100 Dates for Valentine's Day!

Blazer: Banana Republic, Jeans, Necklace, and Clutch: LOTUS, Bracelets: Celene Stones (EM Krista at CeleneStones@gmail.com or at LOTUS - tell her you saw them on this here blog and get 15-20% off <if you contact her directly, discount does not apply in store at LOTUS>), Shoes: Shoe Ocean, Scarf: Thrifted, Watch: Michael Kors

Greetings Earthlings.

So... perhaps that was a touch dramatic.

I did not leave planet Earth, but I have been completely, 100% out of commission since Saturday night. I got sick with the flu. We were on our way to Fayetteville on Saturday and I started to feel lousy. By the time I woke up on Sunday... BIGGITYBAM... I felt like a train had slammed into my face and body. Headache, cough, body aches, fever, sore throat and chest, overall pain and discomfort... everywhere. THEN... the Manfriend got it too. The only thing worse than being sick, is seeing someone you love sick. Breaks your heart. Even if it's a grown ass man.

This is the first thing I have worn without an elastic waistband in 5 days. And, I'm pretty sure it also goes without saying that this is the first time my hair has been washed in as many days as well. Which, really has nothing to do with me being sick and everything to do with me being a lazy slob. 

Switching gears... remember a few months ago when some friends and I got together and provided dinner for the women and men at the Homeless Resource Center in Charlotte? Well, many months ago I signed up to do it again and that time has come. Oh.... yeah... and I need some help.

Here's the catch... it's on Valentine's Day. Bad timing? Depends who you ask. Maybe it's not bad timing? Maybe it is awesome timing. Time to spread real love to some folks who may not receive nearly enough. So... if you (or even you and your significant other) want to sign up to help, just let me know.

Last time we all met at my house to prepare the meal, but I think that may have been overkill (unless you all want to get together to do it, that's fine too!). Either way, this time we can divide the meal into parts and have everyone make/bring a portion. Then... when we come together at The Center, we will have a complete meal for 100! So... that is why it is absolutely imperative that if you volunteer to help, that you actually show up with what you signed up for.

What you are committing to:

• Making/Buying a portion of a simple meal (probably pasta, salad, and bread)
• Being in Uptown Charlotte with your portion of a meal at 4:30-45 (sharp) on Friday, February 14th
• Being able to stay at The Homeless Resource Center from 4:45 until approximately 6pm to serve
• Being a blessing to strangers, and feeling overwhelmingly blessed all at the same time. Win/Win.

If you are interested, please let me know ASAP. You can donate money directly towards the meal, or donate your time and money to help out. Either way, anything you can do would be UBER appreciated. Please let me know if you can do it (really do it... no back outs) ASAP. Thank you SO much!!!!

Youth is Wasted on the Young

Coat: Marshalls, Shirt: Ann Taylor LOFT, Skirt: Target, Watch: Michael Kors, Necklace: Aldo Accessories

I wore this yesterday. It is a pretty standard work outfit for me. Blouse... pencil skirt... black tights... and heels. Check.

However, sooooomething about the lace on the shirt, and the pearls (in the ears and around the neck) made it feel especially feminine. A bit too girly, if you will. Even for my taste. So... I layered this Army green jacket over it to give it some "balls". It's not the most practical choice. It's pretty clear from the second to last photo that I am freezing my fool ass off, but it is cute and sometimes, cute beats practical. Okay... 95% of the time... cute wins.

Whatever, life is short and soon enough we will all be in orthopedic shoes, and pants with elastic waistbands (but we will be old, so we will refer to them as "slacks"). Oh, and accessorizing? Earrings will be swapped out for hearing aids and statement necklaces will be ditched in favor of Life Alert lanyards. You may laugh, but it's true. Life goes A LOT faster the older you get.

My Grandpa (Papa) Maglier always used to say... "Youth is wasted on the young!".

I never understood that when I was a kid, but now that I am a grown ass woman I completely get it. When you are young you are vibrant... full of energy. Maybe you're beautiful with flawless skin? Many don't have to worry about their weight/blood pressure/cholesterol/etc. There are no bills... no debt... no 401K or benefits enrollment deadlines to worry about. There is very little drama. You play, laugh, and live out loud. But... you're dumb. You make stupid decisions. You don't pay attention in school, maybe you pick on other people (kids are mean, Man). You date the wrong guy/girl.. you don't listen to your parents, in fact... you rebel. You don't pay attention in college, you don't "apply yourself" hell... maybe you didn't go to college. You didn't think you needed to. Maybe you regret that now? You drink/ do drugs/ get pregnant too young... the list goes on. THEN... you get older... you learn... you make smarter decisions... you grow, change, mature. You are a better person than you were. You give a shit about stuff that matters and you find yourself not only realizing that your parents aren't idiots... that they knew EXACTLY what they were talking about. But, by then maybe you're tired? You have to commute, and work 10 hour days. You have to go on "diets" and "work out" to lose weight. Pay bills. Loans. Mortgages. You're pre-diabetic because you ate like shit for 20 (or 30... or 40) years. You have a budget and a savings account (that is empty). There is a kid screaming on a monitor that stares at you and no matter how much you want to run outside and play, you can't leave that child alone in it's room crying with a wet diaper. Plus... now your knees are bad so you can't run even if you wanted to. Oh, and then, when you are old enough to be truly "wise"... no one will listen to you because you are old. You complain. About everything... the weather, and your aches and pains, "kids these days", and you say things like, "back in my day". You send food back at restaurants and embarrass everyone. Maybe you are a burden. Now YOU have to be taken care of.

What the F@#K kind of cruel joke is this?????

Youth IS wasted on the young. 

THIS... is my Papa and Grandma Maglier (my Mom's parents) "back in the day". 

My Papa has been gone for almost 15 years. He passed the summer after my freshman year at college. The summer of 1999. THAT was the single worst summer of my life. I was 19. Ironically... I was about the same age that he is in this photograph. My Grandma Maglier (who was a STRAIGHT UP FOX, right?!?!?! ) was about 17 and Papa was about 19.

You were right, Papa. About that, and A LOT of other things. XOXO

You'll laugh about this... some day.

Scarf: Target, Shirt: Old Navy, Skirt: Lotus, Bag: ShoeDazzle, Earrings: Stella & Dot, Watch: Michael Kors

Have you ever done something that makes you cringe with embarrassment throughout the work day, and then kind of laugh when you tell your friends about it, and REALLY laugh (years) later when you think about it again?

I've done a lot of ridiculous things over the course of my career. For example...

• At the start of my career I wore a brand new pair of pants to work, with the tags still visibly on them. Like, it was hanging out the back near my belt loop,  AND the long sticker that they usually stick on the thigh area.. yup... still there. Then, when a guy I worked with asked if they were new "Hey... new pants?" (I had no idea the tags were on them) for some reason I was all like... "Nah, not really?". THEN he pointed out my tags. I was mortified. Not because I forgot to pull off a few tags, OR because I may or may not have told a little white lie, but because I was walking around all morning advertising my effing PANTS SIZE. What a dip shit I am.
• Or... the time when I pulled my black heels out of my downstairs closet and put them on right before I walked out the door, only to realize (in the middle of a big meeting) that I had in fact pulled one 3" navy heel and one  4" black heel out. I thought something felt off when I was walking to my meeting (and my back started to bother me after a couple of blocks), but it wasn't until I was sitting down at the conference table that I looked more closely. Yup... two completely different shoes. Different colors, different heel sizes, one a round toe, the other a pointed toe. Whaaaaat... thhhheeeee... helllllllll. Moron. Capital "M". 
• How about the time I was getting ready for work and forgot to rinse the conditioner out of my hair? What if I blow-dried said hair and it looked like a stringy, greasy, pile of dog shit?  I looked homeless. Fo' Real. All day.

All of those are my stories, but today. I heard a "doozy" and I am STILL laughing about it.  My girlfriend at work pings me (it's like Instant Messaging) and says... "Do you want to hear something funny". Naaaaturally I said, "yes please".

She proceeds to tell me that this morning before work (probably in the 7 AM hour, on what happened to be the single coldest morning in years) she was trying on bathing suits. Weird, right? She and her hubby are going to Mexico in 2 months, but weird nonetheless.... and... wait for it... she forgot to take her bikini bottom off and just put her pants (fitted) on over the top of them. WHAT???? Yup, there she was, sitting at work, looking all normal to the untrained eye, when underneath it all... she was in HELL. I mean, she must have been!?!?! Have you ever worn a bikini bottom? They are uncomfortable enough without a pair of slim-fit trousers layered over them. She had to sit in them for 8 hours. Sweet LAWD. I was dying. I laughed out loud when she told me, and then under my breath every time I saw her. Poor thing. Hilarious. I am so glad she shared though.

OH... and they were the kind with the side ties... THE WORST. 

Oh, and this is what I wore today. Tags off, matching shoes, AND clean hair. BOOM!