Sorry it's been so long since my last post! Like many of you, I've been distracted by holiday activities. I actually feel lucky I've been unemployed this month, I don't know how I'd have gotten everything done in such a timely manner if I had something like a full time job to get in the way.
Now, since I still don't have a place of my own, I can't do much in the way of decorating but I've never been one to go all out anyways. I really don't see the point in completely turning your home upside down for a month only to have to go back and rearrange everything all over again. I just stick to one little section of my living room, I call it my Christmas Nook:
It's not much, but it's mine and it makes me smile. Cash seems to like it too, she was just waiting for the moment I removed all of the Christmas gifts from that bottom shelf, she does so look forward to sitting on new surfaces.
I don't go out of the way with ornaments, I prefer hanging trinkets that mean something, remind me of trips or certain events, rather then just covering the tree in solid colored balls. This year I added the "Whale Tale" I got on our Carnival cruise and Cash's ornament. We got one for Norman last year and it was only fitting we had one for our other baby.
Please note the R2-D2 lego ornament, I also have a Millennium Falcon I'm quite fond of.
This year I nabbed a sweet mini tree skirt too. I've had this mini tree for about four years and never knew they made tree skirts for small trees. Add some festive holiday garland and voila!
That's pretty much it for my holiday decorating save for the front door. I've developed an obsession with small holiday flags and now wish to own a different one for each month. I used to roll my eyes at little old ladies who would pick these up at Christmas Tree Shops when I worked there and now I understand. I find myself scouring the flag bins looking for just the right one. So far I only have one for Halloween and this new one for Christmas. But mark my words, I'll have one for every month eventually, I'm determined.
I was actually looking for something a little less "Christmasy" and a little more "Wintery" but I love the little penguin hitching a ride in this one so I got it. It's all rather silly really since I have an entrance off to the side of the house and only Joe and I see the flag, but still, I like them.
I don't know about the traditions in your home but I leave everything up including the tree until New Year's. January 1st or 2nd, it all comes down and the magic gets put away until next Christmas. And between you and me, I hope the year goes by soon, I really do love my holiday flag ;)
If I don't blog until then, have a Happy New Year everyone!
Well yes, it is. But regardless, December here we come!
Now, Thanksgiving is my #1 favorite holiday and no manner of holiday advertising will ever change that. I mean, think about it, Thanksgiving is the only holiday that is entirely meant to be about family and friends. There's no expectations, not need to throw money away to try and impress or outdo, it's about sitting around a table and breaking bread, no presents required.
Now I know some of you might be scratching your heads to come up with another holiday that does this but don't bother; I'll prove all of you wrong somehow. I'm good at that I'm told by Joe when we argue.
Easter? Nope, Easter baskets and Easter Egg Hunts-next! Valentine's Day? Are you seriously suggesting Hallmark's favorite holiday (next to Mother's Day) can compare to Thanksgiving?-next! Forth of July? Now, just stop it. I'm sorry, none of the Red, White and Blue holidays are holidays let me just make that clear right here and now. As much as we should reflect upon the significance of each one as a country, the majority of us just appreciate the fact that we get to spend the day at home drinking beers rather then working-it's a bank holiday....
No my dears, Thanksgiving is the best hands down. This year I spent the day, very much like last year, eating, gossiping, teasing my cousins, watching Punkin' Chunkin' (a new tradition with my cousins-my uncle doesn't understand) and then after tea and pie, forcing ourselves to leave before the offer to spend the night gets too tempting. And repeat. It's fabulous and just what a holiday should be- no exchanging of gifts, no pressure to get everyone something they actually enjoy, etc.
Now with that being said-holy crap I'm excited for Christmas! I don't know what has happened to me, I really don't. Over the past few years I've found myself getting more and more excited for the Christmas holiday with every new year. It's not the commercials that start after Labor Day (I actually hate that); it's not the Christmas music stores begin to play the day after Halloween (I hate that too); I just can't put my finger on it.
Sure I used to love sitting in my living room with the lights off, watching the tree sparkle and the ornaments sway back and forth between the strands of tinsel (which people don't use enough of these days if you ask me). But that was it.
I think for a number of years Christmas to me meant snow and cold and ice and slipping and shoveling and wet pant cuffs and red noses. None of these things are fun to me so why would I welcome a holiday featured smack dab in the center of all that snowy crap?
So color me confused or converted.Whatever the case is, I now seem to be on the edge of my seat waiting for the right moment to hang the stockings and set up my fake little tree. I don't go all out and I could care less about the outside of the house, but I'm really looking forward to having a tree to look at for a month or so once again. Something about the calming lights and the cozy glow they cast over the living room. Something about the ornaments that all mean something different and contain a small little memory from trips or Christmases past. I couldn't tell you exactly, but I'm looking forward to it all none the less.
I'm excited for presents too of course but that's never been a big priority for me. Money has always been tight so Christmas was something that I grew up feeling was more of a privilege then a right. No matter what I got I was always surprised and pleased so Christmas never represented some big day in which I could sit around checking off my wishlist.
I love giving presents too but my friends have all but left, scattering themselves across the country (and some, the world) so I don't have to worry about picking out the right little thing for everyone in my life and instead focus on the few gifts that will create the maximum smiles.
So whatever it is, I'm glad for this time of year. And for the so-far mild Christmas season. I'm not going to go crazy though, as you can see I'm posting this after Thanksgiving and I didn't hang my tiny Christmas flag on my door until just yesterday. As Nordstrom's would say, in this house, we celebrate each holiday one at a time.
I am truly American. I say this because I am one of those people that loves fast food, always gets a kick out of entertaining commercials and thinks places like Disney World that are entirely made of plastic-are simply magical!
I was fully prepared to go on a rant about how some commercials these days were not only ridiculous, they were also misleading and flat out stupid and was then going to post commercials I liked as a comparison. I wrote a few paragraphs and uploaded a few videos but then I took a step back and reminded myself this blog isn't about what I don't like, it should only be about things that make me happy enough to want to share with my homies (annnndd I couldn't find footage of all of the commercials I was interested in talking about online so there ya go)
So I've decided just to post the commercials I could find that make me smile on a daily basis. Enjoy.
Now, this guy I love so much, I'm giving you two of his spots:
It was pure coincidence that I picked two commercials that had something to do with wild animals but are they not brilliant? I'm also in love with these Mayhem commercials because the actor in them also plays a reoccurring character on 30 Rock, which Joe and I are currently obsessed with. I could post so many more; this commercial campaign is one of the best I've seen in a really long time. When I was looking for these clips I actually stumbled upon some commercials I hadn't seen before so go YouTube them and see what you've been missing!
Now I know I've posted this one already but I just can't help myself, it is too fun:
Gets me everytime.
Okay so I actually lucked out with this one and found the full version of this classically awesome Orbit commercial. This was also one of the last commercials to feature the original Orbit lady. Sigh, so sad. I swear they changed the actress up just because she was a little younger, not fair Orbit!
I don't know what makes me laugh more, the "What the French, Toast?" line or the "Hoboken" remark, just genius!
Now, this commercial campaign has been going on for awhile too but this is the latest from Dos Equis and I have to say, the very first line is what sets this one apart from the rest:
I know none of these commercials are new to any of you, but since I've got a lot of extra tv watching time on my hands these days, these are the commercials I don't mind sitting through each and everyday.
Now let me take a moment to talk about the shows I can't seem to live without right now. Yes, I had gotten back into Buffy and Angel when things get slow and I've cleaned out the DVR, but these new shows have most recently been added to the broadcast schedule and I find myself counting down the days until the latest episodes air.
Lucky for me, two of them are daily programs so I don't ever have to wait more then a weekend break to watch.
Okay now seriously, The new Rosie Show is fantastic! It's on the OWN network and starts at 7pm EST. Check it out if you haven't-I'm absolutely in love. I try to get Joe to watch sometimes too and he chuckles here and there so I'm telling you people, it ain't bad-go watch!
Now I already did an entire post about this show but it's another one I get to watch everyday and is helping me stay sane while going through this job search:
(Cassie, I posted this clip specifically for you) It's just a delight! And the man really is like the second coming of Oprah in that each show is completely different from the others. One day he has a celebrity to interview and the next day he's talking to victims of abuse or tackling his own personal struggles and phobias. All with this light, intelligent dialog that just makes you want to watch and be a part of the conversation.
Now this one Joe and I watch together and it's one of the first shows MTV has come out with that isn't ridiculously stupid or based on some whiny high-schooler talking about how they have a sudden urge to become prom queen:
Perfect time to jump on the Vampires/Warewolves/Zombies bandwagon MTV (Buffy, I think ya'll should be making with the repeats right about now you know what I'm sayin? Get you a new fan base...make that money-you know what I'm talking about Joss Whedon) It's a really funny show that combines Reno 911 with Shaun of the Dead.
Speaking of Vampires.... This other one features a lovely lady I've mentioned once or twice:
The teaser doesn't even do it justice. It's not an action/comedy like Buffy but this show has it all. Suspense, double cross, kidnapping, murder, FBI investigations, identity theft; I mean good lord the list goes on. Every week I watch and think 'okay, this is it, her secret will be found out and it's all going to come together' then WHAM! Another insane twist comes out of no where and you're left with your mouth a-gape wondering-seriously?! How much more can this character go through?! It's is crazy people, start watching and you'll understand what I'm talking about. SMG is back baby!
Now this one isn't new by any means but it's new to Joe and I and we are completely addicted. I mean we can't go a day without watching or we feel like we've missed out on something big:
Now I'll admit, Joe and I are the kind of people who aren't into jumping on the band wagon. We like to discover things on our own. So when 30 Rock first aired and got all hyped up, we tried to stay away because we didn't want to watch based on the media attention and our friends becoming facebook fans of the show. Then I discovered one of my friends (Randi, sweet gal who got to watch people walk down the red carpet at the Oscars I mentioned some posts back) was an extra on the forth season of the show so I started to watch. (She's also an extra on One Tree Hill but you will not see me watching that show so I went with 30 Rock to show my support and be super envious) The hype was all true people. 30 Rock is insanely funny and now Joe and I go around quoting the show all the time. Check it out if you haven't already, you won't be disappointed.
I've also started watching two shows on BBC America. Law & Order UK and 24 Hours in the ER. L&O is exactly what you think it is; it's just better because it's all done with an accent and British slang terminology. I almost stopped watching after the first season though, because they killed off the stud muffin that was Jamie Bamber's character and I was real mad about that. But Joe did a little Googling and found out it was Jamie's choice to leave the show so I've made up with L&O and instead am just grumbly with the studly Mr. Bamber.
I mean hello-he's handsome, fit and comes with a British accent. You'd be chuffed if suddenly he was taken away from you too. I had no idea he was leaving either so that last episode of the first season was damaging to my calm to say the least.
Now the show is just like the American version and not at all intended to be funny, but this teaser trailer is wonderful. BBC America had one entirely about the lingo but I can't find that anywhere. This one starts off slow but then gets awesome so if you skipped over it, go back and watch.
Now 24 Hours in the ER is a reality show that covers what it's really like in an Emergency Room. No Noah Wiley or George Clooney here, sorry. There are cameras positioned throughout King's Cross College Hospital (one of the busiest hospitals in all of England as it is right next to an extremely busy and well known train station, Kings Crossing-That's actually where Harry Potter went to catch the Hogwarts Train-bet you didn't know that egh?) and you see what happens in a full 24 hours. The show also goes a little further and highlights the individual nurses working in the ER and the patients themselves. Each episode is different as you can imagine, and while it's kind of icky as they have to deal with a lot of traumatic injuries, it's very touching as well. The nurses actually give a damn about what's going on and the patients and their families are relate-able as they are real human beings and not paid actors. The trailer alone got me hooked and crying and now I can't stop watching:
It really is a fantastic show. You will laugh and you will cry and you will appreciate your fellow man and the time you have on this Earth. Check it out, you'll be better for it.
That's it for now. I just thought I would share a little of what has been keeping me going these past few weeks. Sure I've got Joe and Cash and Norman. But when I need some distraction during the day, in between filling out job applications, house cleaning and candle making, these shows help me break free from "reality" and provide a little entertainment to my daily life. I like it, I hope you do too.
Happy Halloween everyone!! Or should I say, Merry Christmas?
Can you believe this weather?! Just BANANAS! I don't know about the rest of you, but in our area, the damage has been worse from this snowstorm then when Hurricane Irene came barreling through. And with Irene we were at least prepared!
I actually had to bite the bullet and accept that I have pathetic feet. I sold my soul and purchased Ugg-like boots for myself! Joe was embarrassed to be seen with me but he understands. Girlfriend's feet have NO circulation what so ever. I double up on socks, make sure I'm wearing shoes that totally cover my feet, all to no avail. My toes are about to fall off over here people!
I got my Godsmack (that's "bad Karma" for any of you not down with metal lingo circa 1999) for it today though. My "FUggs" are lined with a thin layer of fabric on the bottoms (I don't know why they put that on cheap shoes these days but I've purchased other shoes with fabric soles too) so everytime I set foot on a smooth surface I nearly faceplant/slide into a split/pull something important and flail around like an amateur ice skater, all in the center of very public places. It's not a hot look people. But at least my feet are warm...silver lining?
Anyways, moving on. I haven't posted an unemployment update in the past few posts because it was getting harder to keep track and added a slight air of sadness to my posts I wasn't really a fan of. But hopefully it will all be over soon; I've started training with a new company in town and it looks like they might like me enough to pay me on a regular basis! I'll let you know for sure as to whether or not they give me the green light but things are looking good I think.
I hope all of you are staying safe and warm during Mother Nature's sanity break. Thankfully we got power back last night and are having two of Joe's friends crash with us tonight so they don't have to spend another night huddled around a fireplace twiddling their unwashed thumbs. (Plus Joe's been dying to play video games with his homie) So we're having a sleep over night! Goodluck to the rest of you and I hope wherever you are, you're happy and healthy even if you're a little chilly.
I have been waiting for this day for nearly two months! Ghostbusters is in theaters this month!
Every Thursday in October, you can catch the original film on the big screen!! The moment I heard about this I started checking the Ghostbusters fan page on Facebook (yes, I love the film THAT much) for any and all updates so I can find out just when I'd be able to see my boys on the silver screen.
Check your local listings to find it in a theater near you, but I know for a fact that the AMC theater in Danbury will be playing it every Thursday at 7pm in October.
I have been counting down to today for over a week. Joe and I even used the film as an excuse to turn the afternoon into a nice date night and we'll be grabbing dinner before setting off to see one of the greatest films of all time.
Don't think I'm that big of a fan?
Well, when we were younger, my sister and I spent a full year watching it every single night. My sister even started writing down the lines from the movie while we'd watch. One day, I discovered a vendor in our local mall had a copy of the script and I begged my mom to buy it for my sister so she wouldn't have to worry about missing anything writing it herself.
I have even been known to spot the differences between widescreen and normal viewings of the movie. I have to watch it in widescreen because I get mad and always have to explain to people I'm catching the film with, what's going on off to the side of the screen because it's partially cut off. So annoying! There's just too many amazing little gestures and facial expressions you miss out on-don't deprive yourselves people!
I'm not going to leave you with any clips because I can't seem to find anything good to post. Instead I'll leave you with the music video that Huey Lewis and the News should have done, but they declined, so enjoy a little Ray Parker Jr. and go see Ghostbusters! Seriously people-I like it!
I am in LOVE with Anderson Cooper! I've always liked him and thought he had more integrity then any other reporter on television today.
I've been watching his new show, Anderson, since it aired about a month ago and now I am full-on obsessed with him! Everyday watching his show I learn more incredible, amazing things about him that make him more of a "real person" then a "tv personality". He and I have a lot of things in common too.
He loves reality shows to the point where he even Googles the pets featured on shows such as "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" and the like.
There is a myriad of foods he's never tried. The man hates coffee and doesn't understand the concept of a waffle. To Anderson, he doesn't feel there is a need for hot beverages and thinks a pancake is good enough, why put nooks and crannies in it? He's never eaten spinach and, even though he's a New Yorker, has never had roasted nuts from a street vendor.
He actually did an entire episode on his show about strange eating habits because his office staff started teasing him about the foods he eats and doesn't eat. In that episode, he discovered the reason he doesn't care too much for food was because he has fewer taste buds then the average person and therefore experiences food completely differently then most people. He even admitted he doesn't care for food or see the need for it. He said he only eats because he knows he's suppose to. He doesn't cook and even gave his audience a glimpse into his fridge at home. The man only had turkey hot dogs and beverages and condiments. He would rather not eat if he physically didn't have to simply because he finds eating to be more of a chore then a pleasurable experience.
I'm positively fascinated by him!
He's very good friends with Kathy Griffin and she and Anderson's mother actually talk on the phone all of the time.
He doesn't like being touched and he said that when he went on vacation to South America, he bathed in this volcanic mud and said the only time he had a problem with it, was when one of the workers that brought him to the mud pool, kept massaging the mud on his back. At one point he looked at the camera and said "I really wish this guy would stop touching me"
He had made some not-so-nice comments about Snooki and when he realized his quotes came off a little less then kind he called her up and invited her on his show. Well our Jersey girl got Anderson to go tanning! Check out this pale, pale man's tan line!
Paula Abdul was on his show this week and he revealed he loves it when she says things that make absolutely no sense. So at one point she looked at him and said something along the lines of "Anderson, you are a tidal wave crashing over a candy covered mountain...." You would have thought this man just met Santa Claus! He had a look of sheer delight and joy on his face and then when she was done with this strange-ass sound bite, he fell of his chair as if he was overcome with the holy spirit!
I just can't get enough! Anderson Cooper is my Oprah! I really hope I can get tickets to his show, I would love to actually see him in person :)
Check out his show if you can, it's fun and informative. Check out his news reports too-he's just great!
A grown man with social integrity AND an adorable giggle? I LOVE it!
How mean does a person have to be to purchase this? Just evil!
Now I would think anyone in this neck of the woods would know right away that the Tarantula coming at them is a fake as they aren't native in this part of the country but still, you'd pee just a little before figuring it out wouldn't you?
I never used to have a problem with spiders. Used to be I come across one and either leave it alone or introduce it to the bottom of my shoe. Now I see one and I jump and get enraged that the eight legged bugger dared enter my sanctum. Then I introduce it to my boot. Yes, I've been known to take off my shoe in the middle of a room, one foot exposed to the elements, just so I could crush an eight legged invader. I'm that serious about keeping my place spider-free. The problem with spiders though, is you're never free of them. They like to hide and only show their faces (or million eyes/fangs-covered heads) when they think no one is around; they find a corner seemingly undisturbed and set up shop. Well no thank you! You wanna live in peace and harmony? Do it outdoors and please let me be! Blah! I just don't like 'em!
Then I see this sucker on LikeCool.com today and I can just imagine the horror a person could unleash on unsuspecting friends and family with that remote-controlled monstrosity. Yuck yuck yuck!
Granted I've been that jerk in the past too. My aunt and uncle used to have this rubber rat in their apartment in Flushing, NY that I used to love to hold up to my sister and squeak at her. The thing really freaked her out and I of course would always be scolded for terrorizing her but darnit, it was such a rush!
This is what it looked like, red eyes and all. The tail was so long it would wave back and forth as if it really were alive and the rat itself was quite large (or seemed to be when I was 7) so I can see why it freaked my 3 year old sister out. But it's a rite of passage as an older sibling isn't it? We all go through that one moment in which we find sheer delight in making our brothers or sisters run away or hide behind the couch to avoid facing the "creepy" things we'd throw at them.
My brother did it to me too so don't think I'm a bad kid. Actually, my sister loves Halloween and watches any scary movie you put in front of her now so obviously I didn't cause her any permanent danger. I just hope she doesn't get wind of ole spidey and look for some little sister revenge....
I got my Diamond Candle this week! My mystery ring was right at the top so after burning the candle for three days (I was not going to dig, I was going to wait patiently) here's what I got:
It's far shinier in person and and anddddd-since I bought the cupcake candle, my lovely ring smells delicious too! BONUS!
I'm almost positive the stamp on the inside of the band says "Argentina" so it isn't a $5,000 gem but it's pretty and it fits, who could ask for much more?
Now granted, not every one will like every ring they get, but check out the website and see if this is something you'd like to try out or buy as a gift for a friend or family member. At $25 bucks a candle, it's really not a bad gift, especially if you know someone that's a real pain to shop for. Can't go wrong with a candle and certainly not a beautiful jarred candle that comes with it's own mystery ring! I'll definitely be ordering these as Christmas gifts and getting another one for me'self!
I follow a lot of different blogs and websites and found a bunch of fabulous gift and craft ideas over the past couple of months I've recently decided to try out.
Today, I spent the entire night trying out this "Tie Shirt" pattern I found:
You can find the tutorial on making your very own here
I went to Goodwill and picked up four neck ties at $3 a piece and when I came home I discovered two of them were from designer labels! I have a Lagerfeld and an Yves Saint Laurent to use! How exciting!
I don't have a sewing machine so if I was to give this pattern a try, I'd have to do it by hand. So I decided to use one of the non-designer ties and a shirt I no longer wear as a test run to see if I;d be able to pull this off without the aide of an automated helper. Here's what I made:
It's not the prettiest combination of colors but it was a test run and I'm glad I had the extra ties to help figure everything out. The shirt I used had three buttons at the top so I had to cover up the straight button up portion of the collar which is why the tie goes a little wonky at the bottom rather then circling back around like the original picture. I have to find some prettier accent buttons and I'll definitely be using a shirt with a simple, round collar but I'm happy to have given this a try.
The Lagerfeld tie is very cute and has tiny white leaves covering a light tan background and I think it will look really nice over a green shirt. The Yves Saint Laurent tie is chocolate brown and has tiny periwinkle dots all over it and honestly, I would have out it with the above shirt but again, it's not one I wear anymore and I'd rather pair the designer tie with a shirt that it will lay nicer on.
A few months ago my friend posted on Facebook a picture of a candle she had just received in the mail. I didn't think much of it until I saw the picture getting a lot of comments. I took a second look and discovered she had ordered a Diamond Candle. What's a Diamond Candle you ask? Well, let me tell you all about it.
Quite frankly, it's an idea I wish I had come up with. Each candle has one "designer" ring stuck inside the wax. The rings are double wrapped in foil and plastic to keep the finish and gems from getting all mucked up or burnt from the melting wax. The rings are valued anywhere for $10 to $10,000. I know you'll find this hard to believe because I certainly did, but my friend on Facebook had ordered three candles and two of her rings, while pretty, weren't worth more then $10 but her third ring had genuine diamond chips in it! I don't know what the total value was but it was appraised and the stones were authenticated as diamond chips.
If you YouTube Diamond Candles you'll find hundreds of testimonials from women as they unveil their rings. I bought one for Joe's aunt because these kinds of things are right up her alley and I know she had never heard of a Diamond Candle before.
She absolutely loved it! The ring is a $10 one but it fits and she really likes the shape of the "diamond-like" stone she got. Not a bad gift idea my friends. It's like getting someone a lotto ticket, only with Diamond Candles, you're guaranteed to get something, even if it doesn't "pay off" in the end.
I bought the Cinnamon Tea scent for Joe's aunt and just ordered the Cupcake scent for myself. I'll let you guys know what kind of ring I get when my candle arrives-hopefully I'll get lucky and, like Joe's aunt, my ring will be at the top of the candle. I'll be patient if it isn't but I really, really hope it's at the top! Oh I just love surprises!
A beautiful, nice smelling jarred candle AND a hidden ring that might come with precious stones?! I like it!
Days Unemployed: 24
Jobs Applied to: 35
Possible Interviews to Set Up: 2
Interviews Had: 2
Today I did something seriously huge in my quest further into "girlhood"-
I got side bangs!!!
Now I know this shouldn't be a big deal but I haven't had bangs....EVER!!
Sorry about the dumb picture, I know nothing about modeling for facebook photo-ops and there isn't a blank wall in my house I could stand in front of so I just tweaked the image a little so you focus on the hair and not all the junk that makes up my worldly possessions in the background.
Anyways, it was an idea I had been toying with for awhile and when I heard Joe's middle sister Cassie was getting her hair cut I thought I'd tag along and see what her "stylist" suggested I do with my 'do. Turns out, Cassie ended up getting the exact haircut I was looking for and since her hair is as long as mine, I had a real life example of how the cut would look right in front of me. Granted she's a young little stick of a gal so the cut still looks superior on her in comparison but dammit, I have side bangs! Our "stylist", Bonnie, was insanely wonderful and girl, was she quick and extremely affordable! Shout out to Sandy Hook Hair Co. or "Shh..." for hooking me up with my super fabulous look. I am simply in love!
I can't stop looking at myself-your girl looks good up in herrr! Hopefully this isn't a fluke. You know how you get your hair cut and your "stylist" uses that awesome special salon brush and puts a little dab of product over your locks and blow dries your strands to perfection? Yeah, I'm a little nervous that in my completely incapable hands, this hairdo will never look this good ever again but I'll try real hard to keep it as cute as possible.
Days Unemployed: 12
Jobs Applied to: 25
Possible Interviews to Set Up: 2
Today is the last day of summer!! Or I hope it is at least. Let's make way for my favorite season-Fall! I'm tempted to hang my "Happy Halloween" flag from our door but that would be a little hypocritical considering just yesterday I commented to a friend about how Halloween (and Christmas!) stuff is already in stores while rolling my eyes. I'll be good and wait until October 1st to hang it and then make sure to be a good "Susie Homemaker" and take it off the door on November 1st. I'm going to have to search for more flags because, while I'm not one to go all out decorating the front yard or anything, I do like the way the flag looks on our front door. It's the perfect size and has cute little "monsters" on it that make me think of Mike Wazowski every time I come home.
I am looking forward to carving pumpkins again this year. I've missed out on carving pumpkins for the past few years and Joe and I have just not had the time to go to the local farm and pick pumpkins. Last year I was determined to carve something so I went to the super market and got small pumpkins the night before Halloween and carved up three very cute pumpkins for our walk. See:
The middle one is a Cyclops like Mike
A friend of mine was throwing a Halloween party the same week and asked if I'd come early and help her kids with their pumpkins since neither she nor her husband were any good at slicing and dicing. So I got my carve-on last year and hope to repeat that this year, maybe even a little earlier so I can enjoy my little cut-up creations longer this time around.
I'll have to purchase new carving tools though because I started using the knives from the starter set I bought for my candle making. I spotted a Star Wars carving booklet last year which I hope to pick up next month. Joe thinks it's silly but deep down I know he would be tickled to have a Storm Trooper or Death Star pumpkin.
I've always wanted to make one of those "gross" pumpkins but I feel like those pumpkins would start to stink sooner as all of its "innards" will no doubt begin rotting before the rest of it. How do people come up with these things?!
Oh and PS-I don't even like Halloween! I hate dressing up and each year I'm invited to parties I have no desire to attend simply because I have no idea what costume to get. I never plan to dress up so being invited to these parties is that much worse because then I find myself looking last minute when all of the decent stuff is gone. And have you checked out the prices lately?! Why on Earth would I want to shell out 40 bucks for a super thin, nylon costume I only plan to wear once in my life? I just don't get it.
So I'm still trying to work through this whole "being a girl" business and while we were on vacation, I was informed that I am not properly washing my face. The lovely woman who took care of me at the Spa told me my face washing methods was 100% incorrect. Who knew something like washing your face could be such a big deal?! I thought I was doing the right thing, I use an Aveeno scrub in the shower each morning, I blot with oil absorbing sheets throughout the day if I feel a little greasy and then at night I wash the day's dirt off my face with an unscented Dove bar.
I had heard years ago that the unscented Dove bar was the greatest product to use when washing your face and that it was even recommended by dermatologists. How could I go wrong? Well when I broke down my facial cleansing routine to Karin (spelled with an "i" like my cousin) from South Africa, she, in a very sweet accented voice, asked me why on Earth I would use soap on my face? She then went on to explain that soap is soap no matter what kind of moisturizers the manufacturer puts in each bar. I was further informed that exfoliating my face should only be done one to two times per week rather then daily like I had been doing.
Now I don't tamper with a lot of "products" especially when it comes to my face. I moisturize in the morning after my shower and aside from the daily Aveeno scrub and the Dove bar at night, I don't use anything else on my face. Well, at the advice of my South African pampering guru, I have now added a soothing Deep Cleanser and Alcohol-Free Toner to my daily routine.
I've had blackheads on either side of my nose that I just haven't been able to get rid of and I didn't understand what the deal was. I mean I wash and exfoliate everyday, what more can be done? Karin explained that using the facial cleanser at night followed by the toner, would remove all access dirt accumulated throughout the day and make my pores smaller, decreasing my chances of getting blackheads. She said that the toner was the greatest product for this because even after washing, your face still has access dirt that the toner washes out.
Granted after our session she tried to get me to buy each of these products at the Spa store for a whopping $30 bucks a pop to which I kindly turned down, opting instead to put that money towards her tip (which I think is a nicer investment don't you agree?) Instead I went out and found nice name brand products in the store for a more fiscally responsible $6 dollars a pop. Here's what I got:
Now, L'Oreal has a variety of deep cleansers but this one is exfoliant-free and specially formulated for sensitive skin. Given my recent sunburn, I figured this would be a good product to try out. It even comes with this super cute handheld facial scrubber tool that sticks to the shower wall when not in use. It's squishy and very soft and makes washing your face a very nice experience. Now, I washed my face after taking a shower and was shocked to discover Karin was completely right. I used the toner a sure enough, access dirt was on the cotton ball and my pores were, for the first time, completely clear! Hello?! I showered and washed my face and there was STILL dirt in my pores?! How rude!
Boy am I glad I treated myself to a morning at the Spa, I learned so much! Hopefully my skin will start to improve and my pores will no longer be plagued with blackheads.
Here's the fabulous toner I picked up:
This stuff is great! It's really refreshing on your skin and doesn't sting because it's alcohol-free. I have used other toners before and after feeling stinging and irritation on my skin, was completely turned off from the product but this stuff has totally made a believer out of me.
So the new routine, moisturize after showering in the morning; deep cleanse and then tone at night. Exfoliate one to two times per week. I think I'll designate Fridays and Sundays as my official exfoliating days. Those are the days I usually shave my legs so why not round off the weekly upkeep with a good facial scrubbing? Sounds like a plan.
Having clear skin that makes me look my age? I like it!
I've been giving that exact advice for a long time now; as recently as last night in fact. And today it's come full circle.
I was laid off this evening.
I'm not mad and I certainly don't hold any ill will. I'm just very disappointed.
But now I have to lace up my boots and start walkin' so to speak.
Every time you leave a job, whether it be on your terms or theirs, you start a new adventure.
Sure times are tough and the job market makes people act all kinds of crazy, but I'm going to take things one day at a time and hope for the best. I've been unemployed before and while it totally sucks, it also helps you reflect on the goals and desires you have for your next position.
This will now give me time to reorganize my life and once again strive for a job more suitable to what I want in a long term career.
It's going to be hard, and money is going to be extremely tight. I might cry, a lot, but I'm going to push forward as always because that's really all you can do. You can't change the past, so you gotta do you, boo boo.
The cruise was amazing and way more insanely awesome then I had ever hoped! A lot of firsts happened over the course of our vacation and I'll never be able to put the entire experience into words.
As I mentioned before, our cruise was going to St John, New Brunswick, Canada and we set sail from NYC. It was really cool starting the journey in the city because we passed all of the major landmarks on our way to the Atlantic. We sat on the deck of the ship as the Chrysler Building, the Empire State Building, the Freedom Tower (under construction) and the Statue of Liberty passed by. Our ship even went underneath the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge which made everyone pause for a second and hold their breath as it looked as if we were going to clear it by a few feet. I'm sure we had plenty of room but from where we were sitting, it looked seriously sketchy. Very cool indeed.
The weather was a huge concern for us since we were heading north and had no idea what to expect. The weather reports all week leading up to the trip predicted terrible storms the entire time but we lucked out and missed all of the major thunderstorms by about thirty minutes during each leg of the trip. When we left NYC, everyone was out on deck enjoying the beautiful sunshine and the moment we could access our rooms,we went and got changed into our bathing suits and hit the pool and crazy-awesome-twisting water slide. About an hour later, we were leaning against the railing on the back of the ship, watching an insane thunderstorm wash over the city we had just left. The lightning was absolutely uncanny and we thanked our lucky stars our ship didn't have to pass through any of that. It was a perfect start to the trip. There was a lovely breeze and four of us stood at the back of the ship, watching mother nature's amazing light show do her thing as the sun went down.
A little sidenote about the water slide..... We had not gone into the pool yet and thought the water slide would be a perfect way to get acclimated to the chilly waters down below. This would have been a great plan had someone informed us the water in all of the pools was of the salt variety and not chlorine as we had thought and were prepared for. Nothing like being jettisoned down a huge plastic tube consisting of about six insane turns only to land in a huge wave as salt water blasts into your mouth and up your nose. I honestly thought I was going to die. It was disgusting and my lips tasted like a salt lick for hours afterward. Really would have appreciated a heads up about the salt water, just sayin'.
I'm not going to go into detail about everything we had done but it was definitely a blasty-blast. Picture a giant hotel on water that had a buffet, movie theater, casino, performance stage and mall all in one. All of the activities, shows and most of the food were included. We had nothing to worry about and spent our five days at sea relaxing. If we felt like seeing a show, we would go see a show. If we felt like taking a nap and skipping dinner, we'd go take a nap and grab some pizza for a late night snack and then walk around the ship at midnight while the rest of the passengers attended parties or slept. It was the most relaxing vacation one could ever ask for.
I wanted to get a couples massage with Joe at the on board spa but that service was around $300 bucks so we opted out of that. Joe and his father took an exclusive tour of the ship and got to meet the captain and while they did that, I hit up the spa for a cheaper, salon sampler and got good and pampered. I'd never been to a spa before so that was a lovely first.
I then reversed pretty much everything that I had done afterward because I'm an idiot. The guys weren't going to be done with their tour for another two hours so I thought I'd wait for them and get some sun. I changed into my bathing suit and put sunscreen on my face. I only protected my face because it was still early in the morning and the sky was quite overcast so I wasn't expecting to get too toasty. A two hour nap later and I woke up feeling very warm and uncomfortable and when I went back to my room I noticed I had managed to get quite crispy. And the sunblock I had put on my face failed me completely. I had worn my giant sunglasses I bought on our trip to Nebraska which only added to my overall ridiculous look. Now, I don't look nearly as bad as our friend Kim Kardashian here, but I certainly felt like I did:
So the mini facial I had just gotten at the spa was all for naught. I did get a nice foot massage though and luckily my toes didn't fry in the morning sun. I also received a hair conditioning treatment which consisted of oil being poured over my head as my hair was teased into what could only be described as the Trojan "blow your hair back" look:
I felt like I had a greasy rats nest hanging off of the back of my head and the oil was nearly impossible to rinse out. Two days later however, my hair feels luxurious. Luckily the oil was stronger then the morning sun and my hair didn't get bleached or fried from the product it was soaking in. I did rinse some of it out and put my hair in a nice braid so at least I didn't look a complete mess as I was baking by the pool.
Now I had asked a lot of people about their cruise experiences and the one thing I was really excited for was the towel animals. Yes, I'm lame, I cared about towel animals more then anything else. It was my first cruise ever and all I wanted to see each night was what towel animal would be awaiting me in our room. Well here they are:
Now, the monkey was not ours, they made different animals each night for everyone and Joe's father and sister got the monkey in their room. The other four animals are from our room and the only one we can really decipher is the seal on the bottom. It's a weird (almost phallic) seal but at least you can figure out what it's suppose to be. We think the first one is a bunny although it was the first animal we got on the trip so there's a chance it's suppose to resemble the whale-tail chimney on the back of the boat. The other two are just too asexual to figure out. I think the second one is a cat and the third possibly a bear? No idea. Joe's sister Marie even got an instructional book on making these creatures and the first three weren't even in it so who knows?
I had looked so forward to getting these animals that I had even put each one aside to keep it nice and safe in the hopes that I could line them all up at the end of the trip for a cute towel animal group shot. That's a waste of perfectly good towels apparently and each night we got back to the room to discover that evening's towel animal had replaced the one from the night before. Oh well.
In addition to the huge buffet, the ship had three restaurants and each night we'd all change into business casual attire and enjoy a nice meal together. There was eight of us in our group and each day we'd all go off and do our own thing so it was nice to sit down and talk about our day each night. The waitstaff was very nice and at the end of the meal they would put on a little show. The maitre d' would say "showtime" and the lights would flash and change color and then he would don a wig and sunglasses and walk around the restaurant singing to everyone. I wouldn't make such a big deal about this normally.... but the maitre d' looked and sounded like Borat, I kid you not.
Imagine this guy in a very nice nautical style suit singing "That's Amore" while the other members of the waitstaff stood around swinging linen napkins over their heads and singing along. It was hilarious and extremely weird. I mean really take a moment and think about that for a second. A grown man with a middle eastern accent, dressed in a curly wig, wearing sunglasses and singing an Italian song. Very odd/super awesome.
Now our voyage took us to St John where the big tourist attraction for the town was the Reverse Falls in the Bay of Fundy. Here's a video of the Falls:
I did not take this video so I apologize for the weird sounds in the background but that's what we saw. The video is actually a little better because when we visited it was extremely foggy and the visibility wasn't the best. But basically what happens each day, is the sea water from the Atlantic, pours into the freshwater bay and huge whirlpools are created throughout and the tides ebb and flow at tremendous heights and speeds. The video is taken at high tide and when we went the tide was low. Here's a picture from our trip-compare the distance of the water to the bridge between the video and the picture:
The dark line along the bottom of the rock face is the water line. The picture is taken from some distance away but the tides go up about 25 feet. Pretty crazy. The whirlpools were really fun to watch as well. Some were tiny little pools that looked like your sink draining after doing dishes while others were huge and would open up into gaping black holes that reminded me of the end of the Little Mermaid when Eric crashes the sunken ship into Ursula. None of them were big enough to actually swallow a ship but still, they were impressive.
We got to ride through the city in super cute double decker buses that were sponsored by the Canadian Breast Cancer Society and as such, were wrapped in super cute bright pink graphics. So fun! I even got a little model bus to add to my already "kitsched-out" desk at the office. It was a great trip. And riding a double decker bus-another first!
As many of you know, I love me some free swag. And when I travel, I always make it a point to bring my own toiletries so I can pocket the free stuff we're given by the hotel, or in this case, ship. Now when we arrived, I found a few sample lotions and hair care products and also a travel size bottle of this:
At first I was a little bummed that we had gotten name brand samples because I like getting trip specific swag, not stuff we could easily pick up in the super market. But thank you Carnival Cruiseline! After we got settled in at home I realized I wouldn't be able to use my regular shower gel because it had exfoliating beads in it that would positively destroy my sun burnt skin. So I pulled out the Caress sample I brought home from the ship and O.M.G!!!! The Velvet Bliss in Blackberry and Vanilla is my dream scent! It smells exactly like the beach! For years I have been trying to find that perfect sunblock that everyone else at the beach seems to be wearing and have never found anything that makes me smell like the perfect combination of sunkissed sands and tropical fruits. Until today. I am going to run to the nearest super market and pick up about 50 bottles of this body wash sent from the heavens! I'm telling you people, go get it. I've been home for a day and when I put that stuff on I felt like I was back on the lido deck catching some rays as the soothing ocean air swept over me. Just heaven I tell you! What a perfect way to come home from a vacation!
Alright, so I've successfully used the Dry Shampoo every few days for nearly two weeks now. The second time I tried it I made sure to go easy on the application and it turned out much better. I'll even be bringing it with us on our cruise.
Speaking of which, I'm going on a cruise!!!!!!
I know you already knew that, I just love saying it. We're leaving tomorrow in fact and I have been counting down the minutes!
Why is it every time you set off on a big trip, everything around you goes nuts the day before you leave? Seriously-work was a super hot mess today! Luckily everything was under control before I left so I hope nothing crazy happens while I'm away. Don't you just love those, "Welcome back! How was your trip? Your computer exploded..." greetings?
And just in case you forget and try to contact me, here's a little reminder kiddies:
Because that's the only way I can describe my hair after using the Dry Shampoo for the first time. I don't know if I used too much, but when I sprayed my hair, I looked kind of like this poor girl:
Granted, once you brush it out your hair is back to it's normal color but still, I felt like I was about to play the roll as the elderly neighbor in some low budget elementary school play. While it did keep me from feeling totally disgusting all day, my hair felt like it had been set on fire and then covered in foundation. It was frizzed out and filmy. Dry, but not at all normal. You know how your hands feel after you apply a ton of baby powder? Yeah, hair felt just like that. Greasy yet dry, very bizarre. I still put it up in a messy bun but I was thankful I didn't feel grimy the entire day.
I'll definitely use it again but I'll be able to actually shower the next time around so I'll feel completely clean-hooray! The only question I have is, should I use a shower cap like an old school champ? Or just throw her in an updo and move along? I have amassed quite the collection of complementary shower caps from my days working for a hotel so maybe I'll give the grandma look a try.
I'm gonna keep the "no daily shampooing" train a'going and see if anything improves. Perhaps I can break the apparently bad cycle of daily shampooing and have even healthier hair (I never thought I had hair issues in the past but alright) then ever before.
