Style or science?

This picture would be nice if I was showing off my Nine West cork-wedge slides.  They are very comfortable shoes and I got them on sale.  You might think that at first glance.  You also might think I've gone and done some odd, fadish, in-style for the moment, weird nail polish on my big toe.  Nope.  It isn't that either.
This noticibly, off-color toe-nail I am sporting is nothing more than the product of my own foolishness.  It is the result of wearing an old pair of running shoes I knew I needed to replace because I had broken down every benefit they had provided me during the length of the time I had used them.  I knew better and yet I continued.  This toenail was the result.  It's a classic case of runners black toenail.
I haven't had one in a long time.  I've probably lost two...or I think it's three...toenails this way before now.  I am not alone and I actually found out that some experts seem to think it happens when you go to a higher level of training.  It is also expected when the temperatures are higher which produces more swelling in the feet during those longer training periods.  It has to do with the pressure of the repetitive motion under the toes and blood flow and some kind of scientific stuff to make your toenail go black and end up looking like it does in my picture.  It doesn't hurt and the best treatment is to ignore it - which I will do, have done, and will keep doing. 
It's nice to know that I possibly got this ailment from a higher training level.  The only problem is... I'm not training.  I'm only trying to get my run on.  But hey, whatever the experts want to think is okay with me.  Who am I to argue with science and experts?  Besides, I've already got my new running shoes and they cover up the mismatched toenail.  So, all things considered...aren't those Nine West slides nice?  They are very comfortable and did I say they were on sale?  Could you hand me the nail polish?
TT

Any plans?

I just got back from a neighborhood run.  I'm sweaty and having to towel the edge of the keyboard and my face in order to type.  I need to cool down just a bit before I attempt a quick shower and I have a few things to do today so leave it to me to multi-task any way I can to fit everything in.
I feel like I am starting Beginning Running: 101.  I am having a hard time getting myself going and then I am not having an easy time of it.  It doesn't feel good enough.  I need to take it down a notch and be okay with things as they are right now. 
I am throwing out all my mental notions about what distance I should be going or how fast.  Look, this run was slower than that one, that run was shorter.  I am struggling to stop the mental bombardment of negatives that are currently residing in my brain.  I am tired of hearing them argue back and forth about this notion or that.  They try really hard to make good points about what they are saying.  They can be very convincing at times.  But I have to stop the bickering.  Not yet.  Not now.
I need to concentrate on simply making a routine again.  I need to gear up and get out there.  Simple.  It's not about distance or time or even these killer inclines I'm battling.  It's time for me to just go.  Get dressed, put on my shoes and run.  It doesn't matter one bit how far right now.  Just get it done.  I won't listen to another argument one way or another.  I'm spending too much time figuring it out instead of just doing what needs to be done.
So there.  Right now it's about consistency, nothing more.  At least for now.
At least that is my plan and it's always better to have a plan no matter how small the steps are to begin.
Now I've cooled down enough to take that shower.  I have time to fold some towels and maybe make a short trip to the grocery store.  I might have time to wash the car and even work in the yard.
Oh - and the dusty rose, cropped zippered jacket from yesterday?  I'm returning it.  I didn't like the way the lining is pulling on the sleeves.  They don't fall smoothly and I didn't notice until I tried it on again last night.  So then, I might have to make a trip back out to the boutiques.  I should use the refund for a dress for the wedding anyway.
Ah...there's a plan...more shopping.
TT

Least expected

I just got back from an all day excursion.  What a wonderful time!  I hadn't expected a late lunch to turn into a truly wonderful afternoon but it did.  They say when you least expect it...
Well, it proved true today.  I spent the entire afternoon with Sonny and Selma.  Their wedding is planned for April 29th and after lunch we decided we needed a little walk.  What better place to do that than one of my favorite open air shopping areas.  It is where I sometimes go on a Saturday afternoon to check the latest items at all the best fashion boutiques.  It turns out we did a little more.  Sonny and Selma picked out their wedding bands.  They had it on their list of things to get done but not planned on actually doing it today.

Now, you tell me.  I've never been really big on jewelry but I can certainly appreciate it and how it looks on someone else.  These look so good  I cannot even begin to talk about how great they look.   Sonny's band is actually white gold like Selma's.  You can blame my snapshot on the color difference.  Aren't these something?!
We spent the rest of the afternoon in different shops.  I looked around one of my most frequented places but nothing spoke to me there.  We stopped at a few more and it wasn't until I was browsing yet another that I found the one thing that not only spoke to me but yelled out.  It was on a hanger too high for me to reach and yet I managed to stretch up far enough to knock it down so I could try it on.
That was it.  Once I had it on I knew it was coming home with me.  It may not be white gold.  It isn't even real leather.  But the feel of it is and the look is hard to tell it isn't real...but the cut and fit was all me.
I hesitated a bit but I knew.

Dusty pink, short cropped, faux leather, zippered Guess jacket.
They say when you least expect it.
TT

Bad hair

"What did you mean when you said my hair looked like Pee Wee Herman's last night?" 
Jay paused on the other end of the phone and finally said, "you're thinking about this way too much.  It was a joke, let it go."

I was coming off two consecutive bad hair days.  It wasn't god-awful hair days but they weren't good or even fair hair days.  It was somewhere just not quite good enough to be passable hair days.  It probably wasn't as inadequate as I thought to others, but what does it matter what others think if it was bothering me?  It really wasn't so much a case of vanity as it was a failure on my part to come up to my own personal expectations.  I admit when it comes to the external I have some fairly high expectations. But they are my own expectations and to me it translates into so much more than looking good.  It is a matter of how the external affects the internal.  You have to admit that when you dress well you feel better about yourself.  When my appearance is well put together I feel more positive and have more confidence.  (See what happens the other way around with post Wore what? - which by-the-way - Jay thought sounded like something from a neurotic Woody Allen movie).
So last night I was correcting the bad hair when Jay came home.  I was in my usual spot on the bedroom floor.  I had the full length mirror propped in front of me leaning against the dresser.  The television was on only to distract me from the length of time it would take me to iron out the erratically curly tendrils to a straight sophisticated glossy mane. I had all but a small section of hair pulled back tightly and pinned up with numerous clips in the back.  That is when Jay walked in and greeted me.  "Wow, you look like Pee Wee Herman."
Pee Wee Herman!  Pee Wee Herman!  What did his hair look like?!  It was just a...a...it was just an old fashioned little boy haircut, wasn't it?  So I look like that?  Why?  Because, because it's all pulled back and looks...it looks...it looks awful.  I know!  I'm trying to fix it.  Do I need this now after two bad hair days?!  Do I, really?
Oh course, Jay didn't think or know I had two bad hair days.  He was just as he said, making a joke.
Humpt!  I suppose. I guess.  Right.  Sure.  Okay.
So he made an exit and left me alone to fix my hair.  Smart guy.  He did mention later how good it looked.
It didn't stop me from asking about it again the next morning.
Pee Wee Herman.  Really.
TT

Wore what?

I will fess up now and get it over with.  I did an unthinkable thing.  I did something I never do and although I may have been almost, and I say almost truthfully, on the borders of having committed this offense in the recent past I have not actually done it until today.  I will admit to getting slightly, just slightly, under my personal guideline when it comes to this but not so much that it could be considered a real offense.  Today I did it.  I committed the absolute offense.  I am mortified with myself.
I went into a retail store in my gym clothes.
There it is.  I don't know what possessed me.  I don't know how I rationalized with myself that this would be okay.  I was on the way to the gym and I figured I could stop quickly, be in and out, and would have the item when I went home. Then I could save that time and get my other errands done after I showered and changed.  I am such a fool.  I cannot believe I talked myself into it. 
The minute I stepped out of the car and into the parking lot of the store I had this sinking feeling.  Instead of using my head and getting back into the car I continued to walk through the automatic doors of the store and entered.  I thought if I went directly to what I needed I could save face by making my purchase, quickly fast-step it back to my car and head to the gym.  No one would be the wiser.
That didn't happen.  Of course it didn't happen.  You don't glide through the doors of any store in these poor retail times without someone greeting you.  And I was greeted.  And I wanted to use my cloaking device but it isn't installed in gym clothes!  That is why I'm not supposed to wear them anywhere except the gym!
What was I thinking.  Now I not only had a sinking feeling but I had to mask the look of utter guilt that spread across my face and pretend I was fine and say hello.  So I think I managed to bring the ends of my lips up, said hello quickly, and kept going using my large bag to...what?  It wasn't that large.  It couldn't camouflage the fact that I wasn't dressed  for anything other than going to the gym!  So I zero'd in, picked up what I needed, and made it through the check-out without any delay or anyone behind me.  Whew!  Then I was out the door and racing to my car.  I clicked the lock, pulled the door open and threw myself into the drivers seat.  Whew!  I sat a moment and pondered the mistake I had made.  It just wasn't worth the scant amount of time I might have saved.  What a terrible chance I had taken.  I know better.  I could have bumped into...I could have met...I could have seen someone...gads...was I lucky.  Never again.
The good part of the story is that I burned off all that mortification with a good run afterward at the gym where I was surrounded with like dressed people.  And now that I'm all cleaned up and dressed properly, I am thinking of making a visit to another retail store to buy some newer, proper clothing.  I mean, I need to put this traumatic experience behind me, right?  What better way to correct this experience than to make sure I have the necessary supplies so it never happens again.
Long runs and retail therapy.  Why not?  I already fessed up.  I'm already pressed, dressed, and ready for any greeter that comes along.
I wish I didn't always have to learn my lessons the hard way.
TT

Another art form

I am in need of some retail therapy. I know it is only Wednesday and I will need to wait until the weekend to make a trip like that worth it’s while but I can still feel a strong need coming on. There seems to have been quite a few distractions for a much longer period of time than usual to keep me from shopping lately. I have known I wanted/needed to get a few new things but have put them off for what seems like an astounding number of reasons. This procrastination has led to some major shortening in the number of clothing options I have available.
You see, I am very – no VERY – good about saying goodbye to garments that are:
• Old
• Faded
• ill-fitting
• Un-stylish
• Un-flattering
• What was I thinking when I bought this?!?
I do not keep any of the items that fall into the above category. In fact, I keep a laundry basket in my closet for just such items. If I find after laundering something that has really outlasted its stay – it goes into the laundry basket. If I wear a garment that I realize is unflattering or doesn’t fit well anymore – it goes into the laundry basket. The laundry basket accumulates items and when full (like now) it gets donated to charity. My rule is that once something is placed in the laundry basket I cannot take it out again. I did that once, wore the removed item, and immediately realized why I had put it in there in the first place. I haven’t done it again.
So now I am at the point of a full (almost overflowing) laundry basket but no replacements. This week alone I have placed four items into the basket! I’m not sure how I had managed to keep a particular button down shirt but when I wore it recently I felt like I was wearing my big sisters hand-me down. It was slightly faded and too big. The problem here is I don’t have a big sister so what was I thinking when I bought that?!?
Whatever you call it: retail therapy, shopping, buying, acquiring, putting my flair for style in motion and all the while enjoying the search through racks of possible treasures. I can take this, skip that, try all that might have a possibility and discard all that don't work, keep the things that do, then start over again.
It can be an art form all on its own if you know how to do it.
I know how and I am way past due for this type of art.
TT

Shoes

First thing, let's get the obvious out of the way. I love my heels. I wear them every day. They are comfortable and comforting and I wear them high. Three to four - (sometimes four and a half) inches are no problem. I wear pointed, peep-toed, ankle strapped, or gladiator.
Sure, yes. I have a problem with being short. But that doesn't take away from the fact of how a heeled shoe makes the line of my leg look. How it lengthens and elongates.
I don't have the money to spring for Manolo Bahnik or Jimmy Choo but I can shop the heck out of a shoe store. Take me there, please. I need a few pairs right now.
The pleasure of a good shoe shopping excursion might have come from the limited type of shoes I was able to purchase at a young age. I had a narrow foot and lived in a small town. Most shoe retailers at the time only had a small selection in my size and my mother refused to allow me to buy a shoe that didn't fit perfectly. That was probably a blessing to have learned that fit was all important at a young age but back then I just wanted a nice shoe. I didn't get many of those.
The standard purchase was a black lace up oxford for everyday since I wore a uniform to school. A dress-up shoe was normally another black, ivory or occasional colored flat.
Later in my teens when jeans became the uniform, I was always in a brown, wood platform sandal shoe with some height. I also remember a pair of black, knee length, lace up boots. I wore those boots to the absolute death (poor boots) because I didn't want to get rid of them. Yes, boots, when I lived in an area where 33 degrees was the coldest day of the year...day, only one day normally.
Now, my heels are my sort-of signature. People don't realize how short I am since they only see me in heels. I know this to be true when I happen to meet them (usually a weekend) wearing ballet flats. They have actually said to me, "you look so cute!" I refuse to wait for them to pat my head or squeeze my cheek. I just think how I will intimidate them when I've got my killer stilettos on the next time around.
Ahhh, shoes.
TT

Grand total $16.22

Saturday afternoon - 5:10pm.
I have just returned home from what I thought was going to be little shopping therapy.

I should have known it wasn’t a time to do any shopping when traffic seemed heavier than usual. I realized a little too late it might be because of school starting and everyone making the back to school last weekend shopping trips. I should have exercised some common sense and left right then. No, no common sense exercised. So the result was a grand total expenditure of $16.22. Pretty slim. And that was spent on a blusher from Sephora that I needed. Not even anything I could wear. I visited 5 shops and came out with nothing. I tried on a top, capri's, a dress, another top but nothing was working for me.

Then I tried another tact and I almost got a really great pair of muted print fabric Nine West peep-toed shoes. I say almost. There was a 75% off clearance rack which I browsed. I do this type of browsing from time to time but never seem able to find my size even if there is a pair I actually want. But this time they had my size in the great Nine West heel. Awesome! I plucked it off the rack and slid the shoe on. Like I said, still awesome! It looked great! I took it off and brought the lone shoe up to the counter so they could go to the back to retrieve the matching mate. The clerk came back after what seemed like an extra long wait and said…there isn’t a matching shoe. What? Nothing in the back? Then I remembered seeing another one on the clearance rack. Do you think it’s the other shoe?

We went to look. We found the other shoe on the rack. It was the same size as the original shoe the clerk is still holding. Matching shoes. But wait…a little too matching. Both are left feet. I’m looking at the clerk. Okay, maybe I was staring very intently because she excused herself and promptly turned to say she would go to the back and check again. Another long wait. She finally found the courage to resurface from the back room with the same two left shoes. She is shaking her head. I’m very sorry I think I heard her say; the other right shoes aren’t there.

I should have known. Did I really expect a pair of $79.00 originally priced, beautiful fabric, Nine West peep-toed, 4 ½ inch heels at 75% off to be available to me? Well, I did expect it. Oh yes, of course, but they were available! If I wanted two left shoes! What’s with me and my shoes lately?

Some therapy session! It didn’t exactly work out as planned. My cheeks are so glowing I don’t even need the blusher!

TT

Hardly Cinderella

I lost a shoe. One shoe. I guess the number doesn't matter because if you lose one there isn't much you can do with the other. It happened over a week ago but I kept looking for it. I am going to have to resolve that it won't be found and I need to get rid of the one remaining shoe I have left. Bummer. It was a nice pair, too. It was a standard black pump with a small heel (okay 3 inches) but that heel was silver with a black tip. It was reminiscent of a 1930's style cigarette holder except it was the heel of a black pair of nice pumps. It wasn't cheesy. It was very subtle and you didn't even notice the silver heel. Well, I guess you would notice if you looked down as I was walking away. Now I've managed to lose one.

No, it didn't fall off my foot as I went hobbling around unawares all afternoon. I had worn them that day to work and afterward went to the gym. I was sure I had put them into the bottom of my gym bag when I changed. The shoes were the first things off, so they would have been the first thing into the bag. After the work out I got home and emptied the gym bag onto the bed. I literally turned it upside down and let everything fall out. I do this every time I come home from the gym because I always take my work clothes out and repack the bag with fresh gym clothes. (I know, whatever! I can't help being organized; really...I was a girl scout for christ sake)!

I thought I picked up both shoes and tossed them into the closet. Yes, I have a shoe rack but all the other shoes were in place and I didn't figure it would hurt to have the shoes at the bottom of the closet for a while. No big deal. A couple of days later I went to put the shoes on and only found one. I started searching the closet thinking one shoe got tossed into a corner somewhere or stuck behind other shoes on the rack. It wasn't there. I moved the entire rack of shoes. No black pump. I moved old shopping bags that were there, I looked into old shopping bags that were there but no black pump! Where did it go? I hastily picked another pair to wear that day and went to work.

My search continued later. I checked under the bed thinking I might have dropped the lone shoe and it was kicked under the bed. No such luck. There isn't anything under the bed or under anything else in the room. I went back to the closet and pulled all the stuff on the floor away. I went through what I think was everything in that I know it's here somewhere kind of mode.

It didn't help. I haven't found the shoe. I might have to let go of my one shoe and caulk it up to being lost. You know, of course, as soon as I pitch the one shoe the other will turn up somewhere. Maybe I should look just one more time.

How did I lose a shoe!

TT

Clearly clearing

I am feeling just a bit better today than the end of the day yesterday. I got up and did a jog by the water. Did I say I was taking two days off and coming out to the seaside? Oh, sorry. I meant to let you know. So I was able to enjoy a jog by the water first thing this morning. Beautiful.
I got back to the motel and dragged Jay out of bed after I showered so we could go to breakfast. He isn't a morning person and it takes him f o r e v e r to wake up.
Once at the restaurant I couldn't help but point out that our waitress had decent shoes. He laughed. Jay had made a comment to me at lunch yesterday about our waitress' choice of shoes. He leaned in to me yesterday and said, "Tell our waitress to change her shoes."
"What?"
"Tell our waitress to change her shoes," he repeated.
"Why," I asked. I hadn't seen them.
"They are very distracting."
"Distracting? What do they have on them to make them distracting?"
"Some kind of ugly."
Cute, very cute.
Then he added, "And tell her to change her shorts, too. They are plaid and ill-fitting. If I were manager of this place I wouldn't let her wear that."
"Well, lucky her - you're not manager."
"You never dress like that."
"Well...thanks. I guess. But why can't you tell her about the shoes?"

I've taken it a bit easy today. I'm at least a shade darker now than I was before and that's probably my only accomplishment today. Everyone followed the not ugly shoe rule so I didn't even have to do anything about that. Not too bad I think.

TT

Don't tell

Today is another Saturday and I've managed to bang around the house without any real direction. Don't get me wrong, I have a lot of things going around in my head that I could be doing. I just haven't put any focus into any of them. I did my normal morning routine things and thought I might go to a class at the gym. I thought I had time before I started to mow the grass in the backyard so I did that. Unfortunately, it didnt' leave me enough time to change and drive to the gym so I didn't go. Then I picked up a book and started reading. I knew I had to make a deposit at the bank and drove over to get that done but came right back home since I didn't think I was exactly dressed to do anything except drive thru at the bank. I wasn't dressed for any more than that. No...I do NOT go out in pajama bottoms posing as pants. First of all I don't own pajamas but more importantly, I won't be seen in public unless dressed somewhat put together - at least I would like to think that.

So I've settled myself here at home again and started a load of laundry and I thought I would give another cookie idea a test try. I was inspired last week by a good friend that had tried a white cookie when we were out having coffee but she thought it needed nuts. I modified a recipe and came up with a batch of pretty good cookies based on what she had tried at the coffee shop. That gave me another idea of coming up with a 5 chocolate cookie. Yes, I mean using five different types of chocolate in one cookie. I was thinking about holidays (because I usually make large batches of cookies during Christmas to give away) and the next holiday was Cinco de Mayo. Not a usual holiday most would think of, but hey...cinco - five. Five chocolate cookies - Cinco chocolate. You never know where my mind might go off to.

And I have allowed my mind to wander again. So many things still to do or could do. Like even though I've kept these posts in sequence, really, right now, in real time...it's Saturday...but I'm going back to write Thursday and Friday now since I haven't really written those yet.

Don't tell.

TT