Just For Fun

Greetings from a currently very uncomfortable pregnant lady, yay! 🙂 How’s it going, my friend? I hope you’re having a chill (as in easy) December week.

I’ve been a little distracted lately, but in a good way, because my in-laws drove down from Redding the other day for a visit, and last night we all went to San Francisco to go to the opera.

Instead of giving each other stuff for Christmas, this year we decided to just treat each other to an evening in the city, so we went to see “The Barber of Seville.”

It’s probably been 15 years since the last time I went to an opera, and I feel like I’m into music — like I’m a musical person, or at least I was at one time — and the opera is pretty much exactly the way I remember it… A little confusing and kind of long, but still very enjoyable.

I knew a little bit about this one beforehand because it’s also the basis of one of my favorite Looney Tunes cartoons of all time, The Rabbit of Seville, which is a really funny one with Elmer Fudd chasing Bugs Bunny all over a big theater, and the music is the same music the orchestra plays during the prologue in the actual opera.

So when they were playing it, I just kept thinking of Bugs Bunny massaging Elmer J. Fudd’s head!

[Continue reading…]

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 one thing you feel like you’re *always* doing?
   Oh, that’s easy. Laundry. Doesn’t matter if I just washed and put away a big pile of clothes/towels/linens/whatever, there’s always something more to wash. It never ends!

   Same goes for makeup brushes. I’m always and forever washing makeup brushes…

2. Something you wish you’d studied in school?
   The arts of bargaining and negotiation, although right now I’m not even sure there were classes for those things…but they’re such handy skills to have for work and regular everyday life.

   I never thought about bargaining for anything as a teenager and a kid because I was either too shy or afraid of rocking the boat, but I’m trying to get better at it.

   Oh, did I tell you that I set up a bargaining challenge for myself? I’ve been saving money to get some new furniture, and when the time comes, I’m going to force myself to attempt to negotiate the price down.

   I figure it’s the best way to learn how to do it (and to not be afraid to walk away if I have to).

3. Do you ever bring your pet to work?
   Every. Single. Day. 🙂 Because while working from home has its own set of challenges (feeling cut off from the world, having issues with work/home life boundaries, not having work buddies to vent to when you’re feeling stressed…), being away from your crabby plus-size tabby cat isn’t one of them.
4. Are you more or a girly girl or a tom boy?
   Now, a girly girl, but I was more of a tom boy when I was a teen and tween.
5. How many handbags do you have, and of those, how many do you regularly use?
   Well, crap. Let me think about that… I think there are about 15 in my closet right now? But I really only use two of them. One’s a brown Michael Kors tote, and the other is a red Kate Spade cross-body.

   I think this is the universe’s way of letting me know that the last thing I need is another handbag, LOL!

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

1. What’s one thing you feel like you’re *always* doing?
2. Something you wish you studied in school?
3. Do you ever bring your pet to work?
4. Are you more or a girly girl or a tom boy?
5. How many handbags do you have, and of those, how many do you regularly use?

Hiya, sweet pea. Greetings to you on this lovely, albeit rainy, Monday. You know what’s one of my favorite things to have for breakfast in the fall? A bowl of sliced persimmons (but they have to be cold) and a cup of coffee.

On that note, that persimmon up there at the top of this post is now in my tummy.

Mmm…

I hope your belly is full this morning and your heart is light. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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 stance on monogrammed anythings (mugs, towels, jewelry, bags, etc.)?
   I think they’re classy in moderation. I mean, I’m not the girl who shows up to the party with a monogrammed bag, shirt, hanky and earrings, but I do have a couple of monogrammed mugs. There’s this white one I use for my coffee/tea every morning, and if El Hub ever broke it, there’d be hell to pay!

   I also have a couple of monogrammed necklaces, and I wear them all the time.

2. Would you rather wear a single statement bracelet, or a bunch of dainty bracelets?
   I’ll take the single statement bracelet, please.
3. Gummy bears or lemon drops?
   Hmm… Gummy bears, but only if they’re those really soft ones. They have to be really soft and gummy, and not the super chewy tough ones that feel like you’re chewing leather.

   Ugh! When those tough ones get stuck in your teeth? No thank you.

4. When was the last time you kissed someone under the mistletoe?
   It was a looong time ago. About 20 years. I think it was at a college holiday party, and it was just a quick peck on a friend’s cheek.

   I know! Most boring mistletoe story ever! 🙂 Sorry. Hopefully your story is steamier than mine. I need to be entertained, girlfriend!

5. How good are you at remembering other people’s birthdays?
   OK, this one is one of those things that I think I should be pretty good at, because I usually remember details like how many kids someone has or if they like cats or dogs or traveling, but I’m not good at remembering birthdays.

   Actually, I’m absolutely CRAP at remembering birthdays. They slip through my brain like wind through Swiss cheese (uh…). Seriously, if it wasn’t for the calendar on my iPhone, I’d remember two birthdays — mine and my brother’s, only because his is exactly one week after mine, haha.

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 stance on monogrammed anythings (mugs, towels, jewelry, bags, etc.)?
2. Would you rather wear a single statement bracelet, or a bunch of dainty bracelets?
3. Gummy bears or lemon drops?
4. When was the last time you kissed someone under the mistletoe?
5. How good are you at remembering other people’s birthdays?

Hey, babe! You know it’s the holidays when folks bust out the scented holiday candles.

I started this Frosted Cranberry one from Bath & Body Works the other day, and oh! — so cozy and delicious. My friend Marisol recommended it, and now I’m recommending it to you. 🙂

Speaking of cozy and delicious, I hope that describes the week you’re about to have.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen