Just For Fun

Happy new year, my friend! Along with all the usual wishes for the new year (good luck, good health and all the good things), I hope 2022 treats you with tenderness.

I hope it’s a sweet and gentle year for you, a year full of generosity on all fronts.

I also hope that this year you love yourself unconditionally, and with abandon. You deserve to be lifted up and adored.

On the beauty front, I hope your makeup bag runneth over with pieces that bring smiles to the corners of your eyes. I hope you find a signature scent that encapsulates your soaring spirit. I hope you find a lipstick and blush combo that lights up your sweet face.

You are a good friend, and I so appreciate you.

Happy, happy new year to you!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

On this last day of 2021, truth be told I’m not feeling the usual sense something ending and something new beginning. In the effort to impart a sense of newness for 2022, today I plan to a few beauty things so I can at least try a little to feel like I’m starting fresh, and yes, of course I have a list!

Beauty things to do before the new year

1. Wax my upper lip hair.
2. Pluck and trim my brows.
3. Put on a mega moisturizing hair mask, and leave it in while I watch the new episode of “And Just Like That.” Man, I know I said I wasn’t going to get sucked in, but at this point I’m already invested and don’t fee like I can get off this train, ya know?
4. Paint my fingers and toes. I’m thinking OPI’s I’m Not Really a Waitress.
5. Do a body scrub.
6. Style my hair! I’ve been throwing it into a messy fun bun all week long. It’s time to actually do stuff to it!

How about you? Do you have any beauty tasks lined up for this last day of 2021?

Oh, thank you so much for all of your ideas for hobbies. I’m still not sure what hobby I’m going to choose, but I did manage to start reading a new book purely for pleasure today (“Klara and the Sun,” a science fiction story by Kazuo Ishiguro, who won the 2017 Nobel Prize for Literature), which is a start.

Enjoy the last day of this year!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!

I’ve been thinking about hobbies a lot lately, and doing things just for the sake of doing them because they bring you joy.

I feel like I’ve been adulting hard for so long — just going from one task to the next from the moment my eyes open in the morning until I pass out at night. I’m so used to constantly being in productive mode that relaxing feels foreign to me, and when I try to block off unstructured time to do whatever I want, I get the urge to do laundry or tackle whatever else is next on my seemingly never-ending to-do list.

I still love playing with makeup, of course, but lately I haven’t been wearing as much. Baking and cooking used to be my hobbies, too, but now those things feel like chores since I’m the one in our house who usually feeds everyone. Side note: I can’t remember what it’s like to have food just show up miraculously for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It must’ve been magical!

Anywho, I’d love to find a relaxing hobby that doesn’t feel like work, so I’ve been brainstorming things I might like to try in the new year. So far on my list of potential new hobbies: rock climbing (a new indoor gym just opened up, but with the ongoing state of the world, I’m unsure about taking on something like that right now), refinishing old furniture (I kinda want to do this just so I can start collecting power tools!) and learning a musical instrument.

How about you? If you could start a hobby in the new year, what would it be? I’d also love to hear about any current hobbies you have as well!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Excellent question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll, like with little clicky buttons. It’s just a list of more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007).

1. How do you like your coffee?

Smooth and not too bitter, and served with a good amount warm, frothy whole milk or a splash of half and half. Sometimes with a spoonful of sugar, sometimes without.

2. What outfit are you currently wearing?

I’m still in my pajamas! Zella joggers (LOVE THEM) and an old tee with the words “Lake Tahoe” on the front. I also have a black sweatshirt on, too. It’s chilly today!

3. What’s your favorite new year’s tradition?

Opening the front door right at midnight to let all the good luck into the house. It’s a Filipino thang!

4. What are you wishing for in the new year?

Honestly, less stress and less worry. I can’t take much more in either category.

5. A hairstyle that suits you well?

Anything past my shoulders and layered seems to generally work for me. The layers have to be done specifically for wavy hair, though.

6. One of your greatest accomplishments this year?

I got a new writing job! It was always my plan to go back into the professional/corporate world when Connor started kindergarten, and I made it happen in the fall. It’s one thing that I’m very proud of (side note: I’m trying to break the habit of minimizing my accomplishments).

7. Chocolate chip cookies: chewy or crisp?

Oh, girlfriend… Those cookies better be chewy!

8. Something you don’t need but would love?

Umm, new windows? Mine are the original ones that came with the house when it was made in the ’70s. New ones would be great!

9. Peach, pink or plum blush?

Peach with hint of coral, please!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Here are the questions to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. Talk to ya soon.

1. How do you like your coffee?
2. What outfit are you currently wearing?
3. What’s your favorite new year’s tradition?
4. What are you wishing for in the new year?
5. A hairstyle that suits you well?
6. One of your greatest accomplishments this year?
7. Chocolate chip cookies: chewy or crisp?
8. Something you don’t need but would love?
9. Peach, pink or plum blush?

P.P.S. Good morning, my friend! It’s the last Monday of 2021, so let’s make it a good one, OK? 🤗

Merry Christmas, my sweet friend! 🎄❤️🎅 I hope your tummy is filled with yummy Christmas goodies, and I hope you feel warm, safe and loved. If you’re flying solo this year, please let us extend a virtual holiday hug to you, and please know there’s someone out there thinking good thoughts for you on Christmas day. You’re not alone. Connor, Rosie-Pose and I send you best wishes and hopes from the little town of Novato.

This has been quite a year, hasn’t it? Again. I don’t know about you, but all of this “keep on keepin’ on” has taken a toll, and I’m all over the feelings circle this year!

I’ve felt sadness, despair, exhaustion, heartbreak and SO MUCH worry, but I’ve also felt joy, relief and hope, especially during this holiday season. I appreciate the basics more than ever before — health, security, love, having a roof over my head and food in my tum. Everything else, to quote Tabs the cat (miss you, buddy), is “Just gravy.” 2021 has been deeply humbling.

Thank you for always giving me a reason to smile every time you visit. 😊 Ever since I started this blog in — wait for it — 2007 (!), thank you for sharing your stories, your beauty recommendations, your hopes, your fears, your congratulations, your time and your wonderful company. Most of all, thank you for simply being a nice person on the internet, which seems to have become something of a rarity these days.

But not here. Not ever here. I can honestly say that my experience blogging every single day going on almost 15 years has not been the nasty, petty, hurtful, negative online experience we hear and see so much about nowadays. After 14,372 blog posts — yes, that’s right — I still love it because of you.

I’m so grateful for you and for the connection we’ve made online.

Have a restful and joyful Christmas, my friend. May your day be merry and bright. Happy holidays.

Sending so much love! ❤️

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

OK, I’ve finally figured out what we’re doing for Christmas Eve dinner… We’re ordering sushi! 😃 But if that doesn’t pan out, then Thai food, and if that’s a no-go because they’re too busy, then I’m chucking frozen pizzas in the oven and some gluten-free chicken nuggets. 👍

You see, this is the new “Pandemic-Times Karen,” and I’m not even cranky about it. 🙄

One thing these past couple years has taught me is to appreciate downtime, because pre-Covid Karen would have pushed and pushed and pushed…to wrap all the presents, cook dinner and dessert from scratch, and decorate the house from top to bottom, but Pandemic-Times Karen plans to roll with the punches and enjoy the time with my family. I’m not even gonna stress about any of it. No matter what, there will be something special to eat, because eating something special over the holidays is a big deal for our family, but just because I didn’t plan an elaborate menu and make something myself doesn’t make it any less special.

As for today? I’m doing the last of the wrapping…and I’ll also be doing some beauty-related maintenance while I’m relaxing. TMI, but what else is new? It’s been a while since I’ve waxed my upper lip, so I’m gonna grab my Bliss wax in the blue cup and take care of that.

It’s kind of amazing how upper lip hair just sneaks up on you, isn’t it? Before I know it, I’ve got a full-on Disney villain mustache.

I’m also going to put on a hair mask while I wrap presents and maybe paint my nails, too.

Oh, one last thing before I roll — you’ve probably been hearing Christmas music all over the place, but in case you need a little break from it, here’s what I’ve been listening to…

1. “Dynamite,” by BTS

Warning: after you listen to this song, you may have it on repeat for a few days.

2. “Look Up,” by Joy Oladokun

One of the dance teams at Connor’s holiday dance recital performed to this song, and I totally teared up!

3. “Day Ones,” by Tobe Nwigwe

I’ve been listening to this song first thing in the morning all week long. I found it through a great Apple TV+ show called “Swagger” (it’s about a group of teens in a recreational basketball league),and the song is the intro.

Have a great rest of your Christmas Eve!!! If I don’t see you tomorrow, please have a very merry Christmas and happy holidays! Talk to you soon. Love you and miss you. 😊

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

You know those dollar bins that greet you right as you walk into Target? Right by the carts and hand sanitizer? It’s the place to be if you want to get sucked into buying ALL THE THINGS you never knew you needed. Case in pint, this “Shitt’s Creek” 2022 calendar!

I’m old school in that I like to write my project due dates onto a physical calendar; things sink in more when I put a pen to paper for some reason.

Anyway, it’s a shout-out to one of my favorite feel-good shows (I’ve watched the entire series twice), and possibly the best thing I bought at Target all year!

Each page has a scene from the show and a funny quote. This one’s my favorite…

Last night, I accidentally fell into a rabbit hole that involves — wait for it! — cat DNA testing. You read that correctly.

Did you know that such a thing existed? I had no idea.

Anyway, you swab your cat’s mouth (can you imagine?) and then send the saliva to a lab. They’ll then run several DNA tests so you can discover genetic info about your kitty friend’s lineage and whatnot.

The reason why I ended up even contemplating this is because of the Lynx tips on Rosie’s ears. I’ve always wondered where they came from.

I have a sneaking suspicion that Rosie would claw my eyes out if I tried to swab the inside of her cheek for the purposes of deoxyribonucleic acid testing, so I probably won’t do it, but FYI, the technology exists, and it’s out there!

OK, so I can sneak in some beauty things into our chat today, FYI, if you’re a dry shampoo enthusiast, you might want to see if your go-to is on this list as the FDA recently recalled several drugstore dry shampoos. Please check your stash ASAP!

I haven’t used dry shampoo in years because I now wash my hair every day; I can no longer handle feeling a thick layer of sweat after I work out on my scalp. Are you an every day hair washer, too?

Another beauty-related item: raise your paw if your face has skin been exceptionally dry! I’ve resorted to slathering CeraVe healing ointment all over my lips and around the bottom half of my face at night before I go to bed.

I can’t remember where I read or saw this, but when you sleep your skin loses a lot of water, and applying a thick, protective product like CeraVe Healing ointment helps. I’ve been doing this for the past two weeks for the past few nights, and my skin, especially at the corners of my mouth, seems to be less crabby.

The process, by the way, is called slugging, and you can do it with any thick, occlusive product like Vaseline.

How’s it going on your end of the keyboard? Two more sleeps until, Christmas, woo hoo!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen