Pleasing things

No, not any of the debates.

1. Whole Foods changed their round plastic containers to square ones. In an effort to save the environment, I had already been re-using the round ones, but let me tell you, the square ones are so much cooler. They use space more efficiently. I've used some to store Q-tips. Yeah!

2. Torchwood. Spin-off of Dr. Who, much racier.

3. Iridescent green nail polish - Wet n Wild's Caribbean Frost, 99 cents at CVS. So cool.

4. Playing hookie today...and DH Jeff's working at home.

5. Collapsible mesh containers (Container Store, $8-12 each) - stores in laundry closet, no more eye-sore bulky laundry baskets.

Have a groovy day!

More: Yesterday morning I took my blood pressure: 118/78 with a pulse of 62. Yeh.

Hair today...gone tomorrow

Well, I recently terminated my experiment with letting my hair grow and am now back to "Scooter" (pixi-short hair). Whew! What a relief! Jeff rejoiced. Hairdresser wondered what took me so long.

Because this is SO important

Well, gentle readers, last evening while waiting for DH Jeff to arrive, I finally sat my butt down and gave myself a pedicure. Now, this involves sitting in one place for a while and allowing 4 coats of polish to dry. Think a LONG time, because I'm the retarded female who always manages to wreck her beautiful handiwork because I don't wait long ENOUGH for the toes to dry. So, I've been putting this off for a while...Like the color? It's called "Dive Bomb."

Home progress

DH Jeff smiles benevolently while I race around the apartment, excitedly querying him, "isn't the apartment clean, doesn't it look better, see we have more room?! Shred, shred, shred!" The impetus for this result has been bubbling away for a while, but it wasn't until Jeff had to start these early morning training classes this week, that I've been on overdrive.

Overdrive to what, exactly, you ask? Well, our apartment has gotten pretty cluttered thanks to the fact that both of us are pack-rats and I'm totally OCD about keeping every important document that I might conceivably need some day, going back to, oh, 1985. Well, because he has had to get up really early, I join him for coffee and noshes before he heads out. Then I bound into action, straightening up, vacuuming and in an unexpected burst of energy yesterday morning, dusting the whole apartment (yes, you heard me right). I'm also weeding out my files and shredding the unnecessary, because I just don't need all the time sheets from when I was temping in 1986. I just don't.

The result is that when I come home from work, I feel much better about the place and am provoked into doing more. Eventually, I'll have a neat inbox and a continuously emptied shred box, instead of various piles all around. Life will be beautiful. Then I can work on reorganizing the "workroom" for aesthetics and function. I dare to dream.

Progress of demolition

The downtown corner demolition proceeded very efficiently and amazingly neatly. I just had to mark their progress. Evidently, they imploded the building from the outside-in, in stages, so at one point there was this bizarre tower with all sorts of metal and wire hanging out. It looked like some sort of prop from a dystopic future. Anyhoo, here are some pictures...

Eating away at the corner.


Spooky tower.


Extreme close-up spooky tower.


After Armageddon.


And...it's a pile of rubble.


I'm sure you feel edified seeing the very neat demise of a building. Thank you for your cooperation.

Book Review: Beauty Junkies

Beauty Junkies, by Alex Kuczynski, gives us the history of plastic and cosmetic surgery, the charlatans, the risks, the popularity especially in the U.S. and its ridiculous extremes. The story is told deftly, with humor and a sense of veritas: the author herself had undergone several procedures, including one that had the unintended effect of swelling her mouth to grotesque proportions (a severe response and fortunately for her, a temporary one). This last experience compelled her to wean herself from her growing obsession with cosmetic surgery and procedures.

I’ve never been a fan of purely cosmetic surgery or injections. If it’s not broken, no need to operate on it or stick a needle in it (yeh, yeh, I’m for tattoos, but big difference between a little ink and a dangerous toxin). The thought of having foreign objects stuffed under my skin, especially since they can burst, harden, leak and migrate – just to fill someone’s aesthetic profile – pretty much disgusts me. Ditto, shots in the forehead or other places on the face, forceable Hoovering of fat from one’s rear-end, and the cutting and stretching of facial skin. I find it disturbing and ridiculous that younger and younger women are opting for procedures. I mean, it’s positively asshatted of parents to give their daughter a gift of new boobs for graduation.

Now, although this trend of surgical change doesn’t only apply to females, it’s with the females that it is most prevalent and to me, most offensive: to change oneself into the porn star mold (i.e., sexual object), to reduce one’s features so the result is a person indistinguishable form scores of other blandly appealing “beauties” (i.e., loss of that which makes us unique) or to chase youth as if it were the only thing worth having. We’ve come so far as women, only to reduce our efforts - by drastic and dangerous means - to, well, attracting men.

It’s sad that the inner selves of these people – intellect, creativity, personality, achievement – is so neglected and disparaged – in order to maintain a superficial and ultimately impermanent illusion. Ms. Kuczynski, in fact, discusses a woman for whom her appearance – and all the supporting procedures – is ALL she does with her time and money. This book is a cautionary tale, and an honest and entertaining – if disheartening – read.

Cool Things About Today

1. Got yet another compliment on a dress that's both comfortable & cost just $15.

2. IMAO's Know Thy Enemy: Michael Moore. Good sophomoric fun with lines like this:

"As for people who are rational and don't hate Bush, any attempt by Michael Moore to convert them to drooling idiots is undone by him appearing on screen causing people to shout, "Who is that fat, fat ugly man? Whatever views he has, I want the opposite!"

Go here for the whole list.

3. My wondrous mate & I start our vacation tomorrow - we're already packed!!! Today - all the fun lies ahead.

Juicy Pulsating Candy...

"That which is especially good."

- Angel, the series (DVD). I've recently become a fan of the Buffy series, then partner-in-crime Jeff & I started watching Angel, the spin-off series. Well, we're both hooked. Angel has some of the same characters as Buffy, but the tone is darker. Yummy. Also, they've given Cordelia some heft, character & strength. Lots of fun demons (good & bad), vamps & EVIL lawyers. Great one-liners, as you would expect.

- For the girls: Almay Pure Tints (make-up). Clear lip color plus SPF 25. Light, fresh, protective and inexpensive. How can you go wrong?

- Good oral hygiene: Listerine PocketPaks (hygiene). The package says "oral care strips." Bright, minty flavor kills onion breath in a flash - and so portable!

- Green Tea (beverage). I'm totally sold on it. Celestial Seasonings has a whole line of green tea blends. Go to Fresh Fields/Whole Foods and puruse their wall of teas. Great for cold offices & when you want a pick-me-up, something better for you than soda, but none of the jitters & acidity of coffee. According to one package, green tea has 25% the amount of caffeine in coffee. Not into caffeine? There's decaf too. Now I'm trying the chilled green tea blends & I'll let you know which is worthy of "Juicy Pulsating Candy."