Mama Knows Best: Julie Wilson

With Mother's Day coming up, we thought it would be fun to ask our writers, friends, and favorite Kentuckians to share the best advice their own mothers ever gave them.

Image via Lexington Herald-Leader
Julie Wilson, the publisher and editor-in-chief of Lexington-based Story Magazine, shared some great advice. Julie is smart, hard-working, and all-around awesome. Did I mention that she recently interviewed The Coolest Kentuckian, Johnny Depp, for Story's Hunter S. Thompson issue? That fact alone makes her my Kentucky Writer Girl Crush.

Here's the sage advice Julie passed along to us:
"My mother told me to never settle. No matter how outlandish my dream might seem to others, I should always go for it. I know my Mom would be proud of me for not giving up." 
 Julie was recently named Business Owner of the Year by the Lexington chapter of NAWBO, was the subject of a KET documentary, and can't keep Story's Gonzo swag on the shelves. That's all pretty impressive for a business that's barely two years old! I'd say her mama's excellent advice paid off!!


{Thanks so much for sharing this fabulous advice with us, Julie!}
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Movember

When you're a blogger, you get some really interesting emails from time to time. There's outright spam, weird promotions and some genuinely odd press releases. A week or two ago, I received an email from  a PR firm suggesting that HerKentucky readers would be interested in learning more about Movember.



I have to say, my gut reaction was "Isn't that when guys don't shave for a month? I mean, it works for a few men, but it mainly just seems like an excuse to pull out the Thanksgiving pants, Joey Tribbiani- style."


Then, I thought that it could be a fun piece to hear whether y'all like clean-shaven or scruffy guys. 




Solely for the purpose of research, of course, we'd have to include some photos of our favorite Kentucky-born actors, like Johnny Depp, Josh Hopkins, and George Clooney. Just, you know, for illustration's sake. 




As I started to read a little more about Movember, I learned that I could not have been more wrong. The movement serves to draw awareness to and raise funds for men's health issues, including mental health and male reproductive cancers. It hit home. A few Novembers ago, a close relative began treatment for prostate cancer. It was a scary time, and we could not have been more blessed with the outcome. But, that was a combination of good fortune and good medical care. It doesn't always work that way. 


Enjoy the photos of George, Josh, and Johnny for a moment, then make sure the men in your life are receiving the medical screenings they need. Trust me when I say that early detection and aggressive treatment are the keys to survival. Consider a donation to the Movember movement, even if you can't handle a mustachioed holiday season...

Are the men in your life celebrating Movember this year?

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