Well gosh, I just love makeup. Ever since my Mom sometimes let me play with hers in her bathroom when I was a little girl – total heaven. I remember when I did ballet and Mom would put a little lipstick on me before a recital – so fun!

Now, when it comes to makeup primers, I am a changed woman. For years I thought primer was a total, complete ripoff – why would there be a need to prepare skin for foundation beyond, say, a little moisturizer? I’ve even heard/read that wearing a primer is good because it “protects your skin from your foundation” or “creates a barrier from your foundation.” Ummm…so does that mean there’s something WRONG with wearing foundation? Seriously, how stupid does that sound?

But over the years my skin texture has changed a bit. It’s both drier in some places as well as still oily like it was in my teens, and it is definitely not as taut as it used to be. Gotta love the combo of time and gravity.

So, I picked up a sample of Smashbox primer at Sephora on a whim and I’ve gotta say it DOES make a difference. A good primer will dry pretty much immediately after you apply it to your face and will even out its surface, so you can start your foundation right away.

A few primers I’ve tried and liked:

Smashbox. This primer comes in the original, clear formula as well as an oil-free type which looks white but goes on sheer.  There also are a couple of color corrector types: green to counteract redness and lavender for sallow skin. Both of these are extremely sheer. I’ve used the green-tinted one over the ol’ chubby pink cheeks and it does help tone them down somewhat. Department stores or Sephora.

Makeup For Ever HD Microperfecting Primer. This one comes in a small pump and in a range of shades from clear to various color-correcting tints, similar to Smashbox. I found it a little bit stickier than the Smashbox, but still really liked it. I tried it in the sheer blue “illuminating” shade but ran out of it a couple months ago, which is why it didn’t make the picture.  Find it at Sephora.

Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch. A unique primer in a jar. Yes, this one is actually a firm cream and while it may seem a little odd that it could work as a primer, it does do a great job smoothing out the skin’s surface and it dries instantly. The one drawback is that it might not be as ‘clean’ in the longrun as a pump dispenser would be, as your fingers will keep touching the product unless you use a small spatula each time. Department stores or Sephora.

Stila Hydrating primer with SPF 15. I do like products with SPF because every little bit helps prevent long-term sun damage. Stila’s primer is in a silver tube and I do like it on days my skin feels extra dry. This one takes a few minutes to really settle into the skin so I usually finish getting dressed or fix my hair while I’m waiting.  And it’s worth it.  Stilacosmetics.com or Sephora.

Chanel Le Blanc de Chanel sheer illuminating base. This was a big splurge at $45 for 1 oz…I read about it on a makeup forum and I caved. I do like the texture a lot – it’s another primer that looks pure white in the container but goes on sheer and smooth. Good thing I liked it given the price tag!  I used it under one of my liquid foundations I’m not overly jazzed about and this primer DID help the foundation last longer into the late afternoon.

To be continued…more on foundations, loose powders and more to follow!

And as you’ll soon find out, I have absolutely zero brand loyalty. Meaning, one brand CANNOT be all things to me – in my opinion NO brand is THAT superior all around in the whole cosmetic product range from lipstick to mascara to foundation, cleansers, etc. I am a firm believer – with exceptions – that the most expensive products aren’t necessarily the best. My style is more eclectic and a la carte and as a result has taken a little more trial and error but it works for me. Some products I’ve stayed faithful to for 20 or even, gulp, 30 years and others I’ve discovered purely by accident recently.

So, buckle up – here we go…in skincare…

St. Ives Apricot Facial scrub. This product has added more varieties over the years, so the one I’ve stuck with all this time now is called the “blackhead and blemish control” formula. Don’t laugh, but way back in college I was taking a much-needed study break and reading an issue of Cosmopolitan which had Cindy Crawford on the cover. The magazine always had a blurb inside about the cover model. She mentioned that was what she uses so I thought why not check it out? Again, don’t laugh – that’s the 100% truth. And it’s worked great for me all these years – plus it’s cheap and you can find it at pretty much any drugstore. It used to come in a small tub but now comes in a squeeze tube as you can see in the picture.  I also love stocking up on the smaller trial sizes as they’re perfect for travel.  I use it very lightly to exfoliate while I’m in the shower. Even in my early 40s I still break out occasionally. Yes, zits AND wrinkles – bonus. And sometimes I’ll use it lightly on my forearms too.

Neutrogena Rainbath shower gel. This is another staple I’ve sworn by for about 30 years. One year my folks gave me a huge Costco sized bottle as a Christmas stocking stuffer and I thought that was just about the coolest thing ever. I got a sample pack of Neutrogena products way back in Junior High at a gift exchange and I just loved how it smells…and works. I can’t stand soaps or shower gels that are too flowery or sweet-smelling; I don’t want to smell like a fruit salad and the smell would likely clash with my perfume too. So I stick with neutral-smelling scents. This one is cheap as well and at most drugstores. Our Campfire Girl group leader had a skin care seminar when many of us were on the brink of puberty – meaning starting to break out and all – and one of the ladies explained how bad and drying bar soap is for our skin. Honestly, I haven’t touched bar soap since.

Paula’s Choice One-Step facial cleanser. I’ve been a BIG fan of Paula Begoun over half my life. She is an expert in celebrating the joy of makeup while simultaneously slicing through the hype and bullshit so many of us fall for with outrageous, farfetched claims some companies make in stating what their products will do. And when we fall for it and open our wallets we sometimes end up disappointed, poorer or even worse, with skin irritations. Along with providing no-nonsense guidance on what works and what doesn’t, she’s launched her own line of skincare and makeup. This cleansing gel is unscented, in basic packaging and removes makeup without over-drying my skin. In short, it does what it’s supposed to do – nothing more, nothing less. I ordered some about a year ago and I’m hooked. Bliss. Find it at paulaschoice.com.

Lancome Bi-Facil eye makeup remover. Yes, ladies (and gents), it’s important to remove every speck of eye makeup before you go to bed. Even if you get home at 4:30am after a wild night out, do it. This one comes in a separated oil/water combo so you just shake the bottle a few times to mix it before dabbing a little bit on a cotton ball. One thing I learned from reading Paula Begoun’s books (and later her online newsletters and Blog) was to be gentle around the eye area – don’t pull or tug when applying or removing makeup. I took this to heart as a teenager and while time marches on and the crinkles have started, I hope being gentle has paid off. Department stores or Lancome.com.

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Face Lotion with SPF 15 and Alpha-Hydroxy. I use this under my makeup religiously and I would like to think the daily dose of SPF has helped my skin stay looking pretty good all these years.  I am very fair with ruddy cheeks – I think that’s the Scottish heritage at work – so I am the type that burns, never tans. The alpha-hydroxy might be a little tingly and take some getting used to but it also helps keep the skin looking fresh. I put it on after I’ve finished drying my hair and let it sink in while I get dressed. You can find it at drugstores.  And oops – this is not in the picture up top; I’ve actually run out and in the interest of my Money Diet and using up what I already have lying around I’m using some Lancome facial sunscreen which I’d forgotten I’d had as a substitute.

Clarins HydraQuench cream for normal to dry skin. I picked up a sample of this in a Sephora order on a total random whim and I use just a touch of it at night on my temples, eye crinkles, forehead and between my brows. There is so much debate out there about night creams and eye creams and whether they are really necessary. And many are outrageously priced too. I could go on for pages about my own opinions but I’ll keep this one short and sweet. I like how this cream feels on my face as it’s not too heavy and it just “feels” good. My sample tube’s about empty and I might go splurge on a full-size of it at Sephora, but as of right now the Money Diet reminds me to wait yet again. So…time to dig through other samples.

Arbonne Exfoliating Masque with Thermal Fusion. Anyone out there ever sit around killing time watching TV or just veging out for a half hour waiting for a gooey masque to do its job? Give this one a try; you’re done in 5 minutes. I use this every month or so and I do recommend doing it before you go to sleep as it can leave the skin a bit red. I apply it mostly in the t-zone area (over dry skin, not damp) and then activate it with a small splash of water. Rinse it off after 5 minutes and voila! Bedtime. If you’re lucky enough to know an Arbonne consultant or to attend/host an Arbonne party, enjoy – I’m a huge fan of the Arbonne line and will have more to write about their lotions in another section of this blog.  Arbonne.com.

What’s missing in this skin care product lineup lovefest? Toners! Honestly, I’ve never been convinced of their benefit nor have I been overly impressed with any that I’ve tried. I don’t understand the need to “balance” out your skin with a toner once it’s been cleansed. If it needs to be balanced out you might need to find a different cleanser. To me, toners are a waste of time and money.

So that’s the start of the Favorite Things mini-series in here.  I will likely have more about shampoos/conditioners/styling products as well as makeup. 

All in good fun, of course.

I don’t even know where to begin.  Sounds like a familiar opener in here perhaps?  I never knew it was possible to feel such a heightened range of emotions all at once – excitement, rage, hopelessness, panic – see how most of those are negative?  That’s what’s been chipping away at me.

I was supposed to be back at work this past week.  Feeling engaged, not enraged.  But my work assignment start date has been delayed now over two weeks.

Yes, two weeks.

How long is a reasonable time to wait, especially when it’s something out of my control and out of the recruiting firm’s control?  How many times can I call, email or bitch asking when the start date’s gonna be?  All the onboarding paperwork and email setup’s been completed with the recruiting firm.  I’ve got a laptop ready to rock and a brain waiting to get out of mushville from not working all these months.  What’s the problem?  Well, apparently it’s a transactional delay on the client’s side which is holding up the remainder of what they need to do in order to allow me (and one other person, actually) to come on campus and hit it hard.

How fucking sad is it that it’s not even a grey area contract negotiation issue.  It’s simply some transactional paperwork rotting in someone’s inbox or an old stinky email in someone’s queue that’s lacking attention.  Don’t people realize that there are PEOPLE just like THEM behind the numbers and paper??

At first I was able to keep a sense of humor through these delays and tell the recruiter you know, my soon to be new co-worker and I are ready to pitch a tent in front of the building we’re going to be at until this is finished – I’ll bring s’mores and we’ll croak out a few folks songs on the guitar.  But after awhile, humor and patience wear thin.  Keep in mind I’d interviewed with the hiring manager on April 13th and had expected to start work April 26th.  So here it is; a full two-week delay. 

And meanwhile, I’d started taking myself off the job market gradually – letting people know the good news I’d be starting something new very soon, thanking other recruiters for all their help and that we’ll keep in touch and on and on.  And I’d been getting calls, texts and emails from people asking hey, how’s the new job coming along?  How stupid does it sound to say well, guess what it’s been delayed.  

This past Thursday I hit the wall.  I woke up with my stomach in knots and wondering if I’d been a fool to wait all this time doing pretty much nothing but waiting and bugging the recruiting firm for some action.  I called the recruiter and he asked in his usual cheery voice “how are you?”

My answer:  “…do you want the REAL answer?”  It got quiet.  And then I told him they were officially at risk of losing me for this assignment.  I thanked him for all he and his team have done to push this through – I don’t blame them one single bit for this mess – but still the net result is I’m not working and I’d thought I’d be the last week of April.  He understood.  And I told him something like, “Is it bad that I’ve forgotten what [hiring manager] looks like?”  Maybe a last grasp attempt at some humor there.  But that humor was the truth.

So, I knew I needed a back-up plan but I wasn’t sure how to start.  How do you go about re-networking and saying hey, guess what I thought I’d have started that new job by now but there’s a delay on the client side that is clerical-based and so I can’t start yet and I need to get back to work so do you have any leads?  How retarded does that sound?  And can I even do this without sounding bitter or bitchy?

I sat here in front of the laptop, trembling with tears in my eyes and I buried my face in my hands.  I felt more hopeless than I ever had in recent memory, so out of control.  I took a deep breath and asked the Universe for help.

What happened next is, well…let’s just say you can’t make this shit up.

Within an hour of asking for Help my friend P IM’d me (sent me an instant message).  Keep in mind this is something she rarely does – we usually talk on the phone or email.  She asked me if I knew someone – a name I didn’t recognize.  It was someone whom I apparently had a 2nd degree connection with on LinkedIn.

I checked my LinkedIn contacts and didn’t recognize the name nor the person we “know” in common.  But then it dawned on me…the person we know in common is someone who facilitates job networking mixers.  So, it was just a business-card-in-common connection, nothing more than that.  She said they were thinking of offering this person a job on her team and she was wondering if I knew anything more about him.  She asked me how I was doing and how the job was going and I said, well, guess what – we’re going on a near two-week start delay! 

She wrote “call me” and the whirlwind started from there.

P and I used to work at the same company a couple years ago (and she is still there).  We didn’t work in the same department but we have similar job titles and got to know eachother that way…and have stayed in touch even after my group got RIF’d from there awhile back.  She said she thought I’d be a possible good fit for this job opening and said she didn’t even think to ask me if I’d be interested because she assumed – rightly so – that I’d be at my new job already.

The back-up plan was now officially underway.  Between P and another person at that company, I knew I had strong advocates.  And after hearing no news on a job start date for two weeks it is THE most wonderful feeling to pick up the phone, call an old friend and colleague and have them say, “Hey, why don’t you come back and work with us again – we’d love to have you!” 

Within mere hours I was on the phone with P’s Director and we hit it off.  And even though it was starting to be close to around dinner time he was able to schedule time for me to come onsite and interview with him and a few other folks the next morning!  WOW!  Very impressive hustle.  I was totally open with him about my situation…that I’m waiting on something else that could possibly pop any moment but I don’t have an ETA.  I didn’t think I’d be a shoo-in for this new thing that came literally out of nowhere but I knew I’d have people going to the mat for me and I knew I’d love to someday return.

The next morning I got up, showered…and the phone rang.  It was the recruiting firm for the job I was supposed to start weeks ago.  Good news – everything’s been approved and you and [the other person] will start early next week!  REALLY???  I was standing there in my bathrobe, wet hair in a towel, getting ready to go interview somewhere else.  I was shocked at how…shocked my voice sounded.  Is this really for real?  I didn’t tell the recruiting firm I had a back-up plan already in motion – it really wasn’t any of their business.  I croaked out an “OK!” and tried to be excited.  It kind of scared me that I wasn’t.

And it also scared me that there had to be escalating and head thumping at higher levels to get things moving along.  I don’t know the whole story other than what I’ve heard 2nd or 3rd hand so I’m not going to try and summarize it in here.  If we’ve gotta be heavy-handed assholes, threatening to walk, why can’t we save that for special occasions like majorly complex negotiations at an impasse?  Is it really necessary to pound upper-level heads to get a freaking “approve” button pushed on something so simple?  Where’s the sense of urgency??

So, I called the Director I was supposed to be meeting with in about 90 minutes and explained things were fixed up and that I’d be taking this original assignment after all.  I still was open to meeting with him and the others as he’d scheduled, but I told him I didn’t want to waste his or any of his team’s time given I wouldn’t be immediately available after all.  He was super cool about the whole thing, and we agreed to keep in touch going forward.  He was genuinely interested in considering me for future opportunities.  So while this whole thing was a little whirlwind, I don’t think it was flakey.  I try to keep a little grace and tact interjected into how I conduct myself, even when things flip and change on a dime.

I ended up having a great, long lunch with P (which was part of the interview plan anyway).  I don’t know if she knows how much I appreciate what she did to help get me out of a panicked funk on Thursday but…thanks, P!  I sent the Director a thank you note and smiled knowing I have yet another new connection on my contact list.  We’ll consider the seed at that company officially re-planted.

Meanwhile, I’ve got a laptop bag, water bottle and small tube of hand lotion gathering dust on the dining room table.  Let’s get this party started already!!

So, I am taking a leap of faith and considering today, Saturday, the start of a gloriously sunny 3-day weekend.  But I know I’ll feel better once my cheeks are in a seat at work, whenever that is.

Tuesday?

I have some idea where I’m going with this post but not 100%.  Sometimes that’s the most fun way to write…just start going at it and see where it turns up.  Might be compelling to one or two of you out there, and it might be good help for any insomniacs!  Either way, happy to help.

I’m in one of those moods where just I feel like being lazy and just sitting here rambling, er, writing.  And I woke up smiling remembering last night’s Canucks/Blackhawks game…this hockey playoff series is gonna be EPIC no matter how it shakes out.  Nothing like a blowout win for the Canucks in the United Center…5-1 last night!  But it was only the first game.  One game at a time, my friends.

So, I met a few good friends for coffee and mimosas yesterday at the local Hermes boutique.  My good friend T invited me to join her and I thought sure, why not?  I didn’t realize until the night before that this event – a scarf tying workshop – started around 9:00am, before the store officially opens!  Oh boy – I’m usually fast asleep at that hour, especially on a Saturday!

I pulled into the parking garage at the Bravern still somewhat sleepy and in a daze.  It was almost ghost-townish, riding the outdoor escalator up to the 2nd floor shops – all front doors locked, windows dark, as most stores don’t open until around 10.  The Bravern is a newer layout around here, more “village-like” with outdoor walkways and shopping compared to the more traditional covered shopping mall.  Never did I think I’d see the day that we’d have an outdoor escalator around here.  You see, here in the Pacific Northwest we’re known for our rain and drizzle.  Sure we’ve got glorious weather too, but smart locals know that if you ever have any sort of outdoor event planned – even in July or August – you’d better have a rock-solid indoor Plan B too.  Or at least have a good tarp company on speed dial.  The Bravern does have nice umbrella stands throughout, but if it’s a shopping day for me and it’s pouring rain you can bet I’ll be at Bellevue Square (our covered mall).

I arrived at the Hermes boutique and gave T a big hug.  I passed on the mimosas…one of my personality quirks is that I can’t stand orange juice, so I’m usually one to say hold the OJ, I’ll take a glass of champagne.  But booze at 9:00am didn’t seem like a good idea so I stuck with coffee.

As always, everything in the boutique was impeccable.  From scarves to handbags, belts, shoes, jewelry, luggage – absolutely amazing. 

What’s even more amazing are the prices – they’re not for the faint of heart.  This is a boutique where lots of things don’t even have price tags on them.  Kinda reminds me of that whole “if you have to ask you can’t afford it” shtick. 

Hermes (that’s “air MEZ” with a short ‘e’) is a luxury goods brand.  Kinda like the Ferrari or Porsche equivalent of luxury, for those who might not follow the who’s who of designers.  They’ve been around since the 1830s so you can bet they know their stuff.  Scarves are silk-screened by hand and the hems are hand-stitched.  Leather goods are hand stitched as well – no assembly lines.

So…those are just a couple reasons why their products are so high-priced.  Impeccable materials, everything hand-crafted in France – oh my!  We browsed around the boutique yesterday, admiring $8000 handbags, $1200 small leather agendas and $900 scarves with no flinching.  “This bag’s $8000?  Oh, OK…”  Kind of in the same tone as oh, did you know that chicken is on special today at the grocery store?  Oh, OK…

What do I love about their products?  Everything is effortlessly chic and understated.  Nothing flashy, bling-y or “look at me” here.  You won’t find a glaring “H” on anything save for a small belt buckle perhaps.  In fact, when I first started meeting this group of women for lunch and shopping periodically I didn’t even know many of their own bags were Hermes, save for the more famous Kelly or the Birkin (in the picture here).  Thank you, wikipedia, for that picture – I don’t see pink Birkins around here but I felt I could use this picture without getting yelled at over the Internet, ha ha.

I’ve learned quite a bit more about their different handbag styles, leathers, colors, sizes.  There’s the Bolide and the Lindy for starters.  And on and on.

What I DON’T like are the elitist tactics required to purchase some of these items.  I might be talking out of my ass but as I’ve learned the ritual is to develop a rapport with one Sales Associate (SA) and purchase a few smaller items to start.  Then as you continue to grow your collection you “might” be offered the opportunity to purchase a Birkin, say.  Nope, you can’t march into a boutique brand new and buy one off the shelf.  They are made to order and each one has to be approved by the mother ship in France.  There might be some exceptions if you are a celebrity I’d imagine.  Who knows.  I really don’t mean this to be a bash on Hermes.  AND if I’m not stating the ritual here correctly someone please let me know.  But that’s my understanding of it.

So, if I had the cash, why isn’t my money as good as anyone else’s who has already purchased a bunch of other stuff?  I just don’t get it.  And despite that sales protocol, I’m secretly relieved that a lot of the items don’t really “sing” to me.  Because at those prices you’d better believe whatever I would purchase had better rock my pants off.  Yesterday’s visit was probably my third and I still left feeling the same way.

However, I do always feel very welcomed in the boutique, even if I’m more a looker/gawker than potential purchaser.  The SAs are always very warm, helpful and friendly – no snobby attitudes thank goodness.  Meanwhile, T let me borrow one of her scarves and my friend J – what a fabulous surprise to see her there – showed me how to tie it.  I found out that J was actually called in to train the new SAs on how to tie scarves when this boutique first opened last fall – wow!  J has exquisite taste and really should be a personal stylist.  She’s so much fun to shop with and helped me pick out a pair of wonderful sunglasses a couple years ago.  Oh yes, the days when part of a tax refund could go toward a nice splurge, not paying the bills!

As we were saying our goodbyes we each received a small souvenir – a signature small, orange round box tied with that famous brown ribbon…with a few small candies inside.  I popped one into my mouth driving home, my ‘scarf on loan’ from T still tied around my neck.  Yummm – salt water taffy! 

And while I was watching the hockey game last night I decided to browse the Hermes website…uh oh, something now has officially “sung” to me.  A beautiful cashmere and silk shawl – fabulous blue shades and a design called “coaching.”  I’ll leave it at that for now. 

Someday, maybe someday..

OK, well maybe frustration is more like it but still.  So many things are swirling and whirling about in my head right now.  As of this afternoon there still isn’t a confirmed start date for my new job.  Talk about a test of patience!  I know looking back I will probably laugh at why I didn’t just chill out and take advantage of all this additional free time and not worry about it but that’s not happening right now.  

The good thing is that I’ve still had a chance to go to the new office, shake a bunch of hands, do paperwork, pick up my laptop and even grab coffee and a walk with a person I’ll be working with…once that darn start date is confirmed!  

OK…so maybe it’s true that a watched pot never boils.  I tested this theory by breaking away from the home office here and decided to hit the gym.  What a novelty – or at least a recent one!  I don’t think I’d been in there to work out since around the Olympics, so ummm…gulp, yeah…a little over two months.  Whoops.

And, sadly, that two-month gap showed.  There’s a little bit, um, more of me than there used to be and I could feel those lovely old stomach rolls moving about as I fired up the treadmill.  Not meaning to gross anyone out here – I’m not obese by any means – but if you’ve ever gained weight you know that feeling.  So, OK, I’ve burned this off before and I can do it again, right?  Yes!  I started up my iPod and thought I was seeing things because the darn thing looked possessed!  Words on my playlists were all jumbled up like anagrams or missing a letter or two in the song titles or artist names – no joke!  I freaked thinking I’d lost my music files but everything SEEMED to be working and sounding right – just displaying all freaky weird.  I tried not to let that bother me and just finished my workout.  Turns out re-synching it with my laptop did the trick and fixed whatever that psycho glitch was.  Whew!

I felt better after getting my ass moving for awhile, but then came home and the frustration immediately kicked in again.  No new updates.  Nothing.  I know everyone’s busting their buns to get everything squared away and it’s nothing to do with anything personal.  And I dug myself further into the hole of frustration – so pissed off that this frustration was polluting the overall good news that I’m going back to work!!  Oh and what else?  “Hurry up and wait” totally blows chunks!  HA!

Then I remembered something I’d read that literally clanged between my eyeballs.  And after I read it I IMMEDIATELY calmed down inside and started to breathe much more deeply.

“This is not your problem to solve.” 

What a revelation!!  Such joy releasing all that silly tension and worry!  So where did I find this gem of a reminder?  My friend P’s blog, which is chock full of amazing things she is working on with quality time, fitness, healthy living – the whole works.  Great stuff.

I’m normally a very sound sleeper but sadly woke up in the middle of the night wondering when things would be getting underway and when I would get back to a new, normal routine – that darn old job start date already!  But then I rolled over, snuggled up in my comforter and concentrated on just letting my body melt into my bed and letting my breathing become more deep, thorough and relaxed.

And I whispered ever so softly to myself…

“This is not your problem to solve.”

Yep, it’s another random line-up of fun for Sunday – oh yeah, it IS Sunday, that’s right!  I still crack myself up on how I tend to forget what day it is.  When you’ve been out of the Monday to Friday working groove for awhile the calendar in the mind gets a little mushy! 

So first thing up was taking care of business this morning – I decided to put on a pot of coffee and just enjoy it at a leisurely pace.  Just a dash of skim milk in the mug is all I need – no sugar, half & half or anything like that.  I don’t understand the reasoning of killing your coffee in order to enjoy it!  But I guess it’s a caffeine fix nonetheless.  I’ve been trying to alternate morning coffee with Lipton cold-brew iced tea so I don’t get too dependent on coffee.  And the iced tea is just wonderful.  I just fill up a giant glass Pyrex measuring cup with water, throw in a bag of tea, pop it in the fridge and it’s good to go in 5-10 minutes.  Yum!  I could have sworn I had a large pitcher somewhere around in my kitchen cupboards but they are deep and it’s easy to lose things in the back corners.  Sigh…just another thing for the “updating” list of home projects – these cupboards need some lazy susan rotating shelves in the corners for sure.  I sat down one afternoon about a year ago and cleaned out all of the pots and pans and was shocked how many I have.  It felt good to downsize and I gave the ones I didn’t need to a charity which supports transitional housing.  But yet, I still lose stuff in those cupboards…I swear things must burrow tunnels and hide or clone themselves!

Now that I think of it, one silly way I remember when it’s Sunday is that I file my weekly unemployment benefits claim.  It’s nice that the funds are there, and even nicer that claims are filed online and the money gets direct deposited.  So much more convenient than the last time I had to do this in the early 1990s…we were still old school, mailing in claim forms in the snail mail and getting hard copy checks to go deposit.  How far have we come in 15 years??  Dang I hope I never have to go through this again.

But even this weekly ritual is wimpering out this week, for after this batch my allocated amount drops to zero.  Could the timing be more aligned or what?  I am going back to work later this week!  YES!  I can’t wait – and frankly neither can my wallet! 

Oh, and what happened with the garage door dealio from last week?  I’m sure you were all in suspense wondering.  [That’s a joke, people.]  I am now the proud owner of a brand new spanking – and supremely quiet and smooth running – garage door opener!  I never thought of my old one as loud or annoying – well, up until the part when it crapped out – but WOW, this one is amazing.  The guy who replaced it was super nice and pointed out a lot of other things to do to keep the garage door running smoothly.  Love me some Man Help!  While he was working I apologized about the mess of leaves and crud everywhere and he smiled and said don’t worry, this garage is CLEAN compared to some he’s worked in.  That’s a bit scary actually.

Yeah, I’ve lived in this place a little over seven years and I still feel like a total amateur when it comes to home projects.  Before buying this place I never gave two shits about window treatments.  But soon after I moved in it came time to replace the outdated mustard yellow blinds in the front window and pick out something new.  And pay for them!  Same with the old brown doors – and new doorknobs! 

I’m super excited for randomness this afternoon!  I’m meeting a friend to help her with furniture shopping, we’re going to grab sushi for dinner and then watch some hockey!  The NHL playoffs are in full swing and I am a bigtime Vancouver Canucks fan.  Tonight they’ll either beat LA and win their first round in the playoffs or it’ll go to game seven.  Who knows!  These teams are very evenly matched. 

Sushi flat out rocks.  I could seriously eat it every day and be happy.  And, for awhile, I was doing just that!  A nearby grocery store has a sushi section where they make it right there in the store and I would usually grab a nice spicy tuna roll with extra wasabi – sheer bliss!  Even that picture above makes my mouth water.

And why am I a Canucks fan?  Well, when I took up hockey a few years ago I also started watching it a lot on TV.  And just decided I would start cheering for the NHL team that’s geographically closest to where I live.  Honestly, that’s it – and I got hooked! 

I am so incredibly thankful, grateful and honored to have such great support through the ups and downs all these months.  I’ve probably blabbed about that in here ad infinitum but it’s worth repeating! 

I met up a few days ago with M, a colleague I’ve been working with on the pro bono work these past months.  He and I have worked together and known eachother a good 10 years or thereabouts.  He’s been a longtime mentor/big brother type to me and always has great ideas and advice.  It felt good to catch up over burgers and beers in a dive bar I hadn’t been in since before the smoking ban went into effect around here a few years ago.  [The last time I’d been in that place the smoke was hanging 3 feet off the ceilings].  But dang they’ve got great food!  

And I even had someone email me about setting up a “mailbag” thing in here, to send in blog post requests or other stuff.  Wow!  That would make it a lot more interactive in here.  And no, I didn’t pay this person to write to me either, heh.  If I can set it up in a way that’s easy to manage and monitor then I will give it a whirl.

But stay tuned…there’s a lot of stuff coming up later this week!

I’ve been joking around occasionally how despite all the time on my hands these last several months I’ve still successfully avoided a lot of big home projects – cleaning out the garage, for example.  There are several lists on the fridge with notes, scritch scratching – oh and I see my latest version is from sometime in 2008?  “You never stop paying for your house.”  Just a few of my grandfather’s many, many wise words of wisdom.

As I’ve probably rambled about before, I tend to focus on home details and decorating accessories and don’t necessarily “see” the big items that need attention.  I find some wonderful Italian ceramic figurines in a catalogue or online that would be great for the fireplace hearth – but then remember the hearth itself needs updating badly.  I’ve successfully done a halfassed paint job on an accent wall in one of my bathrooms –  a deep grapey purple (don’t laugh just yet – one more coat and it’ll be pretty cool).  I got a wild hair one night and thought it would be fun to use up a quart sample of paint from a few years ago when I was searching for a color for the inside front door…and once that bathroom wall is painted it’ll make the puke-y original yellow and brown swirly-colored formica sink countertop even more ready for a sledgehammer and the dumpster, but ahh I digress.  The bathroom floor screams for tile, not the yellow-y beigey vinyl.  The showers wanna be slate, not fiberglass. The vinyl in the kitchen should get swapped out for laminate flooring.  And on and on and on.  Don’t get me started on the popcorn ceilings.  And remember my post from a couple months back about falling sheet rock?  Case in point.

Yep, my townhouse complex turns the big 3-0 this year.  We’re spacious with great floor plans but dated.  Those who are trying to sell their units here have stiff competition from the newer homes in the area, even those here who have done fabulous remodels.  On the other hand, we’ve got huge, 2-car garages – rare for townhouses and condos these days.

A couple days ago, Karma and my garage gave me a good poke in the ribs.

It was Friday afternoon and I decided to go run some errands – getting a list of things to do in this soon to be last week of “freedom” before I go back to work again.  I headed downstairs and pressed the garage door opener button as I’d done so many thousands of times before.  This time the door got about a third of the way open, stopped and started making a horrific grinding sound.  What the hell?  I pressed the button again to close the door.  Tried again – same thing.

So, being the resourceful type (but definitely not super mechanical or technical), I picked up a pushbroom and started brushing the metal tracks and roller wheels on each side of the door.  Lord knows there’s a crapload of leaves, dirt and debris in the corners of the garage floor so maybe something got stuck and was blocking one of the tracks.

No such luck. And the sound of the motor grinding was painful.  I pulled the manual release latch, got a stepstool from the kitchen and attempted to hoist the door open manually.  I had a sinking feeling this was not going to work, because I had to do this once before during a freak neighborhood-wide power outage and could not get the door to stay open pushing it up manually.  Well, I could get it to “sort of” appear to stay fully open and holding but I didn’t want to risk damaging the door or the top of my car backing it out that way.  I’ve got a steep driveway right out of the garage and I’m visually challenged with all those angles! 

I tried to stay positive here – at least the door opens – and smoothly, right?  Thankfully I was able to get a hold of a neighbor to stop by and hold the door open while I backed my car out.  Too funny!  But so nice to have nice people around to help in a jam.

Something tells me the opener motor crapped out.  And if it’s the original one from when the house was built as I suspect, well, 30 years is a good run.  I have someone coming out to fix/replace it later this week, but you know with everything else going on it’s nice not to stress about this.  What if this had happened the morning I was heading out to a job interview or had some emergency?  Obviously I would have called a cab, but it would have definitely been more stress than I needed on a morning like that.

So, as you can see, the garage is now whining for attention.  Maybe I will take my friend T up on borrowing her power washer after all.  I’ve got heaps of flattened cardboard boxes ready to go to the dump, college textbooks, bins of god-knows-what and far too many leaves, cobwebs and debris in the corners.  Hmm, maybe a nuclear bomb might be in order!

Meanwhile, I avoided the garage cleanout even more by spending the entire weekend in a state of relaxed joyfulness – so many reasons to celebrate with great friends!  The people who carry you through the tough times are the ones who can turn around and raise a glass with good cheer and a congratulatory hug.  Love that.

Saturday was lunch at the Bravern with three friends and time to laugh, catch up and drool over amazing shoes, bags and play with makeup at Neiman Marcus. And I loved it when the money’d older lady dripping in jewelry poked her head over my shoulder at Mariposa (the restaurant in Neiman Marcus), asking if my salad had seered tuna in it.  Too funny!  Oh, to have the disposable income again to go crazy in a shopping complex like this!  Luckily it doesn’t cost anything to look.  I tagged along with my friend K later as she tried on a few Cartier watches and got majorly distracted by a lady carrying an enormous Hermes Birkin bag.  One so big you could probably carry an infant in it.  I can’t even imagine what kinds of five figures are required to tote around something like that.  Hoo doggy.

We stopped in the Hermes boutique to look at scarves, agendas, scarf holders and all.  I even tried on a wonderful necklace made of beautifully polished horn on a thin leather cord.   I admired the workmanship and all, but I just can’t fathom spending the $$ required, especially not right now on these items.  But the dashing man purchasing a tie nearby was some good yummy eye candy.

Saturday night was more giggling, food and wine at T’s Pampered Chef party.  Good thing she prepped the consultant that we were gonna be like herding cats because that’s exactly what happened.  And we had a cheese sampler to DIE for before our amazing penne pasta dinner with tomatoes, garlic and fresh basil – thanks, T!

I had a wonderful dinner tonight with P and her parents plus a bunch of new and old friends.  The restaurant offered to donate 20% of our tab to P’s and her Mom’s fundraising efforts as they’re doing the 3-Day walk to benefit breast cancer research later this year…for the 2nd year in a row!  How incredible is this?  My budget has been extremely tight but I truly believe in…well…continuing to give/donate wherever you normally do, but just in smaller amounts. 

Every little bit helps!

…and this is my 50th (50TH!!) post!  Holy smokes, how’d that happen?  A little too much time on my hands being out of work plus a few rocks rolling around in the head last fall and presto…here we are!  And a few of you out there even stop in to read ma shizz!  Bonus!  And thanks.

So let’s get right to it – I’m going back to work soon!  I got the news yesterday and probably blasted the recruiter’s eardrums with my whooping and yelping (occupational hazard I suppose).  WOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

Once I adjusted my attitude from whining about interview attire feedback to being open to the whole “check and adjust” thang, plus some tweaks in my phone interview style, well, THAT made the difference.  And I didn’t need to do anything unnatural – just be me but hopefully even BETTER.

And sometimes the right next step isn’t the one you’d thought it might be!  This opportunity snuck in pretty recently.  I’d interviewed with another team late last month where I’d worked briefly late last year in hopes to come back full-time, but given the need to screen and interview other candidates the timing just didn’t work out in the end – at least not THIS time.  I’ve made so many wonderful new contacts this leg of the job search – love how the spreadsheet continues to grow!

Let’s face it – when you’ve been out of work the entire calendar year to date plus a handful of months last summer, it takes a toll.  I’ve dug deep mentally and financially.  I’ve felt strained, burnt out, frustrated, overwhelmed, panicked, sad and angry in all sorts of various combinations of those emotions. But I’ve also learned strengths about myself I never knew existed.  And I’ve had friends offer their love, support, shoulders, friendly ears and professional leads in ways that humble me.  Anything from a need to listen to me piss and moan, to time just being silly to relieve stress.  Some of these friends have only really known me in the past year, where it seems I’ve been constantly networking, interviewing, other than working a very short assignment that was literally a sprint to the finish line of ’09.

I spent yesterday pretty much talking my cell phone battery down to zero sharing the good news!  And I ran a couple errands around town and noticed people were SMILING at me!  I was in shlump mode big-time (but I did take a shower earlier, heh, so I wasn’t quite down to hermit mode). But still, I looked like crap.  I must have had a happy look on my face or just seemed more relaxed.  I even woke up this morning feeling relaxed and refreshed in a way I’d sadly probably forgotten how to feel.  When you wake up every single freaking day in a state of unknown and uncertainty, well, it wears on you. 

And I’ve got a bunch of plans this weekend to meet up with friends for shopping (WINDOW shopping for me), eating out and just hanging out laughing!  Some people have joked around (or are they joking?), asking me when I’m going on a shopping spree or what I want to purchase as a gift to myself for getting through all of this.  You know, I’m going to stick with the whole Money Diet mode as best I can.  I’ve learned a LOT about being frugal over this past year and have funds to replenish!

But ummm, OK, I did make a teeny little reward splurge last night – some votive candles from candlesbyvictoria.com.  Nope, I’m not affiliated with them in any way other than being a repeat, satisfied customer.  My friend S recommended them awhile back; if you are into candles, these are top notch.  Every single one is poured by hand and the scents are truly incredible.  There are hundreds and hundreds of choices! 

I especially like the Clean Cotton scent – my downstairs smells like I did laundry all day.

Yup, I’m feeling a little cranky today.  This stupid cold is running its course and just when I think it’s past the worst part I wake up again hacking up crud.  Down with The Goo!  I’ve dodged my usual flu-in-January-for-a-week routine this year so I guess it was time for something even though it’s not helping my mood.  I thank the Universe that the follow up interview I had a couple of days ago was over the phone and not in person.  On Monday morning I could dig deep in the energy reserves, clean up, shake hands and put on a good face.  By that afternoon things were going downhill, and it was all I could do on Tuesday to give good phone without worrying about trying to look presentable with a cold. 

Hello, kleenex!

The Universe again is smiling and looking out for me as my next in-person interview is early next week, so the cold should be long gone by then right? Unclogged ears, no more red nose, no more chills and fever on and off – I’m ready! 

I find it extremely difficult to get feedback from interviews where I didn’t end up getting the job.  Most of the time there is nothing beyond “we decided to go with another candidate.”  So it’s up to me to re-evaluate how I did, review my notes and try to be even better prepared and poised next time.

But every once in awhile there are some good, meaty things to mull over:  the other candidate was more qualified due to xyz, you needed to be more technical in blahblahblah or be more articulate about how you handle abc or something like that.  I seemed a tad jittery?  Oh yeah I know what that was from – coffee!  I’ll avoid that last swig before getting dressed and out the door next time!  I am so glad I quit Diet Coke earlier this year but I’m still fine-tuning how much coffee I can have before it’s too much on the ol’ nerves.

I DON’T expect to hear feedback that I was “overdressed.”  Screechy record sound anyone??  Are you fucking kidding me?  Since when is wearing a tailored dress and plain black mid-heel pumps with no flashy jewelry and an understated black handbag and coat considered “overdressed?”  I don’t know whether to laugh or curse here, people.  And yeah I’m gonna go there and ask/wonder outloud…would the (male) hiring manager have said the same thing if he was interviewing a male candidate in a suit & tie???  I hate to play the sexist card here but I’m all kinds of confused and wonderingwonderingwondering.

So I’ve been asking around as now I’m curious…is it too old school to dress up for an interview even if you know the place is business casual (emphasis on casual to the point of jeans being OK 5 days a week)?  I love a business casual environment but I admit I also enjoy dressing up occasionally.  Frankly, it’s not an effort for me.  I love the dress I wore for that interview because I can get dressed in 2 minutes and it’s forgiving of a few extra pounds.

I’ve always thought you were supposed to crank it up a notch for the interviews and then go with the flow depending on the company dress code.  Don’t get me wrong – I can do casual just fine.  Hell, I’ve worked places where I had to constantly harp on my team members to wear shoes.

Maybe the guy did me a favor in relaying that feedback.  If it’s a liability in that particular company then OK, I can role play and tone it down.  I’ll have an opportunity at this same place early next week (different group). 

I can’t help but laugh at the memory of my first (and only) trip to NYC where I felt horribly out of place (underdressed) in a striped sweater, denim jacket and khakis in a sea of dark suits in midtown Manhattan.  See my “And then Dr. Ruth walked into the bar” post for more on that.  

Yes, the Great Northwest is far, far away from the dark-suited land of Manhattan.