Tuesday's Twins Vol.1

I will post another set of twins later as promised. But for now, tell me you all didn't see that one coming!!

A New Perspective

Someone at work sent me a quote today, and given what I was feeling yesterday, its relevance to me really hit home. Let me share:

Frederick Douglass:
Those who profess to favor freedom and yet depreciate agitation, are people who want crops without ploughing the ground; they want rain without thunder and lightning; they want the ocean without the roar of its many waters. The struggle may be a moral one, or it may be a physical one, or it may be both. But it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without a demand; it never has and it never will.

I have been letting my stress overpower my life. I have been letting the struggles of daily life get me down, and maybe I need to take a new perspective on it. Maybe, just maybe, all of this daily struggle I've been experiencing lately is leading to some great thing in my life. It may not, but the hope that it may be is enough to help me chill out and relax a bit.

My grandmother has always said that the best things in life are often the hardest to obtain. I think I need to view this daily struggle I've been going through as a struggle to obtain peace of mind. Then I can be more proactive and positive in my thinking. Maybe if my attitude changes it will get easier to handle.

It's worth a shot...

Meltdown Ahoy!

This year has been pretty rough so far. A lot of drama has completely taken over my life and I'm so mad about it I cannot find the words. The last 2 weeks everyone has been on eggshells around me because I have been so touchy. I know I'm headed for the mother of all meltdowns and at this point I'd hazard that just about anything could set it off.

I have tried all the normal avenues of stress relief but it's just not working. The wierdest thing is that work has been the one place that I can relax a little bit. I feel my calmest at work because I feel that I have less demanded of me at work I suppose.

I have left the house with no makeup on and my hair thrown up in a quick ponytail more days than I have looking decent. I do care, but when it comes down to it, no matter how early I get up, everything that can come up does until I have little to no time to take care of myself. That is one thing that is really getting to me.

If I have touched something in the last two weeks, chances are it is lost now. I think I have spent about half of my time over the last few weeks looking for something I just laid down a second ago. I am forgetting where I put everything lately. I am one of those people who obsess over a lost object, no matter how insignificant it is to me, I just need to know where I put it because I won't be able to relax until I do. It's like I'm losing my mind.

I can't sleep lately. No matter what I do, no matter what I try I just cannot fall asleep and stay asleep. My mind will not shut down at night and in the mornings I toss and turn waiting for the alarm to go off.

Finally, no one can say the words "marriage" or "baby" to me without me getting super-defensive. I don't want either right now and it seems to be what everyone thinks I need. It really doesn't help that ALL of my family all live within a short drive of each other. We all see each other all the time, and we are all as opinionated as each other.

I have been trying to just clear my head of all the BS but lately it has just been near about impossible.

So, I'm appealing for suggestions. I'm going to end up having a very un-fabulous meltdown soon if I can't find an effective way to decompress, and we just can't have that. What works for you? I'm willing to try anything.

Double twins tomorrow

I know I dropped the ball last week but tomorrow you will have 2 sets of twins to brighten up your Tuesday, I promise!

Who saw that coming?

Well last week's Shear Genius had me totally floored. I know, everyone says that. But what floored me was not so much that Tabatha got booted, but how well Bravo was able to make her out to be the bad guy before booting her.

Let's face it, Bravo will take a character that no one has previously had any problems with or a character we like, and prior to booting them, they have to show us some footage that somehow makes it seem like they were in some way villanous. I guess they think we will think the person had it coming all of a sudden, and Bravo can point to the villanous footage as justification. It is an openly manipulative strategy that is surprisingly effective.

That is not to say that Bravo fabricates flaws in people. They don't. The footage you see is real, even if it is edited to within an inch of its life. But I have rarely seen the tables turned on a character like they were on my dear Tabs.

She went from the tough-love talent to a Shrieking Harridan in one episode. Ugh.

This is not to pull the blame off Tabs' shoulders. Mere weeks ago she was pontificating to Evangelin on professionalism, and 2 weeks later she is unloading petty BS drama to what is supposed to be a bride on her wedding day. GIRL!!! I have to commend that bride for not asking Tabs to shut the hell up and just fix my hair.

Also, bad model choice. It is far harder to create a look of continuity when your models all have different hair color. Drastically different hair color. I think that's what actually saved Boogie and Ben. They may have had drastically different styles going on, but it was all the same color hair and that made it look marginally more continuous.

Anyhow, now that Tabs is gone, the title is Daisy's for the taking. If our cute little Cuban can just hold it together through the end and not fall apart, she has this thing. But I know better than to count my chickies before they have hatched. I'm eagerly anticipating the next twist in this wonderful little competition.

No Vegas but Still Fabulous!

Well, I didn't win any prizes or trips, but I didn't have to get up on stage and make a complete ass out of myself in front of half of the town, so its okay, my heart will mend :)

Lucky Ducky

This week is Employee Appreciation Week at work. They have been giving us incentive items (this year it was a nice jacket with the company logo and an insulated lunch bag along with a thermos) and holding daily drawings for an array of prizes from Spectrum gas cards to shares of stock in the company.

Tomorrow I will be attending out EAW celebration. The company holds a yearly event where we gather and to thank us for our hard work they give out loads of money and prizes. They also draw names to attend this Aflac convention (this year it will be in Vegas) and who would say no to an all expense paid vacation on the company... you don't even have to use any of your own vacation time to go...

The drawings are held for employees who have been here for 5-year increments. Usually if you have been here 30+ years, you get to go de facto.

They also hand out prizes for the best idea that has saved the company money. I have submitted a few ideas this year so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. 1st prize is $3,000 and a front-row parking spot.

So tomorrow I will not be able to keep up with the blog conversations, but I might bring home a prize or two. I'll let you guys know how it went bright and early Monday morning!!

Hats off to you!

Irish Milliner Philip Treacy creates some wild haute couture hat fashions. I have been to 2 of his Dublin shows, and these hats are more like sculptures attached to models' heads. What do you think??

Tuesday's Twins

Today is the day for the Ladies in Red. Katherine Heigl and Kate Bosworth are sister-worthy today if you ask me. There are pictures out there that show off their similarities more prominently, but I'm in a red mood today.

Your Supermodel Name

The PRGayBoys blogged about my favorite movie Funny Face this morning. In the comments Bill gave us an interesting bit of trivia, as per usual.

The most fabulous Dovima (who was featured in this wonderful movie) was originally named Dorothy Virginia Margaret Juba. Do you see where they got Do-Vi-Ma from?

So, I'm going to take my name and create a supermodel name out of it.

My supermodel name is : Rolywi

Create your supermodel name and post it. Go ahead, it'll be fun :)

Shear Genius V. Top Design

Tonight is a new Episode of Shear Genius and I won't be missing it. I used to never watch Top Design until a rerun of it fit into my schedule. Why are these shows so dofferent? I have a few theories...

1) The judges respect edginess and risk-taking, but it has to look good above anything else.

In the first challenge on the quick cut challenge, many competitors came up with some really wacky designs, no doubt thinking that like Project Runway and Top Design, you would get an automatic "in" for being so wildly creative. And what happened? One of the best competitors ended up on the bottom because she took edginess a step too far. It has to look good on this show to make it. The judges do see potential in creativeness, but you have to pull it off or they will send you packing, and this is what judging should be on all the shows.

I think on Top Design (and even Project Runway) creativity can be held in too high esteem when it turns out some fugly results. People that should be sent home don't get sent home because they have a "strong point of view," even if it is a strong UGLY point of view. It is so refreshing to see the people with the crappiest designs go home first.

2) The judges aren't afraid to chastise or be mean.

Criticism can be tough to take, but it is the only thing that will help a designer grow. I found it hard to take watching Jonathan Adler be so saccharine sweet during judging. Margaret Russell was a bit better but they should have let her loose. Even Kelly Wearstler was a little bit tougher, but not by much. Bitchiness makes for good tv. We love Nina G and Michael K because they are so bitchy. We love it even more when one of the designers gets their feelings hurt and decides to lash out at the judges. DEEEEEELISH!!

3) We have a Mentor

While Rene Fris' English may not be the most desirable, I don't think anyone will argue that his ass sure is!! He may not possess the same rapier wit as Tim Gunn, but he sure is fun to look at. And he doesn't sound like he is reading a bedtime story to us (even though I wouldn't mind him tucking me in anytime it has to be said.) He is sometimes harsh on the hairdressers and we love this!!

4) We actually get to see some of the process

We are watching this show to see what the contestants can do. While the judging adds a level of tension, it is by no means the whole show. I watch this show in contrast to other kinds of reality TV shows because I like seeing someone do something they have a talent for. I also love to see the contestants interacting with each other more. It gives me a better feel for theit personalities and it creates its own kind of drama. The fun kind.


So in conclusion...

I am looking forward to the next episode. I can't wait to see what crazy thing Evangelin will do or say. I can't wait to see who Tabatha's next victim will be, and I really can't wait until someone sends Tyson crashing back down to planet Earth.

You see, Bravo made me care about the people on the show. Imagine that!!

My dream bed

I love the lines of art deco furniture. To me it just brings together arts and crafts style attention to detail and use of rich woods and modern lines.

I cannot get this bed as it has been sold, but they may have another in a darker wood come available soon. I really love it...

Off to the beach

Or, to a boat to be more precise. Every year my uncle organizes a deep-sea fishing trip for his employees. He pays for the boat, gas, and hotel. This year, he is taking all his employees and as a bonus for the crappy year we have had, he is also taking me, my daughter, my mom and dad. My boyfriend works for him so he gets to go automatically.

A couple of my aunts will be going as well. They will almost certainly want to hit the beach, but mot me. I'm slathering on 2+ coats of SPF 70 and putting on my floppy straw hat and my linen clothes, and I'm going deep sea fishing.

As much as I hate freshwater fishing, I LOVE deep sea fishing. Mainly because I never have to worry about catching anything and I can just spend my time enjoying being on a boat out in the ocean.

In the unlikely even that I get a bite, I usually hand the rod over to my dad who is always more than happy to reel it in for me and handle the fish, as I am petrified of them.

When I say that I am afraid of fish I mean it. A boat is hopefully the closest I will ever come to interaction with marine life. And aquariums. I like looking at fish as long as I have the reassurance they can't get to me. My dad wanted me to learn deep sea diving with him, my mother and my brother. I did fine in the tank, but on my first excursion into open water I hyperventilated as soon as I saw a little fish.

I went on vacation to Chattanooga as well and they had an underwater excursion show at the IMAX 3D theater. I wanted to watch Harry Potter but I got outvoted and we went to the ocean show. This was a bad idea. I can't tell you all how many times I jumped and yelped through that show.

I used to practically LIVE in the water when I was younger. No one, not even I can understand why I have developed this phobia. There is no traumatic event to point back to. The only thing I can blame is possibly a picture I saw once, with a HUGE whale and this teeny tiny boat next to it... only the boat was a 35ft boat. Hardly teeny tiny.

I think it sunk into me at that point just how big some creatures in the ocean are. It didn't help that soon after that there were a string of shark attacks around the FL/GA/AL coasts. No thanks.

Smartie Pants

I made a wonderful discovery 2 weeks ago. I have a 4 year old that can add. We were just going down the road and we passed a 55MPH sign. Out of nowhere my four-year-old tells me with conviction "Mommy 5 and 5 are 10." I was a little surprised. I asked her how she learned to add, and she just huffed in that cute little way that she does and said (with total disdain to my ignorance.) "Mommy, it's really simple. All you do is hold up 5 fingers on both hands and count all the fingers. DUH."

Well, color me surprised. (I'm pretty used to her sass... she learned it from me)

But my little girl can add. As long as the numbers she needs to add are less than the number of fingers she has on her hands. I asked her how many 7 plus 7 was, and she stared at me and said "I can't add 7 and 7 mommy because I only have 5 fingers." Oh. Stupid me.

But she is getting there. This week I started teaching her the concept of subtraction. She is catching on really quickly. Her strengths are definitely math and art. Just like me, only better at them than I was at her age.

Tuesday's Twins

Britney Spears and Lacey from Bravo's Shear Genius.

I know I'm probably not the first to make the correlation, but it is undeniable. I saw it the first time I watched the show.

Pictures of my garden

These pictures are poor quality because they were taken with my cell phone, and at a bad time of day, but you get the picture. Also, they are over 2 weeks old. I'll get newer ones I promise.

This is the front flower bed. I have some yellow daylillies in the front and purple-leaf lorapetilium starting against the wall. They will grow up similar to boxwoods but with a nice deep red/purple colored leaf.

I don't know how much you can see (again I apologize for poor pic quality, but here is the garden you first see when you drive up. There is a small goldfish pond and I planted pink gardenias as well as pink gerber daisies. This is a slightly better picture of the garden with the fish pond. This is a 2-tier raised bed. The top bed has wild daylilies, and the bottom 4 beds have Marigolds and Lettice growing in them.

A worthy challenge

I have been watching Shear Genuis on Bravo and I love this show!! I have also envisioned a wonderful challenge that would test the best of hairdressers.

Get together a few small girls around 3-4 years old who have butchered their hair themselves, and tell the contestants that they have to fix the hair, and make it look intentional.

I can personally attest to how hard that is. My little girl butchered her hair a few months ago and you can still see some of the places she hacked at today. After 2 repair hair cuts.

Children's hair is usually more difficult to cut anyway, because it is so fine and because kids are more prone to cowlicks, and hair wanting to go in different directions. If their hair wants to lay to the left, 65mph winds and all the Aqua Net you could muster could not get it to lay to the right.

I say put the hairdressers in the hot seat with the kids and watch them squirm! Plus, I really really really want to see Tabatha interact with a small child. I'll even volunteer my child for the job, tee hee hee.

Modern Dollhouse

Here is an awesome dollhouse that is very modern.

I know this would not appeal in any way to my daughter. She is just too prissy. But I thought this was a very neat idea that appealed to the other end of the spectrum on little girls looking for a dollhouse. They were designed by Christoph Bitzer and Wolfgang Sirch. It has plexiglass sliding doors, beech furnishings, a kitchen island and shower.

Things that irritate me the most

• Payroll Administrators who cannot add
• Payroll Administrators who cannot subtract
• Payroll Administrators who insist on configuring sums in their head and will not use a calculator
• Payroll Administrators who think all mistakes must lead to someone else

Seriously people, I deal with Payroll Administrators on a daily basis, and at times it makes me worry. Do you know that roughly half (in my experience) of Payroll Administrators do not know the difference between a 28-day deductions cycle, and a monthly deductions cycle? Let me let you in on the gravity of this situation...

Half of the people in this country are having their paychecks deducted from by people who do not know what they are doing... Do you work for a government body or a school? Your likelihood of having one of these clueless people handling YOUR wages just shot up to over 75%.

And the bad thing is, when they make a mistake, they didn't make a mistake. Oh no. You screwed up, or the agent screwed up, or the EMPLOYEE screwed up, or the mother of all scapegoats... the computer screwed up. Computers are only as smart as the people typing numbers into them are.

So here's a suggestion... do some research. Drop by the payroll or Human Resources Department and check out the local talent. I know who makes out my paychecks. She is a very smart woman who has been doing what she does for 30 years and still takes training courses everytime something new is introduced. She knows her stuff.

Do you know the person making out your checks? Have you ever spoken with them? If you care about what happens with your money it might be a smart idea. If you have a question about something being withheld from your check, check it out. Trust me, these people are not above error as they might like to believe. It will most likely save you a huge headache and hassle, and I promise it doesn't hurt to ask.

Funky House Stuff

I have been on the prowl for fun ideas to put in my new home. I stumbled across this absolutely fun website, Modern Poverty. There were tons of whimsical, fun ideas. Like these drain stoppers: They look like fun to me, but they might not help with my daughter's fear of the bath tub drain. When she gets in trouble I only have to threaten to throw her into "the deep end of the tub" and she is back on the straight and narrow, pronto! (JK :))


They also had these fun cookie cutters that give the illusion that someone has already been snacking on the treats: These just look like so much fun to me. I love the little dismembered gingerbread men. I know, it doesn't take much to amuse me.

But these ice cubes are the epitome of fabulosity in a glass. They look like my favorite things in the world.... jewels. Ah...

They also make these wonderful vases out of recycled beer and wine bottles: I think they are absolutely gorgeous, and it makes me ambitious to see if I could duplicate the effect.











The website also sells many of the whimsical "Mr. P" products, including this "fun-at-the-office" wire holder-thingy: Of course I work with a bunch of accountants so the joke is hopelessly lost :)







And finally, for more office fun, the coolest rubber bands and I want some!