I did it.

 

Wine and Dine Half complete.

 

Over 20 minutes faster than my Princess Half time.

 

And I am seriously contemplating signing up for the Princess Half in 2013.

New obsession.

Bed Bath & Beyond

 

 

I purchased a steamer last month.

 

It might be in my top 10 greatest purchases of all time.

 

I cannot iron.

 I add more wrinkles to the item, get frustrated, give up, and find something different to wear.

 

With the steamer I am a machine. Dress pants, a blouse, AND a sweater?

No problem; less than five minutes later and I'm dressed in a wrinkle-free outfit.

 

 

If you have ever thought about a steamer, don't wait any longer-it will change your life.

 

 

I did steam a pair of lulu's before I went to dance class so maybe I'm taking it too far.

 

 Wrinkle Free 4 Life.

America.

 

 

 

 

 

Holiday, Celebrate

 

 

 

 

Election day is a holiday to me. A very exciting day to exercise my freedom and respect the privilege I have. Many places make it very difficult for anyone to vote, especially women, and to pass up this opportunity is just wrong.

 

 

 

 

 

Small town life affords me the luxury of jogging to my polling place and back home and getting less than a mile of exercise in. But I am exercising my right to vote

(see what I did there).

 

 

 

 

 

If you don't vote, you don't get a say. Especially not on social media. Shutyodamnmouth on the twitter machine or the facebook...if you don't vote, you don't get a say

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Polls open at 6:00 am in New York woo woo wwitb!

Mrandoms

Since I spent Friday on my soapbox I suppose Mrandoms isn't too awful. Frandoms just sounds so much better.

 

 

 

 

 

 

via

1.

Due to the fact that I always forget when television shows are on and have a weird thing about skipping episodes, I last watched Gossip Girl in the midst of season 4. Luckily I just joined the 21st century and found out I could watch netflix on my computer and due to a few marathon sessions, I am almost to the end of season 5. WHAT THE HULL?! Juliet, really? Why is Ben serving time in a jail/prison (there is a huge difference xoxogg writers) on Staten Island for a crime he committed in Connecticut?! Jurisdiction matters. Charlie Rhodes? Ivy Dickens? Ivy's whiny voice is THE WORST. The Prince? really? a princess? and why throw the pregnancy thing in there? Blair belongs with Chuck. End of story. WHAT IS WITH DAN HUMPHREY'S HAIR!? Rufus is a tool. How does Lily Rhodes van der Woodsen Bass Humphrey Bass get anything monogrammed? (yes I read ahead in episode synopsis and I know Bart returns) This whole thing is getting me all worked up. And just a PSA, not one of them has celebrated their 21st birthday, and I know it is the UES and all, but the abundance of underage drinking on the show is just astounding.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.

 

Ten handmade with love fleece blankets coming your way downstate. I had way too much fun picking out the color and arranging them in a beautiful fleece pyramid.

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.

DISNEY ON THURSDAY. While I am not looking forward to the general public, children, people in clothing 3 sizes too small and children again, I am excited to see my cousin, meet his girlfriend, spend time with my father, and I guess I'm sort of excited for the Wine and Dine Half, but that is debatable. I will obviously need to find our brick again and pose with it. AND I AM EXCITED FOR CHURROS. lots of them.

 

 

 

 

4.

via

 

 

via


 

 Liv Tyler had a thing for guys named AJ in the '90s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.

This picture has zero to do with clothes but I couldn't find a picture of my closet and it makes me laugh.
So, enjoy.

 

I'm trying out this thing where I have to wear all the clothes in my closet. I made a list of all my November-appropriate clothes and I have to wear all of them, no repeats, to work this month. I told DKL what I had planned and she said I might want to include December in there too. So for all the work days in November and December I have to wear an original outfit. If there is anything left at the end, some size 2/4/6/8 s/m/l lady is going to have a new work wardrobe. I will also be documenting this adventure and have sworn off buying any clothes until the game is over. Time to get creative.

 

Perspective

If you have power, consider yourself lucky.

If you have fresh water, your necessary medical supplies, and food, consider yourself lucky.

If you know where your relatives are, that they are safe, and you can contact them, consider yourself lucky.

If you have some extra cash, skip the sbux syrup and consider making a donation.

If you have time, and are healthy enough to, consider donating blood.

 

I finally made contact with all my friends and loved ones on strong island and in the city. After not being able to get into contact with my diabetic friend who lives alone that I knew had no power I morphed into super nervous mode. Luckily they are all safe. Some flooding and damage to homes and cars, but those can be replaced. Our friends in Breezy Point consider themselves the lucky ones. Their homes were spared, yet their neighbors lost everything.

 

 

 

Breezy Point, Queens

 

A huge shout out to the first responders, EMS, firefighters, military personnel, and law enforcement officers who have worked countless hours and will selflessly work countless more. A special thank you to my friends in the NYPD and to my brother's unit who were called up to serve.

enjoy it all.

November 1st is All Saints' Day in the Roman Catholic Church. It is a Holy Day of Obligation, meaning all able individuals must go to mass. It is a special day, meant to honor the saints and to begin the traditional November remembrance of those who are departed.

On November 1st, 2005 I was a college sophomore. I had gone through a rough break up in September/October and had just begun to date someone new. I received a phone call that evening from my ex that our mutual friend, G, had died. He was studying abroad in London and had tragically passed away after an accident. Up until this point in my life, the only people who had died that I was close to were grandparents, great grandparents etc. They were old, or sick, and it was expected. This was a shock, he was 22 years old, so full of life, always the jokester, the kindest soul you would ever meet. I had just seen him in August, one last get together before we all went back to college.

I spent an hour and a half in line at his wake. It would have been more like two and a half hours, but my ex's mother had saved us a place in line. I still to this day tear up when I hear Michael Buble's Home, as that was the song they used to walk his casket down the aisle at the funeral. To watch my friends, all big tough 21 year old guys, visibly shake with emotion was something I had never experienced. The words his girlfriend whispered to me as I passed through the line at the wake are something that will forever hold close.

So now when I think of Halloween, I am filled with dread. In college I had a really hard time getting dressed up, going out, and having fun. I would think about G, and think about what the next day would bring. But as cliche as it sounds, that is not what he would have wanted. He would have wanted us to follow the motto printed on the mass card, printed on the tshirts and golf balls from his memorial games and golf tournaments, enjoy it all. So now when I get super negative or find myself in a dismal mood, I remember that phrase and I really do try to enjoy it all.

 

 

Why wouldn't I want to enjoy a dance party to Madonna's Borderline with friends?

 

 

 

Or instead of criticize my extension, just enjoy the view (and my flexibility)?

 

 

Or enjoy the fact that I climbed this mountain when I was four years old, and made it back 20 years later to climb it again.

 

 

 

But really, enjoy it all.