It's Only Lipstick | Claudia DiMartino | BLOG

Claudia DiMartino is a successful business woman turned actress and playwright. She took a risk and left corporate America. Now she shares her life lessons to encourage and inspire with a little laughter along the way. It's never too late to go after your dreams.

ARE WE THERE YET?

ARE WE THERE YET?

When I was a little girl, Sunday was family day. We would attend church in the morning. Then, we would gather for the traditional Sunday dinner at 1:00. We always started with a plate of pasta. Then, we had the second course along with salad. And last, but certainly not least, we had dessert. My dad loved ice cream. Ice cream it was. Once dinner was finished and the dishes were washed, dried and put away, it was time to go on our weekly family adventure. It was amazing, how

PREPARING FOR SUDDENLY

PREPARING FOR SUDDENLY

Last weekend, I attended the opening for the Film Society season at the Director’s Guild in Los Angeles. The film I saw was A Star is Born starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. The quality of the performances and the story moved me to my core. I literally had to stop myself from sobbing. Once I forced myself to get past the profanity, I was transported into the depth of the characters and their connection. (Spoiler Alert) One of the scenes that caused me to catch myself fro

PURGING THE PAST

PURGING THE PAST

Growing up in an Italian-American household, I was surrounded by the three Italian Mamas, my mother, my aunt and my grandmother, who were to say the least, clean freaks. There were the proverbial plastic cushion protectors on the sofa and chairs. This was especially rough in the summer, when our skin would just stick to the plastic. OUCH! The smell of bleach always permeated the air. A speck of dust didn’t even have a chance to land on the furniture. My mother was so organize

HOW MUCH IS YOUR “TWO CENTS” WORTH?

HOW MUCH IS YOUR “TWO CENTS” WORTH?

About two weeks ago, I received a residual check in the mail for a TV show I did in 2007. This time, I just laughed with the amount and decided to post it on Facebook with the quip, “There’s nothing like getting a check in the mail.” I received some funny responses; but there was one that stood out and got me thinking. “Hmmmm. I take it as an affirmation that your “two cents” are worthwhile.” THE FORMATIVE YEARS I always thought it strange growing up that, whenever an opinio

KNOWING WHEN TO SAY “NO”

KNOWING WHEN TO SAY “NO”

As a kid growing up in an Italian-American family and attending Catholic school, the word “no” was not an option. I had to do what I was told; and there was no such thing as questioning authority. At home, I had a triple threat – my mother, my aunt and my grandmother. They were like hawks. I couldn’t get away with anything. First, my mother Gloria. My mother was always there for us; but she was the consummate disciplinarian. She would hit first and ask questions later (may

STEPPING OUT OF THE COMFORT ZONE

STEPPING OUT OF THE COMFORT ZONE

I look at my life; and I realize I’ve stepped outside of my comfort zone so many times. I’ve always been one to take calculated risks. I worked as a secretary, then went back to school to get my B.B.A, then my M.B.A. I’ve traveled extensively, usually by myself. I tried to include others; but found that if I waited for people to decide if they wanted to join me, I never would have gone anywhere. My comfort zone was the corporate world. I spent 22 years as a marketing execu

GOING THE DISTANCE

GOING THE DISTANCE

Is it just me, or does it feel like this year is flying by? When I reach the mid-year point each year, I like to assess if I’m meeting my goals or do I need to tweak a few things. This time I started to reflect on my career. Acting is my second career. It’s been my childhood dream; and I’ve been pursuing it for the last 16 years, after a successful 22-year marketing career in the beauty industry. Has it gone the way I had hoped? Not exactly! There have been a lot of twists

FORGIVE AND FORGET

FORGIVE AND FORGET

Growing up in an Italian-American family, there was a key phrase, “I can forgive; but I can’t forget”. This was especially true of my grandmother. She could really hold a grudge. I never wanted to do anything that would tick her off. Unfortunately, there was one day we did come to blows. I was living in Connecticut; and I went to Brooklyn for the weekend to visit my parents. My grandmother owned the house I grew up in; and she always made her presence known. She had a way o

IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES

IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES

What do you see? Do you see the glass half full or the glass half empty? I believe seeing the glass half full = limitless possibilities in life. SEEING THE GLASS HALF FULL Weird; but I keep thinking about the Limbo. When I was a kid, we used to do the Limbo all the time. It was such a dance craze and so much fun. As each of us took our turn, the Limbo chant would begin – How low can you go? I was so little, I could just walk under the pole. I would get very excited that I d

TAKE THE TIME TO NURTURE YOUR DREAM

TAKE THE TIME TO NURTURE YOUR DREAM

The other day I was at a friend’s home. I noticed the cuckoo clock on the wall; and we started to talk about the importance of time and how we spend it. I haven’t gotten that cuckoo clock out of my mind. Once I start thinking about something, I can often go off on rabbit trails to figure out what it all means. Does that make me cuckoo? I’m often amazed that I get such enjoyment out of researching information. I hated school as a kid. Yet, I’m fascinated and get excited abo

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