Nine more weeks

i have a rather um...monumental birthday coming up and one of my sisters has decided that i need to celebrate in style.

So she booked us on a cruise with six other women to the Bahamas.

i am so excited because: 1) it's my first cruise ever, 2) it's my first time to the Bahamas, 3) i love the sea and being on water, 4) i love celebrations (although this birthday is freaking me out - truly) and 5) another reason to SHOP!

It's all in the coughing

Somehow i've succumbed to the dread sickness of the common cold. It's a lovely little beast that starts with a sore throat, then headaches, then coughing and a few body aches. Not quite the flu, not quite bronchitics..but annoying all the same.

For four days all i did was sleep and cough and whine and take it easy. By last night, i was so sick of my own company, i almost phoned anonymous people just to make conversation. Would've been fun except that i can't say more than 15 words without coughing.

oh joy.

Re-Thinking my outfit

So today's skirt is rather um...form fitting to my body. i thought it was going to look really tacky, but suprisingly, it doesn't. (i've been described as having a 'black girl's butt' from people of colour...on more than one occasion...yeah, J-Lo...take notice!)

Here's to a bubble butt and tight skirt!

WHOOT...Happy Wednesday!

The right shade

i am a very white person. The Irish-German genes, passed to my from my beautiful parents, somehow made my skin very pale, pinkish undertones with freckles. Finding the right make up is a nightmare. If it's too light, i look like a ghost, but if it has any yellow in it, i look like i'm ill.

So i tried Bare Minerals and i do love the system...the only problem is that i picked up (accidentally) the wrong shade of foundation and now look like i have jaundice. i need fair...porclalin...really pale...pink undertones, no yellow in sight.

Jaundice looking aside...or maybe scurvy...[i do wonder how i'd look with scurvy] - i really like the system of layering a powder on your face instead a cream that takes a crow bar and three swarthy men to pry off your face at the end of the day.


{side note: if there were three swarthy men in my house at the end of the day, taking off my makeup would be the LAST thing on my mind! Just saying.}

Because sometimes you need it...

Today, i am going to buy a bunch of tulips for myself.

It will be a nice pick-me-up and bring some Spring Cheer to my house.

Can't wait!

(picture taken from Google images...land of tulips)

Brace Yourself

Today, a very mildish pleasant day in SouthEastern Pennsylvania, has had winds upwards of 40 mph. Driving is a chore as one attempts to keep one's Honda from blowing off of the highway and into a dormant corn field. Walking is quite funny as one's things and clothing is almost blown off one's body, not to mention one's hair...which one (ok. ok me) wonders why one did one's hair in the first place.

The winds, however, aren't the bone chilling ones of last month. There is a hint of mildness to them and almost feel like the winds of March. Kite flying would be optional - but one would want to weigh more than 100 lbs or else the kite and wind would send one up, up and away.

i do believe Spring is on the way. To think that in about 44 more days, winter will be almost behind us? i think i can make it....

Did it!

Number 70 was completed...no computer for the entire weekend (though i was tempted to touch it last night!)

Instead, i cleaned the house, finally took down all my Christmas decorations-including my real tree that hardly shed any needles and still smells quite fresh-and put them away, went to the bookstore and spent a load of money and time there but emerged with some wonderful books, read, took a nap, spent some time outdoors in the sun talking with neighbors and generally having a lovely go of it. It was a very nice, even if very quiet, weekend.

In reading, i finished The Associate and The Gatecrasher and started Animal, Vegetable, Miracle as well as Lost Women of the Bible and a biography of Mother Theresa. So my reading has really been kicked up a notch and i'm loving it.

More on the books later.

101 things in 1001 days update

Time for an update:

Numbers 34, 35 & 36 are done and are actually ongoing - i met my goals but found that i really do that most of the time anyway. As for the red lipstick -i have worn it but it wasn't the absolutely best colour for me, so i'm going to try to get the perfect colour this weekend.

Also a goal for this weekend is #70-which is to go the entire weekend without turning on my computer. Honestly, this will be a hard one for me, but i'm going to try to do it anyway. i've done it in the past and so i know i can survive without the computer!

More updates coming in the near future. i'm glad to be checking things off of this list and excited for some warmer weather to do even more!

Ta-ta for now

***********


Reading
1. Read through the Bible from front to back. (0/66)
2. Read all the books on my classics list (0/142)
3. Read The Economist every month
4. Read something that I totally don’t agree with (either religiously/politically, etc)
5. ReRead the Narnia Series

Writing
6. Write in my blog a minimum of three times a week.
7. Write some essays or edit ones I’ve already written
8. Submit a transcript for a children’s book
9. Write the transcript for a children’s book

Arithmetic
10. Invest in a MacBook
11. Investigate how to do a slow spending year or couple of months
12. Become totally debt free – including mortgage
13. Become more involved in my investments

Health and Wellness
14. Thirty minutes of yoga three times a week for one month. (0/12)
15. Visit the dentist for a real appointment
16. Pamper myself to a spa
17. Begin vitamin/barley green regiment
18. Take a morning walk every weekday for two weeks. (0/14)
19. Eat organicially for two months
20. Do the 21-day “Daniel” fast

Food and Drink
21. Totally re-do pantry
22. Learn to bake good bread
23. Learn to make really good pie crust
24. Eat soup for lunch for one week. (0/7)
25. Learn to forage in the woods edible things – do research before foraging
26. Go a week without soda. (0/7)
27. Make chocolate/lemon cake for sister for no reason other than just because
28. Drink a glass of milk per day for a month. (0/30)
29. Drink only water for one week. (0/7)
30. Eat a hot breakfast everyday for one week. (0/7)
31. Buy organic products and free range meats
32. Check out the co-op in Lancaster

Fashion and Beauty
33. Go through my shoes and donate some to charity or throw out
34. Moisturise feet nightly for two weeks. (14/14) - done
35. Moisturise hands daily for one month. (30/30) - done
36. Wear red lipstick. - done
37. Get my hair cut short (this one scares me)
38. Have a facial.
39. Have a professional makeup consultation.
40. Find an all-purpose dress to keep in my wardrobe.
41. Invest in good lingerie
42. Get a pedicure.
43. Find another skirt style that looks great on me

Crafty, Crafty
44. Learn how to sew
45. Learn how to knit
46. Complete three cross-stitching projects (0/3)
47. Learn about crocheting.
48. Learn how to fix things in my own home

Travel and Tourism
49. Go to Ireland.
50. Go to the Philadelphia Zoo.
51. Go to the Cape May Zoo
52. Return to Paris
53. Go to at least four operas
54. Become a Reading Royals fan
55. Go to a European Christmas market.
56. See tulips in Holland.
57. Visit three states never been to before in the US

Charitable
58. Donate old clothing to Good Will
59. Use all shoe boxes for Operation Christmas

Spiritual
60. Find and use a daily devotional for one year. (0/365)
61. Attend church every Sunday
62. Keep a gratitude journal for one month. (0/30)

Everyday Fun
63. Buy myself flowers from the florist
64. Buy flower boxes for front windows
65. Get a new set of everyday dishes. - done
66. Take a photograph every day for a month. (0/30)
67. Make a “dinner music” playlist.
68. Have a games day/night.
69. Order holiday cards from Etsy.
70. Spend a weekend at home without turning on the computer.
71. Afternoon tea with Person X.
72. Send 10 random “thinking of you” cards. (0/10)
73. Send flowers to someone for no reason.
74. Get an iPod and learn how to use it
75. Compile an iTunes library
76. Update address book.
77. Take a French class.
78. Listen to all songs in my iTunes library.
79. Play in the rain.
80. Have a picnic in the park.
81. Get up at 4am for one week. (0/7)
82. Make a will.
83. Stargaze.
84. Really consider if want to get a Master’s degree
85. Consider changing careers
86. Ask a random guy out for dinner
87. Have at least 10 fancy dinners in my house (0/10)
88. Change my garden
89. Garden veggies at my folks’ house
90. Send random ‘Thank you for investing in my life’ cards or emails
91. Get involved in my political party
92. Find a mentor for whole eating/slow year living
93. Adopt an older person at a nursing home
94. Play the piano as much as possible
95. Go to the movies more – even if alone
96. Find a really good friend
97. Eat at the Afghan restaurant in Philly
98. Eat a small piece of chocolate everyday (exceptions: while on 21-day fast)

And the Formalities
99. Write a blog post for each completed item.
100. Donate $2.00 for each unfinished item to a charity of my choosing.
101. Write a new list for the next 1001 days.

Oh help!

Today i received this in an email from a relative:

On Glen Beck's radio program, and also on Rush's radio program, they played a clip of Nancy Pelosi saying, "without the stimulus bill getting passed immediately, more than 500 million American workers will lose their jobs each month."

Since there are only 300 million people in the USA, that's quite a statement.

The guys on Glen Beck went wild with that, saying that, using Pelosi's figures, even the people on Mars will lose their jobs within a year if the bill doesn't pass.

Isn't there someone in our government with an ounze of intelligence? Good grief!

i feel bad for the people on Mars though.

:snicker:

Wanted: A Garden to Rent

We all know that times are tough - pretty much for everyone. Even those who aren't feeling the pinch are buckling down to prepare in case things get worse. Thus far, i've been ok, but am trying to do whatever i can to lower expenses.

This Spring/Summer i am going to try to rent a garden. i love to garden but my small city backyard, while great for flowers and herbs, isn't really the place for a full blown garden. i've put out a few 'feelers' to see if i can rent one out of the city but kind of close. i would imagine that if someone has a bit of land and doesn't mind a stranger gardening on it, it would be a decent idea to raise a bit of money.

The idea is to be able to raise my own stuff so that i can freeze and can it- thus saving money in the long run. i already have the seeds for most of the veggies i want and only have to get corn, potatoes, tomatoes and peppers. Not a difficult endeavor. i'm also buying only heirloom seeds because the genetically modified hybrid stuff is just scary.

So....here's to finding a plot of ground, or an unused garden that won't cost me an arm and leg but will provide for the winter.

Can't wait to get started!!!