9things

I feel like I’m always writing lists. Like this morning, for example, I was writing in my journal, just jotting down my plans for the day, when I started thinking about things that I find myself doing all the time — ya know, stuff that happens over and over again. In my case, it’s opening cans of gravy, trying to find my iPhone (if I had a nickel for every time I asked El Hub to “call my phone for me…”), wanting another pair of shoes that I probably wouldn’t be able to walk in, and, of course, writing lists like these. 🙂

We probably all have things like that, right? — things we feel like we do over and over again. Well, here are nine of mine. I’d also love to read some of yours.

“I feel like I’m always…”

1. Buying Giant Pet Hair Rollers (that’s actually what they’re called) from Target

CRAZY CAT LADY MOMENT: Sometimes I like to think that Tabs inherited his thick, dark hair from his mother (aka me)… LOL! I know, I know.

When we first started “working” together, I’d originally thought Tabs’ short fur wouldn’t be a problem, but homeboy sheds like a mofo!

I stash lint rollers throughout the house, but they only help so much; his fur still gets everywhere — on my jeans, my shirts, and even my face.

Once, I actually used a lint roller on my face…

Whatever, it worked. 🙂

2. Recharging camera batteries

You may not know this about me, but I take a lot of pictures (kidding). There’s always at least one outlet around me recharging batteries for a camera or other electronic device.

SIDE NOTE: Every so often someone asks about my camera equipment. If you’re interested, here’s a post with the deets and a couple of hopefully helpful camera tips.

3. Washing the blender

I’ve been on a smoothie kick since early spring, so my blender’s been getting a lot of use. Sure, I’ve saved the money I would have spent on Jamba Juice, but my fruit bill has gone through the roof!

Smoothies are just so…irresistible. They’re easy to make and pack plenty of fiber and protein (I like to add plain, non-fat yogurt). I think they’re especially great after a run.

Mmm…mango lassi…

4. Spraying MAC Turquatic on my wrists

Back in late spring when it was raining every day and folks were wondering, “where’s summer?” — I finally figured out the answer to that. MAC had it, and they put it in every bottle of Turquatic.

I got an extra bottle earlier this year when it looked like the scent was being discontinued. Thankfully, it’s staging a comeback next month.

5. Starting from scratch

Wish I could say I was one of those kick-@ss robot people who never got tired and always knew exactly what they were doing, but alas, I’m not.

I feel like I’m constantly having to re-learn things I could have sworn I already knew, and making many of the same mistakes over and over again.

It’s downright exhausting, to tell you the truth, so I just try to take things one day at a time.
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Do you ever see something at work or at home, or realize something about yourself, and say, “I never expected…” — like, “I never expected to like Brussels sprouts” or “I never expected to have 23 cats”?

Some things make you go “Hmm…” Others, like the things on this list I started yesterday in my journal, make you go “Who’d a thunk it?”

Here are nine (beauty and otherwise) things I never expected to see or do in my life. If you feel like joining in, please share yours in the comments (and you don’t have to list nine). 🙂

I never expected…

1. To have my wardrobe revolve around my cat

I noticed the other day while looking in my closet that I pick a lot of my clothes based on how well I think they’ll disguise black, orange and gray tabby fur. For instance, I don’t have a single pair of white pants, and I always think about how much Tabs is shedding at any given time before pulling out an outfit to wear.

That’s weird, right?

2. To always have a pair of tiny tweezers in my purse

Why? Because I have chin hairs like mushrooms that just sort of appear out of nowhere in the blink of an eye. Where do they come from? What purpose do they serve? Are they an omen of some kind? And why do they always, ALWAYS pop up in the middle of the day?

Thank goodness for Tweezerman. Without those tiny tweezers I could be walking around with a goatee.

3. Getting older to be so hard

To quote my oh-so-eloquent optometrist, “Growing older isn’t for wimps.” This, she said to me as she prescribed stronger glasses.
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You know what they say, right? “It’s the simple things.” The simple pleasures, like sleeping in, an ice-cold Coca Cola on a hot day, a new tube of lipstick, a good hair day, a tender kiss, a comforting smile, a good hug, a stranger holding open the door, a few words of encouragement.

What are some of the simple pleasures you’ve been enjoying lately? Here are some of mine, in no particular order.

I can’t wait to hear yours. 🙂

1. Lounging by the pool

My favorite part of last weekend wasn’t the plate of killer fries I had with that delicious veggie burger at the mall (although it was delicious). Nope, last weekend nirvana took the shape of my bum parked in a lounge chair by the neighborhood pool.

And I didn’t do any web surfing, blogging, tweeting or texting at all while I was there. Instead, I resisted the urge to plug in and just tried to focus on my thoughts for a while.

It was nice.

2. Going for a walk with Tabs

El jefe insists that I take him for a walk around the complex first thing every morning so that he may survey his vast domain. Thankfully, he usually allows me to finish a cup of coffee first (milk and sugar, please!).

I actually really enjoy it, especially now that it’s warm, and I can go out in shorts, a tank top and flip-flops. Tabs, of course, typically wears his usual business casual attire.

3. Homemade smoothies

They’re easy to make with the help of a blender or food processor, and so much cheaper than Jamba Juice (which I love!). I usually go with whatever fresh fruit I have on hand. This week’s receipe calls for strawberries, bananas, honey-flavored Greek yogurt, orange juice and ice, yum!

I like to have one right after a run as my post-workout recovery drink. They’re great for a quick shot of carbs and protein to keep the muscle soreness at bay, and I think they’re also easy on my stomach.

4. Seeing pics of pets with EvRev

Don’t tell Tabs, but I have a crush on Wally (he lives with MBB reader Alka)

Every time I open an email with a pic of a furry friend posing with a tube of MAC Evolution Revolution Lipglass, I do a little dance in my chair. 🙂

Ted the dog hearts Stef!
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It never hurts to take stock of the things that’ve made a difference and influenced your life in positive ways. Here’s my list, in no particular order. Can’t wait to read yours. 🙂

(Oh, and because this is MBB, feel free to mix in both beauty related and non-beauty related things!)

9 Things That Made a Difference

1. More sleep

When I was in high school and college, I would pride myself on being able to whirl through my days on five or six hours of sleep, but when I hit my mid-20s, and it happened almost suddenly in fact, I started waking up cranky and feeling groggy all the time.

I figured out the problem after I went to bed early one night, hours before my usual bedtime. The next morning I felt like a new girl, all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. I could have been a superhero with all of the energy coursing through my veins.

Crap! I’d been sleep deprived for almost a decade.

My sweet spot seems to be about eight hours of sleep, and when I’m able to get it, not only do I mentally and physically function better, but I see the difference in the mirror. My dark circles look less dark and scary, and I don’t break out as much.

Now, every so often, I go through bouts of insomnia (so annoying), but I really try to get as much sleep as I can. Going to bed early at least once a week helps.

2. Getting a pet

Rather, allowing myself to be adopted by a cat. 🙂 Tabs turned out to be one of the happiest accidents of my adult life. I always had pets growing up, but when I left home for college and moved in with roommates, furry companions weren’t allowed. And then five years ago Tabs entered my life hired me as his assistant, and now I laugh and love so much more with him in my life. ‘Nuff said.

3. Exercising regularly

I wasn’t athletic as a kid and barely ever exercised through high school and early college. Then, during my junior year, while I was going through a bad breakup, a friend invited me to her kickboxing class. I was filled with anger at the time, and when she said, “You can beat the living crap out of a heavy bag,” I said, “When do we leave?”

It was a great emotional release. Needless to say, I started going on a regular basis and soon added jogging, and then a membership to a gym. Within a few months, I was over the breakup, sleeping better at night and was a full dress size smaller.

Over the years, I’ve gone through phases where I haven’t exercised at all, but I always feel better when I resume. Nowadays, I mostly exercise on a treadmill, which I try to do at least four times a week.

4. Taking risks

Some things aren’t worth the risk, but other things are. Six years ago (gosh, has it been that long?), I left a steady corporate job in the legal field (I was a legal assistant) to make a run at writing full time.

I wrestled with the decision for years. I didn’t want to make a horrible mistake, and the corporate job was secure. I knew I’d miss the pay (damn those golden handcuffs), but I was also very unhappy and totally uninspired. I felt that if I stayed there for purely financial reasons, I’d grow more and more bitter over time.

So I resigned (scary!). First, I landed a gig working at a literary agency, where I started freelancing for magazines on the side.

Looking back now, I only wish I’d done it sooner. Taking that leap was one of the best decisions of my life because it led to Makeup and Beauty Blog, and it introduced me to you. 🙂

5. Learning to love my hair

It took some growing up and several bad haircuts, but now I love my wavy hair. It’s part of my identity, and now I can’t imagine NOT being a curly girl.
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The cat and I are a package deal

If 41% of all tweets are considered pointless babble, does that mean the other 59% are awesome little pearls of wisdom like this one that crossed my path last week?

Someone posited the following for consideration: “I could never date ______.”

Hilarity (and zillions of retweets) ensued. 🙂

Even though El Hub and I have been together since the dawn of time (roughly a decade), I still remember what it was like to be lookin’ for love in all the wrong places.

Here are nine things on my “I could never date______” list. What’s on yours?

1. Someone who really, really loves earthworms

He could be perfect in every other way, but if he kept earthworms as pets or owned an earthworm farm, our relationship would not go far.

2. Someone who hates my cat

What can I say? Tabs and I have a relationship that my male friend would simply have to accept. I definitely need a dude who’s down with the kittehs.

3. Someone with a dramatically different perspective on punctuation

I’m no card-carrying member of the punctuation police, but, homie, better, know, the, basics, if you catch my drift.

One of the boys I dated ended every sentence with an ellipsis.

Hi… How was your day… Mine was great… I spent all day listening to old Stevie Wonder records… Now I’m making myself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich…

Drove me nuts! Of course, he was a DJ and knew music like the back of his hand, which leads me to…

4. Someone with uncompromising taste in music

Music’s always been a big part of my life, and I’ve always tried to keep an open mind about different genres, unlike some of the dudes I dated. One of them would only listen to techno — constantly. Another absolutely hated hip-hop (sacrilege!).

Old school!
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I was panning for gold (aka wasting time) on Vimeo last weekend when my mouse and I came across I Am, a short documentary in which a series of different people finish a sentence that starts, “I am…” Their answers are so revealing — sometimes cheeky, other times deeply moving — that I thought it would make a great topic for a 9 Things list. 🙂

1. I am a daughter, sister, wife, friend and crazy cat mom.
2. I am afraid that if I have a child I might not be a good mother. I mean, I know I won’t be a monster or anything like that mom in Precious, but sometimes I think I’m too moody and not nearly maternal enough. Friends with babies tell me not to worry. They say, “You’ll be fine, Karen. Your instincts will kick in.” I don’t know… I’d like to believe they’re right.
3. I am still trying to lose the same 15 pounds I gained 10 years ago. Apparently, something ain’t working, but I will NEVER GIVE UP THE FIGHT!
4. I am currently obsessed with goat cheese.
5. I am worried that my life is passing me by.
6. I am eternally grateful to my parents. We’ve hit a few bumps along the way (who hasn’t?), but as a kid I always felt protected, loved and safe.
7. I am funny? — and creative, spontaneous, inquisitive, musical, stubborn and outgoing.
8. I am perpetually five minutes late. I started wearing a watch 24/7, but truth be told it hasn’t helped at all.
9. I am not getting enough sleep. Concealer is my BFF, fo’ reals.

Would you like to give this a try (please do)? It can be very illuminating! Complete the sentence, “I am…” and share as much (or as little) as you’d like.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Happy hump day!