25 Random Things About Me

I am all about free blog content, baby!

I was tagged on Facebook to write 25 things about myself, and I thought I would share the love with my oft-neglected blog as well.

So here they are:

1. Centipedes terrify me.

2. My dad calls me “Cup” which is short for Cupcake.

3. My favorite place is Santa Monica.

4. I was pre-med for 2 ½ years.

5. I’ve thrown up at the Rock + Roll Hall of Fame.

6. I think Grease 2 is the worst movie in history.

7. I don’t believe in astrology, but I am a textbook Leo.

8. I have been stranded in a flood.

9. I've had 3 TMJ surgeries.

10. My dad, both grandpas, and my uncle are named AL.

11. I think snakes are cool.

12. I don’t like breakfast foods.

13. I firmly believe that “goat” is the funniest word ever.

14. I have nightmares that I’m back in college, it’s finals time and I never went to class.

15. I was voted “Most likely to get into politics” in 8th grade.

16. I think the most nauseating smell is Bath & Body’s Plumeria.

17. I saw Tina Fey at Second City in 1996.

18. My signature was once described as “frilly and ostentatious.”

19. I won’t step foot in the ocean or lakes.

20. I almost had my own TV show.

21. I own no less than 12 shampoos at any time.

22. I am friends with John Belushi’s first cousin.

23. I close my eyes during the tunnel scene in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.

24. I once lived down the street from the Hard Rock Hotel in Vegas.

25. I can still do the splits.

Into the Monkey Mill

Monday is Martin Luther King Day, which means it is D-Day for my parents' closet. My mom will be off from work and that is the day we decided to attack it. And I do mean attack.

Being a professional wardrobe cleaner-outer, who has people pay me good money for my services, one
might think that my parents would be eager for me to donate my services to such a worthwhile cause. Nope.
Instead, I have had to cajole, beg, humiliate and bribe them to get my hands on that mess.

This has been ongoing since this past summer, when I spent some time in there trying to help my mom
pick out an outfit for a wedding - at the last minute, of course. It's shocking how two adults with a relatively
clean house can have such a horrific closet. It's like two 12 year old boys share the space, complete with stinky
sneakers.

My parents are the poster children for how not to manage a closet. Not that the word "manage"
should come into play at all. I'm pretty sure that my closet monkeys were bred in there. It's literally
a monkey mill. Well, not for long.


While I'm there, a fashion exorcism may also be necessary.

I will come equipped with:

- net
- tranquilizer gun
- crucifix
- holy water

Fortunately, I couldn't pay my parents to read my blog, so I'm exposing them in here. (cue evil laugh)

The changing of the blog

Hey Folks

As you may have noticed, I'm having a blog identity crisis - and a brand crisis in general. I'm in this bizarre abyss between owning a business and being a self-promoting author-type-person. I've never been here before, so I am relying on the experiences and advice of others to figure everything out. I was planning to rebrand my business, but was advised to table that for now and just put it all under the umbrella of my name.

The new blog is called "Unbuttoned" - and no, the BBC did not threaten me with a lawsuit for using "Keeping Up Appearances." Ha! (The URL will also be changing soon for all of you who link to it in your blogs.)

So if my blog (or I, for that matter) seems a little flaky recently and in the near future, that's why. We're exploring what's going to work best for my target audience and platform.

KK

80's Hippies

Q: What do you get when you combine the worst of the Age of Aquarius with the worst of the 80's?

A: This ~

I don't really see anything from this look that I can steal and use for myself or any of my clients. It's really out there - styles and eras that should never be put together. The colors (for spring) aren't even inspiring. What the heck??

1 Minute Review: L'Oreal Dream Blonde

I am an at-home hair colorer. Mainly because I don't enjoy the amount of time it takes to sit in the salon and hand foils to my hair stylist and sit under the dryer and process for what seems like an eternity. When I do my own, I slap the color on, let it process for a half hour (while doing something constructive) and then throw in some highlights and lowlights if and when the mood strikes me.

I've never been loyal to one brand. It's all based on which chick on the box I feel like looking like at that time.

L'Oreal Dream Blonde is almost twice the price of other coloring kits (I think I paid $14.99 at Target), but it is worth it for high-lift blondes like myself (especially with longer hair) as the ends tend to get especially dry.

The package comes with a protectant for the delicate ends, your usual tint, developer and conditioner, plus it also includes shampoo and "continuous shine crème" which I haven't used yet, but it's supposed to be applied to your finished style.

Unlike many women I know, I never really have trouble with my blonde getting red or brassy. As long as I stay close to my natural-ish champagne blonde, I'm good. I was really happy with this color. I think it was 8 1/2 Natural Blonde. Looks like a perfect base that I can add to when I feel like it.

I'm really happy that L'Oreal is showing concern for the health of the hair and not just giving you the chemicals to damage it. Lord knows I've done enough of that over the years.

So all you self-coloring blondes out there, go for it! Let me know what you think!!

I'm outta here....soon

During the winter, I always become convinced that I'm moving away from Cleveland at the first sign of spring. This winter is no different.

So, I decided to make a list of the things I like about my hometown and the things I don't.

What I like:

1. My beloved sad sack Browns

Wow, that was shorter than expected!


What I don't like:

1. Everything other than my beloved sad sack Browns. Especially the weather.


I know this will probably draw the ire of the pro-Cleve people, and that's fine. Go ahead and complain. I'm leaving! (As soon as I get my book finished! So it may be awhile...)

I did move to Vegas once before, so it isn't an idle threat, like those from so many others. I did it once and I will do it again! This I swear.....