"Your place to buy and sell all things handmade"

As I was taking a survey on Etsy, for a chance to win an ipad, i might add, this page came up. If I would have known they were selling these, I would have put half a dozen potty trained, obedient toddlers in my cart. What? They are handmade, for sure.

awkward technology

Ahh the ease and convenience of modern technology. But ahhhhh crap, how it brings some awkward situations. Kate Spade actually has an entire cute little book devoted to the proper etiquette of such things as e mails, texting and social network sites.

I could have used a lil Kate Spade today.

One of my BFFs, who shall remain a mystery, is currently working on a re-election campaign. Her job provides her with hours of travel, working 7 days a week, and charming the pants off little conservative old men she meets on the trail. She's great at her job, but sometimes it's a drag.

I digress, I need to cut to the awkward part.

She and I have gotten into the habit of video chatting (over gmail chat) anytime we are both sitting down at the computer. Usually, it's just a quick show of something fun we just bought, a cute new necklace or a perm job that is losing its umph (her's, not me: she got it at walmart. enough said). Today was one of those days. I LOVED her new gray dress from Target and just as soon as I complimented her on that, she held up a campaign flier with "The Candidate" s picture on it.

"Oh wow, I totally pictured him, you know, like YOUNGER and CUTE!" I said.

Her eyes widened and her fingers type as fast as she can: (real gchat conversation, names changed)

Her: SHUT UP
me: is he right there?Her: he's in the other room

but could hear you

me: oh my gosh

Her: i'll video you later

me: sorry

Her: "i always thought of him as younger and cute"

preceded by "That's him?!?"

me: i have never felt so awkward over video

you are lying

he did NOT hear me

Her: i wouldn't be laughing

i think he did

me: no way

Her: okay have to run

bye

I am hoping my dear friend isn't fired. Oh Kate Spade, how I needed you today.

Moral lesson: never video chat at work, or let your friend comment on your boss's age and looks without head phones on. Yikes.

Summa Summa Summa-time

Today marks the first day of Summer- woohoo! Honestly, I thought that was like a week ago, so I have mistakenly been acting like it's summer already. My bad.

Being an adult, in the summer, sans children can be a little odd. There's nothing like hot weather that makes you want to be a little one running around without a care in the world, or at least live vicariously through them. Usually in the summer, I like to make a fun, colorful list of lots of magical plans for the precious 3 months, but since I am moving this August and spending 6 weeks at camps, I think my goals include keeping my head above water, being an organized packer and hoping my legs become less translucent than they already are. Lofty goals, I know.

I'm going to go back in time and relive some of my favorite childhood summer activities:

• 11am-6pm @ Highland's Pool, 6 days a week. Riding my bike there and having just enough money to buy either nachos or a minute maid popsicle at rest period.
• Coming home from said pool and crashing on the floor of our family room, still in a wet suit, watching Hey Dude or Wild and Crazy Kids.
  
• Eating most of our family meals out on our screened in porch, something always grilled.
  
• Playing softball a few times a week, and since I wasn't really good or wasn't too passionate about the sport, it was just a time for me to hang out with my friends.
  
• Finding some movie to be obsessed with (My Girl, Now & Then....) and trying to recreate them with my friends.
  
• Setting up multiple "road side stands": lemonade, flowers, tomatoes (from my Grandma's garden) and friendship bracelets. We were always trying to make a buck.
• Taking naps in our hammock on the porch, often disturbed by at least one older brother flipping me out of it.

Ahhh... more than anything, to just lay around, watch re-runs of Saved by the Bell, stay up past your "bed time", play flash light tag, and catch fireflies, just to let them die in an old butter container the next morning. The bliss of summer.

What are your goals this summer or favorite memories from years past?

Less Offensive Post #2

In an attempt to offend less moms, photographers and bloggers in this post, I will center on something we can all enjoy: finding the thing you need at the price you want, Bingo, bango.

Now there are some SERIOUS coupons blogs out there, and I will never ever ever be one of those, mostly because my calling is people centered rather than saving 35 cents on 4 boxes of Fiber One bars, but I do love me some good deals. I like to shop and beat the retail system by finding the loop holes of deals! I like to think of shopping as my lead hobby- it's multitasking at its finest (sort of).

May I share a quote? "Much of the joy we get from our purchases lies in the experience of seeking them out, getting them home, and opening them up," from the latest Real Simple magazine (pg. 70), from economist Tyler Cowen.

Couldn't be more true for me. I love the hunt, I love the search and I LOVE LOVE LOVE coming home and fitting them into my other toys. It's bad.

Speaking of magazines, I saw a pair of sunglasses that are TDF (aka To Die For). I want them. Real bad. But they are $250. Yikes. Enter the Great Sunglasses Debate. Do you:

1. But a cute, cheap, trendy pair, because you know will either get sick of them, sit on them, or lose them in a tidal wave/underneath your car seat/your hair?
2. OR do you save up, invest in a really classic pair that you can have for a long time, and you will be forced to take great care of, because you gave up buying groceries for a month to purchase them?

I am going to kill the suspense and just say it: I'm a #1 kind of girl. Maybe one day, when I grow up, I will invest in one, but for now, too risky.

This is the pair I REALLY wanted (but in tortoise color):
(Norma Kamali)

Compare them to the real pair I bought from Forever 21, and by pair, I mean 2 pairs, because let's be honest they were $5.80.

Finding killer deals on any cute things recently? Sometimes I want that to be my calling.

i'm kinda scared of blogs...

You know when you're about to fall asleep, and you have your last few conscience thoughts pop across your brain? Those are my best times for ideas, followed closely by long showers and driving in the car alone on Sundays. Last night, I vaguely remember thinking about what my blog was going to be about, but like most things at that time of night, it's gone with the wind (aka the fan I have blowing on my face so I can sleep at night).

Can I give you my quick history with blogs? Thanks...

• In college, when blogs were really only starting to blossom, we had a rule in our house of girls, that you couldn't date someone with a blog. A college-aged-guy with a blog in 2004 was just weird. It meant he thought a little bit too highly of his thoughts. We also had a rule about not dating a guy who had sailboats embroidered on his belt- that rule still stands. Even in Annapolis.
• I was just never into blogs before a year or so ago. I thought they were pretty self-absorbed (they probably still are to some degree). But then I founds lots and lots of cute cooking ones, crafty ones, etsy ones, really meaningful ones, and ones of dear friends that live in different states that I love to read and catch up on their fun, little, quickly, daily lives!
• I discovered Google Reader and was hooked. Anything google makes, I follow. It revolutionized my blog reading and now I look forward to them like e mails. Well you know, good e mails.
  
• I still like to make fun of blogs. Especially (but not limited to): ones all about their kids and how CRAZY it is to raise them (like people haven't been doing that for thousands of years without pacifiers, bumbo seats and DVR, to mention a few), about kids pooping, about how CRAZY it is to plan a wedding, how CRAZY it is to be a stay at home wife, etc etc. You're picking up what I'm laying down. Bloggers can be CRAZY. I like normal bloggers. I also like to laugh at photography blogs of people that aren't very good, but think since anyone can own a nice camera for $800, that will make them good. Oooh...now you think I'm mean. But c'mon, we've all seen them.
• Why blog? Well you gotta give the fans what they want... just kidding. I am in a transitional time of my life, and I want to record some of that, even if it's just for me and the 2 other people that have promised to read this. That's fine. And I really hope this will help maintain contact with some dear friends, in a fun, here's what the corner of my world looks like, kind of way.
  

I used to journal more, and I loved writing down thoughts that only I would see, and I still FULLY believe in that. I see a lot with high school kids that every single emotion they feel turns into a facebook status which is scary. Instead of being mad at your mom for not letting you spend the night somewhere and running upstairs, slamming your bedroom door, and then an hour later forgetting about it and snuggling up next to her to watch a movie, kids will post "I EFFING HATE MY LAME PARENTS" and then like 76 of their closest acquaintances will weigh in with highly technical advice, like "Yeah, I h8 every1 over the age of 34 too" or "I gave up on my parents years ago" or "Screw them, sneak out with me?" There's nothing like a mob to keep you mad. It goes beyond that, to the point, where I think there is a generation rising that will really struggle managing their emotions without texting someone to weigh in. Yikes.

All that to say, this is not my proverbial sleeve to lay all my heart break and emotions onto... thank goodness! It's like a longer version of a healthy facebook status or google buzz/reader without me annoying people that don't want to see it pop up next to their inbox! With my background in journalism, I will always say, I know a little about a lot, my knowledge is shallow of most things. That can be a fun strength, but obviously has its weaknesses. That translates into me having very few of my own ideas and creative genius. I like to borrows those from people with deep knowledge- those who know a lot about a little. Most everything I write here will be borrowed, but I will try to give credit where it's due.

So enjoy the occasional post. And yes, I will remember you when I end up featured on the Today Show for my amazing blogging skills (sike!).