Beauty and Cosmetics
The Wedding Weekend is Finally Here!!!
It’s my 200th post, and it comes with a fair warning: I shall be MIA again for a stretch of days here, and for good reason.
The long-awaited wedding day is almost finally upon us, and I shall be packing up my car with all the wedding goodies I have crafted, collected and bought over the past 10 months. The sweat, the tears, the blood, the giggles, the hot-glued fingers, the technological head poundings…it’s all been worth it. The dieting and crazy exercising (which I have failed to do in the last week because of how busy I have been with wedding plans…how ironic is that?) not such a big deal now.
I can’t believe it…The wedding is finally HERE! So, I’ll be hitting the highway tonight where I will have access to a hot glue gun and I’ll be finishing the card box. It look so elegant with its black base and sangria colored ribbons. Add on a few sparkling gems and pearls, and a couple of corner bows and it’s going to be beautiful. I’m very proud of my crafters’ work with this card box.
Friday morning will see us at the reception hall decorating for the Big Day. Then, we have the grand march rehearsal, and I need to warm my voice up immensely. It’ll be the first time the music and I have actually done this together. Then, the rehearsal dinner where we all laugh and embrace the fact that my sister will no longer be a single lady in society.
It is the night I embrace the fact I am the last woman in my family to carry on the original female last name for our family. It’s a great burden to bear, but I think I can handle it well.
We shall not stay up too late on Friday as we have hair appointments bright and early on Saturday! Don’t forget to back the button down shirts, ladies. No pulling a shirt up and over that professionally done hair-do. Then, make-up and nails, and off to the church to get dressed. The dresses are one-shouldered and absolutely gorgeous. I have such an hourglass figure, it’s insane.
The remaining time will be spent praying I don’t trip as I walk up the aisle, and I remember all my cues. Plus, I need to make sure that my handwriting is legible…I had a marriage certificate to sign 🙂
“If you survive long enough, you’re revered — rather like an old building.”
Well, I hope my awesomeness at being Maid of Honor is what survives for years to come. The no-nonsense icon, Katherine Hepburn, is someone I won’t be forgetting any time soon. She made those pantsuits look damn good in a time when I woman was supposed to be feminine and flowy in her skirts.
While I do love my skirts and dresses, I also have a fondness for pants. There are days where a power suit is absolutely needed.
Anyways, I do need to get going. I’m not entirely done packing for what is bound to be a whirlwind of a weekend, but I am more than pumped for it! My entire family, my best friend, dancing, pretty dresses and girlish indulgences.
A wedding is meant to be a once in a lifetime experience. If my sister is only getting married once, I’m going to party like it’s the last night I’m alive.
Watch out Dance Floor! This Jedi is coming to liven up the night!
But before I do that, I should probably write that Maid of Honor speech 😉
Happy Hollows’ Eve
I’m going to keep this brief. Merely for the reason of wanting sleep and I need a lot of creative thinking in the upcoming hours. And crisis management? Yikes…it sure takes a lot out of you. Here’s the kicker…I’d still like to assume the position of Press Secretary for the President of the United States some day.
Ambitious, I know, but I have to keep those big dreams coming.
In all seriousness, I should wash my hands and take these bad boy contacts out of my eyes. Oh, and in case you forgot, it’s going to be Halloween very, very soon. I decided to nix the fancy costume this year. I’m normally one of those weirdos who goes all crazy for their costume, spends waaaaay too much money and puts waaaaaaay too much effort into the overall look. But I like it, and it’s a great escape for a few hours one night of the year. Even if you choose not to drink. You still have a damn good time.
“Everyone realizes that one can believe little of what people say about each other. But it is not so widely realized that even less can one trust what people say about themselves.”
The English intellect, Rebecca West, has quite a point there. I guess it’s a good thing then that I rarely call myself sexy. That way, one can assume I’m attempting to be sexy on a regular basis. Cuz I’m not. Trust me, if you ever met me in person, it’s blatantly clear when I’m trying to be sexy.
If I have ever obtained the status of “sexy”, it was completely by accident.
I used to hate young women taking advantage of Halloween and using it as an excuse to dress as scantily as possible. One Halloween, I decided to try it myself. I went as a Warrior Fairy, applied lots of mini stars around my eyes, and had a very ethereal make-up design going on. I curled my hair and slipped on my heeled brown boots. The outfit was a short one…the skirt dropped just below my rear end (hey, my legs are very nice and I had been working on my thighs for some time. It was time to show them off!) and Hello Cleavage! The girls really wanted to come out and play that night.
To sum it all up, I looked pretty good. It was all in fun of Halloween, after all. Once I dressed like that for a night, I understood the distinction of dressing so the whole world can see what your momma gave you, and dressing up in a sexier manner than normal. I often lean in the direction of the latter.
This past weekend’s costume? A gypsy. Hair has volumized as I could make it, and covered in so much hairspray I could sleep in the hair do and there wasn’t a dent the following morning. Re-dick-you-lus, is what it was. Skin-tight black yoga pants and a simple black tank top. Helped my hair stay up with a leopard print head scarf, and lots of black eye liner and bangle bracelets. Add in a pair of fun dangly earrings, and I had a cheap costume that was easy to dance in.
Hell, it was a good weekend, even if the Halloween celebration was a little early. You party when you can, have a drink while you’re able, and dance like no one is watching. Especially when your best friends are in town.
Jedi know how to have a good time, and we know how to hide it while out in public. That’s why we’re rarely seen out and about partying up like your average person.
We’re sneaky like that 🙂
I Happen to Love Food, Okay?
Struggling with self-image is not a fight about I’m about win. Nor is it one I’m about to lose.
I’m simply sitting on my couch, writing here to you after a lovely and high-spirited Zumba class, and all I can think about is how my hips still look chubby in the mirrors while I’m dancing my ass off.
The first thing you learn when posing for pictures is that you never stand straight-on toward the camera. It makes everything go wider than it actually is. Mirrors don’t add on 10 extra pounds when you look at your reflection, do they? Anyways, I look wide and chubby, but the instant I turn to either one of my sides? I’m as slim and skinny as every woman in that room dreams to be (maybe except my sister, who is smaller than me in every possible respect.)
If I could only look at myself sideways for the rest of my life. I consciously made a decision yesterday while eating my lunch. I’m never going to let myself get fat. I’m going to lose the extra 5-10 pounds I’ve put my mind to losing in the next couple of months, but I am never, ever going to let myself get overweight.
I’m also going to be a kick-ass party thrower. I have lots of books, lots of tips, and tons of ideas. Watch out world. When I make my millions and have many, many friends, I’m going to be the party-throwing queen.
“If we had not been pretty, I think we would have been drowned like little dogs. That’s my mother!”
The fantastic, but alarming, words of Zsa Zsa Gabor, the sassy socialite. Oh yes, who else would have the guts to say such a thing.
It’s a struggle every woman is going to have with herself from the moment she hears the word ‘pretty’ and starts asking herself if this word applies to her. The minute she picks up that first tube of lipstick, she’s getting sucked into the horrible wind tunnel of make-up land. Don’t get me wrong, make-up is so much fun and really is addicting.
It’s when you become a slave to the product is when you have to worry.
If any woman in the world tripped upon a magic lamp containing a genie who would grant one wish upon her, I really, really hope she would not be selfish (because I know I would.) With her selflessness, she would grant the female world freedom of self-judgement. No longer would she look in the mirror and compare herself to every other single woman out there. No teenagers would have eating disorders in the attempt to be “perfect.” We would all discover our strengths and talents, and find our beauty from them.
But I tend to live in a fantasy world 95% of the time.
I am one girl who loves to eat, and eat well. I have stacks of recipe books I intend to cook my way through. Indeed, each and every one, be it a 100 gourmet dinner or 2000 decadent desserts. Oh yes, I do love my food.
It’s long overdue, but here is my New Day Sunday for the month of September. There were great discoveries last month at the grocery store, and if you haven’t tried them already, next time you’re in the grocery store, add an item or two to your shopping list. Life is worth living. Don’t let a few bucks set you back from delighting your taste buds.
Produce:
Bakery:
Canned Goods:
Breakfast/Cereal:
Meats:
Dairy:
Frozen Foods:
Beverages:
Toiletries:
Baby:
Household:
Pets:
Snacks:
Miscellaneous:
Seriously, don’t hold back. Ever.
Before Anakin turned to the dark side, he was labeled a lot of things. Reckless, brave, a witty combatant, fearless behind the controls of a fighter spacecraft. Regardless of what they said about him, he grabbed life by the horns and let the ride happen.
It might also be the reason why he let his emotions get the best of him, which turned into his downfall…but that’s not what we’re focusing on here.
Get out there and try something new. Even if all it happens to be is a new flavor of ice cream.
Everyone Gets One Day to Feel Absolutely Awful
I’m probably going to regret these words in the morning, but here goes nothing: I feel disgusting.
Yep, I sure do. Why, you might be asking yourself? Why would someone who eats less than 1500 calories a day (naturally) feel disgusting in her own flesh and skin? I’m putting myself through hell right now, that’s why.
I’ve signed myself up for 8-weeks of fitness classes and tomorrow is the first Wednesday class. Not so bad…until you realize it’s at 7 am in the morning. Yup, you heard me right. That early in the morning, and then I have a full 8-hour day ahead of me. What am I going to do when it’s not yoga? I sweat on a very manly level, and what happens when we get to kickboxing or step?
I’m going to be soaked, and I’ll only have 20 minutes to look presentable for my office afterwards. I just need my hair to cooperate one morning a week. That’s not so much to ask, is it? We shall see how the next two months play out.
On top of everything else right now, I opened the oven to remove my single-serve pizza and the heat blast not only fogged up my glasses with steam, but it also melted my mascara to my eyelashes and I could feel them stick to my upper eyelids. Ugh I’m just a mess right now!
“To be a star is to own the world and all the people in it. After a taste of stardom, everything else is poverty.”
Those are the words of Hedy Lamarr, who is quite the scene stealer herself. Why do these words ring true to my soul? I’m not making a fuss over myself right now because I feel like I’m lacking my ‘star quality.’
Oh, what am I saying? I’ve been telling myself for a while that I’ve lost my personal sense of stardom. I used to be the star in my own life. Friends, many invitations to hang-out and party, money to spend on books/clothes/music, and I would look in the mirror and actually like what I see. Now? I usually tell myself one of two things: 1.) You’re looking a little dark around the eyes (from lack of sleep, no doubt), or 2.) Damn that hair/make-up smudge/rebel eyebrow hair.
Do you see a problem with this? I’m not looking in the mirror and saying how beautiful I think I am. Inside AND out. I’m not doing that. I’m not looking at myself and seeing something beautiful. I’m looking at myself and seeing a sad sack of lumpiness.
I’m not kidding. Does this make me sound terrible self-deprecating or what?
Don’t get me wrong. I have my good days where I look and say, “Hey. I’m looking pretty dang good right now, and that lip gloss is totally banging.” (Okay, maybe not that last part.) You get what I mean.
I’m also sitting here watching Glee (and the terrible drama that is Rachel Berry losing her virginity to Jesse James of vocal adrenaline), eating a cheese pizza along with sour cream and onion chips. I went shopping instead of going to the gym like I had originally planned.
Fat is what I’m feeling right now. I am so not getting my insurance money back from hitting my gym visitation quota this month. Not unless I kick myself in the butt. And, I mean kick my butt seriously. Yoga at 7 am is one thing. Going to the gym 8-12 times a month is a completely new beast.
I also meant to cook dinner tonight (Cue evil looks from my sister for not following through on that exclamation of the night. I’m sorry, but you were upstairs doing whatever with your fiance, and I had a headache and just didn’t feel like cooking tonight! I’ll do it tomorrow, damn it!)
For right now, I’m just going to settle down with my pizza and watch the rest of this virginity drama. Then, I need to hit my sheets (not for that reason!). I have to be up early to get my yoga on.
Yoga is the mind-settler of the Jedi. It lets you connect all that is around you, and all that is within you. It might sound like mumbo-jumbo, but it actually works.
If you don’t believe me? Try it yourself. If you let yourself go and lose yourself in the movement, you might feel the connectedness, too. But, seriously. Just try it.
What Can I Say? A Girl Likes to Shop
I fail massively as an adult.
How, you might possibly ask? When one graduates from the Academy, a main goal of their’s is not only to work in a field that feeds their passions, their needs to find meaning in this world. While that is an important factor in post-Academy life, there also needs to be a sense of security. Some are more comfortable with less security than others.
I am not one of those people. I need my security. I need to know I have health insurance, I need to know I have a paycheck, I need to know I have a small amount of future to buy food and drink. Yes, sometimes the “drink” means alcoholic beverages. What can I say? I like my tequila.
How does this relate to my failing as an adult? I lost my health insurance card. I know it came in the mail. I remember picking up the envelope off the coffee table, and saying, “Wow, that was fast.” Now I have no idea where I put it. I’m finally starting to organize my life down in the basement where I live. Good God, I hope I didn’t accidentally throw it in the trash. Why do I always disappoint myself like this? I’m on top of everything, paying my bills a week before they’re due, and suddenly I hit a small road bump like this, and I feel like I’m back in the starting blocks of being on my own.
Where is my mother when I need her to take care of me? An even bigger question, how am I supposed to be a good mother when I can barely take care of myself? (Thank God that answer doesn’t need to be decided any time soon.)
I am better about how I spend my money. Just because I’m suddenly making a heck of a lot more than I did while working 2 part-time gigs doesn’t mean I can just spend on anything I want now. I still need to budget. Guess what? I still have bills to pay, and a lot more of them. I still have to be smart with my moolah.
That doesn’t mean I’ve stopped myself from window-shopping and dreaming. Especially since the next big move in my life is moving into my own apartment. Yay for adulthood! (Most of the time, anyways.)
“A planned life is a dead life.”
The words of Lauren Becall, Humphrey’s better half, definitely makes you stop and think, don’t they? There are certain things you have to plan for, but heading to the shopping mall doesn’t have to be one of them. Nor once you step in the store. You don’t always needs a shopping list. Sometimes, you just have to let inspiration hit when it does, even if there is money burning a hole in your pocket.
However, I still like to step into stores and see what deals exist, get inspired by what is out there and make plans for what I want in my very own apartment. I have lots of ideas brewing, and like I’ve often said, you have to watch for the deals. Since we’ve entered the realm of October, there are a handful of hings to keep a special eye on.
Let me share them with you:
– Dining Furniture
– Winter Wear (winter coats, gloves, scarves)
– Fishing Equipment
– Houses
– Crystal
– Silver
– Glassware
Enjoy the fading hours of the weekend.
I know I plan to. Now, to pick out my outfit for Monday morning, pack my work bags, and then relax a bit by watching “The Hurt Locker.”
Completely a relaxing movie, don’t you think? Like window shopping, war movies inspire me to think in a new way, especially when it comes to brainstorming new novel-writing ideas. I’m about to start a new one in the next couple of months, and it’s going to be a good one.
More on that tomorrow. Hasta manana!
My Taste, My Rules
There’s something about fall that gets me going.
The changing leaves, the cooler air, the fact that I feel like I’m a part of the Fellowship of the Ring whenever I slip on a particular pair of boots, the idea that Halloween is just around the corner which further feeds my theatrical spirit (who wouldn’t want to wear an exorbitant costume for one full day out of the entire year?). There is so much I love about this season.
I know a lot of people claim to think that spring is the time for rebirth and change, but I think the same is true for fall. Seeing the leaves change color makes me ask why I can’t change a little something about myself? Which gives full reason as to why I’m looking at images for my tattoo and in November, once the upcoming wedding nuptials are said and done with, I will be heading to my stylist and saying, “Make me a redhead.” I need to keep a spark alive in me once winter hits, or I die inside. Little by little, I die inside.
Plus, everyone feels a little randier when winter hits. You’re stuck indoors, and needing to stay warm. Taking the flirtatious nature of men and women up a notch isn’t always a bad thing. Just know what you’re getting into before you’re knee-deep and questioning your morals.
“Good taste is the worst vise ever invented.”
The wise words of Edith Sitwell, a perverse poet. Let me sum it up for you: Whatever you like, like it. Don’t give a second thought to those who think they are better dressed, prettier, or overall more stylish. If it works for them, great! They could never pull off the looks I do, and vice versa. We’re all meant to be different, and like different things.
It’s another reason why I hate winter. Everything starts to blend together, and I get mentally bored. Which is why you will often find me having a tropical day in my bathroom on a random weekend in my apartment. Dressed in bright colors, bikini top on, coconut oil stinking up the place, fruity candle burning, and a margarita mix in the blender. You have to liven up the soul somehow, or we all die.
I am not a winter girl, but I am in love with every other season that exists. With that in mind, here is what I personally found to be in good taste the past week to make my Fabulous Friday:
Fabulous Manicure:
Fabulous Fall Beauty Look:
Fabulous Idea:
Fabulous Album:
Fabulous Fall Beverage:
Fabulous Wedding Must:
Fabulous Event:
Fabulous Honeymoon Suite:
Fabulous Fall Accessory:
Fabulous Smile:
Fabulous Laugh:
Fabulous Kids Costume:
Fabulous Life Goal:
Fabulous Bouquet:
Fabulous Bed:
Our forecast said snow sometime this afternoon, and I am already cringing inside. Are you kidding me? It’s the beginning of October! It’s not supposed to snow until mid-November in these parts. Even sadder…I still need to find and buy a pair of winter boots before I have to shovel my car out every morning before heading to work. BLAH!
In the meantime, it’s a perfect fall day (at least last time I checked about an hour ago), and there is a restaurant serving sushi calling my name for lunch. Never disobey a hungry stomach…especially when you’re taking Vitamin B tablets to boost your metabolism. Yikes. It’s not pretty sometimes, the noises my stomach makes when its hungry. Basically: Feed Me Now.
I shall obey. Happy Saturday!
If Sweating Makes You Happy, So Be It!
This morning has been just full of surprises…and it’s not even an hour into the work day yet.
Good gravy, how is this all possible! I have hit a shockingly new high number of views in the past 24 hours, so thank you readers for checking in and sharing with others my sometimes insane, but mostly from the heart feelings generally concerning this thing called Life. I try to delve into what it means to be a Jedi in the modern age, but sometimes I fail. And sometimes I feel you decipher for yourself what it means to be a Jedi on your own terms through reflection on the day.
Seeing the numbers of my views yesterday only caused the second eye-bulging moment of the day (so far!) I think everybody and their mother decided to head in the same exact direction I was headed this morning. I didn’t leave my house any later than usual, I didn’t speed or go grandma-pace on the highway. I stuck to my schedule quite rigidly.
So why is the universe messing with me? Good question.
I get stuck behind this enormous road construction vehicle (its function, I have no freaking clue), but it takes him forever to merge onto the freeway so I can get on my own way to the office. Then, when usually my off-ramp is free and clear and I’m in good spirits, there’s a twelve-car pile up to get on my street and it’s just a whole cluster of madness. Then, I realized I forgot my water bottle at my part-time job last night and I was just silly with remorse. How else was I going to be able to whip up a dose of Iced Coffee when my afternoon slump hit? (Good thing I’m great at improvising!)
I sign onto my social media sites to check in for work purposes, and a guy I went out with a few nights ago instantly starts talking to me. Not about anything in particular, just friendly banter…and this went on ALL day long. ALL DAY LONG! There are few people I can banter with 24 hours a day, and neither of us got bored with the other. We’ve since stopped talking now. I’ll soon be on my way out the door, and he has a list of things to do with his evening. What can we say? We’re busy, on-the-go, important people.
Once I settled into my regular routine, the day went swimmingly. Jumped into a meeting about an 8-week fitness course I’ve signed up for. Starting next week, I’ll be working out at two different sessions a day. Come November 3 for this infamous wedding, I’m going to look so wonderful. My dress is going to look simply stunning on me! (Or it won’t fit from all the working out I’ll be doing in the coming weeks. Wouldn’t that just suck? Pay all that money for alterations and then they would be for nothing anyways. Fingers crossed I maintain a svelte figure, everyone!)
“I’ll have the best boobs in the nursing home. I’ll be the envy of all the ladies around the bridge table.”
I love these words and the self-confidence they portray from Christina Applegate, an actress commenting on her mastectomy and reconstruction surgeries.
A woman should feel great about herself, especially if she’s struggling through some sort of awful disease, like cancer. She should feel great and beautiful all the time. If you’re going through the hell of losing all your hair and possibly the parts of you that make you (biologically) a woman, than hell, you do whatever you want…as long as it makes you feel like “you” again.
That;s why I’m choosing outlets that get me physically active. I miss the athlete side of me. I miss everything about being a hard-hitting tomboy who could run, hit, throw, and be tough just as much as the boys. I was as good as the boys, if not better. If I hadn’t of discovered tennis when I did, I would have been “the girl who played football.” (At least through middle school…I was bigger than all of them pip squeaks anyways.) I would have wanted to continue onwards into the varsity level. Serious props to the girls who do play on the varsity level kick the male counterparts asses. I’m with you every step of the way.
Anyways, I choose to let loose in a positive, physical way. Not only does it keep me healthy and motivated, but there’s nothing like the surge of pride you feel when you cross your arms and actually realize how strong your arms have become. Or pull on a pair of pants, let your hands rest on your hips and feel how slim you are down your front. Or slipping on that pair of heels with a skirt and seeing your calf muscles flex as you turn to check yourself out.
Plus, in the end, a Jedi needs to be tough and sexy in her own skin. Working up a sweat makes me feel sexy. It might be slightly gross, but you know how many guys say they are more attracted to their significant other right when they get home from the gym and see their foreheads glistening in the late afternoon sunlight? Let me tell you. A LOT. There’s some truth to that I-Just-Worked-Out cheek flush. I’ve experienced it. You should, too.
At the end of the day, you have to be happy with yourself. Being happy, feeling sexy in my own skin, and family and friends make me pretty darn happy. Want to know what else makes this Jedi happy? Read on to find out:
– Breakfast in Bed
– Hugs
– Kisses
– Flowers
– Homemade Cards
– Being Pampered
– Chocolate
– No Cooking Night
– Feeling Special
– No Cleaning
– Unexpected Phone Calls
– Bubbles Baths
– Children Laughing
– Gifts
– Family Time
– Brunch
What makes you feel happy and sexy in this world? Every Jedi needs to know where her heart lies, because when you’re feeling down and alone (especially when you’re out fighting the Dark Side of the Force ,which is a continuous battle in itself), you and only you, can bring yourself back up to that Kick-Ass state of mind we all need to have at the ready.
Figure out what makes you feel invincible, and once you do, let yourself indulge in it every once in a while.
We Jedi need to stay disciplined. But when we let ourselves enjoy, even for the briefest moment, it makes all the hard work and sweat worth it.But if you feel sexiest when you’re sweating up a storm (like I do), you’re in a great mood almost all the time!
Sexy is what you make it. I make it work for me.
Taking Care of Moi
It was any ordinary night. The weekend was fully underway as it was a Saturday night, but something that wasn’t so typical was my attitude towards the night.
I was finishing a week where I worked 57 hours between both jobs, and I was just plain tired coming off the 4-day rounds of doubles I put myself through. Not entirely my fault, since I don’t have a say in my schedule at one such job other than to say here is my availability, now please schedule me. I didn’t have to agree to help out when our other part-time evening desk clerk quit, but what can I say? I’m a team player and don’t like leaving people hanging when I can help it.
With that in mind, I walked through the door of my apartment and had nothing on my brain other than wanting to relax with nothing to bother me. The last time I felt super relaxed was when I zoned out (and eventually konked out) in front of the TV was after I allowed myself the luxury of taking a bubble bath. That’s right. A bubble bath, and not just any sort of bubble bath. When it comes to this sort of relaxation (and my body needing to just be for a solid amount of time with no stress whatsoever on it if I could help it), you have to properly set the mood.
Setting the mood might sound like something you need to do if you’re planning on sharing a bath with your special someone, but guess what people. When you’re taking care of yourself, you need to spend extra time taking care of you as much as if you were trying to impress that certain someone. Don’t sell yourself short, especially after putting yourself through almost 60 hours of work in one week.
So…setting the mood. I grabbed a variety of candles, poured the bubble bath into the running water and let myself inhale the soft lavender scent. Creating the right atmosphere for relaxation should take a little work, but not a ton. Like the candles. They offer enough light so I can read a nonsense magazine while I’m soaking in the bubbles, and they offer a really soft, sexy light to everything in the room. My clothes now laying on the bathroom floor appeared to have a naughtier tale to tell while basking in the glow of candlelight compared to how they looked when bright flourescent overhead lights flood the room.
I don’t usually take baths, so it’s a fun little experience every time I run myself one. While the tub fills with the hot, sudsy water, I like to take the time to put my hair up in a bun or ponytail, just something that gets the hair off my neck. I recently found this really super soft headband at Pier 1 I like to use whenever I take a bath. It’s tight enough to keep those pesky loose hairs off my neck and shoulders (I have a shorter hair-do, so when the hair goes up, it doesn’t necessarily all stay in the hair binder unless it has a little help via bobby pins or a lot of hairspray), but not so tight it gives me a headache in 5 minutes after putting it on. After putting my hair up, I’ll find a soothing movie score to put into my music player (funny enough, the Amelie soundtrack is really great to listen to while soaking in the tub) or I’ll just turn on the radio and listen to the random conversations DJs always have with their listening audience.
Once the bath is ready, I’m in heaven. I’ve modified the process for now, but when I put a bath tub in the house I’m eventually going to grow old in, there is going to be a padded section at one end of the tub for when I take bubble baths like these. My head and neck need a place to lean against and the hard, porcelain rim of the tub is not the ideal place.
If I’m not reading a magazine or a book while in the tub, I’m probably closing my eyes and letting the music take over the thoughts consuming my mind. Let’s just say that’s not always a good thing…OR you coul say its a very good thing.
“Just because I don’t do bad things doesn’t mean I don’t have bad thoughts.”
I’m taking your words for a sexier spin, Ms. Kristin Kreuk, a small screen starlet.
Like I said, there’s just something about candlelight and the glow it casts about the room…or the people in the room. Plainly put, candlelight is sexy. Maybe there’s a reason ‘sexy photos’ always have a ton of candles adorning the room where the action happens. Certainly doesn’t help when certain men are on the mind, either…Oh, Ryan Lochte, you’ll never be far from my mind whenever I immerse myself in water.
It also helps with the sexy feeling when you step out of the bathtub and rinse yourself off with a quick shot of cold water to get any leftover bubbles off your skin. Immediately after that? Slip into a silky robe, and maybe have a glass of wine (or water, whatever your fancy) and continue to lounge. No worries, no cares…and if you’re feeling like getting a little saucy with that special someone, be sure to do it while the sexy mood continues.
Otherwise you’ll just fall asleep on the couch like I do every other time I’ve let myself enjoy a bubble bath.
But if self-therapy isn’t enough of a way to cause you to relax, maybe a little retail therapy would help with that. Cue up your laptop, top off that glass of wine, and let the online shopping spree begin! Here a few things to watch for during the rest of August if the shopping bug has bitten you:
– Computers
– Mattresses
– School Supplies
– School Clothes
– Summer Clothing (specifically bathing suit and sandals!)
– Linens and Towels
– Lawn and Garden Equipment
This week has joined itself with the previous weekend, and I am just stuck on trying to remember what day it is.
This is what happens when you work too much. Get some relaxation in and…I dont know…let the sexy reign.
You know you want to 😉
Towards a Galaxy Far, Far Away
Sleeping is wonderful.
For the first time in about two weeks, I was able to sleep in until the unforesaken hour of…9:30 am! Sleeping allows me to escape this real world we all walk around in aimlessly (more often than not). Sleeping is probably one of my favorite things to do. It most certainly makes my list of Top 10 Things To Do of All-Time.
Is there anything better than snuggling back up under the covers of your already warm bed when you wake up to hear rain pounding on your window or hearing the wind howling against your door?
I tend to have a colder room, especially in the winter time (maybe I should invest in covering my windows in plastic?) and it causes me to sprint from my bed to the bathroom in the morning. When my body temperature finally fixes itself to that of the rest of the apartment while brushing my teeth, going back into my room is a much better experience.
When I’m really thinking ahead, I’ll place my bathrobe next to my bed so instead of sprinting through the awful cold to the bathroom, I can slip into the warm fuzziness of the robe and my waking up experience isn’t half bad.
I’ve never had problems sleeping. But lately I’ve noticed I’m getting up randomly or I’m waking up with knots in my stomach. Some would call it anxiety, but whatever the issue, it’s causing me to lose precious sleep. If there’s one thing I hate, it’s being tired all throughout the day. I simply have too much to do, and dragging my feet shouldn’t be one of them. No matter the extra resistance exercise I’m putting in for the day.
I’ve invested in this Dream Pillow Spray. It smells of patchouli, lavender, and vanilla extract. Think of any hair salon that sells Aveda hair products, and you have the smell of my pillow spray. Spritz this stuff on my pillows and I am out like a light. Five minutes tops. My eyes are shut, and I am off in la-la land.
Another reason I like sleep so much? The dreams filling my head and leaving me wondering and thinking the rest of the day away.
“The only reason some people sleep so well is because they have such boring dreams.”
My dreams are anything BUT boring. Thank you for bringing this to light, Germaine de Stael, known for her super salons.
Sometimes, these dreams aren’t exactly PG-13. You can thank Captain America, Legolas, and Han Solo for those babies. A few more action movies later, add Indiana Jones, Bruce Wayne, and Thor to the list.
In case you need some eye candy for yourself, feel free to pick and choose from list above.
I can’t tell you all of my dreams which I recall once I’m awake and fully aware of my surroundings, but most of my favorite ones involve me kicking ass of some evil doer. There was a recurring one I had as a kid where Darth Vader chased me throughout the Death Star, and I could see my escape vessel, but I could never reach it, not matter how many ways I tried to reach it. Then, I’d come face to face with Vader, he’d ignite his lightsaber, swing…and I’d wake up. When you’re 8 years old, it’s terrifying.
Actually, I usually wake up with some sort of feeling left over. Anger, fear, an elation of some sort of extreme success, or dreaming you had a conversation with someone only to wake up and discover the conversation’s never really happened. I have had so many conversations in my dreams that should happen in real life.
Isn’t that why the saying is ‘In Your Dreams?’
The thing with dreams is they usually reflect something we want or should do in our realities. Like these conversations I dream about…I should confront these people and have it out already, be them ex-boyfriends, current dating interests, or dear friends of mine who I haven’t seen in a number of years.
I like to think about it as the Forces’ way of communicating with me in a deep, connected way.
I also like to call it trusting my gut. Those instances where you have a little voice in the back of your head telling you you’ve been here before? Or you feel you should turn one way when you’re lost with no map and at a crossroads? It could be instinct, but it could also be the Force whispering to you, telling you what to do.
Trust your gut already. That gut feeling? It’s the Force trying to break through the barriers.
As a woman, I have instincts with many, many things. As an individual, I think I have special instincts for many, many things. Like reading people, I find I have quite a knack for it compared to most others.
There are other circumstances when women should trust their guts already, and it’s not just when you’re walking through the countryside and you see lightening streaking the sky, causing your feet to shuffle along a little faster than before.
1.) When the saleswoman calls the ankle-length skirt chic, but you’re pretty sure you look like Anne of Green Gables.
2.) When the car swerves in front of you and your gut is all you’ve got.
3.) When the doctor says you’re A-OK, but you know something isn’t right.
4.) When you’ve FB’d, tweeted and crowd-sourced a problem, and, well, what do they know?
5.) When the sushi just looks weird…
6.) When the bag is 50 percent off and still kind of expensive.
7.) When you’re offered the thing you’ve always dreamed — incredible job, worldwide adventure, a ring — and yet…no is the only word that comes out.
8.) When there’s a dark alley (real or figurative) involved.
9.) When he texts you at midnight but has never bought you dinner. Phone off!
10.) When you didn’t trust your gut the last three times and dang if it wasn’t right.
In this time and age, women can never be too trusting of anyone or anything. Rely on yourself, and hopefully, you can rely on your family (whomever you consider to be a part of your family.)
Enjoy the remaining hours of the weekend! They sure do fly by fast…
And, always, sweet dreams 🙂
When It Comes to Money Talk, Let’s Not and Say We Did.
Tie me up and make me sign a contract stating I will not waste time on the internet googling my newest obsession, thanks to the Olympics.
Two words: Ryan Lochte. Enough said.
I am officially obsessed with the man (in case you haven’t already figured that much out from my previous postings and my non-stop talk about him.) Another two words: Gorg-Eous! I could stare into those baby blues all day long.
Here’s another indication I’ve become a full-blown Olympics junkie. I was doing a bit of online shopping this morning (another terrible habit I need to sign a contract on. No more online shopping when I start the Big Girl Job unless I have rightfully earned it!), and I came across a Team USA warm-up jacket I instantly told myself I needed to own. Not only could I feel like I’m a part of the action, but maybe…JUST maybe, I’d feel like a part of the Olympic team, too. (Wow…I just reread that statement, and I realize how much of a dork I am. Trust me, it I’m fully aware of the fact I live in my own la-la land 90% of the waking hours.)
Trouble is, it only comes in youth sizes. I’ve worn young kids clothes before. My hockey jersey for my alma mater’s team is a youth size. For two reasons: 1.) It’s, like, $30 cheaper to buy the youth size, and 2.) The hockey jersey’s usually only come in men’s sizes and I still drown in a men’s size small.
Soooo…if I can get one cheaper and one which will fit me better, I’m going to go with the youth sized article of clothing. I’m hoping this holds true for the Team USA warm-up jackets, too, but I want to try one on. Sadly, I don’t think they’re going to have them in store. Before I rushing off to work, I’m going to stop by the store and see if by some miracle they have one in stock. Otherwise, hello on-line shopping cart. We meet again!
Now, if only I could find a shirt with Ryan Lochte’s face on it…
“When in doubt, do what someone successful does.”
An interesting piece of advice from Suze Orman, a finance fixer. I’m assuming she speaks in terms of the financial world when she uttered those words, but I think the lesson here can be applied to many areas of life.
Like Orman said, you can live the life of a successful individual when it comes to finances in a number of ways. You can live large on a small budget (if you need help or ideas, there are tons of books on Amazon.com to help you get started)…
…Or you can ignore the small budget entirely and spend, spend spend! Welcome to America where no one carries cash anymore. Just plastic. Cold, hard plastic in the form of a credit card. I’m as guilty as the next person. The only time I get cash is when I’m heading out with a friend and the bar we’re hitting up has a cover charge.
Fun little tidbit I learned about Ryan Lochte this morning…He is also guilty of never carrying cash. When interviewed by Swim Today magazine for a segment of their “25 Things You Didn’t Know About [insert celebrity swimmer’s name here]”, Ryan Lochte was asked the question of how much money would we find in your wallet right now. He generously guessed $1.00. When he actually opened his wallet to show the interviewer, there wasn’t a single bill of cash to be seen. “Nothing but credit cards,” said Lochte with a smile on that adorable face of his.
Okay, I’ll try to be done with my teenage crushing. For now, at least.
The important this with credit cards is to pay them off before you’re spending gets to be too outrageous, and you spend the rest of your life trying to reach the finish line of the debt-race game.
My advice? Make the purchase, and pay off that bill the instant it comes, especially if you can afford to pay it off right away. Otherwise, plan on making the monthly payments, and maybe a little more, if it’s a larger than usual purchase.
It seems simple, I know, but then why is America the winner when it comes to credit card debt?
I like to look at Orman’s words this way. What are key traits of successful people? They don’t ever allow themselves to stop. They are always working, always striving to reach that goal. They take chances. They may even take the road less traveled to reach their end goal. It might take a little longer, it might mean an extra project load to their already loaded table, but they do it.
It’s as if they look forward down the road, and don’t really “see” the obstacles because they know they’re going to blow past them in no time.
That’s something I need to incorporate more into my lifestyle…and when it comes time to purchase this Team USA jacket. Nothing is going to keep me from adding it to my wardrobe!
Just like I’m adding new clothes to my wardrobe, I’m trying new foods and trying out new ideas and products to expand my lifestyle and my overall world, even just a little bit. You know what it’s all about. It’s my New Day Sundays (and yes, I do know it’s Monday, but I was in recovery mode all of yesterday. I plopped on my couch and watched the Olympics, and that was it!). Here are the new things I tried in the month of July:
Produce: Alfalfa Sprouts
Bakery: Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins
Canned Goods: Pear Halves
Breakfast/Cereal: Special K Breakfast Bars
Meats: Lobster Ravioli
Dairy: Heluva Good! French Onion Dip
Frozen Foods: Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches
Beverages: Strawberry Crush
Toiletries: Earth Therapeutics Heel Intensive Care
Baby: John Deere Bunkbeds
Household: Solar Powered Bricks
Pets: Hummingbird Feeder
Snacks: Mystery Flavored Fruit by the Foot
Misc: OPI Crackle Nail Polish in Gold
What new things have you tried lately in the past month or so? What I have found the most exciting is when I’m in the beauty department or roaming around ULTA to see what new and fun products. There is so much to take in, and I’ve decided it would be fun to work as the beauty editor for a major fashion magazine. Constantly trying new products and letting others know how good they work? Sign me up.
It’s only Monday, meaning the week is only just starting. I hope it’s off to good start for you.
On my end? It’s not bad, especially when you come to another realization why adulthood is so much better than being a kid or a teenager.
Reason # 47 why its better to be an adult: Not having to argue with mom about whether you can buy the Snack Pack Pudding Cups, and then deciding, yes you will have one for breakfast.
See? Life rocks sometimes. Happy Monday!
The Modern Jedi 