"You're Very Dehydrated."

Spent 15 minutes having a foot reflexology thing done a little while ago, here at work. (We get this once a month now.) The therapist lady was looking at the bottom of my foot and made these observations:

• "You're very dehydrated."
• "Your adrenal gland point is very tender and resistant."
• "You have hormone problems. Your body's not flushing them through."
• "You need to stop drinking so much caffeine."

Ahh!!!!!

Not that this is stuff I didn't already know... But it reiterates that I really need to stop with the coffee. But I can't. I love coffee. Too much. And I told her so.

"For every ounce of caffeine you take in, you need to drink two extra eight ounce glasses of water," she said.

This prompted me to ask her, "How do you know if you are properly hydrated? Because once I drink past 24 ounces, I start peeing every 20 minutes. I figured that was a sign I was hydrated."

"No," she explained, shaking her head. "That just means that you have a small bladder. You need to be drinking almost half your body weight in ounces. Plus an extra 16 ounces for any caffeine you take in."

So, say I weighed 128 pounds (Which is a weight I would LOVE to obtain!) I would then need to be drinking 64 ounces of water a day. And if I had a tall cappuccino (which has one ounce of caffeine), I would to drink another 16 ounces of water to get it to flush out of my system.

So clearly, I am not drinking enough water. And once I get to my ideal weight, I will still need to drink an ass-load of water.

Busy Weekend.

Wow... I didn't realize I had planned to do so much this weekend.

Typically, I prefer to make only a few plans... And spend most of my time lolling from one activity to the other, with no strict time frames (except when there's a scheduled Bikram class I am trying to make). But this weekend, I have certainly planned quite a few things for myself... Including Birkam, jean shopping, groceries, gym, dinner with The Husband, cocktails with a friend, gym again, brunch with a friend, possible coffee with someone, and Superbowl party at a friend's.

No worries though. Everything is do-able. But next weekend, all I am going to want to do is crash. (I haven't gotten more than 6 hours of sleep each night this week... So I will be due a nice sleep-in.)

What I Believe Today.

I've had a lot of things fall into my path in the past month. Some of these things have been thoughts. Others have been opportunities. And as I encountered each one, I realized that I was truly passionate about how I felt... And thus concluded my thought or made my decision knowing I was making the best one for me.

Now, none of these things was "Earth-shattering"... But they were strong enough to rock my core. And now, a full month into the new year, I recognize that I am growing and have grown. So I just wanted to share a little about what I believe, as a result of this past month...

• I believe it is possible to spend a lot of money to make a lot of money. (Work-related.)
• I believe that putting yourself first is critical to happiness. And that there's a right way to do that and a wrong way to do that. The wrong way is when you use evil tactics (lying, cheating, stealing) to put yourself first. The right way involves recognizing that this is "your life." And you have a right to be "number one" in it to you.
• I believe it's just fine to not want and refuse to accept the "norm."
• I believe it is fine to be "emotional." And that anyone who tells you "you are too emotional" needs to deal with their inadequacies and fear of someone being "emotional" in front of them.
• I believe you should never fail to fight or stick up for yourself.
  
• I believe you should never fear death.
• I believe you should always look people in the eyes... ESPECIALLY when they are trying to intimidate you.
• I believe it is utterly wrong to "text-message" break up with someone. And the people who do that type of thing (or break up over the phone, rather than in person) are cowards who will karmic-ly get it in the ass some day.
• I believe that nothing comes easy. And that you do have to work to earn something.
• I believe it is a waste of time to whine and not take action.
• I believe that I have faith that things will always be fine.
• I believe that the Buxton bag is the ugliest bag in existence. (Ha! ha!)
• I believe that the way to achieve something is to already picture yourself having achieved it.
• I believe that sometimes it's best not to consider the opportunity, just because someone tells you how talented you are. (Thanks though.)
• I believe that whatever you do, it should be done for your benefit. (Which goes back to the whole "putting yourself first" belief.)
• I believe it's okay to piss people off. And to offend them. (You gotta stick with what you believe.)
  

Again, none of this is revolutionary or really new. It's more reaffirmation of what I have believed all along. And I wanted to share it because I have come across a few people who just don't stick up for themselves enough... Or who constantly do things to appease others so they can stay in situations that are actually toxic for them. Or they maybe dwell on things too long, rather than moving on.

Why be in this life if you're not striving for happiness?

Dear Fans Of The Buxton Bag...

Dear Fans Of The Buxton Bag,

I am sorry that you are offended by the post I did last month on what is (in my opinion) the ugliest bag I have seen in a long time... The Buxton bag.

And I am sorry that when you Google "Buxton bag," my blog entry comes up in position seven, on the first page. Which means that whenever someone interested in the Buxton bag does a search for it online, they have a good likelihood of coming across my official opinion on it. And perhaps they will be dissuaded from purchasing it.

But I stand by my official opinion of the Buxton bag:
The Buxton bag is a fanny-pack on a shoulder strap. It is an ugly bag. If you carry around lots of shit (like we all do) and don't care about fashion, then this is probably the bag for you.

I, however, have a personal style that necessitates multiple colors and textures. I need things to be fun. And sometimes sleek. And I will never, ever wear a fanny pack.

XOXO,
The Missus

Have Not Hydrated!

Ugh... I'm so bad!

I have to go to Bikram in an hour and a half, and I have had no water today... Just coffee, coffee and diet coke.

This is NOT going to be a pleasant class.

Let's Get Some Jeans!

Hoo-ray!

February 1st is this Friday. Which means I am allowed to buy myself a new pair of jeans.

Don't know yet what specifically I am looking for... But I am loving my Raven "Stella" jeans I bought late last Summer. And I am still in love with the Marc Jacobs Wranglers I bought last year. I'll have to get the scoop from Ms. Jean Therapy herself to find out what is the newest and the hottest to choose.

Worst Morning Commute Ever.

Got the following email from The Husband, describing what went down on his commute to work this morning:

Two separate incidents: 1 person arrested and 1 robbed on the subway car I was on.

(1) Was walking down Tremont (to Back Bay T station) and thought that a father and his son were just arguing as they walked. Nope - older guy was an undercover cop and had a walkie-talkie that summoned a police car to pick the kid up. No idea what the kid did.

(2) Was on the orange line and suddenly 2 kids ran out of the train at New England Medical with a young guy chasing. I thought they may have just been late trying to get off the train. Nope - they apparently punched the young guy (likely mid-20's) and stole his i-Pod. The young guy chased them, but fell getting out of the train and the kids took off.

Great way to start the day.

Now... While I appreciate that The Husband had a lot of action going down on his morning commute... I'm sure most of us have had much worse commutes in our time. Here's mine:

It was February 2003. I was living in NYC. I worked at The Evil Empire over on 26th Street. But I lived in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. After waiting for the 23rd Street bus at Chelsea Piers for 20 minutes in the bitter cold (as we were right by the icy Husdon River), I finally made it to the 23rd Street blue line subway stop.

I hopped on the subway and zoomed down to 14th Street to catch the L train back to Brooklyn. And what normally takes about 15 minutes ended up taking an hour and a half.

I had decided not to take a seat on the train, figuring that 15 minutes wasn't long enough to justify taking one. But I soon regretted my decision.

Soon after we left the First Avenue stop, and headed into the tunnel, under the East River, the train came to a SCREECHING halt. We stood still for about five minutes before the conductor came on the speaker in broken speech.

"Attention... Emergency brake... Pulled... Searching train."

Apparently someone had pulled the emergency brake. And they had decided to pull it while we were under water, in a tunnel. Bastards!

Because the brake was pulled, this meant that the conductors had to leave their car and walk through the VERY CROWDED train in search of what the emergency was. They had to walk through each car and check to see who may have pulled it.

All the while, I am standing (as are many other people), without anything to occupy my mind. No book. No music. And, to top it off, I had neglected to pee before I left work to go home. So all these factors made the time pass slowly. It felt like an eternity till I was able to get off the train and get home and pee.

After that, I vowed to always have a book on me, as well as take a seat if one was available (even if I was only going a few stops). I also vowed to do what I could to ensure I never got on a train with a dire need to pee.

Tuscany Writers' Conference.

For those of you who wrote in and asked... Here is where you can find information on the writers conference I am attending in Tuscany later this year.

And yes... The agenda is correct. We do get to make limoncello. And watch a shepherdess make cheese. And we get to do a cooking lesson with a local grandmother. And do a wine tasting.

Enough With The "Stimulus Package" Talk!

Perhaps it's just me... But while watching the State of the Union last night, and watching the commentary afterwards, I decided I had had enough with all the "stimulus package" talk.

Not because I find the topic boring. (Far from it!) I just feel like people (men in particular) are really getting a kick out of saying, "stimulus package."

"Check out the stimulus package!"

"Is the stimulus package going to be big enough?"

"Will the stimulus package perform the way we want it to?"

"Is there another stimulus package we should go with?"

As one co-worker suggested, "Can't we just call it 'life boat'?"

Cake Of The Week: Blueberry Cake.

Unfortunately, I do not have a picture to share with you for this week's cake. My mobile phone died, and I can't take one.

Today's cake arrived, and the top person in our company chose to open the box before I could. He hasn't been here for the past two cake arrivals...

"Why did we get a cake?" he asked.

We told him that they just started showing up a few weeks back, out of the blue. And that the main office had ordered them for us to arrive every Tuesday.

It was as confusing to him as it was to the rest of us.

This week's cake is blueberry. And as soon as he unwrapped it and put it in the kitchen, my co-worker IM'd me...

"I dare you to run in there and punch it!" she wrote.

So I did. And you know what happened?

NOTHING.

The cake is pretty dense. And stiff. Not a dent was made. I won't be trying this week's cake. I'm not a fan of most blueberry-flavored things.

UPDATE: I decided to try the cake. However, I am not a fan of this one either. The outside of the cake is very dark and tastes a little burnt. It was overcooked. Thumbs down.

Finding The Motivation To Exercise.

I've been having this type of conversation a lot lately with various friends... It's the same question we all ask ourselves, "How can I find the motivation to exercise?"

It's a tough question to answer, because the motivation is different for each person. For some, having a high stress job drives them to exercise. I once knew a gal (when I worked at an agency) who used to love going to a kick boxing class after a long stressful day.

For me though, a high stress and busy job meant all I wanted to do at the end of the day was retreat to my apartment, and watch TV.

"This is decompression for me," I would say.

And as relaxing as it may be, it wasn't good for me. Yet, I could not properly motivate myself after a busy day. So, eventually, my solution was to quit my job at this particular agency. But I know that's not practical for most people.

So what's a person to do? (Other than hurry to your doc for an anti-depressant or ADD prescription!)

My advice is the following:

• Prioritize yourself above everything else. This includes job, significant others, friends, family (even children) and pets. YOU DESERVE AN HOUR EACH DAY (at least) TO DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO. Everything else can "go blow" for that hour.
• Start off small when you work out each day. Say to yourself, "Self, today we're just gonna move. That's the whole objective. Don't worry about how much we burn off. We're just gonna focus on being comfortable in our skin while moving around."
• Reward yourself. I am now rewarding myself when I lose a certain number of pounds. When I hit this milestone in pounds, I get a massage.

Anyone else have any inspiration for exercise motivation?

Sinspirational: Anthropologie Reunion Dress.

Hmm... What gal couldn't always use a new LBD?

This is the one I am craving right now....



The Anthropologie Reunion Dress.

Again, I don't need a new dress, but it's always fun to look!

Weekly Poll: You Have Recession Fears A Little.

The results of last week's poll, "Are You Going To Start Cutting Back Because Of The Recession" are in. (Thanks to all of you who voted!) It seems most (65%)of you are cautiously cutting back a little, while 28% of you are cutting back severely.

I am being very aggressive with my cutbacks through the end of March. Then I will get back to spending a little more in April.

There's a new poll up for this week... Super Tuesday is next week. And though I mailed my registration form a day too late (I was sick on the day I meant to mail it... Then I forgot it was in my purse!), and won't be able to vote, I am interested in seeing who you all think will win for the Dems and for the GOP. So there are actually two polls for this week. (And I only included the most popular candidates in each poll. So, apologies if your candidate is not listed. But, to be honest, Ron Paul is not a legitimate contender!)

Why You Should Avoid Blue Lollipops While At Work...

Blue tongue, teeth and lips!



Eww!

"You Can't Text Message Break-Up!"

"You couldn't even spell 'break' right! B-r-a-k-e? That's like in your car!"

Someone I admire was broken up via text-message recently. We need to put out an APB on people (men or women) who do this kind of thing... Till then, here's some inspiration to get the creative juices flowing as to how we should go about this kind of thing...



I "heart" Kelly!

LOST Is Back, Betches!

I was just over at Spoilerfix, catching up on what's going to be going down this season on LOST... And I just wanted to remind y'all that the first episode of the new season airs this Thursday at 9pm. (It actually starts at 8pm with a "catch-up" episode.)

I'm so freaking excited!

How To Burn 1398 Calories In 3.5 Hours...

Saturday morning I woke up feeling "blah."

I hadn't been to yoga in a few days, and I hadn't been to the gym since Thursday morning. So I decided that I was going to kick my fitness routine up to 11 on Saturday.

I started off at the gym on the treadmill. I did the following routine:

1. 1 minute: Walk at 3.7 mph at 2.5 incline.
2. 1 minute: Walk at 3.9 mph at 2.5 incline.
3. 1 minute 30 seconds: Jog at 4.2 mph at 2.5 incline.
4. 1 minute 30 seconds: Jog at 4.5 mph at 2.5 incline.
5. 30 second: Sprint at 7.5 mph at 2.5 incline.
6. 1 minute: Full stop, stand on the sides of the treadmill. (Do this 8 times.)
7. 2 minutes: Jog at 4.5 mph at 2.5 incline.
8. 2 minutes: Walk briskly at 4.0 mph, bring incline down to 1.5.
9. 1 minute: Walk at 3.7 mph at 1.5 incline.
10. 1 minute: Walk at 3.5 mph at 1.5 incline.

Doing this combo made me burn 250 calories (according to my personal heart monitor). I followed the running up with 28 minutes on the elliptical machine. And then I stretched. In total, I burned through 515 calories at the gym in just under an hour.

Then, since it was 2pm, I walked to the Bikram yoga studio near South Station. This took me (at a leisurely pace) 25 minutes to do. And I burned another 158 calories.

The Bikram yoga class was the big winner for the calorie burn. I worked off another 725 calories in the 90 minute class.

And I would have burned off another 100 calories walking home from yoga, but I was in a hurry to get back and decided to take a cab instead.

Burned 1398 calories... Not bad for a few hours!

Tuscany! A Writer's Dream!

So, I'm in the booking process and am comfortable writing about it now...

About a week ago, a co-worker sent me a link to a writer's conference in Tuscany in June.

"Wouldn't it be cool if we could get the company to send us to this?" she asked. (Since both our jobs involve writing.)

"Good luck getting them to approve it!" was my response to her.

Sure enough, they laughed at us when we asked. But, the trip would actually be useful to both of us. And we have decided to just go ahead and go anyways, paying for the trip out of our own pockets. Which actually works out perfectly for me because...

If you recall, I had mentioned that I wanted to go to Rome by myself in the fall. I wanted to sit around, drink espressos all day (and some wine) and write/read. But The Husband was worried about me traveling by myself. So going to Tuscany for a writers' trip with a co-worker actually works out even better.

The cost of the trip includes all our meals, plus some excursions AND cooking lessons! The whole purpose of the trip is to jump-start our creative process when it comes to writing. We also get one-on-one time with instructors to focus on our writing. It's gonna be so rad!

Yay! So exciting!

Oh Dear! Bad Fashion, Sandra!

Eww....

I've given up watching award shows. I just find them completely dull. I do love checking out the fashion highlights (and lowlights, in this case) online afterwards. And so far, the most offensive fashion taste I have seen in the pictures has got to be Sandra Oh!...



Oh dear!

Seriously, how can one look at this dress on a hanger and think, "That would totally rock on me! I'll be a total fashion 'hit'!"???

Girlfriend needs to be slapped for daring to walk the red carpet in such an atrocity!

My Ideas Of "Perfection."

Saw this over at Vanessa's Ramblings... Thought it was cute too. Wanted to throw my thoughts in as well...

The perfect outfit: Raven Stella Jeans, Marc Jacobs Black Tunic, Jimmy Choo Ruby Slippers, Marc Jacobs Peet Bag

The perfect meal: Homemade fish tacos with homemade guacamole

The perfect hangover cure: Hmm... Eggs with cheese and bacon. And a big ass cappuccino.

The perfect road trip: My perfect road trip would entail me DRIVING TO THE AIRPORT to catch a flight to the Turks and Caicos.

The perfect facial feature: Good eyebrows. Solid, full (but not too full), and dark.

The perfect drink: A glass of Stangeland Pinot or a syrah/shiraz.

The perfect song: This could change every week. Lately I am really into "God Only Knows" by the Beach Boys.

The perfect sign of affection: Bringing me a big ass cup of coffee without me asking you to.

The perfect afternoon: Shopping followed by a Bikram class.

The perfect vacation: Some place I can fly to and sit around the entire time reading/writing.

The perfect invention: Jeans that make your ass look good. And the iPod.

The perfect type of wedding: Not having one. But, if you must, keep it low-key and stress-free. Don't get caught up in all the small details and crap. Just think of it as a "really kick ass dinner party." Care more about the food and drinks than anything else. Do that and you will have a great time.

The perfect album: Does anyone buy albums anymore? I buy my songs "one-by-one" from iTunes.

The perfect accent: The one the hot "Search Engine!" rep has. (I think he's a nice fellow. But everyone I've ever worked with just salivates over him whenever they see him. Perhaps I've been married too long and just don't pick up these things. He does have a polished, British accent though.)

The perfect date: April 12th... Because it's my birthday.

The perfect weather: Sunny... And between 50 degrees and 75 degrees. (Fall or Spring weather.)

The perfect party: A dinner party. With lots of red wine, tasty food and fun conversations.

The perfect sport: Cheerleading. Yes, that's right. I wrote it. I was a cheerleader for about 9 years out of my life. I went to cheer camp and everything. Even went to a competition. It's a sport.

The perfect thing to say: "I brought you a Venti Skinny Caramel Machiatto without you having to ask me."

The perfect day of the week: I like Thursdays.

Lazy Bitch Chili.

I was aiming to make a nice "healthy dish for the weak" this evening for supper. But I was uninspired to go "healthy."

No... Instead, I needed "fast and comforting." So I pilfered my cupboard for inspiration... And came up with "Lazy Bitch Chili."



It may not look like anything special... But it was very tasty. And the best part, it took me less than 15 minutes to make. (Thus, why it is called "Lazy Bitch...")

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound ground turkey (that's my "healthy" contribution)
• 1 can (15 oz.) of black beans, rinsed
• 1 large-ass can of enchilada sauce (the red kind... and the spicier the better)
• 1 bag of Uncle Ben's Long Grain Ready Rice (it gets made in the microwave in 90 seconds)
• 3 flour tortillas
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Using a dutch oven or big pot, ground the turkey in a little bit of olive oil. Once cooked (about 5 minutes), throw in the beans. Let them heat through for about a minute. Then toss in the enchilada sauce and the rice. Stir the shit out of it. Bring all of it to a boil, then lower the heat to "simmer" while you toast the tortillas. To do the tortillas, you throw them on a baking sheet in the oven, under the broiler. Let the tortillas sit under the broiler for about a minute and half on each side. Once crispy, pull out of the oven and break them apart with your hands. Toss into the chili mixture. Mix the tortillas and cheese into the chili... Then serve.

Hmm... See! Even the laziest of bitches can open up a couple of cans and ground up some turkey. And you dirty up only a few dishes making it.

Meet The Press???

What the hell?

I have my coffee in hand... My laptop open... And my eggs are perfectly scrambled.

SO WHY THE HELL IS MEET THE PRESS NOT ON?

No... Instead of airing a solid political show, the local shit-tastic NBC affiliate has decided to air the "Patriots Send-off" live.

Seriously, WHO THE FUCK CARES ABOUT THE PATRIOTS HANGING OUT IN THE STADIUM WITH FANS?

Why does that necessitate a LIVE showing?

You know what does necessitate a timely showing? A political show featuring leading candidates and political commentary, a few days before a primary.

This is one reason why I stopped working in television news. (That and the shit-tastic pay you have to suffer with for the first few years.) The lack of "news quality" judgement was lacking. Driven far too often by advertisers... And nearly always skewed with a subtle bias. (Unless you work for Fox, then the bias was very clear.)

Arghhh!!!!

Sinspirational: The Casual Parisian.

I ran outside this morning, on the earlier side, to get some coffee. It was too cold. And it immediately got me wishing for warm Spring weather...

And then that got me wishing for new Spring clothes... (Which I am not allowed to buy!)

And that got me thinking about vacations... And how I have wanted to go back to Paris when it's warmer outside, unlike the cold American Thanksgiving I spent there two years ago.

So to help me make it through the cold morning (and motivate me to get to the gym and Bikram later today), I went browsing online... Just for inspiration. And here's my take on what I would choose to channel my inner "casual Parisian" in the Springtime...

Grosvenor Stripe Cardigan from Anthropologie


City-fit Cuffed Heritage Chino Trouser from J Crew


Jimmy Choo Lychee Pointed-Toe Flat


Botkier St. Tropez Satchel


Gumball Machine Necklace from Anthropologie


Pops of color, along with classic stripes. The shoes I have been craving for a few weeks now. And the necklace is just so much fun.

A Healthy Lunch...

So, after my three glasses of win and a Cosmo at last night's Trivia Night... I decided I would tuck into a healthy lunch today.

On the menu:

Kashi Chicken Pasta Pomodoro



Oatmeal Raisin Walnut Clif Bar.



Yummy! And fairly healthy!

This is the third Kashi meal I have had for lunch in the past two weeks. Normally, I shun frozen meals. But these are tasty and pretty good for you. And they're cheaper than forking out cash to go buy lunch each day.

And I just recently discovered Clif Bars. (I know, I am so behind the times!) The Husband and I are HUGE fans of these things.

And now I am full...

Italy, Here I Come!

Well.... Maybe. Details to be worked out. But I may be going to Tuscany in June.

Woohoo!

I Stole A Cake Cutter.

Well, to be honest... It was a pizza cutter. As we were served pizza with it. But you could technically use it as a cake cutter. I mean, it looks like a cake cutter... Check fo' yo' self...



See, we seem to be on a cake binge lately in the office. And rather than trying to slice through each cake with a plastic knife, I stepped up to the plate and decided it was damn time for us to acquire some legitimate cutlery in the office. So when a pizza was served to some acquaintances and I at a local "Trivia Night" this evening, I decided to slyly put the pizza cutter in my purse.

And though I know stealing is very wrong, I am still quite pleased with myself. For more often than not, it is usually I that ends up cutting the cakes in the office. Or punching them. So really, I am just saving myself some pre-arthritic pain from having to use a plastic knife... And I am saving the company some grief by not having me claim a "work-related" injury.

So really... This is a "win-win" for everyone.

Temporary Tattoos.

Let me set the scene for you...

It was April of 1994. I had been asked to go to the Junior Prom by a gentleman named, "Jeb" (which was an acronym for his real name. And, no, he wasn't related to the Bush family.) I had carefully selected out a long, black velvet halter-top gown. I paired it with funk black suede pumps and opera-length black velvet gloves. My hair was up and pulled back off my face. The earrings were rhinestone studs.

It may not sound very elegant, but for a 17-year old, it was.

However, despite being so elegant, I felt I needed to "spunk" up the outfit. I was a "classy" gal, but I had (and still do have) a hidden appreciation for the bohemian fare. So I decided to add a gorgeous butterfly (temporary) tattoo to my outside right ankle. It peeked out beneath my gown, just above where my pumps started.

Later that night, a few of us went over to Jeb's house to hang out by the jacuzzi after the prom. That's where my tattoo slid right off from the chlorine.

I love tattoos. I only have one. (And really want a second one.) But the time and expense, not to mention permanence, they carry do make me apprehensive to do it again. Which is why I do love temporary tattoos. And apparently, I'm not the only one...

According to this article in the NY Times Style Section, temporary tattoos are all the rage now when it comes to accessorizing an outfit. (Who knew I was so ahead of the times?)

I really see tattoos as an accessory, if they are visible. They really can add to the overall effect of your appearance.

So, I'm a big fan of them. What about you?

Au Revoir, Victorya!

Hmm...

I guess it was good to see Ricky finally win something. He did a very good job....



But please! Can we PLEASE not have crying in next week's episode???

I also LOVED Christian's trucker outfit. It was way sexy and cool.



I thought the worst outfit was Victorya's.



And Chris's wasn't that brilliant either. But I know he can do better, so I'm glad he didn't get canned.



Jillian's look was a disaster.



But I am quite glad Victorya got sent packing.

What was up with her calling Sweet P "Kit" at the beginning of the episode???? How could she NOT know Sweet P's name after six weeks? And Victorya was always a bit "blah" overall. She was either "hit" or "miss" with her outfits. And this week she was a total "miss."

My Fafarazzi line-up will have to change though. Mixing it up now. It will be Jillian, Christian and Rami.

Sinspirational: See By Chloe Trapeze Dress.

Oh how I am trying to be good and not sin!

... And by sin I mean, "Buy clothes I don't need just because I love them."

I mean really, how practical is this See By Chloe Trapeze Dress?



I mean, it's more of a summer dress. That's the only season I could get away with wearing it. Although... If I stuck a turtleneck underneath it, along with some tights, I could get away with it in winter and fall and spring.

So... I guess now it's more of a "season-less" dress.

Hmm...

$1 Coffee At Starbucks?

Oh how a girl can hope!

I just learned that Starbucks is testing a $1 coffee in Seattle. Could this be a sign of what's to come from Starbucks across the country?

I am keeping my fingers crossed!

I think they should offer a better discount to customers who bring in their own cup to be filled. It would be great if they would charge those of us willing to do that only $1 a fill.

Till that happens, a gal can dream. Dream of a world where decent coffee isn't too expensive, and the bitches in line ahead of me at the queue drop their skanky attitudes and start treating fellow customers with respect... Rather than just bumping into us and not apologizing as they try to maneuver around the crowd.

"I Don't Do (Generic) Drugs!"

Having a bit of a "diva" moment here...

I have asked my doctor to put me on a specific drug. However, I was unaware that in the state of Massachusetts the pharmacy will automatically fill your prescription with the generic version, and not the brand name version.

I have no idea why they do this... But when I called the pharmacy to get the prescription refilled with the brand name (telling them, "I do not care if it costs more.") they cited the law as the reason for doing it this way.

"You will have to have your doctor rewrite the prescription out with a note saying 'No generic substitutions' on it," they explained. "By law, we have to fill the prescription this way."

Most of the time I could care less if they give me generics. But with this particular type of drug, I have to insist on getting the brand-name. I DO NOT TRUST GENERICS WHEN IT COMES TO THIS TYPE OF DRUG.

When you're messing with hormones, I want whatever has all the marketing and research dollars behind it. I don't want the generic. No thanks.

Heath Ledger's Dead?

My friend CT just sent this to me.... Is it true?

Heath Ledger's dead?

Sweet Crap, I'm Tired!

Ohmygosh... I started off the day with an enormous amount of energy... Which is now completely depleted.

I need to muster some energy up soon, for I have Pilates in an hour. Then, I am supposed to duck into the Latin Groove class right after. However, I may just duck out of it instead.

Between waking up at 4am this morning, then doing a 6am training session, followed by hours and hours of staring at my work computer screen... I am exhausted. All I want to do is go to CVS and pick up my Ortho prescription (yay!), then go home and go to bed.

But I can't do any of that. Must go work "on my fitness."

Spanking Is Okay In The Workplace?

Um.... I beg to differ.

But apparently a California appeals court thinks spanking is okay.

The spanking in question happened to a woman and her colleagues while working for a company in California. The spanking was part of a team-building exercise. The woman sued for sexual harassment and was awarded $1.5 million. But now that has been overturned.

According to the latest ruling, "the jury (in the original judgment) wasn't instructed that one vital element of proving that sexual harassment occurred is showing the action was directed at a woman because of her gender."

So, okay... Perhaps she wasn't singled out... But, it is sexual assault.

I don't know about you, but I consider the following areas to be in my "YOU TOUCH THEM AND YOU DIE FROM ME STABBING YOU WITH THE NEAREST SHARP OR BLUNT OBJECT I CAN FIND":

• Boobs
• Stomach
• Lower back
• Crotch
• Ass

You touch those areas without my permission, and I will make sure (especially if you're a guy) you can never have sex again. Or at least for a good long while. If I were this woman, I would sue a second time, only this time I would sue for sexual assault. And I would press charges against the offenders who dealt the spankings.

A Zap Of Electricity.

Something weird happened early this morning, at precisely 4:12am.

I was in my dream, and I heard a "crack" of electricity that started to bring me to consciousness. At the same time, I felt something move through my husband and into the back of my neck and shoulders... Waking me completely up.

I have no idea what it was. But it didn't hurt. It felt like an electrical pulse. And it sounded like one too. The Husband woke up, but didn't recall feeling anything wake him up.

"Didn't you feel that wake you up?" I asked him.

"Huh?" he asked. "Feel what? I just woke up on my own."

It was too early to go into it with him at the time. But I didn't dream it. And I didn't imagine it. And I can't find any information online about this kind of thing.

Cake Of The Week: Lemon Cake.

Yummy!

We received our cake for this week here in the office. This week's featured flavor is lemon.



Yes, it's a "Bundt" cake. I'm having a slice of it with my coffee for breakfast this morning. And no, I did not punch the cake this week. It wasn't wrapped sufficiently enough to punch it.

I did tap it with my fist a little though... Just to ensure "tastiness."

Lipstick Made My Boobies Big?

Well, I don't actually have big boobs. But according to this article from the Daily Mail (which I found via Bella Sugar), the chemicals in lipstick may be responsible for my breast size. And your breast size. And your mama's breast size. And your mama's mama's breast size.

Let's see... My mum let me start wearing light-colored lipstick in 8th grade... And I've been wearing lipstick off and on for about 18 years... So from what I calculate, the lipstick chemicals have made my boobs about two cups bigger than they probably should be.

Hmm... That doesn't sound right. But maybe I should wear less lipstick, just to be on the safe side?

Thoughts?

Weekly Poll: "It's The Economy Stupid."

That was a close one! I was so afraid many of you would continue to say "Iraq" was the number one thing affecting your potential vote this primary season. I was glad to see "Economy" pulled it out for a close win.



The first email I got from The Husband today (who works in finance) was "the (international) markets are getting killed!" Which means the US market (which is closed today) will probably not have a good day to start tomorrow. So, I personally think that the economy HAS to be the most important issue affecting how you vote. Because by the time Election Day rolls around in the Fall, we will officially be in a recession.

Thanks to all of you who voted.

A new poll is up for this week.

Chuck Norris Calls The Kettle "Black."

Don't know if anyone else saw the video or the story about Chuck Norris (who is an active Huckabee supporter) calling Senator John McCain "old"... But that's a little like the pot calling the kettle "black."

In case Chuck Norris is unaware, McCain only has four years on him. Chuck Norris was born in 1940. McCain was born in 1936. No one would ever dare tell Chuck Norris he was "too old" to do something. You'd probably get your ass kicked if you did that.

Chuck Norris is an asshole. I'm not down with blatant age-ism.

I'm Off Lattes.

Don't get me wrong. I haven't given up caffeine. I've just switch from Skinny Lattes to coffee. (Sweet, sweet nectar of Starbucks.)

Why?

Well, in my work to be more economically efficient in our current recession, I have decided that my $8-a-day habit has to be cut down to a $4-a-day habit. I don't want to give up my training sessions and Pilates sessions... But I need to cut back somewhere to save more. (I am paranoid, I guess.) So the Starbucks habit is where things are getting cut.

Plus, I really just can not afford the calorie intake I get from even the Skinny Lattes. Regular lattes are about 120 calories a cup. Skinny ones are about 90. Coffee is about 25 calories. So it's "no contest" as far as I am concerned. The caffeine habit has to be rethought.

They're More "8-0" Than "0-8."

Sorry Scarlett... But I not digging your shoes.



These are the Freestyle Evolution casual sneakers designed by Scarlett Johansson for Reebok. I am not a fan. They are too "1980s."

This is "o8." Not "80." Thoughts?

I Likes Me Coffee Too Much.

Someone sent me this article from MSNBC about how drinking coffee can lead to miscarriage in pregnancy.

I sent them back the Top 10 Reasons why I should not have a child (though they could probably apply to many people):

• Can’t do hot yoga. (Not for the first few months anyway.)
• Can't drink wine. (Though I only have it every other day anyway. And I can never finish my five ounces.)
• Can't do exercise classes. (I'm really starting to like the Latin Groove and Red Carpet Ready classes. And there's a new one I want to try called Impact!)
• Can't drink coffee. (I only have two "cups" max each day. But still.)
• Will get fat during pregnancy. (Everyone does.)
• Will get bad hormonal skin during pregnancy. (And you can't do certain things to fix it... Like cool laser therapy.)
• Will get no sleep during pregnancy because it is too uncomfortable to sleep during the last trimester.
• Once baby comes, will get no sleep because it needs constant attention.
• Will have no personal time to do whatever I want whenever I want.
• Will be considered a "Bad mother" if I don't conform to the "normal mommy" stuff... Like spending lots of time with the baby. Or think that its mere existence is "the most magical thing."

Perhaps I am rebelling against the whole "kid" thing lately because I keep having people say the following things to me:

• "Kids make life worth living!" (Said to me by a woman when I told her I was "unsure" about kids. I wanted to respond with, "Yeah? I kinda think my life is already 'worth living.'" But instead, I just smiled politely.)
• "You're not getting any younger." (I responded to this person with, "Neither are you. But I'm only 30. And you're 38.")
• "When are you having kids? Are you trying?" (I don't mind this question from people who I have shared this type of info with. But when people who I don't really know well ask me this every time they see me, it gets annoying. I always answer with "NO!" It's none of their business.)

Biologically, women get the shit-end of the deal when it comes to having kids. Not only do we have to do most of the work during pregnancy, we likely get stuck doing most of the initial work after pregnancy too. Plus, we have to get fat AND give up coffee?

Umm, "no thanks." I don't really know that PREGNANCY is for me. Kids? Perhaps. But pregnancy? No.

L'il Too Much Captain.

Heh-heh. This is cute.

Packing Lunch.

I'm trying to be good in this new year about bringing my lunch to work.

Normally, I spend about $10 on lunch... And it usually is not the healthiest of lunches. So, in an effort to be more healthy with my lunch, and to save some $$$ each week, I am packing it most days. And my selection for today is a frozen meal by Kashi - Lemongrass Coconut Chicken.



I can hear all that money I'm saving just adding up in my bank account. Yay!

Paris Is Harvard-Bound?

Eww...

Was over at Perez and read that Paris (Hilton) will be at Harvard later this week to promote her movie "Hottie and the Nottie."

Why? We don't want her here.

Damn! She's almost 27 and is still doing the same crap she did when she was a young twenty-something.

Note to Paris: You're in your late-20s now, honey. Time to stop boring us with your stupidity. While you're here, please don't be the same bimbo you always are. I know there has to be an intelligent girl in there somewhere. I refuse to believe you truly are as stupid as you play.

Only The Bride, Never A Bridesmaid.

Never. Never have I been a bridesmaid. And quite frankly, never do I want to be one. But my feelings aside, I went and saw 27 Dresses this afternoon. And all I have to say is...

"Thumbs down."

First, before I crap on it, let's get to what I liked about the film:

• Katherine Heigl - She's stunning and she can take a role and make something of it. I bet she could do damn near any genre and be good.
• Her Apartment In The Film - Gorgeous apartment. In fact, too gorgeous. I'm sorry, but an executive assistant would not be able to afford an apartment that pretty on her own in Manhattan. But it is still my dream apartment.

Now let's move on to what I did not like:

• The Script - Sooooo predictable. Though, I expected it to be. But there's always that hope it won't be.
  
• Her Apartment In The Film - Again, I'm sorry, but an executive assistant would not be able to afford an apartment that pretty on her own in Manhattan.
• The Rest Of The Cast - They sucked. But I don't quite know if that's because the story was bad, or because they suck at acting. I'm going to assume it was the script.
• The Girl Who Plays Her Best Friend In The Film - I don't know why I remember random things so easily... But I noticed right away that the chick who plays the best friend in the film (Judy Greer) was also in another wedding film seven years ago. It was called The Wedding Planner with Jennifer Lopez. That was pretty bad too. It was pretty much the same story as 27 Dresses.
  

It was a cute film, but I wouldn't recommend paying to see it in the theater. And speaking of the theater... There wasn't a penis in the entire room. No men whatsoever. All chicks.

POWERful Facial.

I've been getting facials regularly (meaning every six weeks) for about four years. I initially started getting them in order to prepare my skin for my wedding day. I continued to get them just because I liked them so much and found a budget for them.

About two months ago, I did an aggressive series of facials at Exhale... I went once a week for six weeks in a row. I did it to combat some skin problems I developed while on a special drug (which I vow to never take ever again, as I'm not really interested in it right now). My skin suffered so badly that I NEEDED weekly facials. And it's now getting much better, now that the drug has had a few months to work their way out of my system. So now, I really seem to just need a good facial once a month. And my choice for facials is a Power Facial at Exhale.

The Power Facial is a very intense facial. Unlike other facials, which mostly strive to relax you, the Power Facial looks to kick your skin's ass (I mean metaphorically speaking - I'm not a "butthead"). Though, it is quite relaxing for the most part.

It starts like all other facials... The skin gets a gentle cleanser. Then comes the ultra sound exfoliation. The ultra sound helps sebum pop right out your pores. (Eww! But it's cool!) Also, the ultra sound helps ease discoloration in the skin.

After the ultra sound comes an enzyme peel. When I was doing my weekly treatments, a 16% active solution was being used. My facialist (the wonderful Galina) would always ask, "Can you feel it tingling?" I couldn't. But it was definitely doing its job. Now that I am going just once a month, we have jumped up to a 60% active solution. Funny enough, it only tingles just slightly. (My alabaster-esque skin actually isn't sensitive. It can take a battle.) The peel is meant to also help exfoliate old skin away, paving the path for new skin to be on the surface.

After the peel comes a kick ass facial massage. (The relaxing part of the facial!) Some kind of serum is massaged into your face and neck for about 10 minutes. (It's divine!) This prepares you and your skin for what's to come next...

THE EXTRACTION!

In a regular facial (the relaxing kind), extraction isn't that bad. It's mostly just catching the superficial stuff on the skin's surface. With a Power Facial, it goes deep. And it goes for like five minutes straight! I would swear Galina has super-vision that allows her to see deep into my skin, as she seems to find stuff to extract from every section of my skin.

Once the extraction is finally done, the cool laser is used. The cool laser zaps your skin's collagen production in gear... And helps clear up cystic acne and discoloration.

The only part of the Power Facial that is really uncomfortable is the extraction. But it's a necessary evil. And I love the clean feeling my skin has after getting one. It's not a cheap facial, but it's worth it. I recommend getting one at least once a quarter, to keep yourself fresh.

Day Of Beauty.

I need one of these every few months.

I got up early for a hair appointment. It was time to color the grey and cut the hair. (Every 10 weeks!) Then I spent about an hour at the gym before I had to head over to Exhale for my monthly Power Facial.

I am prettied-up now.

And it seems like I'm not the only one who was getting some beauty treatments in this weekend. My pal, Bon-Fier, colored her hair last night. She (slightly ahead of the trends) has gone a chocolate brown color with her hair. And it looks fabulous on her! Even more fabulous was the fact that her hair was straightened with the Bespoke Labs T3 hair dryer AND the Bespoke Labs T3 Flat Iron.



She and I both agreed that we will each have to eventually get the flat iron. Bon-Fier has curly hair. I have wavy hair. The dryer on its own does a phenomenal job straightening and smoothing. But I would love nothing more than to get thinner-looking, sleek hair. (I've always been jealous of those girls with this hair.)

I could have a new obsession soon!

Healthy Dish For The Weak: Skinny Bitch Soba Noodles.

I made another Skinny Bitch In The Kitch dish tonight for dinner... Kinda.

The recipe called for the use of tofu. However, I did not use tofu. I decided to use grilled chicken. It was grilled chicken, toasted sesame seeds & olive oil (because I didn't have sesame seed oil), eggplant, carrots, chives (instead of scallions), mirin, soy sauce, soba noodles and ginger.

It turned out very yummy!



I like pasta-ish dishes that don't leave you feeling "blah" afterwards. Total cooking time was about 25 minutes. So it was relatively quick to come together.

Who's Your Candidate?

My friend Bon-Fier sent me this quiz to figure out who I should vote for in the presidential primary.

Not surprisingly, I'm a Hillary girl. Barack was a close second though.

Who'd you come out with?

Passport & Paris Dream.

I had another dream involving an airport last night. I've had a few of those in the past year. So I don't always write about them. But in last night's dream, I was attempting to get on a flight to Paris, but had packed my passport in my checked luggage.

I recall crying about the passport, and freaking out that I was going to miss the chance to go to Paris. A worker on the airline offered to sneak me on the plane and into the checked luggage underneath it so I could get the passport and go to Paris.

But when he showed me where the elevator on the plane was that takes you down to the checked luggage on board, it ended up dropping back inside the airport. And I would have to go through security all over again.

WTF?

I have no idea what the dream's point was. Here is my attempt to decipher the elements... I've italicized the areas that I think apply to me.

Passport - To dream that you lose your passport, indicates that are are trying to find yourself and get a sense of who you are. Alternatively, you may feel that opportunities are being close off to you.

Luggage - To see luggage in your dream, signifies the many desires, worries, and needs that you carry with you and weighing you down. You need to reduce you desires and problems and alleviate the pressure you are putting on yourself.

Paris - To dream that you are in Paris, symbolizes your need for romance and passion. It also suggests that you are a person of distinction.

Airport - To see a busy airport in your dream, signifies the desire for freedom, high ideals, ambition, and hopes. It is an indication that you are approaching a new departure in your life. Some new idea is taking off or is ready to take off. You may be experiencing a new relationship, new career path or new adventure.

Security - To dream that you have a sense of security, suggests that you may be experiencing much insecurity in your waking life. The dream is compensating for your lack of security. You need to feel well-protected, both physically and emotionally.

Perhaps I do understand the what the dream is trying to tell me. There is an instance in my life where I do feel like opportunities are being denied to me. And I'm carrying around fear and frustration in relation to that, because I feel I've always demonstrated that I'm an ideal person for the opportunities. And the fact that I was taken off the plane and put back in the airport is perhaps suggesting that I should forgo the path I was on, and move forward with a new idea... One that is more secure.

Oh, I guess you could read it a million different ways. I won't jump to decisions yet.

"It's The Economy, Stupid"... (Or Health Care...)

I know the week isn't over yet... But I felt compelled to write about this before the Weekly Poll has ended. I feel compelled to point out to those of you who voted that "Iraq" is going to be the most critical thing to you when you vote in the presidential primary.

We are headed into a recession people. We are. It's not official yet... But it will be in a few months.

Perhaps this posting is intended to focus really on those of you voting in the Democratic presidential primary. If you look at each of the top three candidates' views and action plans on Iraq, they're pretty much the same. So, in my opinion, if you are voting in the Democratic presidential primary, Iraq can not possibly be your defining criteria on how you vote.

In my opinion (and I do recognize it is wrong to attempt to sway you in what is supposed to be my "un-biased" poll), the better and more unique criteria that distinguish each of the Democratic candidates are health care and the economy.

Here's where each of the three candidates stand on these issues (listed alphabetically)...

Hillary Clinton

• Economy - Wants to increase the minimum wage. Has outlined an economic stimulus plan to give the economy a boost. (She believes that for middle-income families, a recession has already been hit, despite economist's hesitancy to declare that.) She wants to see a $30 billion Emergency Housing Crisis Fund mitigate foreclosures. She wants to see $25 billion go to families needing energy (heating) assistance. Wants $5 billion to jump start "green collar" job growth. Pump $10 billion to extending unemployment insurance to those struggling to find work. Wants to see a $40 billion direct-tax rebate for working and middle class families
• Health care - Supports Universal Health Care, and intends to make it happen by the time she leaves office. She wants to expand the Medical Leave Act and the use of electronic records. And, she wants to bar insurers from rejecting patients who have pre-existing conditions. (Which, FYI, insurers are pretty sneaking and include everything under the sun as a pre-existing condition.)

John Edwards

• Economy - Wants to increase the minimum wage. Supports legislation to make it easier for workers to organize (unionize?). He wants to triple the Earned Income Tax Credit. And wants to create a commission to protect low-income families from "predatory lending."
• Health care - Also wants Universal Health care coverage for all Americans, regardless of condition. Wants to take G.W. Bush's tax cuts from the wealthy (people who make over $200,000 a year) and use that to pay for Universal Health care.

Barack Obama

• Economy - Wants to raise the minimum wage. Wants to spends $1 billion developing a program to help low-income workers discover career paths. Wants to spend $250 million on private and public "business incubators" to help entrepreneurs start up companies.
• Health care - Wants to reform the private insurance market competition. Wants a national health care plan that would cover people without private or workplace insurance access. Would require that all children have insurance.

I'm not going to comment any further. But I encourage you to check out each candidate's site to find more information on where they stand on these issues.

Grey's Anatomy - I Don't Get It.

Every single one of my girl friends, and some of my guy friends, will want to "betch" slap me for writing that.

In fact, other than The Husband and my boss, I don't really know of any other people who might not "betch" slap me for writing that.

I just sat through an hour of typing on my laptop and listening to Grey's Anatomy. And I have come to the following conclusions:

• I liked Ellen Pompeo 100 times better in Old School. Her character is so freaking annoying on Grey's Anatomy. In real life, would the best looking guys at the hospital really go for her over Katherine Heigl? (Katherine Heigl is so much hotter! And she doesn't have the whole "ana" thing going like Ellen Pompeo.)
• Katherine Heigl needs to stop slumming it on Grey's. She needs her own show OR she needs to focus on movies. She's too good for Grey's. (So is T.R. Knight, for that matter.)
• Why does everyone on the show have so much freaking drama going on in their lives? Can't, for once, there be a love-drama show on TV where at least ONE of the characters has their shit together and isn't clinical?

It's far too painful a show to watch. And I was just too absorbed in some research to get up and change the channel. I won't make that mistake next week.

So, sorry gal friends and pal friends. I know you are TRULY disappointed in my lack of "Grey's loving," but I just can't pretend to like this show. I'd rather go and do some more lunges.

"Latin Groove" & "Red Carpet Ready."

I'm exhausted.

Not only have I worked out twice this week with my trainer, but I've also been groped in one Pilates session (inside joke), and I've done two fitness classes at Equinox. The two I chose to do this week were "Latin Groove" and "Red Carpet Ready."

"Latin Groove" I did earlier in the week. It consisted of bouncing around in to "Latin" cardio music, learning a specific combination of moves. I may have just described it rather "dully," but it was actually a fun class. And, according to the trusty heart monitor, I burned through about 540 calories in the hour. It was fun. And I will probably go back next week.

The "Red Carpet Ready" class was tonight. And as I quickly learned, it's just a catchy name for a high intensity strength training and cardio class.

"I do a lot of lunges and a lot of lifting of weights in this class," the instructor explained to us before class.

You needed all kinds of equipment for the class too (which they have at the studio). You needed a mat, a step, two sets of hand weights (one light an done heavy) and a weight bar. And for about 57 of the 60 minutes in class we were doing all kinds of cardio lunges. Sometimes with weights. Sometimes using the steps. Sometimes with weights while using the steps.

There slow lunges. And fast series of lunges. In fact, there was never NOT any lunges. We even lunged a little while doing jumping jacks.

Sweat was dripping from my face on to my step. At times, I (and a few other people I'd like to point out) had to take an activity to a "low intensity" version. For example, when we were doing mountain climbers while leaning on the step, a few of us had to stop doing it that way and just stand up and do quick lunges with jumps.

There were also a few minutes of abs at the end of the class. And those go to be painful too. But in a good way.

I burned just over 600 calories in that class. I will definitely go back to that one too.

Dear Brevitt: My Top Keyword For 2007.

Dear Brevitt,

I feel it is imperative to inform your ass that I totally rocked the "Tay Zonday" in 2007.

Now, I know you "claim" to have gotten an insane amount of traffic to your blog because you posted the lyrics to Chocolate Rain on it way back in 2007... But my little site didn't do shabby on the traffic from the search engines on the Intertubes with people looking for info on Mr. Zonday...



He was my number one traffic driving keyword in 2007. So you are not the only "Master of Tay Zonday." I Master him too.

XOXO,
The Missus

I Punched A Cake.

So... I guess one could call me a "bit quirky." (Though, I prefer to be called "eccentric" because it sounds cooler.)

Last week, a box unexpectedly showed up to our office. It didn't have a person's name on it. It simply read our company name in the "To" spot. So a co-worker and I opened it. Inside was a cake.

We looked in the box for bill or card saying if it was from a vendor of ours... But there was nothing in the box but a cake. So I sent out an email to the office that there was cake delivered... And if it was someone in particulars cake, they could claim it at my desk.

Well, no one seemed to know where the cake came from. So I figured it was just a random cake that was delivered. And since it was no one in particulars cake, I decided to punch it.

Now, before you start to think I ruined a perfectly good tea cake (or "coffee cake," if you will), I have to tell you that it was wrapped inside a thick plastic bag and there was bubble wrap around it. So there was no damage to the cake. (Unless "tea cakes" have feelings... Though, I consider them a "lesser cake" than most other cakes... As there is no frosting on "tea cakes.") I just felt like punching a big bundled cake to see if I could do any damage.

We opened the cake from all it's wrappings... And there was no damage. It was still perfectly intact. So we decided to eat some... And it was very good.

Then, this week, another cake mysteriously arrived from the same company that sent it last week. And again, no name or gift information was included. But we quickly learned (from our informed office leader) that the cake was something the "mother office" would be having sent to us every week. It was one of those "extra perks" you get working at companies.

So, I decided not to punch this week's cake, even though I really wanted to.

This week's cake was an "Apple crumb cake." But it wasn't as good as last week's "Cinnamon cake." My co-worker and I came to the conclusion that this week's cake isn't as good because I did not punch it.

So I will simply have to punch next week's cake when it arrives. We think that's what makes it good. It's like a ceremonial thing. Some people pray before they eat cake. I punch it.

Why The Hell Won't You Die Ricky?

Seriously... This guy is like a cockroach in nuclear winter that can survive anything.

Actually, I think the producers are keeping him around for the entertainment value. His stupid hats. His stupid crying. But still, I wished that it was he and not Kit who was kicked off on last night's episode of Project Runway.

I mean, as team leader, Kit certainly didn't do badly. She's just a "so-so" designer. I've always thought so, all season. She hasn't really shined like some of the other contestants. She was always just "average."

But still, I thought Ricky should have gotten canned. I so hope he gets canned next week.

And I am loving Christian more and more each week. He and Chris did an excellent job on last night's task.



Though, I did love Jillian and Victorya's avant garde piece.



I would TOTALLY wear it.

My top three will stay the same in my Fafarazzi Widget... Christian, Jillian and Victorya.

University: Easier For Boys To Get In To.

This peeves me to no end. I was over at MSNBC reading the headlines this evening, and one video story's headline caught my eye... College Standards Stiffer for Women.

In the piece, the reporter (who, funnily enough, I used to intern for when I lived in Tucson) examined the issue of men getting accepted to university more easily than women at some top universities in the country.

What it came down to was universities trying to make the gender divide fairly even for both males and females. And in order to do that, they had to reject the applications of much more qualified females.

"Females are generally better students... And have better applications," were the words used in the report. But yet, they are getting rejected just to have a balance in the sexes?

What happened to teaching girls "work harder than everyone else, and you can go to school anywhere you want"?

Once again, males have found a way to have females do more work than them while they get to take it easy. Though I shouldn't be surprised... Men earn more than woman on average. But women work just as hard. Women do more housework than men, EVEN if they work full-time. In fact, many women who are the bread winners in their household STILL do a good portion of the housework.

I'm not saying all men are lazy. (God knows, my husband's certainly not. Though, I had to train the hell out of him when it comes to housework. He just didn't know. Not his fault.) But even still today, men get away with doing less...

Not just at home... But also in school.

I refuse to accept this.

Healthy Dish For The Weak: Rocket Pasta.

This is a dish I made up on my own... And I call it "Rocket Pasta."



I intended to make tomato and mozzarella pita-pizzas tonight for dinner... But the crappy Symphony Whole Foods sold me moldy pita breads. So I had to improvise.

I took cooked pasta, fresh(ish) mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, sauteed zucchini, tomato and arugula (also known as "rocket"), and combined them in a bowl.

It was simple, easy and only took 15 minutes to come together. Super tasty and vegetarian (not vegan) friendly.

That's It! I'm Done With It!

The "It" being the Whole Foods nearest the South End, over by Symphony Hall.

I am done with shopping there.

The quality and variety of the products has really gone to shit in the past year. From produce to dairy products to household cleaning products... This Whole Foods is complete crap. Here are some of my issues with them from the past year:

• They stop carrying a product after you've fallen in love with it. There was a particular flavor of organic yogurt that I LOVED. They stopped carrying that flavor only after a few months. There were also these pre-sliced apples that I loved... And they stopped carrying those as well.
• The produce is in crappy condition. Doesn't matter if you buy the "conventional" or the "organic" version of something... It's rare that you get something that doesn't spoil within a few hours or isn't bruised like a man after visiting a dominatrix.
• Things expire WAAAY to quickly there. If I want to buy some orange juice, for example, I'll check the expiration date on the carton... And I'll soon discover it will expire in three days. THREE DAYS! My husband can't drink juice that quickly. And don't even get me started on the bread products there. You can't buy any packaged bread or tortillas or pitas... For before you even get a chance to use them, they will develop mold. I bought pita breads there this past Saturday. I went to go and use them tonight, and they already had huge spots of MOLD on them. That means they were probably sitting there for a while on the shelf. They weren't very fresh.
• Their delivery service sucks ass. This past weekend, I went shopping there. I had my groceries all purchased by 11am. They asked me when I wanted them by. I said, "No later than 3pm." They said, "No problem! We'll be there way before then." Want to know what time they came? They came at 3:05pm. My poor husband had to delay his activities for the day because I was meeting someone at 3pm for coffee. I couldn't wait for them, so he had to stick around and do it. And I am a pretty good tipper normally. But this Saturday, I told The Husband to only give them $10 for showing up so late.
  

So since I am done shopping at this particular Whole Foods location, I have decided that I will only shop at the one in Beacon Hill. It's a BEAUTIFUL space. And they have plenty of variety there. And the aisles are nice and wide. You can maneuver around all areas quite nicely. But this means I will have to go grocery shopping every Saturday, as opposed to only going every two weeks. And I will have to begin ordering my waters (which I tend to buy in bulk anyway) from online.

I just can not handle buying food that isn't going to last at least a full week. It's unacceptable.

Another Reason To Love Equinox...

You get special discounts at other places for being a member!



I was just taking inventory last night of my bath oils. And I realized I was out of my Jo Malone Orange Blossom Bath Oil. Time to restock!

Scrabulous In Danger.

Uh-oh.

Looks like the Scrabulous application in Facebook (one of my most favorite things EVER) is in danger of getting removed.

My boss sent me the above story link yesterday. And while it would be difficult to get the application removed from Facebook, I am still a little worried. Scrabulous is one of the most popular applications on Facebook. It's so much fun.

Tear.

Buy A Macbook Air...

...for me please???

Seriously, who wants to buy me a Macbook Air? Anyone? Anyone?

This thing is so beautiful! Holy cow! I'm gonna start saving my pennies now. Maybe by the end of Summer I will be able to afford one.

Look how thin and small it is...



And the illuminating keyboard feature is awesome.



My only complaint is that it does not have the DVD/CD drive. I would have to figure out what I'd do about that.