Friday, November 5, 2010

Oooohh! So is it like a magic wand?



I moved into a historic Victorian apartment recently, that was previously inhabited by a smoking auto mechanic. I'm all about affordable! The previous renter left a trail of oil up the stairs and into the living room. I can tell exactly where the Lazy Boy sat. Therefore the place required a thorough cleaning. Also, the place smelled like smoke until I doused it with Pine Sol. Now it smells like the woods! Since I had to watch the kids (my sisters are "the kids") I decided to occupy them by putting them to work. All was going well, until I realized that I needed my favorite cleaning product the Magic Eraser. Forget paint, my walls could be salvaged by Mr. Clean. I wish Mr. Clean was a real person. I definitely wouldn't mind having a fit, trustworthy man around to change my light bulbs, take out the trash, clean the bathroom, do the heavy lifting, ect. And it would be soooo convenient to just pick him up at Walmart whenever I needed him. So that day, before heading out to Walmart I explained to the kids that I needed to get a Magic Eraser. They looked up at me with wide eyes and said "Oh a maaagic eraser!! Is it really magic?! Is it like a maaaagic wand?!!" I responded, "Well sorta" it'll get the scuffs off the wall. So we headed out to pick up the cleaning tool that's straight out of Harry Potter and came back to remove scuffs... and I put them back to work.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Lolita Lempicka & Feeling Sexy

I use only one perfume
I traveled down quite a road to find it
I think it describes me
Not very many people use it
It's gotten much more popular though
It makes me feel sexy
I'm not even sure why
I guess it's because I found it
At the same time I found myself
As a woman
And not some kid
Around the same time I found Lolita Lempicka
I found out that I'm sexy
Before that I never thought I was ugly
But I never would've described myself as sexy
Cute maybe,
But not sexy

I smelled it in a magazine
Years before I ran into Lolita in person
I don't remember what magazine
I looked for it in other magazines
And never found it

I was living a pretty good year
Driving a little red Cavalier
Singing at the top of my lungs
All around town
I had my friends
Good friends
Recent friends
That I found by myself
They were all over the place
Just like I was all over the place
Two went to different schools
Two were in different grades
None of them knew each other
YET!

I went to high school
During the day
I took just the classes I wanted
AP European History, AP English, and AP Art Portfolio
I then took community college classes at night
My classes all tied together
I was happy to skip high school
To write my college papers
And then write my high school papers
On topics I learned in college

I worked
Almost every night
I loved working
I loved paying for myself
I felt grown
And I got a 2nd job
A dream job
House sitting in paradise

After work I drove up all these back roads
To end up on a dirt road
On the edge of the Ocala National Forest
To be greeted by bloodhounds at the gate
And the Umatilla Villa
Vacation by another's vacation!

Swimming pool
NASA designed mattress
Satellite TV
Fridge full of Yoo-hoos
Hammock in the shade
Jacuzzi tub with candles
And I was getting PAID to stay there!

Well I sat around drinking Yoo-hoos
And watching CMT
And I'd look at all the female singer-songwriters
And wish I was that pretty
And that sexy

I found Lolita Lempicka again
On the shelf in that amazing bathroom
with the Jacuzzi tub
And I decided to try some
Even though it wasn't mine
And I smelled beautiful
I stepped out of that Jacuzzi tub
Onto the cold white floor
In front of that bathroom's
enormous wall length mirror
And I saw myself as sexy
And it had nothing to do with anyone else

So I wear Lolita Lempicka
It's French
The French have a reputation
For being sexy
I love that Lolita Lempicka is not endorsed by any celebrity
I think that people care too much about celebrities
Celebrities are just people who have a job that puts them in the public eye
Celebrities have reputations that come with them
Some positive reputations easily turn negative
But 1st and foremost, celebrity endorsement doesn't celebrate the sexiness of the individual buyer.
Women need to embrace their own sexiness
And that sexiness has lots of varieties
I think that women with body issues should take figure drawing
Nothing makes you appreciate the human form like drawing nude models of all shapes and sizes

I didn't realize it at the time, but Lolita Lempicka's brand image also fits me very well.
Romantic hand drawn illustrations fill the website and packaging
It has a creative fairytale apple shaped bottle, image and designer to match.
Lolita Lempicka is named after it's designer Lolita Lempicka

I think that his woman really is a great role model for what I strive to be.
She is a creative individual who is open to many different ventures
She designs dresses inspired by the '30s and '40s lace and silk negligees and XVIIth century Baroque period.
She designed a luxury Nissan Micra
And a Samsung Mobile Phone
And luggage
As a person with many different ideas and varied interests it is inspiring to hear about someone who refuses to limit her repertoire
Not only empowering, but pretty darn sexy.

See the website





Monday, October 4, 2010

Lady Speed Stick Prevents Cut-Offs & Tie-Dyes


After eight years of using Dove deodorant, I have switched to Lady Speed Stick... Honestly, I never previously considered Lady Speed Stick. The package design and logo could definitely use some work, along with the name. Honestly it reminds me of female high school sports from the '70s... you know "Lady Jackets" or "Lady Eagles" stitched across now deteriorating uniforms or found on faded vintage t-shirts. "Lady" is a throwback to the days of a newly passed Title XI and the door opening for women athletes. You rarely hear "Lady" now unless it's a team trying to be cute... gosh we are all past that now... We are all bona fide Eagles, Jackets, ect. What does gender have to do with it?

But anyway,
Lady Speed Stick now has bumped it up a notch with some new technology thrown in their antiquated stick. They should seriously at least go '60s space ship vintage with this amazing new breakthrough... I think refillable stainless steel would be cool, with some curves on it.

Ta Da!! Lady Speed Stick Stainguard now prevents yellow stains and to think I've been intensely researching laundry stain removers for years with no results. You know that old wise phrase, "An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure", well that is especially true if there is no cure and your favorite white shirt is starting to embarrass. In fact I even went as far as tie-dying all my old white shirts..."well if it's multicolored who's going to notice a little yellow."

I know I've probably over shared and I hope you all don't think I'm gross.
I really am not a smelly person. I promise.
At least you know I wear deodorant and all my new white shirts will stay white in the pits.
No more tie-dye and cut-off sleeves! I suwannee! Unless it's the look I'm goin' for :)

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Express & Limited Too... interesting/unlimited connections

Today
I'm going to limit myself
To Just talk about
Express
And Limited Too

Today
I washed myself
With "Berry Cool Sparklicious"
Body wash from Limited Too...
Hahaha.... How old am I?

Breaking into the soap stash
With all the Bath & Body Works
I like to be Sparklicious
Glitter is girly
And unexpected

In fact I've gotten
"What the hell are you... a f***ing Pixie!"
"Now I have glitter on me!"

"The herpes of the craft department"
That's what we called it
At my old job... RA's are crafty

Well anyway,
Limited Too
Is for cool kids
Trendy kids

But it is limited
To about 9 - 13.
Preteens who are small
Too small for adult sizes

Today
My sparkled self
Went to the dry cleaners
To pick up Edited Editors
Hemmed to Perfection

From Express
The Express is limited
To people with a good job
I used to not go in there
I didn't have a real job

Now I love the place
So many colors of pants
Cut just right
Perfect for work

I just wish that the pants
Were shorter
I don't wear stilettos
To work
I don't wear stilettos
Period

Express should offer Hemming.
I'm 5' 5" after all.

Express had Express Men next door
Looks like where I should go
To pick up men
Who have a good job
And who look good
At their good job

Men: looking good + having a good job = chick magnet

Interesting trivia & history connecting all the dots... thanks Wikipedia

1912 - Bella Cabakoff emigrated w/ family to U.S. from Russia
Gotta love that 1st generation work ethic
Age 21 - She became the youngest buyer for Lazarus Department Store Chain
I used to shop at Lazarus Department Store in Moultrie
Not sure if this Lazarus is related
1951- Bella & husband, Harry Wexner open women's clothing store, Leslie's
Named for her son, Leslie Wexner
Leslie then started The Limited, for younger women
1964 - Parent's close their store to join Leslie at The Limited
Sure he loved that!
The Limited took off and became public in 1969
It's listed as LTD on NYSE
1980 - Express opens as Limited Express
1982 -Acquires Victoria Secret
1982 - Lane Bryant
1985 - Henri Bendel
Lerner (now New York & Company)
1988 - Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F became publicly traded in 1996)
1989 - Structure opens, now Express Men
1990's - developed Limited Too, Bath & Body Works, Structure, & Victoria Secret Beauty
1998 - The White Barn Candle Company starts out of Bath & Body Work store conversions.
1999 - Limited Too, now part of Tween Brands, Inc
2007 - Limited Brands sold majority stake to Golden Gate Capital Partners

Limited Brands currently operates

Victoria's Secret

Victoria's Secret's Pink

Bath & Body Works

Henri Bendel

C.O.Bigelow

The White Barn Candle Company

La Senza


Obviously, Limited Brands, hasn't been limited.


Monday, September 13, 2010

Shh... the Secret Medicine Cabinet

The medicine cabinet
I guess some people actually keep medicine in there
I don't

I don't know what other people keep in their cabinets
Because I was taught for a young age to never, ever
look into someone's medicine cabinet
It's rude
The medicine cabinet is private
It's like digging through someone's closet
But worse, because it's located in the bathroom
The most private room in the house
In fact my dad designed our old house
Without bathroom windows
In any of our 4 bathrooms
Because the bathroom is THAT private

But, I admit...
Well... I mean what are you going to do
When you've ran out of toilet paper
Or shampoo
Or a feminine product
While visiting.

Well...
You look around the bathroom
And then pray for forgiveness

So... this is what I have.
St. Ives
Maybelline
Colgate
Mary Kay
Neutrogena
L'oreal
Lancomé
Estée Lauder
Physicans Formula
Oral B
The Body Shop
Swan
Revlon
Dove

All my most hidden secrets!
As you can see, I have absolutely no brand loyalty towards makeup products.
I try to keep things that are easy on my skin, but it looks that I haven't pursued that mission to the fullest. The only thing that keeps me frantically grooming is my acne. It will never go away... to think it is a teenage thing is ridiculous. My mother still gets acne. I started prescriptions in the 7th grade. I tried Retin-a, doxicycline, something else, something else. I don't take any right now, my last prescription made me throw up. I was afraid I'd throw up everyday for the sake of good skin. I don't want to make the Accutane commitment, it's a big commitment, my sister used it. So I use lots of foundation.

I started using Mary Kay foundation after I was confronted about my skin by my two grandmothers. One said "What's wrong with your skin! You need to see a doctor! Have you been taking your medication!" The other said, "Well, I see you have a few blemishes. I get those too, here come to my room and I'll give you some makeup to use." Well Mary Neil gave me Mary Kay and it covers well, without looking too thick, so I use it. I know Mary Kay takes pride in their customer service, but I never think about getting makeup until I'm out of it, so for me I would love it if it was sold at the nearest gas station, because I think calling a sales rep. is too much of a hassle. I'm sure though that I am not their typical customer and the fact is I only buy the foundation, so I'm sure their sales tactics have been working well with most of their clients.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Canoe Choices


Last Weekend 9/5/10 I went on a 7 mile canoe run. I never quite caught the brand of the canoe I rented or the brand of life jackets, but it doesn't matter, cause it was a rental. I didn't have a choice.

Here is what I did bring along.
Sperry Top Sider
Hellmans
Nalgene
Airlok
Nature's Own
French's
Great Value
Neutrogena
Cutter
Xhilaration
Old Navy
Mighty Fine

When I mentioned this post, jokingly my buddy suggested that I fill this blog with erotic fiction. This is what I have to say to him.

Hey, thanks for spreading Neutrogena on my back... but anyway... I know you think I'm Mighty Fine and you'd love some French's down the river, and eventually an Airlok on your Oscar Mayer, but uh...you know I find your friendship of Great Value and well....

WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING!! ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME! IF YOU WANTED TO STEER, QUIT ROWING LIKE YOU'RE DRIVING Hellmann's CANOE!

Well, anyway... I do enjoy spending time with you here in Nature's Own, but I'm gonna have to break it to you... Ick... I don't want to make you a Cutter or anything... but you know how I still miss the Old Navy guy.

WOW! THOSE RAPIDS! Talk about some Xhilaration!

So... uh... I'm thirsty, where is my Nalgene bottle?

OH MY GOSH! WATCH THAT TREE! ARE YOU TRYING TO Sperry Top Sider US OVER!


Wednesday, September 1, 2010

More on the Body... Bath and Body Works


8/31/10

St. Ives
F.A.N.G
O'Malley
Gateway
Born
St. Johns Bay
Yummy Express
Chevrolet
Hewitt Packard
Facebook
Google
The Bookshelf
Bath and Body Works
... and more.

So out of all my brands I'm going to stick with the ones with "Body" in the name! Just kidding!
Really I was just wondering how I am using Bath and Body Works when...

I haven't been in a store in several years

When I do it's for a gift

A gift for when I have no idea

What do I get?

I have to get something nice

Well, everyone bathes!

Or...

What do we do?

There isn't much to do around here

Our town is lame

This mall is lame

I can't afford much anyway

OOOOoooo!! :) LOOK!!

WOW!

FUN!!

SMELLY!

I am using Bath and Body Works because I have an excess
Hordes of colorful bottles
Left over from teen birthday parties
Fruity scents call me back
To innocent Mall Rat days
Giggles and Glitter
Nail polish
When a bunch of girls
With nothing better to do
Danced out
Of Bath and Body Works
Every weekend
Whether we bought something
Or not
Very smelly
Overwhelmingly so
Wearing 15 different scents
My favorite is Cucumber Melon
I also like Lavender Vanilla sheet spray
Buy some for me... when you can't think of anything else...
And you are bored.