Blue

I'm having a rather down day. I found out yesterday that I didn't get the job I interviewed for. That's depressing for a number of reasons: I was overqualified, I really need to get out of the house, and I'd like to be able to spend a little more freely.

On my list for today is vacuuming and cleaning up, which also doesn't exactly get me motivated or excited. I haven't brought myself to really get anything accomplished yet today.

Since I'm trying to stay positive, I will say that I'm glad our TV has finally arrived. We had an issue with our LCD and returned it, then didn't like the quality of the LG LCD we replaced it with (very odd since it looked great in the store) so that was returned, and recently decided to replace it with a plasma. It will be nice when it's set up.

Also, in order to be upbeat, I put on a super funny, glitzy tee that I received as a gift from an in-law who lives in a different country. It's from the brand Ampollina and is bright yellow with a number of large, glittery, pink and silver hearts on it, along with being bedazzled in rhinestones. Sadly I don't think it's helping. I may feel more depressed, just because of the sheer oddity of it.

Photo - radfordsechrist.blogspot.com

Reading, or not

One of my goals has been reading. I haven't started a new book since the beginning of the year because I am half way through a book that I set down and haven't picked back up. So today, I'm going to pick it back up. And if after a couple days I'm not making progress, I'm going to stop reading it and move on.

I received a stack of books for the holidays, and my aunt recently gave me a stack of books from her donate pile in her basement. With so many books around here that I want to read, there's no point in reading books I'm not interested in. So with that, I'm adding a list to the side of my blog to keep track of what I've read so far this year. Right now, that would be an empty list.

Keeping up

Here's my current update:

The once-per-week workout goal has been working. I think I worked out three times last week, so I'm staying on top of it. However, this feels like one of those weeks where you just never muster the will power to work out. Hopefully I get on it today.

Eating healthy is still a daily struggle. Last night my husband insisted that we add ground beef to the Indian food I had made. Does anyone else see the problem in adding beef to Indian food?

The job front is still stalled. I had an interview a couple weeks ago and was supposed to hear back last week either way, and heard nothing. Even an email yesterday asking for a status update on the job didn't produce a response. I also had a phone interview that didn't go well today, mostly because the interviewer had a very different idea of the type of job I'd be interested in.

I'm having trouble accessorizing and putting together our house. Part of the problem is that every room needs at least one thing that I don't already own, and I'm trying not to spend money that I don't have to spend, so I've given up on giving any of the rooms attention. My husband wants to know why there isn't anything on the walls.

I did organize our master closet yesterday. It feels so much better. It could still use some additional shelving and whatnot, but it feels great to have everything in its place.

Photo - psychologytoday.com

February Vogue

My mom always passes me her Vogue mags when she's done with them. She's not a huge fan, and frankly I'm not that big into it either. They seem to focus too much on personal interest stories of New York and international socialites, and that's just not my flavor. I read my fashion magazines for the fashion! I really miss having a subscription to InStyle.

However, a few things struck me in this month's issue, so I'm going to comment on them. First was the new Chanel ad. It's no secret that I love Chanel's jackets with a passion, but this season's jackets are very cool - rough edges, very large tweed weave, and lots of sparkle. I just need to win the lottery.

While I usually find the perfume samples in magazines annoying and awful, I love both of them in this issue. First was the new SJP fragrance, NYC, which is a fun smell and a delightful bottle. The second was my new favorite fragrance, which I discovered while in a Sephora in Palermo, called Parisienne by YSL. So kudos to Vogue for not smelling like an 80-something cougar this month.

Also, the issue was filled with terribly unflattering pictures of Jessica Biel. So if you find yourself to be one of those people who fantasize about Justin Timberlake leaving her for you, this issue will give you a glimmer of hope.

Tees

Has anyone else noticed that it's hard to find a good tee nowadays? I feel like no one is making a useful layering tee that isn't a weird texture (slub cotton) or not completely see-through. Sure, you can market it as a "tissue tee" all you want - I still don't want my tees to show my bra. I had one of the first ever Gap favorite tees in "stretch" and the quality was excellent, but by the next year (2003?) you could absolutely see a bra through any color stretch favorite tee but black. Has anyone located a solution to this issue?

Photo - jcrew.com

White Sale Month

Many stores are currently advertising white sales, and this has always been the time of year to buy linens. However, I say wait. Once white sale month is over, extra inventory will end up in clearance bins at the big department stores. If you're looking for high-end sheets, mid February is THE time to find the best deals on bed linens as long as you're flexible about colors.

I went over to Pier 1 today to check out their 75% off sale. I bought a couple replacement wine glasses, a few clearance tree ornaments, clearance luggage tags, and a few other goodies. I managed to walk away with a bag of loot for very little; I suggest checking it out before the best items are taken.

Does anyone have any great suggestions on places to find French memo boards? The colors and patterns I've found at Kohls, TJ Maxx, and other local stores have been fairly juvenile. Maybe it's worth trying to make myself, though I doubt it.

Golden Globes recap

I promised that this blog would have fashion, and have failed to deliver thus far. I'm changing that with the arrival of my top three best dressed and top three worst dressed from the Golden Globes. I'm covering the women and not the men because, let's face it, everyone looks just lovely in a tuxedo.

Worst Dressed

Third on my worst dressed list is Lea Michele of Glee. Was it cute? Sure. But it was a prom dress. I'm not sure she knew that the Golden Globes is a slightly less-formal affair, and she showed up like a prom queen. Also, I didn't like black for her. She should have chosen a color that was bright and fun and young. Emphasis on young. This looks like something Liz Taylor would wear, not an up-and-coming starlet. I found the rest of the Glee cast to be much more appropriately dressed.

Second on my worst list is Julia Roberts. A knee-length dress, hair down, and a statement necklace? It was more appropriate for attending a baby shower than an awards show. I get that the Globes aren't the Oscars, but it was just way too casual in my opinion.

First on my worst list is Jennifer Garner. The color of her dress completely washes her out, and the asymmetry is anything but cutting edge. I also can't figure out what she was thinking with her hair. That's what I do with my hair on a bad hair day! Not a good way to show up on the red carpet.

Best Dressed

Third on my best dressed list is Toni Collette. The dress was utterly fabulous, and she was one of the few people to do a neutral shade well. The gown was perfectly cut, and I think it would make a perfect alternative to a white wedding gown.

Second on best list is Zoe Saldana. Now, I know not everyone will agree with me here. But the dress is a fashion risk, it's edgy, it's the perfect color on her, and it's young. She stood out. She made a statement. It's a win.

First on my best dressed is Penelope Cruz. She did black well, without looking old or sad. She mixed textures without looking like a freak show. And she was smoking hot.

Other Awards

Worst hair: Fergie - work on the dye job and try an updo!
Best hair: Sandra Bullock - a side-do that doesn't look 80s or contrived.
Worst accessorizing: Sigourney Weaver's lack of bling or sparkle
Best accessorizing: Kate Hudson's earrings

Since there were a lot of nude/flesh tones at the Globes (Barrymore, Canalis, Blunt, Morrison) I'm going to do a best and worst use of nude: Best would be Maggie Gyllenhaal and the worst Chloe Sevigny. I'm shocked at how little of a risk the usually out-there Sevigny took. I was almost glad that someone stepped on her dress and she had to change.

My other shout-outs go to Cameron Diaz for pulling off red satin, Heidi Klum for looking damn good so quickly after having a child, and January Jones for rocking a headband.

I would like to have seen more citrus colors - oranges, chartreuses and yellows. I also would have liked metallics such as pewter or copper, and more necklaces. Over all, I had fun watching. Just a few more weeks until the next awards show!

Lymph this

Our TV has pooped out and we're on the hunt for another. We may enter the glamorous world of plasma. Fun.

On my live-healthy kick, I switched from antiperspirant to a deodorant that is natural. I had some pretty bad swelling of my lymph nodes, but the switch seemed to almost completely alleviate it. Really? My Dove antiperspirant was keeping my body in a state of inflammation?! Yikes. I'll keep it around for things like attending summer festivals, but I'm officially on the Tom's of Maine bandwagon.

Things seem to be picking up on the job front; I'm at least finding some things to apply to and getting responses, so keep your fingers crossed!

Random, here we come

Martha Stewart's show today was all about blogging, which was a good reminder that I need to get my butt over here and keep up with my blog.

One of my favorite blogs to follow, Apartment Therapy, often leans towards Mid-Century Modern. I saw a list of things that will be "out" in 2010, although I'm not sure where I saw this, and Mid-Century Modern was on the list. Frankly, I agree. I'm over it. While I love Scandinavian furniture and framed prints by artists of the era, I'm starting to find that my style is a mix of "Pottery Barn Contemporary", Traditional, and Prairie with a dash of spa-flavored modern and a pinch of Hollywood Regency. I need a little warmth, a little more curvature, and a whole lot more fluff. I need to hunt down a decor blog that's a bit more...me.

I got out of the house a couple days ago, simply because I needed to, and went over to Target. They had a huge amount of their ladies clothing on sale, so I grabbed a stack to try on. My new motto - regardless of price, do not buy anything that doesn't make you feel like a million bucks. For this reason I whittled my stack down to a white cardigan, which I know will see plenty of wear, and a black dress that did make me look like I was wearing a much more pricey frock. I also found a great belt hanger in the dollar spot. I recommend checking it out.

In other news, I had an interview. The job is anything but ideal, but right now I'm happy to have a shot at a job! I won't find out until next week, so keep your fingers crossed for me. I also had someone recommend me on LinkedIn. This has never happened to me before; it was quite a surprise and it made me warm and fuzzy to hear someone say that I'd make a great asset to a company. So I'm sending a thank you out to the universe for the current turn of luck.

Photo - blog.visiondecor.com

Starting the home decorating

Our plan all along has been to start our decorating projects with our first floor powder room. It's small and should be a relatively easy fix. However, since it requires painting a room with 10' ceilings, and the room is so small I'm not sure a ladder will fit, it may go on the back burner.

Since right now I'm spending a good deal of time in our office looking for jobs online, and since I'm not going to paint the office, it seems like a better way to start. I'm going to plan it out before I start - including where I'm placing furniture, what art is appropriate, and what I need to pick up. Right now the only things on my list are a french memo board and some storage boxes for the closet and bookcase.

The other place that needs at least a good once-over is our master closet. It's quite a jumble, much to do with the fact that we've ignored it since moving in. I have a credit at drugstore.com, so I'll be using that to purchase some closet organization tools to get it started.

Now I just need to get on it!

Catalogs to Inspire

Right now, money's tight and a subscription to a magazine seems to be both wasteful of money and of paper. However, I LOVE having something in my hands to flip through and get ideas versus searching online.

I've found a way to supplement my lack of magazines without having to pay for subscriptions: catalogs. When I'm in the mood for decor inspiration I'll visit westelm.com or potterybarn.com and request a catalog. If it's fashion I'm itching for I head to bodenusa.com or jcrew.com. I realize I'm still creating paper waste, but it's not nearly the magnitude of my favorite InStyle.

The downside is that often if you're not ordering, you don't continue to receive the catalog. I'm okay with this since I don't need eight J. Crew catalogs with the same photos in them, and I can always reorder one when I'm feeling the flip-through need.

I've also commandeered an old sketch book to keep my ideas in. I cut out what I LOVE from the catalogs and paste them in the book. This way I can always find what I'm looking for without searching through or having to keep loads of back catalogs.

Does anyone else do this sort of thing?

Photo - bodenusa.com

Ups and Downs (or Upson Downs for the Auntie Mame fans)

Updates on a few things:
While tonight's dinner may have been a fail (one and a half crab cakes along with a sweet potato), I do plan to get on my Gazelle to watch the season premier of the Biggest Loser.

I applied for a job today at a place which also employs my husband. We'll see how that pans out. Hmmm...

I need to get around to mantle-scaping in the next couple days. We removed the holiday decor from our house, and our fireplace needs serious style help.

It's the VS Semi-Annual Sale! I need to stop by the mall to see if there are any major deals. Which reminds me, I also need to organize my closet.

Off to watch the Biggest Loser!

Decor Find

I discovered a new decor site that I love. Serena and Lily. Okay, it's mostly children's decor - and very expensive and impractical at that. But the master bedroom linens and the design-your-own upholstered headboards are truly my style. Clean, bright, peaceful, nautical, and un-flowery. I wish I had a (very well-paying) job so I could splurge on a couple of the products, like a pair of white ceramic lamps or a Hollywood Regency-style wingback chair.

I will also say that the graphic designer in me also loves the site from an aesthetic perspective. I find myself visiting certain design and decor catalog sites once every month or so, just to get inspired. What sites do you visit just for the eye candy?

Photo - serenaandlily.com

Healthy Weekend Fail

Well, it's Sunday. I watched football, failed to exercise, ate pizza, and spent plenty of time under the covers.

I can blame it on the heat being out, right?

But the heat is fixed and I have no excuses left. This long weekend saw it's fair share of alcohol and snacks, a couple really late nights, and little movement. I suppose I can only go up from here.

I have to remember to stay positive, even when things fall apart. And that sucks sometimes. Sometimes I want to be mad and sulky and bitter. Sometimes the world seems to deserve that response. I just have to keep in mind that I have set goals and need to head towards them. So, cheers to a better week this week!

Eat It

I really need to change my eating habits.

No red meat, less meat in general, less carbs, less dairy, and less salt. Is that possible? In trying to get back in touch with my body and health I seem to be inflamed, among other things. I need to get back to real food. I need veggies. I need fruit. I need rice and curry and lentils and tea. I certainly to not need any more cookies.

So, I'm welcoming any advice at all about such a diet. I've done vegetarian in college, but probably not very well. I keep a list of superfoods on my fridge, but other than that I don't have a whole lot of sophisticated ideas about how this is going to work.

I live in an area without a Whole Foods or a Trader Joe's. A secondary item, besides figuring out how to eat better day to day, may be finding out where in my city one goes to find healthier, organic choices.

I'll let you know how that goes.

Photo - Sunset.com