Just For Fun

1. Mood:
   In a word, great! I actually feel well-rested this morning, like a whole new person. This past weekend I was really able to spend some time “filling my well” and recharging my batteries, by hanging out with friends, seeing a movie and catching up on some reading.

   It also helps TREMENDOUSLY that that I’ve been sleeping a little better than usual over the past few days. I got in 10 glorious hours Saturday night, and hark! — the herald angels were singing!

2. Have you ever attended a music festival?
   Small ones, yes, but not none of the really big or famous ones. Some of the local radio stations organize small ones in Golden Gate Park, and I’ve been to a few of those.

   I love music, but I’m not a big concert goer. I’m just not into huge crowds…or Porta-Potties.

   I do enjoy watching concerts on my TV from the comfort of my living room couch, though. 🙂 I can sit down, take bathroom breaks whenever I need to, and can even pause the show to take Tabs out for a walk, LOL!

3. What’s a fantastically great hair day like for you?
   Ah, an elusive creature… On my best hair days, my side-swept bangs lay perfectly flat. Sometimes they like to puff out in odd places, so there’s none of that. And my shoulder-length waves can best be described as “beachy.” Voluminous, but not messy.
4. Describe a perfect date for you:
   I’m easy. I love taking day trips up to Napa with El Hub, so a perfect date would involve us driving up early on a Sunday morning. We’d get in a little sightseeing, have lunch and then stop by a winery or two for tastings.

   Later, on the way home, we’d pick up some fresh fruit from one of the local stands, add a loaf of French bread and a block of cheese, and then watch Mad Men and Game of Thrones before going to bed early, LOL!

   Yup, this is what happens when you’ve been together for 10 years…

5. When were you first allowed to wear perfume?
   High school. I never really had any interest in it before that, but by the time freshman year rolled around, I was all about Cover Girl Navy and and Debbie Gibson’s Electric Youth.

   A bunch of my friends were also into Liz Claiborne…but it always gave me a headache.

6. What are some of your favorite summer snacks?
   OOH! Fresh fruit — watermelon, strawberries, cherries, peaches, plums, apricots… I love fruit.
7. An activity you’d like to try?
   Even though the thought of having sweaty strangers up in my grill freaks me out, I still think I’d like to try taking a martial arts class with El Hub.

   We keep meaning to visit the Brazilian jiujitsu studio up here, but our work schedules just haven’t been aligning with the stars.

8. What’s one thing every woman should have?
   I think every woman should have a place they can call their own, be it a bench on the patio, a home office, or even just a small corner in the living room or a bedroom. Just a little space that’s all yours, just for you.

   The idea of a physical space as a sanctuary is very important for me.

9. If you have any pets, what can you tell me about them?
   I have one chubby, 18-pound black/brown tabby cat named Tabs with perfectly ordinary tabby features (meaning, he’s gorgeous), and he’s been not-so-quietly dominating my life since 2007.

   El Hub and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

10. Weekly goals:
    To be kind to myself, to step away from the computer every night by 7 p.m. (or so), and to enjoy my birthday on the 9th.

Hello, friend. I hope you’re having a lovely Monday so far. Do you have a minute to touch base with this week’s Monday Poll?

1. Mood:
2. Have you ever attended a music festival?
3. What’s a fantastically great hair day like for you?
4. Describe a perfect date for you:
5. When were you first allowed to wear perfume?
6. What are some of your favorite summer snacks?
7. An activity you’d like to try?
8. What’s one thing every woman should have?
9. What can you tell me about your pets (if you have any)?
10. Weekly goals:

I can’t wait to catch up with you. Today marks the first official week of June. What do ya say we get the month kicked off to a good start? 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

1. Mood:
   Maybe it’s because the tea hasn’t quite kicked yet, but I’m feeling really mellow. I wanted to get a lot done today, but I think a chill day might be in order.
2. If you had to choose between an oversized, multi-colored knitted poncho (with fringe!) or a faux fur purple vest to wear for a day, which one would you go with and why?
   I’d go with the poncho, ya know, for practical reasons. Maybe I could use it as a blanket or a table cloth in an emergency.

   And I have a feeling the furry purple vest would make me look/feel like a Muppet.

3. How quickly can you get dressed, ready and out the door?
   Pretend it’s late in the day. You’ve removed your makeup, your contacts, warmed up a Lean Cuisine, and now you’re sitting on the couch in stretchy pants and watching reruns of [INSERT YOUR FAVORITE SYNDICATED TV SHOW].

   Just then, the phone rings. It’s your friend, calling with a last-minute invite to a fancy dinner soiree, and it’s an offer you simply can’t refuse.

   How quickly can you get dressed, ready and out the door? For me, about 20 minutes — but only if I’m having a decent hair day, and I pick an outfit that doesn’t need to be ironed.

4. How many hours of sleep do you get each night?
   During the week, about 7. I usually climb in bed around 10:30 and read until I get sleepy, usually around 11. On weekends, I like to sleep in, so maybe 8-10 hours of sleep (sometimes 12 if I’m really lucky and Tabs is feeling generous).
5. Does your significant other do anything that drives you crazy?
   Okay, sweetie, if you’re reading this, you know I love you, but how do you manage to always step on my feet or kick my legs whenever we sit across from each other at a table (and I know you’re not getting fresh with me)?

   It’s like preordained! Every. Single. Time. The worst is when I’m wearing sandals.

6. Have you ever battled someone on the dance floor?
   Oh, yes. More than once. 🙂
7. What’s the last book you finished?
   Tina Fey’s Bossypants, and I LOL’d about a hundred times reading it, too. Highly recommended!
8. What’s the plan for today?
   Today is a holiday called Memorial Day here in the U.S., so many of my compatriots have the day off from work. I really wanted to go to the pool in our condo complex (it finally opened for the summer, yay!), but it’s overcast and chilly outside, so that’s not gonna happen.

   If I finish the tasks Tabs put on my to-do list, I might try to go to a movie. We’ll see… There’s really not a lot in theaters that I still want to see, but next week things start getting good. First, Snow White and the Huntsman comes out, and then Prometheus the week after that.

9. What were your favorite TV shows when you were a kid?
   Both of my parents worked long hours, so they were always pretty tired when they got home. Consequently, my brother and I spent a lot of time with our defacto babysitter/primary means of entertainment, Mr. TV.

   That thing was practically on 24/7! I watched a lot of Punky Brewster, Silver Spoons (I had the biggest crush on Ricky Schroder), The Cosby Show, Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters, Double Trouble, Mr. Belvedere, Who’s the Boss (“Ahn-juh-luhr!”), The Golden Girls, The Love Boat…

   Yeah, I watched a lot of TV.

10. Weekly goals:
    Just one this week. I gotta get back to exercising regularly. Ever since I started getting up earlier in the day, I’ve been getting more blogging and other stuff done, but my workouts have been suffering. I’ve been telling myself/trying to exercise in the late afternoon, but I’m usually pretty tired by then.

    Years ago I would always exercise in the evenings, but now it’s like pulling teeth. I don’t know… I’ve done it before, so I can do it again.

Howdy, friend. 🙂 Happy Memorial Day.

What have you been up to? Any picnics or parties this weekend? Our little circle had its annual Memorial Day cookout yesterday, but El Hub and I drove up to Napa for the day, so we missed it.

Napa was a lot of fun, though. I’ll put up some pics in a few.

But first, the Monday Poll.

If you had to work today, I hope it’s a good one, whether that means it’s busy or slow. If, on the other hand, you had the day off, well, enjoy it. Do something fun. Downtime is very important.

If you decided to fill out the poll, tell me how things are going at the bottom of your comment.

Talk to you soon.

1. Mood:
2. If you had to choose between an oversized, multi-colored knitted poncho (with fringe!) or a faux fur purple vest to wear for a day, which one would you go with and why?
3. How quickly can you get dressed, ready and out the door?
4. How many hours of sleep do you get each night?
5. Does your significant other do anything that drives you crazy?
6. Have you ever battled someone on the dance floor?
7. What’s the last book you finished?
8. What’s the plan for today?
9. What were your favorite TV shows when you were a kid?
10. Weekly goals:

Have a marvelous Monday and a great start to your week. It’s almost summer, and things are looking up. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen