorylegacyThreads — @hazelthornton2022Threads — @menendezjurorMastodon — @Hazel@newsie.socialPinterest — @hazel_thorntonYouTube — Hazel ThorntonLinkedIn — Hazel ThorntonTikTok — @hazelthornton2022TikTok — @menendezjurorSixteen. Whew! No wonder I’m overwhelmed!
Why so many?Because…
They’re fun to use and they all do different things and reach different audiences.I used to advise others on which platforms might suit them best, including the option of not using any of them if they weren’t clear on their goals. So I needed to have tried them.Unless I wanted to discuss the Menendez case 24/7 on every platform, I needed separate accounts for them.It’s easy to add platforms because they don’t take up physical space.Why not keep them all?Because…
My needs have changed. For example, I am no longer running an organizing business, or a genealogy business. I do, however, still have books to sell.Each platform changes constantly in terms of algorithm, settings, etc. It’s hard to keep up with the changes that allow one to effectively use each platform, and even harder when there are so many platforms.Portions of my audience(s) — friends, family, clients, colleagues, followers, resources — have moved to different platforms and/or become frustrated with all the changes and simply stopped using their accounts.Even though electronic activities don’t take up physical space, they do consume time and energy, which occupy mental space!P=PurgeFor each account I asked myself: Am I actually using it? Have my needs changed? Has my audience changed? Is it still fun?
Facebook — personal profile (Hazel Thornton)This is where I feel most “at home”. I’m sad that so many of my friends have left. And I’m frustrated about the decreased “reach” of my posts, but not frustrated enough to leave. KEEP
Facebook — business page (Organized for Life and Beyond)I’ve kept this page, since retiring from my business a few years ago, as a place to post organizing content. It’s also a way to continue to make the things available that I’ve posted previously. But I don’t think the effort is worthwhile anymore. I can still post about organizing (maybe not so much) on my personal page. DELETE.
Ex-Twitter — @org4lifeTwitter, as you may have heard, got ugly the instant Elon Musk bought it. And I don’t just mean it got conservative. I mean that merely opening it up is sometimes like walking into a cafeteria foodfight full of people you don’t know and don’t want to know. I kept hoping he would get bored with his new toy and sell it to someone else, but no. I mostly only use it these days to share other organizers’ blog posts. I’ll find another way. DELETE
Ex-Twitter — @menendezjurorThis is where a lot of Menendez supporters still are, and I am one of their sources of information. KEEP
Instagram — @hazelthornton2022You can see by the date (2022) that I haven’t had this account forever. I had plans to use it, but never implemented them. Plus, this is the account that for some reason is a target for being cloned. Ugh! DELETE
Instagram — @menendezjurorThis is where a lot of Menendez supporters still are, and I am one of their sources of information. KEEP
Instagram — @clutterflowchartsI had plans for this account, related to my book Go With the Flow! The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook, but never followed through. DELETE
Instagram — @photostorylegacyI had plans for this account, related to my book What’s a Photo Without the Story? How to Create Your Family Legacy, but never followed through. DELETE
Threads — @hazelthornton2022I signed up but never really used this platform. It was created by Meta as a Twitter alternative, but I’m leaning towards Bluesky for that. DELETE
Threads — @menendezjurorI signed up but never really used this platform. It was created by Meta as a Twitter alternative, but I’m leaning towards Bluesky for that. DELETE
Mastodon — @Hazel@newsie.socialI never made it past signing up because it seemed too complicated. Also I’m not hearing anyone talk about it anymore, so I’m not tempted anymore. DELETE
Pinterest — @hazel_thorntonI used this for a while, years ago. It was fun! It was a mix of personal and business for me, but my boards are so outdated that I hope no one sees them. DELETE
YouTube — Hazel ThorntonI continue to add a variety of videos to my channel and people continue to find them there. KEEP
LinkedIn — Hazel ThorntonI rarely use this other than to make sure my profile is up to date. There are lots of folks I’m connected to there and nowhere else, and once in a while someone worthwhile contacts me there. KEEP
TikTok — @hazelthornton2022I use it every day, mostly for browsing. Not for being followed, or for posting. Also for commenting on posts as “Hazel Thornton”. KEEP
TikTok — @menendezjurorI posted a bunch of videos a year or so ago that I still want people to be able to find. I use this account to comment on Menendez posts as “Menendez Juror”, and for re-posting other Menendez stuff to my Menendez followers. KEEP
DELETING = 9
KEEPING = 7
A=Assign a Home & C=ContainerizeOK, S.P.A.C.E. may not have been the best model for this project, but it did help me focus and pare down!
When it comes to social media clutter, each account becomes a “home” and a “container” for certain activities, as previously discussed for each account in the Purge section.
E=EqualizeAn organizing principle that fits well into this category is the one in, one out rule. It helps to keep your mental space allotted to social media from overflowing. Historically, I have only added platforms. I haven’t deleted any, which is how I ended up with social media clutter!
Since I am deleting so many accounts, I feel there is room to try a new one:
Bluesky — @hazelthornton.bsky.social
I am envisioning this as a Menendez-free zone (except, of course, for the title of one of my three books, Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror). I haven’t posted yet, but I’ve established a profile and connected with some friends. It really does seem like early Twitter. So far, so good!
Next Steps:I feel better having made some decisions. But I still have work to do!
Delete the identified accounts. That means looking up how to deactivate each of them, not just deleting the apps on my phone and not using them anymore.Consider leaving forwarding messages (in the form of pinned posts) on certain accounts. Schedule a date to go back and actually deactivate and delete those accounts.If it turns out not to be possible to delete one account without adversely affecting another, it’s OK to let it sit there. In which case, I’ll pin a forwarding message, as opposed to simply letting it look abandoned.If I try to selectively download account data, and it turns out to not be possible, don’t worry about it. Just delete. I don’t need all that history.Don’t forget to change the social sharing buttons on my website!.Do you have social media clutter?
What do you plan to do about it?
Please share with us in the comments below!
______________________________________________________Hazel Thornton is an author, genealogist, and retired home and office organizer.
Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror What’s a Photo Without the Story? How to Create Your Family Legacy Go With the Flow! The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook Feel free to link directly to this post! Click here to ask about other uses.Copyright 2024 by Hazel Thornton, Organized for Life and Beyond
______________________________________________________________________________
The post Clearing Social Media Clutter appeared first on Hazel Thornton.
November 7, 2024
On Writing a First Draft
I’m not writing much these days. A regular monthly newsletter and an occasional blog post. Social media posts. Emails. That’s about it for now.
I’m also not participating in NaNoWriMo, but that’s what I always think of in November. And that’s what inspired me to write this post. NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month, and it’s not too late to sign up or create your own self-styled program. PRO TIP: It doesn’t have to be a novel! And it doesn’t have to be November!
All writers start with a first draft. Getting started can seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are some tips for you.
The sandbox analogyI might as well start with my favorite tip about first drafts, which will also explain the sandcastle image:
When writing a first draft, I have to remind myself constantly that I’m only shoveling sand into a box so later I can build castles.
— Shannon Hale
To me, that says it all. A box full of sand doesn’t look like much. But without it, you can’t build a beautiful sand castle!
My own advice about first draftsWhen it comes to writing stories about your photos and your family history — even if you don’t consider yourself to be a “real” writer — here’s a quote from my book What’s a Photo Without the Story? How to Create Your Family Legacy:
It doesn’t have to be perfect. In fact, let’s just assume right now that your stories won’t be perfect. But they will be a start. You don’t even have to know what you’re going to eventually do with them to get started. Just remind yourself you don’t have to show anyone if you don’t want to. Think of whatever you create as a first draft. (Even “real” writers start with first drafts!) If you don’t get it out of your head, and into a first draft, then there will be nothing for you (or others) to improve upon, right? And the stories will be lost.
— Hazel Thornton
If you are a perfectionistic writer — and who isn’t? — my blog post Letting Go of Perfectionism as a Writer addresses the following topics:
What if there’s a typo, or a grammatical error?LOL — I just noticed an error in this section of the blog post! I’m going to leave it there for you to find because I think it’s amusingly ironic that in three years I’ve never noticed, and no one’s ever pointed it out to me. Wait — yep, the error also appears in the Nonfiction Authors Association guest post version! Which goes to show that the world does not end if you make a mistake.What if my writing isn’t clear, or my tips motivational?What if all my concepts are not original and unique?What if I missed something?What if, what if, what if…..?Shitty first draftsMany writers use the phrase shitty first drafts, coined by author Anne Lamott. But some take exception to the language and the concept, like Lev Raphael in his post Anne Lamott Is Dead Wrong About First Drafts–And That’s Not All. Whatever.
Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere. Start by getting something — anything — down on paper. A friend of mine says that the first draft is the down draft — you just get it down. The second draft is the up draft — you fix it up. You try to say what you have to say more accurately. And the third draft is the dental draft, where you check every tooth, to see if is loose or cramped or decayed, or even, God help us, healthy.
— Anne Lamott
Click here to watch (or just listen to) a 7:33 min YouTube reading (by someone else) of an excerpt — the shitty first drafts chapter — from Lamott’s classic book on writing, Bird by Bird.
Tips from some of my writing colleagues
Writing a first draft is very much like watching a polaroid develop. You can’t — and, in fact you’re not supposed to — know exactly what the picture is going to look like until it has finished developing.
— Anne Lamott
So, what comes next?
I give myself the freedom and permission with first drafts to be very drafty with lots of holes so my creativity has space to fill them in later.
First drafts are all about perseverance and finishing. It’s getting the ideas out of your head, discovering your story, until it comes into existence. THEN you’re able to edit (and edit!) until you can share it with others. But it all starts with a first draft.
Y’know the knock knock joke about the interrupting cow?
Knock Knock. Who’s there? The interrupting cow. The interrup… Moooooooooo!
That’s what I think about when approaching first drafts. My temptation to edit is so high that I constantly interrupt my creative approach. I have to remind myself that you can’t edit a blank page, and you can’t let the interrupting cow editor make you stray from your path. When I catch myself editing before I actually write, I tell myself, “Mooooooooo” to get back on track.
What comes after your first draft, but before handing your manuscript off to a professional editor for copy or line editing? Self-editing, of course. Here’s a tool to help you, written by another writing colleague, book coach Shawndra Holmberg:
Your First Draft is Complete, Now What?: Before you edit, check for these common errors.
Do you have a book in you? Or a blog post? Or a family/photo story?
Have you written your first draft?
What do think is holding you back?
Please share with us in the comments below!
______________________________________________________Hazel Thornton is an author, genealogist, and retired home and office organizer.Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror What’s a Photo Without the Story? How to Create Your Family Legacy Go With the Flow! The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook Feel free to link directly to this post! Click here to ask about other uses.Copyright 2024 by Hazel Thornton, Organized for Life and Beyond
______________________________________________________________________________
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October 27, 2024
Menendez: If I Could Hold a Press Conference
Image from the 2024 Netflix documentary “The Menendez Brothers”. (Full disclosure: I’m in it.)
I wish I could hold a press conference like Los Angeles District Attorney Gascón does when he’s overwhelmed with inquiries about the Menendez case. I’ve received more media requests in the past 30 days than I have in the previous 30 years! I’ve responded to many of them, but for now I have retreated into my introverted comfort zone to write out my thoughts. It’s hard going from no one wanting to know what I think to everyone wanting to know what I think!
If I could, here’s what I would say:
Who am I?For those who don’t know me, I was Juror #9 on the first Erik Menendez jury. There was a separate jury for his brother Lyle, and they both ended in mistrials. Our jury was split directly along gender lines, with six women voting for manslaughter and six men voting for murder. Lyle’s jury was differently, but similarly, split. I describe deliberations at length in my book Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror.
What’s going on?After nearly 35 years behind bars, serving a life sentence WITHOUT the possibility of parole, the brothers now have a chance of being paroled after all. The DA, in his October 24 press conference, announced his recommendation that they be resentenced according to modern guidelines.
What is my reaction to the DA’s announcement?ResentencingI expected the DA to recommended resentencing, and he did. That’s better than recommending against it! I still hope for resentencing over a new trial, which would be costly, painful, and nearly impossible 30 years later.
VerdictI was disappointed, though, that he doubled down on murder being the correct verdict. He admitted that the final decision had not been made until just before the press conference. I still believe it should have been manslaughter and it sounds to me like he personally agrees. I believe keeping the murder verdict in place was to appease those who could nix the resentencing. Kind of like when legislators add riders to a bill and you either have to veto the whole bill or accept the riders.
PoliticsSo it was a political decision, but maybe not in the way people think. Gascón is behind in the polls and some say it’s a Hail Mary pass to try to win the impending DA election. The brothers have a lot more public support these days than ever before, but there are still plenty of folks — including those inside the DA office — who think they should rot in jail. I’m no mind reader, or politician, but I think Gascón is trying to do the right thing while he can before he loses the power to do so.
The original murder convictions, after all, were also politically motivated in that the DA office was on a high-profile “losing streak”, feeling the pressure to convict, and “needing a win”. I disagree that the prosecution ever proved that the killings were “clearly planned”. Most of their evidence involved circumstances with more than one possible explanation. It was the prosecution’s burden, after all, to prove the elements of murder, not the defense’s burden to prove abuse. Half of both juries had reasonable doubt in the first trial, where we heard ALL of the evidence. The second trial was engineered by the judge and the DA to guarantee murder convictions, in part by withholding much of the defense evidence from the jury.
Possible New SentenceThe new sentence, for the murder of two people — if the judge agrees — is 50 years to life WITH the possibility of parole. Which is better than the brothers’ current sentence of life WITHOUT the possibility of parole, but certainly not as good as manslaughter and being released immediately with time served.
The brothers are what has become known today as “youthful offenders” who committed their crime under the age of 26. Therefore they, having served nearly 35 years— if the judge agrees —will be immediately eligible for parole, which is a whole process unto itself.
Possible ParoleErik and Lyle are considered to be excellent candidates for parole. Their remarkable “paths toward rehabilitation” and contributions to their prison community, despite never having had hope of their own parole until now, are detailed in this 57 page sentencing memo dated October 24, 2024. But it’s another hoop to jump through, and who knows what else could happen, or when.
I agree with p. 48. that, “a sentence of life without parole is no longer in the interest of justice,” and that, “Erik and Lyle Menendez’ positive transformation, as well as their ability to find meaning and purpose from their current confinement illustrate just how much circumstances have changed since they were sentenced to Life Without Parole.”
Message to SupportersDon’t lose heart! All the pieces are in place for a Menendez Miracle. It’s taking longer than we hoped for, but miracles do happen! (The Menendez Miracles)
I am hearing that the judge has the power to reduce the verdict and sentence to manslaughter and time served, and if that is true, please let it be so.
Although society has matured, along with Erik and Lyle themselves, many are still stuck in the mindset and prosecution-biased information rut of the 1990’s. All we can do is to continue educating ourselves and spreading the truth to others so that when Erik and Lyle are finally freed, the world will appreciate and be kind to them.
ResourcesThe Menendez Murders Flow Chart What’s your verdict?Enough is Enough: The Menendez Tapestry4-min videoHazel’s Top Menendez Media PicksBooks, Documentaries, Dramatizations, Podcasts, WebsitesComplete First Trial Courtroom VideosWatch for yourself on CourtTV.com.(The corrupt second trial was not televised.)Menendez Juror Website More resources______________________________________________________Hazel Thornton is an author, genealogist, and retired home and office organizer.Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror What’s a Photo Without the Story? How to Create Your Family Legacy Go With the Flow! The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook Feel free to link directly to this post! Click here to ask about other uses.Copyright 2024 by Hazel Thornton, Organized for Life and Beyond
______________________________________________________________________________
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September 19, 2024
Menendez Brothers Update: When it Rains it Pours
It’s been 30 years since I served as Juror #9 on Erik’s first jury.
In that time I’ve observed lengthy periods of drought when it comes to public interest in the Menendez brothers murder case.
But when it rains it pours, and we’re currently experiencing a flash flood.
This time, the interest of all possible media outlets has been piqued by the combination of the possibility of the brothers being freed after all these years and today’s long-awaited release of the new Netflix Monsters Season 2 series.
I’m writing this post partly for my own convenience, because I still get asked questions. This is easier for me than posting separately about each thing and relying on the whims of the social media algorithms to spread the word. Also, if you know me in person, it lets you know what I’ve been up to in this regard.
Here’s what’s happening:
Will the Menendez brothers be freed?
Many article headlines are starting to ask this question. Why? Because the brothers’ attorneys filed a writ of habeas corpus in May 2023. The ruling has been pushed out several times since then. There are legal and political issues preventing a quick decision. Each time the deadline approaches and the court asks for more time I think: Well, at least it wasn’t a NO.
Even if they get a YES, though, it won’t be a yes to automatically letting them out of prison. It will be a yes to proceed with the legal, um, proceedings. It could still take quite some time to resolve all the issues. Fingers crossed! If Lyle and Erik had been convicted of manslaughter, instead of murder, the maximum sentence would have been 22 years each. Which, considering they were arrested in early 1990, means they would have been free twelve (or more) years ago. Free to live their lives and free to be assets to society, as they have been to their prison communities all these years.
When you hear the phrase “new evidence”, well, it depends on how much attention you’ve been paying to the case whether or not anything is new. The letter from Erik to his cousin Andy that you may have heard about was not discovered recently but it also was never presented at court. So, in all the articles that mention the habeas petition, it is referred to as “new”. And the fact that ex-Menudo member Roy Rossello has publicly and legally claimed that he was abused by Jose Menendez as a boy is also “new”. His story was told in the May 2023 three-part Peacock documentary: Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed. (A juror-approved production.)
New TV Series
I’ve been dreading today’s release of the new Netflix series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story ever since they announced in May 2023 that it was coming. Why? Because it’s a dramatization. Fiction, not a documentary. (Not that I approve of all documentaries.) No one outside the production has known for sure how much creative license they were exercising. I mean, someone has to be the titular monsters, right? The trailers imply that actors Javier Bardem and Chloe Sevigny will portray Jose and Kitty as the monsters that I think they were. But that does not preclude Nicholas Chavez and Cooper Koch from also portraying Lyle and Erik as monsters. Even if they are, in the end, sympathetic characters they could still be shown planning the killings (justifying murder convictions) instead of killing in the heat of the moment (manslaughter).
I could just watch it right now, before I publish this post, and let you know what I think, but I don’t want to. If you watch it let me know what you think in the comments, OK? I’m always up for being pleasantly surprised.
This is not the first dramatization that I have skipped. The first two television movies were produced during the first trial! How accurate could they have been?
If you want to see a juror-approved dramatization, and haven’t yet, watch Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders. (It’s available on a number of streaming services by now.)
New Documentary
I just received a nice note from one of the producers of a new documentary by director Alejandro Hartmann. I mention him by name to distinguish this one from the others because the actual title (unless they change it before its release) is nondescript: “The Menendez Brothers”.
“I am reaching out to say thank you so much for helping us to tell this story about the Menendez brothers case. The film will be released October 9th on Netflix (October 2nd in Canada). You will begin to see marketing material trickling out to the public starting September 23rd. We are incredibly grateful that you were willing to speak with us on this subject and look forward to finally bringing this out to audiences.”
I was interviewed in my home for several hours in late 2022 for this one — and I will definitely be watching! (Both Lyle and Erik also participated.)
Another New Documentary?
I know nothing about this one… unless, of course, I know everything about it. It’s called Menendez Brothers: Murder by Media and it starts Saturday, September 21st on Crime + Investigation UK.
Based on the show description and the similar artwork, I think it must be a UK airing of the excellent documentary that was released in the US on March 25, 2024 — FOX Nation, Menendez Brothers: Victims or Villains, four 30-minute episodes. (There was also a possibly-bootleg copy on YouTube last time I checked.) This one is different. Yes, I’m in it, and I like it especially because instead of rehashing the details of the crime it explores how the media shaped the public narrative of the case in the 90s and how unfair the second trial was.
. . 
I’ve been interviewed for two articles that are supposedly coming out soon. Both are for foreign publications (UK and Australia). But there’s no point in going into detail because things change! One freelance article already fell through. Sometimes they tell me when and where articles appear online. Others I don’t find out about until much later.
I can’t (and don’t care to) read every Menendez article in the world. If you don’t have Google Alerts set up (like I do) you would have no way of knowing just how many there are! Most of them are crap — poorly written, AI-generated, full of recycled errors and myths from 30 years ago. But once in a while there’s a good one. Like this: Where the Real Lyle & Erik Menendez Are Today
Robert Rand’s Updated Book
Congrats to my journalist friend and “partner in (true) crime” on the publication of the second edition of his book, The Menendez Murders. He posts much more than I do about the case, so if you want more, please follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and the platform formerly known as Twitter. If you live in Los Angeles and want to meet him, he’ll likely be having a book release and signing party at some point. Again, follow him for details.
I am not planning to update my own book, Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror, at this time for a number of reasons, despite the fact that a lot has happened since the last update! I keep track of events on my Menendez Juror website, and let you know about major developments in my monthly newsletter. If you have never read Hung Jury, I recommend the 2018 Graymalkin Media edition, which is the one currently available on Amazon, over the 1995 original edition.
TV News
KTLA 5 Los Angeles interviewed me via Zoom for a story that was supposed to air a couple of weeks ago. It morphed into a two-parter and lord knows if I’ll be in the second part today or not — Will the Menendez Brothers Be Freed? Thursday September 19, 10 p.m. MDT. (I wasn’t in the first part which aired on September 10.)
The reason I mention it is that the trial took place in Los Angeles, so a LOT of folks there were aware of it at the time and bought into the “greedy rich kids” narrative of the ‘90s media. Anything that a modern newscast, article, drama, podcast, book, or documentary can do to remind people that the brothers are still behind bars and shouldn’t be is juror-approved. Anything that doesn’t show or mention the brothers killing out of fear, and doesn’t include the travesty of the second trial, is not juror-approved.
PodcastsI’m not in any new podcasts. But, well, have you listened to all the previous ones?
My current favorite is The Crime Analyst with host Laura Richards. I was her guest for two episodes (146 & 147) in September 2023. She did six Menendez episodes at that time, including two with “living legend Professor Ann Burgess”. Laura, a “shero” in her own right, just recently added two more Burgess episodes (207 & 208) following the release of the excellent three-part Hulu documentary about her: Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer. I have not yet heard the new podcast episodes but I loved the documentary so much that I emailed Ann Burgess to tell her how much influence she had on me as a juror 30 years ago. She testified as a defense expert witness in the first Menendez trial and there are several pages of my book devoted to her testimony. I have since had the pleasure of meeting with her via Zoom.
Meanwhile, my thoughts are with Erik and Lyle and their families. I’m wishing them continued patience when it comes to the legal system; fortitude to endure the deluge of media attention; and peace in their daily lives.
Which, of the flood of media coverage, interests you the most?
What have you already watched/heard/read?
What questions do you have for me?
Please share with us in the comments below!
(I’m assuming you’re a Menendez supporter or you wouldn’t have read this far.)
______________________________________________________Hazel Thornton is an author, genealogist, and retired home and office organizer.Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror What’s a Photo Without the Story? How to Create Your Family Legacy Go With the Flow! The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook Feel free to link directly to this post! Click here to ask about other uses.Copyright 2024 by Hazel Thornton, Organized for Life and Beyond
______________________________________________________________________________
The post Menendez Brothers Update: When it Rains it Pours appeared first on Hazel Thornton.
September 2, 2024
More Magic Little Words (that help you get organized)
I once wrote a post called Those Magic Little Words (that help you get organized).
The point of it was that there are lots of organizing methods, and different ways of describing them — what I call “magic little words”. And the BEST method, or catchphrase, is the one that works for YOU.
Just because I’m no longer in business doesn’t mean I’ve retired from being interested in effective ways to get organized! (Once an organizer always an organizer.)
So, after you’ve read (or re-read) my previous post, I hope you enjoy this compilation of some of the more recent methods — or new ways to describe age-old methods — in case you need a fresh perspective.
Hushing the House
Aka Quieting the House, or Backwards Decluttering, this method (by this name) apparently started here: How + Why to Quiet Your House.
The idea is that you move all the items in a room to a staging area so you can clean and experience the de-cluttered room. Then you move the things back that you still need or want.
Here’s another example I Tried the “Hushing the House” Method on My Cluttered Dining Room
This method is compatible with my old post about 10 Easy Steps to a Clutter-Free Office.
Quiet Luxury
This is an interior design trend that aims to provide a serene atmosphere with neutral colors and elegant, but simple and functional, pieces.
I was asked to contribute to this article, never having heard of “quiet luxury” before. But it wasn’t hard for me to come up with some tips for “reducing visual noise” by decluttering!
5-Year Rule
The idea is this: If you haven’t used something in the past five years, it’s unlikely it will be used in the future. Therefore, it can be discarded, donated, or given away.
It’s not for memorabilia; it’s more for clothing, electronics, sports equipment, gardening tools, kitchenware, toys, etc.
What is the 5-Year Rule for Decluttering? (5 Reasons It Could Work For You)
The Moving Out Mindset
This method is, indeed, “powerful and motivating” as claimed in this article. But it’s not new, innovative, or unique except for the fact that sometimes multiple people really do come up with the same ideas, unaware of each other’s existence.
In fact, it reminds me of my old post about Home Staging to Stay, Not to Sell.
The idea is that you pretend you are moving and declutter, downsize, and clean as if you were.
Gather and Shop
This is just another way of saying: 1) gather like items together, then 2) decide which ones you want to keep. It’s the Sort/Purge part of the S.P.A.C.E. methodology.
Here’s a Instagram Reel that uses spatulas as an example. Similarly, I’ve heard (and used) “shop from your own wardrobe”. This is a useful way to realize how much you already have and extend the life of good items by combining them in ways you hadn’t considered before.
The Three Feet Rules for Downsizing
Rule #1: Look within three feet of where you spend time in your home every day. (The things that are within arm’s reach are probably things you use every day.)
Rule #2: If you haven’t come within three feet of an item in your home within the past two years it probably doesn’t need to come with you to your new place.
For more on this method click here.
The Didn’t Know Rule
This one is from The Minimalists. (And from the brains of countless professional organizers.) They understand what I’m calling “magic little words” and have come up with several of them. In fact I just noticed they are offering a free ebook called 16 Rules for living with less. (Read, then scroll past, “The Didn’t Know Rule” on this page.)
The rule: If you find something you didn’t know you owned, you can give yourself permission to let it go.
Here’s an example from Apartment Therapy: I Tried the “Didn’t Know” Rule and Decluttered So Much in 10 Minutes
DOOM Boxes
Awhile back ago I started hearing about DOOM boxes all of a sudden, as if everyone already knew what they were. I learned that DOOM is an acronym for Didn’t Organize Only Moved.
Oh, that. LOL. Even organizers occasionally sweep clutter into a box when company is suddenly coming. Ideally, they revisit the box sooner than later and put everything where it belongs.
I googled it and found this surprisingly good AI Overview:
The term “doom box” originated on TikTok and is an acronym for “didn’t organize, only moved”. It describes a temporary storage space for clutter that doesn’t have a clear place to go, such as a junk drawer, paperwork pile, or underbed storage. Doom boxes can be a convenient way to clear space, and some people may have multiple doom boxes, doom bags, or even doom rooms. The term can also describe the feeling of dread and overwhelm that comes with dealing with these collections.
Some reasons for clutter include: Anxiety or depression, Major life events, Clinging to sentimental items, Too much stuff, and Too little space. People with ADHD may be more likely to have a doom box as a way to cope with symptoms of disorganization and executive dysfunction.
This isn’t so much a method of organizing as it is, I think, a situation that is more easily avoided if named, defined, and acknowledged.
Bird by Bird
This one caught my attention because, like the author of this becomingminimalist guest post, I’m a fan of Anne Lamott’s book on writing, Bird by Bird. This method encourages you to think of decluttering as a journey at take it a step at a time. “As you finish with that first step, the next one will become apparent. Just trust the process and resist temptation to look too far ahead.”
Although I’ve never applied the phrase “Bird by Bird” to organizing, I’ve often said that organizing is a process, not an event. Similarly, I’ve written, “Think of your big project as a new hobby.”
The Poop Test
And — just in time for me to finish this post — there’s a new technique in town!
It goes like this: If it had poop on it, would you wash it off or throw it away?
I heard it first in our private NAPO chat (thanks, Lauren!), followed by a social media meme (Naomi), and this article, which, all told, make it a definite new “thing”: Sorry, Marie Kondo. This ADHD influencer’s ‘poop method’ for decluttering is brilliant and hilarious.
I shit you not! (Pun intended.)
Hey, whatever works!
Clutter Flow Charts
I suppose it would be foolish of me to not plug my own favorite decluttering method in this post:
Go With the Flow! The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook
What “magic little words” work for YOU?
Please share in the comments below!
______________________________________________________Hazel Thornton is an author, genealogist, and retired home and office organizer.Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror What’s a Photo Without the Story? How to Create Your Family Legacy Go With the Flow! The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook Feel free to link directly to this post! Click here to ask about other uses.Copyright 2024 by Hazel Thornton, Organized for Life and Beyond
______________________________________________________________________________
The post More Magic Little Words (that help you get organized) appeared first on Hazel Thornton.
More Magic Little Words
I once wrote a post called Those Magic Little Words (that help you get organized).
The point of it was that there are lots of organizing methods, and different ways of describing them — what I call “magic little words”. And the BEST method, or catchphrase, is the one that works for YOU.
Just because I’m no longer in business doesn’t mean I’ve retired from being interested in effective ways to get organized! (Once an organizer always an organizer.)
So, after you’ve read (or re-read) my previous post, I hope you enjoy this compilation of some of the more recent methods — or new ways to describe age-old methods — in case you need a fresh perspective.
Hushing the House
Aka Quieting the House, or Backwards Decluttering, this method (by this name) apparently started here: How + Why to Quiet Your House.
The idea is that you move all the items in a room to a staging area so you can clean and experience the de-cluttered room. Then you move the things back that you still need or want.
Here’s another example I Tried the “Hushing the House” Method on My Cluttered Dining Room
This method is compatible with my old post about 10 Easy Steps to a Clutter-Free Office.
Quiet Luxury
This is an interior design trend that aims to provide a serene atmosphere with neutral colors and elegant, but simple and functional, pieces.
I was asked to contribute to this article, never having heard of “quiet luxury” before. But it wasn’t hard for me to come up with some tips for “reducing visual noise” by decluttering!
5-Year Rule
The idea is this: If you haven’t used something in the past five years, it’s unlikely it will be used in the future. Therefore, it can be discarded, donated, or given away.
It’s not for memorabilia; it’s more for clothing, electronics, sports equipment, gardening tools, kitchenware, toys, etc.
What is the 5-Year Rule for Decluttering? (5 Reasons It Could Work For You)
The Moving Out Mindset
This method is, indeed, “powerful and motivating” as claimed in this article. But it’s not new, innovative, or unique except for the fact that sometimes multiple people really do come up with the same ideas, unaware of each other’s existence.
In fact, it reminds me of my old post about Home Staging to Stay, Not to Sell.
The idea is that you pretend you are moving and declutter, downsize, and clean as if you were.
Gather and Shop
This is just another way of saying: 1) gather like items together, then 2) decide which ones you want to keep. It’s the Sort/Purge part of the S.P.A.C.E. methodology.
Here’s a Instagram Reel that uses spatulas as an example. Similarly, I’ve heard (and used) “shop from your own wardrobe”. This is a useful way to realize how much you already have and extend the life of good items by combining them in ways you hadn’t considered before.
The Three Feet Rules for Downsizing
Rule #1: Look within three feet of where you spend time in your home every day. (The things that are within arm’s reach are probably things you use every day.)
Rule #2: If you haven’t come within three feet of an item in your home within the past two years it probably doesn’t need to come with you to your new place.
For more on this method click here.
The Didn’t Know Rule
This one is from The Minimalists. (And from the brains of countless professional organizers.) They understand what I’m calling “magic little words” and have come up with several of them. In fact I just noticed they are offering a free ebook called 16 Rules for living with less. (Read, then scroll past, “The Didn’t Know Rule” on this page.)
The rule: If you find something you didn’t know you owned, you can give yourself permission to let it go.
Here’s an example from Apartment Therapy: I Tried the “Didn’t Know” Rule and Decluttered So Much in 10 Minutes
DOOM Boxes
Awhile back ago I started hearing about DOOM boxes all of a sudden, as if everyone already knew what they were. I learned that DOOM is an acronym for Didn’t Organize Only Moved.
Oh, that. LOL. Even organizers occasionally sweep clutter into a box when company is suddenly coming. Ideally, they revisit the box sooner than later and put everything where it belongs.
I googled it and found this surprisingly good AI Overview:
The term “doom box” originated on TikTok and is an acronym for “didn’t organize, only moved”. It describes a temporary storage space for clutter that doesn’t have a clear place to go, such as a junk drawer, paperwork pile, or underbed storage. Doom boxes can be a convenient way to clear space, and some people may have multiple doom boxes, doom bags, or even doom rooms. The term can also describe the feeling of dread and overwhelm that comes with dealing with these collections.
Some reasons for clutter include: Anxiety or depression, Major life events, Clinging to sentimental items, Too much stuff, and Too little space. People with ADHD may be more likely to have a doom box as a way to cope with symptoms of disorganization and executive dysfunction.
This isn’t so much a method of organizing as it is, I think, a situation that is more easily avoided if named, defined, and acknowledged.
Bird by Bird
This one caught my attention because, like the author of this becomingminimalist guest post, I’m a fan of Anne Lamott’s book on writing, Bird by Bird. This method encourages you to think of decluttering as a journey at take it a step at a time. “As you finish with that first step, the next one will become apparent. Just trust the process and resist temptation to look too far ahead.”
Although I’ve never applied the phrase “Bird by Bird” to organizing, I’ve often said that organizing is a process, not an event. Similarly, I’ve written, “Think of your big project as a new hobby.”
The Poop Test
And — just in time for me to finish this post — there’s a new technique in town!
It goes like this: If it had poop on it, would you wash it off or throw it away?
I heard it first in our private NAPO chat (thanks, Lauren!), followed by a social media meme (Naomi), and this article, which, all told, make it a definite new “thing”: Sorry, Marie Kondo. This ADHD influencer’s ‘poop method’ for decluttering is brilliant and hilarious.
I shit you not! (Pun intended.)
Hey, whatever works!
Clutter Flow Charts
I suppose it would be foolish of me to not plug my own favorite decluttering method in this post:
Go With the Flow! The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook
What “magic little words” work for YOU?
Please share in the comments below!
______________________________________________________Hazel Thornton is an author, genealogist, and retired home and office organizer.Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror What’s a Photo Without the Story? How to Create Your Family Legacy Go With the Flow! The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook Feel free to link directly to this post! Click here to ask about other uses.Copyright 2024 by Hazel Thornton, Organized for Life and Beyond
______________________________________________________________________________
The post More Magic Little Words appeared first on Hazel Thornton.
