January 26, 2012
January 22, 2012
January 19, 2012
What I Wore: 1/19/12
January 18, 2012
What I Wore: 1/18/12
I wish I could have found a picture of the Anthropologie sweatshirt I am actually wearing. It has this awesome bird and tree print on it, and is about six inches longer than the one shown here, but has the same asymmetrical hem. Also, I don't have that Anthropologie necklace, but I want it. The one have is similar, but has more chains.
January 17, 2012
What I Wore: 1/17/12
I have been liking yellow and gray, and yellow and black lately. I'm normally not a big fan of yellow.
January 15, 2012
January 14, 2012
January 13, 2012
What I wore... on Polyvore
You've no doubt heard of Pinterest by now. I really like it. (Leave me your email in the comments if you need an invite.) But, Polyvore, have you heard of that one? That is really starting to suck me in. Lately, I have been recording what I wear each day. I've used it to help a friend choose accessories for an event. I've also created sets of things I love (bags, boots, rings).
I'll be posting my outfits here as well, but please follow me at Polyvore if you use it.
January 11, 2012
Murad Essential-C Daily Renewal Complex
Without exaggeration, Murad Essential-C Daily Renewal Complex is the best skin care product I have ever used. In one week of use, my skin is visibly clearer and smoother, and my skin tone is more even. I received a full size jar of this in a swag bag at a beauty conference I went to a few months ago, so I didn't know it was $92 an ounce until I looked it up online. I'm not surprised, it is a freaking miracle. I wish I had tried it the day I brought it home. I will happily pay $92 for this when then the jar I have runs out. I will also check out the rest of this line because, if it works as well as the Renewal Complex, I will have the skin of a newborn baby.
I love the texture, too. It feels almost dry, and disappears instantly into my skin. I have been using it at night (you only use it once a day), and following it with Clinique Moisturesurge, which is my favorite moisturizer of all time. I think you are supposed to use it in the morning, though, because the directions recommend following it with moisturizer and sunblock.
I seriously love this stuff.
January 10, 2012
My Jewelry Uniform
Up until last year, I was never a regular wearer of jewelry. I'd been wearing the same pair of diamond studs for nearly 20 years. I've always admired people who seem so natural in jewelry, since I always felt so awkward. I decided that I wanted to look as put together as they did, so I developed a jewelry uniform. This set of jewelry goes with almost any outfit I could put together. If I don't want to think about the perfect accessories to go with something, I know that I can simply put on my jewelry uniform and still look like I made an effort.
Wedding band and engagement ring
Sapphire ring that I bought myself for my 25th birthday
Tiffany bracelet from my husband
Tiffany earrings from my husband
Necklace with my daughters' initials and birthstones (I lost the green one)
December 29, 2011
2012: The Year of Good Health... and Money
I am anemic. I have been that way for about six months. It's a side effect of gastric bypass. My body does not absorb all of the nutrients from the food I eat. I've made it worse by not taking my iron supplements faithfully, and not eating the foods I should be eating. If I don't get my iron levels up in the next three months, I will need to have an IV iron infusion. My calcium and vitamin D levels are low as well. I haven't seen a nutritionist since I had surgery.
I have lost 100 lbs in the past year. My surgeon wants me to lose 30 lbs more in the next six months. If I had been exercising at all during the past year, that 30 lbs would already be gone. I weigh 195 right now. That would put me at a final weight of 165. I'd rather be 145.
I have a numb spot on my right calf that has yet to be diagnosed and did not response to a course of steroids. The next step is to get a referral to a neurologist. I've been putting that off.
I've never had a mole check with a dermatologist. I have a referral to see one, but I haven't made an appointment yet.
I need to be screened for the breast cancer gene. I'll ask about that about my six-month follow-up mammogram next month to check on the calcifications that are still in my right breast.
I haven't created a budget spreadsheet for at least five years.
My savings accounts and retirement accounts are as anemic as my body is.
I did not meet my goal of paying off all credit card debt by the end of the year.
We are woefully behind on our taxes.
All of this is going to change in 2012.
My first priority is health. My second priority is finances. With everything I do, I will ask myself, "Is this the healthiest choice I can make right now?" or, "Is this the best financial choice I can make right now?" and, in that order. For instance, is watching three episodes of Gossip Girl the healthiest choice I can make at that moment? No. I could do something more active. I could play Just Dance on the Wii with my girls, or go for a walk, or clean up clutter around the house, or prepare meals for the week, or go to bed and get a reasonable amount of sleep. Is watching three episodes of Gossip Girl before bed the best financial choice I can make at that moment? No. I could get tax paperwork together, or work on my 2012 budget spreadsheet, or list things for sale on Craigslist and eBay.
Health. Finances. That's it. If I can't get those two things under control, everything else falls apart. I'll still parent my children, and be a wife to my husband, and be a model employee, but I won't be taking any classes and I won't be making any committments to anyone else if there is something else I can be doing that would be better for my health and finances.
December 23, 2011
The Hump List: Yuletide Edition
The reason the Hump List needs to be updated a couple times a year isn't because my tastes change, it's more like, "Out of sight, out of mind." If I haven't seen a humpee in a movie or on TV in awhile, I tend to forget about him.
Have you never heard of a Hump List? It goes by several names. I used to call it the Freebie List, but I prefer the more vulgar Hump List. I'm a classy, classy lady. This is a list of the five celebrities with whom my husband will allow me to have sex, should the opportunity arise. I like to pretend that, since I live in Southern California and I have friends who are actors and producers, this might actually happen one day. That is why I am so diligent about having an up-to-date list.
Humpee: Justin Timberlake, Hump List alum
Recent appearances in which he was hot: Friends With Benefits, In Time
Humpee: Ian Somerhalder, Hump List newbie
Recent appearance in which he was hot: The Vampire Diaries
Humpee: Henry Cavill, Hump List alum
Recent appearances in which he was hot: Immortals, The Tudors, Men's Health cover
Humpee: Karl Urban, Hump List alum
Recent appearance in which he was not hot, but reminded me of times when he was: Star Trek
[This is the only age-appropriate entry on the list. He almost didn't make it.]
Humpee: Chace Crawford, Hump List newbie
Recent appearances in which he was hot: Gossip Girl, my dreams
December 22, 2011
All I Want for Christmas is Chuck Bass in Ian Somerhalder's Body
If you agree with that title, we're probably already besties. (Bonus points if you didn't cringe at my use of "besties.") I don't have cable TV, so when a series I haven't watched before is added to Netflix streaming, I tend to binge-watch every single episode to the exclusion of all other television viewing. Last month, it was Gossip Girl. This month, it's The Vampire Diaries.
I've never really been the type of girl who goes for the bad boys but, watching Gossip Girl made me realize I hadn't encountered the right type of bad boy. The kind I like is the billionaire playboy, not the dirty motorcycle mechanic.
See: Chuck Bass
I like the character of Chuck Bass. The actor, Ed Westwick, is not really my type. Well, not enough to be added to the Hump List anyway. He's too short and I like a prettier face, like the one to be found on Ian Somerhalder.
See: Ian Somerhalder
Pretty, pretty, pretty. Ian plays Damon Salvatore in The Vampire Diaries. Damon is a 150-year-old vampire, so you can see why I'd prefer a human billionaire. Ian is a bit on the short side as well, but he is half an inch taller than Ed, and with that pretty, pretty face, I'm willing to overlook this minor flaw.
Which reminds me, it's time for a new Hump List.
December 15, 2011
December 13, 2011
November 30, 2011
Black Friday 2012 Wrap-Up
In the week leading up to Black Friday, more and more stores announced that they would be opening at midnight. Each announcement chipped away at my excitement over one of my favorite holiday traditions. I have been a hard core Black Friday shopper since before it was commonly known as Black Friday. When I first started, we'd wake up at 4:30 AM to be in line by 5 AM for stores that opened at 6 AM. Last year, I was up at 3 AM for a 4 AM store opening. This year, I never went to sleep. Here is an hour-by-hour recap of my shopping marathon (which actually started on Wednesday, when I found out that Kohl's had their doorbusters online. I bought about ten things there, including two cashmere sweaters for myself, saved 15% with a coupon code, and got free shipping.)
8:00 PM Thanksgiving Day
I woke up from my two-hour nap, freshened up, and headed out to Wal-Mart, which was opening at 10 PM. I was surprised to find the parking lot full, the doors open, and no line outside when I arrived at 8:30 PM. I had forgotten that Wal-Mart has people line up inside, near their desired items. I was first in line for $5 Barbies.
9:00 PM
Still in line inside of Wal-Mart. It was hot in there and people were getting squirrelly.
10:00 PM
As soon as employees unwrapped the pallets of sale items, I grabbed my four Barbies (my friend grabbed the other three for me because they were on both sides of the aisle, and I wanted one of each) and got the hell out of there. We walked out at 10:10, but it took another ten minutes to get out of the insane parking lot.
Our next stop was Target. We were in line by 10:30. The smart lady behind us in line at Target brought a portable propane heater. I am not adding this to my list of Black Friday tips, but I did inch closer and closer to her as we waited.
11:00 PM
Still in line at Target. The Target in Moorpark handled the logistics better than any store I've ever been to on Black Friday, and you know that it saying a lot. They had carts lined up from the entrance of the store, curving around the corner of the building, to corral the line and prevent people from the parking lot trying to sneak in once the doors opened. Employees came down the line several times to tell us what the procedures would be. Once the doors opened at Midnight, they would let in 30 people, wait 15 seconds, then let in 30 more. If there was any running, pushing, or other unruliness, they would shut it down.
Target passed out Luna Bar samples which were yummy, and surprisingly low in sugar.
MIDNIGHT, BLACK FRIDAY
Target opened their doors and customers proceeded in an orderly fashion. Employees were well-placed throughout the store and reminded people not to run. My friend wasn't looking for anything for herself at this store, so I asked her to go to the toy aisle for Princess Yahtzee, while I tried to track down the $25 iTunes gift cards that were on sale for $20, and the $5 Christmas Domo tee. I found both. Sadly, they only had Domo in a men's small. I hope I find another one before Christmas so I can exchange it. If not, I hope I fit into a men's small by next Christmas.
Target also set up one feeder line. I hate waiting in feeder lines, but I appreciate the order they bring to the experience. I didn't have to wait in line at all, though, because I was done by 12:15.
Our next destination was Old Navy. We arrived 30 minutes after they opened. My friend waited in the car because I was only going there to buy a wool peacoat on sale for $25. The coats were by the door. I tried on my size, liked it, and choose a second color since it was so cheap. I noticed that the feeder line was on the opposite side of the registers, so I headed that direction. My heart sank when I turned the corner and saw how long it was, and then when I turned the next corner and still couldn't see the end. The line snaked around 2/3 of the store.
1 AM
I waited in line for 45 minutes at Old Navy. While I was in line, I chatted up the family in front of me, and picked up a couple tees for my four-year-old (one was $3, the other was $5). An employee was asking questions ("First person to show me an out-of-state driver license...") and handing out coupons. When she came by, I suggested that, as the Foursquare Mayor of Old Navy, certainly I deserved a coupon. Others around me agreed, but the employee would not be swayed. I did eventually get one because she was standing near me when she said, "First three people wearing headbands..."
2 AM
Our next destination was the mall, which had opened at Midnight. We arrived shortly before 2 AM. I knew that the department stores were still opening at their published Black Friday times, but I thought the rest of the mall stores would be open. Unfortunately, Gap Kids wasn't opening until 5 AM, so I didn't get the $15 fleece jacket doorbuster deal there. My friend wanted to go to GameStop first. That line was insane, so I left her there and went to Sephora to check out their $10 deals. They were long gone, so I went in and piled on the make-up. The only store I planned to go to at the mall was JC Penney, which wasn't opening until 4 AM.
After I put on more than enough make-up, I scoped out a place to rest my tired feet. I checked Instagram and saw a post from a friend who got a deal on Fiestaware at Macy's. I was sitting outside of Macy's Mens and Home, so I figured I might as well go in and check things out. I saw a doorbuster deal near the entrance that would make a great second gift for my husband (which is why I can't say what it was). I checked out the cookie sheets on sale but none of the prices enticed me. I found a gift for my step-dad (which I also can't mention). Then I checked out the Fiestaware. I didn't buy anything, but I did add this pizza plate to my Amazon Wishlist. The line was moving slowly, but I had to wait for my friend anyway, so it was no big deal. She arrived as I neared the front.
3 AM
I still can't believe that none of the food court restaurants were open. That was so short-sighted. We were tired and hungry and didn't feel like hanging around the loud, crowded mall for another hour before JC Penney opened, so we went to Denny's nearby. Denny's has a freaking NACHO SALAD on the menu. It was good.
4 AM
We arrived at JC Penney a little after 4 AM. The lines were getting longer. I found the gloves I wanted and a couple more $5 Barbies. My friend stood in line while I looked for a doorbuster I never did find. They also didn't have any free ornaments left. I'm not sure what time we left, but we didn't spend more than 20 minutes there.
We headed to K-Mart, which was opening at 5 AM. We both had things to shop for there.
5 AM
Doors opened. A few people cut the line. I did not punch them in the back of their heads. I bought the cheap cookie sheets I wanted. I couldn't find the kids gloves for 99 cents, so I bought a couple pairs of adult gloves for 99 cents. There was no waiting to check out.
We were pretty well ahead of schedule at that point. The next store on the list, in order of priority, wasn't set to open until 7 AM, so we headed to the outlet mall. It was last on the list, in order of priority, but it had opened at 10 PM the night before, and it was on our way to the next shopping center
I had my friend drop me off at the Nine West outlet. I wasn't sure if I was going to buy anything, but I knew they were having a good sale on boots, so I wanted to check it out. A pair of tall boots that I bought a few weeks ago for $109 in black, were on sale for $89, with another 20% off, so I bought them in tan. My friend had miraculously found a nearby parking spot, and didn't have to circle the lot as planned.
We headed over to the Disney outlet. She wanted to look for a specific gift there. Everything in the store was 20% off, plus there were some big markdowns. I bought slippers for my girls that were marked down to $10, and a nightshirt for myself that was also marked down to $10. I didn't particularly want a Nightmare Before Christmas nightshirt, but that was a good price and it was 100% cotton, which is surprisingly hard to find these days.
All the restaurants were open in the outlet mall. Who wants Johnny Rockets at 5:30 AM? Everyone.
6 AM
Our next stop was Bed, Bath & Beyond. My friend was looking for a specific cookbook that she was told was there. We couldn't find it. I did find the same exact cookie sheets that I'd bought at K-Mart, but for $3 cheaper, plus an additional 20% off. We bought our things and went next door to stand in the very short line for Cost Plus World Market, which wasn't opening until 7 AM.
7 AM
Doors opened. People rushed to the back for their free TinTin ornament and movie ticket. I did not. Even a free ticket couldn't entice me to see that movie. I was there for $5 pashminas for teacher gifts, half-price cookie mixes, and stocking stuffers. I passed on the cookie mixes, but got everything else I wanted. I probably spent the most time browsing in this store of all the stores.
Because we'd already hit the outlet mall, we only had one store left on our list, Pier 1, but all the things I wanted to look at there, I'd already picked up at other stores, so we scratched that one off. We sat in the car, munching on a bag of kettle corn (impulse buy at Cost Plus), and re-evaluated our lists.
My friend had one thing she wanted to look for to add to a gift she'd purchased at the Disney outlet. We went through our sales ads again because I had recalled seeing the item. Turns out all the stores had one. We chose to go back to K-Mart to get it so that I could return my cookie sheets and look for those kids gloves again.
8 AM
Done at K-Mart. My sister texted and asked if we were at Cost Plus. She wanted a TinTin ornament. Another friend texted to see if we were at the outlet mall. She wanted to join us. We all decided to go out to eat instead. My sister bailed, saying she wanted to wait in line at Kohl's (there is one near us that isn't allowed to open until 9 AM due to city regulations) to make sure she got the things she wanted.
9 AM
On our way in to Marmalade Cafe, my friend popped into Cost Plus to get my sister a TinTin ornament.
10 AM
Nom. Nom. Nom.
11 AM
Wrapping up our purchases.
Noon
Watching Gossip Girl.
1 PM
Watching Gossip Girl.
2 PM
Finally sleeping.
November 02, 2011
The Best Black Friday Shopping Guide
I am an unrepentant Black Friday shopper. I know those two words make some of you cringe -- BLACK FRIDAY -- but it doesn't have to be a bad experience. I get all of my Christmas shopping (and wrapping) done in one day, leaving me the rest of the holiday season to enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I love Black Friday shopping. If you follow this guide it will be so easy, you'll want to do it every year.
Step 1: Pre-Planning
This is easy. Sometime before Thanksgiving Day, make a list of the people for whom you plan to buy gifts. If you already have something in mind for that person, jot it down, but that isn't a requirement.
Step 2: Watch the Black Friday Preview Ads
I am very lax about this step. I subscribe to BFads.net. They have all the secret info about which products are going to be on sale at which stores, with prices. They often have scans of the actual ads. If you are a super organized super shopper, you can start mapping out your strategy now. Even I, with decades of Black Friday shopping experience, don't go that far. Mostly, I am looking for the types of items that are going to be big this year. I am not scouting stores and prices yet. That is way too stressful for me. If I see something in particular that seems interesting for someone on my list, I might jot that down, but I usually don't. BFads.net has a nice feature that allows you to compile a shopping list, but I'm old school when it comes to Black Friday shopping. I like a paper list.
Step 3: The Real Planning Happens on Thanksgiving Day
Get up very early in the morning on Thanksgiving Day to buy newspapers, even if you have the newspaper delivered. I buy two copies each of the smaller local paper and the LA Times. They have different ads in them, plus you will need extra copies if you are shopping with partners. Often, the papers in the stands have different (and more) ads than the papers delivered to your home.
Now, set the papers aside and enjoy your day.
Tools
After everyone is stuffed with pie, clear off the table and lay out all of your sales ads and your list. You will also need more paper and a pen to map out your strategy. A Sharpie is great for marking up the ads.
Sorting the Ads
The first thing I do is sort the ads. I will never go to a sporting goods store or a jewelry store or a furniture store on Black Friday, so I take out all of those ads. There are also stores that I generally avoid, but by which I can occasionally be tempted. These stores are a freaking zoo on Black Friday: Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and Toys R Us. I set those ads aside to look at after I look at the rest of the ads.
Looking at the Ads
First, look through every ad without an agenda. Circle anything you think looks interesting for you or for someone on your list. Once you have done that, take another look at your list. If any matches come to mind immediately, jot those down. Now, go through the ads a second time, more slowly. Focus on the things you have circled. Go back and forth between the ads and your list. Next to each person on your list, write the item, price, and store for the gift you are considering for that person. Have a couple ideas in mind in case you aren't able to get your first choice item. Noting the price and store is important because you'll likely be able to find the same item at several stores and you want to get the best price. Repeat this step until you have at least one gift chosen for each person on your list.
Now, go back to the Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and Toys R Us ads and see if there is anything amazing in there. If there is, circle it and set the ads aside again.
Finally, get a clean sheet of paper and rewrite your list, grouping it by store. Next to each store, write the time it opens. Put a star next to the people or items that are the most important to you. Put stars next to big ticket items and deeply-discounted doorbuster deals.
Strategy and Logistics
Now you are ready to map out your strategy. Take a look at where the stars are on your list. You want to make sure you get to the stores that are most important to you at least an hour in advance. Example: Kohl's open at 4 AM. Target and Staples open at 5 AM. K-Mart opens at 6 AM. I have an important item I want at each store, but the most important thing I want is at Target. I will be in line for Target by 4 AM at the latest. I will ask my sister, who is going to Kohl's, to get my item for me. If she can't, I will decide if Kohl's or K-Mart is more important to me and I will go immediately to that store after I am done at Target, then I will go to the remaining store.
It helps to shop with others. That way you can divide and conquer when it comes to hitting multiple stores. Also, it is extraordinarily helpful, almost a necessity, to have someone in the store with you. You can divide and conquer when it comes to items but, more importantly, one person can wait in line while the other person shops, saving you a ridiculous amount of time. (More on that in the next section.)
Make a separate, smaller list of just the stores and hours, in the order you plan to shop at them. You will keep this list in your pocket and refer to it many times while shopping. Take one more look at the Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and Toys R Us ads and, if one of those stores appeals to you, see if you can work it into your schedule. Plan for it to take more time than you think it will.
Sleep
Go to bed early! You need your rest. You will be getting up ridiculously early in the morning.
Step 4: BLACK FRIDAY SHOPPING! (morning)
Eat a light breakfast before you leave the house and make your preferred caffeinated beverage to take with you. Remember, it is ridiculously early. Starbucks and McDonald's aren't going to be open until you are on your way to your third store.
Carry a large shoulder bag. It needs to be comfortable, but big enough for your ads and a water bottle in addition to your usual stuff. Most importantly, though, it needs to stay out of your hands. Also, pack a large, reusable shopping bag. You won't always be able to get a cart in the store and, actually, a cart will slow you down.
Make sure your cell phone is charged up. Ideally, you will be shopping with at least one partner. (If you are shopping with more than one partner, use a group texting app like GroupMe to communicate with everyone at once.) Keep track of each other by texting and calling.
While you are waiting in line for the store to open, plan which items you will be going for and which items your partner will be going for. Whoever has the least amount of stuff to buy should plan to get in line and wait for the other person. This is where a lot of the texting happens. If you are shopping while your partner is in line, you can drop off your items with your partner to free up your hands.
If you are unsure about buying something, buy it. You can always return it, but you don't want to miss out on it if you decide later that you really did want it. Don't waste time hunting for items that are likely to be at multiple stores or are likely to be discounted at other times before Christmas, like DVDs and clothes. And, for goodness sake, don't try on any clothes.
If you have a shopping partner who is at a different store, keep that partner apprised of your location. Call or text before you head to the next location in case you need to change your plan.
Use the time you spend standing in line, or riding (as a passenger) from one location to the next, to update your list. Cross off items as they are bought, and cross of people as you finish buying their gifts.
Once you have hit all of your priority stores, getting your big ticket items and your doorbuster deals, take a breather (now is a good time for the Starbucks run), and review your list and your ads again. This is when you can go back to the big stores if you missed anything or if you left lower priority items behind. This is also when you can hit the lower priority stores you haven't hit yet. For me, this usually includes Michael's and Bed, Bath, and Beyond. You can also decide at this point if it is worth it to you to try to brave Best Buy, Wal-Mart, or Toys R Us.
After you are done with the second round of shopping, it will probably be 11 AM. Now you can relax at a nice, leisurely lunch with your girls.
Step 4: BLACK FRIDAY SHOPPING! (afternoon)
After lunch, go home. You and your partners will need to sort out your mingled purchases and settle up your bills. Then it's time to wrap your presents. Use your own organizational methods here, but it is important to get it done that day. Don't procrastinate this part! The goal is to be completely done with Christmas gifts ALL IN ONE DAY. I try to decorate the house that weekend and get the tree up, so I have a place to put all those presents.
Step 5: Enjoy Your Holiday
You are done shopping! If you have a couple more things to get, buy them on Amazon. Never go to the mall between Black Friday and Christmas! THAT is some crazy shopping.
I will do a separate post on advanced techniques. This is just the basics.
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