CAUTION

You've seen these before right? Big blower fans.

As the result of some water leakage problem, they've been blowing around my office all week long.

This is what the sign above them says:

This is what the sign above the fans should say:

Back In The Saddle

Lately, I've had a hitch in my giddy-up. Please standby for the latest/greatest.

*hitch = turning 30*

Condo Update: Let There Be White

White here, white there, white white white everywhere.
I'm sososo close to moving into my new digs, I can almost taste it. Tastes pretty good too. Everything is coming together quite nicely and I'm beyond thrilled with the results. Even this photo of my lovely light-filled white kitchen cabinets is quickly becoming outdated. Woohoo!

Hopefully, that will leave me with more time devoted to blogging. That would be nice.

xoxo, your shower drain

I woke bleary-eyed one morning in Chongqing, China, and had to rub my eyes to make sure I wasn't still dreaming.


If this rosy shower drain could talk (or write a letter), here's what I think it might say:


Dear Shower Friend,

I am so small. Just big enough for love---that's all.
And maybe a bit of world peace.
Some water too.

xoxo,
Your Friendly Hotel Shower Drain

I Like China Because of Good Treats

Ba da ba ba ba....

I loved it!

I Like China Because I'm An Economist

Economists are all about charts, graphs, and efficiency. I didn't see many charts and graphs in China, but I did see efficiency.


Step 1: Arrive at airport, roughly 1 hour out of the city by car

Step 2: Buy ticket for sooper dooper fast magnetic train

Step 3: Board train, taking note of current time and speed



Step 4: Enjoy the ride, levitating your way into Shanghai


Step 5: As you begin to slow down, note current time and speed

Step 6: Exit train and enter Shanghai 7 minutes and 1 pleased economist later.

SATC

Saw Sex and the City less than 24 hours after I touched down in the states (an offer of besties and clothing candy is just too good to refuse).
Love love loved it.

In love with these clothes:

Oh yes, and these blue Manolo's:


But not as much as I lalalaloved these words to Beethoven's Immortal Beloved:

Be calm, only by a calm consideration of our existence can we achieve our purpose to live together - Be calm - love me - today - yesterday - what tearful longings for you - you - you - my life - my all - farewell. Oh continue to love me - never misjudge the most faithful heart of your beloved.

ever thine
ever mine
ever ours

Gone Away

If you think I don't blog enough as it is, things are only going to get worse I fear. For a little while longer. I'm getting on a plane to the far east, and I won't be back for a few weeks.

So, zai jian for now. You should see all the ugly shoes I bought for my journey. Hopefully the ones I come home with will be cuter.

Swamped

Sheesh. Between heaps of work, a busy social agenda, out of town visitors, condo decisions, and prepping for a whirlwind trip, lately I've been feeling swamped.

With the itty bit of sleep I've been getting I probably look like the swamp woman too.

I Love You, Shoe

Let's become best friends. If you promise to always look your best and show off my tootsies to the best of your ability, I promise to reserve you for special occasions and fancy parties, and provide you with a good home. Feel free to stop by my place sometime to chat about it. Preferably in a size 5 1/2. Maybe even a 6.

27 Inches and 6 Months Later

Only miss the ponies.

Don't Forget

If I had my own house with my own bathroom with my own mirror (which technically speaking, I do---I'm just not living there yet), I would have this taped to that bathroom mirror. As a daily reminder. Kind of like a different way of saying "Don't forget to stop and smell the roses." It's the words I like. But the photo is pretty sweet too.

David

Went to Target yesterday.

Smelled this.

Kinda liked it...for dudes, obviously.

I'm only a teensy bit ashamed.

I like the Beckhams.

Details

of a favored spring jacket.

peter pan collar

silk polka dot lining

lightweight knit

ric-rac lace trim

flap front pockets

bracelet sleeve

big buttons

tailored

Seeing Stripes

I've got my zebra print cardigan on today. It's still one of my most favorite purchases/successful experiments. While I think that my plain black reeeally reeeally big black sunglasses go best with it, I can't help but covet these zebra print sunglasses. They would complement a plain black cardi quite nicely, no? They'd also be a great addition to my ever-growing collection of ridiculously large sunglasses.

So So Good

This new flavor is so so so so delicious and makes me so so so so happy.

But the addition of these nearly blew my boots to outer space. I can't find them in my local grocer mart, so I'm thinking of buying them online in bulk.

Thoughts On A Sunny Day

jacket

sunglasses

first flip flops this year

top down
music up
first breeze thru my hair this year



smiles
laughter
first glimpse of sunny days this year

Yesterday

Breakfast:

Lunch:



Dinner:

I love sugar, yes, I do
I love sugar,
how 'bout you?

Obviously, I'm one of those people who likes to bake her cake, and eat it too.

Blueberry

I'm not quite sure why, but the first thought that popped into my head---literally at 5:30 a.m.---this morning was Violet Beauregarde. All morning long I've been thinking of her.

Maybe it's because of the 3 course meal chewing gum she eats at Willy Wonka's Candy Company (I'm still waiting for that to come to my local candy store). Or maybe it's because I was craving blueberries.

I've been on a serious sugar high this week.

Got The Giggles

I'm reeeeeally reeeeeally into home decor lately (for obvious reasons). I came across this Moustache Self Portrait Mirror and got a serious case of the giggles. I want it sosososo bad.

Condo Update: White Out

Friends tell me that my whole place is going to be white. As I looked at all my samples last night, I realized they might be right. I've got white tile for my backsplash and bathroom floors, white cabinets, white walls, white doors, white shower walls, white tubs, white-ish countertops, white lights, white sinks, and white trim.

I can't help it. When we walk into a showroom, I'm like a moth to the flame.

White is fresh. White is clean. White is classic.

And it goes with anything.

Max Time

I'm headed back east to Boston for the weekend, to spend some time with this guy. I like to get maximum Max time, so I won't be around 'til next week.

Have a great weekend!

Genius Hard At Work

These little lovelies

plus this wonderful contraption

equal heaven:

This is not an April Fools joke. I'm dead serious.

Condo Update: Rubbish

I've realized a few things in the past week:

1. Reuniting with old friends from a joyous period in your life involves lots of good times, lots of good food, lots of laughter and smiles, and very very little sleep.

2. I'm sick of being sick. Over the last week I've experienced nausea, night sweats, arthritic achiness, mind-numbing headaches, stuffy nose, fever, sore throat, cough, and now I have no voice. Calgon take me away.

3. You reach a certain point in some life situations where you just say, "I don't care how much it costs or what my other options are, I just want to pay for it and get it done." I've reached that point with the plumbing fixtures and hardware decisions on my condo.

4. Heaven bless the men who have turned my house from this:



and this:




into this:

and this:

Because I really really don't like doing this kind of stuff, not to mention it would take me at least 3 months to do what my contractor and his crew can do in roughly 3 hours.

Let's Clear the Air, Shall We?

It has been suggested in a comment on this post that I plagiarized/copied the idea for my bad news letter to Old Man Winter from a Canadian journalist who wrote a letter to Mother Nature. If I may, let me take a few moments to state the facts.

Fact: I've never seen or heard of this Canadian publication/website/article/journalist until today.

Fact: As one who takes pride in her own creativity, I am a little hurt at the mere suggestion that I would take the ideas of another.

Fact: If I stole any hint of an idea whatsoever in this post, then I stole it from my brother-in-law, C2000. He regularly gives verbal bad news letters to people, that go a little something like this: "Dear Soandso, BAD NEWS: you ___________. Sincerely, C2000." So let me give credit where credit is due---C2000, thank you for introducing me to bad news letters. But really, didn't you learn that in your business writing class at the university? So maybe I should find your professor and ask him/her if it's ok for me to write bad news letters to people.

Fact: I would never call Mother Nature a b****, slut, or make other degrading remarks (as the article does). It's common knowledge that is no way to treat a lady.


Whew, I feel better now. With that said, I wish you all a lovely weekend. I'm taking a break and heading to southern California for a few days to reunite with old friends. Happy Easter!

Dear Winter (aka, A Bad News Letter)

Old Man Winter,

Bad news: You've grown old.

Your cold and gray skies springing a sneak attack and pushing out the last ray of sunshine on an otherwise pleasant day are so tiresome. They don't even surprise me anymore.

Your weekly dusting of snow on the mountaintops is no longer beautiful, nor easy on the eyes. It's just annoying and quite frankly, a bit rude.

The rain mixed with sleet mixed with snow is so last year.

Sub-zero temperatures for the better part of 6 months?!? Puh-leeze. Surely you can do better than that.

And the torrential winds that precede your storms are soooo played out. Can't you come up with a new gig?

Maybe you need to take some time for yourself. Just pack up, think through some things, regroup, formulate a new plan of attack, and come back better than ever...say next winter.

xoxo,

J

P.S. More Bad News: I heard that Spring is on it's way. We all know how tempermental she is, what with her April showers and May flowers. She is not to be toyed with. I'd hurry on up and get outta here if I were you.

Obsessed/Addicted/Consumed

Three weeks ago, my sister finally got me to sit down and watch one episode with her. Since then, I've spent roughly 13 hours watching every single episode. And that doesn't even include the time I spent finding and downloading them. So I've probably spent more like 1500 minutes (about 25 hours) in total. Well worth every single second (about 90,000).

Now I'm counting down the days (33), hours (10), minutes (26) until a new episode.

Just When I Felt Recharged, They Had To Yank The Plug

Last week, I:

*watched my sheet of notepad paper skip across the sand.

*enjoyed the company of myself so much, I didn't care that no one else was around.

*made computer friends. who speak my acronymic language. that made me happy. and slightly more geeky.

*walked barefoot in the ocean at midnite, with my trousers rolled up.

*let my skin soak in the humidity (and not the sun). oh, humidity, how I love thee.

*sat in classes all day. and learned. and kind of wished I were a student again.

*sat in a cabana. closed my eyes. listened to the waves crashing on the shore

*let the Florida sunshine recharge my soul.

*came home to 6 inches of snow and a blustery gray wind.

A Few Thoughts Until I Catch Up...Then I'll Share How Awesome Florida Was And How Crappy It Is Being Back

Ok, a few things. First, I lalalalove this picture. Second, I totally wanna be this girl. Third, it's almost enough to make me wanna grow my hair out (again). Fourth, or purchase a suh-weet wig (and hat). Fifth, I loved catching up on The Shiny Squirrel last week, where I found the photo. Sixth, I'd like to be her too.

Over + Out

I've shaped up and shipped out to sunny Florida for the week. The only drawback is that it's for business, not pleasure. Time permitting, I'll be around.

xoxo.