Goals for December

I've been quite self-absorbed for the past couple of months. Things have been mostly fine, but the stuff that's been been not-so-good, has kinda sucked. A lot. So, while I'm sure everything will be a-okay in the long run, I'm a little off still.

But! I have some goals for December. They're pretty easy goals, but I think they'll improve the quality of my and my family's lives. (And, bullet points make posting easy.)

• Post more often. I find that I feel better when I write. While I write poorly, it's nice to be able to decompress this way.
• Spend more time with friends. I've got a couple of friends that I used to be real close to. But, we've all be so busy. I'm hoping to see a couple of these girls before Christmas.
• Wean Nathan from his pacifier. Nathan's "bow" (as he calls it) is causing us a lot of trouble. He chewed up three of them yesterday. At $3 a pop, he's got an expensive habit.
• Begin potty training. We're going on a family vacation in March and we're hoping to have Nathan mostly potty-trained by then.
• Enjoy Christmas with friends and family. This doesn't really require any explanation. Other than to say that holidays tend to be very stressful for me. I'm hoping to let that go a bit this year.

What's going on with you guys?

We Are So Crazy

So ... this week has us packing, moving, working, being crazy ... oh Lord ... I don't know what else. I feel so overwhelmed that coherent conversation, let alone prose, isn't really possible.

But hey! I got my hair cut last weekend.



I do this about every other year. Why would I want long hair in the summer? Because I'm stupidly vain --- about my hair. But I like this cut. It's the Jenny McCarthy cut, on a less cute, but much fatter face. ;-)

Anyway, please think of us while we're trying to get all of this stuff taken care of and getting moved. The Targo is amazing and he's done the bulk of the packing. He's also the one who's working with the movers (as opposed to the Infamous Geriatric Moving Crue of 2007). So, I'll be posting light (even lighter than I am right now) for the next week or so. But, I hope you're all well!

Miscellany

Every time I say I'm not going to cut my hair, eight inches mysteriously disappear. But man, did I need it! Not as badly as I need to shed about twenty pounds, but still.

I love taking pictures and having them to look at when I miss my friends and family. And then, I see the person the mirror doesn't always show me: GIGANTOR MARIANNE. She is very large, and her face is most shiny. It could be the lack of makeup or the stinky steamy Missouri summer.

So, I bought this book, which I probably should have bought seven months or so ago:

There are several used copies on Amazon, starting at 29 cents. I brought it to read at work, because I'm obviously eating poorly. It's not just that I want to lose weight - because I so do - but also, I need more energy. Did I mention there's a crawler in my house?

Also, a couple days ago, I tried (for the second time) to put my wedding band back on. It still doesn't fit. It's not just that it doesn't fit, but it digs into my finger, looking for bone. Bah.

If any of you have read this book and have any opinions about it, please drop me an email.

Slightly Dramatic

Okay, okay... It doesn't look so bad today. It's a lot darker than it was. My hair had just gotten SO BLONDE on top during the summer and while we were in Italy. But, still not so pretty. I'm trying to figure out how to wear it for the wedding today.

Funny story: I stopped into a hair salon (please note the word hair, it's important) this morning. I asked them how much an up-do would cost. After the women - who I assumed was a stylist - blinked at me ten or eleven times, she said "we don't do that."

What? How does a salon not style hair? Maybe because I'm neither young nor hip I don't understand. But, whaaa? Yeah, I don't know either.

A Riddle

What do you get when you mix "Medium Golden Blonde" with this?


Orange! ORANGE!!!!! OhfortheloveofGod! What was I thinking? I'll think if something. I'm sure. *panicked scream!*

Hopefully ORANGE doesn't clash with this.


On a non-ORANGE note, I am madly in love with this song. It's making my vain self feel a little better.

I'm So Blonde and How Was Your Weekend?

Despite the faux platinum currently residing on my head, I'm a natural blonde. It's just a much more natural-looking natural. Heh. But that has nothing to do with anything. What I want to tell you is that yes, I have blonde moments. I like to think I'm one of those blondes that blonde jokes DON'T apply to, but then I'll drop a brick on my head. What can you do?

So, then...Today, I went to physical therapy and was all panicky because I was running late. And that damn bus just would.not.come. I finally got there, at 8:47 for my 8:45 appointment. I was all flustered and sweaty and hot and icky and... it was the wrong day. Yeah. My appointment is tomorrow. #*%@#%@

------

Soooo, how was your weekend? Ours was nice. No, I didn't get to see Pirates of the Caribbean. The Targo decided he didn't want to pay Chicago prices for that or Shrek the Third. Me? I don't pay for movies. That's his job. I buy pizza.

We went to The Targo's parents' house for the obligatory Memorial Day cookout. Rock on! The Targo's dad cooked some sort of ribs for everyone but me. For me, he sweetly made boneless barbecued chicken breasts. I's spoilt!

It was a nice time. Too, I got to hang out with this guy:


Even if you're not a dog person, you've got to love this face. C'mon. That mug says "I'm so dopey, you gotta love me."

And also - there's Honey, the in-law's other dog, a soft-coated Wheaten terrier. She's a teddy bear. I want to eat her feet!


Aren't these dogs cute? Admit it: You totally wish you were hanging with me over Memorial Day. Don't ya?

When Haircolor Resembles a Disaster Scene

When the Targo and I had our fiesta in February, I procrastinated on getting my hair done so super-long that I only had time for a partial highlight. And, I couldn't be choosy. I went to the only place within walking distance that had an appointment available that..very..day. Unfortunately, the very sweet woman who colored my hair was also an inexperienced colorist. Ten minutes into my panic attack, I realized that it probably would have been better for me to just get a box and color it myself for $9.99.


One hundred twenty dollars later, I ended up with this:

And yes, I'm well aware that the Targo is way too good looking for me. (Bad lighting! Gah! Arm fat! And red-eye! But Hey! Cleavage!)

What was great about this "look" was that I had that Sarah Jessica Parker thing going on: with light hair on top and really dark caramel blonde underneath.

Fast forward three months and CRI-EYE-EYE! my hair looks muy frightening. When my hair was longer, I used to say small children and wildlife could get trapped in its big tangled mess. Now? It more resembles a warning for a bio hazard. The light brown and dark blonde underneath are duking it out. The platinum on top (which has never naturally appeared on my head) is slowly being overtaken by the rich caramel growing from the roots. I have NO freaking clue why I can't leave my hair alone. Actually I do: It's all my mom's fault. I'm pretty sure she doesn't have a clue what her natural hair color is, and I'm certain I've never seen it.

A normal (rational) person would go get this taken care of instead of blogging about it. The problem? I'm cheap. I go to the salon when the Targo is all "Um... your hair. Well... um... it's not looking its best." And then, he pays. He's good like that. Along with the cheap, I really want to quit screwing with my hair. I'm tired of freaking out over roots and the stripes I get from the highlights growing out. But it's such a change! I don't know if I should go really dark blonde, so when it grows out it will be very subtle; or, to go with a lighter blonde that will have natural color variation and a root (roots!) or two. Oh the humanity!

Until then, I may be investing in hats.

From the 2005 ALDS: White Sox putting the SMACKDOWN on the Red Sox! It was also 90 degrees that day. SWEAT!

Careful Addendum

I feel like I was dishonest on one of my 101 Things. I'm such a follower, jeez.

Anyway, I mentioned that I "hate" hair products. That's not exactly true. One of the things that makes me the happiest is shopping for shampoo! Now, sadly, I know nothing about what really works. I get most of my hair care advice from Amalah. Traditionally, I've picked my shampoo and conditioner on smell. For some reason, it doesn't matter if the product works, as long as it smells like banana pudding.

Here's the truth: I'm so lazy that I could totally put my hair up in a ponytail every day. Despite the fact that I have absurd, and unjustified, hair vanity.

On a completely unrelated note, did anyone watch America's Next Top Model last night? Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie made an appearance. Now, I feel bad about NR's anorexia and other issues, but seriously, she's a miserable person. Pretty despicable.

Star

I was talking to a friend the other day, or maybe it was the Targo. Either way, we were talking about who we would want play us if someone made a movie about our lives. I answered quickly "JENNY MCCARTHY!" I don't know why, but I'm 100% certain that she is my exact twin. HAHA! Okay, not really, but I have such an inexplicable girl crush on her. I know she's a bit older than me, a foot taller than me, and oodles hotter than me, but seriously it would be the 7th circle of Awesomeness if she played me in movie. And dude - Hottest pregnant woman, EVER:

I dream about looking like this when I get pregnant... or hell, right now.

I've done that face recognition on My Heritage, and it's given me awesome people to potentially cast: Drew Barrymore, Kate Bosworth, Stevie Nicks (as much as I heart her, I'm a bit offended), and strangely, Halle Berry. You know, I'm gonna stick with Jenny McCarthy.

Who would play you in a movie about your life?

The Last Thing I'll Do...

Is cut off my hair once I get married.



Well, hell.

New Hair!

Ok ... It's likely going to look the same as it does now, which is the same as it's looked for the past four years. But whatever. I'm finally getting around to going to the salon for my pre-wedding trim and highlight. I told The Targo that I'm going to get it cut to my chin. He said "How about after the wedding." Then I went on an early morning diatribe about how I'm not going to get that middle-aged fat woman's haircut as soon as we get married. And I will not - repeat - WILL NOT wear sweats around. I'm not going to give up simply because I'm married. I did that in college! (Remember our "dress sweats" Nogs? Heh.)

I know it's stupid, but I've ridiculous hair vanity. When you're the plumpy sister who gets continuously (read, mercilessly) teased by naturally thin brothers, you find something - anything - you like about yourself. I've always liked my hair - and my smile, but that's from thousands of dollars in orthodontics!

I'm really just getting a trim and highlights. I do think, after the wedding of course, that I might go dark blonde so I don't have to fuck with my damned hair again. I mean, it's fun and all, but it's almost as expensive as a crack habit.

Picture to come ... after the wedding.