gah!

a couple of things...

• I can't just watch football - hence the blog post during the Georgia/Georgia Tech game.  (Go Dawgs!)
• I think I'm going to start paying closer attention to punctuation on junk.
• Lord have mercy, this blog sucks compared to Kindredly.  Is it possible the feeling of censorship was all in my crazy head and I took a decent blog with a decent following and created a mediocre blog with a teeny following (something like 30 hits a day, here).  I'm seriously thinking about sharing on Kindredly the link to junk....if family finds it, family finds it.  
• that's all.  I hope you all have enjoyed this long weekend.  Now, back to drinking - this game has me stressed.

happy thanksgiving!!

image via

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

happy thanksgiving, dear readers!

i hope each of you are surrounded by family and friends!

bare minerals

feels like i'm about two years late on this...but i switched to bare minerals makeup.  i mentioned before that i switched from mac's studio fix that i've used since high school to sephora's line of foundation powder that quickly lost it's luster...

it all started with a short trip to sephora to grab some bronzer and new brushes.  i picked up what i thought was the bare minerals bronzer my friend suggested.  turns out, i was walking around with the brand's form of concealer.

after discussing alternatives, the sephora girl sold me on the starter kit...

 

i needed new brushes, which i got, and bronzer, which she assured me was included - with it's own special name.  i've been swirling, tapping and buffing for a week now, and i think i like it...all for about $60!

i'm addicted to my smashbox photo finish light primer, and the associate at sephora admitted it was probably better than bare minerals' option.  

  

 

i rarely buy into a whole makeup line, but they have several eye trios i'm looking at... this may just be the winner. 

i also picked up their eyelid primer.  it was on sale for $9, and the associate said people were buying it in bulk - i can't decide if i like it or not...

i'm still a huge believer in mac's prep and prime for eyes...not so much for the face...

so, who else is a devoted bare minerals user?  actually, what are the products in your make up bag that you DO NOT run out of? 

first week recap

this might have to be the last post about my new job in order to still have readers.  i know you get it.  i like my new job.

orientation was day one and two, which are summarized in the last two posts.

wednesday i was finally able to use my nifty pass to allow me access to my floor and my office - secure!  my team is fabulous!  everyone is super cool and laid back, and totally not in my business.  the whole get-your-job-done-and-do-what-you-want concept is very new to me.  my old company was as good as family, which is great, but this feels like a nice separation.  everyone works together nicely, but getting your job done and coming and going is totally your own business.

wednesday and thursday were spent doing all of the "mandatory actions" required by New Company.  i took what feels like a million online courses (still have one left that I plan on knocking out tomorrow) and ate no less than 3000 calories a day.

in orientation, they showed this hilarious video making fun of how people at New Company scavenge.  i come from a company where we appreciate a good cake, cookie, fried pickle, etc, so this was not an issue at first....but as shown in the video - food is king. 

for starters, on my floor alone, i've counted maybe three "pantries."  Pantries are kitchens.  they have a vending machine, fridge, and fun keurig-ish coffee maker (trust that i've taken full advantage of the various coffees and teas on hand - not to mention the slew of creamers and fun "accessories").  on top of this, my floor is the conference floor or the learning floor...anyway, it's where everyone from everywhere comes to participate continuing ed classes offered by the company.  it's no thang to see randoms walking down the hall with their suitcase.  so, classes mean catered lunches, and catered lunches mean dessert.  after two welcome lunches, paid for by the company, i've also participated in the daily scavenge of the various pantries.  cheesecake petit fours, cupcakes, cookies, ice cream socials!!!!  this must stop.  i tried to get a handle on it friday, but all was forgotten when i came back from lunch to an open invitation to the ice cream social with endless toppings.

needless to say, i've joined the gym in my building.

in the middle of all of this, i fit in a little training.  next week is my big training week.  everyone will be gone except for the girl who's training me.  we'll spend all day every day digging in to the details of the job.  my goal is to eat the normal amount of food usually allotted and to be able to completely do the job by the monday after thanksgiving.

while i was in orientation, i took a field trip up to my new office to say hello to my new office peeps.  they were telling me the perks of the job and mentioned we all get PDAs and the one to get is the iPhone.  obvi.  i've been throwing around the idea of switching to an iPhone once iPhone decides to be cool enough for verizon - but the idea of having my work email come to my work iPhone (that i don't have to pay for) is exciting.  New Company apparently isn't cool with getting company emails on your personal phone - so if  i were to ever go back to being glued to my phone,  i'd have to get one through work.  unfortunately, my job is pretty office-based, and i have my laptop, so at the moment, my boss says i'm not going to really need a work PDA.  boo.

i will say the biggest challenge of this week has been letting go of the idea of controlling the process.  when i was interviewing for the position, my interviewers were very focused on my previous position being a full-desk recruiting position where i pretty much controlled the deal.  my current job is coordinating, so i'm kind of back to the place where i'm taking direction from the recruiters on what's happening next.  basically, my job is about to be really easy - and i'm having a problem with it....of course.  i'm sure it's something i'll easily adapt to.  if anything, at least we know i'll be able to do the job!

and....that's it.  blogging is probably going to be happening at night when i get around to it.  sorry i've been MIA, but i think this might be the regular now - unless i become really good at scheduling posts, which i'll definitely try to do.

i swear this is all you'll hear about the new job for now.  i'm just so excited!!

note to self

even if it's 8am - you've been up, begrudgingly, since 5 am - and you're confronted with a case study given by high up guy who has served on several boards within ginorm new company, read it.  read it even if you're falling asleep on your laptop.  don't skim it.  don't half read it.  READ. IT. THOROUGHLY.  because that's the moment he's going to call on you and ask you to summarize the main points of the study and elaborate.

this answer is not acceptable:  "uhhhhh....ummmm....."  long delay, then a bunch of bullshit.
you also shouldn't say "that's not in my job description" but that's a given and didn't happen - Thank God.

big board of directors guy just looked at me and said "ehh...need a little more than that."
me : blank stare....
(this is after two large cups of coffee, no less)

efffff....really not looking forward to the day i run into him in the hallway.

at least my position isn't really relevant to the case study - that would be embarrassing.  truthfully, all of orientation was really nothing to do with my role, and my real learning begins tomorrow when i finally get to my desk.

no worries, still drinking the kool-aid.

(sorry - most of these posts are about my new job considering it's all consuming at the moment.  when i get home from work, i still have mandatory obligations to fulfill, like online courses and an endless amount of scary and confusing forms).

short & sweet

• i started my new job today.  can i just say that i caught myself smiling...all giddy and ridiculous...in the middle of orientation several times.  when it was my turn to stand up and tell the group how i landed at the new company, i clapped and hopped.  yes. i. did. enthusiastic much? 
• seriously, i feel like i'm a little more excited that most people to have gotten this job (no one else hopped or clapped in orientation today) - but, people, it's a BIG deal.  did i mention, if i did want to leave in a few years, my resume is pretty much set?  whhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!
• my first-day-at-new-company outfit had too many ruffles.  ruffle cardi, ruffle button up, skinny belt and high-waisted skirt.  about three different trends threw up on me today. tomorrow i promise to tone it down.
• the husband did not go to the game saturday.  we proceeded to fight a fight that deserves a spot in our top five fights over a football game.  truthfully, he should have just gone.  
• we're all good now - we decided it wasn't worth being mad over after we spent entirely too long being mad.
• i didn't decorate for christmas this past weekend - this weekend, it's happening.  CAN'T WAIT!

image from here

women are normal...and men are definitely from mars...if not there, somewhere equally non-normal

i told myself long before i started kindredly that i wasn't going to write too much about my personal relationships...i think i was pretty good at sticking to it, but there are days like today when i just can't hold in.

this weekend was supposed to be relaxing.  i start my new job on monday (yay!) and other than last night's GNO (crazy - save for another post), my plans were to totally veg.  catch up on my sleep, clean the house, do a little shopping, etc.

the husband called me yesterday when i was in the car with my friend amanda.  one of his chemical reps from work offered him two tickets to the UGA/Auburn game for today.  he asked me if i'd like to go (such a dear), but knowing all the napping that still needed to be done, i declined.  he called several friends, but apparently, none of them are the fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants type because they all declined.  after exhausting several efforts, the husband tells me that he's just going to go to the game by himself....

what?

i feel like i need to say that i get the loner types - i am one.  i don't shy away from a lunch alone with a magazine or book...or a solo movie date...i'm down, but the husband will go camping alone...and now he'll apparently drive to auburn to go to a football game alone.  um...weird.

of course, i'm feeling kind of rejected - like, why are you going to waste your entire day doing all of that ALONE when you can keep your original plans with me to relax, work a little in the yard and go out for a mexican dinner date after the game is over?  (I will even be your DD!)

when i politely suggested he let his rep pass the tickets to two people who WANT to go TOGETHER, he got bitchy, so then i got bitchy...and now, we're bitchy.  when i thought he'd score himself a friend to take, i rescheduled lunch plans with my mom for today instead of sunday, so i offered to move them back to sunday if he decided to stay in town (you know, thinking that maybe he'd like to take some of the pressure off and actually relax with his wife).


this is what he says to me::

husband :  nah, you keep your plans with your mom

me : well, she's more than willing to reschedule for tomorrow, it's no big deal

husband :  well, when i get back from picking up the tickets, i'm going to come sit on the couch, and if i get a wild hair and decide i'd rather be in auburn, then i'm going to go...

me :  well, just go, damnit!

husband : no!  not after this conversation, i'm not going...

me : but you just said that you might get a wild hair and go...sounds to me like maybe you should just go ahead and go...OR are you just trying to get rid of me because while you watch the game you're going to be pissed you're not there?

husband :  yeah, i'll probably be pretty pissed off....

me : great.

the argument continued in circles for about 80% of my car ride back to the burbs from GNO...nothing getting accomplished except a bunch of smart ass remarks exchanged.  but SERIOUSLY - it's a f*cking lose/lose situation here...anyone else noticed this?

i. am. in. bizarro. world.  for serious, people.  what is happening here?

so, guess what's happening right now - right this second?  i'm sitting here, in my bedroom, surrounded by laundry to be folded, pissed. off., and now planning to have lunch with my mom.  when i complain about these things to her, she tends to help calm me down while at the same time rawling me up...it's crazy.  hopefully after lunch and a little retail therapy, i will go back to loving my husband again.  right now, in all truthfulness, i kind of want to hit him. 

i really don't appreciate being confronted with a lose/lose situation by the man who's supposed to love me like nobody's business.  i mean, way to set me up and make me realllllly angry in the process.

MEN.  i swear.  can't live with them; can't live without them.

more random for your monday

sorry guys - seems these days i'm made up of nothing but random thoughts and clothing posts.  mondays are usually always reserved for the random as i'm recovering from my 5:40 a.m. wake up call...

• fact - i will have a total hissy fit when i don't get what i want in the decorating department.  it dawned on me, not for the first time, that i'd really like to move our television in between the front windows in our living room.  not only does it fit - perfectly, i measured - it will make the set-up of the room finally make sense to me.   it will also allow the proper space needed for my christmas tree, which is going up here indirectly.  turns out, the husband is not going to move mountains (or cable cords) to make this happen for me, and he's told me the cable company (eff you, charter) will charge upwards of $100.  there has got to be a handy man near who can make this happen for less than that...i think this will be the focus on my days off this week.  my fabulous grandmother suggested we sign up for direct tv (giving them the $100 referral incentive) and someone from direct will come and put my cable where i want it!  ....that's a thought.
• this is my last 1/2 week at my current company.  i know - a three-week notice is a bit much, but timing really is terrible.  i do have to say that i'm ready to blow this popsicle stand and get on with my new, shiny job.  the anticipation is nearly killing me.  my bosses, of course, think otherwise and are really pushing me to keep doing my job as if i'm never leaving.  the urge to transition some things to other people is strong....and kind of necessary, might i add.  wednesday, please hurry.
• i blogged on kindredly about the crazy lymph node thing that popped up on my face last winter.  it comes and goes, which would make sense if it were a lymph node, but i thought lymph nodes had designated areas where they generally pop up - the jaw not being one.  the bump sits right on my jaw, and right now it's kind of tender.  truthfully, i'm a little worried and think i should maybe consider seeing a doctor.  my dentist friend told me that she thinks it could be a calcium deposit from my incessant clenching (stems from anything - stress, excitement or anger - i'm looney!).  either way, if i'm going to the doctor, i need to get that done this week.  i'm not really into asking for time off in the first couple of weeks on the job.  but what doctor to i see?  the general practitioner has told me it's a lymph node. 
• this bullet is kind of gross - and you know how much i hate for people to talk about their children's "issues" and bodily functions on Facebook and Twitter (although, this is my blog, and I reserve the right to write about poop all day every day if i want to), but i have to get some input.  mia, my oldest beagle-child, has started eating poop.  correction - she's always eaten poop, but it tapered off enough to be a non-issue.  well, she's started back again, and soon after she eats it, she comes in the house and pukes it up...everywhere.  on the hardwoods (nbd), on the carpet (not cool), on the bed (holy shit, i will kill you), and on the bed while we're sleeping (dead. dog-child.)  let me just say that naturally, it smells like shit (duh), but i mean, it's worse... the husband and i could be dead to the world, and when she pukes in the bed, we shoot out of bed.  this has lead to constantly washing the duvet, changing the sheets in the middle of the night, and shampooing the carpet at 2 a.m. (on a school night, no less).  i know the obvious answer to this is to kick her out of the bed, and we've done that.  being a spoiled beagle-child, she doesn't believe in sitting on the floor.  she goes straight to the couch where she will puke as well...on my white couch,  so i've washed the cushion covers on the couch at randoms hours as well.  i've googled it, and i get results from not getting enough nutrients (my ass - her food is holistic and costs me $50/bag) to being bored (!!!!).  either way, it has to stop.  dog owner readers - anyone dealing with this?  please! wisdom!
• we had friends over this past saturday, and i don't know how it's possible that i'm still recovering from it.  we even gained an hour with falling back.  torture...today. is. torture.
• i'm throwing around the idea of getting acrylic nails just like my current boss - see photo... i spend just as much money getting my nails repainted weekly (and i always upgrade to a manicure because i feel like they are judging my cuticles and are annoyed they have to waste their time on a $3-5 job...and the massage is always a plus).  my cuticles are going to hate me because of all of this cuticle cutting going on WEEKLY, so i can just bite the bullet and get short acrylics, and the paint will stay.  gel nails have not successfully made it to the suburbs, and i'm kind of getting used to this place near my house since i'm not totally sure if my lunch hour at my new job permits nail appointments (i'm sure it does, but just being prepared).  i'm also coming off of a great run with essie's ballet slippers, so i wouldn't mind making that my acrylics' signature color (that might even be what my boss has on here).  if i was feeling frisky, i could also have them go a different color - it's not like i'm getting claws or french manicure!  what do you guys think?  ruin my current nails (which are great) to save some money and time? 

 

• i got all caught up on Real Housewives of Atlanta yesterday.  i didn't get up from the couch for something like five hours, so i caught the marathon. i have to say that i don't mind nene's nose, and i feel like her plastic surgeon did a really good job... and i want to slap phaedra.  what was all that mess with the former destiny's child singer?  are you a lawyer or a publicist?  oh, and you should know how far along you are in your pregnancy.  and please get off of your southern woman kick. 
• also made the mistake of watching The Time Traveler's Wife yesterday.  seriously?  weird.   i also watched The Lovely Bones.  Alice Sebold is probably one of my favorite authors, and that book totally goes down as one of my favorites.  a bit weird, but mark walberg is gorgeous.  the colors in the movie were really pretty too...

that's all for now...random, but seriously, i need opinions on the acrylic nail debate and what to do about my disgusting dog.  

Za-Za-Za-Zarrrrrra!

don't know how you guys work, but i do most of my clothes shopping during the day.  yup, at work (not for long).  because when i sit down to eat my lunch, i peruse my favorite shopping sites, and impulse buying sets in.

happy was i when i noticed zara, one of my fave, but infrequently visited haunts (because it's in lenox mall...and promoter, and i hate lenox mall like i hate pt cruisers, and perimeter is forever away from me), has the option to browse online.  not buy, browse. 

so you guys know i have taken on this new business casual attitude with conviction.  i bought a cardigan, for goodness sake.

so, how PUMPED was i when i sleepily checked facebook for blackberry and skimmed this::

but wait.  last time i checked, i was proud to be an AMERICAN.  the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA are unfortunately not listed here as lucky enough to have zara merchandise SHIPPED.  efffffff. this. noise.

you should see my zara list.  i've actually been stock-piling it for a post, and the being shunned from shopping online has given me my opening i've been blanking on...

(right now would be a great time to point out if i'm missing something on zara's website and we can actually shop online.  pretty sure we're not a chosen country though..... went back and checked for myself - confirmed.)

without further adieu...why we all need to go visit zara this season ::

 i see this dress in a totally different light than they are showing... collared shirt under, belt, tights, boots OR talllll pumps.

american sleeve dress with fabric appliques - $59.90

 you all know how much i love me a cardigan!  no this one looks like it has structure, and i love it with that belt, which unfortunately, is not listed in the accessories category.  :(

sleeveless cardigan - $59.90

 chain printed shirt - $59.90

 this belt isn't like any other belt i have - - loooove.

stretchy metal scale belt - $29.90

 here we are again with another dress i'd throw the below cardigan over with a belt or throw a collared shirt under.  tights, high pumps - wah-lah!

tube dress - $39.90

 there's that belt i want!!  why isn't it in the accessories category?  i must have missed it.  anyway - i'm not a fan of cardigans (oh really?  we had no idea!), nor am i a huge fan of long ones - but i like this one.  i like it paired with that skinny belt, and i like it with the above black dress...i also wouldn't mind rocking it with the below skirt for a little librarian feel...

long cardigan - $39.90

 this skirt was love at first sight for me.  i'm not real big on this look, generally, but the cut is really adorable.  pull it up high like she has it, tights, belt and that awesome cardigan or even a cute little turtle neck and a fun necklace!  

checked woolen skirt with elastic waist - $39.90

 I WILL OWN THIS DRESS.  I WILLLLLLL OWN THIS DRESS.  if stupid zara would let me shop online, i'd already own it.  dammit.  

boatneck dress with pockets - $89.90

 the main draw to this dress is the neck for me.  isn't it fun?  kind of asymmetrical from my view... not a huge fan of the full bottom, but a belt could maybe work...or, wait for it - a cardigan!  

dress with waistband - $99.90

umm...is this not FABULOUS?  i don't know - i might look slightly ginormous in a cape, but that tall model really sells it.  :)   and...it looks super expensive - but isn't that expensive.  love it when that happens!

ash gray woollen studio cape - $169.00

so, maybe you guys understand my frustration?  shopping trip, anyone??

a bust

i'm taking a break, clearly.

meanwhile, the blog sucks, sorry.

i hate when the inspiration takes a vaca!  

mondays are for the random pt II

image via

• i hurt my back this past saturday loading a ginormous bag of dog food into the trunk of my car.  lord help, i'm dying right now.  how old am i again?
• i totally almost got into another bad car accident this saturday.  i was in a hurry, stopped for a fresco taco, and then totally slung my taco into the dash of my car swerving to miss a wannabe bentley that was so suddenly in my lane.  do you know how hard it is to get pico de gallo out of AC vents?  it was seriously a total miracle that we did not hit.  the swervage was promptly followed by a complete mental breakdown. 
• me and the boss lady determined my last day of work - i get two days of decompression before i start the new job.  i'm ready for those two days - totally checked out.
• the husband and i went to our friends house for a GA/FL party Saturday afternoon.  it was a mixture of people, some we knew and some we didn't.  yesterday when i spoke to my girlfriend about her party's success, she said that one of her friends didn't "get a read" on whether or not i liked her.  then she went on to mention that i come across as kind of bitchy if you don't know me.  while this isn't exactly new news, it's something i haven't heard about since college - and this time, the overall impression was totally unwarranted seeing as there wasn't really any opportunity for me and the friend to talk.  i guess i'm just worried about it because a) i'm going into a new job, and coming across as a bitch is kind of terrible and can't happen and b) if i come across as a bitch before i even extend my hand to meet you, shit, i'm in the wrong business.
• in addition to above bullet, i was kind of in a weird mood on saturday.  i felt rushed and strung out...so i guess that could have something to do with it...and lately when i get drunk, i have no filter.
• i purchased myself some new workout shoes this weekend.  ya'll, i haven't purchased a new pair of tennis shoes since college.  terrible.  now, let's just hope this new pair of shoes will motivate me to get in the gym this week!
• speaking of gyms, my new company pays toward their employees' gym memberships.  turns out, there's a swanky gym in my new building, and my new company was supposedly the main reason the gym moved in (hopefully this means they offer an employee rate) - anywhooo - they offer a 6:15 spin class every morning.  you know how i've been freaking out about making it to work on time?  i think i've discovered my answer.  the new gym will supposedly take care of everything for you, so all i have to do is roll out of bed and remember to bring work clothes. 
• which brings me to my next idea - should i buy special spinning shoes??
• oh oh oh!  how many times can i say 'totally' in one post.  geeeeeeez..............