(and we’ve had 4 hail storms since it was done…p00p)
BUT, assuming I don’t need a NEW new roof, I now have that debt out of the way, so I can start putting money aside for my next large home expense, whatever that may be. hopefully something optional and fun rather than mandatory.
I need to get rid of crafts, beads, and findings that I don’t need and won’t be using.
http://thinksimplenow.com/clarity/stuff-onomics-hidden-side-of-what-you-own/
I was browsing through old journalings and found this entry.
=============================================
Nov. 23rd, 2004 at 11:00 AM
There are days, such as this one, perhaps, that I feel a tremendous feminine power inside me, the power of sex and love and lust…that if I could only break the barriers of society and morality, I could open my arms, legs, heart, and heal the world with this Goddess Power.
All the shy lonely sad strange smart wonderful beautiful interesting people could come forward and be filled with love and power.
Some days I really wish….
It’s all about planning & choosing a nice, portable menu, a wonderful location, and charming dining companion (s). I’ve had baguette, brie, and wine looking out over the 360 bridge on a double-date, take-out barbeque and convenience store sodas at Mt. Bonnell with a guy I liked, snacks and sketching on the grounds of the McNay Art museum with some girlfriends…all good & fun. I think I should do this again, soon.
I used to do this pretty frequently with the ex. There’s an old drive-in in San Antonio called “the Mission” that’s still in operation (or was, last time we went). Car clubs would come out for their social time and that was kind of fun to see. The movies were usually not first-run, but it’s just nice to be able to lounge around in your own car, BYOB, or whatever, and enjoy the night.
I’ve been to Hippie Hollow in Austin a few times, and it always seems there’s some fully clothed creepy guys rustling around in the bushes, who basically paid their $ to get in to the park and sit around drinking piss beer watching naked women.
I don’t have the best body in the world, but I’m comfortable enough with it…I just start getting creeped out when people I don’t know are staring rudely, and creating a socially awkward situation by not at least showing some goods in return.
Anyway. I might still go to HH again with the right group of people, but it wouldn’t be first on my ‘fun things to do’ list.
My sweetheart got me an MP3 player and my car has a jack where I can plug it into my MP3 player. I can also listen to my MP3 player at work, since I’m not allowed to listen to streaming media on the work computer anymore. So I don’t need CDs for work or car, really.
I was also given a cool phone by a friend when she lucked into an Apple iPhone for half price & needed a new home for her old phone. My ‘new’ phone has a memory card slot where I could put in a memory card loaded with music. Even more tune-storage and portability.
So, it really doesn’t seem I need to learn to make CDs anymore.
Obsolete!
Now what do I do with these new blank CDRW things I managed to accumulate in anticipation of making awesome mix CDs? Hrm.
I am still thinking about getting to work on my shoe closet. Everything is just sorta jumbled up in there; I don’t think I could find a pair of shoes in there if I tried.
And I’m still looking for good footwear that’s work appropriate, nice with skirts or dresses, but still comfortable and has some personality. It’s a tall order, it seems.
I have an opportunity to go camping the last weekend of March in Huntsville. I need to do a bit more research to find out how far that is from here and what all we will need to take.
It could be fun :)
It’s harder to do when you have a snuggle buddy who prefers to snooze. I like snuggling. I also like getting up the first time the alarm goes off. It’s always a tough choice!
I got a very nice compliment from a lady in my office today. She really liked my outfit, said I looked sophisticated! Wow :P
(btw I’m wearing: black knit spaghetti strap dress with a long sleeve light brown shirt underneath, brown boots, black leggings, and a leopard print ‘cardigan’ over the dress. My new glasses. And I put a little mousse in my hair this morning when I got out of the shower to give my bangs some volume. My nail polish needs a renew; I painted them last week in OPI “I’d like to thank”, kind of a coppery coral pink)
Barker Roofing did a great job. I now have a ridge vent, too, so we’ll see how that affects the utility bills this summer.
I did have to call them back to get a few nails they left on the ground, but luckily the nails hadn’t damaged anything before we noticed them.
The roof looks great…but draws attention to the fact that my house needs paint!
the contractor I called was unhelpful.
I spent more on the roof than I really wanted to or can afford.
Giving up for now.
It will happen some day, but it’s a year or more away so I dont’ want to look at it and be reminded it’s not happening now.
I’ve gone thru my closet and gotten rid of a LOT of stuff. Goodwill should be happy. Next step: get rid of shoes.
I have 2 pairs of work pants now—one black corduroy in a small pattern, and one black denim. One pair of jeans that I’m not 100% happy with, but good for Casual Friday at work. And one pair of jeans that I really like.
I got a good deal at Newportnews.com on some plain long sleeved shirts in various colors: offwhite (will layer under things, not wear by itself!), light brown, dark brown, olive, burgundy, and black. They’re the right ‘weight’ to layer or wear all by themselves.
1 shirt that looks layered but isn’t. cuffs, collar, and hem in leopard print cotton/poly, V neck ‘overshirt’ in dark brown. Spiffy.
2 camis: one dark brown and one leopard print.
2 blazers: one light brown corderoy and one black tux jacket that’s fun and I’ve had since I was 19 or so. Vintage :)
And a long sleeved sort of wrap-cardigan thing in leopard print. It’s not warm, but it’s really cute and can be worn open or wrapped and tied in a few different ways.
I’m mostly going for neutral colors, a couple of prints, and then cool shoes and jewelry.
I’ve been remembering to wear earrings and necklaces. Need to get bracelets, rings and pins someplace where I can easily see them in the morning as I’m getting ready.
Now…SHOES. I have a lot of those little chinese mary janes in different colors, which are cute but not really professional for work.
I’m having a hard time finding shoes that are a good heel height, professional without being old-lady/church shoes, ...I want to find the middle ground between frumpy and precious. I want to look quirky enough to express my personality a bit, but not so odd that people won’t take me seriously.
(OH, and I am kinda nutty…I don’t like open heels, open toes, or open sides on shoes. Picky, picky, I know.)
I have a couple of pairs that work well with trousers, one light brown suede and one in black patent with kind of a leopard print on the tongue area. So I probably don’t need any more shoes that go with pants. But I still like these:
Mudd Knowles
$31.49
Brown
Outlooks Darian
$20.99
Black
Women’s Rampage Tierney Loafers
$28.99
Black
Women’s SO Tamera Dressy Loafers
$29.99
Black
& the Rigid Platform Loafers from goodgoth.com look cool, too but I can’t seem to get a price or size to load.
http://www.goodgoth.com/shoesunder15.htm
NOW, here are the ones I think would look nice with skirts or dresses, but still be sorta ‘me’.
$22.49
Naughty Monkey Women’s Nightie Night Pump
black
These are bordering on “Old lady” but still kinda OK looking:
Aerosoles Women’s Volcano Platform Skimmer
$24.90
comes in Black & Brown
Rampage Women’s Oliviya
$ 29.99
black
Rocket Dog Women’s Rattle Slip-On
$31.99
black
A little too ‘gothic lolita’ for daily wear, and the heel’s probably too high. but still kinda cute:
T.U.K. Women’s Piped Mary Jane Pump
38.95
& These are great, too…but WAY too “young” for work. Also might be too ‘clunky’ for wearing with a dress or skirt.
T.U.K. Women’s Cat Multi Color Mary Jane
$38.95
black
====
Also, I just like these. For general Piratey dress-ups. Probably not daily wear.
RAMPAGE Rugby Motorcycle Boot W/ Knit Trim
$15.00
black
T.U.K. Women’s Jolly Roger Mary Jane Pump
$38.95
black
===
And…these are just WRONG. But I want them for Vegas. (yes, I have a ‘Vegas’ section of the closet—3 tacky shirts with things like dice, money, and cowgirls on them.)
http://images.buycostumes.com/mgen/merchandiser/19641.jpg
$59.95
I think this is a reasonable weight-loss goal. I would be setting myself up for failure by trying to revamp my entire eating and exercise plan and then not being able to stick with such an extreme change.
So I’m going to try and make moderate changes and lose a small amount of weight over a long amount of time. Walk more. Drink less alcohol. Eat fewer sweets and more veggies. Nothing crazy, just small steps to make a healthier life.
http://www.bremercommunications.com/Organizing_Your_Wardrobe.htm
ORGANIZING YOUR WARDROBE AT HOME
By Jill Bremer, AICI, CIP
Bremer Communications
Have you ever found yourself standing in front of your closet just staring at your clothes? You see hanging before you a few items you love next to many that-
Look out-of-date?
Need mending?
Don’t coordinate with anything?
Don’t fit your lifestyle?
Make you look fat?
If you feel like you have a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear, you’re not alone. The garments hanging in your closet represent an investment of several thousand dollars. But studies have shown that only twenty-percent of an individual’s wardrobe is purchased wisely; eighty- to ninety-percent of a closet represents a waste of money.
Pulling together a wardrobe that works can be daunting. And that is precisely one of the reasons Image Consultants were created – to help men and women build wardrobes that are flattering, affordable and effective. One of my favorite services as an image consultant is in-home wardrobe planning. I travel to clients’ homes, review and analyze the clothes they currently own and make recommendations for future purchases.
A closet audit is only one piece of the wardrobe puzzle, though. Coloring, body type, personal style and lifestyle must also be taken into consideration. But certainly the chore people dislike most is cleaning out their clothes. Wardrobes should be assessed, thinned out and reorganized twice a year. Here are the steps to accomplish this dreaded task.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Set aside several hours for your wardrobe assessment. Send your spouse to a movie and banish all pets. Make sure you have adequate lighting in the room; bring in additional lamps, if needed. You will also need a full-length mirror. You’ll be trying on all of your clothes, so wear suitable undergarments.
STEP 1
Empty everything out of your closet and drawers. Stack all of your clothing and accessories around the room in piles according to the type of garment: jackets, skirts, pants, ties, sweaters, scarves, etc.
STEP 2
Move from pile to pile and try everything on, even the items you love and wear regularly. Take a long look in a full-length mirror at each item on your body. Honestly assess:
Color – does it flatter your coloring?
Style – does it enhance your assets and camouflage your challenges?
Lifestyle – is it appropriate for some aspect of your life?
Style Expression – does the design, silhouette, fabric and pattern appeal to you?
As you try on the clothes you wear regularly, determine what it is you love about them. Is it the color? The style? Make a note of what makes this garment work so well for you. Your goal is to duplicate those features in all of your clothes. You should feel attractive and comfortable in everything you put on your body. Don’t settle for anything less than feeling terrific! If the item doesn’t work for you anymore, get rid of it!
TIP: If you have an emotional or sentimental attachment to garments you should get rid of, box them up but don’t give them away just yet. Store the box under a bed or in the attic for a while. In six months, you won’t be able to recall what’s inside the box. You’ll then be psychologically ready to part with the items.
STEP 3
After trying on each item, place it in one of four new piles. Things you love, wear regularly, feel comfortable in. Older clothing that just needs a little “pizzazz.” Items to be given or thrown away. Mending (and get it done!).
STEP 4
As you try on your clothes, start a shopping list of what you need to purchase. And take a good look at the items you’re getting rid of. Does this collection shed any light on your shopping patterns? Does it contain too many impulse items or similar types of garments? For instance, do you buy more white blouses than you need? Do you have a stack of ties that don’t coordinate with any of your suits?
STEP 5
Try new combinations of clothing pieces: tops with skirts, jackets with pants, etc. Don’t rule anything out until you try it. You may discover many new ensembles you never knew you had. Be sure to include accessories as you experiment.
STEP 6
Put everything back into your closet and drawers. Hang similar items together – blouses together, pants together, jackets together, etc. Unlike men, women have the luxury of breaking their suits up and wearing each piece as a separate. So I suggest they hang suit skirts with their other skirts and suit jackets with other jackets and blazers. By hanging them up as separates, they will start to see them as independent pieces and new clothing combinations will be easier to spot.
TIP: Use quality hangers in your closet. Hang jackets on shaped wooden hangers. Use clip hangers to hang pants straight, don’t fold pants in half over a hanger.
TIP: When you take off your wool suits at the end of the day, let them hang out overnight before placing back in your closet. This step will help them shed wrinkles, moisture, and odors and regain their shape.
STEP 7
The last step is to prioritize your shopping list into your “List of Five”. Choose the top five items you need most, write them down and keep the “List” with you at all times. When you shop, look only for those five items. If you see something else you like, don’t buy it; just add it to the main list. The “List of Five” will keep you focused when shopping and away from impulse purchases. As you buy something on the “List of Five”, move an item up from the main list to take its place. The impulse item you fell in love with at the store may eventually make it to your “List of Five”. If it doesn’t, you didn’t need it in the first place!
Following these simple steps will help you pare down your wardrobe to the pieces that really work for you. Don’t fret if your closet suddenly looks a bit empty. Think quality, not quantity. Use your prioritized “List of Five” to gradually add more pieces. It took me two years of pruning to do it, but I now have a closet full of clothes I love. The colors and styles are flattering, each piece coordinates with two or three others and I can get dressed in five minutes for any occasion. Conduct your wardrobe audits twice a year and, before you know it, your closet will be your favorite room in the house!
Jill Bremer, AICI, CIP, owner of Bremer Communications, offers training, consulting and coaching in professional image development and presentation skills. Her clients include Oracle, Abbott Labs, W.W. Grainger, U.S. Department of Energy and the National Association of Realtors. She can be reached at 708-848-5945 or at www.bremercommunications.com
