So…what is the Monday Poll?
Excellent question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll, like with little clicky buttons. It’s just a list of more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007).
1. What did you do over the weekend?
Oh my goodness, so many dance team things for Connor – rehearsal Friday night, and then performances on Saturday and Sunday. There was a lot of matte, long-wearing red lipstick in the mix.
2. Cheese or butter?
This is a legit tough decision. Cheese, I guess, because it’s an easy way for me to get some protein. Today I’d love a burrata.
3. Something that makes you memorable?
Between my voice and my face, I’m a pretty animated person, LOL. And when I’m really comfortable with people, I’d like to think that I’m pretty funny, too.
4. A foundation that works for you?
I haven’t worn a proper foundation in ages, so does a tinted moisturizer count? I really like Urban Decay Hydromaniac.
5. A foundation that doesn’t work for you?
A while back I got a sample for the Ilia Skin Tint and it just didn’t work for me. The color was off and it felt heavy on my cheeks.
6. Small town or big city?
Somewhere in between.
7. Small things that make your day better?
Listening to whatever song I’m in the mood for on Spotify, having a car that I know isn’t going to break down at any given moment, working out first thing in the morning, having the birds chirping in the early morning hours as my alarm clock.
8. A piece of clothing you wish you still had?
GIRL. If I could only turn back time and keep all the fabulous ’90s clothes I had back in college! If I could only pick just one thing, though, I’d bring back the black, wide leg pinstripe overalls from the Gap that I wore to death circa my sophomore and junior year.
9. A chance encounter that changed your life forever?
When I was in my early 20s, I was in a Las Vegas bathroom in the wee hours of the morning. There was a lady washing her hands who kept staring at me. She then pulled me aside and said that she read auras, and proceeded to tell me how mine was orange and one of the brightest she’d ever seen. She also said that I had a strong presence of protective angels around me. I don’t know if she was for real, but from that point forward I carried the belief that my watchful angels are always with me. It’s comforting to me and has allowed me to move throughout the world with a degree of confidence that’s been helpful.
I hope that this week is full of fabulous lipstick colors and that your hair is doing what you want it to!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. Here are the questions to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. Talk to ya soon.
1. What did you do over the weekend?
2. Cheese or butter?
3. Something that makes you memorable?
4. A foundation that works for you?
5. A foundation that doesn’t work for you?
6. Small town or big city?
7. Small things that make your day better?
8. A piece of clothing you wish you still had?
9. A chance encounter that changed your life forever?
1. What did you do over the weekend? Relaxed. Went out for Korean food, then shopped at H-Mart. FaceTimed with Dear Daughter.
2. Cheese or butter? Butter, because I can cook and bake with it.
3. Something that makes you memorable? Dimples
4. A foundation that works for you? SUQQU Liquid Foundation EX, MAC Face and Body Surrat Dew Drops.
5. A foundation that doesn’t work for you? Got all day? Room for an encyclopedia? So many foundations that people seem to love just don’t work for me. Haus Labs and Pat McGrath to name just two. Both break up on my skin within 20 minutes, settling into lines and pores.
6. Small town or big city? Big City with good public transit. Tokyo, Paris, London, NYC to name a few. I get energized by the hustle and bustle.
7. Small things that make your day better? Hugs from Dear Husband, texts or calls from Dear Daughter, purrs and head butts from Nibbler.
8. A piece of clothing you wish you still had? A popover/wrap dress I designed and sewed in high school. A floaty dress from the early 80’s in NYC. A lipstick red, wool melton blazer.
9. A chance encounter that changed your life forever? Can’t think of anything specific.
MAC Face and Body is the OG. I need to get another bottle before summer!
Hope you had a nice Mother’s Day! 🙂
1. What did you do over the weekend? Cleaned out weeds from the flowerbeds, baked bread and made a big pot of veggie soup to freeze for later.
2. Cheese or butter? Cow dairy triggers my eczema so tiny amounts of real butter is a treat.
3. Something that makes you memorable? The naturally red hair.
4. A foundation that works for you? YSL Bare Look Tint.
5. A foundation that doesn’t work for you? Ilia Skin Tint. Initially, I really liked it but found it clogged my pores.
6. Small town or big city? I live in Chicago. That’s pretty big.
7. Small things that make your day better? Good coffee and no rain until the dog is walked.
8. A piece of clothing you wish you still had? A denim jacket that was as soft as butter from long wear.
9. A chance encounter that changed your life forever? I donated all of the sales from my first book to animal rescue. One day I opened the paper to see actor Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca in Star Wars) reading a copy of it while the last movie he was in was being filmed. Turns out he not only loved the book but introduced me to some other “rescue dog” people who have become friends.
Yum, what kind of bread did you make?
1. What did you do over the weekend? Mostly stayed home because I felt sick, probably due to a change in the weather (humidity and air pressure).
2. Cheese or butter? Butter. My generation was largely deprived of real butter due to the cost, but also due to the lie that it was worse for you than margarine. I love to cook with real butter.
3. Something that makes you memorable? Most people would say the contrast between my skin and my hair (kind of a “Snow White” look). But I like to think it’s my sharp intellect, when I get a chance to hold a real conversation with someone (not something that happens often, as most people are “small talk” people).
4. A foundation that works for you? Urban Decay Naked Skin.
5. A foundation that doesn’t work for you? Most of them. Estee Lauder Double Wear smells like acrylic paint to me, and is really hard to remove completely.
6. Small town or big city? Not sure. I was happy as a young kid in a small town; I’ve been extremely unhappy in the big city we moved to later. I’d probably be happiest in a medium city (around 250,000 population – I lived in one of that size when I was 10-12 years old).
7. Small things that make your day better? Seeing a new plant bloom, especially if it’s one I raised from seed. Hearing the variety of birds that now live in my area (woodpeckers, Carolina wrens, cardinals, house finches, and chickadees, for example). Getting through the day without hearing sirens or blaring, super-loud stereos in the major street nearby.
8. A piece of clothing you wish you still had? A cute, grey 1980s shirt. Grey clothes are hard to find.
9. A chance encounter that changed your life forever? As far as positive change, I can’t think of a single one. It has not been my good fortune to meet anyone who could or would significantly help me in any way. Mostly I just try to avoid negative encounters, since I live in gun-nut country, and there are also just a lot of abusive jerks in this area.
1. What did you do over the weekend?
Took the kids to a KidsCon in NH on Saturday. Then Sunday took the kids to an air show and to visit Grandma.
2. Cheese or butter?
Cheese
3. Something that makes you memorable?
My offbeat sense of humor and my sense of style.
4. A foundation that works for you?
I know it was a bad idea but when the Marc Jacobs line was being discontinued I decided to buy a bottle since it was half off. It turned out to be an amazing match and it makes my skin look very natural. When I finish the bottle, I will have no choice but to seek something else unless MJ decides to return to the scene.
5. A foundation that doesn’t work for you?
Maybelline does not carry a broad range or enough yellow undertones for my skin.
6. Small town or big city?
Medium sized. Just enough to stay busy but not too busy.
7. Small things that make your day better? Checking things off my to do list. A home that smells nice.
8. A piece of clothing you wish you still had?
Oh, I’m drawing a blank but I know there must be something.
9. A chance encounter that changed your life forever?
That sounds big! But I can’t say I have experienced such a thing.
1. What did you do over the weekend? Relaxed! I recently started a job, and I was off this weekend. I lay in my hammock with my cat and just soaked in the quiet.
2. Cheese or butter? Since I can’t choose both, because I love both, I’m gonna go with butter. But I seriously love both so much.
3. Something that makes you memorable? My nails are always painted and I’m hilarious.
4. A foundation that works for you? Wet & Wild Tinted Hydrator. I don’t like proper foundations. I like my skin to look like skin.
5. A foundation that doesn’t work for you? Anything full coverage. I just can’t do it.
6. Small town or big city? Small town. With decent proximity to a big city so I can go to a Costco.
7. Small things that make your day better? Any time spent in my hammock, my three pugs, a Starbucks run, a fresh manicure.
8. A piece of clothing you wish you still had? I’ve lost a lot of hoodies in my life, but I don’t know where they went. And I’m with you Karen, my 90’s wardrobe, my 17 year old wishes I still had it too. I had a pair of patent Thom McAnn shoes with ribbon laces that I’d love to still have.
9. A chance encounter that changed your life forever? I was invited to a Halloween party by a guy I had briefly met, and initially said yes. I didn’t want to go, but I felt I needed to. That guy dumped me for the keg as soon as we got to the party. However, his friend, who also didn’t want to go but ended up going, started talking with me and now he’s my husband of 26 years, the father of my two daughters, and my best friend!
1. What did you do over the weekend? We visited my mom (she lives 2 hours away) and ate multiple meals out. Then on Sunday afternoon I binged Love and Death with my husband.
2. Cheese or butter? Butter
3. Something that makes you memorable? Hmm I’m not sure
4. A foundation that works for you? Hourglass Ambient Soft Glow foundation
5. A foundation that doesn’t work for you? Matte foundations
6. Small town or big city? I loved living in Los Angeles until my early 30s. Living an hour or two outside a big city is ideal for where I am in my life now.
7. Small things that make your day better? Good coffee, sunshine, stretching
8. A piece of clothing you wish you still had? Probably some concert t-shirts for the memories
9. A chance encounter that changed your life forever? Not life changing or anything but I met the lead singer of one of my favorite bands when I was still in high school at a music festival they were playing almost 25 years later. We were both in line for some vegan thai food (oddly specific!) and we started chatting. He was friendly and my husband took a picture of us together. It’s just a fun memory.
1. What did you do over the weekend? Spend some time at the hair salon; went out to dinner with friends; and had my Mom over for dinner on Mother’s Day. Ate way too much
2. Cheese or butter? Nothing like butter on a fresh warm roll! But I love cheese as well (maybe melted on lasagna, string cheese, cheese in salad, cheese as a snack with a great cracker, really I just like cheese. LOL
3. Something that makes you memorable? My NewYawkkkk accent
4. A foundation that works for you? right now it is L’oreal Visible Lift Serum
5. A foundation that doesn’t work for you? Il Makiage full coverage foundation – it was too thick for me
6. Small town or big city? Prefer to work in a big city but live in suburbia
7. Small things that make your day better? no stress or bad news
8. A piece of clothing you wish you still had? my colorful 80’s heels. I had them in yellow, pink, etc. So much fun! My jeans too!
9. A chance encounter that changed your life forever? I have met a few of my really good friends commuting on a bus. We have been friends now for years.
1. What did you do over the weekend? Yardwork, attacked several indoor chores, a fair amount of cooking to try to get the cooking mojo back (didn’t really work).
2. Cheese or butter? Cheese, at least you can rationalize it by saying there’s calcium and protein in it.
3. Something that makes you memorable? My hair.
4. A foundation that works for you? Not much anymore. In the past, the Paula Dorf skin tint in Capri (discontinued) and the Bobbi Brown moisturizing foundation in Warm Ivory (reformulated) were the best matches. In the summer, I could wear a mix of Bareminerals powder foundations, but most of the time, I just don’t bother. I would like to try to find something though.
5. A foundation that doesn’t work for you? Almost everything, but especially anything that isn’t for dry skin.
6. Small town or big city? If I had the money, big city, most likely Boston.
7. Small things that make your day better? Meetings running on time where everyone actually comes prepared.
8. A piece of clothing you wish you still had? I had some great fitted sweaters from Tweeds (RIP) that I wore until they were basically threadbare.
9. A chance encounter that changed your life forever? Not sure I’ve had one, but I guess meeting my husband was mostly by chance. I met him through someone I met at church in college who was in the same fraternity.