I wish more plastics were recyclable so I didn't feel guilty every time I threw away something plastic.
I wish I only worked four days a week (and had Fridays off).
I wish chocolate and other sweet delights weren’t so addictive or fattening!
I wish I lived somewhere more interesting (i.e. within walking distance of trendy shops and restaurants).
I wish we had better public transportation so I could leave the traffic and parking worries to someone else when going to places out of town.
I wish I had a staff to take care of me (hairdresser, gardener, house keeper, chef).
I wish there were more hours in the day or that I had more free time to get things done when I’m not at work.
I wish I was a published author (of a book).
I wish I had at least one famous friend (because I think that would be so cool!).
I wish I had the time and money to do lots of travelling (and shopping!).
Friday, March 25, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
blue purse
Just one of the many "weekend" purses in my collection, which I enhanced by attaching a faux Chinese coin as a faux clasp.
Big Purse or Little Purse?
Indulge me if you will, in discussing another passage from Lisa Scottoline’s book, My Nest Isn’t Empty, It Just Has More Closet Space.
In one of my favorite chapters, entitled, “The Right to Choose,” Scottoline discusses the ‘decision that women have to make every morning: Big purse or little purse?’
She says, ‘I know it’s not life or death, but it makes you nuts if you choose the wrong one as consistently as I do. If you carry a big purse for the day, it’s guaranteed that you’ll end up never needing anything you’re lugging around like a pack animal. And if you carry a little purse for the day, you’ll invariably end up tucking things under your armpit or asking your husband to carry them.’
For day-to-day use, I am more in favor of carrying a big purse, though I am aware that makes me look disorganized since I insist on carrying so many items with me (at least according to an article I read on yahoo.com). I prefer to think of myself as ‘prepared,’ which is why my purse is so full.
For instance, I carry a small umbrella which occasionally comes in handy. I also have a small cosmetic bag full of misc. little items like antacids, mints, a tape measure (both kinds), wet wipes, etc.
Otherwise, I pretty much carry normal items: my wallet, a cell phone, a small digital camera, my I-Pod & speaker, a small notepad and pen, a bag of coupons, and three fold-up reuseable shopping bags (I have more, but only carry three).
I once heard on the radio that the average woman’s handbag weighs 7lbs. I weighed mine once and it tipped the scales at only 6lbs. I suppose that is kind of heavy, but I actually use most of what I carry, so I don’t see how I could possibly downsize. Sometimes I’ll remove my cosmetic bag and put it in my book bag, but I’m not sure that eliminates much more than a pound.
I could perhaps get away with a smaller wallet if I didn’t have to carry so many reward cards for all the stores where I shop. They should all do what JC Penney does, and just give you points when you use your regular credit card (Visa or Mastercard) at their store. Of course I realize you don’t always have to have your card with you, but it usually speeds things up if you do.
About half my ‘bag collection’ consists of smaller bags to be used for weekend excursions to the mall, dinner and a movie, or wherever. Due to the amount of walking involved sometimes, it’s preferable not to weigh myself down too much, so I usually leave the umbrella and cosmetic bag at home. I also like how cute and stylish (at least to me) some of these smaller bags are compared to the larger more utilitarian ones I have.
I have to admit to envying those that can get away with carrying a smaller bag all the time. I’m just assuming they have their essentials stashed elsewhere, or don’t worry about being caught off-guard without something.
In one of my favorite chapters, entitled, “The Right to Choose,” Scottoline discusses the ‘decision that women have to make every morning: Big purse or little purse?’
She says, ‘I know it’s not life or death, but it makes you nuts if you choose the wrong one as consistently as I do. If you carry a big purse for the day, it’s guaranteed that you’ll end up never needing anything you’re lugging around like a pack animal. And if you carry a little purse for the day, you’ll invariably end up tucking things under your armpit or asking your husband to carry them.’
For day-to-day use, I am more in favor of carrying a big purse, though I am aware that makes me look disorganized since I insist on carrying so many items with me (at least according to an article I read on yahoo.com). I prefer to think of myself as ‘prepared,’ which is why my purse is so full.
For instance, I carry a small umbrella which occasionally comes in handy. I also have a small cosmetic bag full of misc. little items like antacids, mints, a tape measure (both kinds), wet wipes, etc.
Otherwise, I pretty much carry normal items: my wallet, a cell phone, a small digital camera, my I-Pod & speaker, a small notepad and pen, a bag of coupons, and three fold-up reuseable shopping bags (I have more, but only carry three).
I once heard on the radio that the average woman’s handbag weighs 7lbs. I weighed mine once and it tipped the scales at only 6lbs. I suppose that is kind of heavy, but I actually use most of what I carry, so I don’t see how I could possibly downsize. Sometimes I’ll remove my cosmetic bag and put it in my book bag, but I’m not sure that eliminates much more than a pound.
I could perhaps get away with a smaller wallet if I didn’t have to carry so many reward cards for all the stores where I shop. They should all do what JC Penney does, and just give you points when you use your regular credit card (Visa or Mastercard) at their store. Of course I realize you don’t always have to have your card with you, but it usually speeds things up if you do.
About half my ‘bag collection’ consists of smaller bags to be used for weekend excursions to the mall, dinner and a movie, or wherever. Due to the amount of walking involved sometimes, it’s preferable not to weigh myself down too much, so I usually leave the umbrella and cosmetic bag at home. I also like how cute and stylish (at least to me) some of these smaller bags are compared to the larger more utilitarian ones I have.
I have to admit to envying those that can get away with carrying a smaller bag all the time. I’m just assuming they have their essentials stashed elsewhere, or don’t worry about being caught off-guard without something.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
“Miles to Go” & “A Second Home”
I recently read a couple things that so perfectly apply to me that I just had to share them with you. The first is a chapter out of Lisa Scottoline's book, My Nest Isn't Empty, It Just Has More Closet Space. In it she says, “I love having a Things To Do list, and over the years, I perfected a template for my Things To Do list. I write the list of Things To Do on the right, and on the left, next to each Thing, I draw a big circle. I get to check the circle only after each Thing is Done. Oh boy, I love checking those circles. I make a big check, like a schoolteacher at the top of your homework. Then I stand before my list and survey with satisfaction all the checked circles. And oddly, I admit that I've added to the list a Thing I've Already Done, just so I can check the circle. I know, right? It's kind of kooky.”
Speaking for myself, I, too, make lists, but I don't make circles. I'm content to just cross through each task. However, I have been known to add the occasional item, just for the satisfaction of crossing it off. To be honest, I much prefer making lists than actually doing the tasks on them, but I'm pretty sure that's normal, right?
The second excerpt, called “A Second Home” comes from David Owen's Around the House: Reflections on Life Under a Roof.
“Many people dream of owning a second home. They picture a gray-shingled saltbox with a view of the ocean, or a cozy chalet near a ski slope in the mountains, or an old white farmhouse surrounded by orchards and stone walls.
I dream of owning a second home too, but a different kind. Mine wouldn't be near the beach, or in the mountains, or at the end of a country road. It wouldn't be in a different state, or even a different town. It would be right up the street from my first home, maybe a couple of doors away.”
Owen goes on the describe how the second house would be for living, really living, without worrying about it looking like a showhouse (see www.catalogliving.com). “Our second home would be the place where we would go when we were tired of keeping up appearances. In our second home, we would live the way people would live if they didn't care what other people might think. And because our second home would be the home of all the messy parts of our lives, our first home would stay pretty nice.”
I think there's a certain logic to that. I love playing decorator and enjoy spending time admiring our furnishings, but get fed up with constant cleaning and maintenance. If a second house meant we didn't have to do any of that, I would be totally on board with that. We might even entertain more if we had a second house, because then we wouldn't have to worry about children wrecking it or adults judging our taste in décor.
Speaking for myself, I, too, make lists, but I don't make circles. I'm content to just cross through each task. However, I have been known to add the occasional item, just for the satisfaction of crossing it off. To be honest, I much prefer making lists than actually doing the tasks on them, but I'm pretty sure that's normal, right?
The second excerpt, called “A Second Home” comes from David Owen's Around the House: Reflections on Life Under a Roof.
“Many people dream of owning a second home. They picture a gray-shingled saltbox with a view of the ocean, or a cozy chalet near a ski slope in the mountains, or an old white farmhouse surrounded by orchards and stone walls.
I dream of owning a second home too, but a different kind. Mine wouldn't be near the beach, or in the mountains, or at the end of a country road. It wouldn't be in a different state, or even a different town. It would be right up the street from my first home, maybe a couple of doors away.”
Owen goes on the describe how the second house would be for living, really living, without worrying about it looking like a showhouse (see www.catalogliving.com). “Our second home would be the place where we would go when we were tired of keeping up appearances. In our second home, we would live the way people would live if they didn't care what other people might think. And because our second home would be the home of all the messy parts of our lives, our first home would stay pretty nice.”
I think there's a certain logic to that. I love playing decorator and enjoy spending time admiring our furnishings, but get fed up with constant cleaning and maintenance. If a second house meant we didn't have to do any of that, I would be totally on board with that. We might even entertain more if we had a second house, because then we wouldn't have to worry about children wrecking it or adults judging our taste in décor.
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