Be Inspired

Shhh..Silent dating in progress

Has anyone out there heard of Silent Dating? I am sure that most men er..like the sound of that (no pun intended, truly) but this could be a serious dating trend. I think it would only work for naturally funny or witty people with good handwriting. I can see it now: A quiet room full of tipsy singles scribbling about the weather. Seriously, if you are going to take the time to write something to someone you might be interested in, you are going to have to come up with some charming banter worthy of a response yet not forward enough to scare Mr./Ms. Right away. I think I would write limericks.

There was this guy in the bar

Who probably drove a nice car

But his hair was a mess

And who taught him to dress?

He probably won't get too far.

___________________________

I went on a silent date

Looking for my mate

I asked him to come over

He thought I wrote "comb-over"

Such is my dating fate.

Quitting for good this time

In the process of expanding my investment portfolio I learned that being listed as a smoker would cost me an estimated one million dollars in savings by age 75 for this particular policy. I told my friend offering the plan that I should just quit smoking anyways because that is a lot of money if you also figure in the escalating cost of cigarettes. He sarcastically told me, "I heard that not smoking prolongs your life as well." I laughed but that put things back into perspective for me. It isn't about money as much as it is about quality of life. No matter how long I may have on this earth I want to spend as much as I possibly can in a healthy state. I know I have said this before but I quit smoking. The last few times I tried to quit, I used nicorette gum but now I really believe that it made the cravings stronger because it was keeping nicotine in my system.  This morning I woke up and realized that I hadn't smoked in over 24 hours and decided that I didn't want to smoke anymore. Part of it is because I want to get the policy I mentioned earlier and I don't want the chemicals in my system for the tests.  The other part is health and vanity. I don't want old looking skin and wrinkles or to spend my last days with emphysema. I feel guilty doing something I know I am going to regret day after day.  On my way back from a meeting, I stopped by to see my vitamitician to find out if there are supplements that would help.  He recommended Holy Basil and offered up several tips because he smoked 2 packs a day for a 19 year period in his life and became a smoking cessation counselor after he quit.  I haven't been into the store for some time but it is odd that I knew where to go when I was really serious about quitting. I have a lot of friends that quit cold turkey so that seems to be the best method.

Two people in my office smoke so watching them go out for breaks makes my chest tight and my vision blur. Gosh! I am such a pansy! I am going to take a few deep cleansing breaths because in 48 hours I won't have any nicotene in my system. Everything else is emotional and habitual.

Profashional Beauty Product Review

*Warning* This is not the post to read if you do not care about skincare or girlie-type-stuffs. You may get some good gift ideas though...

Some time ago I posted a Profashional Makeup Review to rave about Armani foundation which has received a lot of hits. I have a number of other favorite beauty products that deserve an honorable mention and have compiled my list:

#1 Shea Butter. I use 100% shea butter every day as an after shower emollient (it is thick so emulsify it in your hands before applying). Since I started using it several years ago all of my skin allergies have gone away including hives and heat rashes. I am allergic to dust so that is saying a lot. Personally, I think it creates an invisible barrier that seals the skin while providing an all day softness that is unrivaled.

#2 Prada Lip Balm.  My dependance on my lip balm borders on addiction. Come to think of it, my obsession with all things Prada may require a 1,000,000 step program to cure. Seriously, this is the best lip product ever. I noted that the number one ingredient is shea butter so that makes a lot of sense; however, shea butter alone does not have a sunscreen which is important for the lips. You may have noticed that regular use of so-so chapsticks and various glosses generally dry your lips out over time and cause more flaking but with prada you will never have chapped lips again. I am a frequent lip biter and this helps prevent the effects of that habit.  Another notable lip product is Lip Venom. It makes your lips look fuller and gloss-ilicious but you have to be careful that most of the potent slightly-stinging power has disappated before you engage in the act of kissing. Otherwise, that would be a bit feisty and possibly unappreciated.

#3 Sisley Ecological Compound. I tried a sample and noticed huge improvements in my skin. I use it daily under my day and night moisturizers or alone. I always have the replacement handy before I finish the current bottle. Sisley is pricey but the consultants are so good about letting you sample numerous and adequate amounts of the products in the line so you can make an educated decision about what you really like before you buy.

#4 Trish McEvoy has a shine control product that is necessary for oily t-zones. It will neither make the skin taut nor will your makeup cake/flake unlike other products I have tried. Additionally, If you need a good exfolient but facial scrubs produce splotchiness or feel just plain harsh sample the glycolic wash. It is perfectly balanced and does not cause any redness or dryness if used properly which is twice a week.  You only need to use an amount about the size of a dime so one bottle will last at least a year.

#5 Laura Mercier Eye Basics. I have never been able to do my eye shadow in the morning and still be able to see it after lunch. More accurately, I would see it in the creases in a big unattractive lump UNTIL Eye Basics. This really is a must have if you do enjoy wearing eye shadow becuase it will keep it in place for a full day. There are several colors to match your skin tone. I prefer pale pink and even wear it alone if I am in a rush for a touch of pigment.

I hope this wasn't too laborious to read. The Neiman Marcus Beauty event is March 3-9 so that is a good time to check everything out and get a wildly cute tote with purchase.

Cedar Waxwing

It was really extraordinary today when a large migratory group of Cedar Waxwings decided to rest in the trees outside of our office. My co-workers and I just noted that every car parked under those very trees happen to be white (well, at least they were). They came. They ate. They pooped.

Alphabiotics (real or imagined)

I have had a lot of things that I have wanted to post but not a lot of time to do it. On the 29th I went to a health and wellness seminar at my yoga studio and experienced Alphabiotics. It is a quick and painless alignment procedure similar to something one would have done at a chiropractor but I received amazing results. The chronic tension on the right side of my neck and my lower right back is gone. Since then I have done a little digging and most people consider it "Quack Medicine" and possibly even dangerous.  I am not sure what to think now or if I would do it again but I certainly do feel extraordinary. I feel about 10 years younger. All of the muscle strain around those tense areas was creating a lot of pain too. I didn't take muscle relaxers or anything but I often considered it. I may not do it again but now that I know how good I can feel, it could be hard to resist. Perhaps I will consider regular treatment with a licensed chiropractor instead.  It never really registered to me how much I was hindered by keeping my body in that state until now.  The sense of relief is overwhelming. I have to consider that my pain was imagined or the effects of the treatment are imagined. I can admit that I just did it out of curiosity with no idea of what the effects could be other than wellness and self healing. It  was all pretty vague but it sounded intriguing.  I think this one time, ignorance worked in my favor. I generally do a lot of research before subjecting myself to things of that nature.  I am not making a recommendation for alphabiotics or being impulsive. I just thought I would share my experience.

Congratulations!

Congratulations are in order for my dear friend Victoria on her recent engagement.  May their love grow stronger and more rich with each passing day of what will be a long and beautiful future.

Blessed is the influence of
one true, loving human soul on another.
George Eliot

If you find it in your heart to care for somebody else,
you will have succeeded.

Maya Angelou

Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other
but in looking outward together in the same direction.
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

I heart cats

What can I say? I love all animals but I am a true fan of cats. I found Kitty at a local Petsmart adoption center. The poor soul had been abandoned at an animal shelter at 5 years old.  The family that adopted her was unaware that she would neither be an outdoor cat nor tolerate their dogs. Fortunately, they were kind enough to take her to a place where she wouldn't be euthanized.  When I found her I was a wreck because after a long battle with thyroid and kidney failure I had to make the awful decision to put Mr. Cat to sleep (he was deaf so it didn't really matter what I called him). I adopted him at 10 years old so it was inevitable. When I saw Kitty I just knew she was meant to go home with me. She came straight to me as if she had been waiting. She really is a strikingly beautiful cat and while I went home to get my cat carrier every person that tried to touch her was subsequently attacked. When I arrived back at the adoption center she went right into my arms once she recognized me and she has been my best friend ever since. It is so odd how we communicate. She has many quirks and talents. She knows when I really need to get up for a flight or a meeting and smacks me in the face with her talons just enough to get my attention without hurting me in the least. She makes sock trails with only my roommates socks in the darkness of the night.  My favorite thing is that she learns people's names and when I ask her to give that person a kiss, she kisses their hands (but only if she likes them, of course).

I love cats because I enjoy my home; and little by little, they become its visible soul. Jean Cocteau

"Who can believe that there is no soul behind those luminous eyes!" - Theophile Gautier

A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but a cat does not. Ernest Hemingway

"I put down my book, The Meaning of Zen, and see the cat smiling into her fur as she delicately combs it with her rough pink tongue.
Cat, I would lend you this book to study but it appears you have already read it.
She looks up and gives me her full gaze.
Don't be ridiculous, she purrs, I wrote it.
- from "Miao" by Dilys Laing

Picture: Kitty, the boss of me

Farewell my fashionable digs

Last night I finally went through my closet to dig out all of the things that I haven't not worn or worn well in a considerable amount of time.  It was interesting to realize that most of the items I discarded were still stylish even though many were purchased as far back as a decade ago (large shoulder pads in blazers excluded [I kept those anyways...They'll be back]). As I loaded up my tiny car to the brim with carefully folded and packed clothes a sense of shame came over me.  I was ashamed for being so materialistic and not even realizing it.  By no means am I the girl that loves to shop. I generally only buy clothing when I have something specifically in mind and rarely impulse buy.  While I thought that I wasn't the frivolous sort, I stood corrected last night. It is a strange thing to ponder all day but I have. The only thing that makes me feel even a little better is that I really believe that I got a lot of use out of nearly everything I gave to  Goodwill today but it all looked relatively new.  I suppose the point is that I took care of everything, held onto it for a long time, and incorporated various older things into my modern wardrobe from time to time.  Over the last year or so, I have been buying a fair amount of clothes to replenish the ones that I did wear out and some just for flair but in the future I am going to pay even better attention to buying only what I need which truly isn't much. I do love a flirty summer dress, though...

Welcome to the blogsphere

I would like to welcome one of my good friends to the blogsphere.  You can read her first post at Sassy Southern Bell.  She prefers anonymity. Later you can visit the link I have provided in the People section.  I am impressed by her first entry.  She asks if it is self-absorbed to start a blog and makes her introduction that way.  Very clever, 'friend who will remain unnamed'. (giggle) The blogging spirtit is strong with this one.

Procrastination

The last two months have been overwhelming. My business, social, and holiday obligations have accounted for every moment of my time.  I think my Christmas present this year can be the gift of learning new strategies for time management.  In anticipation of the New Year and the obligatory resolution, I have already given up procrastination.  As a matter of fact, I thought about writing this later in the day but in accordance with my new frame of mind; there is no time like the present.