Monthly Archives: December 2007

Christmas Comes Early to the Kit Kat Lounge

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Well, I’ve gotten a couple Open Me Now sort of Christmas gifts and thought I’d just rave about them…

Philosophy’s Home for the Holidays – a yummy smelling three pack of Philosophy’s 3-in-1 holiday soaps: Double Rich Hot Cocoa (OMG this is divine!), Hot Apple Cider (I haven’t tried this one ye, but man does it smell good!) and Cinnamon Buns. I just love their product packaging…hello, it comes with recipes right there on the bottle! Having never tried any of their 3-in-1 products before I have to say, it’s some impressive and sudsy stuff. The scent lasted throughout the day as well, though very, very subtle.

Jo Malone Perfume – I’ve been eyeing a perfume or five from Jo Malone for the past year. I fell in love with her Orange Blossom but just couldn’t bring myself to pay the price (since I work from home and don’t use perfume all that much). Then again, I wasn’t totally sure I would be happy with Orange Blossom (indecisive, I know). Well, my friend decided to get me not only the Orange Blossom, but also the Jasmine and Mint (great holiday promo). OMG, divine! Both sell great alone, but smell even more amazing when combined. Wow! Now I’m thinking I might just need to splurge and buy the Wild Fig & Cassis. And well, maybe some shower gel and body lotion too. Uh oh…I feel an addiction coming on…a very, very expensive addiction I fear.

Enstrom’s Almond Toffee – Oh.My.God! Holy Hell, this is the best toffee I think I have ever had! It was a gift from Herbie and his wife for working with them this past year. Who knew it would be so incredible considering I’m not a fan of toffee. I mean this stuff is so good, you need to lock it up! Yes, I think I’ve eaten a huge chunk of the box and it only arrived two hours ago. How embarrassing, I know. But really, it’s THAT good!

Lessons Learned: White Sheets

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I like high thread count sheets. I don’t like to ruin my high thread count sheets. So, I buy them all in white so that my acne meds won’t otherwise bleach them. Which of course means some of my sheet sets resemble other of my sheet sets.

Because I have to use the laundromat, I tend to wait and wash about 2-4 sets at once so I can add blueing stuff and bleach and vinegar and whatnot (doesn’t help, they’re still far too yellow for my tastes, but hanging the pillow cases outside did help). My local, ghetto inexpensive laundromat is in a tiny, corner strip of sorts – six storefronts, two of which are restaurants (one Japanese, one Chinese). Needless to say, I can’t do laundry between 11:00 and 2:00 or I’ll never find parking.

Lesson I: Don’t over pack the washing machine or things just won’t get washed so well – no matter if the sign says it will fit two loads.

Lesson II: Don’t over pack the dryer or things won’t dry so well – even after an hour and a half and even if the signs say it fits three loads.

Lesson III: Don’t pin your sheets together so you’ll know which pieces belong to which set – they will twist in the dryer and will come out in such a knot you’ll be left screaming…and with wet bedding.

Lesson IV: Don’t wait until too late in day to do laundry – if they don’t get fully dry in the drier you’ll be left strewing them all across your apartment and will have NOTHING to put on the bed for that night!

*sigh*

I Need a Plan

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I have over 300 blog posts to read!! *eek*  That’s not counting the few I’ve already read or the shopping/product related ones that I’ve already deleted!  I guess a lot goes on in a week.  Thankfully we’re no longer on daily posts, so it’s really only a couple posts from each person that I’m behind.  But still, that adds up y’all! (I feel so Britney today)

So hopefully, in between housecleaning and doing laundry (a butt load of sheets – thank goodness they’re all white!) I’ll catch up with everyone.  Though I can’t make any promises for witty or thought-provoking comments ;-)

While running errands this morning, I made sure to smile a lot and thank anyone that I spoke with.  I even shocked the guy at Borders when I wished him a great weekend.  Yay, for thanks!

Michelle – you can buy the Boots’ Olive, Almond and Sage Wonderbalm at CVS and at Target (both carry the Boots line now).  It’s a small jar over in the “Mediterranean” section.  Don’t be surprised if it’s sold out, it’s that good!

Thanks!

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Is it too much trouble these days for people to say thank you? Instead of fighting with the guy next to you during a lane merge, you let him in. Does he give a little wave or say thanks? Uh, no. You notice the gal behind you at the check out line has only two items and an infant so you let her go ahead of you in line. Does she say thanks? No, but that doesn’t stop her from taking you up on your offer. You hold the door open so that guy or gal can step through it as well. Do they give you a smile or thanks? Nope, they just breeze on by.

Now maybe it’s just the stress and frazzle dazzle of the holiday season. But I don’t think so. I have noticed that less and less people seem to appreciate when someone does a kindness. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt, maybe they do indeed notice, but they sure as hell don’t seem to show their appreciation.

Why is that? Are we so busy? Have we become so entitled? I don’t know the answer and to be honest, I really don’t care. I’d much rather someone smile or say thanks than give me 1001 reasons why they can’t. It’s such a small thing, I know.

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Speaking of saying thank you, when did it get to the point that merely saying “thank you” just wasn’t enough? When did folks become so used to people saying thanks or showing appreciation that they now demand more (see above – I’m my own contradiction, I know. In my defense, I’m speaking more like the random acts of kindness and every day niceties above).

I work with people that volunteer their time to help me and I appreciate it so much – especially how it often helps to save my sanity – that I do my best to say “thank you” every chance I get (and I don’t doubt that it’s still not often enough). But to have someone (or sometwenty) talk about being used or unappreciated is tough to hear (this was something that happened over the last year or so ago). I mean how many times can you say the words “thanks” or “thank you” to someone for it to finally become thanks enough? How many personal emails, cards, gifties or tokens of appreciation does it take nowadays? When did a mere “thank you” stop being thanks enough?

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Which of course reminds me of all the small things in my life that I’m thankful for…

  • the internetz – oh lordy how I’ve missed you so!
  • modems – can’t access that world wide web without you
  • hot water – I don’t care how drying it is for your skin, nothing beats a scalding hot shower when it’s cold
  • chocolate – ’nuff said
  • nail polish – who doesn’t feel pretty and happy with bright, shiny toe nails?
  • Boots’ Olive, Almond & Sage Wonderbalm – where have you been all my chapped-handed life?
  • a cup of hot tea – I may loves me the lattes, but nothing works for me like a hot cup of tea!
  • fresh baked bread with butter – yummy!
  • Bare Escentuals’ Lip Savor – I feel in love with this lip balm 10 or so years ago. A couple of years back, BE stopped making it. Now it’s back and I’m lovin’ the hell out of it. Best.lip.balm.E.V.E.R. (and only $5!)
  • Netflix – what else was I to do while I was without the internet? Why, how about I watch some Veronica Mars?!?!
  • Library – I’m saving a small fortune in books thanks to the library. I’m loving it so much I’m going to look into volunteering at my local branch. So worth it to give back like that.
  • the wonderful ladies from Ladies Who Launch that found my plea for more information and took the time to share their own personal experiences with me. I can’t wait until January!
  • Blogs – blogging is fun. What did I ever do before blogging the minutia that is my life?
  • My new blogging friends – I’ve met some pretty cool people through this online world of blogging (even if I have been way too busy to catch up or comment).
  • and of course, my friends, my hubby and my boys *sigh* such love!

So to everyone out there who reads this post, to you I say “thank you.” My hope is that you will take a moment to thank someone (or something) in your life today. What a way to start a weekend!

Holy Close Call Batman!!

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I just now got back from dropping my clothes at the laundromat.  While they were going through the wash cycle, I ran errands – the dry cleaner, the grocery store, etc.  I pulled up to the curb, gathered my bags and clothes and realized that the front door was open!  Not wide open, but let’s just open wide enough with plenty of room for a kitkat and a pupster to escape and search for their mama!

I call out to the pupster and there he is, snuggled in on the pile of coats that we sometimes use as a chair.  I ask him where the kitkat man is (and yes, I do talk to my boys!) and there he was on his tower just looking out the window like he was waiting for me to return.  Talk about lucky!

Mind you, I’m sure they both went outside and did a little exploring.  I was gone for nearly an hour.  But I’m so thankful to know that they’re right at home as if they’re the bestest, most well behaved boys in the world.  They must’ve been speaking with Santa recently! 😉

The Christmas Spirit

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Well, I’ve decided, I’m just not going to bother with decorating this year.  While I’m still all for finding the perfect gift for someone, wrapping the presents and doing the card thing, I just don’t feel like lugging in all the boxes this time.  So instead, I’ve picked up a live little tabletop tree from Trader Joe’s.  And if the stockings are accessible I think I’ll hang those up.  But really, that’s it for me.

Funny thing, I was feeling a little, I don’t know, maybe guilty about not decorating (though we don’t have kids and we don’t really entertain at home, so really, no one but me would miss it) and I mentioned it to friends over the weekend.  It took the I-go-all-out-and-decorate-for-all-holidays friend – the one you can’t help but be jealous of because well, she decorates for all the holidays and come on, that’s just cool as shit – to admit to having those occassions where she didn’t feel like decorating either.  That’s when I finally took that breath and just admitted to myself that it’s just fine and dandy if I don’t want to decorate this year.  That doesn’t really make me Little Miss Bah Humbug.

The Internetz is Good

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I’ve just gone the last three or so days with little or no internet access (depending on the day).  Let me tell you, going that long without internet can be quite peaceful.  I could still check my email on my phone if I get desperate.  Interestingly enough, I never got so desperate that I had to run out to the nearest WiFi joint to get my fix.

Instead, I reveled in finding other ways to occupy my time.  I read books.  I watched movies.  I watched four straight hours of Veronica Mars (and it was delicious!).  I also managed to complete my Christmas cards, ship some gifts,  get crafty  the best thing…clean off my desk!  Mind you, now it’s a mess again thanks to the card writing and gift wrapping, but it’s still better than before since all the loose receipts and bills are filed.

I also got to spend some quality gal time with friends.  And man, I’ve got to say, short of a Veronica Mars marathon (what will I do when I finish up this last season???) nothing beats hanging out with the gals chit chatting over life, books, families and addicting  TV.  Well, throw in a nice glass of wine and some good food and it’s perfection I tell ya!

Now I’m just waiting for the hubby to finish up so we can head out to Spaceland for their holiday party.  I’m sure we won’t stay too long, but that won’t stop me from having a drink or two!

Totally unrelated (and I may have mentioned this before), I need to quickly create some simple business cards.  Since I won’t be using some snazzy company name, just my own name, I need a simple logo – I’m thinking of maybe a lotus blossom.   While I actually have some photos of lotus blossoms, I don’t really know where to look for a simple line image.  Anyone have any ideas?

Well, time to head out.  Hope you guys all had a fun weekend (since I’ve been sans the ‘net I’ve not gotten caught up on any blogs – should be a loong week).  And thanks for the support, it really meant a lot.  I hope to know more over the next week and I’ll fill folks in then.

Post Wedding Festivities with Dad

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My life was thrown for a bit of a loop late yesterday. I’m hoping that things will work out for the best, but really, my hands are tied and there’s nothing that I could do to change anything. I’ll find out more this evening, and then I’ll figure out how best to deal with it.

I’m choosing to keep things positive, so here’s a photo of my dad and I after the wedding reception (and in both of our cases, lots of alcohol) before heading back to the hotel for the night.