target the magic

I have been playing Lego Harry Potter every day. I have an hour and a half time limit (ahem, MY SON has a time limit) so it's not like I have been OBSESSIVE about it, but ya, when I close my eyes sometimes I see the little spinning circles that target my magic from my wand. It's awesome. I was never a big watcher of the movies actually and never read any of the books, but I FREAKING love the game. I think I am at a bit of a disadvantage because I don't know any of the characters names and sometimes you need a boy or girl from like Ravenclaw or some such to open certain things and I have to toggle through all of my characters to see if any of them will work. I don't know why I am telling you this. Maybe because we just passed the third year last night and when my son gets home this evening we have a date to start year four and we get new magic spells that break locks and stuff!! Its all I can think about right now really. Lame.

It's like I went through this super mind blowing, philosophical, spiritual, totally amazingly spectacular head trip during November and December and now all I can think about are Dexter and Harry Potter. I guess it comes and goes.  Hmpf.  My son adores me either way though so I guess that's all that matters. OK!!  Of to the Goblet of Fire!!!

All stuff: thrifted

pretend, its real

After thinking for a bit about my last post (post Dexter season 4 finale) I realized how easy it is for your body to feel things that your brain tells you is real, but in some cases really is not. I mean I really felt sad. The emotion is real, but the event or the story is totally made up and pretend. Its so interesting that our perceptions of what is, regardless of its realness, make it real or not real. I know philosophers have WAY more eloquent ways of saying what I just barfed out of my brain, but I think you get it right? Basically, it just made me wonder what other pretend stories I believe in, that effect me, but have no real solid existence outside of my tormented brain.

In other REAL news, I may be taking on a partner of sorts. A reader contacted me last month and told me that she had seen me around town and happened to stumble onto my blog afterward and realized that she recognized me from our chance encounters!  She said she was interested in starting an etsy shop or learning more about thrifting and vintage and stuff like that and asked if I had any advice.  After a nice phone conversation, we met for lunch last Friday and sat for 3 hours talking about all kinds of things!  It was wonderful!  By the end of the lunch we devised a sort of plan: She would come to my house every Friday and I would teach her everything I know about shopping, selling, styling, listing, photographing, and whatever else, and in exchange she will work for me to keep the etsy shop consistently updated and stocked (I will also pay her a per listing rate once we get going). We start this Friday.  Its great timing since I have been working and focusing on this new styling business I am starting (have now had two clients and #3 is this Saturday!) but still wanted to continue the vintage selling. (Oh and in case you were asking, all the white dresses from two posts back, MIGHT be sold nearer to spring and summer. I just have not decided which one I am keeping yet.)

Jacket, boots, clutch: thrifted
Stole: vintage
Skirt, tank: AA

so killer

Well hello there. 

Ok, well, I think thats all I got for now.  I think.  PMS Today. I know right? Why am I sharing that information?  Well, the thing is, I generally cry one day a month weather I feel like it or not and this month was particularly amusing. You see, my sister gave us the first two seasons of Dexter on DVD for Christmas (we watch TV shows on DVD since we don't get TV stations and I refuse to watch it online on my computer since my connection is too slow) and we blew through those seasons like white lightning (staying up till 2:00am on a freaking school night!) then proceeded to buy the third and fourth and we just finished the fourth two nights ago and I have been so sad ever since. How ridiculous right??!! The season finale of season four just shook me right up. I am in mourning over a pretend Dexter Character. If you have not seen it yet or have not made the commitment to watch Dexter YET, I am sure I didn't just ruin anything for you (and I feel a little weird because I NEVER talk about TV shows here, but holy freaking man jeeze. One makes exceptions in times like this.)  So back to the crying, I was in a sort of off mood due to the hormones and my husband as he was leaving was like "Oh, do you think you might still be upset about 'The character in Dexter'?" and I freaking lost it!  Bawling.  Hilarious and silly and crazy. yes. that is me. at least once a month. Oh well. But dude, seriously, you should watch Dexter man. 

Shirt, hat, Shoes, braceltets: Thirfted

Pants: levis

Belt: Anthropology 

Oh Ya.

I don't know about you guys, but the new Free People catalog gave me a raging fashion boner. I think I ogled those pages so many times the images are burned into my retinas. Plus it was like my only reading material on my drive to Palm Springs last week (which was beyond delightful, and I won't even rub in the wonderfully fantastic details) and I think that, and the trickery of the mock spring weather we are having right now, just makes me think its time for all of this creamy, layered goodness. Most of this stuff I have had sitting on my vintage "can't sell quite yet" racks for months just pleading for the right time.  Some of them make me want to renew my vows or get married again or something just so that I can give them a proper event. That shawly, drapey, cocoon creamy thingy is new though. I think with the proper layering I can make some of these things work this season. . . Just skip the dreary darks all together maybe?  Hmmmm.



Most things vintage, cocoon cardigan from AA

Miracles do happen. For REALS.

My daydream wishes have been answered!  I am off on a spontaneous, last minute, 75˚, sunny oasis, Palm Springs getaway! I just wanted to let you know that this is why I am gone. Be back shortly! Zippity-Do-Freaking-Da!!

Beautiful Freaking Ice

I promised myself that I would ENJOY this winter (for the first time ever) and not complain about the cold. I am not complaining right now. HOWEVER, when I close my eyes and take a deep breath in and find my happy ass place, it is sizzling hot there. . . and there is a hammock and cold beer. . . and I am just wrapped in maybe that sweet Turkish towel I showed you in that last post, my music is playing over the outdoor speakers. I can hear bees and grasshoppers going about their business, smell fresh cut grass.  My back yard is like freaking heaven for me. . . in the summer .  .  . BUT it is amazingly wonderful right now too. Just different. . . . and a bit uncomfortable.

There are supposed to be lessons we should take from winter. Watch the plants and animals draw in and rest, preserve precious resources, cuddle down, nest.  I know that I should see the months that I can't go outside as a time to get my house in order (physically and metaphorically), but it can be tedious and annoying when those pesky memories of warmer times try to interrupt my being present in winter. I just want to be able to walk outside without feeling completely violated! That was not a complaint. I LOVE THE COLD WINTER. ITS SO . . .   BEAUTIFUL. . .  YES. . . BEAUTIFUL.  (big fake toothy grin)

ahem. Sorry. I think I have PMS and everyone else has been really nice and careful with me so I have to pick on winter. Its nothing personal winter. We have just been spending a little too much time together and I think we need some time apart. I'll be laying in the window seat imagining I am with another season for a little bit.

Sweater: vintage thrifted
Pants: AE
Shirt: AA
Hat: BR
Shoes: Danskins from way back. They keep me from slipping on the freaking Ice that is all over the freaking place. ahem. The beautiful freaking ice. And I know I don't have it nearly as bad as MANY MANY people. Oh and just in case you were wondering, I ran AGAIN! and longer still!  I am trying to add about 5 minutes each day! Its exciting and I never ever thought I would ever say that. And I guess its thanks to winter that I am even doing this since if it was warmer, I sure as shit wouldn't be spending my time running indoors on a treadmill to generate heat and energy.  More like laying around being lazy and deliriously happy sipping a cold one and listening to bugs. So, I guess thank you winter. awe shucks.

Totally off subject

I would really like to have these things.

Sigh.

Anyway,

I went back to the treadmill yesterday.

Success!

Warmed up for five minutes,

picked it up for 5 more,

started jogging at 10 minutes,

felt squeamish at 13,

took deep breaths and refocused,

continued to enjoy the jog till 23 minutes,

wanted to stop but pushed on till 25,

cooled down for 5.

I didn't cry.

I didn't lose my breath.

I felt great after!

It was a good experience.

I am hopeful!

Optimistic!

Will go again today.

Hand Soap

Containers

Turkish Towel

Drawing/ Painting

Converse

Take my breath

I covered just over 2 miles in 30 minutes on the treadmill Tuesday.  And, for anyone wondering, that is a HUGE FREAKING BIG DEAL TO ME. Because, well the last time I covered any miles on the treadmill was like never ago.  I did not make a resolution to increase my cardiovascular health, nor did I resolve to work out more or lose weight or anything like that. I resolved to carefully confront my fears. One of my biggest fears is losing control of my breath. This breath thing keeps me from running, biking, climbing mountains, swimming, jumprope, slip and slide, you get it. That is why I LOVE yoga so much! Total control and focus on the breath is a gigantic part of that practice so you can see why I would naturally gravitate to it.

There are only two activities that I allow myself to lose my breath with full abandon : 1. Singing at the top of my lungs while dancing (but I take it song to song, no stamina here really) and 2. er. . .  basket weaving. . . if you catch my drift. Both are joyous activities and worth the huff and puff, and in the end I feel great and drink lots of water and carry on. Any time I try the other activities I listed above, I have a panic attack, start crying, feel like I will throw up, shake, and STOP everything. It's silliness. So this all came up this past weekend while I had some fit friends staying with me from LA. They do P90X and invited me to try the Plyometrics CD with them. I was nervous to do it. I honestly wanted to refuse and stomp my feet for them even suggesting it, but, they were my guests and I will try almost everything once. We get started. I am doing fine. In through my nose, out through my mouth. Control. Calm. Form. Steady. Until 20 minutes in and I start to feel it. Tears welling, Chest heaving. I lose my breath. I sit down and watch the last 40 minutes. My guests huff through it. Like Freaking Champs.

I talked to my yoga instructor Tuesday morning about it. I told her I worry that no matter how long I can stay in chair pose, or how many chuturangas I can do, I fear I am cardiovascularly weak. She suggested that I face my fear and work through it. Choose and activity that allows me to completely focus on my breath and if I start to lose it inhale deep and exhale as if I am blowing up a balloon. OK.  I made a play list of PERFECT songs, headed to the treadmill . . . i n h a l e . . . and began. Beast Of Burden by the Rolling Stones. It always gets me moving. Things went fine for a while, speed 4 incline 5%, not too crazy, good songs, controlled breath, then about minute 12, I started to feel it. Tears welling. Its okay, breath, breath. I got past it and enjoyed 12 more minutes of actual pleasure. ON THE TREADMILL. By minute 25 I realized I could make it to 2 miles by 30 minutes. I decided I could pick it up a little, speed 4.8, jogging. It was fine!  I handled it well!  I felt GOOD! By minute 28 I decided to slow down. Went to 3.5 and changed the song to a cool down tune.

Wilco. One from way back. One of the few I really love. Like a freaking volcano, I burst into tears. Hysterical, laughing, have to hold on the to the handles of the treadmill to keep from falling off, blabbering crying. It felt euphoric. No anxiety, no sick feeling, pure freaking bliss! I was hugging myself with one arm hearing the words "I love you!" in my head. It was freaking surreal. Like after some really great "basket weaving" sessions. Just 2 miles in 30 minutes. Thats all it took. I kid you not. I can't wait to do it again tomorrow. Not that I expect the same result, its just, now, I KNOW I can do it. Its a good first step. And I am not so scared.

These pictures were taken just after (well, after a hot shower).
Coat: Kenneth Cole
Leggings, Scarf, Dress: AA
Boots: gift

Cast off

I have misplaced my sunglasses apparently. Hats work unless you have to look up at the camera, or drive, obviously. Amusingly though, due to the glare, I noticed my "I think you have an interesting secret you want to tell me," look on my face in that last picture. . . As if my tripod is hiding my glasses from me, pissed that I had abandoned it for so long. You have something you want to tell me TRI?

Well I had my first client over the break! I was nervous (and excited and anxious and elated and surprised by how easy it was). She was excited (and ready and cooperative and maybe all sorts of things she didn't tell me about). We sprinted onward and in the end she had a well organized, much less cluttered, but way more functional closet (which was sort of serving as a memory box for clothing that reminded her of certain events from junior high, high school, early dates, and weddings she attended 10 years ago.)  In our first hour, we put memories in their place (where they don't take up precious hanger space), and identified redundancies, hidden gems, gaps and priority purchases. Then we hit the thrift shops.  In just under 3 hours, we were able to find the perfect dressy cardigan, a few perfect slouchy cardigans, a new (to her) fit of jeans, a pair of boots, a super slimming, heavy weight cashmere camel coat, and a few blouses that would tie it all together. In our final hour we will put it all together in complete, accessorized, layered and seasonal (winter) outfits and photograph each for future reference. It was horrifyingly wonderful!

This cardigan I am wearing was a cast off from my client's pile. I vowed to only buy things she didn't like or did not suit her. I did! And she got some things that look just amazing on her! It was such a great experience that I have decided might do coordinated shopping days on top of styling services. I am thinking 2 scheduled days a month I will map a thrift shop course and invite my clients to come along with me. They can join me for free, like a shopping date where we just do our own things, or for a very small fee, I will shop for them, with them, and give tips and teach them lessons I have learned myself about thrifting so that they can feel more confident hitting the shops alone. I think it will be a great way to meet more clients actually, you know, advertise thrift shop tours and training classes. Not that most veteran shoppers need any help, but there may be quite a few people thinking about second hand right now to save money, who have never tried it before. Hmm, you never know.

Hat, cardigan, boots, crocheted cardigan, top, accessories: thrifted
Pants: AE
Stole: Kisabela