Guilty Pleasures

On the anniversary week of Michael Jackson’s death I am engaging in a guilty pleasure.  I spent $9.99 and bought his number one hits CD.  You see Steve Jobs really got me.  I buy my songs one at a time for a small pittance apiece and stick them on my phone.  Spending a whole ten bucks on a CD so I can sing along in the car is pure decadence for me.  It’s not like I think I am doing something morally bereft but I am not sure I would want the rest of the world to judge me based on it.

  

Some of my other guilty pleasures:

Habitual napping – Sunday afternoons, a catnap after dinner – now I understand why my dad loved them.

Manicure, pedicure, massage – any service where I pay someone to get into my private space feels oh so good but is oh so worth it!

Sexy undies like the ones from this place.  Double guilty pleasure if you wear them under boring everyday clothes.

A root beer float.  I don’t often deviate from my coffee/water/alcohol rule for beverages but a root beer float is more like dessert and as you know, dessert is always a guilty pleasure!

Moving Along

I am sitting here – the first three inches of my hair are soaked and I feel a full-fledged trickle of sweat running down my back between my shoulder blades.  Its twin is soaking itself into my ratty sports bra in front.  I am almost but not quite heaving for breath. 

Let me introduce you to my new baby - the Sole F63 treadmill.   It just kicked my ass in 30 minutes.

Now, I am chugging some yummy, cool water. 

I realized that I needed to cancel my gym membership, well mostly because I was not going, but also because I really don’t like being around people.  WAIT – don’t run – I don’t mean I don’t like you! I have spent 10 years being the spokesperson for Fortune 500 companies and I am tired of making inane small talk when I don’t feel like it.  I especially don’t like to make small talk when I am gasping for breath, sweating, or god help me – squatting!

So, I choose to exercise alone, with my new baby and in the semi darkness.  No annoying earphones for me.  I can play my own music as loud as I want.  It can be dark.  I can leave my shirt off if I want – no one’s there to be frightened by my mid-section’s fish belly pallor.

My heart is slowing down to a restful rate.

I call it Diane time and I have been a faithful practitioner since college.  I am a person who needs solitude and my own space. I might be selfish and it might be why I am single and don’t have children.  I lack the self-sacrificing gene bestowed upon my mother but I don’t think it’s so bad.  It could also be the reason for lots of other things in my life – successes in all kinds of areas.

Whew, I am cooling off now and those elusive endorphins are kicking in. Now, I feel good.  Wow – I might even want to be nice to someone!

I Say, Book Club No More!

I just bought a Blu-ray player and joined Netflix. When I set up my queue of movie selections I found that I had selected a lot of documentaries and dramas based on true events. I was a little surprised but then I thought about how my tastes had changed from fiction to non-fiction in the past few years. I guess I find it hard to suspend reality unless the writing is really superb.


I have tried and failed so many times with book clubs that it is embarrassing. But, just today I read about an idea that was very appealing. How about a monthly documentary night? You and a small group of friends get together and watch a topical movie. Wine and potluck is optional!

Here are a few more titles that will be making an appearance at my group movie night!

I'm Somewhat Shallow But Not All Bad!

You know there is something wrong when you spend $68 on shampoo and conditioner.  Okay, to be fair it was shampoo, conditioner and styling cream.  Also, in my defense, I only buy shampoo about four times a year.  I am very stingy with my products, eeking  every last molecule out of the bottle – taking scissors to cut it apart so I can get the dredges out of the bottom. 

I get one haircut a year strictly to deal with split ends and I dye it myself to hide the grey.  About four years ago I realized that I was spending more on hair maintenance than I was on either charitable contributions or car insurance.  Cut and colour every six to eight weeks was costing me at least $1000 a year!  And that was before product!  So I took action and left the salon behind.

Here is the breakdown on how I wear my hair outside my home:

• 85% of the time my long tresses are piled up in a messy bun
• 10% of the time it’s in a ponytail
• 5% of the time I cut loose, let the vixen out and wear it down

Like all women there are things I critique about myself and like most women I try to keep those things in check.  But, the lord blessed me with silky soft hair.  And, for those of you with those cute, chic bobs and pixies?  Sometimes I envy your cute, styling ways but I will never give it up because men love it.  It’s sad but it’s true.

Being a classic libra I am trying to balance out some of my vanities and shallow tendancies with good deeds.  And this year I will be participating in the Bay Area Walk Now For Autism Speaks.  If you might like to support me please visit my fundraising page. 

If you know me personally you probably understand why this cause matters to me perhaps even more than my hair.  If you don't I am sure you know someone who has been affected by Autism.    There is not much more to say.

I am happy that I am halfway to my fundraising goal of $1000 dollars and I feel sure I will get there.  I am also pleased to say I will never spend that much on my hair again - in a salon anyway.

Back - Again

I know.  I come, I go, I leave you hanging on.  It's like a bad romance!

In all seriousness the big event I was planning in LA went off last night with a bang.  A big bang.

And I admit I was a tad starstruck as we had some amazing Hollywood talent around.  I wish you could have all been there.  Maybe I can become a real writer someday and you can all come to the launch party of my whatever I actually find the discipline to sit down and write.

In the meantime possums, I enjoy my job but I missed you.  Sorry for the recent abesenteeism - work really was all consuming. 

Pedicure Day!

Today was pedicure day.  I have been working 10 to 12 hour days lately and I decided that I needed to at least have good looking toes.  The sun has been out so sandal season is just about upon us and my toes were looking chipped and somewhat yucky.  The pink in this picture is cute but I am more of a fire engine red gal - for my toes anyway.  On my fingers I always go with pale pink but toes call for something more exotic.

Cheers my dears!

It's Easy to be Green

I honestly don’t remember a time when I was not in love with the color green. It has always been my favorite colour.   It always seems fresh - like this stuff:

Cool green Keds.

An Hermes scarf que j’adore!

Green pencils that make me want to draw.

This cool Kate Spade cosmetics case.

This green elephant dishtowel from PataPri on Etsy.com.

Finally, the coolest frog ever!

Help - I am Trapped in a Fortune Cookie Factory

Somebody is trying to send me a message.

No Sugar Today!

Here is what I like to do when I am trying to somehow change my life. I make really tiny changes. I choose something so small that I hope it will be something I can stick with forever.

For example, I spent over a year weaning myself off sugar in my coffee. Everyday I would put two packets of raw sugar in my morning brew. So I reduced that to 1.75 packets, then 1.5, then one and so on. It took me a full year to get down to no sugar but now I never want sugar in my coffee. Mission successful!

At my office we have two pastry chefs on staff in our café. That is right TWO! Everyday they make yummy little mousse cakes, tarts, bread puddings and more. You name a desert and they make it. They even make my beloved French macaroon. I realized that I was having one of these desserts every day and that gave me the incentive to make another small, manageable change.

Remember this happy guy? Well I am trying to banish him or at least limit him and his friends from making an appearance in my life. So, I challenged myself to see if I can go 21 days without eating dessert at work. Please note, I am not saying no to dessert forever. I still let myself have dessert outside of work time if it is something I would have normally done.

Here is my progress which I record daily on my cubicle whiteboard. Six work days – six days without dessert (DWD).  I will keep you posted on my progress.

Signs That You Might be a Shopaholic

Signs that you might be a shopaholic:

• You have several items of clothing in your closet which still have price tags on them
• Some of those items of clothing end up going to Goodwill - still with tags on them
• You find pants in the back of your car that you bought four months ago but have not worn yet because they need to go to the tailor
• You have one closet in your apartment dedicated to just shoes and purses - that is right people I said apartment
• You have a regular guy who takes care of you in the shoe section of your favorite department store
• You get regular handwritten notes from the lady who sells your skin care regime

Okay, I will be honest these might be confessions not warning signs.  It's a little embarassing!

 

Regarding Me

Hi possums - I don’t want to be self centered but I wanted to impart some news about myself to you. I got a new job! Yippee! It’s the same company, but a different job and a different boss. I really like and admire my new boss so it is very exciting. Also, I will be doing new stuff. I cannot tell you how excited I am!   I wonder if I am more excited than I was back here......with my little green car, in my charming pantsuit?


More on this development as it develops.

Mental Health Day

I am having a mental health day – sort of.

My good friend S is in town from Arizona. There was a death in her family so I took today off to “be there for her.” Not quite sure what that means but “there” I am. I decided to take this day off at the last minute, and it’s strange not to go to the office when you have not planned something or you are sick.

In all seriousness, I do believe that you need to take time to take care of your mind. We are constantly barraged with important messages about physical fitness – mental fitness is just as important. Did you know that there is a World Mental Health Day sponsored by the World Health Organization? Okay, it may be a little more important than my individual day!

Anyway, I will enjoy my mental health day. I hope you enjoy your day too. I think I need it after all the stress of the Olympics!

Farewells

Dear blog and blog readers I have been very neglectful of you lately and for that I apologize.

Yesterday I took a big deep breath when I put my mother on a plane to head home.  We have been hanging out together now for almost two months and it was great but time for a little space.

I also said goodbye to an old friend when my trusty iMac gave up the fight.  That was also a reason for the lack of blog posts.  There it is saying goodbye to me at the Apple store, on its way to be recycled.  I bought a new Mac Mini to replace it.  Hopefully, I will be back on tracks with posts going forward.

That Sniffling, Sneezing Feeling

Hi, my dearios.  See that picture?  That is how I have been spending the last four days.  Well nyquil, dayquil, chicken soup and other assorted cold remedies.  I don't want to whine but I felt like I needed to explain about my lack of posts!

I hope you are toughing out cold and flu season better than I am today.  I have not had a cold or flu in over three years.  I credit that to getting a flu shot every year.  This year I was able to get a flu shot but no H1N1 shot - although this seems more like a cold than the flu.

Anyway, I should be back to regular postings tomorrow.  Until then stay healthy!

It Was Cold But There Were No Polar Bears

Here is what a crazy/slightly hungover/freezing-her-ass-off cold Newfoundlander looks like standing on the eastern edge of the western world.  On New Year's day morning I chose to say hello to 2010 at my favourite landmark.  That's right - after rambunctiously ringing in the New Year with dancing,drinking  and  sleeping for a few hours, I popped up to Signal Hill with W for a quick memorymaker.  Then I had to run off to say adieu to my family before going back to cali.

It only lasted about two minutes and it was hellishly cold. It was hard to get any type of shot, but, I love that spot.  Here is a better shot of the fort.

Pyjama Time

On Sunday mornings I wake up at my normal time between 7:30 and 8:00.  Instead of bolting out of bed and stumbling to the shower, I usually hang out in bed for a couple of hours.  I know - it's totally decadent.  I may drift in and out of sleep.  Often I call my sister or mom.  Sometimes, if I feel energetic, I will get up and make a coffee and take it back to bed with me.  I spend a lot of that time just laying there and thinking.  My favourite ideas have come to me with my head on my pillow.

The Classics!

We each have "classics" we hang on to – even if some of them are just memories. My classics include: MAC lipstick in Twig, cashmere cardigans, dark wash jeans, hoop earrings and drinking lots of water – thanks Mom! None of these have ever steered wrong. I don’t actually buy the Twig anymore but it was my first serious foray into the world of lipstick and I wore that for about three years. I always check it out longingly when I go to the MAC counter. It remains a great color to this day!

Sometimes You Really do Feel Like a Nut!

Someone who has gotten to know me fairly well recently described me as squirrelly. Squirrelly like nutty?! Dictionary.com defines squirrelly as: cunningly unforthcoming or reticent. Holy schmoly! Could I really be cunningly unforthcoming?! That is definitely not very flattering. Okay, it may have been a romantic interest who described me this way. (Friends and family before you get too excited remember how loosely I use the term “romantic interest.”)

I prefer to think of myself as a person who keeps their own counsel. Of course this does lead to problems with the people with whom you are trying to develop close relationships. I think I need to call in resources who can englighten my potential intimate interests on how it takes a few years to get past the my squirrelliness. Friends and sister – please write him a note explaining that by 10 or 15 years into the relationship I should move out of my squirrelly phase.   By then it could be peanut butter and jelly!

Squirrelly I might be – but doesn’t everybody love a nut?

Desktop Biography

I think the stuff which hangs out on my desk says something about me.  Exactly what I am not sure!  Some of the things I need at my desk include:

• Snacks – here I have a seckle pear and a clementine. The holidays must be getting close!
• Fruits and Passion hand sanitizer – orange-cantaloupe scent.
• Grapefruit scented lotion from Kiehl’s – do you know what the scent of grapefruit is supposed to do?
• My hot pink water bottle featuring a saucy black cat.
• Sugar free cough drops. All the talking I have to do at work gives me a dry throat sometimes.
• The 15th edition of The Chicago Manual of Style – my version of the bible.

D is for.......

Delicious

Divine

Delightful

Dynamic

Devilish

Daring

Darling

Daunting

Dreamy

I loved this D so much I had to say D is for me.