Well, I Didn't Mean For That to Happen!

As in, I didn't intend to post early in the month and then not again until the last day!  I mean, not that I have anything terribly fascinating to report, but I was very surprised when I saw that my last post here was on May 10 - what's that about?

May was a weird month.  Not a bad one, just weird in that lots of things were going on, but not necessarily exciting things.  There were some highlights - a trip to Maryland Sheep and Wool at the very beginning of the month, and a trip home to West Virginia over the Memorial Day weekend - but it was mostly going to work and not killing anyone there, coming home and being lazy, and running errands/cleaning on the weekends.

However, one of the things I do every single May, usually the week before the holiday weekend, is get my first pedicure of the season.  During the rest of the year, I treat myself to a manicure now and then, but other than, er, "maintaining" clean feet and trimmed toenails, I never polish or pamper them.  Most of the year I wear socks, boots, etc., and if I'm paying someone to do my nails, I want to see them regularly, you know?

Anyhow, I have lately been going to a place around here that I'd heard about off and on, and finally decided to try for a manicure.  For anyone reading this in the Philadelphia area, it's Mi Cumbia, and it's really a great place.  Very small, and you do need an appointment, but I think it's worth the effort.  They use all non-toxic polishes, and it's really a place to be pampered.  The cost of a manicure or pedicure is only about two dollars more than at the in-and-out quickie places, and for me at least, the manicures have lasted without chipping for five days or more!

So I decided to try a pedicure there, and it was an incredibly decadent experience.  I opted for the basic one, but with the time they took and the way I was pampered, I felt like I'd been to a spa when I was finished.*  And my pedicure was really pretty too!  The people are all very nice and friendly, which is also a plus.  You never feel like a stranger, or that they are rushing you.

Now, I just need a nice pair of sandals to show it off ...


*No, I've never actually been to a spa.  But I feel like it must be an experience similar to what I had when getting a pedicure.  Work with me here, people

So There's Good News and There's Bad News

Such is life, no?  I will admit that, even when I am suspicious of something being "improved," I am disappointed when I feel that it is not.  Such is the case with a moisturizer that I loved in the old formulation, but not so much in the new one.

A couple of years ago, I tried Josie Maran Argan Daily Moisturizer with sunscreen.  I was slightly skeptical, since it had argan oil in it, and even now, I'm hesitant to try things on my face that have oil.  But I'd read a lot of good things about it, so I decided to give it a shot.  And I *loved* the stuff!  I used it religiously, even deciding that it did my skin some good.   But, as these things often go, the one time I went to get a new bottle, and was told by the salesperson that it was discontinued, because they were working on making an "improved" formula.

Recently, that new, improved formula was available.

So I ordered it from sephora.com, since I didn't see it in the store.  I was pretty excited to receive it.  But not so excited now that I've actually used it.

The old formula was really lotion-y.  It was easy to put onto your face, and felt very smooth. This formula is a lot thicker, and feels more oily.  You really have to work to smooth it onto your face, and it's really hard to wash off your hands.  I guess it still works the same, because my face is not oily, and seems to be doing well, but I have to say that I will probably not buy it again once this bottle is gone.

(Side note: a sales person recently told me that the cosmetics companies were going to stop making moisturizers with sunscreen, since it has a negative effect on the anti-aging products.  Has anyone else heard this?)

But now - on to the good news!

This product, which I ordered on a whim along with the moisturizer above, is fabulous:

I was a little hesitant, because again, I didn't want my face to look shiny, and also because these things can also be pretty dark and/or orange-y, and I didn't want to look like I was attempting to channel John Boehner.  But I knew I could return it if I didn't like it, so I figured I'd give it a try.

I love this!  One squirt from the bottle seems like it's way too much, but when you mix it with your foundation or tinted  moisturizer, or whatever else you use, it blends in nicely.  Once it's on your face, there is no shininess, and really not even any noticeable color/shade difference.  Instead, your skin looks very healthy, like you have been taking a brisk walk, and a natural kind of brightness is there.

I recommend this product if you like to look a little bit extra healthy, but not bronzed or noticeably different.

Bad news and good news.  I'm happy with this 50% success story.  :-)

Shape, Age, Health, Food

Last week, I read this blog post, and it really made me think.  The blog is one that I read regularly, and like most blogs (about anything) that I read, sometimes it "speaks" to me more than others.  The particular post I'm linking to was one that I thought made a lot of good points, and was accessible to most people.

I was not necessarily the world's  most well-adjusted kid, but I have to tell you, it never, ever, EVER occurred to me as a tween, teenager, or a young adult that I was somehow *supposed* to look like models or celebrities in magazines.  I would maybe like what they were wearing, or their hair and makeup, etc., but I truly never felt inadequate because of my body.  So although I can intellectually understand that it can be/is a problem for women of all ages today, I can't really relate to the whole issue.

As I got older, and became responsible for feeding, dressing, and being completely in charge of myself, my biggest desire was to be healthy and fit.  It didn't necessarily translate into me treating my body as the temple that health fanatics do, but it made me more aware that my overall health and fitness was my own responsibility.  I have been fortunate to be a person who is comfortable in my own skin.

So anyway, back to the post mentioned at the beginning of this post.  She points out that genetics and privilege make a difference.  Unlike the writer's mother, my mother was not one who made sure that we always had whole grain breads, and fresh vegetables.  We always had some kind of fruit, and there was always milk in the refrigerator, but my "deprivations" growing up were a result of my parents' coming of age when having convenience foods was such a wonderful luxury, that opening a can of vegetables, or cooking frozen foods were desirable ways to feed your family.  The other reason was budgetary.  We didn't have money for much, and although we were fortunate to always have something to eat, many of our meals would likely make people today gasp in horror.  Milk was rationed to one glass for each of us a day, since it was seen as necessary but not easily affordable.

Having said that, I thought a lot of the points raised in the aforementioned blog post were worth stating.  We all need food to survive, but in today's world, food and your individual relationship to it is such a sensitive subject that it can be hard to do what really works well for YOU and not feel that somehow you are wrong.  My relationship with food, exercise, and just life in general has been an ever-changing one, and I've always been fortunate because there has never been pressure from anyone who mattered to me to be any different than I am.

So yes, I directed you to one person's way of doing things, and talking about it, and it may not have any relevance to anything about your existence.  But when I read it, I really started thinking about ways that I try to "maintain my shape" and why I do what I do.  In my case, I have had so many health problems that were beyond my control, I want to do my best to be conscientious about the things I can control.

Just like in clothing, one size does not fit all.  It never will, and never should.

I do firmly believe though, that YOUR one size/shape/activity level should always work for you, and make you a happier and healthier person.  I hope by reading this post, as well as the one that started me on this topic, you will be able to feel good about yourself, and decide what you want to try for your health.  I truly believe that if you feel good, you look good, no matter how old you are.

Easter Weekend

Sorry to have been incommunicado for a while here, but things got a bit hectic at work, and my small amounts of spare time were spent just trying to keep my head above water here at home, with exciting things like laundry ...

Then this week, we were preparing for guests who should be arriving at any moment, so it was time to clean the house and really get ready for Easter - which seemed so far away for so long, at least to me!

Anyway, I hope that you and yours have a joyous Easter if you celebrate, and regardless of whether you do or not, a lovely spring weekend!

Score!

If you are anything at all like me, you truly love it when you find something that is a bargain.  I am not patient enough to be  one of those people who look for the best price possible, but I do try to be careful when I purchase something, particularly when it is not a necessity.

Even better, though, is when a bargain finds you.  A couple of weeks ago, we had gone out to get some things at Petsmart, and make a stop at the liquor store.  The shopping center where the Petsmart is also has a Kohl's, and we decided to stop there too.  I was looking at some tops that were on sale, and at the bottom of one pile was this:

Nice, huh?  I really liked it, and thought it was a pretty color for spring.  I looked at the price tag, and it was marked down from $59.00 to $11.88.  I figured with a sale like that, maybe there was something wrong with it - you know, one of those "as is" sales.  But it seemed to be just fine. 

Then when we checked out, the price scanned as $9.50, which was pretty exciting, as far as I'm concerned.  But, there was still an additional discount to be added, so I ended up paying a grand total of $7.50 for this purse!

Now THAT is a bargain, no?

Be Careful What You Wish For ...

Sigh.  That's what I have been telling myself all day.  Cold comfort, but the truth.

You may recall that I have ongoing issues with my hair and various stylists who have cut it.  Though I would love to have luxurious hair, I have very fine hair (thought lots of it), and I am too lazy to fool with it more than is absolutely necessary.  And once the weather gets hot, I can't stand to have it on my neck at all.

A few years ago, I got a cut that I absolutely loved.  I think it might have been one of the best haircuts of my life.  And it was one that apparently everyone else thought was a good one, too, as I always received compliments on it.  Basically, it was a messy pixie - meaning there was no specific part, and I didn't have to blow it dry.

But that place was really out of my way, and kind of a pain to get to, especially in the winter.  And the stylist stopped working on Saturdays, which limited me even more.  So I shopped around.

For the last year or so, I've been going to a place very close to my house.  It's nice, it's in the neighborhood, it's reasonably priced, and I really like my stylist.  She does a good job with cutting, and an awesome job at color.  Everyone in the salon is great.  My only complaint is that I could never get her to cut my hair as short as I'd like.

I ran into an acquaintance about a month ago, who told me that the person at the other place was going to be working on Saturdays in March, filling in for another stylist on maternity leave.  I gave it some thought, and devised a plan which I felt was *such* a good idea (which actually should have been a warning).  I decided to make an appt with her, and then when it was time for a "clean-up" I would go to my current stylist to show her what I meant, and we would all live happily ever after.  I talked to the girl who does appts at the current place, and she said no one would find that a problem, people do it a lot.

You know the result, right?  Well, to add insult to eventual injury, it was POURING this morning, so I had to trudge over in that.  Then the stylist was half an hour late (I was her first appt).  And when all was said and done, I ended up with a slightly longer haircut than a buzz cut.

I'm doing my best to look at the bright side: 1) my hair grows pretty quickly, so it should look at least a little better in a week or so, 2) when I go for my "clean up," it will hopefully be pretty much the way I want it to, so the current stylist will see what I mean, and, 3) it's convinced me once and for all to stay where I am.

In the meantime, I'll live.  But for about the millionth time in my life, a lesson has been learned.  I wish these lessons - once learned about one thing - would apply to all other things, so it would be done in one fell swoop.  But I'm pretty sure that would be too easy, and people would forget, or start ignoring the lessons.

As my sister would say, "White People Problems," and I agree, but I sure wish I didn't have to walk around with this haircut at all, even for another day ...

Lip Solution

Like a lot of people, I get chapped lips during the winter.  Unlike some people, mine get really awful - to the point of bleeding.  I regularly use some kind of lip balm, with varying results.  Some are so temporary, that by the time I leave the room where I applied them, my lips are dried out again!

I really like wearing lipstick, too, so it can be really disappointing to have my icky lips make the lipstick look awful.  Besides cracking and bleeding, at a minimum they start to peel, and the whole thing just looks bad.

Fast forward to a couple of weekends ago, when my niece and her husband asked us to spend the weekend with them at a beach house in Rehoboth Beach.  One of our favorite places to visit while there, is a soap shop called Little Egg Harbor Soap Shop.  First of all, it's a cute shop, and they have really nice, handmade soaps.  We went there last fall when we visited, and by the time we were going this time, the soaps we'd bought then were gone.  So we were really hoping to get some more, and hoping the shop was open in the off-season.

It was, so we were able to get more of the soaps we liked, and try one or two new ones.  But the best thing I bought that day was this little jar:

I bought this as a kind of afterthought, while waiting to check out.  The lady who works there said that it had been very popular, and that she really liked it.  It was $5.00, so I figured, what the heck I'd give it a try.

Wow.  I love this product.  A teeny amount rubbed across your lips not only feels good and even tastes OK, but immediately softens, exfoliates, and conditions your lips.  You wash it off, and your lips feel like you put a really lovely balm on them for about an hour or so afterwards.  All of a sudden, my lips were in good shape, even after only two times using this!  And you need such a small amount for big results, I think I'll have this for a while - so the $5.00 price tag is a good deal!

Little Egg Harbor Soap company has a website here, and the specific link for the lip scrub is here.  Of course, if you are in Rehoboth Beach or any of the other locations, you can buy it in person, while also getting a whiff of their lovely soaps.  But if you need something to help your lips, it may just be worth ordering it and paying for the shipping. 

I, for one, couldn't be happier about the way this works.