Top Three Ch-ch-changes!

Hey guys! Well, today's Top Three coincides nicely with the happy cyclone of activity in my world these days. Wanna know about it?

#1. After four years at my job, I have put in my notice. It's been a helluva ride, these past four years, and I feel I've emerged from it a better, wiser person. There were some really hard times (my thanks to every person that had to listen to me bitch about it for nearly half a decade). There have been amazing people and lots of laughs and shoulders to cry on. I'm super grateful for that and I'm taking that with me in a heart-shaped velvet box, so to speak. Today is my last day. Afterwards we're all meeting up for drinks and laughs and probably tears. Some of the people I've worked with are so special and we all worry a little that we won't see each other as much as we really want to (like high school graduation). But we're going to try.

The opportunity to work in this place came to me when the Hubs and I were going through some serious LIFE stuff. I was (though I didn't quite realize it) in the throes of a serious bout with depression. I wasn't coping with anything life had to hand me and frequently sabotaged myself. I took the job out of sheer desperation and it became an island in a tempestuous sea. Sometimes it actually became the tempestuous sea and the island was something else altogether. I won't lie about that. There were many nights I came home and wept and drank copious glasses of wine because though the people I work with were becoming special to me, it wasn't easy to get there and the job itself was throttling my psyche. So today is the last day I officially work there. I'm very thankful for what it taught me, the people it brought into my world and the person that has been sculpted from every chip it seemed to be hacking away from me. Turns out, there is a method to the madness, y'all.

#2. I'm starting a new job!! I'm so excited and so terrified. It's in a similar field except I will no longer have to sell, sell, SELL! Or work an insanely always-changing schedule. I will have off a day or two around holidays (17 years of retail says what?!). I don't even know what to do with that, y'all.  I'll be one of those people who has weekends. I cannot wrap my head around that one. Like at all. It doesn't seem real. Of course, I'll be learning new skills and working with a new bunch of people who hopefully won't totally suck. Hopefully I won't suck at this job either! Here's hoping!

#3. My Fall haircut. It isn't earth-shattering news but it is a change! After a sweltering summer and wearing my hair in a ballet bun for four months, honey- I'm ready to have a new look. I was going to wait until the first day of Fall to really kick it off, but I kinda had to with the new gig.

The first picture is right when I got out of the salon...it's a little too perfect, but that's what happens when you go to the salon. I call that my "A Little Bit Country" look. The one on the right is more my style. A little looser and textured. My "A Little Bit Rock & Roll" look. The last image is what I'm aspiring to, minus the slightly vacant eyes.

So, what do y'all think? I love it and can't wait to see how it looks when I get it long like it is in the "inspiration' picture. I really dig it.

Anywho, guys! I hope y'all have a great weekend and think good thoughts for Little Lulu on Monday. I'm so nervous!!!

XOXO

Back in the Saddle Again!

Boy, did I ever take a hiatus from my Paleo plan. The reason? Laziness. Plain and simple. I have paid the price too, man. Lemme tell ya! So, I've slowly gotten the percentage of good-for-me food higher and the not-helping-me-at-all foods lower. In two days I already see a difference. I shall not be this ignorant again, my friends!

So the plan is this- as I have some pretty big changes coming up (more on that in a few days)...I'm gonna get back on track and stay on track. It's going to take determination (seeing the muffin top over my jeans yesterday pretty much cinched that one). It's going to take organization and stick-to-it-iveness. Meal planning, budget-sticking and not sitting on the bed watching marathons of Supernatural (yes, I've been mole-holing it for three weeks now!). It means limiting beers (already worked on that- but more could be done). It means having alternatives handy. It means getting my happy hiney back to the gym for more than the usage of their hydromassage beds and massage chairs. Ahem.

My goal is to fit into my clothes and look good in them. Not passable, not fine- but absolutely to rock it. This blog is my accountability partner too...so either bear with me or play along!

I hope you have a truly wonderful day, y'all!

Just a little something to make you laugh.

These broads crack me up! Gramma & Ginga, sisters 101 and 96 years old, respectively.

So sweet and so cranky! I love it. The hubs and I have been quoting them for days now.

I hope you have a truly wonderful day!

Top Three...Wardrobe Staples

I have a tendency to buy multiples of things that I like. That means I have duplicates of a lot of stuff. To be honest, I would wear nearly the same thing every day if I could. Some days I like to mix it up, but if left to my own devices...yep- I'd have the "Lulu Uniform". So, today's Top Three are my three favorite items I would wear every day if I could (and oftentimes do).

One of the dozen denim shirts I own (and not the same one as from yesterday's post either).

#1. Denim shirt. When I did the KonMari purge in April and May, I forced myself to get rid of the denim shirts that didn't float my boat 100%. I got rid of several and still had three left over. Since then I've purchased two more. I can't help it. White button down shirts look open up a whole other door of inconveniences (keeping it looking clean, different opacities which requires special attention to "underthings" that I prefer not to use my brain space for. It's the same idea, but less ease! Denim shirts are my go-to and probably always will. I even rock the "Canadian Tuxedo" at least twice a week (denim on denim).

#2. Red lipstick. It's been my staple since I was fifteen. I only wear one shade (Revival Red, Maybelline). I'm sure there are multitudes of other shades, but that one is the perfect orangey-pink. I can customize the intensity so I don't come off as a rabid vampire. If I'm not wearing that color, it's au natural with a swipe of lip balm (I can't be bothered, honestly- I'll pony up to my laziness). But I seriously rock the red at least four days a week. 

Black...yes even at the beach (and at my heaviest- hello Paleo!).

#3. Black. Black and oh yeah- more black. Ask anyone who's known me for more than five minutes and they'll tell you I wear a lot of black. It looks good on me and it's a blank canvas for whatever mood I may be in. Simple and chic? Black. Bohemian and exotic? Black. All-American? Black and denim. Night out on the town? Black. It's my ultimate go-to.

So there's my Top Three Staples. What are yours? I'd love to know!!

I'm still alive!

Y'all this week! From jury duty to a multitude of distractions...I apologize that I haven't been able to post much. I have a Top Three and all kinds of fun stuff, but y'all are gonna just have to wait until tomorrow! Again, my apologies! I'm waist deep in dirty dishes and laundry. Glamorous!

Have a great weekend y'all!

I'm knocked out with a major allergy attack. Enjoy fun musics in the meantime and have a great weekend!

I'm feeling the strong lady power vibes, guys! Hope y'all do too!

Have a great weekend!! 38 days left of Summer!

Top Three: Guilty Pleasures

Too cool for Y2K (an ode to the 90's)...you'll see!

I had so much fun with the Top Three last week (and loved hearing what yours were too!). This week it's all about the guilty pleasures. Those things you really like, but maybe don't want to broadcast (or you enjoy when no one is around to judge you).

Here are mine!

#1. Frat-humor movies. I don't know why.  I love classic movies, indie films and foreign subtitled masterpieces. I love a good family comedy, the occasional RomCom and a solid action film. For the most part I have a pretty average leaning toward pompous taste in cinema. But there's a little black hole in my preferences, and it's anything goofy, dumb and over the top. 21 and Over, Animal House, Old School, American Pie, Neighbors. I'll be chuckling along with it- alone so the hubs won't judge me (because he really doesn't grasp this apparent void in my tastes).

#2. Move theatre popcorn. If you remember the Paleo experiment, I don't eat corn products if I can manage it. However, there is no way in heck I will avoid that nasty salty buttery over-priced popcorn if I go to see a (I'll just say tasteful) movie in a theatre. It's a nostalgia thing. My dad and I used to spend whole days at the movies when I was a kid. It was awesome. And yes the popcorn makes my stomach hurt and yes I have to have it with Buncha Crunch bites (sweet and salty!) which also make my stomach hurt. Try as I may, though, I cannot pass it up! Oh, and yes, I usually eat it all before the movie starts because I show up nerd early.

Oh it's so 90's, I love it!

#3. Anything 90's. T.G.I.F., butterfly clips (technically I never really liked those), criss-crossed hair parts (see Sabrina above). Delia's catalogs, Hardy Candy anything! Wayne's World, Empire Records, MTV's Beach House! Toaster Strudels, Nick at Night, Bop-it's, stretchy weird choker necklaces (also see Sabrina above), daywear being made of satin for some insane reason. Alanis Morissette and Natalie Merchant Records! Oh! Everclear and Gin Blossoms! Boy Meets World and Aaaah! Real Monsters! I could go on and on. I eat that silliness right up. I get so goofy nostalgic, I can't help myself!

I have a million more, but I think I'm beginning to subscribe to what Dave Grohl said about guilty pleasures. I'm going to paraphrase, but basically it goes as follows: "Screw the idea of guilty pleasures. I like what I like and I won't apologize for it."

With that little nugget of inspiration, let me know what your guilty (or no longer guilty) pleasures are! The Monkees? Britney Spears? Judge Judy? Krispy Kreme donut sandwiches? I'd love to know!

I hope you have a truly wonderful day!

Guess what I did this weekend?

Makeup-schmakeup

I got IV hydration from this clinic in town! I know! It's sounds sketchy, but it isn't. It's a lounge of eight or so leather recliner chairs, two televisions, and 45 minutes of relaxing while getting an IV of electrolyte fluids.

I had heard about this being done almost a decade ago. It stuck in my mind though I thought it was completely insane. Then last year, the ThIVe Hydration clinic opened in my little town and slowly but surely I started thinking about it in a new light. Especially because it has been a rather hot Summer and I never feel as if I'm really hydrated enough.

Cue to two weeks ago when two friends I had told about it tried it and were total converts! "I slept so well!" One of them told me.

"My skin looks and feels so much better." The other one said.

So Sunday, the hubs and I booked two leather chairs (and watching Coming to America- classic) while we got our little IV's. Mine hurt a little bit, but IV's always pinch a little on my teeny veins. The hubs was fine though.

Afterward we kept trying to figure out if we felt any different. And the funny thing is- we did! I could feel it internally. Little aches from being chronically dehydrated weren't as noticeable and we both were a little hyper and weirdly, rather giddy too.

That's right! We had more energy, felt a little silly and giggled a lot more than we usually do as we ran errands.

Will I do it again? Honestly? I probably will. It felt nice to be topped off in the fluids department. Like a car. Oh! And we slept really well too. Now, it's $50 a pop if you don't have a membership, so it won't be a regular thing, but it was worth it for sure.

Would you try it? I'd love to know!

P.S. This post is not sponsored by ThrIVe Hydration.

Have a truly wonderful day!

My Top Three: Every day Obsessions

#NoFilter (i.e. morning light and no soft-focus- yikes!)

I dig reading about people's indispensables. You know, the things they'd take to a desert island, or the things they cannot leave the house without. If I'm in line at the grocery store, I'll flip to that "What's in my bag" section in Us Weekly (or whatever rag it is). It's so cool to get a glimpse into people's heads like that (it's the Psych 101 student in me I guess).

Anyway, I thought it would be fun to do a Top Three series here. Once a week, just a random Top Three Whatever list. I'd love to hear your Top Threes too!

For the first ever Top Three, just to get our feet wet, I'll tell you my three biggest Everyday Obsessions.

The sad (but truthful) thing is, I didn't prep for this post. I really did just have these three laying around the house. Geesh. 

#1. Twinings Irish Breakfast Tea. I know, it isn't as rock and roll as you may have hoped. I actually used to be an obsessive coffee drinker (like twenty cups a day obsessive). But after a fluke fever had me laid up for over a week two years ago, I came out completely disgusted by coffee (and Chinese food from my formerly favorite place). After that I didn't consume caffeine at all (it kinda cleansed me of all bad habits to be honest), but now I have at least two cups of it a day (waaaaaay more if I'm at work- yawn!). I buy the biggest boxes I can get my hands on (fifty count usually) and I have to drink it piping hot or I don't like the taste (weird). I'm drinking my second brew as I type this. Thank goodness I accidentally bought decaf last week, otherwise my heart could feasibly pop out of my chest from the caffeine overdose.

#2. Tie between Cadbury Fruit & Nut Bar and Whole Foods chocolate covered dried cherries (seen in the above picture). I can't help myself. My mom put the Cadbury's in my stocking the past few Christmases which started the obsession that then slowly grew and now I get one at least once a week. The Whole Foods issue arose when my local grocery store sold out of the Cadbury's and I had to feed the craving. It has since become my beauty pageant runner up if I can't get a hold of my Cadbury Crack. I get one or the other and slowly eat them throughout the week. They're my happy pills. I don't typically order desserts or really like sweets for that matter (minus an INSANE craving for cherries this Summer), but for at least the past year or so these are my "don't want to go without" fave treat. If I could give them up, I'd probably be a size smaller, but life is meant to be LIVED, people!

#3. Rose Petal Witch Hazel by Thayer's. I've been using witch hazel as the foundational product in my skincare "regime" (I use that term loosely) for over 15 years and if nothing else, will still use it by itself if I'm feeling too lazy to go through the rigor marole of a regime. I don't know what it is that has me completely addicted, other than perhaps it makes my skin feel lovely and never stings.  Plus the Rose Petal version smells absolutely wonderful. I cannot be persuaded to use anything else and I've tried. I'm a "try anything once" kinda gal, and I still go back to my witch hazel over and over and over again. It's my skincare soul mate.


Those are my three super duper tried and true, don't-want-to-go-a-day-without Obsessions. What are yours? I'd love to know!

Next week's Top Three? My Top Three Guilty Pleasures. Start brainstorming yours!

I hope you have a truly wonderful day!