A band I completely forgot about

I bought INXS' Greatest Hits the other night. I certainly wasn't looking for it, but I happened to see it and grabbed it.

Well, I either completely forgot how good they were or I didn't quite appreciate them when they were around. Probably a little of both.

Listening to this CD, I realized that for several years of my life - mostly the early nineties - their music strongly tied into a lot of my memories. What a fun surprise as I'm listening to this.

They were pretty prolific hitmakers. What ever happened with their reformed band from that show?

I know I didn't appreciate this years ago....but their music was pretty damn sexy! It was as if INXS only had one thing on their minds. Well, it was sexy and fun. Great combination.

(IMO, the quintessential INXS songs are is New Sensation and I Need You Tonight. My fave is Never Tear Us Apart. Just a beautiful song...reminds me of high school dances! In case you're wondering, that makes me officially old!)

KK: Hair Color Wizard

....or village idiot?

A tale of hair color rebellion
I have always been an at-home hair colorist. From the first time I experimented with color in (yikes!) 9th grade, I have been absolutely inspired by the possibilities that come in those little boxes with some random blonde chick on the front.
I colored at home throughout college - mainly because I had to - and kept it up all these years. Every so often I would make a pit stop and check out this thing called "salon color." But it made me crazy that I had no control over it, so again I went to the blonde out of the box.

Fortunately, my hair mishaps have been few and far between for the last - gulp - almost twenty years (yes, I am waaaaay older than I look!). I have learned that as long as I stick with a variation of beige-y blonde, I've always been pretty happy with my results. I have also expanded my knowledge into the realm of highlighting, and most recently, I also started lowlighting. I am so "good" at my own weird technique (which I learned is what many pros use and is called balyage) that I have actually fooled the professional stylists quite often. Scary, I know. Now that I can afford the best salon treatments out there, I STILL want to do it myself!

The wonderful Gary Mandalfino colored me back in September - and I was delighted with the result. But something was missing. I love the risk and rebellion involved in doing it on my own. I can make it extra bright or throw in some golden brown at my whim. I love to play and have fun with my hair. What can I say? I am a wild & crazy girl.

So, when I saw The Hair Color Mix Book by Lorri Goddard-Clark (HarperCollins, 2007. $24.95), I had to have it! This is the book I have been searching for lo these many years! Not only does this celebrity colorist spill her secret recipes, but she actually says it is OKAY to EXPERIMENT at HOME!!! (My stylists have never given me carte blanche to do that. I wonder why???) I actually felt more like I was back in chemistry lab in college than using a hair color "cookbook." I think she intended a cooking sort of feel by giving her recipes names like "Vanilla Dreamcicle Creamcicle" and "Amber Honey Dream with Lemon Blossom Ribbons."

She says it's okay to use off-the-shelf boxed hair colors and highlighting kits, which I already do. I didn't use any of her recipes today, but instead, I here's what I learned that worked:

1) It's perfectly ok (and almost required) to mix more than one color to get the color you want. I mixed 3/4 champagne blonde with 1/4 golden blonde to make my base color.

2) A toothbrush and Tung brush make ideal applicators for highlights.

3) Mixing about a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil into the highlighting mixture makes it easier to apply (it's usually dry and cakey) and protects the hair a bit during the chemical process.

4) Highlights "lift" more if you add 2 capfuls of #40 peroxide to the mixture, and remove 2 capfuls of the developer that comes with the kit.

5) Mix up your base color and apply for about 5 minutes and rinse out to cover roots and pump up faded color.

I highly recommend this book if one wants approval for being an at-home hair color aficionado (I needed the green light, even though I've been playing with my hair for years) and some really great tips, techniques and products to make the process easier and more effective.

Even if you don't use the recipes (and I may or may not down the road), it is filled with fabulous info your hair stylist doesn't want you to know!!

My Mom....just....wow....

I grabbed the dog and went over to visit my mom and her dog Tina the greyhound on Thursday night. While watching Grey's Anatomy (her choice, not mine), she asked me if I had heard the big news that day.

There was big news that day. Really big world news. Benazir Bhutto was assassinated after a public appearance in Pakistan. I heard it about a half hour after it occurred and followed the story all day.

Yes, I thought it was weird that my mom was opening a dialogue with me on world affairs, but I decided to go with it and see where it led.

So I said that I did hear the news. Bhutto was assassinated. How horrific.

My mom, however, had not heard this, and the big news story she told me about was that Paris Hilton's grandfather was giving his billion$ away to charity and poor Paris would not get her inheritance. (This was technically "news" the day before.)

Okay, I was thinking, that explains it. She was not suddenly cognizant of important goings on in the world. She was telling me some celebrity gossip.

Then she asked me who was assassinated - "What's his name?" And I told her Bhutto was the first female leader in the Muslim world. She then asked,

"What's his name? Bidduda?"

Darn it, mom! You're not blonde! You don't get to be vacuous!!

WOW. Fortunately, she doesn't read my blog. Otherwise I would be in trouble!!

***

P.S. I bought a shirt yesterday that says "BLONDE~ THE NEW SMART" to add to my funny and ironic blonde saying wardrobe. Perhaps I should give it as a gift to my mom along with a box of bleach.

Need a New Head Shot?

**From a recent email to my community**

I do! I no longer look like my old pics from last January and this is a problem for my business! It made me start thinking….

I know a lot of us have old pictures of ourselves that we have on our web sites or submit whenever we need to use a professional portrait for some purpose.

Take a good look at your current head shot.

· Do you have one? I hope so. Every professional should.

· Does it present you the way you look right now? If it was taken five years ago and you look completely different now, it could be giving the public the equivalent of deceptive advertising.

· If you have a very formal picture and your business is a little less formal, your head shot should reflect a little less formal tone. And vice versa.

· Are you just getting started in your business or still very new? A professional head shot makes you look more established – instantly!

· Are you just not happy with your current picture for any reason? Was your hair, makeup or clothing just not quite right? These are all are factors in making or breaking the photo! You deserve a picture you are happy with!

THE EVENT

I am joining with photographer Eric Mull (he does a lot of work for Cleveland Magazine), my favorite makeup artist, the fabulous Wendy Fitos and excellent hairstylist Julia Niedzialek to offer a special event to everyone in my community.

Date: Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Time: Morning appointments

Services & Pricing:

PHOTOGRAPHY - $100

Includes several shots and one selected pose as a digital file. Eric will clean up any blemishes, soften wrinkles, etc.)

This is an exceptional price for the caliber of work he does!

Extra shots will also be available for purchase. If you are interested in more than one outfit (an extra sitting), that will also be available for an additional fee.

MAKEUP & HAIR

$20 for makeup, $20 for hair styling (no cutting or coloring)

Both are optional, but highly recommended. If you’ve ever had a picture with flyaway hair or flat hair or haven’t worn enough makeup (and looked washed out) or wore too much makeup (and looked like a clown – I’ve been at both ends of the spectrum!) you can’t afford to miss this opportunity to have both done by professionals.

***

Please let me know if this is something you would be interested in. And please spread the word around to your friends and colleagues who may need this service.

Remember, it’s all about image!!! Your professional head shot sets the tone for your business persona. Is yours accurately representing all that you do???

Stay warm, everyone!

Kristen

Kristen Kaleal
p 440.742.0385
f 440.579.0100
kristen@kkimagedesign.com
http://kristenkaleal.blogspot.com

President,
Association of Image Consultants International
OH/PA Chapter

IF YOU WISH TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THIS EVENT, PLEASE CONTACT ME.

I will paint the New Year orange!

It's the time of year that I totally love. No, not Christmas (although I am very pro-presents, of course).

It's New Year's Resolution time! I love the idea that I have a blank canvas to start off the next year right. Seems like once December comes around, in the front of my mind are Christmas preparations, but I am well aware of my subconscious gearing up for the changes that need to be made once January 1st hits.

Whether I will stick with those changes is always debatable. But this year will be different. Of course, it always is....

But the fun and excitement of it is that 2008 is so open and pure. Positive things await all of us. And I can leave all my bad habits and negative feelings in 2007 and paint my brand new canvas in any way I want. (I think I will paint it orange!)

(BTW, I'm stealing Coach Joelle's blank canvas analogy.)

Right now, I am making sure I have all of my supplies so that I am prepared to paint. I need my brushes, my pigments and gesso to prime the canvas.

In other words, I have to give myself the best opportunity to make a work of art that lasts.

So without further ado, here are my 2008 New Years Resolutions:

FITNESS & NUTRITION
1) Eat far more consciously. Everything in life flows from putting the right fuel in one's body. I know this. But I do not always respect it.

I will make sure my fridge is stocked with the right foods, will allow myself four drinks a month, and will stay away from fast food and pizza. Not only is it bad for my body, it counteracts my mental acuity and is bad for my ridiculously sensitive skin.

2) Drink much more water. Stop drinking Diet Coke. Coach Joelle is right - we don't even know the dangers of that stuff yet. But I'm sure they are there. It's not just the caffeine. It's also the scary-sounding chemicals in any cola product.

I will drink a large container of water a day - 10+ glasses.

3) Get serious about working out. I have (finally) found workouts I enjoy - spinning and my weight class. Working out is finally semi-fun for me. Well, at least it's not sheer clockwatching agony anymore. I have to take advantage of cardio and toning not being such a chore these days.

I will take three spin class/weight class combinations each week plus two additional spin or other cardio sessions.

4) Get leaner and build lean muscle mass.

I will find out my current BMI and body fat percentage and take measurements regularly to make sure I am reaching my goals.

SELF-IMPROVEMENT
5) Defeat my monkeys - closet & otherwise.

Talk to Debbie Carney about developing structure and an organization plan. Focus on throwing stuff out and giving to charity.

6) Read more. Actually finish books instead of being a habitual book starter.

Read for at least 20 minutes a day. Keep track of this.

7) Make my life a little more regimented. Will it kill me to plan more? And plan better? Absolutely not. Hey, I may then accomplish more. And there's nothing wrong with that!

I will use the small binder I created a few months ago, which documents my daily life - all the facets I want to get under control - pretty much everything in my resolution list!

8) Stay present. I tend to keep my mind firmly planted in the future. I am more of a visionary. I love to imagine the possible. But sometimes it's not conducive to getting things done.

I will be more cognizant of where my mind is at all times and bring myself back into the present when I find it wandering.

APPEARANCE
9) Keep up with manicures, pedicures and hair color. Even if I think no one will notice. I will! I prefer to do all of these myself, not leave them to the professionals. I don't necessarily recommend this to most people, but it has always worked best for me. It's my relaxing alone time.

I will set aside time on Sunday night to pamper my hands and feet. I will create a schedule for my hair color - not just color it when I see major roots.

10) Do my hair and makeup every day. Even when I won't be seeing anyone that I need to impress. It's too easy to slack in this department.

I will do at least 'natural' makup every day and blow out my hair. And if I'm feeling more inspired, I will do more.


I'm putting this out in the universe and sending it to my friends so I will be held accountable.

West Side (Market) Story

I had a bad Christmas :(

Well, it wasn't terrible, but it definitely wasn't pleasant.

I became violently ill after dinner and had to grab my dog and gifts and leave my parents' house.

Here's how it started....

Every year, my parents and I take our annual trip to the West Side Market to pick up our pierogis at the Pierogi Palace, a stand there. (If you didn't already guess, we're Polish.)

I hadn't eaten a pierogi since I was a kid, since I am a vegetarian who doesn't eat eggs. Last year we discovered vegan pierogi. They're not the best - I'm not a huge fan of straight-up dough, but I feel more like a member of the fam if I'm eating something similar to what they are. So I got a dozen this year.


Well, I had one on Monday and didn't feel too well. Then I had a couple on Christmas Day (along with a couple of peppermint martinis) and started throwing up. I was sweating and clammy and my face was flushed. So I went home and slept on the couch with my dog. That was about 6pm.

I blame the pierogis.

That....just....sucks.

I was just laughing the other day because my parents buy their traditional Polish fare at the Market - pierogi, kielbasa and pickled herring. And what stands do I frequent? Middle Eastern food - this year it was hummus, falafel and tzatziki - and the fresh Mex stand that wasn't there last year, where I bought tomatillo salsa and orzo & black bean salad.

Like I've said before, I am the freak in my family who eats what they consider to be weird foods. See? When I try to conform, I pay for it!

And while my last name is Syrian or Lebanese (a misspelling of the "Smith"-like Khalil), my ancestry is 100% Polish.

Partying with the Browns!

Aaah, the holidays with friends. Thursday night, my awesome friend Michelle White-Grady and I finally connected for dinner and drinks at Bar Louie. I happened to be in Beachwood shopping with my client from New Jersey when she called to say "Merry Christmas." So I was like, "Wanna get dinner? I'm right here at the mall!" (She lives a couple of streets away.)

She told me the funniest story about how she almost dated the comedian Sinbad back in her college days. And some other stories about college that I can't repeat.

(Thanks for the beautiful scarf, MWG - I wore it last night :)

Bar Louie Voodoo Martinis are the BEST!! Pretty much anything with Stoli Blueberi is yum.

Then I was out last night with my new friend Lisa - first we had dinner at Marmalade in Beachwood (the place is ORANGE! I want to live there!!). Then we did a little shopping and checked out what was happening at Red & Moxie.

Well....the table next to the bar at Red was filled with opened Christmas gifts and a bunch of guys having a blast. Somehow we found out they were some of the Browns - the running backs, to be more specific - and they were having a little Christmas party and birthday celebration for their RB coach Anthony (the guy wearing the Super Bowl ring). We got to hang out with Jamal Lewis, Jason Wright and Jerome Harrison. Really nice guys. I felt a little dorky asking them who they were because I know them by their names and numbers, and I have no idea who they are in their street clothes.

And no, I am not a typical girlie girl who knows nothing about sports and was in awe because they are "celebrities." I am a lifelong Browns fan! (If I could type little orange hearts here, I would! OK, these work.)

And yes, I do know football terminology and a lot of NFL history (learned through osmosis or something - I am a weird knowledge sponge!).

Jason Wright (#29) really impressed me. He's a really nice and humble guy. Absolutely LOVES playing here in Cleveland. Loves the Cleveland people (because we're REAL, baby!). And he loves that we love the Browns so much. He's from L.A. (he said the Blizzard Bowl was the wildest thing he's ever seen), went to college in Chicago, played in Atlanta and now he lives in Ohio City!

Pretty cool night for Lisa and me!

(What did the running backs get in their gift exchange? Xboxes, iPods and accessories, Louis Vuitton belts, etc.)

GO BROWNS! BEAT CINCY!

(We actually have a chance to win the division. It is slim...but there IS a chance. We love our Browns, but we especially love them when they are actually good - admittedly rare - and we have something to brag about to our friends in other cities. Take THAT, LisaMarie and Jill in Cincinnati!!! Good thing I really don't know anyone in Pittsburgh!!)

A good time last night

I just wanted to quickly share a pic from my fun little party last night at D'vine. Most of them were too dark (darn you D'vine and your romantic candlelight!)

Clockwise from left top, Lisa Schutt, me, Coach Joelle and Monika Moss.

(The big news of the night - Monika started a publishing company AND finished her first book. I am a jealous, jealous girl!!!)

I love having beautiful and successful friends!

Cheers to us!!!

Beware of Mouth Monkeys

Fortunately, I am only plagued by monkeys in my closet , but I think this is one of the funniest quotes I've ever read!

About Last Night
What really happens to your body when you drink too much--and why most hangover remedies won't work.

David Vanderveen figures he should know better. But during a family party last Christmas, Vanderveen, 38, a normally temperate kind of guy, downed several glasses of champagne and Scotch before slurping some Boerenjongens, a Dutch concoction made from whisky and raisins. He spent the next morning on his couch, nursing a heaving stomach, headache and other assorted ills. "I felt like a monkey died in my mouth," says Vanderveen, cofounder of XS Energy Drinks, based in Laguna, Calif. "It wasn't pretty."

Read the full article from Newsweek.

Dog Gone...and Found

Know what? There's a reason I wasn't out partying last night and a reason I was laying low with my phone set to ring loud as it charged.

I got a frantic call at 11:15pm.

My mom: "Tina's gone."

At first I thought she meant their 5 year old rescued greyhound had dropped dead. But no. Tina left through an open gate about ten minutes earlier. OH NO.

When they adopted her in the summer of 2006, they were warned that these dogs can be in the next county before you even know they're gone. They are really fast. Hey, there's a reason they're greyhounds.

I started doing the steps that are outlined by rescue organization Greyhound Adoption of Ohio, where Tina came from. First I called greyhound maven Linda (a personal hero of mine, she has placed well over 1400 dogs!). She would put out an email, and if she wasn't found by morning, there are people in her network all over the area who will actually go out searching when a greyhound gets lost.

I jumped in the car and sped over to my parents' in about 15 minutes. My dad came home from bowling, my mom drove down to the Metroparks where they always walk, and I took off on foot.

My mom saw just how many deer are out at night in the park - which is unfortunate, because their dog looks exactly like a deer without antlers.

I was three minutes away from their house as I was searching the block when I got the call - Tina was home. I got back and my aunt and uncle had pulled up (they got out of bed to help in the search) and my brother even showed up from Lakewood (turns out HE had left the gate open earier that day).

Tina was found on a neighbor's porch 5 houses down and across the street. The neighbor was leaving to go out for some late night Christmas shopping. Funny that the dog picked the house with the prettiest Christmas lights on the street.

The lady walked her home and all was well. What luck.

But it was really scary and could have turned out much, much worse.

Thank goodness it didn't.

Restless

Ever have one of those periods of time where you are ready to do something, but nothing is appealing? I am in that place right now. I had a long brainstorming session today with Deb Carney, I am mentally tired, but not tired enough to sleep. I don't want to go out and party. Don't want to shop, don't want to read or watch TV or work.

Does anyone really care anyway?

I hate Paul at Christmastime

Spinner put out its 12 Worst Christmas Songs of all time - and one particularly gets under my skin.

Paul McCartney's Wonderful Christmastime (#11 -- should be much higher!).

Look, kids -- Daddy got a new synthesizer for Christmas! McCartney has reportedly renounced this creampuff in recent years, but the damage was already done....

It made this Christmas season particularly unpleasant when it was the first Christmas song I heard - way back at the beginning of NOVEMBER (far too early).

[I am far more partial to George. Did he make a Christmas song?? "A Bangladeshi Christmas" or something?]

Other songs that made the list that I agree with - Smashing Pumpkins "Christmastime" (quite creepy, as they point out) and pretty much any Christmas song by Destiny's Child (when their Christmas wailing comes on in a store, I drop my stuff and leave).

Some of the songs I've never heard, and if I did, they didn't register with me (probably a good thing), and the Number 1 song, I totally disagree with:

Band-Aid's Do They Know It's Christmas?

Maybe it really is a bad song - to me it's catchy - but more important than whether it's good or not - it's the memories it brings back (ooh, Duran Duran!).

The first time I hear it each season, I smile. And regardless of what anyone else thinks, that makes it a good song. (One year, I was in the dentist's chair getting numb for a root canal, but trying to crack a smile through the Novocaine. Such is my affection for that song!)

My hair people will definitely kill me for this

Inspired by God-only-knows-what, I grabbed scissors today and cut my hair into a full set of bangs.

I just felt like bangs for the holiday season.

Gary or Julia, you will no doubt see me soon to fix this awful chop job!

(P.S. I am shedding little blonde snippings onto my black keyboard. Sexxy.)

Who Knew Mr. Hooper was Jewish?

Oh, the memories. I am probably showing my age, but I located an old favorite of mine on YouTube - Christmas Eve on Sesame Street!

And yes, I was specifically looking for Oscar singing "I Hate Christmas."

Where oh where is my Bridget ?? :(

Now that I am ready and in the mood to watch Bridget Jones's Diary, I can't find my DVD! It's not where it is supposed to be and I am freaking out!!! Did I loan it to someone? Did the monkeys swipe it??

I am usually very orderly with my DVD collection - alphabetized and everything!!

Aaaaaaaaargh!!!!!!!!!

Happy Elfin' Christmas

My great friend Gini, CEO of anatomyofstyle.com sent me this.

Here's me the elf

and here's Gini the elf

To Elf Yourself, go here.

Too funny!

Kristen is Bored...

And when I am bored, I am more dangerous than usual.

This weekend, despite being super-busy with business concepts that are already in motion and a ton of emails to return, I have decided to begin work on something new.

A couple of years ago, about 6 people and myself started work on the Cleveland Women's Leadership Link. That was about the time I was asked to develop a TV show (which never came to fruition, fortunately!). I had to leave the planning committee, there was a launch at the House of Blues Foundation Room, and then it sort of fell apart.

There has always been a need for something like this, and those who got on the mailing list right at the beginning were ecstatic because there was nothing like it.

Well, I think we were giving ourselves too much work to do, quite honesty. And now, I have asked Coach Joelle and Leslie Carruthers, both powerful women and great connectors, to join me in this new endeavor.

It will be informal, just like I prefer, and since all the events I throw seem to have greater attendance on weekdays, we'll just catch a happy hour and socialize and network and see where the synergies happen to be.

I'll check with the girls and see when we want to shoot for having the first event. I'm guessing mid-January, and then falling into a pattern for the following months.

I'll keep my blog updated, of course.

Deb in the PD

My good friend, professional organizer Debbie Carney, is profiled in today's Plain Dealer, talking about what she does for disorganized people like moi:

Organizing all that disorganization

Congrats, Deb!

Check out her site & blog:
www.NewOrderOrganizers.com
Debbie's Blog: An Organized Life

I'm having a party

Since I've sent out the invite to my whole community, I thought I might as well put it on my blog as well in case any of my local blog readers want to attend. Hey, the more the merrier!

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

D’vine Wine Bar

836 W. St. Clair

Cleveland, OH

216-241-8463

www.dvinewinebar.com

(We’ll be on the side with the couches)

5:30-7:30pm

~RSVP~

kkaleal@aol.com

440-742-0385

As always, bring your friends or your significant other,

and we’ll mingle and network and have a lot of fun!

Holiday Lbs.

You know how they say that the average American gains 5-7 pounds around the holidays? Well, I am afraid I am going to drink (not eat) on the pounds. Too many holiday gatherings and too much making merry - already - and it's only 12/7. Time to shut it down.

To make you think (and to embed it in my own brain), here are the highest calorie drinks according to Forbes:

#10 Cosmopolitan (150 cal)
# 9 Mojito (160 cal)
# 8 Gin or Vodka & Tonic (200 cal)
# 7 Fog Cutter (225 cal)
# 6 Champagne Cocktail (250 cal)
# 5 Mai Tai (350 cal)
# 4 White Russian (425 cal)
# 3 Pina Colada (644 cal)
# 2 Margarita (740 cal)
# 1 Long Island Iced Tea (780 cal!!!)

I'm just wondering how many extra calories I drank this week in a bunch of Voodoo Martinis (Stoli Bluberi - YUM) at Bar Louie and my Starbucks Chai. Oh boy....seriously, no more drinking just for the sake of drinking. Unless it's Diet Coke and flavored vodka.

(The Forbes article has good suggestions for replacements for the high cal ingredients in some of the drinks - and in other cases, they suggest completely different alternatives where you get the alcohol and some of the same flavors, but without the ridiculous amount of calories.)

Lip Gloss, Brit-Brit & Bridget

With my lunch meeting canceled today, I went to some lame, but really close by places - Sally's, Kohl's and my old standby Target.

I've been using hot rollers lately, and with my thick-but-thin hair (meaning I have lots and lots of hair, but each individual strand is very fine), I have a hard time maintaining my curls. So I went to Sally's to see what kind of potion I don't yet have to help my curls. I found some kind of gel - which I haven't used yet. We shall see.

But the real find was LIP GLOSS. The Savvy label has some decent stuff that I've used before. But this gloss is unbelievable. It stays, first of all!! That's hard to find. Second, it is super-iridescent. It's Savvy Diamonds Sparkling Lip Gloss. I bought Peach Diamond (peachy-pink) and Rouge Diamond (looks kind of wine-y, but is very sheer). Good stuff. And trust me, I am a lip gloss maniac. I try every kind I see and I have a huge bin of it. This is very good stuff.

After Sally's, I went to Kohl's. I never buy anything there, besides the infrequent pair of earrings. I hate their clothes. The Vera Wang collection (Simply Vera) is especially U-G-L-Y. Today I was scrounging around in the jewelry section, which is right next to the fine fragrances. I saw a cool dark bottle, that looked like Britney's Fantasy bottle. It was Midnight Fantasy, by Brit-Brit.

Let me first tell you that I am super specific about perfumes. I don't usually wear any, but when I do, it's Cashmere Mist or Victoria's Secret's Love Spell or Dior Addict. I DO NOT buy celebrity scents. No, no, no. But I tried this and LOVED IT. It's light and fruity with a little vanilla. Or, as the Macy's site states:

MIDNIGHT fantasy BRITNEY SPEARS™ seduces you when the clock strikes twelve. An intoxicating elixir of luscious fruits invites you into a mysterious realm of temptation and intrigue. A seductive floral bouquet mingles with sensuous musks and dark amber to create an unforgettable MIDNIGHT fantasy.

Well now my conundrum is whether to spend $55 on a bottle of it and fuel her drugged out lifestyle and poor mothering of her (really cute) kids, and hence lie to people when they compliment it and I ask what perfume I am wearing. Or not. I think the answer is obvious, but it REALLY smells wonderful!!

Darn you Britney!!!! Because you're stupid, I can't buy your perfume that I would wear every day in a heartbeat.

And finally, I was driving the 5 minutes home and heard Eric Carmen's All By Myself. Made me realize I need to watch Bridget Jones's Diary. That song plays during the movie's opening credits. Plus it's topical - it happens at Christmas time. And Colin Firth. Yummy....


[Bridget glimpses Mark for the first time]

Bridget: Perhaps this is the mysterious Mr. Right I have been waiting my whole life to meet.

[sees reindeer sweater]

Bridget: Maybe not.

Sore, sore, sore & crabby

I've been lifting weights like a fiend (well, at least for me) for the last 2 months. I've been able to increase how much I'm lifting considerably in the last couple of weeks. Maybe I'm turning into the incredible hulk or something (hehe). Fortunately, I'm really getting solid, not bulky. But I do keep flexing an unhealthy amount because it makes me feel like an awesome bodybuilder or something.

The increased weight factor is making me hurt, which is expected, but it makes me grouchy too. And having to go out shopping - anywhere - during the Christmas season annoys me too! Best Buy. Ugh. TJ Maxx yesterday too. GRRRR. So many people, all over the place. But mainly, in my way!!!

Good thing I found out my grinch name, which is Woefulbeast Rottenshorts. Yeah, that's me alright. It was made worse by the SNOW when I opened the door this evening. I was not expecting this. In fact, I went out this morning to Target (before the gym) in flip-flops. Bad Ms. Rottenshorts!! I can't help it! As long as there is no precipitation and it's over 40 degrees, I'm in flip-flops. Or at least shoes and no socks, which I also did today.

I have to put those silly flip-flops away already. Or they will have to pry them off my frostbitten feet.