tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19495232656751545462024-03-13T22:50:50.883-07:00Musings of a Geek GoddessA blog that brings together the Beauty and Geek - meaning fashion, clothes, accessories in harmony with video games, tech, and comic books. Because really? Coach never looked so good as with an Iron Man comic in it.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02750120050731495492noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949523265675154546.post-88708344314831886162018-08-18T20:14:00.000-07:002018-10-24T13:53:45.484-07:00Go Home ModCloth, You're DrunkI love <a href="http://www.modcloth.com/" target="_blank">ModCloth</a>. I have been shopping with them since 2012 when I bought my first purple shirt dress and I never looked back. For the most part.<br />
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At first I was not keen on ModCloth when I discovered the website through a "sponsored" search result for one thing or another. I loved the clothes, but the size range was not broad, and only stuck to mainly small through large. As I was closer to a 2x at the time, and ModCloth was not accommodating to the plus size gal, I lost interest. Maybe a year or so later I took a peek at the online retailer again and was very (and pleasantly) surprised to see they seriously upped their plus size game. I was also pleased to see the prices for the plus sized clothes were not any more expensive than the smaller sized clothes. Score!<br />
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This began my love affair with ModCloth. It was not without it's trials - but they do have fantastic customer service and a very nice return policy so any issues I had were pretty much taken care of. The biggest issue were (and still are) the prices. I garnered many a raised eyebrow when I shared with others where my clothes came from. It really wasn't that surprising, since the store carries some notoriously expensive brands like Bettie Page (now known as Tatyana), Hell Bunny, Collectif, and Emily and Fin among others. They also experimented with their own labels, with Myrtlewood and Bea and Dot, but eventually merging the two and re-branding to a simple namesake label "ModCloth". Even though they have an in house brand, the price tag is still high; a dress can typically run between $80.00 to $120.00. That is a bit eye watering for a dress with dinosaurs on it.<br />
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Along side the other labels and the house brands were some odd ball labels in some of those clothes. The aforementioned purple shirt dress? The label said "Island Wear". What? How? Not that I care about something as arbitrary as labels, but who the hell has ever heard of "Island Wear"? Not surprisingly, the dress like most other items from ModCloth are made in China. Most of the clothes are made in China, even the ones from the name sake label AND the "designer" labels. Another one in probably my favorite easy to wear blouse ever has " " in it. Who? Exactly.<br />
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The answers didn't come until years later and I was about three to four sizes smaller and suddenly in need of a new quirky, cute, vintage influenced wardrobe. I decided I wanted a cute skirt or two to start the collection again. I didn't have the money to just replace my beloved garments all at once, and I also didn't want to willy-nilly dive into a spending spree, ending up with clothes I only kind of like. I took to Amazon, remembering a cute skirt with a Frida Kahlo theme print I saw a while ago and wanted to see if it was still there. I searched for "vintage skirt" and found what I was looking for. I also found other skirts that were just as cute - a springy sakura theme, a lemon print perfect for summer, a sweet floral for any time of the year. Then I saw the suggested items, dresses! The dresses took me down a huge rabbit hole of vintage inspired dresses and insanely quirky frocks. I did another search for a pussy bow blouse. Score. I started looking and looking and looking and suddenly my wishlist was filled with dresses, blouses and skirts.<br />
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What stopped me in my tracks was when I saw <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bodycon-Dinosaur-Printed-Evening-Beautyfine/dp/B07D35RTTN/ref=pd_sbs_193_5?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07D35RTTN&pd_rd_r=f017b21c-a317-11e8-8a11-3342f9a62d4f&pd_rd_w=1KscZ&pd_rd_wg=D5aZ2&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=ebf3f80b-3878-4fb9-8381-bbec92f92693&pf_rd_r=N0HW1ZXBEH27T83MNV5P&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&refRID=N0HW1ZXBEH27T83MNV5P" target="_blank">this dress</a>:<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MfS9ESCFUaw/W3hqVGuNZII/AAAAAAAAHRk/oWsp0Wc_R-kW4Jyz9vAahsvVdsC7wWhzwCLcBGAs/s1600/Dinosaur02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="416" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MfS9ESCFUaw/W3hqVGuNZII/AAAAAAAAHRk/oWsp0Wc_R-kW4Jyz9vAahsvVdsC7wWhzwCLcBGAs/s320/Dinosaur02.jpg" width="254" /></a></div>
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Which is the same one as this dress on ModCloth:<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W9N8vZLBUYU/W3hqUuJsRfI/AAAAAAAAHRg/LDx__94310wmd_X8ip8yLaL5ZHYGWUIbQCLcBGAs/s1600/Dinosaur01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="538" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W9N8vZLBUYU/W3hqUuJsRfI/AAAAAAAAHRg/LDx__94310wmd_X8ip8yLaL5ZHYGWUIbQCLcBGAs/s320/Dinosaur01.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>
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Here is the kicker:<br />
ModCloth: $59.00<br />
Amazon: $10.00-$12.00 depending on size<br />
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What. The. Actual. Fuck?<br />
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I shouldn't have been so surprised, this is how companies work; buy cheap and mark up the price for a profit. But, almost by $50.00? For what is legit a very simple dress. In fact I HAD this dress:<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NAFhPx76bZc/W3hskHlNpWI/AAAAAAAAHSk/4_V-1pNHzsME4Ruadc9Ifa6ba6g_pXWEwCLcBGAs/s1600/Dinosaur03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NAFhPx76bZc/W3hskHlNpWI/AAAAAAAAHSk/4_V-1pNHzsME4Ruadc9Ifa6ba6g_pXWEwCLcBGAs/s400/Dinosaur03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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It's made of a thin fabric and no pockets, with no discernibly higher quality than what you can get at Target. It is definitely not fancy dress and definitely not worth the 59 bucks. I paid it, because the print is really super cute and it is a very comfortable dress. I also thought it was a ModCloth exclusive. You never really know what is just for them, unless the item description spells it out. So, I shelled out the cash thinking the dress wasn't available anywhere else. I have not tried out the Amazon one, but I am willing to bet dollars to doughnuts, it is the same exact dress.<br />
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So, I did some more digging around and found these other items that are either very similar or exactly the same as a ModCloth item.<br />
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The Coach Tour dress<br />
ModCloth:<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aNLwAP6fs7E/W3hqTz9r3CI/AAAAAAAAHSM/4WPuAMgEwrULjhA64AqJhSe32g5MwWAbwCEwYBhgL/s1600/CoachTour01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1304" data-original-width="913" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aNLwAP6fs7E/W3hqTz9r3CI/AAAAAAAAHSM/4WPuAMgEwrULjhA64AqJhSe32g5MwWAbwCEwYBhgL/s320/CoachTour01.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0791BLRMF/ref=twister_B0791C4GSK?_encoding=UTF8&coliid=I3RLWUKZ6DYC7J&colid=1D8CM0RMP20VQ" target="_blank">Amazon</a>:<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i4b-qlwnY78/W3hqUcZGGaI/AAAAAAAAHSI/f8VcoDpI2CsJ5bla2gCGKMTRegkXMW3OQCEwYBhgL/s1600/CoachTour02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="637" data-original-width="456" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i4b-qlwnY78/W3hqUcZGGaI/AAAAAAAAHSI/f8VcoDpI2CsJ5bla2gCGKMTRegkXMW3OQCEwYBhgL/s320/CoachTour02.jpg" width="229" /></a></div>
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Same exact dress, except on Amazon it's $24.99 to $26.99 depending on size.<br />
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The About The Artist dress<br />
I don't think they carry this dress anymore, but it was super cute dress while they had it. The Amazon version isn't exact, it's missing the trim and has different colors but that is a-okay by me.<br />
ModCloth:<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kbTDsfumE_8/W3hqTHl-rFI/AAAAAAAAHSM/9ggbEkO7NK0gzsqm3sxhSodZ8-4Auez5QCEwYBhgL/s1600/AboutArtist01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1304" data-original-width="913" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kbTDsfumE_8/W3hqTHl-rFI/AAAAAAAAHSM/9ggbEkO7NK0gzsqm3sxhSodZ8-4Auez5QCEwYBhgL/s320/AboutArtist01.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071PFMDHF/?coliid=I1N3Q2FLN3R1U9&colid=1D8CM0RMP20VQ&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it&th=1" target="_blank">Amazon</a>:<br />
This dress is suuuuper cute in green, FYI<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jzlEEn4WPCo/W3hqTCRVyHI/AAAAAAAAHSU/qxy0toRfv2QKwGO9sWvtOyrXLzvVIm4tQCEwYBhgL/s1600/AboutArtist02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="397" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jzlEEn4WPCo/W3hqTCRVyHI/AAAAAAAAHSU/qxy0toRfv2QKwGO9sWvtOyrXLzvVIm4tQCEwYBhgL/s320/AboutArtist02.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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The Charter School cardigan:<br />
Not an exact match, but pretty close. Tons of colors, and made of the same materials - mostly viscose with a smattering of rayon.<br />
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ModCloth:<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sTnA-KtvH0o/W3hqT2F2R7I/AAAAAAAAHSM/E_OpVxYeSD8J9Bfe927mLsv7fin_nO5vQCEwYBhgL/s1600/CharterSchool01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1304" data-original-width="913" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sTnA-KtvH0o/W3hqT2F2R7I/AAAAAAAAHSM/E_OpVxYeSD8J9Bfe927mLsv7fin_nO5vQCEwYBhgL/s320/CharterSchool01.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079SN1F79/?coliid=IQGAX4VDDTL50&colid=1D8CM0RMP20VQ&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it&th=1" target="_blank">Amazon</a>:<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XbzL-Er5jpc/W3hqT2PaS_I/AAAAAAAAHSM/MOtlBH7wmbkhc8mI-oNXRabKe-0QdZFxgCEwYBhgL/s1600/CharterSchool02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="487" data-original-width="417" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XbzL-Er5jpc/W3hqT2PaS_I/AAAAAAAAHSM/MOtlBH7wmbkhc8mI-oNXRabKe-0QdZFxgCEwYBhgL/s320/CharterSchool02.jpg" width="274" /></a></div>
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Soda Fountain Dress<br />
Probably one of my favorite dresses, but not availible any longer, which is a shame. This is another one I felt was way over priced, as it ran for around $70.00. Whelp, it's on Amazon for 20.99<br />
ModCloth:<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZEXxFsURHVE/W3hqYF74u2I/AAAAAAAAHSY/TH9UhWgx8XU4ZZmP_vLrJSbbFdKBonAxgCEwYBhgL/s1600/SodaFountain01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="889" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZEXxFsURHVE/W3hqYF74u2I/AAAAAAAAHSY/TH9UhWgx8XU4ZZmP_vLrJSbbFdKBonAxgCEwYBhgL/s320/SodaFountain01.JPG" width="177" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D4LQ3M7/ref=twister_B07C4YGTBH?_encoding=UTF8&coliid=I1KAXBUL338DIU&colid=1D8CM0RMP20VQ" target="_blank">Amazon</a>:<br />
Now, this one is made from a heavier fabric, which could be better for some people. I prefer the lighter cotton as it was just easy to wear and good for warmer weather.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TsSX58sapJ8/W3hqYjkwXHI/AAAAAAAAHSc/xLdfJ12UpwI3XAWBFgZ1wIwwxIX1J8i6gCEwYBhgL/s1600/SodaFountain02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="547" data-original-width="430" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TsSX58sapJ8/W3hqYjkwXHI/AAAAAAAAHSc/xLdfJ12UpwI3XAWBFgZ1wIwwxIX1J8i6gCEwYBhgL/s320/SodaFountain02.JPG" width="251" /></a></div>
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Ahem, I am going to mention that first picture of the ModCloth version, isn't actually from ModCloth, since they don't carry the dress anymore. It is however from a website called <a href="http://www.queenofholloway.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=465" target="_blank">Queen of Holloway</a> which is OMGWTF amazing for well priced vintage style dresses. I cannot vouch for them as a company, but the prices are right and the selection is wide. PLUS they carry the original Soda Fountain dress, in most of the colors. They even call it the same thing too, haha!<br />
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Speaking of Queen of Holloway!<br />
Bonus Round:<br />
Tatyana's Sailor Dress:<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KMFO2WoAr7k/W3hqTBD1V4I/AAAAAAAAHSM/AzhoZsRsJGE9mU5U5wQKLjhyca47XcjmACEwYBhgL/s1600/BettiePageSailor01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KMFO2WoAr7k/W3hqTBD1V4I/AAAAAAAAHSM/AzhoZsRsJGE9mU5U5wQKLjhyca47XcjmACEwYBhgL/s320/BettiePageSailor01.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.queenofholloway.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=400" target="_blank">Same dress from Queen of Holloway, but in red</a>:<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ReAeabnWOIM/W3hqTtM_PXI/AAAAAAAAHSE/PYz3FsHBC0UUb-OZtTd3dQohmPG87cScACEwYBhgL/s1600/BettiePageSailor02.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="511" data-original-width="303" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ReAeabnWOIM/W3hqTtM_PXI/AAAAAAAAHSE/PYz3FsHBC0UUb-OZtTd3dQohmPG87cScACEwYBhgL/s320/BettiePageSailor02.jpeg" width="189" /></a></div>
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I think this one makes me the MOST irritated, because the Bettie Paige/Tatyana website will go on and on about their designs being unique. This dress retails for over $100.00, but it can be snapped up from Queen of Holloway for $55.98.<br />
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Here are some other ModCloth-esque things I found:<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072NGHH4X/ref=twister_B072RFG6ZY?_encoding=UTF8&coliid=IVFL3129YJMQR&colid=1D8CM0RMP20VQ" target="_blank">Midi Skirt with Pockets and tons of colors</a>:<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MxdWP-UEC2Y/W3hqWKkmySI/AAAAAAAAHSc/F4v1xuEeJAsBChP4bnCx-IQcKJwdc0mWACEwYBhgL/s1600/Mention02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="523" data-original-width="392" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MxdWP-UEC2Y/W3hqWKkmySI/AAAAAAAAHSc/F4v1xuEeJAsBChP4bnCx-IQcKJwdc0mWACEwYBhgL/s320/Mention02.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B2VGGPZ/?coliid=I3SEPDCKIUKJAK&colid=1D8CM0RMP20VQ&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it" target="_blank">A blouse with lips all over it</a>:<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MQmRr6aJbHo/W3hqWoel50I/AAAAAAAAHSQ/nZ7x5JCN97wfPA0OBBPF9Qi3aUOFyjwsACEwYBhgL/s1600/Mention03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="426" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MQmRr6aJbHo/W3hqWoel50I/AAAAAAAAHSQ/nZ7x5JCN97wfPA0OBBPF9Qi3aUOFyjwsACEwYBhgL/s320/Mention03.jpg" width="246" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GPE9NTI/?coliid=I870HWZPKMLAS&colid=1D8CM0RMP20VQ&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it" target="_blank">This very pretty fit-and-flare floral dress</a>:<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5ClGV5DdSFk/W3hqXBEZHMI/AAAAAAAAHSY/5h0nAlHsEWs6sNdidsxe-tD68dgSQuKEQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Mention04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="547" data-original-width="442" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5ClGV5DdSFk/W3hqXBEZHMI/AAAAAAAAHSY/5h0nAlHsEWs6sNdidsxe-tD68dgSQuKEQCEwYBhgL/s320/Mention04.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0716QS1BL/?coliid=I3DACTZZBM4PLJ&colid=1D8CM0RMP20VQ&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it" target="_blank">A darling button down with a sweet little bow</a>:<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qos3xVMnH9s/W3hqVrooAwI/AAAAAAAAHSU/iYXm4qJETeA7OeHZ1ZHFCBQis-sv1XLaQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Mention01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="402" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qos3xVMnH9s/W3hqVrooAwI/AAAAAAAAHSU/iYXm4qJETeA7OeHZ1ZHFCBQis-sv1XLaQCEwYBhgL/s320/Mention01.jpg" width="268" /></a></div>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DN6XJKV/ref=twister_B06XZPDBH4?_encoding=UTF8&coliid=ITUZVU0PGRSIQ&colid=1D8CM0RMP20VQ" target="_blank">One super cute London themed skirt with pockets</a>:<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cNLVFpYQxAM/W3hqXkf8SeI/AAAAAAAAHSU/XqOmSt7lVpsGrTkBDgTw6w0sgELyUrZqwCEwYBhgL/s1600/Mention05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="541" data-original-width="493" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cNLVFpYQxAM/W3hqXkf8SeI/AAAAAAAAHSU/XqOmSt7lVpsGrTkBDgTw6w0sgELyUrZqwCEwYBhgL/s320/Mention05.jpg" width="291" /></a></div>
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I can't vouch for all these products, but I will make a blanket warning - most if not all of this stuff is from China. The sizing typically is, well, Chinese. I am a solid L/12 in most everything and everywhere. I bought this blouse, and this blouse and the aforementioned Frida Kahlo skirt. The first blouse I got in green in a XXL, and it fit perfect. The second one I got in cap sleeves in black, in a XXL. It was much too big, and I could have sized down but truthfully it looks fine, just roomy. I got the Frida skirt in a L. It's a snug fit, to say the least. It does flare out quite a bit at my hips, but I am okay with that.<br />
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What about the quality? I was impressed. No weird smells, no loose threads, and fabric and stitching on all the garments feel quite sturdy. I was super impressed that the skirt had TWO buttons at the zipper, so you can make your skirt a smidge bigger if you eat too many tacos. The shirts also came in a super nice heavy duty plastic bag, so that was cool. The stuff is from Amazon, so I wasn't too worried, plus with Prime free returns if it doesn't work out!<br />
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Now that I have found an alternative to ModCloth does that mean I won't be shopping there? Of course not. MC still has some very cute things that are pretty much proprietary to them and I love. I am just going to be more judicious on what I buy from there. For example, if ModCloth has a nice polka dot blouse, I might pause before buying and check if I can get something similar at Amazon or even Queen of Holloway. I am trying to keep the cost of the basics low, so I can splurge at ModCloth when I can and not feel guilty. For me, that is what is most important, especially while I am struggling to replace a ton of beloved clothing items. Of course, if I stick to this theory...only time will tell! Haha!<br />
<br />
<br />
UPDATE:<br />
I tried to make an order from the Queen of Halloway site and was met with a bit of roadblock. I couldn't seem to pay. They only accept PayPal and for some weird reason it looked like their PayPal link was dead or missing or something. Really super weird, which kind of put me off the website.<br />
<br />
-GG<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02750120050731495492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949523265675154546.post-20149657684996414852018-08-11T10:07:00.000-07:002018-08-14T19:00:03.939-07:00Saying goodbye to my meds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It is been officially over 24 hours since I have taken my last dose of depression medication.<br />
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I was taking a generic form of Pristiq for a little over two and a half years. I was happy with it, for the most part, with the exception of a few side effects. Even though I had good experiences with the drug, I wasn't sure what the future would be like for me. After some thought, I quickly realized that I didn't want to take this medication for the rest of my life. It was time for an exit strategy.<br />
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When I started SSRIs, it was for a very specific purpose - I was suffering from PMDD, which is Pre-Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder, and THAT basically means wicked bad PMS. I never had bad cramps or heavy periods, but for two weeks every month I was stricken with terrible backaches and God awful mood swings. The pain in my back would start under my left shoulder blade and then become a diagonal line of misery culminating in my right lower back. It made life super fun. But even worse were my nearly manic mood swings. Laughing in the morning, crying jags at night, being bitchy and snappish to my husband. Life could be lively, to say the least.<br />
<br />
So, I went to the doctor who put me on Prozac, for just the two weeks out of the months that were my hell weeks. But then, I noticed something, aside from emotional PMDD symptoms abating, my general mood was much better. I was happier, more steady. Less moody and less prone to the bouts of "the blues" I started to experience. Work and life in general started to be easier to handle when I was on the Prozac. I went back to the doctor to talk about this. Turns out, surprise! I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. Which was really no surprise - this was back in 2016, which had turned out to be one of the worst years of my life. I was changed to Zoloft, and my god, life was amazing. Except for that pesky sexual side effect thing. Which really, really fucking sucked. I back in the doctor's office a few months later because I missed having some good sexy times. This is when I was put on the Pristiq.<br />
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And yeah, Pristiq was great. The sexual side effects were not as bad for me, but still somewhat present in a diminished sex drive. But I also encountered a weird one that made me ravenously hungry, which could have just been general depression, I don't know. My research tells me that SSRIs in general will make some individuals hungry, but for Pristiq, that isn't a reported side effect. In fact loss of appetite is a more typical response. Emotionally, I was more level...but less me. I grew disinterested in my creative hobbies, and became quite blase about my obsession with dressing in retro quirky clothes. But still, I was able to drive home from work without having to pull over on the side of Rt. 1 and cry my eyes out. Win.<br />
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However, as I said, it's been two years and it's time I feel I can go off the medication. Weight loss, a new job, and a healthier lifestyle put me into a much better perspective. The idea of trying to live life with out my chemical crutch stopped being terrifying, but more exciting. I went to my doctor and got the okay to discontinue the dosage. I also got fucking ambushed with blood work, and the idea of a needle going into my arm made me anxious. Despite the fact that not six days before I was down on South Street getting my nose pierced, and happily so. Whatever.<br />
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Even though I made some huge strides in the past year towards a healthier physical and mental well being, I was so scared to go off the meds. I just didn't feel brave enough before this. Even now, I am still worried about how I will feel down the road. But, I finally decided now is the time. I choose to be brave. I will be brave. I am not in this alone, and I am so thankful that I have a support system of the most amazing and wonderful people in my life. Only time will tell how I will be able to handle challenges that life throws at me.<br />
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As for right now, I am just trying to make it through the withdraw symptoms. I am feeling exceedingly, extremely, weeeeeird. I has a vague idea what the physical effects were going to be like, as I have missed a day every now and again in taking my meds, The physical side effects can only be described as an extremely odd pulsating feeling, coupled with some headachey jabs in what I am assuming is my frontal lobe. Some light sensitivity too. Emotionally I am giddy as hell, and just acting so fucking weird. I went to the grocery store and decided I needed to buy a can of french onion soup I had no need for. I have been super talkative, and super annoying to my poor husband who has to deal with my obnoxious, albeit funny behavior. Its like my quirky dial has been turned up to 11.<br />
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I am going to take everything one day at time. I am going to listen myself and my emotions and remember that just because I don't have my training wheels on doesn't mean I can't ride the bike called life. I am not going to be hard on myself, I am not going to allow myself to descend. I am going to ask for help. I am going to remind myself it is okay to take some time out for me. This will definitely be a challenge, and I am ready to fave it head on.<br />
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For the rest of the weekend I am indulging in some serious self care. Which is going to include a piece of chocolate cake with jimmies on it. <3<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QfLkUko4JrE/W3LT5eIGwuI/AAAAAAAAHQc/ua0y3EYYSKQTUA4puNBPjcYZMlOQX9fcgCLcBGAs/s1600/20180811_200201%257E2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QfLkUko4JrE/W3LT5eIGwuI/AAAAAAAAHQc/ua0y3EYYSKQTUA4puNBPjcYZMlOQX9fcgCLcBGAs/s320/20180811_200201%257E2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cake is always the answer. And those are jimmies, not sprinkles</td></tr>
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-GG<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02750120050731495492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949523265675154546.post-10423095986846429132018-08-11T08:58:00.000-07:002018-08-11T12:39:06.508-07:0010 X 10 Wardrobe Challenge and What I LearnedSo, what exactly is a 10 x 10 Wardrobe Challenge?<br />
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Very simply put, it is an exercise in reinventing your style, utilizing what you already have in closet. By whittling your clothing options down to 10 pieces to be combined into 10 outfits over the course of 10 days, it forces the participant to look at their clothes in a new light. The challenge is the brain child of Lee Vosburgh from <a href="http://www.stylebee.ca/10-x-10-challenge/" target="_blank">Style Bee</a> and swept through the blogosphere like wildfire. Three years later and it's still a very popular method for refining your style, putting some perk back into your wardrobe or just to alleviate style fatigue.<br />
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I had been struggling as of late on how to define my style, going back and forth between different looks and styles and not really knowing where I wanted to land. I was buying up a good deal of clothing only to be discarded or stored away in a few months. In this confusion, I decided that I needed more structure and direction when it came to my clothing. I decided to set a few goals for my wardrobe:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Pare down the volume of clothing</li>
<li>Create one basic capsule, and smaller seasonal capsules</li>
<li>Shop smarter, less impulse</li>
<li>Define my style</li>
</ul>
In making some goals, I decided to try out the 10 X 10 wardrobe challenge, giving a minimalist approach a shot. This seemed like a really good way to test out if I could function with a small pool of clothing and be happy. Plus, it would continue on my shopping hiatus that I have been on. It would also help me figure out different ideas and looks with my already existing clothes.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dDIFmvQdCI4/W1yl1HeOOyI/AAAAAAAAHP8/VLpf5UIjZIQLmPO5Qap329RhlgWVhwdaQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/20180727_184420_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="898" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dDIFmvQdCI4/W1yl1HeOOyI/AAAAAAAAHP8/VLpf5UIjZIQLmPO5Qap329RhlgWVhwdaQCPcBGAYYCw/s320/20180727_184420_2.jpg" width="179" /></a><br />
I pulled my 10 pieces from my closet and arranged them into 10 outfits, taking care to remember if I had any special events or commitments that would require certain clothing items. I choose a black tank dress, a button down chambray shirt, a black tee, a striped tee, black jeans, blue jeans, a gray long cardigan and a mustard yellow kimono sweater. My last two pieces are shoes, a pair of sneakers and a pair of taupe perforated loafers.<br />
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How did I do? I started on a Sunday, with the black dress and the chambray shirt. I liked the outfit, but I thought it would look better with a pair of flip flops that I love. So there was that. The next day I realized the chambray shirt was developing three holes - one at the elbow and two at the shirt tails. Only after two wears, I might add. So, I pulled out another shirt to replace the chambray shirt. Four days into it I stopped. I was bored and generally not feeling it. Plus I was pretty certain my co-workers were noticing that I was wearing the same clothes.<br />
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Maybe I didn't approach the challenge right, or maybe I am just not that creative in styling. For the past month, I have Pinned, read, collected, and posted through various outlets in a desperate search for style. Maybe I just have wardrobe fatigue, since this was my main focus for quite some time. I realized I was unhappy with the looks I was developing. I felt like I wanted to go minimalist, with clean lines and simple colors. It seemed adult and classy, but also laid back. I wanted to be like my favorite minimalist bloggers and emulate their style. I was unhappy when I realized how difficult that is and I wasn't hitting the mark. And when I did hit the mark, and managed to get a look together that closely emulated what they were wearing...I wasn't as happy as I thought I was going to be.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BflS9JT0GLc/W1yl068gRVI/AAAAAAAAHP4/Ml3DIMPo51Y2YIV4Xd54gvEOlyrwP6MBQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/20180727_183917_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="925" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BflS9JT0GLc/W1yl068gRVI/AAAAAAAAHP4/Ml3DIMPo51Y2YIV4Xd54gvEOlyrwP6MBQCPcBGAYYCw/s320/20180727_183917_3.jpg" width="185" /></a>In my longing to pin down a style, I forgot myself. When I would go looking for clothes and see something that would make my heart leap, I would dismiss it thinking that it didn't fit the "look". So I got disappointed. I find myself starting to miss patterns, and colors and the vintage style dresses I used to wear before I lost weight. I so loved to express myself and personality through clothing and I stuffed that love into the back of the closet. I think with getting older, I feel I can't carry it off anymore, and I am afraid what people will think about me. In thinking that because my body changed, I now had to change everything else about me too.<br />
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I was putting pressure on myself and trying to push myself into a little box of what I felt was the proper way to dress. I wasn't following my own song, my own path. I have a bright, quirky personality, why can't I show that through bright quirky clothes? Because I am "too old"? Fuck. That. I am not a style blogger, nor will I be or ever be. And I don't want to. Wearing a sweater with cacti on it makes me happy. Having a dress covered in books makes me happy. I think it's time I dress to make me happy, not to fit into a mold of what I see or what I think I should do. Style inspiration is all well and good, but sometimes you have to sit back and really think about what it is you like.<br />
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I still want to pare down the size of my wardrobe, and I have realized there is a place for neutrals. But that place is right next to a blouse with cats all over it. Some days, if I feel like wearing a plain blouse ad jeans, I can do that. And some days I might feel like looking like a three ring circus. That's awesome. I have to create a style and wardrobe that will allow me to do that. I have to be conscious of how much I am shopping and if the item is something I really like. Learning to shop smarter is definitely something I learned. The biggest take away here is that I can still be me, no matter how thin or old I get. Self expression through fashion has no age limit.<br />
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-GG<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02750120050731495492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949523265675154546.post-22592356248906530412018-07-11T14:04:00.003-07:002018-08-11T12:40:04.824-07:00My Life In Scales: Part 5, Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes. Spoiler alert.<br />
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I lost weight. Not just weight, but like, a bunch of weight.<br />
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Full disclosure here; this was more along the lines of a "lol, lets see if I can actually, really do this" than a full commitment. Apparently, I made this into a commitment somewhere down the line. I can't say when, or how. But, it just clicked with me. The farther I went, the more determined I got, and the more determined I was I pushed harder. I am NOT going to say I had slips. I don't believe in saying that because I am fucking human being and because of that I am a pleasure seeking entity. I had days where I ate, and ate. Like my birthday, where I made Ed take me roller skating and then he took me out for Mexican food, and I had a Margarita the size of my head and some delicious tacos AND nachos.<br />
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Some days were more of a struggle. For some obnoxious reason, my co-workers decided that pot lucks were going to be the thing, and suddenly we were having one about every two weeks. As much as I loved the people I work with, this was NOT COOL. However, my amazing manager Peggy was super thoughtful and got me fruit for my birthday and a ginormous butterfly balloon that I got to tie to my chair and be obnoxious with. Seriously, I shoved it into everyone's face I could and was like "YES! YES! It was the day of my birth, you may all worship me and comment on how I do not look like my 33 years of age." I really wish I was joking.<br />
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Anyway, weight loss. There were some big changes I made. For starters, I cut out full calorie soda, leaving diet for those days I was going to the movies or getting a salad at Saladworks. Soda was probably the worst thing I was doing to myself. I remember once sitting on my couch, with no less than four or five ginger ale cans on the table in front of me and still feeling so dehydrated after drinking so much, it seemed so impossible. Not going to lie, it was hard since it all was all I drank and I loved soda.<br />
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Second thing I did was stop eating junk. I didn't have so much of a problem with leaving the potato chips and fast food, for me that was easy. What was really, super hard was stopping the sweets. Cake, ice cream, ice cream cake, candy, brownies, cookies - anything sweet it was going into my belly. I developed an iron will power and a hard mask of austerity while I cried on the inside because I wanted cake, dammit. I will not say I gave up sweet stuff - just made some smarter replacements, such as frozen yogurt for ice cream (just as good, really). I also swapped out milk chocolate for luscious squares of Italian dark chocolate. I now prefer the dark chocolate to milk chocolate. Go figure.<br />
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My third change was getting into the gym, and wow was that hard. I went to Lane Bryant and tried on various leggings and sports bras, vowing to never shop there again (joke's on me, even though I am too small to wear the clothes, I still fit into their bras). I started out slow, only doing 15 minutes of cardio at a time, and gradually increasing. I then started to include weights and doing a circuit of exercises around the facility. Adding in some yoga gave me a nice breath of fresh air once in a while, and also helped me get better in tune with a body that was suddenly changing. I took more walks along the canal and river with Ed, I took the stairs when I could, and I didn't care so much about parking in the boonies when I went to Target.<br />
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Finally, I started to count my calories and really, truly monitored how much food I was putting in my mouth. This. Was. Not. Easy. Granted, going back to MyFitnessPal helped, as the database is vast and the options are plenty. The app is flexible, so if you can't find something, you always create it or input your own recipe. But, still, it was extremely frustrating to be confined to only 1200 calories per day when you love to mainly eat bread and sugar. What this does is put into perspective how much we really actually need to eat. In the beginning I felt like I was not getting enough to eat, feeling some mild crankiness, irritability and general hangriness. As time progressed, and I grew used to consuming less calories, that feeling went away. Sometimes I would feel hungry right after eating dinner, or my stomach would feel empty and I would immediately think I needed to eat. I learned to chill out, and actually think about if I seriously needed to eat or not. I give it about a half hour and a drink of water and see how I feel. If I am still feeling the same way I eat a small snack of almonds or carrots or an apple, and then go about my day.<br />
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That is pretty much it. Easy and hard, all at the same time.<br />
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I ended up halting my progress in October 2017 after 60lbs lost, just 20lbs shy of my ultimate goal. I am okay with this, honestly. I grew frustrated when I would go over my calorie count because I had a handful of almonds and some grapes as a snack. Like I said, calorie counting is difficult. I will have to do it my entire life, and while I am not thrilled with it, the method keeps me honest and on track. I also stopped because I wanted to breathe a bit, and indulge while maintaining my weight. I just wanted to eat at a restaurant and indulge for a minute in something totally off-plan and not feel guilty. I wanted to eat a piece of cake, or some ice cream and not worry about how much of my progress it was going to kill. It does grow exhausting constantly having to tabulate what you consume in a day.<br />
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When I looked into the mirror towards the end of my journey, I was finally pleased with what I saw. I learned to love my body for what it is. Which is not to say that I loved my body more because it was smaller, I loved it because I was finally taking care of it. By showing my physical self love, I grew to love it. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, if I was going to come out of this looking like a hard body athlete or a slim model. My reality isn't even in between that. I went from a size 18/20 to a solid size 12. My body is still fairly shaped the same, as my stomach still has an annoying round belly shape to it, and there is jiggle. Everywhere. But, my legs have gotten ridiculously strong, and my arms have muscle tone and definition. And I even have two little indentations on the aforementioned treacherous belly to indicate I do, in fact, have abdominal muscles.<br />
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I have more work to do, and yes, I still want to loose my last 20lbs - now closer to 25lbs as my liberation from the shackles of calorie counting suddenly became pure wanton vandalism to a carefully crafted healthyish diet. Oh yes. I ate candy, and frozen yogurt. I had burgers, and bigger dinners. One memorable night I went out with my bestie and we ordered some small artisan pizzas to share while we laughed our asses off over a glass of wine. Christmas was fun, as I felt pretty to indulge in some cookies and all the best things the holidays had to offer including booze.<br />
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I put an end to that, once the indulgences went from being an unrestricted cheat day, to every day. I knew I was going back to habits I previously had. This was the biggest thing I learned - when to stop the indulging, how to comfort myself without food, and how to maintain balance. I also learned to love a simple, healthy diet to look forward to delicious meals of lean protein and lots of veggies. I also learned to fix hunger with real food and not junk food. I also learned that I would much rather sit and indulge my sweet tooth when I was relaxing or being social, than sitting alone on my computer shoveling handfuls of strawberry Sour Patch kids into my craw. But, I am so totally not going to say I don't enjoy junk food. Last month I spend a couple of Saturday nights snuggled up to a bottle of rose, a plate of chocolate cake and David Tennant while binge watching Broadchurch.<br />
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At this point, I have gone through a massive change in lifestyle. I have totally changed my eating habits, breaking a lifetime of bad habits instilled in me since I was a child. My exercise routine has gone from nonexistent to robust, with gym visitis 3-4 times a week and yoga at least once a week. My outlook on health in general has improved, from once being something I was ambivalent about to now a passion to live a longer healthier life. Losing weight was not about looking better, it was about learning how to live healthy, or at the least - healthyish. I think I am well on the way to achieving that goal. Living a "healthyish" lifestyle is now one of the most important facets of my life and has truly become something I enjoy doing and will continue to do for a very long time.<br />
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But, having to buy a whole new wardrobe with more options in where to procure that wardrobe is not a terrible thing either. Just sayin'.<br />
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<br />
-GG<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02750120050731495492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949523265675154546.post-43253240841933282892017-05-31T16:38:00.000-07:002018-08-11T12:40:16.485-07:00My Life In Scales: Part 4, Rock bottom is not a comfortable place to be. 2016 was a really shitty year.<br />
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I think we can all agree to that. I know I was not the only one who cried their eyes out on the morning of November 9th.<br />
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Social and political negativity aside, last year was a terrible year for me personally. Through out this piece I have been writing, I have been making correlations between my work and my weight. This was mostly to illustrate how sedentary I really was, not to say that I was fat because because of what I do for a living. I also did this because I spend 8+ hours a day at work, and most of my time is taken up with work, so yes - I feel that if I am doing a job that does not require me to move around, it will start to take an effect on my body. Since starting work at the bank, my lifestyle did not change much, and I was able to stay at a steady weight after gaining initially.<br />
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After years of being happily put in one place, and in one position I decided it was time for me to move on up. I literally have no idea what I was thinking to be honest. I felt ready, but intellectually I wasn't sure if I was ready to take the next career step into an Assistant Manager position. I did it anyway, thinking of an old quote I saw on someone's Facebook with like, a thousand pixels - don't regret the things you did, regret the things you didn't do. I didn't want to forever be wondering "should I have?".<br />
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I still had reservations. The commute would be 45 minutes. There was no manager currently at the branch, so it would be just me running the show until they hired someone. The staff was reportedly a notoriously difficult staff to work with. The branch was also smack dab in the middle of an immigrant community, an extremely insular and tight-knit community. I have zero language skills to speak of, so I know I would have to work through translators to help with some of the customers. Not only that, but the customers were also described as "rough" and could be very demanding. To put the cherry on top of this shit sundae, the branch was also in operational shambles - things were not getting done, and there had been quite a few incidences that made my eyebrows go up. I should also mention here that I never found any of this out until after I accepted the position and was settled in.<br />
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Thus started one of the worst years of my life. Being an exempt employee, I ended up having to work 50 hours a week, no overtime. I thought this would change when we got a branch manager, but it did not. She expected me to be there, while she swanned in and out as she pleased, under the guise of "appointments". There were nights when I had to be there until 9:00pm, because of some disaster or another. Most other days I didn't get home until around 7pm or 8pm. I worked every Saturday, with no other days off except for Sundays. All the operational work was put on to me, all the conference calls and other managerial duties were also placed on me. I truly did end up with a bad manager, and upper management were deaf to my complaints. She was needlessly cruel to me, nitpicking on things I could not possibly manage to do, and when I asked for help, she never gave it. She made me sign "coaching documents" that I did not feel comfortable signing as these documents never told my side of the story - only that in her view I was not doing my job. I felt she was terribly abusive and manipulative, because she could also be so very sweet - she loved to be affectionate, and she would smile at you and say your hair looked good. In the next moment she would be tearing you down.<br />
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All of this took a harsh toll on my mental health. The bad situation coupled with the hopelessness of first not having my concerns heard and the second of not being able to find a way out spun me into a depression. I stopped doing things I loved to do, I was moody and tired all the time. I snapped at my husband, and took my bad days out on him. I would burst out into tears randomly, and when I wasn't doing that, I started to have anxiety attacks. My heart would start to pound and my throat would feel like it was closing up and I couldn't breathe. I ended up going on anti-depressants, which really helped control most of what I was experiencing but it was not a solution.<br />
<br />
Of course, along with depression, I gained weight. My eating habits were really god-awful. And because I was feeling so low about myself I could not care less about what was going into my mouth. Since my time outside of work was so limited, I was resorting to grab-and-go meals most of the time. And when I did cook, comfort food was the rule of the day - I felt I needed it to feel better. I won't lie and say that tucking into a pile of creamy diced potatoes au gratin didn't feel good, satisfying and helped lift my spirits. Because it did, but only for a short period of time and this behavior became quite constant. My snacking got out of hand too, as bags of gummy worms became my favorite thing to eat ever, no shame. My morning routine changed, gone were the days of being able to cook up an egg with some toast and fruit - I now resorted to stopping at Dunkin Donuts for a rather large sweet iced tea, a bagel with butter and a chocolate frosted doughnut. It was a quick and easy breakfast I could eat while in the car. I was packing more calories into a body that was already large to begin with, and I knew it.<br />
<br />
I continued on like this for some months,feeling like I was fending off the dragon of my depression with a toothpick. During this time, my husband was a goddamn hero. He did so much to help make me feel better, to help accommodate my shit schedule, and just make sure he was there for me. The support he gave me was incredible, a real testament to how how far love can go. At times I felt like I was hanging on a precipice of despair as work nearly took over my life. Ed was what kept me from falling completely over. I will forever love him for that, for the extreme kindness, and tender affection he gave me when I was just at my most low. He also never once mentioned how much I was eating, or that my clothes were getting larger, and my old clothes would stop fitting. He just kept on loving me.<br />
<br />
In September of 2016 I couldn't hold out any longer. My one champion in my office had made her decision to escape, and I knew I had to do the same. I knew there was a Lead Teller position at a branch close to my home, and I knew I had to take it if I was going to keep my employment with the bank. I knew the wicked witch was gunning for me, and I was not going to let a 7 year career get destroyed by a bitchy interloper. I called the manager of the branch and told her my plans, she let out an audible gasp and said "I think I just won the lottery!". I smiled, for the first time in a long time at work, and I even shed a few tears. I knew I was making the right choice. As it turns out, I really did. I got out of a bad situation, and I landed in a much happier one. I loved my new job, my new branch and my new staff. It was a different job, but not completely unfamiliar. And slowly, but surely, I felt like I was coming back to life.<br />
<br />
There was one interesting facet to all this. Even though I was so much happier, and feeling better my eating and activity level literally did not change. I ate to celebrate life, and not to try and heal wounds. My kids, (which is what my assistant and I called my staff of mainly 20 and 21 year olds) were quite an active bunch. They went to the gym and were constantly watching what they ate. Good kids, really. I used to laugh, and make stupid jokes about how I like tacos and wine more than the gym. And they laughed along with me. And while I laughed, I still had this stupid niggling sensation that I was just ignoring the problem, once again.<br />
<br />
The end of that year was a good one. Christmas was fun, and New Years was spent quietly with my husband, just the two of us and a pot of homemade fondue. And it was fucking delicious. There was also a lot of alcohol consumed between the two of us. This is also not even including the indulgences of the holiday season. Cookies, cake, roast beef, mashed potatoes, buffalo chicken egg rolls, and so much wine. So. Much. Wine. So much drunk. But, gosh it was fun. And when it was finally all over and January 1st finally dawned, I did something I had never done before.<br />
<br />
I made a New Years Resolution.<br />
<br />
I was going to finally, really truly lose weight.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
-GG<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02750120050731495492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949523265675154546.post-87685353106639883862017-05-26T04:37:00.000-07:002018-08-11T12:40:25.672-07:00My Life in Scales: Part 3, The Reckoning. After about a year of working at my new branch, I had to go to the doctor's.<br />
<br />
And now we come full circle.<br />
<br />
There was nothing wrong with me, just a typical OB-GYN appointment to get the lady parts checked out. But of course, I was going to have to hop on that damn scale. This time, I knew better. I took off my coat, my purse and even slipped out of my shoes and cardigan. I dumped everything on the nearby phlebotomy chair much to the chagrin of the nurse. I was not taking any chances this time and I was going to make sure my weight was as accurate as possible. I stepped on the scale. She adjusted one little gizmo. Then another. Then she started inching that little one, further and further to the right. A little more. And there. 220. I think my face crumpled, because the nurse looked very sympathetic. I was actually shocked I weighed so much, I always assumed I was around 200. Turns out I was 20 whole lbs over what I had initially thought. I hate that scale.<br />
<br />
I really shouldn't have been surprised though. I worked a job at a desk, and I didn't really watch what I ate. I never got any exercise, aside from the odd walk around the mall or neighborhood. I knew I was steadily getting bigger, as my pants and dresses stopped fitting me as well, or items that used to be a bit too baggy were now fitting properly. Like most Americans, I never really thought that my diet and lack of exercise would have any kind of consequences. I decided that I was okay with my weight. I felt beautiful, curvaceous and I was finally finding great clothes in styles that fit my body and personality. What did I have to change? Still though, I had a niggling sensation in the back of my mind that <i>this is not okay</i>.<br />
<br />
There was another point after that moment that made me think a bit. I was sitting at my desk, working on something when I heard an audible "pop!" from the region of my left boob. And suddenly lefty started to sag just a tiny bit. My damn underwire broke. I thought I was going to cry. That was my best bra. It lifted and shaped my large and unwieldy chest so I looked like a bombshell. I tried to save it, but once the underwire was gone, I knew I had to let go. I went to Lane Bryant and picked up some new bras. I was pleased to see they had new colors and styles, so I happily skipped back to the dressing room with an armload of underwear.<br />
<br />
Cue the meltdown. My old faithful was an old design that they nixed at the end of that last year. Apparently some women who don't know how bras are supposed to fit complained that actual support was uncomfortable so Lame Bryant changed it. And now I looked saggy and fat in the new style of bras. I was devastated, as I looked upon my gut sticking out even more started to cry. Those bras made me look so fat. I decided that I needed to get some real bra advice, so I logged on to Reddit when I got home and introduced myself to the A Bra That Fits community. With recommendations and brand names under my belt, I started a frenzy of buying and returning bras, trying to find that perfect fit. Each one I tried felt nothing like my beautiful oldie-but-goodie, and all I saw in the mirror was my stomach looking distended.<br />
<br />
At this point, I knew I had to face the facts, and look at the truth. The bras were not making me look fat, I was just fat. Which, necessarily wasn't a terribly bad thing. Dramatics in fitting rooms aside, I really did like what I saw in the mirror. I loved my style, I loved my curves, and I felt adorable. And yet, when my clothes came off, I was stunned by how large my waist had grown. At this point, looking back in hindsight, I don't know if I even really liked what I saw. I think that instead of truly accepting myself for who I was, I was settling. Moreover, I was worried about my health. I knew very well that I was on the road to obesity. I decided I needed to do something before all of this got out of hand.<br />
<br />
The real question was "what to do?" I absolutely hated exercise in any form. Walking too much made my back and feet hurt. And since I was a smoker, cardio was out as it made me want to die. I decided to change my diet and start practicing yoga. I downloaded <a href="http://www.myfitnesspal.com/" target="_blank">MyFitnessPal</a>, a free calorie and exercise tracker that expects you to be honest about what you eat (oh, god). Yoga was fun, and I was starting to see a strength and flexibility in my body I had never seen before. I was starting to feel pretty good, and I was seeing some results. I lost about 12 pounds...and then I quit. I am not entirely sure why, I think I just got tired of restrictions, and I think I tried to go too hard too fast. I tried to start eating all organic, and basically making my meals all lean protein and veggies.<br />
<br />
It wasn't a sustainable diet. I went from zero-to-sixty over night and I couldn't keep it up. I even lost my taste for yoga, as getting to the classes, settling in and getting home from the classes became a two hour ordeal. And that was when I just decided to give up. I leaned back and while not exactly accepting my fatness, I just existed with it. I figured if I was was going to be "this way" I would try to be more positive about it. I started to read blogs that espoused body positivity and plus size fashion. I tried really hard to accept myself as I was, but I still had trouble really loving my body. I hated the aches and pains, the weird tightness in my chest when I would climb stairs. My knees would hurt. If I was out and about for too long my lower back would scream by the end of the day. My skin was constantly breaking out, no matter how many different gels, creams and lotions I used. Even my hair was miserable, limp and oily by the end of the day. Still I carried on like this for five years. I ate and drank whatever I wanted, consequences be damned.<br />
<br />
Little did I know, things were about to get much, much worse.<br />
<br />
<i>To be concluded...</i><br />
<br />
-GG<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02750120050731495492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949523265675154546.post-4339097549495928342017-05-17T04:53:00.001-07:002018-08-11T12:40:39.982-07:00My Life in Scales: Part 2, When Life Hits You Like a Semi Truck. When I finished college, I felt like the entire world was open to me. I had a degree, and therefore I knew I could get a good job and start a career. I would then be able to pay off my student debt, buy a house, and live my life to the fullest. The universe, however, had other plans. As the new year of 2008 dawned, and I set out on my post undergrad life, the housing market decided to collapse. My hopes of finding a good paying job were completely dashed as the country was sent into one of the worst economic crises since the Great Depression. Thankfully, I was able to snag a full time position at the local department store I had worked at during the Christmas season. Instead of wrapping gifts for harried holiday shoppers in the gift wrap department, I was now shilling sheet sets and electric blankets to old ladies in domestics.<br />
<br />
While bad for my personal economic future, this was a decent turn in regards to my activity level. I was able to walk around at work, lifting things, bending and stretching. One day, I did get curious about exactly how much I weighed. We had scales over in the bathroom section for sale, and sometimes they ended up getting opened. We had one digital scale that we didn't even sell any more that had no package and my co-workers were constantly checking their weight on it (remember, this was a small local department store, we had few customers and much time on our hands). I decided to give it a go; I hadn't been weighed in nearly three years since my bout with mono in 2005. I slipped away from my area and popped on to the scale. 210. Wow. I mean, I wasn't entirely shocked but I was ashamed of myself. 210 is not a healthy weight for my height and I knew it. I decided that I should try to lose 20lbs. That should be easy, right?<br />
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I knew my activity level at work was helping me, so I decided to tackle the food issue. I thought that if I just cut the fast food and have some salads and Lean Cuisines for lunch I would be set. I think this lasted less than a week as I went back to my typical diet of fast food and potato chips. Not even saying that particular plan was even a good one. It had good intentions, but it truly wasn't something that would launch me into a complete and much needed lifestyle change. That moment though was important. For the first time as an adult I fully recognized that I needed to take control of my weight. I did make a conscious decision to try and lose weight because I knew I was fat.<br />
<br />
Later on that year, life took another interesting turn. I had been applying at various companies to land a full time position and start my career but with no offers or even interviews. In exasperation I eventually applied to a bank as a teller. It was more money, and a decent place to be until I could maybe go back to school or find something better. I had interviewed twice, and while I did well I was never offered anything. They said they would keep me in mind. Well, by the end of the summer, I suddenly had a clock ticking over my head. That family run department store I was working in was going into Chapter 11, and my store was on the chopping block. If I didn't find anything else, by the end of that September I would be out of a job.<br />
<br />
After the store closed, I was unemployed for a whole of two and a half weeks. I was still getting paid from the store because of some snafu the company caused and the bankruptcy courts ordered them to pay us wages through the middle of October (It was a pretty awesome two weeks, TBH). I did manage to get a position at good ole JCPenney's, which really sucked. But still, I had a job that kept me active. Of course, at that point I didn't really care what the work entailed, let it be active or not, I just really needed a job. I was working there for a about a month and a half, when I finally got the phone call I had been waiting nearly a year for. The bank I had interviewed with all that time ago finally wanted me.<br />
<br />
And this is where all this background story leads to. With taking a job with the bank, I launched myself into a very different kind of work than what I had been doing up until this point. The customer service end of it was very much the same. What was different and completely blew me away was that as a bank teller I was allowed to sit down. This was huge for me, as previously I had spent my working days on my feet in various types of retail jobs with only 30 mins to sit down on break. While I gloried in not having an aching back and feet at the end of the day, this proved to be ultimately disastrous for my waistline. <br />
<br />
Starting in my new career in banking, I was much more focused on the job itself, and I never really thought about how physical the job was itself. I was a teller which is the most physical job in a branch as there is more standing, lifting and bending. But, the activity level was nowhere near where my retail jobs were at. In conjunction with this, my diet did not get any better. I was still drinking soda by the gallon, indulging in sweets and fast food. Not surprisingly, I gained weight. I don't know exactly how much I weighed at that particular point in time, but I knew I was gaining weight because my clothes stopped fitting me.<br />
<br />
Luckily, this was around the time the whole concept of plus-size became a more mainstream option. Before, clothes in larger sizes were always relegated to the back of stores, in some shadowy corner in an apparent attempt to pretend plus sizes didn't even exist. Now, stores like Torrid and Lane Bryant were available to me, and Target was getting a better plus size collection. But still, I could also shop in the "straight sizes". I had started to slowly accept my body more, as society started to accept the fact that bigger bodies do, in fact, exist. I stopped feeling so much shame over my fat rolls, I felt like I could actually finally feel pretty and sexy. One huge factor in leading me to this was my then boyfriend, now husband, Ed. He always (and still does) would tell me how gorgeous and sexy I am. He loved every wobbly inch of me, and I felt that if HE can find me desirable, and love my body, well so can I!<br />
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I began to eschew any indication of going on a diet. I decided that instead of trying to eat super healthy, I would make my meals more well rounded, with meats, veggies and some kind of grain. Here and there we would go out to eat or grab some fast food, but it wasn't always. I wanted to put a better effort into making our meals, so with some help from my mom I taught myself how to cook. I took to it like a fish takes to water and became a rather competent chef, if I do say so myself. With this new culinary world open to me, so did a new world of different kinds of food. I liked to experiment with different kinds of cuisines, trying out things that were easy and hard. We ended up eating rather well for a long period of time. Ed actually started to fill out more - he was always a very lean guy, almost to the point of too skinny.<br />
<br />
As my cooking skills blossomed, so did my career in banking. I moved from being a teller to what we call switcher, meaning I would now in addition to teller duties, I would have the same duties as a banker would too. After a year of that, I took the next step up into being a full fledged banker, and moving to a new branch as well. This was a great move for me, as I ended up working three minutes from home (I know, right?) and with an amazing manager. I very much enjoyed the work, even though it came with a whole new set of stresses and concerns. Never-the-less, I was still happy where I was at. The problem was, I got very comfortable in my lifestyle that came along with this new position. Not surprisingly, my weight started to creep, and creep, and creep upwards. And yet, I still blithely continued on.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>To Be Continued......</i><br />
<i>(okay, so I am trying for a little dramatic effect here, so sue me.) </i><br />
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<br />
-GG<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02750120050731495492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949523265675154546.post-52721032293668761072017-03-28T04:32:00.000-07:002018-07-09T11:25:34.116-07:00My Life in Scales: Part 1, In The Beginning...<i>This is the beginning of a series of entries about me and my struggles with weight. I am tackling this not only as a way of telling my own personal story, but as a way to digest and externalize the issues I have dealt with for most of my life. I find that it's cathartic to put into solid words feelings that I have been internalizing for a very long time and on such a public forum (for all, like, six you that read this). With out further adieu:</i><br />
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<br />
When I was 14, I was in the 7th grade. My mother took me to a doctor's appointment, for a routine physical and check up. I can't remember what month it was, or really any particular details from that visit. But what I do remember, most acutely was when Dr. Files was making his finishing remarks. Everything looked good, I was healthy, except for one thing. My weight. He was very matter-of-fact when he made the suggestion that my mother and I sign up for weight watchers. I was absolutely horrified. THAT kind of thing was for overweight adults. Not ME. I was a teenager. I was mortified, since I never really thought of myself as fat. I mean, yeah, I was pudgy but not Weight Watchers pudgy! When we got into the car, my mom tried to smooth things over by mentioning he was always telling her to lose weight as well. And she then gave me the little talk of you are beautiful at any weight, and it was only a number on the scale.<br />
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In actuality, I was not so much bothered by what the doctor had recommended, but it was the stark realization of the truth hitting me very squarely in the chest. He was right. I was overweight. I don't remember exactly how heavy I was, but I knew I was definitely bigger than I should have been. Puberty was a good excuse for my weight gain, but it stopped being convenient when I wasn't growing any taller or slimming out from that baby fat. Compounding my excess weight was the fact that the boob fairy hit me hard and fast, and suddenly I had curves and boobs to match those rolls at 14. My body, a source of shame and loathing, had now started to generate comments - hurtful ones at that - to me about my body. I remember once the boys across the street saying, "You would be fat if your boobs weren't so big". There was also a little gem related to me by my 7th grade boyfriend's best friend, "He only liked you for your boobs at first, but now he thinks you're really cool". Uh, thanks, I think?<br />
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Buying clothes as a teenager was always a disappointment, and again filled with embarrassment. I could never seem to fit into Junior sizes (this being well before Junior's Plus was even a vague concept), and had to mosey over to the Missy's (I absolutely hate that term) section, which not surprisingly lacked age appropriate clothing. My friends wanted to shop at Delia's in high school, and I had already been sized out of their line by the time I was in 7th grade. I would end up swathing myself in anime tee shirts (Gundam Wing Deathscythe tee, R.I.P) two sizes too big and jeans from Old Navy, and men's khaki pants. This cutting edge style statement was to be my mainstay through high school and a bit into college.<br />
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When I started college I was more self aware of my status as a Plus Sized gal, but always (thankfully) on the smaller side of things. I could still flit in and out of the higher range of "straight" sizes and be comfortable. My life style then was fairly active, working on my feet in retail jobs and walking around a large urban university (Temple U, represent) as a commuter student. My diet however was in shambles, which is not to say I ever had a good diet to begin with. Remember when I mentioned about three paragraphs ago that my mom also had weight issues? It really isn't coincidental that through how I was raised I ended up with weight issues too. My relationship with food was never as bad as my mom's, but I still liked to eat and I loved to eat things that were sweet and comforting. From an early age I remember always drinking soda, having snacks around the house and candy. I was never denied anything food-wise. My grandmother was constantly trying to restrict my mother's food and put her on a diet as she was growing up. My mother decided she was not going to raise her daughter the same way.<br />
<br />
I know my mother meant well, and I am certainly not going to blame her completely for my food issues as an adult, but there is some culpability to be found. I also want to make it very clear my mother was always cooking meals for us. She loved to cook, and I loved her food. She did make good healthy things too, and also some delicious calorie-bombs of goodness (I am looking at you creamy Chicken Cordon Bleu). But she was also a single mother, working hard and sometimes a dinner from Wendy's was much easier than making a full dinner at night. From this environment however, I learned to clear your plate and that it was okay to eat whatever you wanted. Fruits and veggies were never eaten as a snack and portion control was pretty much a foreign concept. With this as my background I went into young adulthood with little to no knowledge of what a balanced, healthy diet looks like.<br />
<br />
<br />
In college I typically ate to live, trying to find the cheapest tastiest things possible. In the morning I would snag two pretzels (Philly, yo!) and a cup of tea (sugar and cream, of course) from the little stand outside the library (Paley Library, R.I.P). In the afternoons I would pick up a sandwich from the Bagel Hut, or maybe some mini egg rolls from the Thai place. Before I hopped on the train home, I would hit up the news stand for one of those enormous chocolate muffins to munch on train. I would go to work, and then come home with a bag of Burger King. Going to school in a food town like Philadelphia, I was kept in ample supply of vaguely disguised junk food as meals. While it was not okay, with my activity level and age, I was keeping myself just on the threshold of obesity. Regardless of my activity, my food intake was still keeping me big, much bigger than I really should have been. When I finally graduated college, I was launched into the "adult world" and with it the freedoms and limitations of being an adult on my own entailed. Little did I know, this would also come with quite a different lifestyle change as well.<br />
<br />
I won't say I grew up fat, but I definitely grew up bigger, chunkier. While it was not hard, it was not easy especially in those hard years of middle school and high school. I liked to dance to the beat of my own drum, but it was completely frustrating that my body didn't want to be slim - that I could not eat like my friends did and be thin. This frustration would stay with me for quite some time - all through college and into my post college years. After graduating is where my struggles became almost epic in proportion and scale (see what I did there?). I never became more aware of my body then I did in my mid to late 20's.<br />
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<i>So ends the first part of my story, to be continued at a later date. </i><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02750120050731495492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949523265675154546.post-66320508600351128372015-07-13T04:47:00.000-07:002015-07-13T04:47:45.226-07:00Lets just dip a toe back in, shall we?Summer. It always seems to be the time of year I get the Blog bug back. Despite that, I always have a ton of ideas, just never any traction on actually having the time to complete my posts. Hence my strange and sporadic posts. I usually get a tad overwhelmed with my grand ideas and then immediately get exhausted just thinking about the - ugh - effort I tend to simply forget about doing anything. So, I shall start off small and easy this time around.<br />
<br />
It's been one of those wonderfully lazy Sundays, and while I was finishing up a crochet project I turned Pandora to the 80's New Wave station. Ed was outside, doing something with tiny power tools and a metric fuck ton of video game cases. New Wave has always been one of my little secret passions, ever since I was 12 years old and obsessively watching VH1. The music was so good, so revolutionary and extremely catchy. I suppose that's why so many bands decided to cover New Wave songs. So, without further ado...<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">My Top Five New Wave Covers</span></b></div>
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1. New Order, Blue Monday covered by Orgy</div>
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2. Nena, 99 Luft Ballons covered by Goldfinger</div>
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3. Depeche Mode, Personal Jesus covered by Marilyn Manson</div>
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4. A-Ha, Take On Me covered by Reel Big Fish </div>
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5. Joy Division, Shadow Play covered by The Killers</div>
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So, the irony here is that four of these five were done by bands in the 90's. Also, in thinking about which covers I like the best I noticed that ska bands seemed to cover New Wave pretty often. This by no means is an expert list, just my own opinion. </div>
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Bonus Round: </div>
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Dexys Midnight Runners, Come On Eileen covered by Save Ferris</div>
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(God, I loved Monique Powell.)</div>
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The Smiths, Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want covered by She and Him</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02750120050731495492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949523265675154546.post-2046895113472643802014-07-06T11:42:00.000-07:002014-07-06T11:42:30.560-07:00Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Crystal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5HLzx2icmLk/U7mXYW7DmCI/AAAAAAAAAWU/BoiJzRpep4U/s1600/SailorMoon01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5HLzx2icmLk/U7mXYW7DmCI/AAAAAAAAAWU/BoiJzRpep4U/s1600/SailorMoon01.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
Oh. Man.<br />
<br />
My initial reaction, almost two years ago upon hearing there's going to be a Sailor Moon reboot was literally, "I'll believe it when I see it." Yesterday was the premiere of the first Act through various online sources (I watched via <a href="http://www.hulu.com/sailor-moon-crystal" target="_blank">Hulu</a>) and I guess I can believe it now and my skepticism is was grossly misplaced. I hang my head in shame.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3R97v91ErFk/U7mXYRlB4CI/AAAAAAAAAXU/FtSu0gOx88I/s1600/SailorMoon02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3R97v91ErFk/U7mXYRlB4CI/AAAAAAAAAXU/FtSu0gOx88I/s1600/SailorMoon02.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a>Can we talk about some serious nostalgia? I was suddenly transported back to when I was kid, sitting in front of the TV at butt-crack o'clock watching the 1992 release in all it's dubbed glory on the USA Network. It was only shown in the morning in those days, and sporadically at best. Some days I'd tune in and it wouldn't be on, or have moved to a different block. Merchandising was also spotty as well, some stores carrying just the ridiculous looking dolls in both sizes, other carrying a full line including characters that hadn't even been introduced yet. The show was also ripped to shreds because of censoring and we ALL KNOW how awful the voice acting was (I'm looking at YOU Naru).<br />
<br />
For many people, Sailor Moon was a gateway drug into Anime and I'm no exception. About a year after my initial introduction into Sailor Moon, we got our first family computer (Compaq, represent!) with internets (okay, it was AOL. Shaaaaaameeee), which made it exceptionally easy to discover that there was a vast <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Revolutionary Girl Sailor Moon?</td></tr>
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array of different anime shows and other fans to connect with. By being able to keep up with different fans, I was also able to keep up with the news of Sailor Moon returning to TV about a year after that, on Cartoon Network's Toonami programming. At that point, I started buying Sailor Moon Super fan subs from some fairly dubious sources I met in AOL chatrooms. I also kind of became a raging bitch with a serious <br />
superiority complex because I was no longer a "dubbie", since building a library of subtitled anime.<br />
<br />
Of course, that was 15 years ago and times and technology have vastly changed how entertainment is delivered into our hands. Today, we can just pop on to any number of websites and just tune into whatever show or movie want to watch. Which makes, for me, this new iteration of Sailor Moon somewhat bittersweet, but so very exciting at the same time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DZQMjMhJaZo/U7mXY_vWaNI/AAAAAAAAAWo/J_iXxyEnFR8/s1600/SailorMoon04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DZQMjMhJaZo/U7mXY_vWaNI/AAAAAAAAAWo/J_iXxyEnFR8/s1600/SailorMoon04.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hey, no more 80's hair OR sunglasses</td></tr>
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So, yesterday, Ed set me up streaming the first Act on Hulu on the living room TV. I knew a few things going into this: new theme song, a closer adaptation to the manga, a slightly different art style and Usagi's transformation sequence. That was pretty much it. I was not surprised to see the episode follow the same lines as 92's first episode, since considering they both follow the manga. There was some in-yo-face foreshadowing about the Moon Princess, which was irritating, since the manga kept the subject a better <br />
mystery. The end tease was also pretty great, showing Ami from behind - like how they opened the episode with just showing Usagi the same way. Which also means - a shorter series. Scheduled to clock in at 26 episodes, this is a vast improvement over 92's 46 episodes. Also, less Monster Of The Day nonsense. Again, keeping more in line with the manga, which flew at a swift pace.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The meet-cute</td></tr>
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Also keeping in the manga tradition is the style. This could be a make or break piece for some people, since yes, the flat stares can be disconcerting at best. The 92 version gave the characters a ton of expression and let it show on their faces. Crystal did have it's moments, I am happy to say, but not as much as the original anime. Which is okay, at least for me. The manga has such an ethereal, other worldly beauty and an elegance that was not translated on screen in the original. Crystal has done an excellent job of bringing that to the table, with the character's long limbs, flowing hair and sparkling eyes. Other small things that stood out to me<br />
were the Shoujo Kakumei Utena like commercial break plates, and the flowery boarders that appeared around major characters. I also really love the level of detail the animation has, from tiny little creases in clothing, to actually seeing what Princess Serenity's little sleeves look like from the side. The CGI animation on Usagi's transformation was okay - she moved beautifully, and it was pretty to watch, but it just didn't feel right.<br />
<br />
A few other points:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Fuku is spot on to the manga</li>
<li>Opening song is really good, and super catchy. Ending song is a bit of a snooze.</li>
<li>Usagi's hair was bat-shit out of control a few times.</li>
<li>Moon Tiara Boomerang!</li>
<li>Tuxedo Mask, useless as ever, wearing a Tuxedo. </li>
<li>Kotono Mitsuishi, the only original cast member to reprise her role</li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y4pFXGtaL7o/U7mXZu3mQBI/AAAAAAAAAXE/dQRk7w4yCTQ/s1600/SailorMoon07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y4pFXGtaL7o/U7mXZu3mQBI/AAAAAAAAAXE/dQRk7w4yCTQ/s1600/SailorMoon07.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WTF, bat-shit cray hair.</td></tr>
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All in all, I really like the show. I'm curious if there is going to be a modern veneer applied to the show - is Usagi going to get an iPhone? From the opening sequence, I wasn't sure. The girls are sorta dressed like they're from the 90's, but they could also just be dressed like hipsters. I can't seem to make that call. I did see a girl on the street with what looked like a smart phone, but the arcade cabinets look like they're vintage? Either way, it looks like it's going to shape up to be pretty awesome! I've always loved and an in some cases, preferred the manga story line at some points. It's going to be a long time in coming, if at all, but I'm stoked at the prospect of seeing Sailor Cosmos, finally!</div>
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Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Crystal is pure nostalgia, but it's not all just nostalgia. It's bringing a new shininess to what really was a dated show, doing it with grace and class. It's also introducing Sailor Moon to a new audience of little girls of a new generation, a different generation than mine. My gripes are minor, and my praises are major. I'm really excited to see what the rest of the series brings!</div>
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In The Name Of The Moon!</div>
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-GG</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02750120050731495492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949523265675154546.post-50449946258717116532014-07-03T20:23:00.000-07:002014-07-03T20:23:14.352-07:00The Reconciliation, Part TwoIt's been a while, but I've finally fleshed out my concluding thoughts when it comes to Marvel.<br />
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Again, thar be spoilers ahead. Ye Be Warned.<br />
<br />
So, we picked up Thor 2 because I had an overwhelming urge to submerse myself back into the Marvel Universe.<br />
<br />
Thor 2 was...good! I won't say it was the most amazing Marvel film, however, it held up very nicely in it's own right. The movie had an easier time of being integrated with the rest of Marvel Universe, as it had The Avengers preceding it. The stand out, was of course, Tom Hiddleston and the depth of character and pathos he brought to Loki this time around. Hiddleston truly owns that character. The story line was great, the action was great, and of course...well, the ending was awesome. I still have issues with Natalie Portman's existence in the Thor films, as a charter member of Team Lady Syf. Not to say I am a mindless fangirl - I do see the necessity of the changes made all the way back in the first Thor. All together, a well written tasty piece of the Marvel Universe.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t9f3nZTBdOA/U7YbU2yaSsI/AAAAAAAAAVw/oLwOUzsQmU4/s1600/one-does-not-simply-leave-a-marvel-movie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t9f3nZTBdOA/U7YbU2yaSsI/AAAAAAAAAVw/oLwOUzsQmU4/s1600/one-does-not-simply-leave-a-marvel-movie.jpg" height="181" width="320" /></a>Now. The movie ends, and the credits roll, and we hold our usual inclination to hit the remote. Oh, no. We wait for really, what is often at times the best parts of Marvel movies - the "teasers" at the end. These have a great history of being awesome, from simply tying up loose ends to giving tantalizing hints at what's to come. Iron Man 3 being the exception, they have all been amazing. The best, in my opinion was the one at the end of The Avengers. On the opening night, Ed and I were leaning forward, falling out of our seats, and when we realized exactly who that was we collectively shit our pants. I grabbed on to Ed's knee and squeezed the life out of him, I was so excited, desperately containing squeals of delight. Some girl to the right and front of us asked in general, "who's that?". As if on cue, a guy in the higher up seats jumps up, both fists pumped in the air and bellowed "THANOOOOOS". It was magic.<br />
<br />
The teaser at the end of Thor 2, while not as a magical experience, it still jazzed us up. After a fast paced conversation that included phrases such as "OH MY GOD, THIS MEANS THE GAUNTLET" and "Will Adam Warlock show up?" we simmered down. I picked up my current cross stitch as Ed played around with the Blu-Ray special features. I was feeling pretty good, if a little chagrined, considering that I had completely forgotten about August's upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy. Derp, de derp. Ed was engrossed in watching some behind the scenes things, which I would cast covert glances at when Hiddleston was on screen.<br />
<br />
"Hey, there's one of those one shots on here. It's called "All Hail The King". Oh! It's got Ben Kingsley as the Mandarin again." Ed says, hitting play on the short.<br />
<br />
Ugh. Really? Now they're making shorts featuring that disaster? In spite of myself, I watched it.<br />
<br />
It was a proverbial "I'm sorry letter". It was better than the bouquet that contained The Collector, better than the sweets box featuring two very special twins at the end of Winter Solider. For me, this was the breaking of the ice, the first apology. It wasn't complete, since to repair the damage done by Iron Man 3 would take much more than just this one particular short. But it was good, and very entertaining.<br />
<br />
I took away an understanding that the powers that be realized that not everyone would accept or like their version of the Mandarin. Like it or not, it was the comic fans that made Iron Man so successful to begin with. This was their overture to us. It certainly doesn't make up for the other shitty things about Iron Man 3, but does start to scab the wound caused by the Mandarin. It was well acted, and actually very funny. The short also brings to bear more questions as well - what does this mean now? Are the Ten Rings going to make an appearance? Will there be more Iron Man movies? Questions I don't know how to answer, but I like being able to ask them.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ku6grvIqrkE/U7Ybxw2BMhI/AAAAAAAAAWA/89R0LMDYsLU/s1600/original.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ku6grvIqrkE/U7Ybxw2BMhI/AAAAAAAAAWA/89R0LMDYsLU/s1600/original.jpeg" height="320" width="320" /></a>So, Marvel and I are taking it easy. Some tentative hand holding, and maybe a peck on the cheek every now and again. I'm seriously looking forward to Guardians of the Galaxy - maybe we'll get to 1st base - as the theatrical trailers look very promising. Ed and I also had another pants shitting moment when we saw X-Men: Days of Future Past, at the very end. In addition to being a superb comic movie, the secret ending on THAT one was just too good, leaving me eagerly anticipating the next X-Men installment. And, of course, we have The Avengers: Age of Ultron. Something tells me with Joss Whedon at the helm once more, Marvel and I will go on to have a happy, healthy relationship again. No relationship is without it's bumps, but with all this great content coming up, I'm not ready to throw in the towel completely.<br />
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For more info on what's going on in the Thor 2 secret ending, <a href="http://youtu.be/m4VDHArC53U" target="_blank">this video is a great resource</a>.<br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/CFGg3fhYJHQ" target="_blank">The Avengers: Age of Ultron trailer</a><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/B16Bo47KS2g" target="_blank">Guardians of the Galaxy</a><br />
<a href="http://screenrant.com/marvel-all-hail-the-king-mandarin-clip/" target="_blank">Info on "All Hail The King"</a><br />
<a href="http://www.inquisitr.com/1200492/captain-america-2-secret-ending-how-the-end-credits-scene-will-affect-avengers-2/" target="_blank">Speculation on Captain America 2's secret ending</a><br />
<a href="http://marvel.com/search/?q=Marvel%20One-Shot&category=videos" target="_blank">Marvel One Shots</a><br />
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Stay Frosty,<br />
<br />
-GG<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02750120050731495492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949523265675154546.post-23008334873154810562014-05-06T08:17:00.002-07:002014-05-06T08:19:31.107-07:00The Reconciliation, Part One. It's not often I get to really geek out (It's also not often I actually get to blog....), but when I do I try to make it good.<br />
<br />
WARNING. This post contains spoilers for a buncha things, but mainly Iron Man 3. If you haven't seen it yet, for the love of God, get thee to a computer and Netflix that shit.<br />
<br />
The Reconciliation, Part One: The Break-Up.<br />
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Almost exactly a year ago, Iron Man 3 came out. This was my penultimate movie, with expectations running amok as I was coming off my high from The Avengers, this was to be the grand finale in the Iron Man saga. We had a phenomenal cast lined up - the obvious, principal players - Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Don Cheadle, but we also had Guy Pierce and the amazing Ben Kingsley rounding out this final installment. The trailers and posters looked amazing, leaked pictures and the media frenzy was promising. I did myself a service and took the advice from River Song and stayed away from spoilers. I wanted this to be special. I had taken the journey, all the way from the beginning - the opening night midnight showing all those years ago to now, wearing the very same "Mrs. Tony Stark" shirt I had made up for the first occasion. I was a different person, and a different fan, but my love for shellhead was stronger than ever.<br />
<br />
The depths of my disappointment was vast. I sat there with Ed, as the credits rolled and tried so hard to smile and say it was perfect. But I couldn't. Because it wasn't. I was let down badly because I felt the movie trashed everything that was exceptional about the comics. The Extermis story line was terribly mishandled, and the epitome of Iron Man villainy - the Mandarin - was turned into a bumbling, lecherous failed actor. A shameful misuse of the amazing talent of Ben Kingsley as well. Iron Man 3 was a nice action movie, over the top, complete with cute kid sidekick and pretty girlfriend, but it was missing heart and soul - that Marvel polish and panache - that defines not only the Iron Man movies but most Marvel movies. It was a betrayal on a Shakespearean scale. My trust was so broken, I shied away from comics and Marvel all together, weary and leery of anything bearing that red and white logo.<br />
<br />
I broke up with Marvel.<br />
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It wasn't a fitful break, there was no screaming, crying, gnashing of teeth. No 2 AM texts, drunkenly tapped out in a fit of despair and alcoholism. No shame spiral after realizing what it was you actually texted to the ex. It was quiet, done with a shake of the head, and a firm walking out. It still hurt, but there just wasn't any passion or desire to still be in this quasi-love affair. I was failed, terribly so, and I felt it was best to step away.<br />
<br />
In the intervening year I have been able to extrapolate some decency from the movie, find the good things, the silver lining. The ending, and not being snarky here, was well done as it exemplified something that has happened to Tony many, many times in the comics. Losing everything, and building from the ground up. Good. Many suits of armor. Also good (but bad too, since the collection was implemented fairly lamely). Lots of tech, also good but bad too, as we've seen Iron Man up against tech and prevail. Why can't we see our technological wonder up against something he's never seen before, something he hasn't prepared for and will have to use every shred of cognitive skill that brilliant brain of his holds to overcome? Like, say, magic or the supernatural or...something not of this world. Oh, right, because that would have been the realm of The Mandarin (or Doctor Doom, a girl can dream...), and we wouldn't want to follow those silly comic books because that just wouldn't be <i>clever enough.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
That, there is the crux of my issues with Iron Man 3. The loss of The Mandarin was a heavy blow as I was really super psyched as I followed the tantalizing hints and clues laid out in the first two movies. I could happily accept The Mandarin as the head of a terrorist organization - it was perfect, really. But was left bitter, disappointed and distrustful of Marvel.<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OLtVSrlsAFw/U2j80KpSLZI/AAAAAAAAAU4/GFKK6zCEHrA/s1600/this-title-took-me-12-minutes_c_837308.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OLtVSrlsAFw/U2j80KpSLZI/AAAAAAAAAU4/GFKK6zCEHrA/s1600/this-title-took-me-12-minutes_c_837308.webp" height="247" width="320" /></a><br />
Fast forward to this past weekend.<br />
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About a month ago, I made Ed take me to see Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel. I got guilty about it and decided to take Ed out to see Captain America: The Winter Solider, as he'd been dying to see it for over a month now. I had felt guilty because I was willfully ignoring the existence of a new Marvel movie, as I had done with Thor 2. Ignoring Cap was harder though, as he is Ed's main squeeze. It was a great movie, in all honesty, still working hard to tie in those threads from other Marvel movies but maintaining an identity. Also introducing The Falcon, yes! It was nice, it felt good. But my instincts were screaming to not fall into a trap, I would get hurt again.<br />
<br />
So, instead of being cautious, I decided that instead of waiting for Netflix, we were going to pick up Thor 2 right after the movie, because I was just in that mood.<br />
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Suddenly, and in spite of everything, the game was suddenly changed because of that one Blu-Ray disc.<br />
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Continued in Part 2....<br />
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Edit:<br />
I'm not going to expostulate further on why I thought Iron Man 3 was terrible. However, here are some articles that articulate my thoughts fairly well:<br />
<a href="http://uproxx.com/gammasquad/2013/05/10-reasons-to-hate-the-terrible-iron-man-3/" target="_blank">10 Reasons To Hare Iron Man 3</a><br />
<a href="http://newsok.com/4-reasons-why-iron-man-3-was-a-horrible-start-to-marvels-phase-2/article/3806180" target="_blank">4 Reasons Why Iron Man 3 Was A Horrible Start to Marvel's Phase 2</a> (a "normal" movie-goer perspective)<br />
<a href="http://www.examiner.com/review/iron-man-3-isn-t-just-bad-it-s-downright-insulting" target="_blank">Iron Man 3 Just Isn't Just Bad, It's Downright Insulting</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02750120050731495492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949523265675154546.post-30171263955706392282013-11-26T19:34:00.000-08:002013-11-26T19:34:44.912-08:00Fat Promotion and My Excuses. There seems to be a little bit of a war happening. Of course, this is the internet, when is someone not arguing with another person? When that stops, I think we've found the end of the internet. However, this one hits me harder than most stupid "controversies".<br />
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I have since April, been on a "Bradessy". The ever continuing struggle to find my perfect fitting bra. I'm still working on it, and it's a struggle, let me tell you. Thanks to the great community support (hyuk, hyuk) from <a href="http://www.bust.com/no-more-models-or-photoshop-lingerie-store-advertises-with-regular-women.html?utm_source=bust.com&utm_medium=module&utm_campaign=popular" target="_blank">/r/abrathatfits</a> I'm well on my way.<br />
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So, I have spent a serious time online looking at pictures of boobs, bras and breasts. More than your typical hormone pumped teen. It's a little embarrassing. I'm over it.<br />
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As I am shopping for bras I tend to see a lot of lingerie, which is awesome, because um...wow? Sexy smalls for the bedroom? I'm on board. Pretty frilly, frothy things to wear? Yay! No more beige, black and white bras! Matching sets? oh. em. gee. I've been delivered from Cacique and into the paradise of Freya, Panache and Elomi.<br />
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When I found<a href="http://www.bust.com/no-more-models-or-photoshop-lingerie-store-advertises-with-regular-women.html?utm_source=bust.com&utm_medium=module&utm_campaign=popular" target="_blank"> this article from Bust Magazine</a>, I was immediately intrigued. Thrilled, even. I tend to get bothered when I shop for clothes online, and the models tend to not be actually plus-sized. If I am going to buy a dress it would be nice to see it on a model who's body is closer to mine. Putting a size 10 in a baggy sweater is not fitting the bill. This article discusses how Chrystal Bougon owner of Curvy Girl Lingerie addresses this very concern. I also love that the article stresses that all women are "real", not just plus-size and curvy women. She puts out a call for women "<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">with rolls, bumps, lumps, scars, stretch marks, surgery scars and natural breasts that have nursed babies". No where does it specifically say she wants bigger ladies. It just so happens that bigger ladies have answered the call and the Bust article choose to have some lovely, cheerful women who are larger ladies. Brave, and inspiring and seriously refreshing!</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Then </span></span><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2513919/Why-overweight-women-proud-bodies-Controversial-fitness-mom-lands-trouble-Facebook-hate-speech.html" style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;" target="_blank">this article comes out on the Daily Fail</a><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">, about a woman who made some comments in response on Facebook. While the article speaks mainly about how Facebook banned her, because of her comments </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">and then reinstated her access</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">, the main impact of the article is the individual's attitude and response to the Bust Article. Maria Kang was accused of "fat shaming" because of her opinion that campaigns such as Chyrstal's are promoting obesity</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"> and taking pride in being overweight. Kang made some pretty controversial statements, including a photo of her posing with her three sons, all under the age of 5 under the heading "What's Your Excuse?". </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">With that line of thinking, I need to have to explain away my weight and size, because there HAS to be a reason, right? Because no one chooses to be fat, right? It's a completely abnormal abomination! I mean, since I was a little girl and well into my teens I was taught correctly by the media that to be normal and to fit in to society I should be thin. Or at least try to be thin! My God, what kind of person am I for not following the correct societal procedures that have been set before me?</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">My excuse? I have no excuses because I don't need any. I don't need to excuse myself to you, or anyone else about my size, shape or weight.</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> I don't promote anything on my Blog except a fun and quirky sense of fashion and taking JOY in life, no matter what someone looks like. Can we stop assuming that every larger person is lazy and just sits around and eats? Is it completely necessary to attempt to promote a fitness-centric lifestyle by shaming people into it? What good does that do, exactly?</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">It creates hurt feelings, anger and resentment. If this woman is so dedicated to getting people into the gym why does it have to be in such a manner? If she truly cared about me and my health, she would get off her narcissistic high horse and create a true dialogue about health and fitness. This woman only accomplishes self serving goals while under the guise of promoting fitness. And that is not right. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I am inundated every day with images and pictures of the ideal created by the industrial beauty machine. No one looks like me. Or any of the women in my family. Or the women I work with. Or my friends. Or my neighbor. Or anyone. We've gotten so wrapped up in a fantasy ideal of what is supposed to be and not be we've lost sight of each other. It's gotten too easy to sit there and call out someone for being fat. I could just as easily start shaming Maria Kang for being a bad mother. I can make all kinds of assumptions about her lifestyle, and assume she doesn't care for her children, because she obviously cares more about exercise. I mean, she's using her children for shameless self-promotion! What other conclusion could I make? Or I could also attack her body. Look, she's got no tits. She's almost flat chested, has no curves - she's ugly because she looks like a boy in a wig! Only dogs want bones, not real men. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> But you know what? That's childish, cruel and lacks any kind of constructive criticism. I don't know anything about her and her life, so how can I sit back and judge someone? We live in a culture where it is suddenly become okay to humiliate people into doing what "we" think is proper. Where when we are confronted with seeing a thicker waist, or a bit of back fat or...heaven forbid - belly rolls we're offended. We can attack people who are different because they don't fit. Literally. This needs to stop. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">My anecdotal truth is that I have struggled my whole life with my size, which has been the same since high school. It has taken me years to accept my body and be happy with myself and love myself. I will not let this self serving bitch, wrapped up in her security blanket of negativity bring down years of working towards the ultimate goal of loving myself. *I* am the only person who is allowed to judge myself. Trust me, I'm competent enough to decide weather I need to go to the gym, or not have that last cookie. I don't need anyone else to tell me what *I* need to do. If I suddenly decide I need to get a gym membership, it's a decision that I will make, thanks, and it's a decision I won't be shamed into. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">-GG</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02750120050731495492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949523265675154546.post-88038984095884397962013-10-24T06:11:00.002-07:002013-10-24T06:12:40.538-07:00Finally FallI have been so super psyched that it's finally fall, and the weather has been really quite nice, here in south east PA! It's been a great October so far, with a few events and my vacation to boot!<br />
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Earlier this month my friend I went to a fun little street fair in a<a href="http://www.historicfallsington.org/" target="_blank"> beautiful 300 year old village</a> rich with history and culture. I ended up making a few purchases: homemade dip mixes and horseradish mustard (made by a really super cool local guy who also does insane hot sauces), a pair of gorgeous turquoise earrings and a quirky pair of windmill earrings.<br />
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I also decided to get a hair cut:<br />
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I'm a much happier person with bangs, to be honest. I think it gives my face something....<i>else</i>...Anyway, I also decided to get the rest of my hair cut all the same length around too, because layers were getting raggedy on me and I was tired of it. I feel I have a more modern look.<br />
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Last Friday was a faaaaabulous gallery opening at <a href="http://www.groundsforsculpture.org/" target="_blank">The Grounds for Sculpture</a>! It was a fantastic evening! I fell completely in love with the new installations by Edwina Sandys, William Knight and Katie Murken. I also got to meet J. Seward Johnson, an artist and founder of the grounds, so it was pretty magical. He told us a silly story about meeting a German couple on the Queen Mary II. I think he was a little tipsy. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Katie Murken</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Katie Murken </td></tr>
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And of course:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dress: Bettie Paige Clothing via ModCloth<br />
Sweater: Target<br />
Stockings: Torrid<br />
Purse: Target, two years ago</td></tr>
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The outfit of the evening! It was also a cocktail hour, so I felt this dress was appropriate. The color and the print make it so vibrant and eye catching. I got tons of compliments and my friend Becky said people were turning their heads with appreciative glances. A success! My hair looks a little effed up because I didn't have time to refresh it before leaving.<br />
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The accessories:<br />
Shoes: Seychelles Footwear<br />
Necklace: Forever21<br />
Lipstick: Flower<br />
Quotation Earrings: ModCloth<br />
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There you have it! The month is almost done, but I'm not!<br />
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-GG<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02750120050731495492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949523265675154546.post-39174458936066995382013-06-19T08:34:00.000-07:002013-06-19T08:51:42.472-07:00Overdue.So, since I haven't posted anything for a while, I figured I might as well throw an outfit on the wall. It's from a while ago:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orange Bow Blouse :: Mod Cloth<br />
Cardigan :: Target<br />
Rock Steady Skirt :: Mod Cloth<br />
Brouges :: DSW<br />
Elephant Pin :: Vintage, circa 30's or 40's<br />
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So, not the best picture, it was taken the morning after an event I had to do for work. Ed and I were the youngest people attending, which was okay, but it did make for a dull time since we really had no one to talk to. To make us feel better, we went out for a drink afterwards and stayed out pretty late. That's my excuse for having train wreck hair and I am sticking to it. </div>
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Anyway, the outfit. I like this because it's a bit of a departure from my usual jewel-tone color palette and I like how the brown, navy and orange all kinda go together. The base of the outfit is from Mod Cloth, probably the first place I tend to shop. I was worried the skirt wouldn't fit, but it did, like a dream. It's cut in a circle, so it swings when I walk and is just so damn cute. The blouse is also from Mod Cloth, an item I had literally fantasized about for weeks before buying it. I bought it way too big though - I bought a 4x when I really should have a 3x or even a 2x. Oops. When I buy straight sized clothes, I overcompensate for my overly large boobs and forget about not having to do that with Plus-Sizes. Derp. It's okay though, it works the way I want it too. The shoes we've seen before, no real comment except that they can also be found on Mod Cloth, tehehe. The broach was an awesome find! I got it from an antiques flea market I've been obsessing about recently for ten bucks! It adds a certain panache to my outfits.Here's closer picture of it:</div>
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Anyway, my current lustiness:</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let the whining commence<br />
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I am so crushing on this dress, it's getting to the point of embarrassing. <a href="http://www.pocketrocketfashion.com/pr/" target="_blank">Pocket Rocket</a> instantly became one of my favorite Blogs since I found her. I was so super excited that she got to design a dress along with two other gorgeous UK Bloggers for SimplyBe (note: whyunohavestoreinUSA?Fix nao plz). Hers is my favorite. The yellow and pink is too delightful to pass up, and the quirky and cute print is subtle enough to get away with at work. Just bummed I ended up missing a 40% off code because I'm broke. Oops. Lesson learned.</div>
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Till next time!</div>
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-GG</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02750120050731495492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949523265675154546.post-17963686859132869812013-04-13T07:22:00.003-07:002013-04-13T07:42:28.587-07:00Vintage Finds of the Pyrex KindWait, whut?<br />
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Yes, you read the title of this post correctly. Pyrex. Vintage Pyrex to be exact. It's kinda my new thing, which pretty much happened out of nowhere.<br />
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It started when I felt that I needed new mixing bowls and I wanted vintage mixing bowls to give my kitchen a special touch. I recalled from my distant childhood seeing sets of bowls with handles and printed flowers. That's pretty much it. I set about finding the these bowls, first at the <a href="http://www.trentonpunkrockfleamarket.com/" target="_blank">Trenton Punk Rock Flea Market</a>. Um, yeah, fucking awesome place, lots of cool vintage and handmade items but no vintage cookware (I was totally cool with that as I scored a ton of awesome shit).<br />
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So, I decided I should try the local antique mall. For those who don't know, an antique mall is usually a large space divided up into stalls or separate areas. Vendors rent these spaces out and carefully tag their items with a code so when you go to pay at a central register, they get paid. I really like the place I go to, it's stuffed full of awesome vintage and antique items and the prices are fairly decent.<br />
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I scoured the place, and found exactly what I was looking for:<br />
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Pretty much EXACTLY what I had in mind. I was STOKED. I browsed around and found this:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook is awesome.</td></tr>
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Pink, 1950's divided casserole dish. So very cute, right?<br />
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At this point I was happy. I found the bowl I was looking for, and a really terribly adorable casserole dish that was cool for just being a piece of cookware older then me. I also discovered what this stuff actually was - "pyrex". It gave me some pause as I knew I had some random, yet rather ugly, piece of pyrex in my kitchen. Who knew it came in colors?<br />
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A few days later a co-worker, knowing my recent proclivities, brought in<a href="http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/burlington_county_times_news/s-kitchen-bakeware-back-in-style/article_2f3af0a9-98f8-5a26-ba11-cbb4021503e6.html?mode=story" target="_blank"> this really nifty article</a> for me to read. The piece detailed a local couple who transformed their boring kitchen into a 50's style diner kitchen, complete with Juke Box, teal blue booth and kitchen accessories. Whilst finding the right accouterments for their kitchen, they started collecting vintage Pyrex. The article pretty much ends with how the guy got into collecting cookware and basically how awesome pyrex is.<br />
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Whut?<br />
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This stuff is collectible?<br />
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The article mentioned a website, called <a href="http://www.pyrexlove.com/" target="_blank">Pyrex Love</a>, which was my next stop. Pretty much it's an online compendium of everything pyrex and related to pyrex. Extremely useful for collecting.<br />
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From there, I was off and running:<br />
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Meet (from left to right): Butterprint refrigerator dish, Friendship round cinderella casserole dish, and Butterfly Gold small cinderella mixing bowl.<br />
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Two things: YES, I use most of my pyrex for it's intended uses. No, I don't nuke it in the microwave. Also, I discovered my red guy had a lid, after some research on Pyrex Love. First ebay pyrex purchase, and I was SO nervous it would break. It arrived in perfect shape. (The home made mac and cheese was also delicious!)<br />
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From what I understand, the refrigerator sets are not terribly rare, just terribly popular. Probably for the age, kitsch factor, colors and dead usefulness. This set was missing one little red box, I picked it up for 25 bucks, quite a steal.<br />
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One of my more recent finds, from the antique store, the Daisy mixing bowl set. It's in really good shape and has already gotten lots of use.<br />
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PLATES?!? Yep, they match the little tea cups pictured with the refrigerator box set. I love these. They are so sturdy and extremely pretty. I got mine a little faded, but I don't care.<br />
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Above is probably my best piece. I wish I could brag that I found it in the "wild", but it was really on ebay. It's called Balloons, and is a limited edition promotional set called a chip n dip. You see, people in the 50's were more civilized, and seemed to have eaten their chips and dips from actual bowls and not just shoved a mass of chips and dips into their craws as we do today. Anyway, I just have the chip bowl. The dip bowl is hard to find and forget about the bracket to put it all together.<br />
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This isn't even the start of what I have. I have acquired more since there pictures were taken (all from my Instafeed, lawl) and I keep getting more. What is it that draws me to this? I couldn't tell you. I love to cook, so having quirky conversational cookware is pretty ballin to me. It's also a no-brainier as I have developed a fascination with all things vintage. I love the idea of a different time, where you brought casseroles to a new neighbor in a pretty dish to welcome them to the neighborhood. Or served up something delicious at a BBQ in a beautiful bowl. The presentation was just as good as the food itself. Perhaps it's that attention to detail and craftsmanship we lack in today's world. Go to Wal-Mart and browse the cookware department. You'll see the same sturdy names from yesteryear - Pyrex and Anchor-Hocking, but the designs are boring and plain. A one size fits all approach to individuality. For someone who embraces her uniqueness and je ne sais quoi, the crap on those shelves is not worth it. It's worth noting that some of my bowls, dishes and bakewear is nearly older than me and my fiancee - combined. That these items have held up over the years speaks volumes about the quality. I have a set of dishes from Target that's pretty much chipped to hell and that was bought only seven years ago.<br />
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So, where do I find this stuff? It's tough to find anything good out in the "wild". Thrift stores are usually my first place to stop. There is one large thrift store near me that sometimes has some good finds, like the large yellow mixing bowl from the primary set and red and blue fridge boxes (I bought the blue one, it looked so sad). I see more Corning items and Glassbake than anything. I have also seen the ubiquitous fruit pattern from FireKing countless times. I am still waiting for that ultimate score. I can't help but think the guy from the kitchen article above is picking everything over in the area, haha.<br />
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I get frustrated from scouring thrift stores and then go to the Antique Mall to get my fix. I'm not lying, it really is like a fix. The prices there are good, sometimes better than Ebay, and ALWAYS better than smaller boutique like antique stores. I have just recently tried flea markets, one nice one my mother dragged me to as a kid was called "Golden Nugget" in the Lambertville area in New Joisey. They have an outdoor area filled with wonders and an inside building area filled with wonders. One stall like area is JUST PYREX. Well, mostly. She's got Jadeite, Corning, and some other random items. But her prices are astronomical. She knows how much she can charge and has had issues competing with Etsy. I don't buy Pyrex from Etsy. It's overpriced for the idiot hipsters who don't know how to use Ebay. I tend to use Ebay with great sucess and get some amazing deals on there. I've never had a mishap in shipping and never felt I was overpaying.<br />
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All in all, Pyrex is pretty much my new thing. It's a fun and fairly cheap collectible. Just...where the hell am I going to put all this stuff!?!<br />
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Cheers,<br />
-GG<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02750120050731495492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949523265675154546.post-88357523425018759332013-04-03T17:19:00.000-07:002013-04-03T17:21:29.243-07:00Beaster Outfit.Hullo! It's been months, since I have last posted. I truly haven't forgotten about my blog, nor have I been too busy to write a post. I have just simply been incredibly lazy. C'est la vie.<br />
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Anyway, I wore a pretty banging outfit for Easter and I felt it needed to be shared. I decided to serve up some vintage realness.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My fiancee took the picture, said I needed to smile and not look cranky<br />
Head to Toe: hat, vintage; sweater, Target; sweater guard, vintage; dress, Forever 21<br />
tights, Target; shoes, Naya Shoes; bag, Coach Poppy Collection, <br />
stupid hair band I left on my wrist, Wal-Mart.</td></tr>
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I don't usually devote whole posts to an outfit, but I felt so darn cute, I couldn't help it. I also felt extremely proud for being able to match up that peachy-salmon-pink color of the dress with a cardigan. Speaking of the dress, it was pretty insane it came from Forever 21. It's really well constructed, LINED, and the pleats are sewn in. Ed's nephew's girlfriend demanded to see the tag before she believed me. Only issue: it's dry clean only. Which is pretty ridiculous for a 30 dollar dress, but hey, one last thing I need to haul the laundromat right? Anyway, I really like the blue of cardigan and the pink of the dress together. I used the grey tights as a nice base to kind of tone down the other bright colors. The shoes are a great color and pretty much go with anything in my closet! They are also SO comfortable. I can wear them all day at work and then some.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TREATS!!</td></tr>
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Can't have Easter without some treats! Ed got me a pink chocolate bunny and two bars of Dairy Milk. That stuff is pretty much crack in chocolate form. So. Damn. Good.<br />
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Two more instragramy pictures. I thought they came out kinda cool :) Anyway, I have some ideas for blog posts and a few things I want to write about, so hopefully I can get the motivation! Ha!<br />
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Huggles and Kissles<br />
-GG<br />
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P.S. Did you know that a group of unicorns is called a "Blessing". I HAD NO IDEA.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02750120050731495492noreply@blogger.com0Morrisville, PA, USA40.2114977 -74.78793989999996940.1629907 -74.868620899999968 40.2600047 -74.707258899999971tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949523265675154546.post-89006486946350709982013-01-12T19:41:00.003-08:002013-04-13T07:44:31.102-07:00Hello, loverSo, last week this happened:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TOOQEepDgnc/UPIbkvXaGLI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/S_rpA2mEx8I/s1600/IMG_2245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TOOQEepDgnc/UPIbkvXaGLI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/S_rpA2mEx8I/s320/IMG_2245.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HOLY FUCK.</td></tr>
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What exactly is that thing, you say? Well, that would be an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inlays_and_onlays" target="_blank">onlay filling</a>, which I have conveniently rocked a wiki. It's like a cross between a crown and a filling, except there's no root canal and it's porcelain and doesn't cover the whole tooth like a cap. That's why it looks all jacked up on the right hand side, as it just fills in what the dentist drilled out. So, the logical question is, "Why, is it out of your mouth and in your hand?". Because it fucking fell out of my tooth. I was eating lunch at work, admittedly, a <a href="http://www.target.com/p/archer-farms-simply-balanced-organic-pomegranate-fruit-strips-25-ct-12-5-oz/-/A-13270672#prodSlot=medium_1_56&term=archer farms" target="_blank">fruit strip</a> (um yeah, they are THAT GOOD) that was a little chewy. And it just...fell...out of my mouth. I had the typical panic attack that accompanies anything like that this that happens to me, calmed down and made a call to the dentist. I have a new dentist (as IF I was going back to the hack who put the damn thing in, in the first place) who saw me on Monday, popped the sucker back in while I was comfortably relaxing in a big cushy chair whilst watching Alton Brown. WIN.<br />
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So, to make myself feel better I decided to go to DSW for some late night shoe shopping! I had a lot fun trying on shoes and taking pictures, for what is really my first shopping trip that I am blogging about!<br />
Without further adieu:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HG0jZwaRVEw/UPIeRjamYfI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/zmwrhx_4e48/s1600/IMG_2247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HG0jZwaRVEw/UPIeRjamYfI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/zmwrhx_4e48/s320/IMG_2247.JPG" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Okay, I need to work on taking selfies.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting better?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J86v57Rp04c/UPIeSeF_PYI/AAAAAAAAAKc/d-slA-_GgO8/s1600/IMG_2249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J86v57Rp04c/UPIeSeF_PYI/AAAAAAAAAKc/d-slA-_GgO8/s320/IMG_2249.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...I gave up and just took the damn shoe off.</td></tr>
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I saw these pretty quickly and made a bee line. I believe they were Steve Madden or Madden Girl and can be found <a href="http://www.modcloth.com/shop/shoes-heels/colorful-of-life-wedge" target="_blank">here</a>, interestingly enough, by a different company. Anyway, I loved the colors and the print. I have a pair of flats from Target in a similar style and I love them, as this type of print is pretty versatile. However, HOLY CRAP these are high. Like, four inches high. I almost DIED wearing these shoes, no lie. I tripped around the aisle getting a feel for these bad boys and felt they were comfortable, but just too high for me. I am already about 5'5", so I was close to six feet tall in these, which was just too weird for me. As a clumsy person, I need my center of gravity to be MUCH lower. But very tempting and fairly comfortable.<br />
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Okay, a secret: I have ALWAYS wanted a pair of cowboy boots. I looooove the look and feel and decided to try a pair on! Yay......Okay, so, not so great, but that could just be the pair I tried. I liked the pretty blue paired with the brownish color of the rest of the boot and the pattern. But they felt exactly how they should have - fake. The material was this strange puffy fake leather stuff that just felt weird. I was expecting something stiffer and hardier. I think I am going to hold out for real cowboy boots.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">lol, they blend into my tights.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yep, that would be me in my tatty green coat.</td></tr>
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Oh, these shoes! I have a bad weakness for flats and patent leather. And recently for the color blue. Even though they made me look kind of like an elf with my tights, I pretty much loved them. They were tight, but I like to buy my flats tight as they tend to stretch out for me. I couldn't remember who made them in the slightest. But they were on clearance and seriously wanting to come home with me. </div>
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Oh, I loved these shoes sooo much. Again, I can't remember who they were from - an expensive department store brand - but I do remember loving them. I love wedges, as they are comfy and easy to wear for work, so these caught my eye. The leopard print was just too good as well. I don't usually go for animal prints, but the black wedge heel really toned the print down in a classy way. Unfortunately, I couldn't justify the $80.00 (clearance!) price tag, no matter how much I loved them.<br />
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I have been trying to explore more shoe options and one of them was the idea of boots. Especially ankle style boots. Scary because I feel I have thick calves and I worry that boots like these would make my legs look stumpy. I was pleasantly surprised in the end. At first I thought these were too tough looking and very grungy, which isn't me in the slightest. Turns out that paired with a skirt, boots can be quite cute! I was really happy to see the laces had military style eyelets, which helps customize the fit. Hooray, my big calves fit! The soles felt nice and cushy too. For being on clearance for 20 bucks, I could over look the fact that the materials were not real leather. You know, saving cows and whatnot. I didn't get them, but I will be back for these. If they are still there - it was meant to be!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gold and purple, oh, myyyyy!</td></tr>
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Okay, last pair and only one picture. A DSW employee started to straighten up the clearance are I was playing around in, casting glances in my direction. An overly polite way of saying, "Stop taking self photos, you're scaring the customers." Anyway, these are Jessica Simpson, another overpriced brand I don't like to wear. I thought these were cute, but big! You can see the space between the back of my heel and the shoe. I liked the two tone color scheme, and the fuzzy suede upper of the shoe, but I could tell these would get real uncomfortable real quick. Plus, gold really isn't my thing, but it looked so cute I was willing to give them a try. </div>
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So, in the end, what did I end up buying? (durrrr, we all know I don't leave the shoe store without buying something, ha!)<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wBpkU1UxmcU/UPIeZhlkWJI/AAAAAAAAAMY/PUr8SNSk0VQ/s1600/IMG_2274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wBpkU1UxmcU/UPIeZhlkWJI/AAAAAAAAAMY/PUr8SNSk0VQ/s320/IMG_2274.JPG" width="239" /></a>I got these! Actually, these pretty brogues were half the onus of going to DSW, aside from making myself feel better. I saw them on <a href="http://www.modcloth.com/shop/shoes-flats/reading-room-romance-flats" target="_blank">ModCloth</a>, and went out hoping I would find sometime similar and ended up finding the same damn show. I LOVE them to pieces. They are comfortable, breathe and move well and weren't too expensive. My only complaint is that the creases from walking show up, badly. It's minor and can be justified that it gives the pair character.<br />
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Oh and my reward for that hard shopping: a salad from Saladworks!</div>
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Until next time!<br />
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-GG<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02750120050731495492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949523265675154546.post-79656994589665508512013-01-02T08:47:00.000-08:002013-01-09T05:15:19.996-08:00December 2012<br />
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Sort of a moot point since I am making this post two days after December and 2012 ended. Oh well, I was busy on New Years Eve.<br />
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Well, so what is so important about December 2012? To me? This past month has been a bit of a turning point in my life. It signified an end and a beginning.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3XAUZ6ijfzc/UORh2LLrJoI/AAAAAAAAAI0/YVpXBnjzsQo/s1600/IMG_2089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3XAUZ6ijfzc/UORh2LLrJoI/AAAAAAAAAI0/YVpXBnjzsQo/s200/IMG_2089.JPG" width="200" /></a>To start, I went on this insane <i>BEST FUCKING CHRISTMAS EVER</i> bender where I was determined to make the holiday season worth it. I shopped till I literally dropped. My wallet hemorrhaged cash like the Crazy 88 spurting copious amounts of blood in Kill Bill. I bought ornaments and stockings, baked a cake, did holiday-like-things, and sang Christmas carols in the shower.<br />
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Why go through all this nonsense? Last Christmas really sucked. Ed lost his job the month before, so any real cheer we had was gone with it. It was a lean Christmas, to say the least, and pretty miserable. Hence, my manic desire to make this one a good time.<br />
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Was it any different? Truthfully, not really. We did the same things and saw the same people, with one exception- My Mom. Since she moved this summer to upstate Pennsy, which is about 6 hours away, I haven't seen her. Visiting was pretty much out of the question since my corporate overlords put a moratorium on time off during Christmas. At least we were able to get presents for people. Regardless of all the cheeriness, there was still a pall over the entire season, hanging over our heads.<br />
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This coming year will place us right back where we were, almost at the same time as last year. Ed got word sometime last month that he will be losing his job. Again. That kind of put a damper on things, yet made me strive to have a good time.<br />
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One thing that was great? Our Anniversary. We had it low key, got some food and looked at Christmas lights, with some yummy warm drinks, went home spent some time with friends and drank a bottle of wine. Now, that was awesome. That is what it's all about.<br />
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Okay, before I get all sentimental and have the realization that Christmas is all about family, friends, love, warm feelings, peace on earth and Jesus, let's get one thing clear here - that's not my point. My point is that it doesn't have to have a holiday to have the <i> BEST FUCKING WHATEVER</i>. Sometimes those good times just happen and they don't. Holidays don't come with a mandate that they must be good. Honestly, I've had more good "off days" than actual holidays. I got so damn stressed out about Christmas, I lost sight of the fact that just because it's Christmas doesn't mean it HAS to be good.<br />
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So, I did have a pretty damn good Christmas, when all was said and done. However, I spent so much time forcing a good holiday, I stopped having fun at times. But I realized that I needed to let things happen, and not force it, but let things flow in a zen-like state. But I am thankful it's over and 2013 is here. Cheers, to a New Year, here's hoping 2013 will bring some goodness. <br />
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Note: The bracelet and pug necklace are from <a href="http://www.cheapfrills.bigcartel.com/" target="_blank">Cheap Frills</a>, and I looooove them. Best Christmas Presents evar. <div>
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Christmas Outfit Above: Black Blouse with velvet hearts and pussy bow: <a href="http://www.forever21.com/" target="_blank">Forever21</a>. Red cardi: Target. Corset belt: <a href="http://www.torrid.com/" target="_blank">Torrid</a> (from yeeears ago). Skirt, with velvet fans:<a href="http://www.bettiepageclothing.com/" target="_blank"> Bettie Page</a>.</div>
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Note on that skirt: OH MY GOD. I love that skirt. I waited a really long time to get it, and it really is gorgeous. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02750120050731495492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949523265675154546.post-35008873690903035142012-06-23T12:48:00.001-07:002012-06-23T14:38:42.505-07:00GURLS<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T3yf3-GA55E/T-YW1E7drLI/AAAAAAAAAHU/YGcHur9C95E/s1600/0322-girls_aw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T3yf3-GA55E/T-YW1E7drLI/AAAAAAAAAHU/YGcHur9C95E/s320/0322-girls_aw.jpg" width="320" /></a>So, recently I've been watching a new show that premiered this spring on HBO called "Girls". The season is over at this point, after a ten episode run, and I literally just finished the finale two minutes ago. I didn't get a chance to watch it when it first aired because, well, Mad Men was on at the same time. Priorities, yo. So, whilst on couch-cation (vacation, only staying on your couch) I decided I would give it a try. <br />
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Turns out, it's pretty good.<br />
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The show is the result of collaboration between uber-talented Lena Dunham and Judd Apatow. Until the show I never heard of Lena, but apparently she's been around the independent film circuit as actor, writer and director. In addition to writing and directing the show, Lena plays Hannah Horvath, an awkward aspiring writer who's basically cut off by her parents, who have been supporting her financially since her graduation from college. She's got three friends, Marnie (Allison Williams) her slightly prissy, very pretty roommate; Shoshanna (Zosia Mamet) the sheltered, extremely awkward, friend and finally, Jessa (Jemima Kirke) the worldly, elegant British cousin to Shoshanna. Aaaaand of course, there's the "boyfriend" Adam.<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3733434/"> </a><br />
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So, reminds us of another HBO show about for gals in the city making their own way, having sex their own way and dressing in their own way, right? Exactly. The very first episode makes note of this fact. The producers know their audience is not stupid and can see the similarities between Sex and The City and Girls. The young women in the show have come of age watching Sex and The City and thus inspired, they do the same thing Carrie, Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte do - go to the city and try to make it. Which is why I like to call it "Hipster Sex and The City" - yeah, lets be honest here - the show takes place in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. This caused me to look at the show with more than a pinch of derision at first. <br />
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Thankfully, the producers were careful to make clear that this is not just another SATC clone. Careful attention is paid to who these girls are and how they live what would be appropriate for someone in their situations. This make the characters far, far more relatable than the SATC ladies.They are closer to me in age, career and hell, even finances. It's nice to see Hannah broke because she's struggling, not be because<br />
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she's got $40,000 in designer shoes. I do think her apartment is a little too nicely decorated though. Another thing about the show that gives it so much strength is that each character is intensely, gloriously and painfully flawed. And those flaws are displayed for the world to see. Granted for all these great flaws, all the characters can come off as petty, bitchy and whiny and pretty much unlikeable. I have read more and than one review that has pointed this and other aspects of the show. Get over it. This is what makes the show good and interesting. I like the fact that Jessa is a bit of a bitchy whore, and Marnie has a 10 foot pole up her ass. This makes me want to watch the show to see how the characters will or will not grow and develop. <br />
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Of course, this warts and all approach to young life and love in an urban setting is not complete with out copious amounts of good humor. Sometimes, we can't help but watch as Hannah muddles about her job, or Shoshanna is stressing out about the proper "Rules" for dating. I think my favorite character is Adam, for all his bizarre mannerisms, he is quite hilarious. Which gives the show it's charm, I think. Some of the things the characters do and go through are downright odd, but it's so quirky and charming you cannot help but laugh and enjoy. This is all thanks to the amazing writing on the show. The quips and one liners that get bandied about are funny and intelligent and make the show interesting. Does anyone truly speak like this? Of course not, but this is TV not real life and that is why we watch TV. <br />
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The season finale left me in a good place with this show. It's nice to end a season and not end up hating a bunch of characters for the numbskull shit they do. Once scene in particular helped endear me a little more towards Ray, the cynical, kind-of-a-jerk guy who works in a coffee shop and came dangerously close to becoming hipster cliche. Truthfully, this show helped me a bit in coming to terms with my own position in life, if not made me feel a little bit better that at my age not everyone has it completely together. This production, to me, embodies the idea that we're still seeking who we are after college. The myth that after graduation a magical switch doesn't get flipped and you suddenly get your shit together. Doesn't work that way, especially in this current economic climate. And that's okay. You do the best you can. I see Hannah struggling with everything and everyone and all the problems she's fallen into and created herself and yet, you're given a sense that everything is going to be okay. It probably won't happen soon, but, at some point it will. <br />
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To me, watching a TV show like this gives me hope for more quality programming. I just hope this gets picked up for a second season. Oh, Mighty TV Gods, make it happen!<br />
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Until The Next Time I Remember I Have A Blog,<br />
-GG <br />
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P.S. First season trailer for you viewing pleasure:<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02750120050731495492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949523265675154546.post-75013041081900533212012-06-15T17:09:00.003-07:002012-06-15T17:12:34.944-07:00The saddest accessory of them all.So, keeping in vein with my original idea of this blog to mix girly and geeky I bring you a post on jewelry.<br />
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Not just any jewelry - brooches!<br />
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And I am hearing the crickets. Regardless, brooches and pins are probably my favorite accessory of all time and probably one of the most over looked. Yes ladies, brooches are not just for Grandma and Ladies Who Lunch anymore.<br />
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I tend to wear a ton of swears and cardigans, all year round, summer included. I work in an office, so sometimes it gets pretty chilly in there and I don't know how to work the thermostat. Truthfully, even if I did I wouldn't touch it because I would get my arm ripped off and beaten with it if I even entertained the notion. So, sweaters it is! My general "uniform" consists of work pants, plain nice tee and a cardigan. Blaaaaaaaah. So I dress it up a bit. A nice necklace and earrings and a brooch pinned to the lapel of my blouse or on the cardigan itself.<br />
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I tend to normally choose items of clothing and adornment that are different and not your usual. Same goes for my choices in brooches. I like to have a few rules for myself, to keep it in line with who I am and what I like to wear. My criteria:<br />
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<li>Keep it funny, interesting and whimsical</li>
<li>No over-the-top fake bling</li>
<li>Nothing too crafty looking</li>
<li>No badges or button pins</li>
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So, that being said, lets take a look at my own personal collection:<br />
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This is part of the whole collection. You can see I like a variety of things to stick on myself. The green flower to the left tends to get a lot of compliments. One of my favorites is the owl one, it's actually a vintage puzzle piece I got from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/" target="_blank">Etsy</a>.<br />
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The other side of the picture above. And yes that is a Mockingjay Pin from The Hunger Games. I love this one because it's nice enough to wear at work, but still really cool and shows of my fandom.<br />
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This one I got recently, on Mill St. in Bristol, PA at the Mill Street Marketplace, in a basket full of vintage jewelry for a DOLLAR. Anyway, I just really love that it's a DUCK (reminds me of Dooney and Burke's duck), and is pretty unique. Here, I am rocking it on a collar of one of my most loved dresses from my vast shirt dress collection. He looks so nice with the green and blue.<br />
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This one is one of my very favorite brooches, for it's "expect the unexpected" feel. Most people who look at it are not expecting an octopus on such a pretty cameo. I got this one at the 2012 Philadelphia Tattoo Convention (side bar: It fucking rocked.) from<a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/MizzMechanique" target="_blank"> Mechanique Steampunk</a> (aka Mizz Mechanique).<br />
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This one is really special to me because it's vintage costume jewelry from my Great Aunt Andy who set it aside specifically for me before she died. It's so pretty and feminine, I always have to wear it with pastels and embellished cardigans. And of course, I love to wear it because it makes me think of my Andy.<br />
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Last but not least of this sampling, RED SPARKLY butterfly. This one looks really nice on prints and really most about everything. I was looking specifically for something in red since I lack that color in my jewelry in general. I found it at Rosebush Antiques in Langhorne, PA a HUGANTIC antique store with a tea room! I also really like to pin this one to the knot on the scarf thing attacked to the blouse in the picture. The black and white makes it pop well.<br />
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There you have it, some of my fave pieces of jewelry. I tend to find my most liked peices at vintage stores, second hand shops and antique stores, but I don't limit myself to just those places. I also don't wear them all the time, because truthfully, sometimes it doesn't work the outfit or I am over accessorized already. However, I still find brooches to be timeless and perfect for work, casual or formal outfits. Just remember, choose pieces that speak to you and fit to your style and personality.<br />
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Untill Next Time I Remember I Have A Blog<br />
-GGAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02750120050731495492noreply@blogger.com0Morrisville, PA, USA40.2114977 -74.787939940.187245700000005 -74.8274219 40.2357497 -74.748457899999991tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949523265675154546.post-38080120132154293642012-06-09T22:22:00.001-07:002012-06-09T22:22:57.996-07:00blogs are sooooo....last year.lol. What Blog? Haven't posted in about a year. Get over it. I'm listening to Queen and all is well in the world.<br />
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Well, really, it's better than just well. This year has been pretty bombastic for me, thus far; my fiancee lost his job back in November, so that was alllll kinds of fun. He's got a new one, so we're getting through. My own career has been moving right along - no promotions or anything, but the usual "here's more responsibilities with no extra pay". But, truthfully, the opportunities that were presented to me can only help me rather than hinder. So, sally forth, I say! Sadly, my geeky nuptials have been postponed, which is fiiiine by me as I have no idea what I am doing when it comes to planning a wedding and flat out refuse to waste money on a Bridal Magazine or time reading froofy wedding blogs and web sites.<br />
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In the realm of geek, this year has been FANDIDDLYTASTIC. Firstly and foremost, we've got THE AVENGERS. I saw it twice and each time was as good as the first. My fiancee and I basically popped out of our seats when we saw the end (you know what I am talking about). And of course, the very tail end of the movie has given birth to such hilarity as this:<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> via::<a href="http://memegenerator.net/instance/19986020" target="_blank">Meme Generator</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Personally, I don't know what the hell Shawarma is, but the pictures of it I found on Google don't look too appetizing. Of course, this is coming from someone who believes heart attack bacon cheeseburger rolls are an epicurean delight. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Anyway, we also had Hunger Games in March, which was pretty amazeballs and Game of Thrones in April. THEN came Diablo III, which I refuse to play because Blizzard trapped me into one vicious addition cycle and I won't fall for it again. NO, I WON'T. Well, that and my computer can't handle it, so tra la la la.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Speaking of video games, I have been playing lots of Skyrim. Nupe, still haven't beaten it, and I am still at like...level 25. Why? Because I keep 'sploring things. Lots of things. I won't do a review on it, since it's already been beaten into the dust. I will comment on this though: <a href="http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2012/06/08/skyrim-update-adds-mounted-combat.aspx" target="_blank">MOUNTED COMBAT</a>. Finally? Yes, I think so.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I haven't tried it yet, but it's about fucking time. For me, the length of time to get off the damn horse to go beat on things was too long. Then, for whatever asinine reason, my horse starts getting in on the action (truthfully, it's kinda funny when your horse gets the kill shot in on a dragon.). And then usually dies. Which is doubly enraging because I have Frost, the named horse you get from <a href="http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Promises_to_Keep" target="_blank">this quest</a>. Riften makes me do bad things. I hate when my Frost dies. Because that means reloading, and since I have lost brain cells from copious alcohol consumption, I don't remember to save. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Anyway, I am looking forward to firing up my Sexy Box to try this bitch out. And Oh, Yes, I have a very Sexy Box indeed: </span> </span><br />
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My Fiancee actually built this beast from spare parts, and bought a Ruby Red Crystal case from <a href="http://www.llamma.com/xbox360/" target="_blank">Llamma's</a> and also put in a red LED Whisper Fan and Red LED Kit from <a href="http://www.ghostcase.com/" target="_blank">Ghost Case</a>. Sweet, huh? Most girls want ruby rings or bracelets. I get Ruby XBox 360 Mods. THAT GLOW. Dalek not included. :P<br />
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So, there you have it. My Blog has been resurrected for the third time. Lets see if I made another post. <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02750120050731495492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949523265675154546.post-50719361483936609782011-08-06T17:39:00.000-07:002011-08-06T18:00:11.787-07:00Week End Round Up!Awesome shit I found on the internet this week!<br /><br />1.<br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hpjaOUjUPUc" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />::Do not deny a pug food. You will pay for it.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />2.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4LiU6gxqRM/Tj3gZR9TEKI/AAAAAAAAACc/sVhF78OIoro/s1600/article-2022477-0D4C6B7100000578-49_468x730.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 128px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4LiU6gxqRM/Tj3gZR9TEKI/AAAAAAAAACc/sVhF78OIoro/s200/article-2022477-0D4C6B7100000578-49_468x730.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637909033459585186" border="0" /></a><br /><br />:: <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2022477/Bride-old-sorted-weds-127-year-old-dress-worn-great-great-grandmother.html">This Article</a> about a woman's 127 year old wedding dress from The Daily Mail.<br /><br /><br />3.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UrGk8Z2Mo4s/Tj3hbqMk8uI/AAAAAAAAACk/fxaOuUH34Ac/s1600/8039_hey_nyan_full_2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 147px; height: 147px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UrGk8Z2Mo4s/Tj3hbqMk8uI/AAAAAAAAACk/fxaOuUH34Ac/s200/8039_hey_nyan_full_2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637910173837488866" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.shanalogic.com/best-sellers/nyan-cat-necklace.html">:: NYAN CAT</a> Necklace, courtesy of <a href="http://www.shanalogic.com/">ShanaLogic.com</a><br />(Yes, I did buy it, and it is FABULOUS)<br /><br /><br />4.<br /><a href="http://www.totallysevere.com/story_dino7.html"><br />The Story of Bob the Dinosaur</a><br /><br />::It's awesome.<br /><br /><br />And that's all I got! :DUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949523265675154546.post-56552814358123561572011-07-31T19:29:00.001-07:002011-07-31T19:31:35.421-07:00Room in a Box.<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ajzM8nRfkfY" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" width="425"></iframe><br /><br />I thought this to be fairly interesting. The furniture looks slightly flimsy and bed seriously uncomfortable, but I LOVE the idea! It's like a merging of worlds for people who love IKEA and moving. A lot.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949523265675154546.post-31671796362406578872011-07-31T16:46:00.000-07:002011-07-31T19:00:19.530-07:00I have Ascended.Yesterday morning I woke up with the old World of Warcraft loading screen theme in my head, you know, the totally awesome one with the Dark Portal? I thought about reactivating my account, thinking about re-rolling all over again, and playing. The more and more I thought about it, the more and more it seemed like a chore. I would have remember my password for starters, since I can barely remember my own name on a daily basis. Then I would have to go through the agonizing process of patching, patching, patching, as I know I have missed a lot. Then, of course the leveling and the scramble to get on top, or at least as close I could be.<br /><br />I pushed those thoughts aside and did some yoga, had some coffee, but as I went through out my day, I could not help but think about reactivating my account. Today, I was bored - Ed had control of the TV for some old tymey video gaming, and I put my laptop away. So, with the "awesome gaming computer" waiting for me, I downloaded the trial for <a href="http://www.riftgame.com/en/">Rift</a>. So far, I have played through a minor portion of the starter area, only about maybe an hour or two. My impressions of it are, well, good!<br /><br />To start, my first complaint is the fact that the trial period is only 7 days. I remember the WoW trial being longer. Ahem. Anyway. So, in Rift, the world Telara is under siege and you as an Ascendant are one of the chosen ones to fight for the world. I liked the opening movie, as I am impressed by flashy lights and pretty colors. So, your first stop is a lot of choices, from which shard to play on (server), to faction (Guardians or Defiant), then race and class. It's pretty standard fare. Having absolutely no knowledge of this game or the story lines, I pretty much closed my eyes and clicked. I ended up choosing a Bahmi Rogue. So, once you get that out of the way, you're dropped into the world. Or, rather, into the world as apparently you find out you were once dead. Like any MMO, you're given tasks, you do them, and you get rewards. Some of the tasks reward you with choices, and these choices are your Soul Attunement, the leveling and class system in the game.<br /><br />This system is magnificent. The amount of customization is incredible. World of Warcraft's three talent trees and duel class system is a child's toy compared to what this system can do. Even from the beginning you get two "souls" to choose from, and even some helpful suggestions as to which ones could be used together. Altogether you get three souls, along with their branch options and roots. The branches are the points you place yourself and the roots are the standard skills and spells that come along with your levels. So, not only can you build a custom class, you can THEN customize the class to how you want it. For a full listing of all the options, <a href="http://www.riftgame.com/en/classes/">go here</a>.<br /><br />The graphics are great, and less flashy pants than World of Warcraft, but it's appropriate. You've just been ressurected into a world of turmoil, and your purpose to go fix it. I enjoy the realism and darkness, after almost 5 years of cartoon characters carrying around swords the size of small children. I haven't kicked the graphics up, opting to stay at a lower rate, but even on the low side of things, it still looks pretty. The menu and toolbar are fairly basic, easy to understand for the novice and pro-raider alike.<br /><br />I haven't played a whole lot of it, but I plan on for the next week as I pay my trial. I have taken advantage of the built in video cap system (also: auto posting to YouTube, posting to Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter of pictures) to post some videos:<br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/JRomVdklesI" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" width="560"></iframe><br />I fite with arrows! And a boar-thing!<br /><br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8KHGO9P8nVc" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" width="560"></iframe><br />screwing around in the first main quest area.<br /><br /><br />and yes, I did recycle my old WoW Mage's name. I am sooooo original. Anyway. I think this has the potential to become the antidote to World of Warcraft burn out. The game is extremely sophisticated from graphics, character customization, and the wide range of class options. The story line and world is engrossing as the game throws you into the action from the very start. It's different though, and coming from WoW, I might be inhibiting myself a little bit as I keep comparing the two, but I can't help it. In two hours, I had a lot of fun playing, but I know I have barely just scratched the surface.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0