So…what is the Monday Poll?
Well, it isn’t exactly a poll. It’s more of a constantly evolving (devolving?), somewhat random list of questions I’ve been putting out to readers every Monday morning for the past 11 (!) years. (It’s like a kickstart for your brain.) I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.
1. Pick one: microbladed brows or lash extensions?
Lash extensions, for sure, and I’d go with the most conservative option available. Nothing too long or voluminous, so, basically, the most natural-looking option.
I’ve never had lash extensions done, but I know that when I wear falsies, I get headaches when the lashes feel too heavy (I also hate when I can see the lashes out of the corner of my eye), so I couldn’t deal with cray-cray long or curly extensions.
2. How would you do if you tried to paint your nails with 100 layers of nail polish?
I’d give it an earnest try and would probably get through four or five layers before quitting to go eat some string cheese instead!
3. Speaking of nail polish, what are you wearing on your nails?
Smith & Cult Dark Like Me on my fingers and Kulandini Hustle on my toes.
Oh! — back to #2 for a sec. I’m also 100% sure that one of the little animals I live with would need something at some point during the 100-layer challenge, and I’d have to stop early anyway. Tabs would demand a slice of turkey or cheek scritches, or Connor would need someone to share a pretend slice of blueberry cake with.
You know, the usual!
4. Think back to your early 20s… Where would you have normally been on a Friday night?
Chances are I would have been doing antiquated things that kids today will never experience, like wandering around a Tower Records for CDs (and only buying something once in a blue moon!), or searching for a movie to rent at Blockbuster.
Once in a while, I’d go clubbing in SF with a friend.
5. Biscotti or scones?
Biscotti, ideally with a ☕ latte.
Scones do nothing for me… Too dry.
Happy Monday
If you’re having a case of the Mondays right now, so am I, friend. 🙁 It’s been one of those “I feel overwhelmed” days so far, but I’ll do my best, and I hope you do, too.
In other news, guess who got a wreath at HomeGoods yesterday. Yup, that was the highlight of my Sunday… It’s a springy green wreath with what I believe are dried eucalyptus leaves on it, and I like that it doesn’t look fake or plastic.
Sigh… I wish I could just live in HomeGoods today. Doesn’t that sound like a nice little vacation? LOL.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. Here are the questions to copy and paste with your answers in a comment:
1. Pick one: microbladed brows or lash extensions?
2. How would you do if you tried painting your nails with 100 layers of nail polish?
3. Speaking of nail polish what are you wearing on your nails?
4. Think back to your early 20s. Where would you usually be on a Friday night?
5. Biscotti or scones?
1. Pick one: microbladed brows or lash extensions?
Lash extensions, it’s less permanent.
2. How would you do if you tried painting your nails with 100 layers of nail polish?
I have no idea!
3. Speaking of nail polish what are you wearing on your nails?
Disdain 😛
4. Think back to your early 20s. Where would you usually be on a Friday night?
Working or entertaining back at my house. I was married young and worked really hard. The only nightclubs I went to were on Sundays and it was rare.
5. Biscotti or scones?
Scones for breakfast and biscotti for dessert 🙂
Have a great week, Erin!
1. Pick one: microbladed brows or lash extensions?
Microbladed brows, please! Much less maintenance to keep up, haha. I’d probably never actually get it done because I’m too much of a cheapskate, but I kind of like the idea of not having to fill in my brows every day.
2. How would you do if you tried painting your nails with 100 layers of nail polish?
Hmmm…. if I did it, I like to think I would REALLY go for it. Like slate an entire day, employ polish dryers to speed the process along, have snacks on hand – all the good ish! That being said, I’ll probably never ACTUALLY do it, haha!
3. Speaking of nail polish what are you wearing on your nails?
I’m wearing Color Street nail polish strips in Broadway Glimmer (because I need #alltheglitter). They’re kind of like Jamberry, if their nail wraps were made out of real nail polish. I’m kind of all about them, hah! My friend started selling them online, by which I mean she posted videos that were like “dude look how simple this is” and I was like “SOLD.”
4. Think back to your early 20s. Where would you usually be on a Friday night?
Hmm… either at a friend’s house party, or out seeing or playing music, or being mopey and sad at home because I didn’t have any Friday night plans, lol!
5. Biscotti or scones?
Scones, please! Especially ones with raspberry jam, mm mm.
Happy Monday, Karen! Today is a really weird Monday for me… my new boss (a high-level administrator) is starting today, so I’m a little anxious but in a sort of “don’t know what to expect so feeling weirdly chill” sort of way. He seems like a nice guy – just lots to educate him on, since his predecessor was here for 27 years!
It’s almost like starting a new job… except everything but the person you work for and directly with is familiar. It’s VERY strange!
Hi Shannon,
I can imagine that being kinda weird. Transitions at work can be bumpy, so I hope this one goes smoothly for you!
Sorry to hear it’s being a true Monday for you today. Same here. We had to re-schedule my son’s dental appointment for today because the dentist’s office waited too late to ask the PCP about a medication, and the doctor never got back to them. So I’ve been up early dealing with reprimanding a couple doctor offices and getting this straightened out. I think it is now. *knock on wood*
1. Pick one: microbladed brows or lash extensions?
Lash extensions, with a few purple ones on the outer corners.
2. How would you do if you tried painting your nails with 100 layers of nail polish?
I wouldn’t have the time or the patience.
3. Speaking of nail polish what are you wearing on your nails?
I get NexGen powder nails. My current color is Supernova (G6). It has an ultra violet base and purple and hot pink microglitter. It’s super-sparkly and I love it!
4. Think back to your early 20s. Where would you usually be on a Friday night? Ages 20-22, probably working on college homework. After graduation, probably at home or at our BFFs at the time’s house watching movies.
5. Biscotti or scones? Tough choice. Probably biscotti, because most places don’t make good scones (too dry, like you said).
Hi Rachel,
I hope everything worked out for your son’s appointment, and that you have a good week ahead. 🙂
Thanks. I think it’s fixed, for now. Still waiting to hear what’s going on with the prescription.
You have a great week! 🙂
Dental visits are stressful! Hang in there (both of you!).
1. Pick one: microbladed brows or lash extensions?
My heart says lashes but objectively microbladed brows would make much more difference, especially for my ugly left brow. I’m happy enough with the right one, but the left is super sparse at the tail!
2. How would you do if you tried painting your nails with 100 layers of nail polish?
I’d get bored before finished layer 2 on my second hand and give up…
3. Speaking of nail polish what are you wearing on your nails?
Nothing, I just removed a gray with very subtle shimmer. I’m trying to keep the winter vibe going!
4. Think back to your early 20s. Where would you usually be on a Friday night?
Hanging out with my BFF. Probably at her place!
5. Biscotti or scones?
Definitely biscotti, preferably the plain ones with almonds.
Hope your weeks gets easier Karen! I’ve been very overwhelmed too lately, I think I’m just trying to do too much and it’s just not realistic, you know?
Hi Lulle,
I totally know what you mean. There are only so many hours in the day and too many tasks. I’m trying to handle just one thing at a time.
Hope the rest of the week treats you well!
1. Pick one: microbladed brows or lash extensions?
My brows are ok, so extensions. And I don’t have problems wearin falsies with clear bands so I don’t think they’d bother me. i just don’t want to pay for them.
2. How would you do if you tried painting your nails with 100 layers of nail polish?
I can barely do two without smudging.
3. Speaking of nail polish what are you wearing on your nails?
Nothing but I’ve been meaning to pick up one of the new essie treatmenty ones.
4. Think back to your early 20s. Where would you usually be on a Friday night?
My friend’s condo, watching movies and having fun. It was especially common because my friends group had people from 3 years older than me to three years younger, so we couldn’t all go to bars for a long time.
5. Biscotti or scones?
Scones from a local bakery that closed 🙁 They weren’t dry, especially the chocolate chip ones.
Hi Breyerchic,
Those Friday nights sound like they were fun. 🙂 I hope you had a nice Monday and a great week!
1. Pick one: microbladed brows or lash extensions?
Microbladed brows. I feel like it takes me forever to fill in my brows so anything to save time would be great.
2. How would you do if you tried painting your nails with 100 layers of nail polish?
There’s no way I would make it! I’m too impatient when waiting for regular polish to dry.
3. Speaking of nail polish what are you wearing on your nails?
Nothing right now, but I got a gel mani couple of weeks ago with OPI Louvre Me Not.
4. Think back to your early 20s. Where would you usually be on a Friday night?
Probaly looking for a movie at Blockbuster. 🙂
5. Biscotti or scones?
Scones. I have some amazing scones in London that were the perfect texture.
I’m with you about Monday. I wasn’t feeling well over the weekend so I spent some time resting and didn’t get around to grocery shopping and laundry. I need to stop at the store after work, but it already feels like I’m playing catch up. Hang in there!
Hi Ruchita,
I hope you’re feeling better. Did you manage to stop by the store after work? One day down, so Friday’s just around the corner!
1. Pick one: microbladed brows or lash extensions?
Brows definitely. Would help out not needing to dye them so often and fill in sparse areas. Other than being blonde, I’m happy with my lashes and extensions require so much upkeep!
2. How would you do if you tried painting your nails with 100 layers of nail polish?
I have difficulty making time to do 2 coats. Not happening.
3. Speaking of nail polish what are you wearing on your nails?
Nothing at the moment. There’s a little KL Polish in Caramelo left on my toes but polish is one of the first things to fall off if I’m feeling frazzled.
4. Think back to your early 20s. Where would you usually be on a Friday night?
Browsing Barnes & Noble looking for more scifi to read, maybe a movie.
5. Biscotti or scones?
Scones. Biscotti sweet crouton aspect doesn’t do it for me. American scones tend to be more like sweet biscuits and I’m down for that. Especially if there’s a glaze. Give me all the sweet things.
This Monday definitely hasn’t started out in a spectacular fashion. Realizing I bought a new toaster oven that doesn’t do a bagel/broil option (seems silly but), testing out the new infant seat in between the 2 new convertible seats in the back of our Forester and realizing as it stands they don’t fit, having my OB refer me to another doctor and trying to make an appointment and they tell me they can’t until they get records from the OB, blargh. Being 36 weeks pregnant. Ha. I was going to try to get a video recorded during naptime but I think it’s better to try to get some relaxing in while I can today.
Aww, Nicole. Hang in there, mama. You’re almost at the finish line, and you’re doing great, even with all the obstacles.
1. Pick one: microbladed brows or lash extensions? Lash extensions (although I would hate the feeling of them touching my glasses).
2. How would you do if you tried painting your nails with 100 layers of nail polish? I would give up after a few coats too!
3. Speaking of nail polish what are you wearing on your nails? Nothing on my hands but I always have my toes looking pretty. Currently my toes are a reddish pink. Went and got pedis with a friend recently.
4. Think back to your early 20s. Where would you usually be on a Friday night? I would have been hanging out at Boston University or my boyfriend (now husband) would have been staying over at my school (Framingham State). We only saw each other on weekends but we kept it pretty low key.
5. Biscotti or scones? Scones. In fact I recently had a ginger scone that was so good!
Trying this again because it looks like my first one never posted. 🙂
1. Pick one: microbladed brows or lash extensions? Lash extensions but not long enough to touch my glasses!
2. How would you do if you tried painting your nails with 100 layers of nail polish? I would not make it past 3 layers.
3. Speaking of nail polish what are you wearing on your nails? Nothing on my fingers but my toes always look nice! I got a pedi recently with a friend and it’s an Opi color that is reddish orange.
4. Think back to your early 20s. Where would you usually be on a Friday night? I was dating my husband at the time and we would either spend the weekends at my school or his. We only saw each other on weekends. We got married right after college at age 23. 🙂
5. Biscotti or scones? Scones. I recently had a ginger scone that was really good.
Ooops the first one did post! 🙂
No worries, girl! Sometimes it just takes a second. 🙂
I think that it’s so sweet that you and your hubby got married right after college. How did you guys meet? El Hub and I met through a friend.
We met in High School. We worked in the same town and had friends in common! 🙂
So sweet, Leah. ❤️ It must be so wonderful to share your life someone who you’ve known since you were kids. I joke around with El Hub that I wish I would’ve met him when I was a kid… That way I’d have more years to love him underneath my belt.
1. Pick one: microbladed brows or lash extensions?
Lash extensions – I do my brows myself and can’t bring myself to let anyone else touch ’em.
2. How would you do if you tried painting your nails with 100 layers of nail polish?
Oh lord. They’d be smudged and infused with so much cat hair, I’d give up after the first several coats.
3. Speaking of nail polish what are you wearing on your nails?
They are naked at the moment – and super peely (my last no chip did a number one them :\). I’ve been meaning to put my essie protein basecoat on but haven’t found the time when SO isn’t home.
4. Think back to your early 20s. Where would you usually be on a Friday night?
Usually my favorite dive bar with friends. Or drinking at a house party.
Then after graduation I was working the 4a-12p shift on the weekends and my Friday nights were spent in bed.
5. Biscotti or scones?
Scones! I have a hard time eating biscotti in a dignified manner. It’s really crumbly and hard and I look like I’m gnawing on it, LOL.
Hi Christine,
LOL to your answer to the second question. It’s so true though!
BTW, since our last conversation about band, I’ve been watching drum corp shows on Youtube. Once a band geek, forever a band geek.
Band really sinks its claws in! My favorite corps is Phantom Regiment…I wanted to try out soooo bad. And my SO’s dad played with the Cavaliers – so cool! When they had the DCI finals in Indianapolis when I was still in high school I was trying to convince my mom to let me go with friends to watch…she didn’t go for it LOL
So you know you’re bandgeeking it out when you get all the references, OMG! I tried out for Blue Devils but didn’t end up going any further in the process (and for some reason I can’t remember why… I think it was because it was right before I left for college and the timing didn’t work out). I had a bunch of friends who did Vanguard.
And yeah, Phantom Regiment is pretty bad @ss!
1. Pick one: microbladed brows or lash extensions? Neither. I’m happy with my brows the way they are and I don’t have enough lashes as it is to tempt fate with extensions that might cause what little I have to fall out.
2. How would you do if you tried painting your nails with 100 layers of nail polish? I wouldn’t. My nails are too weak for that kind of punishment. I can barely wait out the drying time between a base coat, two coats of polish and a quick dry top coat.
3. Speaking of nail polish what are you wearing on your nails? Blush Lacquers “Sleigh Bells”. This was the January LE polish, described as periwinkle blue based holo, with a pink-gold shifting shimmer and shifting purple-blue-green multichrome flakies. Can’t stop staring at my nails when I go out in the sunlight.
4. Think back to your early 20s. Where would you usually be on a Friday night? Uhm, at home. Was never much of a party going person.
5. Biscotti or scones? Both! Love biscotti dunked in my coffee. Love home made scones, preferably with demi-sel French butter and French jam.
Hi Tatiana,
Your polish sounds so pretty! I bet it would be great color for a cruiser bike. 🙂 Of course that bike would have to have a huge basket in the front (for kittens, obviously).
I hope you had a great weekend and a nice Monday. I’m gearing up for HIIT class tonight. I just ate my pre-workout meal and slammed a tiny bit of coffee. What are you up to tonight?
1. Pick one: microbladed brows or lash extensions?
Microblading, but only from someone I’ve thoroughly researched. My brows are severely diminishing as I’m getting older 🙁
2. How would you do if you tried painting your nails with 100 layers of nail polish?
Hmmm…I might be able to do it if I had no interruptions. Can you imagine taking all of that off though! That’d be a chore.
3. Speaking of nail polish what are you wearing on your nails?
Currently, not a thing. My nails are in serious need of attention!
4. Think back to your early 20s. Where would you usually be on a Friday night?
Like you, probably at Blockbuster or maybe at the bar/club.
5. Biscotti or scones?
Scones, specifically the orange scone at Au Bon Pain. I haven’t had one of them in ages but I love them!
Hi Barb,
Bummer about your brows. 🙁 Did you pluck them like crazy in the ’90s? I know I sure did.
Anywho, a while back you mentioned that you got an electric kettle. I have one too and LOVE it. Did you know you can use it as for a shortcut to making pasta? Boil water in the kettle is so much faster than waiting for water to boil in pan.
Hi Karen. I didn’t really pluck my brows but would get them cleaned up like every 8 weeks or so. I always had nice brows and then BAM! After I got into my 40’s, I noticed that they were looking more and more sparse 🙁
Huh, thanks for the tip for the pasta! That’s actually a good thing to know. It does seem to take forever for that water to boil on the stove! Oh and I love mine too. I just need more counter space in our tiny little kitchen to keep it out.
Hi Barb,
I’m like the exact opposite. Instead of losing hair on my face I keep getting it in places where I don’t want it. Those stiff chin hairs are my nemesis! And they seriously come out of nowhere.
Yeah, the electric kettle is such a handy tool. I also use it for creating a water bath for putting things in like jars of honey that have become crystallized! And there’s a lid on a jar that I just can’t open, I’ll fire up the kettle, put the hot water in a pan, then stick the jar in it upside down for a few minutes to expand the top.
1. Pick one: microbladed brows or lash extensions?
Lash extension, just out of curiosity. But I´d probably ruin them quickly because I would forget about them and use oils on my eyes…
2. How would you do if you tried painting your nails with 100 layers of nail polish?
I don´t even have the patience for three layers.
3. Speaking of nail polish what are you wearing on your nails?
I just took mine off, but I was wearing Essie Go Ginza.
4. Think back to your early 20s. Where would you usually be on a Friday night?
At a friends house or at a bar. Or renting a video cassette in store, ha!
5. Biscotti or scones?
Scones. With jam and clotted cream.
That’s right! I totally forgot how you have to be careful about what you put on your lashes when you have extensions. Mine would probably last for a day then, LOL!
1. Pick one: microbladed brows or lash extensions? extensions, although I have super sensitive eyes so if I’m being realistic, I would probably say neither. I’m not nuts about the microbladed look.
2. How would you do if you tried painting your nails with 100 layers of nail polish? I think it would be fun to try but I would probably need a snack before I got done.
3. Speaking of nail polish what are you wearing on your nails? For the first time in years, my nails and toes are bare.
4. Think back to your early 20s. Where would you usually be on a Friday night? At a bar looking for a good time.
5. Biscotti or scones? I like biscotti but I love scones. If the ones you’re having are too dry, you’re going to the wrong bakery. A good scone should be made with heavy cream. Also, they’re meant to be toasted and slathered with butter and jam or a citrus curd or a clotted cream.
Hi Jennifer,
Hmmm. It seems like every scone I’ve ever tried is dry. Are they supposed to be as moist as a cake?
Hi, Karen! – feeble wave – I’m still trying to recover from a sinus infection and the flu, but today I introduced Bree to a bath because her paws were very irritated and dry. She kept licking at them, so I put oats in there (oat bath, good idea. Need to find a better way to put oats in there that don’t involve me hunting down oats so they don’t goop up my drain. Blocked drains = bad) and some water and let her soak her paws. It’s very cold out so I didn’t want to give her a full bath, plus I didn’t know how she does with baths, so I want to take it in small steps. She was very curious and a little scared, but she did okay! (She didn’t let me dry her feet.) One step at a time, right?
1. Pick one: microbladed brows or lash extensions?
Brows because I like pristine brows and they are low-maintenance.
2. How would you do if you tried painting your nails with 100 layers of nail polish?
Give up…very early.
3. Speaking of nail polish what are you wearing on your nails?
Nada.
4. Think back to your early 20s. Where would you usually be on a Friday night?
Where I usually am now…at home. With my dog [only Zena, not Bree]. Reading. Watching a movie. Or watching TV.
Yea, I’m fairly boring.
5. Biscotti or scones?
My experience with both is that they are hard and not very yummy, so how about a cookie?
Hi Kate (& Bree!),
I’m glad to hear you’re on the mend. The flu is rough this year, so try to stay healthy!
So it sounds like Bree is starting to trust you. That’s a great thing. So, silly question, but is there such a thing as lotion for the pads of a dog’s paws?
They do have paw salve! I used to have some but it went bad so I should get some more, but I’m very picky because some companies like to put icky chemicals that dogs can’t tolerate and I don’t tolerate it. [Bad, bad icky stuff that can cause behavioral changes. No, ma’am, not for my doggy!]
My parents call Bree my minion (after the Despicable Me creatures) as she’s always following my around the house, except the hardwood hallway where the bedrooms are. HA HA HA. We’re still working on hardwood. Once we have hardwood covered, I’ll try teaching her stairs. She’s still very scared of stairs.
It’s all about those victories. Soon she’ll be scampering all over the place and you won’t be able to keep up!
Hope you can find some paw salve for her. 🙂
Oh, she pretty much has the whole top level conquered and claimed to herself. We want to show her the basement, but we keep my nephew in the basement when he’s over. Until we can make sure Bree will be okay with T-Rex when he’s in the same room and we can make sure T-Rex will be nice to her, we keep them separated and we bring them together for training time.
These past two nights she finally figured out how to play with a ball so we were so excited! I finally caught it on film! (On camera? On digital? Man, this generation doesn’t know what film is….)
1. Pick one: microbladed brows or lash extensions?
Lash extensions, please!
2. How would you do if you tried painting your nails with 100 layers of nail polish?
Oh, I get too bored to paint my nails with 3 or 4 coats of anything, so 100 layers would be out of the question.
3. Speaking of nail polish what are you wearing on your nails?
They’re bare. The harsh winter weather has my nails snapping on a weekly basis.
4. Think back to your early 20s. Where would you usually be on a Friday night?
Almost certainly at home, most likely with my nose in a book. By choice.
5. Biscotti or scones?
Pumpkin chocolate chip scones, with some hot tea on the side.
Hi Susan,
Hey, that sounds like a perfect Friday night to me! Have you read anything good lately?