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. How are your drawing and/or painting skills?
Passable if I need to convey an idea to someone, but otherwise pretty basic. Both are at the level of eighth grade art class, which was when I peaked artistically, LOL!
2. Have you ever taken or wanted to take a ballet class?
I took a few beginner classes in my 20s when I lived in San Francisco but never quite got into it. I preferred the high energy of hip-hop dance classes. Although, the people in my ballet class were so interesting! There were several high-level football players in the beginner class, and I was always so in awe of their body control.
3. Vegas or Hawaii?
Assuming this decision could be made during non-pandemic times, then Hawaii in a heartbeat, but I wouldn’t say no to Vegas if I only had to be there for 48 hours to eat delicious food and watch live shows.
4. Lotion in a jar: your thoughts?
Ya know, I don’t mind it if it’s body lotion because it’s that much faster for me to scoop it out of a jar than to use a tube or a pump.
5. Backpack or fanny pack?
Although I don’t own one, I wouldn’t mind a fanny pack.
6. Carrots or celery?
Baby carrots all the way!
7. Is it weird for you to wear bright lipstick?
Nah, not at all. I love bright reds, pinks and corals.
8. Yoga or spinning?
Spinning, because I need to sweat today.
9. Last book you finished?
“Klara and the Sun.” Loved it, although I have so many mixed feelings about the ending.
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. How are your drawing and/or painting skills?
2. Have you ever taken or wanted to take a ballet class?
3. Vegas or Hawaii?
4. Lotion in a jar: your thoughts?
5. Backpack or fanny pack?
6. Carrots or celery?
7. Is it weird for you to wear bright lipstick?
8. Yoga or spinning?
9. Last book you finished
P.P.S. Hello there, sweet girl! I hope you treat yourself with kindness and sweetness this week. Please enjoy this beautiful Monday! 🤗
1. How are your drawing and/or painting skills? Quite good. I’ve always loved to sketch.
2. Have you ever taken or wanted to take a ballet class? When I was four, I went to ballet class. That was enough for me.
3. Vegas or Hawaii? Hawaii! I loved the Big Island.
4. Lotion in a jar: your thoughts? Are we talking about body/hand lotion? I like a bottle with a pump. I have arthritis in both hands. Since I apply lotion several times a day, a pump is just so much easier for me. For my purse, I carry a small tube of hand cream with SPF.
5. Backpack or fanny pack? Back in the 60’s and 70’s I did a lot of back packing up in the Sierras so naturally I had a back pack. As for fanny packs, although they are probably convenient or some people, for me they are totally impractical.
6. Carrots or celery? I love raw carrots.
7. Is it weird for you to wear bright lipstick? Yes. I prefer mid-tone or slightly deeper MLBB colors. They are more flattering on my thin lips.
8. Yoga or spinning? Neither. I jog and do resistance training.
9. Last book you finished. J.D. Robb’s “Abandoned in Death”.
1. How are your drawing and/or painting skills?
They used to be quite good but die to arthritis in my hands and a hypermobility disorder even my handwriting is questionable.
2. Have you ever taken or wanted to take a ballet class?
I have taken one, at the circus gym.
3. Vegas or Hawaii?
Hawaii.
4. Lotion in a jar: your thoughts?
I’m currently using one for my feet, Eucerin Roughness Relief Cream, it’s pretty good, but the lotion version in a pump is good too.
5. Backpack or fanny pack?
Backpack! Became indispensable when I was on crutches LOL.
6. Carrots or celery?
Celery is pretty gross, carrots all the way.
7. Is it weird for you to wear bright lipstick?
Not typical but not weird.
8. Yoga or spinning?
Yoga! I’ve been doing pilates lessons though.
9. Last book you finished
Oh man, I don’t remember.
Happy Monday, Karen!
1. How are your drawing and/or painting skills? Very rudimentary…
2. Have you ever taken or wanted to take a ballet class? Yes! I used to take adult beginner classes regularly before my back surgery 6ish years ago and then just kinda fell out of it. I recently started taking virtual classes off/on again and was so happy my body remembers things!
3. Vegas or Hawaii? Also assuming this is non-pandemic, Hawaii. I didn’t love Vegas, have never been to Hawaii.
4. Lotion in a jar: your thoughts? Not my fave. Prefer a pump, mostly for sanitary reasons but also I hate getting lotion under my nails.
5. Backpack or fanny pack? I’ve been converted to a fanny pack. I just got a hiking fanny pack for shorter day hikes and it’s a game changer!
6. Carrots or celery? Carrots!
7. Is it weird for you to wear bright lipstick? Not entirely. I really love corals, but I wear a lot of roses and mauves.
8. Yoga or spinning? Yoga.
9. Last book you finished: uhhhhh I think it was Rich People Problems, back in December (Crazy Rich Asian trilogy).
1. How are your drawing and/or painting skills?
I’ve never been into drawing but I loved art in high school, particularly painting. Not to say I have skills, but I think a class now could be fun.
2. Have you ever taken or wanted to take a ballet class?
When I was in pre-k or kindergarten. I remember I really wanted to wear a tutu. And our teacher had waist length dark hair and always wore a flower behind her ear.
3. Vegas or Hawaii?
HAWAII!!
4. Lotion in a jar: your thoughts?
I have thicker creams that come in a jar and although it’s not as convenient, I like being able to get and use every drop!
5. Backpack or fanny pack?
Backpack.
6. Carrots or celery?
Carrots. But adult, not baby!
7. Is it weird for you to wear bright lipstick?
I don’t typically wear brights so I think so!
8. Yoga or spinning?
Yoga.
9. Last book you finished
The Fall of Anne Boleyn by Claire Ridgeway.
Hope everyone has a great week!
1. How are your drawing and/or painting skills?
So bad!
2. Have you ever taken or wanted to take a ballet class?
I took several years of ballet when I was a kid. I loved it.
3. Vegas or Hawaii?
Vegas, because I don’t do airplanes. Also, the shows!
4. Lotion in a jar: your thoughts?
Convenient, but not very sanitary. (I’m really obsessed now with how unsanitary everyday things are. Thanks, Coronavirus. I really needed help with my germaphobe tendencies.)
5. Backpack or fanny pack?
Mini backpack, or as one of my girls used to call them, pack-packs. 😊
6. Carrots or celery?
Carrots, roasted and topped with pecans and goat cheese.
7. Is it weird for you to wear bright lipstick?
Not in the ‘before times’. Now with the masks, it’s weird for me to wear lipstick at all.
8. Yoga or spinning?
Yoga. I feel like something a bit gentler today.
9. Last book you finished
Before We Visit the Goddess, by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. So good!
1. How are your drawing and/or painting skills? Um….sure…..🙃
2. Have you ever taken or wanted to take a ballet class? Nope, and no interest. I have no interest in dance classes except if I were to take them with my partner.
3. Vegas or Hawaii? Hawaii!
4. Lotion in a jar: your thoughts? Yes!
5. Backpack or fanny pack? Fanny pack and I own one.
6. Carrots or celery? Carrots. Celery is ok with PB or cream cheese a d raisins.
7. Is it weird for you to wear bright lipstick? Nope.
8. Yoga or spinning? Yoga 🙂 I’m doing a 30 day yoga thing…which reminds me… I should find some time to do that today.
9. Last book you finished. Children of the Sea by Daisuke Igarashi. Amazing story and beautiful drawings.
1. How are your drawing and/or painting skills? Pretty good, I am an acrylic artist.
2. Have you ever taken or wanted to take a ballet class? Back when I was 12. Not since.
3. Vegas or Hawaii? Vegas – I live near to a beach.
4. Lotion in a jar: your thoughts? Love it.
5. Backpack or fanny pack? I use my fanny pack daily when walking.
6. Carrots or celery? Either/Or
7. Is it weird for you to wear bright lipstick? Yes
8. Yoga or spinning? Yoga. I like the combination of strength and balance.
9. Last book you finished
1. How are your drawing and/or painting skills?
Quite good in some areas. I was offered a scholarship to Parsons School of Design based on my figure drawings. Landscapes and abstract work, I’m not so strong at. It is a learned skill—natural talent is a thing, but with a good teacher, truly anyone can learn how to draw or paint.
2. Have you ever taken or wanted to take a ballet class?
Yes! But I never found a way to enroll consistently and never excelled at it.
3. Vegas or Hawaii?
Hawaii, I feel, in this moment.
4. Lotion in a jar: your thoughts?
Sure. Why not? Those little scoopy things help when I don’t want to dip my fingers in.
5. Backpack or fanny pack?
Not a huge fan of either. I had a fanny pack when they first came out. Backpacks are great for hiking but not everyday life, for me. Shoulder bags all the way.
6. Carrots or celery?
Celery! I adore the crunch and taste. With peanut butter. Sometimes with cream cheese. Or on its own. Carrots are quite good, too!
7. Is it weird for you to wear bright lipstick?
Not at all. I love the bright pink from Bite—fraise freeze something it other?! It’s awesome. Masks do complicate things, but a KN95 or KF94 stays away from your mouth, so that’s okay.
8. Yoga or spinning?
Neither. Walking, or treadmill when it’s icy. I love biking but rarely have a window for it.
9. Last book you finished
The one I wrote. That was enough work for a long while.
A joyful week to everyone, may everyone celebrate your unique talents!
1. How are your drawing and/or painting skills? Considering I have a BFA and got half way through my MFA, I guess they’re pretty good. Like Amy my figure drawings are better than my other skills. And I agree with her, anyone can learn to draw reasonably if they have a good teacher and put in the effort. When I taught intro to drawing I had a business major take the class and he progressed more than some of the art students who were cocky and lazy.
2. Have you ever taken or wanted to take a ballet class? Yes. Took ballet as a kid and I’ve been taking Zoom ballet classes from the SF Ballet during the pandemic.
3. Vegas or Hawaii? As much as I’d love to spend 48 hours in Vegas for the food and shopping, my first impulse is to always go to Hawaii.
4. Lotion in a jar: your thoughts? Mmm, ok. I guess I could pour it into my hand? But you’re right, it might make applying body lotion quicker than a pump bottle.
5. Backpack or fanny pack? Backpack.
6. Carrots or celery? Either, both.
7. Is it weird for you to wear bright lipstick? Not at all. I love a bright magenta or fuchsia. And I love red lipstick. Although Dear Hubs prefers more neutral colors on me.
8. Yoga or spinning? I guess yoga. Neither are my favorite.
9. Last book you finished “Crying in H Mart” by Michelle Zauner
1. How are your drawing and/or painting skills? I’ve done those paint night events, and I can follow directions fairly well, so those are okay. And I’m an expert doodler. That’s it.
2. Have you ever taken or wanted to take a ballet class? No, it’s not my favorite medium.
3. Vegas or Hawaii? Vegas I think. For the food. Lol!
4. Lotion in a jar: your thoughts? It’s fine. My hands are clean. I find lotion in a jar is usually thicker and I like that.
5. Backpack or fanny pack? Fanny pack. I want to buy one. They’re very convenient! I do need one for dog treats and poo bags when I walk my dogs.
6. Carrots or celery? Ooh, I like both so much. I think the inside stalks of celery are my favorite.
7. Is it weird for you to wear bright lipstick? I do it, not too often, but it’s not weird.
8. Yoga or spinning? Yoga! I need to stretch my body out!
9. Last book you finished? Some trashy romance that I read in the tub on the Kindle. I like a little fluff every now and then.
1. How are your drawing and/or painting skills? I’m pretty good with oil pastels.
2. Have you ever taken or wanted to take a ballet class? I took them when I was little and then again in college.
3. Vegas or Hawaii? Hawaii
4. Lotion in a jar: your thoughts? I like the tubes because it’s easier to get out. I’m not against products in jars though.
5. Backpack or fanny pack? Backpack
6. Carrots or celery? Carrots
7. Is it weird for you to wear bright lipstick? Yes
8. Yoga or spinning? Spinning
9. Last book you finished. Daniel Silva’s “The English Spy”
1. How are your drawing and/or painting skills? A bit rusty but not bad – I was an art major in college
2. Have you ever taken or wanted to take a ballet class? When I was 8 I took a class but we moved that year and my mom never signed me up again
3. Vegas or Hawaii? Hawaii
4. Lotion in a jar: your thoughts? Yes – easier to get it all out
5. Backpack or fanny pack? Backpack. I was a teen in the 80s – no Fanny packs for me
6. Carrots or celery? Carrots
7. Is it weird for you to wear bright lipstick? Yes – I’m a tinted lip balm girl
8. Yoga or spinning? Yoga but have never tried spinning
9. Last book you finished. I can’t remember- I read so many
1. How are your drawing and/or painting skills?
Lol. Non existent 😆
2. Have you ever taken or wanted to take a ballet class?
Tap dance when I was a youngster. I hated it. I was dreadful at it.
3. Vegas or Hawaii?
I always have awful imagery of Vegas, so Hawaii.
4. Lotion in a jar: your thoughts?
No, I prefer pump bottles.
5. Backpack or fanny pack?
Either, probably lean towards fanny pack/ bum bag though.
6. Carrots or celery?
I read somewhere that celeries contain negative calories, as in you use more calories eating it!
7. Is it weird for you to wear bright lipstick?
Definitely not! I always rock brights lips more often than not 👄👄👄
8. Yoga or spinning?
Ugh. Not spinning. My PT had an assault bike and I had nicknamed it “Satan’s bike”.
9. Last book you finished
The Spy’s Wife by Fiona McIntosh. It was ok. I am really looking forward to Sarah J. Maas’ new release The House of Sky and Breath 😀
1. How are your drawing and/or painting skills?
I can paint a wall. Other than that, my skills are nonexistent.
2. Have you ever taken or wanted to take a ballet class?
I always wanted to but don’t recall doing it. I did love jazz and modern dance classes in college.
3. Vegas or Hawaii?
Vegas. I’ve heard the restaurants there are fantastic.
4. Lotion in a jar: your thoughts?
Great as long as you use clean hands or a spatula to apply. Recyclable container is a plus.
5. Backpack or fanny pack?
Fanny pack.
6. Carrots or celery?
Carrots.
7. Is it weird for you to wear bright lipstick?
Yes.
8. Yoga or spinning?
Yoga. I could use a stretch.
9. Last book you finished?
I…can’t recall the name. Blame menopause fog!
Still technically Monday on the West Coast so here we go!
1. How are your drawing and/or painting skills?
Passable, except painting. I paint like a 5 year old.
2. Have you ever taken or wanted to take a ballet class?
Yes. I did ballet for 5 years.
3. Vegas or Hawaii?
Hawaii.
4. Lotion in a jar: your thoughts?
Does the jar come with a pump top? HA HA HA HA. I always drop things.
5. Backpack or fanny pack?
Anti-theft backpack. Y’all, that means the zipper in on the back on the backpack. I have one and it’s awesome.
6. Carrots or celery?
NEITHER. I hate both!
7. Is it weird for you to wear bright lipstick?
No.
8. Yoga or spinning?
I could use some serious yoga right now. I’m so sore.
9. Last book you finished
I just finished rereading The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman. I’ve read it five times now.
Hey Kate,
What’s the brand of your anti-theft backpack?
It’s a Pincnel (I’ll leave a link.) When I originally was going to go to Hawaii (now my cruise), I really looked at lists of things business people, frequent hikers (and other outdoorsy people) and frequent travelers recommend and compiled a list of most recommended luggage, anti-theft items (fanny packs, backpacks, etc), travel items, outdoor items, etc. From there, I really picked out what would work for me, even outside of travel.
I got the bag in a size large and in the khaki colorway. It comes with a passport cover (which my terrier thought was a toy so scratch that. I got a nice leather one instead) and a perfumed sachet that was immediately tossed. Very roomy and has held up to the abuse of a terrier so far (that says something.) Also highly recommend the Nomader water bottle to stuff in it.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07J5SSGX3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
That’s really cute and very affordable! Thank you for sharing it!
How are your drawing and/or painting skills? OK if it’s a technical drawing, otherwise it’s 3rd grade level.
2. Have you ever taken or wanted to take a ballet class? I took ballet from age 4 through High School. Unfortunately, I have really short legs for my height (my brother called me “hamster legs”) so a career in dance was not an option.
3. Vegas or Hawaii? Hawaii!
4. Lotion in a jar: your thoughts? I use a bee balm that’s in a jar in the winter but otherwise, lotion is so much quicker.
5. Backpack or fanny pack? Fanny pack.
6. Carrots or celery? Carrots
7. Is it weird for you to wear bright lipstick? Yes, with red hair and ruddy cheeks bright lipstick is a bit much. I do have a Chanel red for special occasions though.
8. Yoga or spinning? Yoga
9. Last book you finished Behind the Lens by Jeannée Sacken
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1. How are your drawing and/or painting skills? I’m okay with drawing. Definitely not the best…or the worse.
2. Have you ever taken or wanted to take a ballet class? No
3. Vegas or Hawaii? Hawaii
4. Lotion in a jar: your thoughts? It doesn’t bother me. At least you can get all of the product out easily.
5. Backpack or fanny pack? Backpack. With the kids…I love having a backpack to throw things in.
6. Carrots or celery? Carrots
7. Is it weird for you to wear bright lipstick? For the past 2 years I have only got to wear lipstick a few times (Masks are horrible for makeup lovers☹) …But normally I would definitely rock a bright red.
8. Yoga or spinning? Yoga
9. Last book you finished Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. I got hooked on the Netflix series (Shadow & Bone) and I’m reading all of the books.
That series is so good! I read it a few years ago and really enjoyed it.
1. How are your drawing and/or painting skills? Nearly non-existent, my sister got all the artistic skills in our family.
2. Have you ever taken or wanted to take a ballet class? I would have loved to have taken ballet classes when I was about the Coywolf’s age, but a) my parents didn’t have the money, and b) I had the flexibility but not the strength. As an adult I have been diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, so I’m kind of glad now that I didn’t, it could have ended up ruining me.
3. Vegas or Hawaii? Hawaii all the way! Casinos and bright lights don’t do it for me.
4. Lotion in a jar: your thoughts? I like the ease of using a pump, but I hate that you can never get the last bit out. So I prefer a jar.
5. Backpack or fanny pack? I have a little across shoulder bag that is not quite a fanny pack that I use.
6. Carrots or celery? Carrots, never have liked celery.
7. Is it weird for you to wear bright lipstick? Yes, I mostly just wear nude lip glosses 🙂
8. Yoga or spinning? Yoga if I have to pick one, but I prefer strength training as a workout of choice.
9. Last book you finished – Wind in the Willows. I read it years ago and saw it again in my library collection, and decided to re-read. I still like it 🙂