Au Natural: Perm is so Passe'

Well that's how I feel today. After seeing more and more women saying good bye to no-lye... relaxer, that is...I too realized that I was totally over the ritual of perming my hair. Weaves, wigs, tracks....OVER IT!

So discreetly, I stopped perming and started growing. I still wore relaxed styles until I got to the point where I could no longer disguise my natural coils...which I affectionately refer to as naps!

I finally got to the point where I couldn't just blend my hair in with straighter styled half-wigs and tracks, full wigs looked totally ridiculous, and i was just irritated with having crap on my head all day.

So I got brave...and started wearing my hair in its natural form. Though it isn't my best look, it has been very liberating. I'm really looking forward to my hair growing and trying twists and other styles.

But I'm not going back to perms any time soon.

Welp...It's a Wrap

It was a beautiful summer day in July, and I had everything on my mind except for what happened to me on the day of my parents' 25th anniversary.

Boo asked me to swing by his job after work for a hug on the way to the restaurant for a family dinner in honor of my parents. After pulling the car to a non-parking spot and throwing on my hazard lights, giving boo a quick hug, having some mindless chit chat about the haps of the day, my love pulls a red box out of his pocket and says..."well what if I asked you to marry me?"

Uhhhh.....WHAT?!?!?!

He did not just say that, and what the hell is he digging in his pocket for??? WHAT IS GOING ON??? lol.

And out popped a little red box.

After several rounds (about 20 minutes worth) of "Are you kidding?" "Is this for real?" "What's in that box?" "You're so crazy!" and of course "Oh my GOD!" I finally opened the box a peep and saw that there was in fact something sparkling inside of it. So it was at that point that I turned it up a notch and kicked into a few rounds of "OH MY GOD! IS THIS FOR REAL? WHAT IS THIS? WHY DID YOU BUY THIS!!!???"

And once it all got through my big skull what was going on...I finally said,"Well why are you doing it like this? You aint even on your knee!"

So boo gets down on one knee on the corner of 13th and L and asks me to be his Mrs.!

AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!

So... it's a wrap folks! I'm officially OFF THE MARKET!

YAY!

Time for the next scene...

I Thought This Day Would Never Come!

I know there are certain...issues that come with living in an older, non-contemporary building. The appearance may be less than perfect because of its age, things may need to be repaired or replaced, amenities that may come standard in a newer building may require substantial time and money to upgrade to in an older building, and as things get worn out, they may just flat out break down. Such is the case with the elevator in my building...which I found out the hard way, after returning home from an extended stay at my parents' house in November. I was loaded down with a heavy overnight bag, shopping bags, and other things that I was toting up to my condo on the 4th floor of my building.

"Hmmm...what's this note say?...it's BROKEN? Oh no! Now what am I supposed to do??"

And I took the stairs, looking back at the elevator as if it was my best friend riding off into the sunset to a new house with her family far, far away. OK, a little dramatic, but I was sad. Then...a few weeks later, after looking at that same pitiful note on the elevator...a new note came. A part has to be replaced, but we should be back in business in 10 weeks. TEN WEEKS!?!?! Did that say 10 weeks or am I hallucinating?

Yep, 10 weeks.

Don't get me wrong...I feel it's a priviledge to be physically able to climb three flights of stairs. (And good thing too, because I have no idea what the physically challenged or disabled were supposed to do during this time). But it gets real old having to always live your life knowing whatever you took home, you'd have to tote up a rack of stairs. Or not wanting to have company because the last thing you wanted them to think was that you live in a raggedy building with a broke down elevator. Or to not be able to properly furnish your place because there was nobody at your disposal that could take sh*t up all those stairs. Or to not be able to clean your place out because you didn't want to take things one at a time, down a bunch of stairs, then go back up a bunch of stairs 4, 5, and 6 times. And when you (a) are a pack rat and (b) live in a fixer upper, not having an elevator can be a bit of a hinderance to your efforts to get things in order. Not to mention grocery shopping, regular shopping, the flea markets that I participate in. I do a lot of lugging for some reason, and I was always able to just put things on my wheely cart and get on the elevator whenever I needed, and without arranging for anybody to help me.

It's notable to point out...that one flight actually equals 2 sets of stairs. (ie., 10 stairs, turn, 10 stairs = 1 flight).

So...once the 10 weeks was up...or somewhere there 'bouts...a new note appears. The elevator has to be "modernized" (whatever the hell that means), a special part has to be manufactured (since the elevator is soooooo old, there is no place that has the required parts on hand) and just getting the part was going to take 10 weeks, and installing it would take another 6 to 8 weeks. At this point...I'm feeling like life with no elevator is basically what I'll endure until I finally move out or die. And the thought of moving with no elevator made me want to cry.

Climbing stairs got real old, real fast. Because it is a building with an elevator, the stairwell was not designed with actual climbing in mind. The stairs were steep, narrow, and hard to climb, not to mention the stairwell was just plain ugly.

The day finally came that we got the notice that the part was being delivered and the cars had to be moved from the parking lot so that the part could be lifted into the building through the roof. Aaaah what a great day that was. It fell on my Friday off, and watching them work brought tears to my eyes. Blake and I supervised from the balcony. BUT...we still had the 6 to 8 weeks to go while they installed the part and got the elevator up and running. Of course, that 6 to 8 weeks ran long, and what was not factored in was the testing and the state inspection. UGH!

But...the day finally came with little fanfare. From November to July...we had no elevator. I thought there would have been balloons and flyers and everything announcing the new, modernized elevator was up and running. Nope! I actually wasn't even sure we were allowed on it...but of course I just took my chances. The moment it took off, I felt like I was taking off in a rocket ship for territories unknown. Well...of course the territories were in fact chartered and known, as it was the 4th floor of my building which I'd seen many times. But never through eyes full of the joy I felt that day. I got off the elevator and walked down the hall to my door like it was the most normal act on earth. And now my life is back to the way it was. What a sigh of relief.

Happy Belated Birthday!

Boo and I had a nice 4th of July. We went to my sister's house waaaaaaay down in St. Mary's County, then went to my girlfriend's house. Sis's cat just had kittens so that was really cute to see them. There are 5 of them. One minute they were all curled up together sleep on a pink blanket. Next time we went to look at them, they were all curled up together on the black blanket. It was like they all got up and scooted over to the other blanket while nobody was looking and fell right back into place.

Then at my girlfriend's house, we had the chance to spend sometime with her new baby girl. She's only 8 weeks old and she's just as cute as ever. We also got to see my other girlfriend's little girls. They are 2 year old twins and they are just so so precious.

It was such a treat seeing everybody and enjoying the 4th with my sweetums.

Happy Birthday America!

The "etsy" bitsy website...

I can thank my good girlfriend Dianca for introducing me to the world of etsy (dot com, that is), which has come darn close to replacing my addiction to craigslist.

Etsy.com is this FABULOUS online marketplace for things that are handmade. From matchbook notepads to eclectic wall art to ipod cozies made out of recycled vintage blazers, jewelry made from unique beads, funky handbags, or trendy screenprint tshirts, it's on etsy.com. Whether your style is ethnic, vintage, chic, industrial, classic, whimsical or witty, there is a creator on etsy.com with something to sell to you. Because everything is handmade, a lot of items are one-of-a-kinds. People can ask you where you got it, but they probably won't be able to get one just like it. And the prices can range from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars, so there is something that will suit every budget and style. And many times, the seller will provide the option for you to have something customized just for you just to suit your exact desires of the moment.

Etsy allows shoppers the opportunity to choose how they want to shop...you can browse by category, search for something specific, view sellers by location or items by color, shop by which seller has a birthday on that day, and one of my favorite search options is to "pounce", which is just clicking a button and seeing what they show you, three items at a time. There is also a showcase of the top sellers, which is refreshed daily. Each seller has their own virtual "location" on etsy.com. They can tell a little about themselves and their craft(s), and then shoppers can view all of the items that each seller is selling.

Even though etsy.com claims to be a marketplace for handmade items, they have a vintage section which contains items that definitely aren't handmade by the shop owner. And I suspect that some items are potentially not handmade...but cute nonetheless. So if you're ever looking for something that's unique, creative, or handmade, there's probably something for you on Etsy.

Etsy reminds us of how great it is to be creative and even better to support craft-making. Everytime I look around on etsy, it makes me want to go straight to Michaels and buy a ton of stuff. But for those that don't have that creative itch, you can appreciate and support these artists, seamstresses, and creators by buying their products. There is no fee to shop, and the fees to post are minimal.

Here are some things I thought were really cute on etsy.com:

Cute clutch:

Cute bag:

Matchbook notebooks:

Stand for Change Obama wallet:

Bienvenido a Miami!

In celebration of my 12th-21st birthday, boo and I hit the beach. This was our first solo vacation, and it was very well deserved. Though I've flown to the other side of the world and back, in addition to other countries in between, I'm still a pretty jittery flyer. This was only my third flight since 9-11 and I still pretty much turn into a great big baby starting a week before the flight. Boo wasn't aware of this, and didn't allow me to bury my head in his fresh white t because he didn't want me to get make-up on it. I made it clear that he was to wear a black shirt on the return flight.

So after a lot of internet searching, finangling with priceline.com, and stalking all the travel websites in search of a reasonable fare (why can't you ever find those super cheap deals when you are actually looking to fly somewhere???) I booked the flight, hotel, and rental car. The only thing left to do was pack and get to the airport.

I wound up booking an historic boutique hotel in the Art Deco district of Miami Beach, called Indian Creek Hotel. I pretty much spent the whole five days trying to figure out if I loved it or hated it. On the one hand, it smelled and felt like I was staying in my grandmother's grandmother's house...but on the other hand, it was super unique and shabby chic rolled up into one beautifully landscaped hotel. The broken elevator, imperfect paint job, and old school bathroom was more than made up for by the beautiful palm trees, colorful flowers, and strategically placed lighting outside the building and around the pool. Our room was painted a pretty aqua color and the furniture was dark mahogany with sleek clean lines. But the walls were sorta stucco feeling...like they felt like somebody plastered but forgot to sand them...Boo said he felt like he was in Havana or somewhere. But the bed just ate us up! We spent way too much time in the bed (and I'm not being fresh) than we should have...it was beyond comfortable.

We had a good time in Mia, however, it wasn't exactly a thrifty vacation. We walked out of every meal feeling like we had just been jacked. Two people, two sandwiches, some fries, and a few beverages never came up to less than $60 and typically ran upwards of $80. Eventually we made use of the Spanish market and Spanish eatery across the street. That place had positively the BEST EMPENADAS I think I've ever had EVER! I had to stop and get two on my way to the airport...as a final hoorah. Our favorite places were Mangoes and Oceans 10. The live bands were really good and the crowds were fun. We danced and had a really good time. Of course the highlight was when the dj at Oceans 10 played Conga by Miami Sound Machine. How can you go to Miami and not get down to some Gloria Estefan!? I love that little lady!

I was pretty surprised that we made it five days together, just us, and we didn't want to break up as soon as the plane landed. But he actually called me after we both went home and told me that he missed me already. Awwwww! I think this one's a keeper ;0)

Welp...There's 90 Minutes I'll Never Get Back

Where oh where do I start with this one...

I cannot think of a single good thing to say about the way I wasted two perfectly good hours on Saturday night...other than...that $5 coke wasn't half bad.

After a long week, and a pretty hectic Saturday, boo and I went to the movies...I let him pick. Of course, I have veto power over any selection. But...he picked Love Guru, and much to eventual dismay, I approved.

Love Guru is on my short short short list of top two awful movies. I don't know what else is on the list with it, but I'm pretty sure I've seen something else that sucked just as bad if not worse. If I can't think of anything...then Love Guru takes the number 1 spot hands-down.

When I say this movie is stupid...it is an insult to all stupid people and things. Now I know I'm a bit of a stiff when it comes to certain things...but I can appreciate a good silly movie from time to time. I mean two of my absolute favorite movies are Napoleon Dynamite and Beer Fest. But apparently that's right about where I draw the silly line.

The highlight of the movie for me was the cameo of one of my total faves...Mariska Hargitay of Law & Order SVU fame. And I can see her on TNT or NBC anytime day or night for free, in the comfort of my own home, drinking my $1.19 bottle of coke, snuggled up with my schnookems, playing on the internet. But I digress...

I shoulda known 3 minutes into the movie that it was best to leave before it got ugly, when Mike Meyers strummed out some faux-Indian-accented version of 9 to 5 with elephants and ethnic women in mini-skirts dancing in the background. From midgets (ahem...little people) to fart humor, to absolutely terrible "jokes" (which I use loosely), to a completely wack plot, that 90 minutes could not end soon enough.

We walked out of the theater in absolute silence...walking like we just didn't know what to say or do after what we just witnessed. My silence was pretty much from the shock of seeing that treacherous production...and partly because I didn't want him to feel bad for making me endure that torture. I don't know if boo was trying to save face after picking a terrible movie or if he thought I hadn't yet formed an opinion, but on the way out of the theater he breaks our silence and says "that wasn't that bad." I just laughed (for the first time in almost 2 hours) and said...we don't even need to discuss this night ever again. This was something that is truly best left in the past. We will just pretend like it never happened.

My Boo is Gonna Kill Me

I just read through my blog entries and I realized that I never updated my status! ME AND BOO are back in stride again! And things are going great as ever! I'm sure over time I'll have some "Sweetums n Me" stories, but for now, I'll just say, we're back together!

Gone Fishin'!

My gut reaction when my dad arranged for a family fishing trip was to say hecky no. But after a few moments, I thought...this could actually be kinda fun. I used to go fishing with my dad...and I used to enjoy it. But when teen years set in, getting up before dawn to spend a day with worms and minnows lost its appeal.

So this past Saturday, me and the fam head out to Chesapeake Beach...at 4:00AM by the way (EEEK!). We boarded the charter boat and I thought...this could be ok. The captain, Marty, introduced himself and his first mate, Josh, and off we went...speeding away from land...and into the middle of the Chesapeake Bay.

As we progressed...splish splashing along...I realized...Makia...I think you might be about to get sea sick. Oh dear God no...please don't do this. So I sat real real real still for the better part of an hour. Then the fishing commenced. Josh set up the fishing rods and threw out all kinds of lures and what have you...and we "trolled" for a good while...the boat was just a-rockin with the waves...and of course my stomach was still just as queezy as ever. In addition...I really wasn't sure at this point if they were some kinda psychos that might throw us off the boat in the middle of the bay. News is so crazy now-days, you just never know with people.

Well after a bit, a rod started bouncing..."Fish on!" they yelled...and it was time to get to reeling them in. One after another, we caught fish after fish. And I use "we caught fish" kinda loosely...because truth of the matter is, Josh (who for some reason, I kept calling Rusty) actually did essentially all of the work. We just reeled the fish in, and posed next to them for the photo op once Josh unhooked them, and in some instances, held them.

By around 9:30, I was really into the groove. I wasn't too nervous anymore, and the sun was shining, and the water was beautiful. We spotted all kinds of different interesting things, including some sting rays, and a swarm of ducks all flying in this great straigh line pattern as if they were in a marching band or something. I also believe this was around the point when my parents were on their second margarita. lol. As my sister says,"It's 5:00 somewhere!"

Then around 10:30, we had the bright idea to turn on some music, and at this point it kinda became an all out boat party. Bob Marley was playing, we were singing and dancing, and oh yeah...I guess we were still fishing too.

By 11:00ish, it was time to head back to land, and we pulled into our spot around 11:30.

It was really a fun morning spent with the family. The weather was beautiful, our ship crew was fantastic, and we got some great fresh fish out of it...which my mom stuffed with crab meat and served the next day for Father's Day. YUMMMM YUMMMM!

Only Sorta Suckered: An ELF Update

After a few weeks of wondering and waiting...my ELF products finally came in...all $50 worth...which in itself is good news. Because after the "Elf is a hoax" internet warning, I was pretty sure that that was $50 of my hard earned money flushed down the toilet...so to get anything at all made me feel a little better about the whole situation.

So, I've been sifting through my purchase, trying on things here and there, and here are five items that I really like thus far.

1. Candy Shop Lip Tins

A great lip gloss...it's kinda thick how I like it, so it stays on for a good length of time, and it has a really nice little shimmer to it. And let's face it...anything in a tin is automatically pretty darn cute.

2. Hypershine Gloss

This was a little bizarre to me at first, but once I got it going, I really liked it. It's a lipgloss that comes in the shape of a pen. The application apparatus is a brush, and you twist the base of the pen until the gloss oozes out of the tip of the brush. I don't know if I'm describing this the best way possible, but once it oozed, the gloss was a great little shimmery color that I really liked a lot.

3. Total Face Brush

I don't know about you, but whenever I need a good blush or face brush, they tend to run at least $10...and that strikes me as a bit much. But...I always make the purchase because a good blush brush is an absolute must for any fashionista. So I was eager to try the ELF face brush and once I got it, I felt like this was a dollar well spent! Well...actually two dollars...because you know my hoarding tendencies would not let me run the risk of this being a good deal and me only buying one brush. And I'm glad I did get two...I may even go back and buy more! It never hurts to have a good brush on standby.

4. Mechanical Eyelash Curler

It's great, it works, and it's $1. Need I say more???

5. Brightening Eye Color

With colors being the thing in fashion these days, it's always nice to dab a nice splash of coordinating color to your eyes to bring the whole outfit together. But who in the heck is going to invest in 20 different expensive eyeshadows ranging from fuschia to avacado green to aqua blue just to tie it all in with your new top? What better way to add some fun new colors to your makeup pallette without emptying your wallet?!

So...all's well that ends well in ELF world...but my only issue with the whole thing is...where did this affiliation with Nordstom come from??? Had I known that ELF was just a regular old $1 makeup company with no intentions of going out of business, and NOT a discontinued line of makeup sold at Norstrom which was urgently liquidating all of its stock...I would have proceeded a little differently. Instead of feeling like...if I snooze I might lose, and trying to buy out the whole stock of products and thinking I was getting some monstrous deal for my money, I might have just said well...maybe I'll buy a lipgloss or two, and go back for more if I like them. But that is just not the way I roll. Now the only thing to do is find a nice cute make-up bag that can hold all this new stuff! And I guess that isn't so bad after all, is it?

Suckered by an ELF?

OK...seems like I'm establishing a theme of being suckered. You know how the saying goes..."Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." Well...maybe I'm Bobo the Fool...or maybe there are too many scams to keep track of.

So one of my fashionista girlfriends sent me an email about e.l.f. cosmetics. Apparently they are some line of make-up that Nordstrom carries and is now in the process of discontinuing. In an effort to liquidate their inventory, they are selling mostly all of the cosmetics with the "e.l.f." logo on it for $1. So...because of my hoarding tendencies and frugal traits, this was just too good to pass up. I jumped on it. 10 eyeshadow quads, $1 each...add to cart...7 nail polishes, $7...add to cart...20 lip balms, who can't use lip balm???...add to cart...bronzer...add to cart...on and on and on until I ran up a $50 tab. Input pertinent billing and shipping information....submit order. Breathe sigh of accomplishment and fulfillment. And wait.

NOT EVEN FIVE MINUTES after I clicked the submit button did my other girlfriend who I shared this information with send me an email about a notification alert she discovered on Nordstrom's website claiming that they are not affiliated with e.l.f. cosmetics and that emails are being fraudulently sent out (and you know how we get real nervous when we see that word "fraud") on Nordstrom's behalf.

CRAP!!!!

NOW WHAT???

I quickly hit up Nordstrom's website....I don't see the alert...I ask my girlfriend where she found it...she told me...I still don't see it...maybe I'm just in such a fluster that I'm overlooking it. OK...plan B...email my girlfriend that sent the email...she writes back immediately. She received her products, and she likes them. OK...now I'm calming down. She says that this company was on Oprah and in magazines and is legit. Breathe, breathe, breathe...now the flashes of my bank card being declined because some fool used my information to buy 20 tanks of gas are gone.

Bottom line...even if the company is not affiliated with Nordstrom...I'm now comfortable with the situation. Maybe I'll at least get a few good things that I like, and maybe the makeup will actually be a decent quality. The initial warning had me thinking I was going to have to cancel cards, get a credit report, and go through a whole bunch of mess to make sure my credit wasn't being shot to h*ll.

So now I'm back to waiting for my stuff. I'll let you know how it turns out!

Suckered at Build-A-Bear Workshop

Being an aunt, there are certain duties that are implicit and expected of me. My house is supposed to be the fun house (but since niecey's mommy is actually my BABY sis...she's probably a little more fun than I am); visiting auntie means McDonald's and ice cream; and if we go to the mall, niecey is entitled to come out with a toy.

It was a beautiful May Friday, I had the day off, and I had a coupon to one of my favorite stores. It was the perfect time to head to the mall and see what damage I could do. We jumped in the truck, and off to the mall we went. In one store, out the other. Up one escalator and down another. We replenished our energy at Chic Fil-A, and then went in a few more stores, all along being begged, reminded, asked, and begged some more about the toy I promised if niecey stayed on good behavior. Though "good behavior" is a little of a stretch for how my niece actually acted in the mall, I had to remember she is only five and it's hard being five years old in the mall for two and three hours, all the while minding your p's and q's. So, when I couldn't buy another thing, it was time to fulfill my promise.

We head over to the mall directory and look for children's stores. Children's Place...Gap Kids...Gymboree...Talbot's Kids...Hanna Andersson (whatever the heck that is)...and Build-a-Bear Workshop. Wait...did I overlook the toy stores? Children's Place...Gap Kids...Gymboree...Talbot's Kids...Hanna Andersson...Build-a-Bear Workshop. Are you kidding me??? That's the ONLY TOY STORE in this piece??? As much as I vowed never to get trapped in Build-a-Bear Workshop's shenannigans...here I was with no other alternative. My niece , with her cute self, had those sweet little doe eyes...staring at me...DYING for her toy which she felt she rightfully earned...what on earth was I to do? I dragged her through 20 stores, luring her with the promise of a toy...and there was no other stinkin' toy store in the dang blasted mall aside from the highway robbery known as Build-a-Bear Workshop! So, with no other choice ...off to Build-a-Bear Workshop we went.

Though I paid MUCH MORE than I've EVER paid for a stuffed animal in my life, it actually wasn't THAT bad. I thought I'd spend close to $100 but managed to come out a little shy of $40. The bears, dogs, and dolls themselves were not too bad (about $14 to $22)...where they get you is with the sound chip, beating heart, dog collar, dog dish, brush, tank top, tube top, skirt, ball gown, baseball jersey, football jersey, tennis shoes, mary janes, sparkled pumps, hat, bikini, underwear, overnight bag, tiara, and all that other crap you can add on. I gave niecey a one-outfit, one-accessory limit, and I was able to walk out without losing too much of my going out money.

Even though I will never put myself in that predicament again, the excitement that my niece had once she picked, stuffed, fluffed, groomed, named, and officially adopted Princess was well worth the money. She spent the whole night brushing, hugging, dressing and undressing that puppy. If it makes her happy (and if I made significantly more money) I'd buy her 10 more.

Aaahhh, the joys of being an auntie. I love my sweet sweet niece, she lights up my life...but next time I will be sure to shop a little closer to a dollar store...or at least a Target. No matter how much I love my baby girl...one thing must remain clear...auntie aint rich!

Seeing Forgetting Sarah Marshall

I rarely go to the movies. I'm kind of a weirdo because I don't particularly enjoy sitting in a movie theater for two hours staring at a screen. For some reason it's too much of a time commitment for me or something. Well...about once a year or so, I do actually go to the "theater" (lol). So for 2008, it looks like my movie of the year is Forgetting Sarah Marshall...and let me tell you...it was TOTALLY worth the two hours! I LAUGHED SO HARD! There were moments of tears (from all the laughing) and times of self-reflection, which subsequently lead to laughs and tears. I absolutely have to see it again! The way the actors / writers / directors portrayed that break-up story has so many elements of truth. Whether you've been the one to do the breaking up and ended up regretting it; been the one that has been the break-up recipient and been trapped in a room with the ex and his new man / woman; or been the one to be the new person of a break-upper or a break-uppee, and been in that awkward moment where the old and the new meet up in the same place, Forgetting Sarah Marshall will definitely strike a chord with you. AND...ladies...in case you haven't heard...there is FRONTAL NUDITY! I never much cared for Jason Segel on How I Met Your Mother...but...after the movie...and frontal view...lol...I see him in a whole new...much more eye-opening light. I think he might be my new celebrity boo. Sorry Colin Farrell. Gotta make room for my new man.

Different Kinda Cake

So, this weekend was my boyfriend's birthday. We decided to just take a little day getaway, go shopping, and spend some time away from our daily lives. We had a great time, as we always do. For a gift, I decided to do something kinda unique. It gets really hard to come up with gifts for different occasions. And when I asked him what he wanted for his birthday, he just said socks and underwear. Well...that's not a very interesting gift, so I decided to spruce it up a little. I recently made a diaper cake for a girlfriend's baby shower, so I took that idea, and made him...an undergarment cake. lol. Socks, undies, and tshirts wrapped up with ribbon and topped with a few candles.

Fly Betty Boutique

I finally made it to my friend Melfi's shop on U Street -- Fly Betty Boutique. I swear, I'd still be sitting there shopping if I didn't have things to do. Fly Betty Boutique is a small boutique full of great fashions and fun accessories. I went in for a t-shirt, and came out with a dress, two shirts (neither were the t-shirt I went in for), a satin blazer, and a hair accessory that I'm not quite sure what to do with. The good news is that Fly Betty Boutique is getting a bigger location in the same building in May...which means more space for more dresses, shirts, jeans, handbags, necklaces, bengals, rings, jackets, etc... The summer will be a great time to stroll up and down U Street and Fly Betty Boutique is definitely a place I will be sure to stroll into!

When Your Boss is a Buffoon...

Those were the first words of a recent article I read about life in the workplace. I don't even remember what the point of article was...I'm not even sure I got past the first seven words, but I definitely felt like the whole thing was written by me, for me. If you lived a day in the life of me, you'd totally understand why those words jumped right off the page and grabbed me by the nose and demanded my attention. I am sure that in the grand scheme of things, feeling like my job totally sucks is probably not a very unique problem. But when you're going through your own personal work hell, it truly feels like nobody knows your sorrow. This past week, I had a huge blow-up with my boss and I swear he is hell bent on making me wish I worked anywhere but where I work. Not only is he a buffoon, he's also a loon. He's totally out of touch with reality, he has the most unrealistic demands, and he has no idea how to communicate with his staff, he is always right, and nobody except a priviledged few have anything of value to say. That's how he feels. I tried so hard not to wind up exactly where I am, working for yet another jackass...but yet here I am...different zoo, same animals. UGH! Well, the good thing is...I know how to leave work at work. And I try to make it through my 9.5 hours a day the best way I can. Weekends have never looked as good as they do these days. Hopefully it's just a phase. Maybe he's having a hard time at home, and it carries over into the workplace. Iowno. lol. But in the meantime...I'm sure my alcohol intake will increase dramatically...and probably so will my postings to this blog. Maybe I'll even start exercising to blow off steam. lol. This could end up being a good thing. We'll see... Thanks for letting me vent!

Warm Spirit Gives Me a Warm Fuzzy

Everyone had a different opinion about why my skin looked terrible this winter. The weather is so dry, you aren't eating enough veggies, you aren't drinking enough water, maybe it's your cat, it's probably all that chocolate you eat,...etc, etc. And it could have very well been any or all of those theories that played a part in why my skin was splotchy, itchy, bumpy and an overall mess. All I knew was I needed to find a remedy and I needed to find it fast!

After trying Cetaphyl, Oil of Olay, Neutrogena, and Dove, I called my girlfriend who sells Warm Spirit, and asked if she had any suggestions. She told me to sample Warm Spirit's Gentle Face Cleanser and Kindness Rejuvinating Cream ($5 each for the sample size). I tried them and now I'm HOOKED! In the 10 days I've been using these face products, my skin looks 10 times better!

Now...I know yall might be thinking that I'm some sort of undercover Warm Spirit pusher, on here disguising myself as a first-time user with a success story...but I guarantee that is NOT the case! I have always been kinda apprehensive about WS and their prices. I figured it was just the hype that made them feel justified in charging $200 for a half ounce tub of body butter (slight exaggeration), and that very well could be the case. But if nothing else, I can definitely tell you that I highly recommend the face products. In addition to clearing up my skin, there is some sort of face crack-type chemical that seems to give me energy and perk me up in the morning. I'm sure with Warm Spirit being made from all natural ingredients, it's probably something like...a hint of sunflower oil...or ginko something or other, butterfly urine...or pixie dust...and not a chemical from a lab. But WHATEVER IT IS...my face feels FANTASTIC! This could be the thing that turns me on to WS for good...we shall see!

To Posh...or Not To Posh?

So, last Saturday night, me and some girlfriends ventured out to Posh...on 11th and G Streets. We must have gotten there a smidge too early because there were still people having dinner, however it turns into a club after 11 or midnight-ish. The drinks were highly overpriced, the crowd was extremely stuffy, and the ambiance left a little to be desired. However, the cover was free, the music was pretty good, and at least the drinks were strong...like...REAL strong. Overall, we had a so-so time...and it's likely we won't go back...unless we really just can't figure anything else out.

Where is JHUD???

She prematurely got kicked off American Idol only to come back with the ultimate middle finger and wow us in Dreamgirls. She won the Academy Award and she looked beautiful! It's been a couple of years since her film debut and now I want to know WHERE IS JENNIFER HUDSON???

Since her big night at the Oscars, she's shown up on a few red carpets, looking dazzling of course. We've heard her on other people's cd's doing duets with people like Ne-Yo (love that song!). But now I'm ready to hear her belt out some tunes on her own debut cd.

In the meantime, I'll admire her on the red carpet, and wait, wait wait...

And by the way...could she look any more FABULOUS than she does in this grey dress and black boot ensemble at the "Great Debators" LA premiere???

Am I the Only Sucky Purger???

Not too long ago, I watched a documentary called "Help, I'm a Hoarder." And I mean these people had I-S-S-U-E-S! You couldn't so much as walk into these people's houses without having to duck under, leap over, or shimmy past piles and piles of clutter and junk. I know for a fact that I am not that bad. THANK GOODNESS.

HOWEVER...I do have my own hoarding tendencies...which I should probably work to get under control sooner rather than later. I have an addiction to stationary. I love crafty knick knacks. Candles are always a must-buy. Who can have too many pairs of black shoes? Did you know Bath & Body has slashed the prices of their lipgloss??? I know I already have seven boxes full of writing instruments, but THIS ONE HAS SPARKLES AND GEL INK! I mean I have a ton of excuses for buying more and more things.

In addition to buying things, I'm also a pack rat. I HATE getting rid of anything of sentimental value, anything that still kinda works, even if I've bought a newer model to replace the old one. I hate throwing away receipts or old bills because who knows when you might have to refer back to them (which of course NEVER seems to happen). I keep things that don't fit because who knows when I may gain or lose 15 lbs and need a pair of jeans. And I'm a project wanna-be kinda person. I will have all sorts of things around the house and say,"oh, when I have time, I'm gonna make a necklace out of that." or "when I have time, I'm going to renovate my whole bathroom and create a theme where dried hibiscus will actually go with the decor."

Where I am now...(though this isn't my house)...


The problem is that I live in a shoe box. And all of these purchases, which I consider to be perfectly reasonable and good purchases, are taking over my house and ruining my life! So what's a girl to do??? I have organized as much as I possibly can. I have gotten so many storage and organization tips, I've read everything Martha Stewart has to say about the issue, I've visited my local Ikea more times than I care to think of, I've watched Mission Organization for ideas and tips, I've tried every idea out there. I need to simply purge. BUT I CAN'T!!! I buy things because I like them and I'm fond of them. How can I just GIVE these things away that I cherish so dearly? I've tried to be strict with myself and then when it's time to actually put it in the trash or donate it, I just can't bring myself to go through with it.

Does anyone else have this problem?? Please don't tell me I'm all alone. Does anybody else ever go to other people's house and wonder where all their junk is? Well if you want some advice on organizing, here are some tips on the Mission Organization website: http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/ah_tips_organizing_storage/article/0,1801,HGTV_3211_3534922,00.html.

Where I'd like to be...


GOOD LUCK to you and all your purging and organizing for the new year! I'm pretty sure I'll be crying about this very same issue for the next year or two.

Where Do I Begin...?

Let's see....I guess I'll start this blog off with an introduction to myself with some little tidbits of info...

In a nutshell:

• I'm a 31 year old African-American female


• I live in the DC Metropolitan area


• I have a sunny disposition and a sarcastic sense of humor


• I am newly single, and live with my cat...my pumpkin pie named Blake...aka Blake-a-licious, who is possibly the laziest cat ever.



• I LOVE thrift shops and all things bargain-related


• I love being crafty or creative


• I own an online thrift store and would love to have my own thrift boutique one day
  
• I LOVE chocolate and all things sweet, except anything that has fruit, because my motto is...either I'm eating fruit, or I'm eating sweets...I'm not interested in doing both.


• I'm an avid people watcher...and I get the biggest kick out of watching people trip. I don't know why but that gets me every time.


• I use King of Queens as my model for a realistically successful relationship


• I love Andy Griffith


• I hate Christmas carols


• I love to dance...I have a MEAN two-step. lol.


• I have an accessories fetish


• I have an addiction to watermelon vodka


• I'm always on a never-ending quest to lose weight