Maybe Today

I haven't been posting lately because I've been working morning, noon, and night quite literally. Owning a business is fun because you get to be your own boss, but when the money comes around busting ass is not up for refusal. I have been to NY city and back on Monday and Newport, RI and back today, with another two days in Boston coming right up. Traveling is exhausting, and I am pooped.

So I have been thinking about spring/summer shopping and the thought of going to the mall makes me feel weird inside, because I can picture my sorry self tottering around and not finding anything good to buy. Thus I have been searching around the internet for small(er) companies who specialize in sustainable fabrics without breaking the bank...as I am sure you have all heard me crowing about recently, I am striving for quality vs. quantity, a piece that costs a little more but I will love vs. 3 pieces that are cheap but don't I don't feel so much like a million bucks in.

I found some very wonderful yoga pants from OmGirl- their nomad pants are amazing. Soft, -plushy, but not by any means fleece-y or too sweatshirt-y. I could literally live in these, and that is exactly the phrase that got me to buy them at http://www.barefootyoga.com/. You need to understand that yoga pants are a staple in my work apparel, as I NEED to be comfortable to focus on art, especially when I have to make folded paper look like someone's face. I've tried looking all professional and having the career attire, like "banker pants" or button down shirts but always end up cranky about it, unless of course the banker pants are so comfortable, or the button down shirts actually button down without the infamous keyhole pop right at the bra area.

I would love to make, or design at least, my own apparel, but haven't the time. When I started silhouettes I was all "oh, I will have time to do whatever I want to do, no 9-5 for me" but instead it is like swallowing my entire life at this point. Which will change, I know, and I AM happy to be making the cake right now.

Another obsession has been gladiator sandals...not "gladiator inspired", but the real freakin' deal...strappy sandals that go over my calf, up to the knee, and are not those silly shoelace looking sandals that you are somehow supposed to lace up your leg and have them stay up without having little bulges inbetween (impossible! unless you are a pro tennis player, in which case I salute you.) This idea may go the way of the fanny pack, but as I have been searching for them for several summers now I really doubt it. So, if you see me looking like a roman soldier the next time we meet, please congratulate me on it. Really.

The Body Is a Temple...?

I've been doing some thinking on that issue lately. Ok, just maybe today.

As you all know, I smoke cigarettes and have for a long time...8+ years at this point. This freaks me out- that is a long time to have gone by and I barely even noticed as the years disappeared.

At this point in my life I will have to wholeheartedly admit I am addicted and that, instead of making me feel guilty anymore, makes me very, very angry. I'm pissed that I have developed such a penchant for poison and I'm even angrier that it will be a long painful process to develop better habits, and that I may always want to smoke a cigarette. Jesus! What a pain in the f*ing ass.

I don't feel all high on my horse about it today, I feel uncomfortable. I have no choice but to stop, my body tells me, but the gnawing sensation that I want something to take up the space in my hands and punctuate my moments never quits.

Hair

Yesterday I went out on a limb and got my hair cut, colored, and highlighted. This is a big deal for me because I have been struggling with my hair for centuries...from dreads to shaving it ALL OFF twice, cutting it myself and experimenting with many unsuccessful home dye jobs that inevitably sent me running to the salon to have it corrected, and costing millions.

Since I have grown older and wiser, the extent of my hair daring has been limited to a straight trim, growing it out, and dye-ing it occassionally with a conservative color not unlike my own natural color.

I don't know if is Spring or a general sense of happy freedom, but I went to the salon and got many choppy layers, red, and some blonde highlights. Not skunk blonde, but little strands allover. I KNOW this is trendy, I have already heard it from our venerable in-house style maven (Ryan), but I just couldn't help myself! So, if you see me and you don't like it, thats really Ok. Just let me know, cause I will know you are lying if you don't. HEh. I think it's bitchin'...feels lighter and younger, cause you know, I'm so freakin' OLD already.

Annabella Rose

Haley's new baby girl!

She is several weeks old, but still deserves a great big welcome! I am TOTALLY in love with Miss Annabella Rose!

Phew

Yesterday was great. I was at the house clearing brush, raking, chopping down trees (well, ok, my dad was chopping them down.) and generally busting my ass. It felt good though, and with the ipod I barely noticed the time. (I don't think we will have to replace the septic, fingers crossed...jury is still out on that one.)

Let me tell you, there is a whole lotta shiz in that yard. It was not noticeable at first, but when we started raking, it was like a redneck archaeological jackpot. I think these folks literally just threw their trash in the yard.

A PARTIAL list of what has been uncovered:

1. The remains of a deck that was torn down.
2. Toys, toys, toys... a dinosaur, turtle, Stone Cold Steve Austin action figure, half of Spiderman, to name a few
3. Random boots and shoes
3. Ore Ida Potato Puffs bags, soda bottles, half full bottles of Arrow Blackberry Brandy
4. Rakes, shovels
5. Hoses
6. Dog collar
7. Broken glass
8. Beads and little bits of plastic everywhere, probably from broken toys
9. Pooper scooper and cat box
10. About 15 basketballs, baseballs, wiffle balls, bats, and soccer balls

And this is just the beginning of the treasures we have found. When we first looked at the house, which was last summer, the foreclosure/mortgage people had come in with two huge dumpsters and cleaned the house OUT. I'm glad they did cause when I saw the dumpster full of trash/furniture/wall to wall carpet soaked in cat pee last year, I was not sorry I didn't get to help with that project. Yuck!

Also, there are several tree houses, dog houses, and makeshift animal pens in the back yard, or rather the back woods. Lots of trash everywhere there, too. They kept chickens and goats so that must have been where they lived. They did a great job with the animal pens, sinking concrete and metal poles into the ground so that should be fun to dig out. ha.

True Story- this was in the newspaper last year, I'm not making it up!
I guess the folks who owned the house before us, (after being foreclosed on,) found a bag of money on the side of the road. (WHO finds a bag of money on the side of the road???) Anyway, apparently it feel off an armored car. Since loose lips sink ships, the people who found the money were caught- and it was discovered that they had invested the $10,000 from the bag into: XBoxes, Playstations, Wii, 4 wheelers, junk, etc.
Dude. If I found 10k, firstly I wouldn't tell anyone. Secondly, I might go on a mild shopping spree. But I would definitely not squander my good fortune on freakin' game systems and a buncha shiz that devalued as soon as it left the store.