The Space Between My Peers

I’ve been tagged by Vyque of Fasshonaburu.  Here’s what I’m supposed to do:

* Link the person who tagged you - check.
* Mention the rules in your blog - check.
* Tell about six unspectacular quirks of your’s - see below.
* Tag a new set of six following bloggers by linking them:

1. Janel at Pearls
2. Damselfly at Growing a Life
3. Jennifer S at Family Musings
4. The Queen of The Duchy of Burgundy Carrots
5. Polly, the Chick in the Country
6. My sister, just because I am really interested in what her quirks are.

* Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged - check

Six unspectacular quirks o’ mine:

1. My big insecurity in life is the possibility that there will not be a place for me.  Wedding receptions can induce panic.
2. (My hero says) when I get nervous, I put on more makeup.
3. I really admire women who are so naturally beautiful they don’t have to wear makeup, and every now and again I pretend I am one.  he hee.
4. I like change.  And not just the coinage kind. 
5. Instead of getting more comfortable with things, the more I perform certain types of tasks, the more afraid I am of messing them up. 
6. I have music picked out for my funeral.  Listen here.  I like the Jars of Clay version, but was interested to find an Emmylou Harris YouTube (small world since I have her haircut)

   When I go, don’t cry for me
   In my Father’s arms I’ll be
   The wounds this world left on my soul
   Will all be healed and I’ll be whole.
   Sun and moon will be replaced
   With the light of Jesus’ face
   And I will not be ashamed
   For my Savior knows my name.

   It don’t matter where you bury me,
   I’ll be home and I’ll be free.
   It don’t matter where I lay,
   All my tears be washed away.

Share This

 Subscribe in a reader

Today I’m taking a break from blogging to read. 

Share This

 Subscribe in a reader

It’s true confession time: blogging has flooded my life. It has exceeded it’s boundaries, that is, overflowing into areas where it doesn’t belong and adding to the stress.

Of course, it’s not all bad. I love the people. I love the conversation about what to wear. And I love the creative outlet. But even my personal wardrobe has suffered as of late, due to just not taking time for non-computer related activities. My life, I’m afraid, has become two-dimensional.

Homeschooling moms are familiar with the schedule-building process and for quite some time I’ve known I needed to build me a new one. Now that I’m home, unpacked for the most part, and have my taxes mailed out, here’s the updated schedule I’m trying out (as with the old one, it’s built on 1 1/2 hour increments):

7 - 8:30: Seek God’s direction for daily living through Bible reading, prayer, and journaling.
8:30 - 10: Varies by day. Monday I go to Value Village, Friday is set aside for MOPS activities.
10 - 11:30: Laundry & Studio Time (Mon- Thurs).
11:30 - 1: Errands/exercise.
1 - 2:30: Computer time.
2:30 - 4: Putter outside and be available to help daughters.
4 - 5:30: Food preparation.
5:30 - 7: Family dinner, including clean-up, of course.
7 - 8:30 Varies by day: church activities or family projects at home .
8:30 - 10 Those last few things …

One of my favorite things about this blog has always been getting reader input. This topic, personal as it is, is no exception. What tips and techniques have worked for you to keep blogging in its place in your life?

Share This

 Subscribe in a reader

Color the next couple of weeks frantic.  The time has finally arrived for my Italy trip.

What makes this the time to de-lurk?  Since this blog is set up that I have to approve your first comment, if I am not able to log on for a few days first-time commenters may end up with their comments languishing in the approval queue.

This is a conversation, why not jump in now?

Share This

 Subscribe in a reader

It’s The Ultimate Blog Party and a great opportunity to get out and make new friends. “All women bloggers are invited regardless of parental status, religious affiliations, etc. This party is about having fun with friends and meeting new people.”

Welcome visitors party-ers! I’m in the final stages of my season as homeschooling mom and beginning stages of being a grandmother, and I’ve been blogging here about how to get dressed tastefully, sensibly, and economically for over two years. Read more in my interview at 5 Minutes for Mom.

And it’s been awhile since we’ve had a reader-modeled Fashion Lab. Would you like to do one?

Share This

 Subscribe in a reader

Alternative title: Why blogging is a frustrating way to spend a life.

Having the morning free before a lunch meeting and a later appointment, I was looking forward to getting some serious “blog puttering” accomplished. Fat chance!

First, I thought about posting about choosing eyeglass frames. Since I hadn’t brought along a photographer when I actually selected my new ones (although it would’ve been a good idea), I thought perhaps I could use pictures from one of the virtual try-on places. Like this one. Or the one over here. Except that you can’t copy those pictures.

In any case, here’s what I’m thinking about eyeglass frame selection:

• line movement in the face, and especially in the eye area, seems to have a greater bearing on what works than does face shape. My face is a combination of curved and straight, vertical and diagonal. Today’s horizontal frames make me look dull, flat, and tired.
• some styles may be unacceptable because they simply don’t mesh with the wearers personality. Such was the case when I tried on a round, completely rimless style. I had to laugh, although it didn’t look bad.
• glasses should be in harmony with the size of the facial features. Which is good news for me now, since small glasses are about all one can find.

More on this topic another time, I’m sure. For now, I think I’m addicted to playing with the frame-finder.

After failing to produce a post on frame fashion, I turned my thoughts to color, a topic never far from my mind, and starting looking at some of the links my mom had sent me recently and thinking about defining the beiges, as per eternalvoyageur’s request, only to find myself distracted by …

this pdf from the Utah Education Network, which reminded me of a quiz in the book Casual Power. To be completely honest with you, in my life I have often been disappointed in the way I am received on first impression. Until recently, that is. For some reason - could it be the long gray hair? - I have noticed more people smiling at me when I am out and about, young and old, and an overall willingness to strike up a casual conversation.

I don’t know about you, but I really want to relate positively to people.

I invite you to take the quiz. Unfortunately, when I tried to cut and paste the table over here, it disappeared.

Here are a few of the questions:

1. Do you attract people with whom you have interests in common?
   
2. Does your dress send an accurate message about you?
3. When you catch an unexpected glimpse of yourself in a mirror, do you like what you see?
4. Do other people ignore you or push you around?
5. Do you feel you look dull or boring?

Any insights you’d like to share? Any of these topics you’d like to see further discussion on?  Any of your own frustrations you’d like to spout off about?

Share This

 Subscribe in a reader

Google

Perhaps one of you more computer-savvy readers can help me with this problem: Google has inexplicably deemed my email address “invalid” for the purpose of signing into their system. Thus, I have not been able to comment on Blogger blogs (so sorry!), sign into my Google reader or groups, or access either of my own Blogger blogs (which have been somewhat inactive lately). Does anybody know how to contact Google about that? Their “contact us” button appears to lead to an endless loop of not-helpful help.

Moving on.

Weight Challenges

Ever since I read my sister’s review of The Skinny: How to fit into your little black dress forever, by Melissa Clark & Robin Aronson this weekend, I’ve been thinking about the complex issues surrounding weight gain and loss. Particularly surprising to me was this passage:

Their basic premise is that every slender woman restricts what she eats, whether she realizes (or admits) it or not. That cuts right to the feelings of unfairness that those who struggle with our weight feel when we see a skinny person eating (ice cream, potato chips, french fries, whatever).

People really feel that way?  I had no idea!

And I bet people who are overweight have no idea what I sometimes think about them either:  they lie.  (NOT BETH, she has always been very honest with me, but others.)  They say they never eat anything but fruits and vegetables; they “barely eat anything, but can’t seem to lose the weight”.

Another One of My Far Out Analogies

Some may think I think too much; I consider it a hobby. 

In order for me to keep my general shape, I have to stay under about 140 pounds.  One of the tools I employ to this end is to allow myself to experience hunger.  You see, otherwise I find myself eating to keep from getting hungry, rather than because I’m hungry.

Today as I was driving around in the sunshine, feeling rather lonely and forlorn, it occurred to me that just like hunger is a positive thing in my physical health, loneliness might be a positive in my social/emotional health.  I have often compared the need for social interaction with the need for food.

If this analogy works, what is the danger in over-socializing?  Maybe that is where it breaks down.

Something more wardrobe related when I come back. 

Share This

 Subscribe in a reader

Welcome to the October 15th fabulous! festival, aka the Workplace Edition. There were lots of entries, so let the festivities begin!

What to Wear to Work

Gemma Palmer presents Personal Style In The Workplace posted at Jumble. Warning! The photo accompanying this post is a bit revealing.

Fabulously Broke in the City asks: Dressin’ sexy in the workplace - acceptable for all ranks? Or should you play it safe? And then, What if everyone wore flipflops? (My hero contends that’s how we recognize the beginning of the collapse of civilization.) In addition, some people just don’t get the distinction between social and business clothing, and part of that distinction is work appropriate fabrics.

From the perspective of a hiring manager, Déja Pseu presents: Get a Job! Part 1 - First Impressions, tips to make a good first impression (and some common mistakes to avoid), and Get a Job! Part 2 - The Interview posted at Une femme d’un certain age. Also from Deja Pseu: The Woman In The Grey Flannel Suit, thoughts on the modern plague known as “Business Casual.”

Again on the topic of business casual, Miss Janey presents HATtastic: Biz Casual- What’s It Mean, Anyway? posted at HATtastic, saying:

Electing to downgrade to a business casual atmosphere is a slippery slope, one which very few can navigate, and one which, once breeched is hard to return from.

Our fabulous! organizer/administrator person, Meg, explains Dressing for Job Interviews at Casual Companies. She also delivers solid advice concerning the question Is It OK to Dress Better Than Your Boss?.

Concerning business wear for men:

• Dracon shares a humorous question and answer From a CE-related Instant Message: Work-wear worries posted at Calculatus Eliminatus.
• Individual Chic: The quadruple whammy guy posted at Individual Chic goes out to suit wearers. Icy says, “seriously you need to get your details right”.

And this late entry on the topic of teacher dress codes: Teacher, Teacher at The Shoe of Salvation.

Not fabulous, not even related, but still worth including:

Tracee Sioux presents Gossip Girl & R-A-P-E posted at So Sioux Me, saying:

If a girl wants to look pretty and be liked by boys does it mean she’s “asking to be raped?” That’s the message Gossip Girl marketed to teenage girls …

Other Fabulous Entries:

Maria Palma at Beauty is Within: Beauty and Fashion Blog reminds us that There’s Always Time to Look Fabulous! (when it comes to being beautiful and taking care of yourself, it’s all about priorities!).

Home Office Women tells the Story of a Fashion Entrepreneur.

Doris Chua presents Get Trendy with Camouflage Apparel posted at Doris Go Shopping, Beauty Talk posted at Doris Chua: Organics & Your Health, and My Fashion Sense posted at Life, Travel, Passion & More. Phew! And more I couldn’t fit in.

Introducing Rose Apodaca, the pop culture and style journalist whose first book, Style A to Zoe: The Art of Fashion, Beauty, & Everything Glamour, hit bookstores this month.

hello kitty hell presents Hello Kitty Men’s Fashion posted at Hello Kitty Hell. (Sure. Why not?)

Fashion Poirot, Lola Neopolitan, presents Fashion Poirot- Rihanna.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the fabulous! festival using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Share This

 Subscribe in a reader

I’m hosting the next fabulous! festival and, what with my husband’s office presently working on a new dress code, the theme for this edition is ‘the workplace’. For example: What do you wear to work? What do you wish others wouldn’t wear to work? Other fabulous posts are still welcome, of course.

Submit your article using the blog carnival submission form, for publication October 15th.

As a warm-up, here’s a fabulous link left here by a reader not long ago, in which a gay man implores his coworkers to cover up: The Kevin and Patrick Blog, Cover Your Boobies. Let the spouting off begin!

Share This

 Subscribe in a reader

Well, almost a month of contests, and this is it. Our final contest is a biggie, and I hope that a lot of you enter this final contest as the prizes total over $325!

To enter today’s contest:
*Visit “20″ Splendid Member blogs, post a comment on their latest post that is not a contest post. Read the post, and make it a real comment about the post. You can also view the Splendicity member list right at the homepage: Splendicity.com .

*Go back to Splendicity.com and report the Splendid Member blogs that you commented on in today’s Splendicity blog contest post WITH A LINK TO THE POST. If there is no link to the post you commented on, we cannot check your comment and your entry will not be valid.

All readers that complete the process correctly by leaving both comments and the link to the posts commented on will be entered to the contest.

As always, please be sure to read the contest rules before entering.

Todays prize:

Splendid Swag Bag worth over $325!

Inside the splendid swag bag will be the following:
InStyle Magazine ($3.99)
Glamour Magazine ($3.99)
Allure Magazine ($3.49)
Lancome Color Design Lipstick ($21.00)
Lancome Juicy Tube ($17.50)
Boscia Skin Care Travel Kit ($42.00)
MAC Cosmetics - 2 - Mattene Lipsticks & 2 - Matte2 Eyeshadows ($50.00)
Urban Decay Eyeshadow & Liquid Liner ($34.00)
Bare Escentuals Eye Collection ($39.00)
Kimberly Sayer Night Cream ($32.00)
Philosophy The Supernatural Airbrushed Canvas in Bronze ($35.00)
DuWop Revolotion Tinted Body Moisturizer ($25.00)
Benefit Cosmetics Sexy Gold Lip Gloss ($20.00)
GRAND TOTAL VALUE: $326.97

Good Luck!

We wish to thank of all the sponsors for donating prizes for our readers.

Share This

 Subscribe in a reader