Keys Woman - -Fall/Winter 2023 by Keys Weekly Newspapers

OMAN KEYS W FOR KEYS WOMEN BY KEYS WOMEN

PERCEPTION VS REALITY IN THE DIGITAL AGE

WHO’S THAT LADY? FAMILIAR FACES YOU KNOW & LOVE

THE KIDS... ARE NOT ALRIGHT KEYS WEEKLY | VOLUME 5 | NO 8 | FALL/WINTER 2023

Every woman at Ocean Sotheby's International Realty possesses a distinct narrative. We honor the intelligent, industrious, and altruistic women within our organization. Our bond extends beyond the exquisite real estate we represent; but also by our relationships.

We believe that when women support each other incredible things happen.

oceansir.com

FROM THE CREATIVE DIRECTOR

WELCOME BACK, LADIES

island inspired

You’ll find this island inspired boutique in the heart of Old Town Key West. The bright and airy space is a treasure trove of carefully curated clothing & accessories that embrace the island lifestyle.

Thanks for joining us in this latest edition of Keys Woman, where real life looks better than the online world of filtered photos and fake personas. Ah, 2023 or, as I like to call it, “The Year the Girls Changed the World.” Not by curing cancer or negotiating world peace but by boosting the economy and bringing forward a message that, hopefully, made our male counterparts think a little more seriously about what it might feel like to walk a mile in our – or Barbie’s – heels. I took the aspirations and inspiration of girls and women everywhere into account for this magazine and its musical accompaniment. Our playlist this time features the top 10 tour-grossing females in history (so far). As the world has sped up over the past 20 years, and social media has begun ruling our every thought and move, it makes me smile when I see a woman who is 100% unabashedly herself in her own skin. I think this becomes easier with age, but we all know someone who has always chosen to march to the beat of her own drum. Let’s be honest, it is difficult to just be yourself, even for the most confident of us. Having your looks compared at every turn to a model who is literally paid and airbrushed to look that way. Comparing your messy home to a perfectly photographed image that doesn’t include the hours and hours of work and zhuzh it took to get that one snap. And don’t even get me started on the perfect beach pose (we’ve all seen them in the making). So as you settle in with this edition of Keys Woman we hope you find pages filled with hope, inspiration, ideas and editorial that help to build you up and encourage you to unleash the trail-blazing badass that lives inside every woman in the Florida Keys and beyond. — Stephanie Mitchell

Scan for our Keys Women playlist

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Publisher Jason Koler jason@keysweekly.com Managing Partner Britt Myers britt@keysweekly.com Creative Director Stephanie Mitchell stephanie@keysweekly.com Art/Design Irene de Bruijn irene@keysweekly.com Editors Mandy Miles mandy@keysweekly.com Jim McCarthy jim@keysweekly.com Alex Rickert alex@keysweekly.com Copy Editor Mike Howie mike@keysweekly.com Digital Editor Gwen Filosa gwen@keysweekly.com Director of Sales Manuela Carrillo Mobley manuela@keysweekly.com Account Executives Stephanie Mitchell stephanie@keysweekly.com Patti Childress patti@keysweekly.com Jill Miranda Baker jill@keysweekly.com Production Manager Anneke Patterson anneke@keysweekly.com Art/Design Javier Reyes javier@keysweekly.com Web Master Travis Cready travis@keysweekly.com Executive Administrator Char Hruska char@keysweekly.com Contributors Annie Briening, Doug Finger, Mark Hedden, Chris McNulty, Kirby Myers, Karen Newfield, Erin Stover, Charlotte Twine Digital Support Overseas Media Group

No.8 04

WELCOME BACK! Here’s your soundtrack

STAY CONNECTED according to your sign

SPARKLING PERSONALITIES Meet 3 extraordinary Keys women

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INJECT YOURSELF with confidence

TECHNOLOGY that’s targeting our kids

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WHAT’S THAT MILES up to now?

TIK TOK TRENDS #girldinner explained

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UP your social media game

SIMPLY the best way to unwind

ROMANCE in a digital world .....................

MATH IS HARD or is it?

Published MMXXIII Keys Weekly Newspapers 9709 Overseas Hwy. Marathon, FL. 33050 305.743.0844 Key West office 5450 MacDonald Ave. No. 5 Key West, FL. 33040 305.453.6928 Tavernier office 91760 Overseas Hwy. Tavernier, FL 33070 305.363.2957 keysweekly.com

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BY CHARLOTTE TWINE

be an

icon 6 TIPS FOR AN INSTANT INJECTION OF SELF-CONFIDENCE, NO MATTER YOUR “FLAWS”

10 | Keys Woman

I wear red lipstick on a daily basis. I also have an arm full of tattoos, and, while I am currently a platinum blonde, I had pink hair for years. No lie, when I turned 50, my hair was full-on Barbie pink. During that pink hair phase, I worked at the front desk of a library. One day, a woman slowly walked up to me and, with her eyes wide, whispered: “I love your red lipstick. I wish I could wear red lipstick.” I leaned over the counter, smiled and whispered back: “You can.” But … I wasn’t always so confident. For years, I was too shy to wear red lipstick. And I was too ashamed to get tattoos on my upper arms because I thought they were fat. Decades later, I could honestly give zero f***s about whether my arms are fat or whether my style makes me stick out too much. Believe me, I’m not completely shame-free — I don’t love my double chin, for example — but I have built a few habits over the years that have helped enormously. For readers who are feeling wobbly about their self-image and their “flaws,” try these six tips for an injection of confidence (and no, you don’t have to dye your hair pink): PICK BEAUTY ICONS WHO ARE FIRE. As a kid in the 1980s, I read all the fashion magazines. Religiously. Stick-thin supermodel Kate Moss — the queen of “heroin chic” — was my hero. These days, I’m much more careful about my beauty inspo. For example: Rihanna and the models for her lingerie line, Savage x Fenty. They are all sizes and races, and some

have tattoos and bright hair colors. Just looking at them on the Savage x Fenty website, I feel great. As Bad Gal RiRi told Vogue, “You’ve just got to laugh at yourself, honestly. I mean, I know when I’m having a fat day and when I’ve lost weight. … I’m not built like a Victoria’s Secret girl, and I still feel very beautiful and confident in my lingerie.” HANG OUT WITH PEOPLE WHO MAKE US FEEL AWESOME. I have an ex who is an ex for a reason. Among other things, he would criticize the way I dressed, and once, when I told him I wanted to dye my hair pink, he winced and said, “Now why would you do something like that?” Recently, when I told this story to my fabulously kind hairdresser and friend — she’s the one who dyed my hair pink — she said, “I think you are beautiful and amazing for coloring your hair. You deserve to be with someone who loves you for who you are.”

“I love your red lipstick. I wish I could wear red lipstick.” I leaned over the counter, smiled and whispered back: “You can.”

FILTER OUT THE CHICKS ON SOCIAL MEDIA WHO MAKE US FEEL LIKE CRAP. Kardashians anyone? Yeah, they are fun to read about, but their filtered-to-perfection images bring out my insecurity. Now, I make sure I edit my Instagram feed very carefully. I follow curvy burlesque stars and women who would rather pursue their dope accomplishments rather than look perfect all the time.

PRACTICE WEARING A BOLD NEW STYLE IN BABY STEPS. Always wanted to wear that red lipstick and some sick platforms? Try them in small moments rather than all day, every day. Wear them around the house, on vacation or for a girls’ night out. REALIZE THAT OUR “FLAWS” MAY NOT BE FLAWS AT ALL. When I complimented my aunt about her long brunette curls, she told me she had spent much of her life hating her hair and ironing it straight. “But one day,” she told me, “I saw a woman walking down the street with a beautiful head full of curls. She looked so free. And I thought, ‘Why am I doing this to myself?’ I’ve worn my hair curly ever since.” FINALLY, LET’S LOOK DEEPER FOR CONTENTMENT. Gratitude is everything. Are we healthy and able to take care of ourselves? Yay us! Let’s thank our bodies for carrying us through our life journeys. Also, being of service to our fellow humans — whether through our job, volunteering or a spiritual practice — can get our minds off how we look. Iconic beauty Audrey Hepburn knew this. She was famous not only for her movies but also for her work with children’s charity UNICEF. This quote has been widely credited to her: “The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she knows.” Amen to that, sister. Amen.

FALL/WINTER 2023 | 11

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FALL/WINTER 2023 | 13

BY MANDY MILES

REAL WEIGHT LOSS, FAKE TEETH

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oloring

superc

I’m delighted. I’m more confident. I’m upbeat. I’m grateful. And I’m 26 pounds lighter than I was three months ago, thanks to the new world of weight-loss drugs — my “skinny shots.” I’m thrilled with the results, and I’m not ashamed to give all the credit to the makers of Mounjaro rather than my own willpower or workout regimen. But I’m confused. What’s with the negativity and judgment these medications have injected into a world obsessed with weight and appearance?

14 | Keys Woman

Overweight people have forever been stigmatized, criticized, bullied and blamed. For being lazy, for overeating, for taking up too much space — in airplane rows, movie theaters, the world in general. But when a medical advancement initially created to treat diabetes also makes it possible — even easy — for people to lose weight, live longer and improve their existence, they’re criticized, stigmatized and quietly judged for using it? What’s the deal? Must weight-loss be arduous, faltering and time-consuming to be “real?” Can we even recognize what’s real?

Social media has made photo filters, lip fillers and fake teeth the new norm. So-called influencers sport dental veneers that cost $1,000 per tooth. They post and boast about their latest cosmetic procedures — nose jobs, eyebrow lifts, Botox, lip fillers and new boobs. Interestingly, many of them often end their commentary by telling their followers to love themselves, but if changing something would make them happier, then do it. “Every cosmetic procedure has just gone crazy in popularity since Instagram became a thing,” Michael Apa, an aesthetic dentist with a quarter-million Instagram followers himself, told The Atlantic’s Amanda Mull in 2019. And yet, many of the same influencers and their followers dismiss the new weight-loss tools as cheating — while they appear on camera with colored contact lenses, hair extensions, a surgically smaller nose, lip fillers, fake eyelashes and teeth as straight and white as, well, Congress. So, yeah, let’s get real. Let’s stop with the mean-girl speculation, the knowing looks and catty posts — all because someone looks, and likely feels, healthier, happier and just better? “Oh my gosh, I haven’t seen you in ages. You look fantastic....” (then leans in conspiratorially). “You’re doing the shots, right?” Why thank you, and yes, I am. Of course, you could’ve stopped at, “you look fantastic,” but that wouldn’t have been satisfying for you, would it? That wouldn’t have made you feel better about yourself. Because apparently you deserve to look and feel good about yourself. But others? Apparently not. Come on. There’s enough nastiness in the world. My weight gain started about nine years ago, when I broke both ankles at the same time and was laid up for months. After that, inertia kicked in. The older I got, the harder it was to overcome and the longer it took to get any results. I knew I had gained weight, and I hated it. I stood in the back for photos. I didn’t smile widely, knowing how big my face would appear. I looked wistfully at old pictures of a thinner me in clothes I adored. So in May, when two friends started chatting after a work event (and several drinks) about the weight-loss shots, I was all ears. Two months later, when they had each lost at least 10 pounds, I was all in. I made an appointment with Erin Kane at New You Health Clinic, got the required blood work, then endured Erin’s scale, tape measure and body fat calculator. I got my first shot on July 24. As of Oct. 13, I’ve lost 26 pounds. RISK VS. REWARD Don’t tell me, skinny people, that your judgment comes from a good place, that you’re “concerned about the health risks” these drugs — Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro — may pose to the overweight people you’ve disparaged for decades.

Yes, as with everything, there are risks, and doctors admit the long-term effects of these drugs are still unknown. But they don’t deny the effectiveness that has surprised even them. Some people have more trouble than others with side effects — nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea. The literature is clear about potential gallbladder issues for people predisposed to them. And about 1% of users have had serious medical complications. So yes, questions remain. But hell, I moved to Key West two months after graduating college. I ingested (never injected) way sketchier substances at after-hours parties throughout my 20s. My only complaint about these new medications, which were created and approved to treat type 2 diabetes by lowering glucose levels, is they remain prohibitively expensive for too many people. Insurance, for those fortunate enough to have it, covers much of the cost IF you’re diabetic. But if, like me, you’re just fluffy, then you’re on our own — and on the hook for about $325 a month. Of course, it sounds better when I tell my husband, Stan, it’s $80 a week. But thankfully, he’s been hugely supportive while assuring me I’ll always look great to him. For diabetes, the drugs help control blood sugar. But they also slow digestion and make people feel fuller for longer. Ozempic and Wegovy are semaglutide, belonging to “a class of medications known as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP1) receptor agonists,” according to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. “It mimics the GLP-1 hormone that is released in the gastrointestinal tract in response to eating. One role of GLP-1 is to prompt the body to produce more insulin, which reduces blood glucose (sugar). GLP-1 in higher amounts also interacts with the parts of the brain that reduce appetite and signal a feeling of fullness.” Mounjaro, a bit differently, activates the receptors for both the GLP-1 hormone and the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), both of which are involved in blood sugar control for diabetic,” the FDA reports. Many of the diabetic people in the clinical trials were also obese, and the medications proved not only to help control blood sugar, but also led to significant weight loss. I typically eat one meal a day now. Late-night frozen pizzas hold no allure. Protein is crucial and I’m a bit more conscious of the foods I choose. A morning smoothie with a protein shot has replaced my McDonald’s breakfasts. (But I did, last week, indulge in some Baconator Fries from Wendy’s.) As soon as the weather cools, I’m planning evening walks and jogs. Most importantly, I feel so much better — on so many levels. And that’s all that should matter. It’s all that matters to me. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go whiten my teeth and wriggle into my Spanx.

FALL/WINTER 2023 | 15

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BY KIRBY MYERS

SOCIALLY acceptable Lets face it…you can’t do business today without having an online presence. It’s just the way of the world these days – like it or not. There are a million different approaches to how you can handle your social media and what works for some businesses is not going to work for others. But one thing is for sure: people respond to authenticity when it comes to actual engagement – which in turn creates actual sales and loyal long-term guests or clients. People are fascinated by fake, but they are converted by realness. I’m just as guilty as the next woman who stops her scroll at accounts with obviously over-filtered photos and ridiculously perfect reels that most likely took two hours to film and were compacted down to less than 60 seconds. But am I actually buying what they’re selling? No. The accounts that have acquired real dollars or interest from me are the ones I can relate to in some way or another. Accounts that make me feel like I’m getting a real sense of the person or product. Here are some of my top tips for running a successful social media account for business: CONSISTENCY This is obvious and you didn’t need me to tell you that if your posts are sporadic, they won’t work. But obvious as it may be, easy it’s not. If you’re not naturally thinking about posting every day then create a content calendar at the beginning of each week and set an alert on your smartphone to remind you what you should be posting that day. And then actually do it. Don’t overthink it, don’t re-record it, just be you and put it out there. The scariness factor will fade, I promise. FOLLOW UP Pay attention to any comments or messages and try your best to not miss any opportunities to turn engagement into sales or potential future clients. Even if someone isn’t specifically commenting on

18 | Keys Woman

People are fascinated by fake, but they are converted by realness.

something you’re selling but just generally admiring a post, they’ll feel good when you acknowledge their interaction. And when you make people feel good, they want to stick around. BE YOU … BUT WITHOUT TMI Your followers want to see your quirks, your makeup-free days and your occasional mispronunciations. But when you’re marketing a business, they don’t want to hear you gripe. If you’re having a bad day, don’t go live (side note: if you’re not going live, you need to start), don’t talk into a story or do anything that requires you to force being on if you’re not. Instead, share an old reel that you love or go into your archived photos. Your followers are there because they like a service or product you offer, not to hear about your problems. Don’t share passive-aggressive memes that are supposed to be funny but are really sending a low-key message to your clients about things they do that bother you. Don’t complain about how busy you are or the person who just came in and drove you nuts. Be you, but leave the bitching out of it ;-) FIND YOUR NICHE Figure out what makes your business unique and find a way to consistently highlight that. Once you figure that out, don’t let a week go by without posting something that hits the core of what it is you’re marketing. And, never stop marketing. Ever. You’ll always have haters. Pay no mind. As long as you are authentically you, you’ll attract the clients you want. If you’re not showing up, in a real way, how will you attract your ideal clientele? Brainstorm. Create. Post. Share. Repeat. But don’t forget to put your phone down once in awhile… You can follow Kirby on Instagram @kirbysclosetkw If you or your business are in need of professional social media or website help contact the team at Overseas Media Group, omg@overseasmediagroup.com.

Women leading the Keys for over 6 decades. www.KeysRealEstate.com 305.294.5155 ©2023 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently owned and operated franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of Columbia Insurance Company, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate. Equal Housing Opportunity.

FALL/WINTER 2023 | 19

Erin Kiel

BUYING OR SELLING PROPERTY? LET’S WORK TOGETHER! 636-579-8185 | erinckielre@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram @FloridaKeysDreams_RealEstate

20 | Keys Woman

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BY CHRIS McNULTY

g n i p S wi

s n g i S e th

As a practice, astrology is as ancient as human civilization and as current as artificial intelligence. The planets of our solar system have been moving in their cycles for billions of years, and our human experience living within these cycles has been an oh-so-short-yet-profoundly-rich expression of these ancient rhythms. And our existence today within the astrological cycles is often influenced by social media and smartphone apps. Can we use today’s technology to enhance our lives as astrological beings? Most certainly! Here are some social media platforms and apps that can bring out the inherent characteristics of your Zodiac sign.

ARIES - GEOCACHING Impulsive. Novelty-seeking. Active. Brave. Aries is the first sign of the Zodiac and an incredibly energetic archetype. Geocaching is an app that takes the user on hunts to find hidden containers anywhere in the world at any time. Whenever an Aries feels bored and stagnant, an instant adventure that allows them to move their body and spice things up is right at their fingertips.

22 | Keys Woman

THE PERFECT APP FOR YOUR ZODIAC SIGN

TAURUS - INSTAGRAM The charm of Instagram is that it is all about the visual experience, providing the user with the option to edit and enhance their own photos with ease. Taurus is a sign associated with the Earth and all the beauty that exists on its surface. On Instagram, a Taurus can travel through images of the world from the comfort of home (comfort being another need for Taureans) while also contributing their own perspective to the infinite gallery.

GEMINI - TIKTOK A common critique of TikTok is that it provides too much, too fast. Not for a Gemini. Ruled by the planet of speed and communication, Geminis love to absorb as much information as possible. TikTok offers instant news, education, entertainment, commentary and a lot of fluff in short audiovisual chunks — and all of it is of interest to the ever-curious Gemini. Beware of late-night doom scrolling, though. Every mind needs rest.

CANCER - 7 CUPS Cancers feel, and often become the nurturers of their social circles, as they readily empathize with and care about the feelings of others. 7 Cups is a social media app that allows users to join free chat rooms on various emotional and mental health topics. Using 7 Cups, a compassionate Cancer can both nurture and be nurtured, ensuring that they are not emptying their emotional stores.

LEO - YOUTUBE The original “show us what you got” platform, YouTube is still the number one site for uploading video content. Ruled by the Sun, it is very important for Leos to be seen for their creativity and their personal striving. Using YouTube, a Leo can create an entire community around their original offerings, fulfilling their need to be the gravitational center of an orbiting audience.

VIRGO - TODOIST Detail-conscious and organized, Virgos are known for being practical, thorough and objective coordinators. Partly, these characteristics come from their birthdate taking place at the time of the harvest in the Northern Hemisphere, the preparation time for the long winter ahead. Using Todoist, an app that allows the user to organize to-do lists, prioritize tasks and collaborate with others, will humor a Virgo’s planning needs and offer them more time to relax.

LIBRA - MEETUP Libras are social organizers, mindful of a group’s changing dynamics while striving to create harmony and balance. Ideally, they are in charge of the party because they are keen on making sure everyone is happy and engaged. Meetup is an app that allows the user to find groups of people with similar interests. Perhaps most importantly for Libra, it allows the user to create their own events around specific topics. Instant party planning.

SCORPIO - WHISPER Whisper is an app that allows users to share their secrets and confessions anonymously. Scorpios feel emotions deeply and regularly want to engage with the parts of reality that lie below the surface. They’re often fascinated by topics shunned by “polite” society (think what happens under the cover of darkness or in very private places). Whisper can be an outlet for Scorpios to engage with the shadow-side of life.

SAGITTARIUS - TED This adaptable fire sign is known for being curious, open-minded and philosophical. Sagittarians are quite inspired by what lies beyond the ever-changing horizon line. TED Talks, and the associated smartphone app, offer wide-ranging presentations by some of the world’s most innovative and unique thinkers. Diving into TED will ensure that a Sagittarius’s world never stops expanding.

CAPRICORN - LINKEDIN Capricorns certainly have their playful side, but they are most known for being success-oriented and practical in their striving. LinkedIn is a social networking app that keeps it professional and business-focused, avoiding the impractical, time-wasting pitfalls of other social media sites. For Capricorns that are climbing their mountain of achievement, LinkedIn can keep their eyes on the prize.

AQUARIUS - CAUSES Causes allows the user to track bills in Congress, contact U.S. representatives, and stay up-to-date on humanitarian issues. Aquarius is a future-oriented sign that tends toward an awareness of the who and what existing at the margins, making social and political engagement a common impulse. Causes can make research and action more efficient for our altruistic Aquarians.

PISCES - THE PATTERN The Pattern uses astrology and numerology to provide personalized readings and timing explanations for users, even allowing them to see how they compare to friends on the app. Pisces is a mystical sign associated with cosmic consciousness. Pisces people are tapped into the invisible world that unites us all, and The Pattern app offers an easily accessible avenue into esoteric analysis. The Pattern and Pisces are a perfect pairing.

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BY ERIN STOVER

Web of lies

The concept that every tool can double as a weapon has never felt more true than in the context of the internet. In my lifetime, we’ve witnessed the mindblowing rapid evolution of the digital era. In about 30 years, we’ve transitioned from actively seeking answers to our questions, to having the answers to everything in our pocket. It’s a gift, it’s a curse. Of all the ways our interconnected world has shown its ugly side, perhaps the most reprehensible is in the exploitation of women and kids.

WHAT’S HAPPENING? Almost since the inception of the internet and its ubiquitous adoption into our homes, exploitation has been a lurking presence. Early online dating came with warnings urging women to meet potential matches in safe spaces. Chat rooms quickly filled with middle schoolers, but also adults posing as middle schoolers. Users caught on quickly to the risks and changed their habits accordingly. As the technology has become more sophisticated, though, so too has the danger. Each time technology leaps forward, our engagement with it changes. Two of the most recent developments that have affected our habits have been the mainstreaming of artificial intelligence (AI) and the general acceleration of communication through social media platforms. Both play heavily into the online exploitation and extortion schemes, dubbed “sextortion” by the FBI, that have monopolized the dark corners of our online experience in recent years. The FBI quantifies sextortion as a means by which online predators elicit sexually explicit imagery from people, particularly children. It expands the definition to “financial sextortion” when those photos and videos are then used to blackmail the victim into sending money in an effort to prevent the images from online circulation.

26 | Keys Woman

Historically, these schemes played out over weeks or months, but as our online usage, access and capabilities have increased, the incidents have sped up. An online conversation sparks between a child and what they assume is another child. Flirtation ensues and one user asks the other for an incriminating photo. The threats begin the instant the predator receives the photo. Entire cases have played out, and lives have been wrecked, in under an hour. According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, more than 21.7 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation were filed in 2020. The pandemic created a scenario in which more people, children and adults, were online more frequently, exploding the field of opportunity for predators. In that year alone, the rate of these types of incidents increased by 97.5%, according to the center. The more recent use of “civilian” AI has again changed the playing field. Now, predators don’t even need to elicit an actual image or video to wield their threat. In June, the FBI issued a warning about the use of deepfake videos that target minors and non-consenting adults. Technology has improved to the point where the extortionist only needs an image of a person’s face to create an entire sexually explicit video. And in reality, is there a single person on the planet whose face can’t be found somewhere online? The problem with this technological advancement becomes exponentially worse when one realizes that it is easily accessible to all and available online from numerous open-source offerings. What does open-source mean? Anyone with access to wifi, a phone or laptop and some passing tech experience can produce and distribute (or threaten to distribute) these fake sex videos and images featuring children and/or non-consenting adults. When the whole world has means and opportunity, all that’s left is motive.

WHO’S AT RISK? Jordan DeMay is sadly in the most oft-targeted demographic these days — teenage boys. A high school student from Michigan, DeMay was a football player and homecoming king, living his life seemingly with few cares. That all changed in an instant. The terrible plot that ultimately led to the death of this 17-year-old boy played out, in its entirety, in less than six hours.

Each time technology leaps forward, our engagement with it changes. On a March night in 2022, DeMay got online late at night to scroll social media, nothing unusual. He linked up with Instagram user dani.robertts and the conversation escalated. DeMay sent a nude photo to what he assumed was a flirtatious woman. Immediately, two brothers demanded $1,000 with the threat of sharing the image with all DeMay’s friends and family. The agonizing conversation thread continued with DeMay sending what he could — $300. The brothers pressed and DeMay told them he was so distraught he was considering suicide. Still they pressed, encouraging him multiple times to take his own life. Sadly, before his parents had even awakened to a problem, he did just that. His mother, Jennifer Buta, was shocked beyond belief. It was only days later, when a friend of DeMay shared the fact that they had received a nude image of the boy, that a motivation for his suicide became clear. Authorities were able to trace the extortionists through the web and across the ocean to their home in Nigeria. More than a year later, in November 2022, the Ogoshi brothers, Samson and Samuel, were indicted by a U.S. grand jury. They were extradited to the United States, and pleaded not guilty at their Aug. 17 arraignment in Michigan. They’re now awaiting trial, one that concerned parents and authorities hope will lead to a precedent-setting conviction. It’s natural for children and teenagers to engage online, as it’s increasingly becoming the main method of communication with each subsequent generation. Online forums, apps and games all provide young people with a space that feels uniquely theirs. In these platforms, by removing face-to-face contact, shy tendencies can melt away, but with deadly results. Young users can engage more confidently, and in healthy scenarios, more authentically. But the risks are high, especially for teenage boys who are now, far and away, the most targeted group. More than 3,000 male teen victims in the United States have been recognized in operations originating outside the country. As tactics have become increasingly aggressive, and less response time is available, another sad record has jumped: Financial sextortion schemes targeting young people have officially been linked to more than a dozen suicides, with dozens more suspected correlations.

WHAT CAN WE DO? In the face of some devastating statistics, it’s hard to know what preventative measures will actually prove helpful. Thankfully though, advocates are shifting their response and recommendations as quickly as predators are evolving their tactics. At this point, most kids already have been exposed to relevant information about online safety. Unfortunately, much of it feels tired, or is simply not being internalized by the potential victims. When most kids first hear these warnings, there is (hopefully) no context for them to relate to it. So it’s easy for them to adopt a “can’t-happen-to-me” attitude. Kids generally toss warnings about online safety in the same bin as bike helmet reminders — practices that hold up when parents are watching, but that can slide a bit when heads are turned. To most kids, warnings are a kindness, a challenge or just white noise. New research shows the answer may lie in peer-to-peer advocacy. Kids listen to their friends more than parents and other adults, so many schools are creating clubs wherein student leaders are designated to receive tools for talking to their friends about potential threats. Technology and legislation are also catching up. Nearly all school computers have programs that recognize nude images, threatening phrases and other flags. Parents also can now install numerous apps and software on their family’s and kids’ personal devices to accomplish the same goal. Very recent legislation has also enabled public school systems in several states to adopt a mandatory course in online safety. As with any threat, the best tools are awareness and caution. Parents need to be wary of their children’s online activity, watching and managing remotely, but also talking openly about everyday experiences. Kids need to know they can tell their parents if they’re being sextorted. And parents need to know how common the practice is, and how vulnerable their children are. Adults need to stay careful with their own habits as well, and realize that the risks exist regardless of age.

FALL/WINTER 2023 | 27

BY ANNIE BRIENING

“This is my meal. I call this ‘girl dinner.’” If you weren’t scrolling on TikTok this past summer then this catchy audio isn’t ringing in your head right now (depending on your TikTok algorithm, of course). If you were, then you are familiar with the clips of charcuterie board-ish snack dinners, almost always consisting of low effort, made by one person, intended to be consumed by one person – which now have been viewed by nearly 2 billion people on the platform. It’s been a LONG day and you come home to an empty house – whether you’re single, roommates are at work, kids have a sleepover, you have the night to yourself and it’s one of those ‘a glass or two of rosé, popcorn and sour patch kids for dinner’ kind of night: Welcome to the world of girl dinner. The trend started with @liviemaher, who playfully dubbed her glass of red wine and plate of bread, butter, cheese, grapes and pickles as “girl dinner” or even a “medieval peasant” feast. This relatable twist sparked thousands of videos and likes, turning the girl dinner trend into a TikTok sensation. Point being that we are all busy and sometimes it is OK to take the pressure off of meal planning, being 100% healthy every night, and really not wanting to do the dishes, am I right? The “girl dinner” theme has become so popular that a trending audio was created to go along with it and there are even filters that choose your “girl dinner” food items for you. Now this is not to say that standing over the stove noshing on shredded cheese while you wait for your pasta to finish is a healthy habit we should all follow. It’s a fun play on the fact that sometimes less can be more. It’s OK to skip a labor-intensive meal prep for a Pinterest-perfect meal or to forgo counting calories for one day. Considering our office is made up of mostly women, it was only right to poll some of the ladies and find out what makes up their glorious girl dinner.

FROM TRENDY TIKTOK TO YOUR TABLE

• Mandy: Queso dip, tortilla chips, Diet Coke. • Irene: Grilled cheese (especially if there is any Dutch cheese on hand) or any kind of cheese with crackers … basically CHEESE! • Gwen: Kodiak waffle, scrambled eggs, Diet Coke. • Maison: Buttered pasta with parmesan cheese. • Stephanie: Slice of carrot cake with a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon.

THE ART #GirlDinner of #GirlDinner 28 | Keys Woman

At the end of the day (pun intended), we all love a fun way to unwind, maybe even curate the occasional post and enjoy our evening after a busy day. Embrace this trend as a guilt-free way to savor a satisfying and stress-free meal tonight, no matter who you are.

FALL/WINTER 2023 | 29

BY STEPHANIE MITCHELL

As I hop on the Girl Dinner trend I decided to use a universal base to create my “dinners.” Our dear friend, popcorn, could well be the easiest and most universal of on-hand ingredients to kick off your culinary creation. And you don’t even have to bust out an old air popper, or line the bottom of a pot with oil and kernels. Bags of microwave popcorn work great for all the below options.

Note: The recipes below are meant for a classic, full-sized bag of microwavable popcorn, so if you find yourself with only the smaller, individual-sized bag, either use two, or adjust the ingredients below to your specific tastes (or just cut them in half).

GARLIC + PARMESAN + POPCORN

INGREDIENTS 1 classic bag of microwavable popcorn 3 Tablespoons melted butter 2 teaspoons garlic powder 3 Tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese DIRECTIONS * Place popped popcorn in a large bowl. * Melt butter and add garlic powder. * Sprinkle with shredded parmesan cheese.

Pairs nicely with ”The Butter Shave” Season 9 Episode 1 and a glass of Malbec.

We all know popcorn pairs perfectly with your choice of wine, mocktail or cocktail. And as for the “show” portion of “dinner and a show,” I figured I’d offer a few 30-minute comic escapes by pairing each popcorn dinner idea with a particular “Seinfeld” episode. In today’s slippery landscape of social media scrutiny and cancel culture, I’m always wondering how Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer would fare, and how much trouble they’d find themselves in.

FRITOS + CHILI POWDER + CHEESE + POPCORN

INGREDIENTS 1 classic bag of microwavable popcorn 6 Tablespoons melted butter 4 cups of Fritos 2 Tablespoons chili powder 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 2 chopped scallions DIRECTIONS * Preheat oven to 350 degrees, * Melt butter and combine with 2 tablespoons of chili powder, * Place parchment paper on a baking sheet and cover with popped popcorn. * Drizzle butter with chili powder over the top, followed by crushed Fritos, shredded cheese and chopped scallions. * Bake for 3-5 minutes, or until cheese is melted. * Finish with a sprinkle of salt,

Pairs well with “The Millennium” Season 8 Episode 20 and lemonade or limeade. 30 | Keys Woman

EVERYTHING BAGEL + POPCORN

WASABI + SEAWEED + POPCORN

INGREDIENTS 1 classic bag of microwavable popcorn 6 Tablespoons melted butter 2 cups broken bagel chips 3 Tablespoons Everything Bagel Seasoning 1 Tablespoon garlic powder 1 Tablespoon onion powder 11/2 teaspoon kosher salt

INGREDIENTS 1 classic bag of microwavable popcorn 11/2 Tablespoon vegetable oil 11/2 Tablespoon soy sauce 2 teaspoons sesame oil 2 teaspoons rice vinegar 1 cup wasabi peas 1 cup torn roasted seaweed snacks

DIRECTIONS * Place popped popcorn & broken bagel chips in large bowl. * Melt butter and add dry seasoning ingredients. * Drizzle melted butter mix over popcorn & bagel chips.

DIRECTIONS * Whisk vegetable oil & soy sauce, then add sesame oil & rice vinegar. * Drizzle over hot popcorn. * Toss in wasabi peas and torn seaweed snacks.

Pairs well with “The Strike” | Season 9 Episode 10 and a slightly sweet Rose

•••

OLD BAY + OYSTER CRACKERS + POPCORN INGREDIENTS 4 Tablespoons melted butter 2 Tablespoons Old Bay seasoning 3 cups oyster crackers

DIRECTIONS * Place popped popcorn in a large bowl. * On stovetop, melt butter and Old Bay over medium heat. * Drizzle melted butter mix over popcorn and toss in the oyster crackers.

Pairs well with “The Marine Biologist” | Season 5 Episode 14 & a Russian River Valley Red

•••

RANCH + POPCORN

INGREDIENTS 1 classic bag of microwavable popcorn 4 Tablespoons melted butter 1 /2 packet of dry ranch seasoning. DIRECTIONS * Place popped popcorn in a large bowl. * Melt butter and drizzle over popcorn. * Sprinkle with dry ranch seasoning.

Pairs well with a “The Junior Mint” | Season 4 Episode 20 and a Blue Moon beer.

Pairs well with “The Chinese Restaurant” Season 2 Episode 11 and hot sake

•••

SALT + VINEGAR + POPCORN INGREDIENTS 1 /2 cup malt vinegar 2 teaspoons kosher salt

DIRECTIONS * Combine malt vinegar and kosher salt in a small spray bottle. * Shake to dissolve salt. * Spray over hot popcorn.

Pairs well with ”The Old Man” | Season 4 Episode 18 and a crisp glass of bubbles.

•••

PEANUTS + HONEY + POPCORN

INGREDIENTS 1 classic bag of microwavable popcorn 1 Tablespoon salted peanuts 1 teaspoon melted butter 1 teaspoon honey DIRECTIONS * Combine popped popcorn and peanuts in a medium bowl. * Whisk butter and honey in a small bowl and drizzle over the popcorn.

Pairs nicely with “The Alternate Side” | Season 3 Episode 11 and a dry, French Sauvignon Blanc FALL/WINTER 2023 | 31

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BY JIM McCARTHY

You’ve gotta meet these women. The assignment: Find a woman in your area of the Florida Keys who is always, unabashedly herself — authentic to the core. Mission accomplished. In the following pages, you’ll meet a dancer who needs no music — and who also happens to be a nationally renowned hospital nurse. You’ll meet the keeper of Key West’s history — a museum curator and historian who’s also a tattooed diver with a PhD in British maritime history. And you’ll meet an underwater warrior — a wicked lionfish hunter with a wicked sense of humor. These are the true influencers.

Syliva

HER STYLE IS SIMPLY MAKING PEOPLE HAPPY

She’s the official dancing lady of Key Largo, and she’s darn proud of it. Just ask the friends of Key Largo’s Sylvia Gonzalez. “I used to dance 4 miles a day on U.S. 1. … It’s a ‘walkdance’ as my friends say. ”Gonzalez said the silly, fun dancing routine was a way to heal her soul, but she quickly realized the effect it was having on other people who were taking notice. Just like that, she became Key Largo’s dancing queen. “So many people know me because of that,” she said. The creative and colorful Gonzalez is known for busting out the moves to some upbeat tunes on her social media platforms. But she’s also famous for bringing the positive vibes inside Baptist Health South Florida’s Mariners Hospital, where she begins her workday at 7 a.m. as a caring and compassionate registered nurse. Gonzalez arrives each morning with a bright smile, carrying

34 | Keys Woman

“cafecito” for her co-workers, visitors and patients who are allowed to have a bit of caffeine. Fellow nurses at Mariners are also very familiar with Gonzalez’s “it’s almost seven” phrase. “Most nurses work from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. I use the phrase to say, ‘It is almost the end of our shift, we got this.’ I just try to bring a positive vibe to everyone.” More than anything, Gonzalez takes pride in the opportunity to help the people who enter the hospital’s doors. “I get to meet people and be there when they need it the most. Being able to touch so many lives is a blessing,” she said. In 2019, Gonzalez received the DAISY award, which recognizes and thanks nurses throughout the country for their dedication, positive attitude and empathy. She’s resilient, versatile and a go-to team member.

DOUG FINGER/Keys Weekly

Gonzalez

Describe yourself in one word. Happy. Who was your favorite teacher? I love all my teachers, I was a nerdy girl. Mr. Barreto, my science teacher, especially because he made me love the sciences from biology to chemistry. Introvert or extrovert? I’m an extrovert. What was your first job? My first paid job was a nurse in an emergency room. Before that, I’ve worked ever since I can remember on my dad’s farm. Favorite place you’ve ever visited? Pantheon in Athens, Greece. Proudest accomplishment? Rearing my kids, now two professionals who’ve carried my passion of service, being a nurse and a police officer. On a scale of 1-10, how funny do you think you are? I’d say 10. What is the one thing you will never do again? Ride roller coasters. You’ve been elected president: what’s your first order of business? Everyone should have afternoon “siestas.” Have you had a strange recurring dream? Not lately. I used to dream of running, but not any more. How many languages do you speak? Two. Spanish and English. Last package you received in the mail contained what? A purple dress. What’s your favorite family recipe? Mondongo. It’s a Puerto Rican dish. Basically, it’s pigs feet stew. Which of your 5 senses would you say is your strongest? Touch. What’s the worst fashion or hair mistake you’ve ever made? None. I believe I always look good even at my worst. What is your spirit animal? A unicorn. If you came with a warning label what would it say? Please be aware she will dance with or without music.

Sylvia Gonzalez raises her hands in the air as she begins the 5K Mariners Run in 2022. DOUG FINGER/Keys Weekly

FALL/WINTER 2023 | 35

BY MANDY MILES

Given the authentic theme of this issue of Keys Woman, you’d be hard pressed to find a more authentic woman than Cori Convertito — or one who’s more engaging, educated and enthusiastic. Despite the letters Ph.D. that follow her name in her professional email signature, you have to press her to speak of the impressive credentials that garnered her a doctorate in British maritime history. Because Convertito, the curator and historian of the Key West Art & Historical Society, is just that cool. She has spent decades immersed, often literally, in the maritime world and its history that have captivated her since she was a kid. “Since at least sixth grade, I always loved old boats and being on the water — call it the romanticism of Long Island Sound, where I grew up,” she said, laughing. “But I worked on tall ships as a kid, and was instantly fascinated by their evolution and role in history.” First, like many, she had dreams of becoming a marine biologist and even attended a high school that focused on aquaculture. Then she headed south to Eckerd College in St. Pete, Florida. “But I’m dyslexic, and apparently marine biology involves a lot of numbers that my brain just couldn’t handle,” she said. Still, she remained undaunted and intent on a maritime future. “Then I took a Civil War history class in college that was taught by a black professor, who pointed out the maritime slant of the war,” she said. “It changed my life.” Convertito moved to Key West immediately after college in 1999 and got a job as the education director at Mel Fisher Maritime Museum. To further her education, she moved to London, where she got her master’s and doctorate at University of Greenwich. London is also where she met Nic Farrar, who is now her husband and a property appraiser in Key West.

36 | Keys Woman

“I was only supposed to be in London for a few years to finish my degrees, and was coming back to Key West,” she said. But she and Nic stayed in the UK for eight or nine years and returned to Key West full-time in 2011 and she became the curator and historian at the KWAHS. It’s more than a job, she said, it’s a stewardship, and one Convertito takes very seriously. “One of my main priorities has been digitizing our collection, which currently includes almost 20,000 items that are free and accessible to all online, and we’re adding to it every day — literally. Whether people are living in Key West, from Key West or just in love with Key West, they can access photos of their old houses, former favorite bars and so much more that enables them to be a part of our community, no matter where they are.” Convertito’s other top priority “is to make sure we tell complete stories of Key West history — black history, Hispanic history and, of course, maritime history. This community has so many fascinating facets, and this is what we should be doing, especially in Florida these days,” she said. The KWAHS has an estimated 40,000 items in its permanent collection, “and that’s what dictates everything we do. We take our stewardship of Key West art and history very seriously.” But don’t let her stewardship and scholarship fool you. Convertito is a unique and authentic woman through and through, wearing her maritime devotion on her sleeve — her tattoo sleeve, that is. With more than 20 tattoos at least count, 99% of them are maritime related. Convertito’s body is a living tribute to that seafaring history. “On my 18th birthday, like so many other college girls, I got a dolphin tattoo. But now I have ships, mermaids, ships in a bottle, ocean scenes and more,” she said, raising her arms to remind herself of her seaworthy ink.

MARK HEDDEN/Keys Weekly

Cori Convert ito

THE OCEAN GOT UNDER HER SKIN

Describe yourself in one word. Determined Who was your favorite teacher? Dr. Carolyn Johnston at Eckerd College in St. Pete, Florida. She urged me to change my undergrad major from marine biology to American studies with a concentration in maritime history. To persuade me that this was the right decision, Carolyn recruited me to work as her teaching assistant when she and Nobel Peace Prize recipient and writer Elie Wiesel co-instructed an intensive month-long course at the college. Once she dangled that compelling carrot in front of me, the idea of being a marine biologist evaporated. Introvert or extrovert? Introvert trapped in an extrovert’s body. What was your first job? Office assistant at my vocational aquaculture high school at age 15. Favorite place you’ve ever visited? Zanzibar. Who knows you the best? My dog. Proudest accomplishment? Having my Ph.D. awarded the best thesis in maritime history the year I graduated. On a scale of 1-10, how funny do you think you are? 9 What is the one thing you will never do again? Try to be everything to everyone. You’ve been elected president. What’s your first order of business? Emulate Harry Truman and reinstitute a winter White House in Key West. Have you had a strange recurring dream? Yes – it always involves me working at a bar and I’m in the weeds. How many languages do you speak? One, although I am wellversed in Cockney rhyming slang if that counts as a second language. Last package you received in the mail contained what? A book about French prisoners in Britain during the Napoleonic Wars. What’s your favorite family recipe? Sunday sauce with meatballs. Which of your five senses would you say is your strongest? I think they are fairly well-balanced. What’s the worst fashion or hair mistake you’ve ever made? Being a child of the ’80s and ’90s, it is difficult to narrow down the worst mistake. My perm was curly, and my bangs were lofty and shellacked for most of my formative years. What is your spirit animal? Grey Goose If you came with a warning label what would it say? Contents Under Pressure.

Cori enjoying Key West Art & Historical Society’s BACK IN TIME fundraiser in 2017. CONTRIBUTED

FALL/WINTER 2023 | 37

BY ALEX RICKERT

QUEEN OF THE LIONS

Rachel Bowman She’s one of the world’s deadliest lionfish hunters. This year, she was voted as Marathon’s Best Local Celebrity. And she might be the only person to drop an F-bomb in a professional interview with New Yorker magazine. Other than her underwater hunts, which have become the stuff of legend in Marathon and beyond, Rachel Bowman is the friendly, always-sassy, artfully tattooed mainstay behind the bar at Keys Fisheries. A Keys resident since 2001, she originally made her pilgrimage after running into three ex-boyfriends at a single Lynyrd Skynyrd concert in North Carolina. From there, she decided to follow her father’s annual wintertime trip to the Keys for commercial shrimping. “I walked into the Cracked Conch Cafe with my resume, a khaki skirt, a polo shirt and penny loafers,” she said. (Side note: we can’t imagine 2023 Rachel wearing a single one of these things.) “This is a direct quote from the bartender: ‘You can start tomorrow, because one of our girls got hepatitis at an Aerosmith concert.’”

Fast forward 22 years, and after successful stints at half a dozen Marathon restaurants including Annette’s Lobster and Steak House and the Barracuda Grill, Bowman’s local fame has gone national with her lionfish hunting prowess. Initially diving – pun intended – into the hobby to combat the invasive species and supply local restaurants with the delicious and under-used meat, she’s now a revered lionfish tournament competitor and a respected source of knowledge trusted by state and national research agencies including FWC and NOAA. But whether she’s putting a favorite frothy beverage in your hand at the bar or making her way through a renowned local leadership development program, what every person who knows Bowman can attest to is her raw, unfiltered honesty. She’s unequivocally herself at all times, and that’s why we knew she’d be a perfect fit for our Marathon feature.

Describe yourself in one word. Resourceful. Who was your favorite teacher? I know this comes off as corny, but it’s true: my boyfriend, Peter Angelotti. He’s a mechanic and a welder, and he knows the science behind things, which is awesome to me, because as a kid I always had a bit of a crush on Mr. Wizard. Because of Peter, I can fix a bent prop shaft with a tire jack, unplug a pump indicator on an outboard motor, drive a skid steer and a hundred other things, only because he takes the time to calmly explain them to me even when it would be so much faster for him to just do it himself. Introvert or extrovert? Both. At work, I’m smiling, laughing and chatting everyone up. At home, I’m reading books or doing yard work, enjoying the silence. What was your first job? I was a journalist for Juice Magazine, a music/surf/skate rag out of Wrightsville Beach, NC. I was 16 years old and had to get my mom’s permission to go to bars and interview bands. Favorite place you’ve ever visited? My stomach says Switzerland, my liver says Hungary, my eyes say Alaska, my skin says Idaho, but my heart will always SCREAM Marathon.

38 | Keys Woman

Rachel Bowman and Team Lionfish University celebrate a successful 2022 Emerald Coast Open Lionfish Tournament with 1,274 lionfish harvested in 81 dives over two days. CONTRIBUTED

ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly

Who knows you the best? Sarah Brignac. She’s never forgotten a single thing I’ve ever said, and it’s irritating as hell. Proudest accomplishment? I’ve had great success with lionfish both commercially and competitively, and now I coordinate research trips out to the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. I have a federal permit that allows us to spear lionfish in a no-take zone through targeted fish removals, and those fish are then dissected and analyzed for various research projects. All of this data is made public by NOAA, which is awesome because someone in another country can use that data set to further their own research. The FWC started asking me for data on lionfish back in 2013, and 10 years later I get to spend four days at sea at a time with amazing scientists and researchers. On a scale of 1-10, how funny do you think you are? It varies, but there is a direct correlation between how funny I think I am and my blood alcohol level … or how red my eyes are. What is the one thing you will never do again? There’s definitely more than one, and they all involve scuba diving. Diving too much, too deep, too long, diving with “buddies” who ridicule your limits and comfort zone. The best part of diving is the anticipation of doing it again, and if you die, you don’t have that option. I was very lucky to have two guys who I respect very much take the time to sit me down and give me a stern talking-to about the unnecessary risks I was taking, and I can never appreciate them enough for that (Forrest and Ben, thank you!). You’ve been elected president: what’s your first order of business? Appoint Commissioner Holly Merrill Raschein as my vice president, and immediately quit so that she can take over. Have you had a strange recurring dream? I have dreamed that so many people were pregnant, before they knew they were actually pregnant! I have been doing this since I was a kid. No idea why. Last package you received in the mail contained what? Books! Yay! What’s your favorite family recipe? Grandma Salad. If you’ve ever eaten dinner at my house, you’ve had it. Which of your five senses would you say is your strongest? With a schnozz like mine, you know my sense of smell cannot be argued with. What’s the worst fashion or hair mistake you’ve ever made? I have curly hair and I tortured myself for a long time trying to make it straight, and I really damaged it. Finally someone of a different ethnicity educated me about the benefits of shea butter and cholesterol treatments and the evils of brushes and hot irons, and now my hair is healthy. It will never be what most people consider to be “good hair,” but it’s unique and it’s mine and I dig it. If you came with a warning label what would it say? “WARNING: Unfailingly Loyal & Will Carry a Grudge For An Unreasonable Amount Of Time”

FALL/WINTER 2023 | 39

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BY ERIN STOVER

TRAVEL LIGHT

If you’re anything like me, keeping track of my own person and moving my body from point A to point B, often while deciphering directions in another language, is task enough while traveling. And while sometimes unavoidable, adding a 50+ pound suitcase to the equation certainly doesn’t make life easier. Living the carry-on life allows for greater maneuverability in crowds, AND saves you money. It doesn’t come naturally to most, but there are some useful tips to help move in that less-burdened direction.

42 | Keys Woman

MIX AND MATCH My mother tells me that when I was young, I was adamant about dressing myself and would admonish her with a frustrated refrain of “I do!” whenever she attempted to make suggestions. She avoided the fight, but also prevented me from looking ridiculous, by stocking my dresser solely with solid color tops and bottoms. I could mix and match without ever ending up too far off base. That experiment in toddler management manifested and I now mostly purchase (and pack) solid color tops and bottoms. I have to admit, it’s a pretty foolproof approach. In the context of light travel, it allows some options and flexibility, without overpacking.

DOUBLE AGENTS Pack items that can pull double duty. I’ll admit I’ve worn my running tights to Nobu in Laguna Beach, but paired them with an oversized top and stylish shoes. No one was the wiser. Or, they were at least wise enough to not comment. Items like leggings and neutral slip-on shoes are the Swiss Army knives of carry-on travel. When possible, layer items. In most climates, you’ll get more mileage out of a short-sleeve tee, a long-sleeve tee and a light jacket than bulky outerwear. And for women, I cannot recommend highly enough a large, thin wrap. It’s a blanket, it’s a sarong, it’s a scarf, it’s everything. PACK BY NUMBER Shout out to the engineers, the programmers, the people who prefer formulas to inklings. For those who need more clearly defined parameters for packing, there are several schools of thought. One popular rule, devised by outdoor outfitting giant REI, touts the success of “1-2-3-4-5-6.” That is, pack one hat, two pairs of shoes, three pants, four tops, five pairs of socks, six underwear. I haven’t adopted such a rigid format myself but I do employ a similar tactic (five tops, three pants, two shoes) when I notice my load getting a little bulky. GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK Nothing is absolute. If you make a mistake, there are stores everywhere in the world. Naturally, you don’t want to blow the money you saved on baggage on new clothes, but it will inevitably be cheaper to pick up an item or two if you’re in need. Over the years, I’ve picked up items on trips that were warmer, colder, wetter or brighter than anticipated. I have a great hoodie from Whistler, a knit hat from Portugal, sunglasses from California. Each was a little souvenir that made my life easier in that moment, for a very small sum. I still wear each of them and remember the great moments from those trips. Unlike the memories I have of trips where I bogged myself down and can only recall breaking my suitcase wheel completely off on the London tube, sweating and swearing.

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FALL/WINTER 2023 | 47

BY KAREN NEWFIELD

DIGITAL DRAMA LOVE AT FIRST SWIPE, VIRAL VIDEOS AND LIFE-CHANGING APPS. OUR HYPERCONNECTED LIVES CONTINUE TO BE REWIRED.

MR. WRONG NUMBER By Lynn Painter After losing her job and boyfriend and burning down the building, Olivia heads back to Omaha. She is a penniless hot mess with few viable options. Her older brother, Jack, offers a month’s reprieve on an air mattress in his swanky apartment. Colin Beck is Jack’s roommate. He’s known Olivia forever and they trade obnoxious banter as only childhood friends can. Handsome Colin — perfection on paper — constantly gives Olivia a hard time. While searching for a new job she receives a strange text from an unknown number, asking “what is she wearing?” Unable to resist a comical comeback, she replies. And thus begins the sexting between Mr. Wrong Number and Miss Misdial. This stranger becomes her only ally and their sexy exchanges brighten her days. Colin eventually puts the pieces together, but continues his new addiction, shocked to realize he has fallen for his best friend’s off-limits little sis. Romance in the digital world … can you hear me now?

THE WIFE APP By Carolyn Mackler It began as a joke at a divorce dinner. Best friends Lauren, Sophie and Madeline are out commemorating Lauren’s signing of the final papers. Going down a painful memory lane, the friends are reminded what little appreciation they receive for the “mental load” that comes with being a good wife/mother. The unsung heroism it takes to get so many jobs done is so often unnoticed or ignored. Children, career, house, parents and taking care of husbands whose careers conveniently take precedence. They conjure up the answer — women need wives, too. With Lauren’s tech background she takes the humor a step further and creates The Wife App, an online task application that pays “Wives” to do these jobs for a set fee. The days of undervalued free labor are over. As the women put their business-savvy heads together, what started as a whim becomes an overnight sensation. Whether drowning in social media FOMO, raising children or uncoupling as only Gwyneth can do, is a happy, equitable marriage truly attainable?

48 | Keys Woman

WOMEN ARE THE FIERCEST CREATURES By Andrea Dunlop Strangers is one of the largest tech companies in the social media space. The upcoming IPO is going to make founder and CEO Jake Sarnoff more money than he ever imagined. Simultaneously, his young Instagrammable wife, Jessica, is about to give birth. Anna, wife #1, is an attorney who helped build Strangers and continues to raise their teenage sons during this difficult transition. Samanta, Jake’s college ex who never recovered from his hurtful abandonment, is back in his life while secretly working with a reporter on a story featuring the IPO’s questionable past. In this small upscale town outside Seattle, the very rich believe they can manipulate any situation and these women are tired of the male hierarchy controlling their lives. No matter how handsome and charming Jake may be, they are finally getting the message loud and clear. As social media controls the minds of masses, this premise is not far-fetched at all. Family drama, tech secrets and delicious revenge — this novel clicks every page-turning box.

THE TAKEDOWN By Corrie Wang Kyla Cheng is a senior at an elite private school in Brooklyn. She’s valedictorian, beautiful, talented and popular. When an online sex video is posted of her and the hot English teacher, Kyla’s life comes to a crashing halt. Except the girl in the video is not actually Kyla and college applications are due in a week. Years of being a superstar can create a lot of frenemies and she cannot imagine who is desperate enough to do this to her. Kyla is determined to catch the culprit behind this video and reclaim her life. Adorable “not boyfriend” Macky and her trio of besties help navigate a technological world filled with hackers, haters and actual villains. With phones glued to pretty little hands, the obsession with social status can too easily be manipulated by a swipe or a text. A powerful and furious look at dangerous high school peer pressure as our world evolves quicker than our sleek gadgets can charge. What a tangled web we weave …

FALL/WINTER 2023 | 49

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WEEKLY STAFF

G MAITRL E DIT H

The things we do

ION

Girl Math is defined in the Urban Dictionary as: An illogical reasoning and justification to making an unnecessary purchase used primarily by women. They get us, they finally get us. Just kidding, but it’s funny that this actually makes sense to most women. We are crafty when it comes to our purchases and men will just never quite understand that once an item has been paid for, that that money will never reappear, even if we return that item. This is just one way that “girl math” works. So we at Keys Weekly present to you “Girl Math” examples from inside our office walls.

REFUSING TO PAY $10 FOR SHIPPING, THEN ADDING $30 MORE IN PURCHASES TO GET FREE SHIPPING. If you buy your plane ticket and then upgrade your seats at a later date, your cheap ticket price still exists. IF I SWEAT A LOT ON A HOT FLORIDA DAY, IT COUNTS AS BURNED CALORIES, SO THERE’S NO NEED TO WORK OUT.

If I made a $150 purchase a month ago, and returned it, I just made $150.

Money in my Venmo wallet is “extra money” with which to treat myself because it doesn’t feel like I’m spending anything.

Paid in cash? It was basically free. The $$$ that my friend and coworker, Irene, gives me for coffee each month, is never actually spent on her coffee, because that money never existed anyway. Calculating the precise amount of water to consume so that you don’t have to pee but also so that you don’t die (most often applied to air travel and boat trips.)

YOU CAN’T AFFORD NOT TO HAPPY HOUR WHEN THINGS ARE ½ PRICE. 54 | Keys Woman

If there’s a discount at my favorite store it only makes logical sense to buy more items because I have to take advantage of the deal.

IF IT’S UNDER $20, IT’S FREE. IF I DON’T LOOK AT MY BANK ACCOUNT I CAN’T SEE MONEY GOING OUT. AND SINCE SEEING IS BELIEVING, I’M NOT ACTUALLY LOSING MONEY IF I DON’T WATCH IT HAPPEN.

Concerts are free because I bought the tickets so long ago, the expense no longer counts.

Your preloaded Starbucks card = free coffees whenever you use it. Buying a $500 purse but planning to use it everyday for a year, which breaks down to $1.37 per day. Not buying a certain item because you can make it at home for cheaper and then spending twice as much on the individual components.

Returned something for $90 then bought something for $100, so I really only spent $10.

GETTING YOUR DEPOSIT BACK WHEN YOU MOVE OUT OF A RENTAL IS FREE MONEY. IF SEPHORA HAS A 20% OFF SALE, I’LL LOSE MONEY IF I DON’T BUY SOMETHING. Measuring furniture with my arms and walking around my house to see if it fits because why use a measuring tape?

If a nibble of something doesn’t taste as good as expected, those calories don’t count.

If I take every grocery bag on each arm to get it all in one trip instead of making multiple trips, I get back an entire day of my life. Money on gift cards is free money and if you make a return, then the money just keeps circulating as free. FALL/WINTER 2023 | 55

Better hearing helps me stay confident, from the conference room to the living room. Whether you’re negotiating a contract between two companies or dinnertime with a picky eater, being able to stay in the conversation is key to your confidence. If you’re struggling to hear, you’re invited to take control of your health. Call us today to schedule your appointment for a no-risk consultation with Florida’s leading hearing care expert and discover how powerful clear hearing can be.

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