Do you Thread?

Today turned out to be quite a girly day, at least by my standards.

I hit the mall in search of some shoes and accessories to go with a new dress I'm wearing to a wedding next weekend. Malls are exhausting. Then again, it was the third one I'd been to in three days. And I don't shop. Like, ever.

While there, I stopped by S.H.A.P.E.S Brow Bar because my eyebrows were in dire straits. I have only had my brows professionally shaped once before, a la wax. So when I noticed last weekend that this shop did threading, I was intrigued. I'd been hearing great things about it lately and thought I'd give it a shot. I read that this technique was more efficient, more hygienic since they use cotton thread, less painful and had fewer after-effects than waxing. And it was usually cheaper.

Well, it was definitely cheaper. It was 10 bucks plus tip.

But holy cow, I was not prepared for the pain. It wasn't a searing pain you get with waxing or pulling off a band aid but at least with those it's one and done. With the threading (and I'm still not exactly sure how it works) they grab each hair or a group of hairs and yank over and over and over. It feels like something in between a bunch of tiny needles and the poking of a fine-toothed comb. Weird, huh?

However, I was pleased with the results and more than pleased with the price. The only downside to this particular place was that it's first come, first serve so the wait was about an hour.

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I LOVELOVELOVE Fresh's Brown Sugar Body Polish from Sephora. I do not love the price tag. $38 for 7oz and (a freaking) $65 for a 14oz tub. Solution? Get someone to buy it for you. Or, make your own!

I've done this several ways, but tonight I didn't want to fuss and just made the most basic paste. Just mix enough olive oil with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of brown sugar (for one serving) in a small container that can travel with you into the shower. After I wash as normal, I slather the scrub all over my body, careful not to fall on my now-slippery shower floor. It's heavenly. After patting myself dry and dressing, I notice that my skin is not greasy at all, just nice and luscious. Try it! **Other nice additions: lemon juice, vanilla extract, essential oils, oatmeal, etc.***

Oddly, there is more girlishness is on the docket for tomorrow:

-Church and lunch with a girl friend (mmm, hello Senor Fish...they have the absolute best scallop and shrimp burrito known to man)
-cashing in the boyfriend's birthday gift and getting a massage!
-catching some of the Emmy's (I totally forgot about the 4pm live showing when I scheduled the stinkin' massage...)
-picking up the boy (man?) at the airport!

I could get used to this :)

Twenty-Six in Twenty-Six, Part I

Since beginning the downward slide to thirty about a month ago (and fifty, if we're being truthful), I decided that I should make a list of things I'd like to do. I think it's a combination of a wish list, bucket list, and needs-to-happen list. Some things may never come to fruition and others are important for my well-being. And the rest? Well, they're just plain fun.

1)Write a letter to the Editor-I want to assert my opinion on a topic that interests me in a truly public forum. Basically, I just want to thoughtfully comment on something that I believe in and actually have to put my name on it. It's so easy to go through life never really speaking up or speaking out because we never have to take a stand for anything if we don't feel like it. Living in this country has yet to require that sort of boldness, something that I know that I take for granted.

2)Pay off debt-I don't have as much consumer debt as the average American (which I heard today was at its lowest level in years at $5,000, which is attributed to the Recession/Depression), but I just haven't quite buckled down enough to eliminate it. Plus, part of it is a personal loan from my parents since I "bought" their car. Well, it's been more like borrowed so far and I'd like to remedy that ASAP. Or, ASAIHMM: As soon as I have more money :)
Full disclosure: It will take several years for me to pay off my student loans. But I's gotsta start somewheres!

3)Learn to Shoot a Gun-Preferably at a firing range and not in South Central. It's a skill I've wanted to have for a long time. I'd hate to find myself in some terrifying situation one day and wish I'd made the effort to figure out what's what. Especially since I'm not very good at Duck Hunt.

4)Complete P90x-I'm 5.5 weeks into it, and for the most part it's still going well!! I am starting to see some muscles bulge in the triceps area and less bulge in other areas. I still can't do a pull-up, though.

5)Attend a Political Function or Rally-I may have a chance this fall with all of the election stuff happening. It's all just so exciting!!! And, I grew up going to political things. Hello, Straw Poll. I remember you bored me. Oh, and my parents even "chauffeured" a future presidential candidate when he was campaigning in the area for something. I recall being bored then, too.

6)Renew CPR Certification-I took the first half of an EMT course my senior year of high school as an elective one semester because I'm super cool. Part of the class was to become certified. Since it is only good for two years, I am WAY over due. Plus, I just think it's one of those things a person should be up-to-date on.

7)Run a Race-I've never actually signed up and run an event before. Not even a 5k. I don't think the Fun Run in elementary school counts. I'm not too fond of the idea of paying to run. It just seems silly. I'd rather pay for fun, not side aches.

8)Create a Budget...And Stick to It-I suppose this corresponds with Number 2, but I have about five budget templates saved in various places and have had read numerous books and articles about them, yet I've never actually fill them out. I probably could have completed this task in the time it took to write this post.

9)Leave the Country-But come back! The last time I left the country was 2004 (Italy and 4 hours wandering London) and I think it's time I venture into the world again. Even if I have to drive the 3-5 hours to Tijuana to do accomplish this goal. (Not gonna lie...driving south of San Diego makes me a little nervous.)

10)Take a Class-I have no idea what this will look like. Cake Decorating at Michael's? Hip-hop Dancing at the Y? Beginner's Italian? Sewing for Idiots? Culinary school? I'm actually considering all of these. Well, maybe not the hip-hop class but I have a friend who did it!

I'm sort of exhausted just looking at what's listed above and I have no idea what to add. I still need sixteen more. Make that fifteen. I just added another one.

11)Read through the Entire Bible Within the Year-How many times have I started this task and read Genesis, thinking I'd finally accomplish this goal, only to quit and try again...starting at Genesis? I have lost count. But I came across a website that has an (ambitious) plan that I may check out. For now, I'm trying to catch up on our church-wide plan and finish the second half of 2 Kings...by the end of the month.

I think an honorary item on this list should be to review the correct usage of commas, ellipses and parentheses...or not.

From the bowels...

This is what my kitchen sink looks like right now...


...which is connected by a wall to....


...my tiny bathroom sink...which looks like this right now...AFTER THE USE OF DRANO.

I came home yesterday to the sound of my kitchen sink gurgling. It drained and purged a few times, but thought some Drano would work after I got home tonight. (I use a drain catcher thingy--no garbage disposal--so I'm not sure what the deal is.) Last night I brushed my teeth over the tub and this morning I used the bath faucet to rinse my cereal bowl.

Hopefully my unreliable building manager will call a real plumber and not try to fix it himself, all the while mucking up my floor and kitchen with who knows what.

As you can tell, I'm not a really big fan. I've lived here since...March? maybe and I still only have 3 of my four stove knobs. And no spare set of keys. Oh, and his "remodeling" skills have made it literally impossible to close my closet thanks to several inches of old paint. Hello, lead. You may be my new bff. Oh and when I gave him my rent check for August, he asked my why I turn on my air conditioning nearly every night. First of all...What? Secondly, creeper anyone? Thirdly, this building is ridiculously old and hot--it's summer--and I only have a tiny window unit in the bedroom. Living on the first floor, in an old building, in a less-than-stellar-but-fine-most-of-the-time area, there's no way I'll sleep at night with the windows open. So please don't admit to monitoring me. It makes my skin crawl.

Whew, I actually didn't mean to vent. I'm really not angry at all. Not even feeling that whiny. I think the best word to describe me tonight is just weary. Weary, but rather content, seems to be where I am lately. Almost like a nice, long nap will totally perk me up. :0)

All I can say is that I can't wait for what I'm sure will be a super fun Saturday filled with monitoring a plumber, trying not cringe at all the potential icky-ness.

Big Gulps, eh? Alright! Well, see ya later!

Shaky, dead, sore and lovin' it

Due to an overwhelming response to my P90X pooost, I figured I should probably follow up.

Just kidding about the overwhelming part.

But Leah asked how it was going and I aim to please my only reader!

(Psst, check out her blog. She's an entertaining writer/wife/mama/recorder of funny husband convos!)

I am into my third week of my new workout regimen. Day 16 to be exact. I don't think I've ever been so physically exhausted. Granted, I feel MUCH better now than I did during the first week.

By day three, I could not straighten my left elbow without the assistance of my right hand. It was like this for a good 3-5 days.

I probably face-planted at least a handful of times during the first few workouts. Thankfully I was already close to the floor in crazy push-up and yoga positions. My arms are weak :(

I decided after that first week to switch from the Classic version to the Lean version. The difference is a bigger focus on cardio/core rather than Hulking up. But don't think that I wimped out, because the Lean program is still tough. Plus, if you need to have worked up a major sweat in order to feel like you really exercised hard (because shaky, dead, sore muscles just aren't enough), then you won't be dissapointed.

I'm still pretty psyched about doing this. I can't remember the last time I worked out 6 days a week for an hour or so each time. I'm starting to feel a difference in my endurance, strength and flexibility, so win-win-win!

Stay tuned--I'll let you know if I am ever able to do a pull-up :)