Just For Fun

Time to get the show on the road. 🙂

You might be wondering, “So what in tarnation is this Monday Poll thing anyway!?”

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 seven 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. What’s your favorite article of clothing?
   Honestly…right now? At 40 weeks pregnant (OMG)? It’s anything with stretch.

   But when I’m not “with child,” it’s my gold and black cat dress. It has pockets and, more importantly, silhouettes of BIG CATS.

2. What expression do you overuse?
   GUUUURL.

   I mean, that’s the one I overuse: “gurl.”

   I also perennially abuse the word “holla,” pronounced haw-la.

3. If you had to move to a new city, where would you move?
   My practical side says someplace completely out of the Bay Area, where the cost of living is lower and you can get more house bang for your buck, but my heart says Honolulu…
4. What are five words that describe your day today so far?
   Sunny, long, quiet, green, tiring
5. Messy or neat?
   Neat in theory; messy in practice.

Your turn. 🙂 Just copy and paste the following questions into a comment with your answers. I look forward to reading ’em!

1. What’s your favorite article of clothing?
2. What expression do you overuse?
3. If you had to move to a new city, where would you move?
4. What are five words that describe your day today so far?
5. Messy or neat?

Hey love,

If you have a second, could you please send some good vibes my way? I’m trying really hard to pay attention to the flowers and trees, fruit and vegetables in my metaphorical garden…but I’m on the brink of having a moment.

They say that when you get to this stage of being massively pregnant, you are just totally and completely over it. And they’re right!

Anyway, I’ve reached that point.

I’m trying to hold it together, but I’m not doing very well. I know that every day she’s in there, she gets stronger, yadda-yadda-yadda, but I can’t hold back the tears. I just don’t feel good, in every meaning of the word.

So, if you could please send kind words, rainbows and/or kittens my way, that would be really nice.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict who’s been seriously ready to pop for DAYS,

Karen

In today’s not-so-pressing issue of the day — when faced with two choices:

a) Writing notes to myself on basic, boring yellow Post-its, or…

b) Writing notes to myself on a sticky note with a picture of a pensive cat in a pink polka-dot head scarf.

Obviously, the only right choice to make here is the second one, because why bother to write things like “RE: Nausea. Remember to put trash bag in the car in case need to vomit on the way to hospital,” or “Find 24-hour diner in SF that delivers banana pancakes” if it isn’t going to look cute when you stick the note on your computer screen?

To quote ‘80s English dynamic duo Wham!, “If you’re going to do it, do it right.”

And doing it right, sticky note-style, means that I’m gonna write reminders on these adorable memo pads from Jetoy USA ($5 each).

Gardening, metaphorically speaking

About the quote on this particular note…

I don’t really have a literal garden at the moment, because my deck garden is looking pretty tow-up these days, and nothing’s growing out there other than a seemingly invincible parsley plant from last spring that absolutely refuses to die. The note is more a food-for-thought thing.

Like, if I’m feeling blue, I re-read it and try to remember that in the metaphorical garden that is my life, there’s a lot of great stuff to look at. It’s tempting sometimes to get caught up on all the weeds, but it’s the fruit, vegetables, trees and flowers in the garden that bring me joy.

Admittedly…that was weird, I know, but it works for me, especially when I’m in a crabby mood, or when I’m feeling aggro and want to pick a fight with El Hub (according to the interwebz, mood swings are pretty common in the third trimester).

This note has been front and center on my computer screen for the past two weeks, and it actually helps.

Dry brushing — otherwise known as sweet, sweet punishment

This Medieval contraption has absolutely nothing to do with gardening…although it kind of looks like a gardening (or punishment) implement, doesn’t it? When El Hub saw me walking around with it, he recoiled, then asked if I was going to beat him with it.

Um, no, babes. Not today. As long as you keep your pregnant wife happy. 🙂
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Um…no, I did not have an extra big breakfast today.

As you may have just guessed, based on what looks like the watermelon I’m hiding under my dress, it’s only a matter of days (possibly minutes!) before Baby Girl officially arrives and I have another employer to boss me around. My hospital go-bag is packed and waiting by the door.

I’ll still be around during my maternity-ish leave, but while BG and I get to know each other over the next few months, these six talented, lovely makeup-loving ladies will also be helping me (and you) get my (your) MBB beauty fix.

Please make them feel at home, and give ’em a warm welcome. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addicts,

Adia, Anna, Carolina, Jen, Marcella, Nicole and Karen

Mine are (in no particular order)…

1. Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof Eyeliner in 88 Noir Intense — This intense dark black pencil liner doesn’t annoy my sensitive water lines and stays put all day long! I go through one of these every few months because I use it ALL THE TIME to tightline. Yup, we roll deep…
2. Tom Ford Eye Defining Pen in Deeper — All that and a bag of striped kittens with chunky paws and tiny tails. Hands down, Deeper is the easiest black liquid liner pen I’ve ever used. It draws jet black lines with crisp edges, and they last at least 10 hours and usually more. CRAZY expensive, though, at $56, erhmahgawd! But it’s the real deal.
3. MAC Eye Kohl in Powersurge — I’ve worn this golden bronze pencil liner, like, seriously, at least once a week for the past eight years, mostly on my lower lash line. I love this one because it defines my eyes without looking overdone. It’s an absolute MAC must.

How about you? What are your 3 go-to eyeliners, and why do you love ’em?

Your friendly neighborhood (ready to pop!) beauty addict,

Karen