Social Networking At Its Finest...

I just spent the past hour of my life creating a Facebook account. AND I joined Twitter a few weeks ago. AND I have been maintaining a MySpace account for almost three years now...

I had been told by a number of people that Facebook is the new MySpace but didn't think I'd want to commit to the upkeep of two social networking sites; however, I talked to a friend today who I would never think to be a social network site kind of gal and even she has created a Facebook account. So, of course I had to check it out. I was amazed at how many people are on Facebook and not MySpace. It's crazy. Personally, I like the look and layout of MySpace better but I love the search functions that Facebook provides. So, now I am hooked. I need to try and get it out of my system before school starts or I fear it may impede on my studies...

My Favorite Show About Fashion

I love to watch TV shows that have anything to do with fashion, make-up, hair... basically anything girly. My favorite fashion show and the one that all others must live up to is TLC's What Not To Wear. As far as I'm concerned, Stacy London and Clinton Kelly are a god and goddess among mortals when it comes to their fashion insights and directives. I very much appreciate the diversity of the participants on the show and how they never make women feel bad about their bodies but rather show them how to dress whatever body nature gave them and how to do it well (yay for size acceptance!).

I especially love when the participant has a body type similar to mine! I have a classic apple shape and as a petite, chubby woman with an ample bosom, I have learned that the structured jacket, paired with an A-line or a pencil skirt, is my best friend. The wrap dress is too. Oh, and that a pointy-toed shoe helps elongate short legs. And of course, I never miss the ten minutes near the end of show when Nick and Carmindy work their hair and make-up magic.

It's not uncommon for me to walk around and wonder what Stacy and Clinton would say about whatever ensemble I have thrown on my body for the day. Of course, while I would like to think I have a respectable wardrobe, I can't help but wonder what it would be like have a 2-day $5,000 shopping spree in New York. That's why I get so irritated with the women who agree to be on the show and then complain the entire time. Hello? They get thousands of dollars worth of clothing, a free trip to the Big Apple and they walk away with better self-esteem! Sometimes I wish I dressed atrociously enough just for the experience (ok - not really. I take pride in trying not to look hideous...)

So, check it out on TLC, Fridays at 9pm. AND, if you're really lucky, you'll stumble across an all-day Saturday marathon!

And Now, the World's Biggest Dork...

I love school supplies. No really, I loooove them. And now that I'm preparing for college classes once again, I've had many an opportunity to see what's new for the back-to-school set. I've bought highlighters, some folders, pens, and my trusty new laptop. But I was really on the prowl for 1/2" binders (I'm very particular...) so my boyfriend and I spent a lovely 45 minutes in Staples tonight, where I was taking advantage of the buy-two-get-one free binder sale. But best of all was the brand new planner and corresponding zippered case I purchased. I was so happy, I did a little dance. Okay, a big dance. Alright, I did a full-on jig...

Now I have to return the other planner I bought at Barnes & Nobles. Yes, I had already spent a good 30 minutes yesterday picking out a new planner for the pending school year and was convinced it probably wouldn't be just right (As you can tell, I take my planner buying very seriously - I love planners with the same fervor as school supplies). I was telling myself I should try something new; something different than what I had been using to plan my work day the last few years. So, I bought a lovely little planner - clad in a very collegiate navy blue faux leather binder. I even bought a fun, artsy pencil case to match. But alas, it wasn't meant to be. The Staples planner and it's matching case was simply too exciting to pass up. Yes, it's the same planner I've used for years but it's all good. See, the calendar inside it is for the school year and so it's different enough that I can revel in it's comfort but still feel I have something new and fun for the school year.

Yes, it's true. I am a big dork. But at least I'm a dork who is organized with a thoroughly planned out schedule... Happiness is truly in a calendar.

A New Beginning

And so after many, many months of planning and talking and planning and talking, I am sitting here on a Monday morning and am NOT at work. It's weird and yet liberating at the same time. It was nice to not have that sense of dread last night, trying to psych myself up to go to a job for which I no longer had any passion.

Now comes the hard part... finding a job (or two) to get me through the next few years while I'm in school. I have some leads but am finding the general lack of professionalism I keep coming up against to be a bit irritating, to say the least. Of course, it's not like I was dealing with all that much more professionalism when I was employed by the great state of Ohio. My boyfriend tells me I expect too much...

I have quite an extensive list of things to do (making lists helps me feel I maintain some sense of control over my life - do I have control issues? You bet.) and first on the list is cleaning my ridiculously dirty apartment. And I will probably need to get groceries. And do laundry. And, oh yeah, that job search thing again...

Right now, my life is good. I refuse to look back and continually fret and wonder if I made the right decision about leaving my very stable and rather handsomely rewarded job (yes, crime does pay - it's sad but true...). The entire time I was wondering whether or not I was making a big mistake, I would look deep down into my stomach, of all places, to look for a warning sign. And it never came. It still isn't there. So I say, onward and upward.