31 August 2009

halfway across the world

i have left the dirt hole. I repeat, I have left the dirt hole.

For good.

There was a lot of drama in getting out of the dirt hole, but I am currently living in an area fully of things, people, cars, leaves, green and cold air. Basically, I am in heaven. Summer in the area my family is from hasn't been so summer like, more fall like. Today had a real fall feeling to it, other than the lack of color other than green.

My dog, Miss Basil Dog herself, seems to enjoy it here. She's happy to be surrounded by so many playmates (ie, my family) as well as the cool air. There are lots more things to bark at here than in the dirt hole and a lot more places to run around the house. All in all, she's one happy puppy.

I am still in the process of getting my shop back up and running. It is taking longer than expected for a few reasons. One only being the state paper work to charge sales tax, the other being my Hell Week of Fleeing from The Dirt Hole. I am utterly exhausted and sleeping on an expensive futon mattress my brother managed to dent with his butt.

Yeah, you read that right.

Last night saw me moving to the other side without the dent for the first time and ramming my knee into the wall one too many times, reminding why I slept in the hole for so long.

So, today I moved the bed. No one in my family seemed to believe I had managed to move it on my own. They all think it is heavy. I must be stronger than I know of, as I had little trouble moving it once I started using my legs. Maybe all that time I spent in the gym was worth it?

I am only part way to where I need to be in February, but in the end...hopefully it will all be worth it. Hopefully. Alaska better be pretty.

10 August 2009

How I came to Heart Sephora

A couple weeks ago, I was sitting on the floor in the bedroom looking at my makeup. I realized it was all rather old and I ought to go buy new stuff. This did not excite me in the least, due to the fact I live in the Dirt Hole and the only place to get makeup is Wally Martinos. But I needed mascara desperately and I had an major life event coming up, so I put Basil Dog in her crate and went to Martinos.

Two hours later I emerged. Why did I spent four hours in Walmart?

I decided I wanted red lipstick. This was after I spent twenty minutes debating what sort of mascara to get (I am a Max Factor convert now. I used to only wear Almay. Nope, no more.) I ended up getting a soft black color and a brown for everyday use. On my way out, I decided for my outfit for a major event I wanted to wear red lipstick. I had the red shoes, red lipstick would complete the look. So, there went an hour. Seriously, do you know how many red shades are out there?! I had no idea what would look good on me, so I just sort of guessed. I all ready knew that a bright shade would make me look super pale, so I thought something a little lighter or something.

Least to say when I chose was wrong.

After I spent an hour forging for red lipstick, it suddenly occured to me that I'd need a darker shade for an evening event I had to go to, as red wouldn't jive with the dress. I needed a plum shade.

There went another hour.

And that shade looks a little better, but I still don't like it too well. I felt it was slightly tragic that this lipstick buying had gone so horridly wrong, as I sort of needed it for the coming weekend. I ended up wearing the nude color I usually wear, but I figured I'd find something for the other events in Civilization.

Before going to Civlization, I did some research on Red Lipstick. Casey over at Casey's Elegant Musings did a whole tutorial on red lipsticks. Seeing she's got a pale complextion like me, I figured I'd start with her favorites. I sent to Saphora.com to start my search for MAC.

Sephora doesn't sell MAC. However, Sephora ships for free if your order is over 50. That part was easy, as I needed new makeup brushes for the new eye makeup I had ordered from Etsy. (Orglamix, and while I love the staying power of the eyeshadow and blush, I'm still not sure how to get the color to be as intense as her pictures. But this is due to the fact I am an actual novice when it comes to makeup. I have come to realize that when I wear makeup, no one notices. Which can be a good thing, I guess...I told R my story about trying to find mascara, to which she said, "Do you wear mascara?" and I was like, "I have it on now." She stared at me intently, but I am not sure she noticed it or not.) So, after suring around Sephora's website, I came to the conclusion I needed to actually go to the store.

Fast foward two weeks, and I go into Sephora. I've only been in one maybe twice in my life, both times I was imediately asked if I needed help and given a basket if I had anything in my hands.

I stood in the store for at least ten minutes staring at lipsticks. No one spoke to me. I finally began picking up lipsticks and staring at them closer to my face. The testing tubes of lipstick always freak me out (as do most testing makeup things just open to the public), so I just stared. I finally picked two shades out and then some lip liner. I wandered to find the travel kits for brushes and found them. I stood there for a long while and no one spoke to me. I am not sure why this happens to me. When I desperatly want help, no one offers. When I am perfectly happy not having any help, everyone wants to help. (Similar things happened earlier in the day at Oakley, as I stood there for a long while before a salesperson came to my aid.)

I think I stared at the brushes for about fifteen minutes before I finally picked up a kit and was like, "Okay, I think this is what I want." The one I wanted, of course, had no price listed anywhere for it. I figured it was between maybe 32 and 36, so I went to check out. I just stood there, not really paying attention, then it was my turn and a lady checked me out, offered to sign me up for some club, I declined, then I paid. Later, I found out the brushes wer 44 bucks, and I was like, "Well, oh well. Let's hope they are better than Target brushes."

They are. I am not sure, having only used them once, but they are pretty good. I know they are better than the brush I bought at Kohls a month a go. And they are a lot better at putting on my new eye shadow than the old Target brushes. Though, I wish I had gotten the 36 dollar kit, as it came with more eye brushes. It lacked the angled blush brush, but oh well.

However, why I heart Sephora is not for their brushes. Nope. I heart their lipstick. I got two different shades. They were both the same type of lipstick, the Sephora Glamour Lipstick, which is semi-sheer. I got two different shades, the Romantic Rose and the Red Flirt. The Romantic Rose is the perfect sort of nude shade I need on a daily basis, as it is not so nude as it looks like I didn't put any color on, but its not in your face color. And Red Flirt is PERFECT red for me. It is sheer enough that it is not so in your face red that I feel like a clown. And they last pretty long (even after eating), they smell good (I hate the way L'Oreal lipstick smells, gross) and they feel GREAT on. And while 12 bucks a pop is a little more than I would usually spend, I did spend 30 on Dior Addict lip glass two winters and I never wear it because the "new" coral shade they have is all wrong for me. (This was another example when I wanted help and the lady at the Dior counter was like okay, what do you want? Okay, take it and pay get out of my face. I mean, I was standing there telling her that i used to wear this one shade and I had to toss it because of my eye infection and I was in the market for new makeup. She sort of thrust the new coral at me and lip liner and that was all she was willing to do.)

Anyways, after trying out the red shade, I decided I heart Sephora today. The lip liner I got, without aid, is the exact shade of my lips, go figure. It is a little darker, but it looks great with the Romantic Rose lipstick. I didn't try it with the Red, but I can do that later this week.

Moral of the story: If you are in the market for some lipstick, try Sephora. If you are in the market for good brushes, try Sephora. If you need good lipliner, try Sephora. However, if you're in the market for a long lasting, all natural, mineral eyeshadow, try Orglamix. If you want good customer service at any store, don't actually want any when you walk in.

09 August 2009

Basil Dog and the Dog Park

Past two posts dog themed....hmmm.

Anyways, Basil Dog went to a dog park this past weekend. I have always figured she'd adore dog parks, as when she used to walk before it began to boil in the dirt hole, she constantly wanted to play and when her two friends would come over, she always wanted to play 24/7. So I thought: Dog Park=Happy Basil Dog.

Nope. I was wrong. Ever so wrong.

My husband and I went shopping in Civilization and left Basil Dog with her all time favorite person (other than us), A. A said he was going to take Basil Dog and Macie to the dog park. Macie usually doesn't like the dog park, but she likes being outside I guess, or something along those lines. So, we left Basil Dog with cranky Macie and A and left.

After we were done shopping (sunglasses, makeup and the biggest JoAnn Fabrics I have EVER been in), my husband called A. At one point he said, "That is when you just gotta throw her in. Pick her up and toss her."

COnfused, I asked, "Is A trying to get Basil to go swimming?"

Our old method to get Basil in the water was to toss her in. Evil, I know, but she liked it, I swear. Her ears would perk up like they do when she's happy.

"No. Basil won't play with the other dogs," my husband informed me.

We set off for the dog park. We arrived to find A sitting at a picnic table in the shade (it was a boiling 100 plus day) and Macie patrolling the area around the picnic table to prevent any other dogs from greeting her person. As we got closer, I came to realize that Basil Dog was sitting under the table at A's feet. She came out when we got near, but as soon as another dog got near, she darted right back under the table. Macie joined her. Upon getting tot he table, I came to realize my former clean dog, was now a dusty mess because she was sitting in an actual dirt hole.

"Did she dig that hole?" my husband asked. He had at first claimed that the reason Basil Dog wasn't playing was the fact she was still wearing her seat belt harness, so he took it off, but she just went right back to cowering in her hole.

"No," A said. "It was sort of there." He looked under the table and went on, "I am pretty sure she's made it deeper since she got in there."

To which, she used her formerally white paws and dug herself a little deeper. Both my husband and I tried to get her to come out and play, but she refused to do this for us. Macie and Basil were the only dog not playing at the dog park and a few times a couple dogs tried to come over and say "Hi" but Macie and Basil wanted nothing to do with these dogs, which were all larger breeds, but that never stopped Basil before....

"Has she had any water?" I asked, notcing the siz eof her tounge.

"I've tried to get the two of them over to the water bowl, but neither will move. Macie has no interest in leaving the table, thus Basil won't move."

My husband used the water bottle I grabbed and poured water on the dogs to lap up. Thus, Basil went from dusty to muddy. After about fifteen minutes, I was soaked through with sweat and wanted to get going. I lured Basil out of the hole and tried to get her into her seat belt harness. The reward I got for this was a bunch of dirt in my face. I later noticed she had managed to get it all over my white shorts, shirt and even down my shirt (I had mud in my bra). A got up and started across the park to the leashes, and oddly, Basil followed him closely. Macie suddenly decided to check out the other dogs, but Basil was having none of it.

I walked Basil back to the parking lot and as we were walking, SHE TRIED TO PLAY WITH A DOG ON THE SIDEWALK. I told her tuff cookies, you are done.

She slept all the way home. Seriously, she was asleep as soon as we loaded her into our car (after we had made a pit stop at A's abode so I could de-dirt/mud myself and allow her to roll around his all ready dusty carpet). She was out cold until we got near the dirt hole and didn't even bark when we drove passed people. She just stared blankly, completely nackered.

Upon reflection of her behavior, I think the heat was an issue. Basil Dog is a Diva when it comes to heat. Remember, she thought it'd be a good idea to just randomly end her walk in the middle of the street because she was too hot and I had to carry her home. She still does this, now usually if I try to walk her she gives up after a block due to heat, thus why I just save us both the trouble and we don't walk outside, we play hard inside now. (which my poor bare legs tell that story) I think maybe when we get to a cooler climate, we will try the dog park again. Maybe, just maybe, next time she won't dig herself into a dirty hole.

06 August 2009

my dog eats pillows

Basil Dog seems to like to chew on pillows.

And not just any pillows, mind you, they must be ones she sleeps on in her crate. Outside of the crate, she has no desire to chew on pillows and un-stuff them.

She loves to un-stuff dog toys, but any pillow that goes on the floor or on the couch, she won't touch until it goes to live in her crate. Anything in her crate is fair game. She's chewed up rugs, door mats, and finally pillows.

I used to make her pillows. I used to think it was easier to make them and stuff them myself. She'd chew the corner off and then pull out the stuffing, I'd restuff it, sew it and wash it. After she would decimate the pillow right after I fixed it, she went a few nights with no pillow. She cried, whined and was basically a pain. So I bought her a 9 dollar crate pad at Walmart. She sure as hell did not like that too much, but she never tried to unstuff it.

I bought anti-chew spray and doused it in that. She did not want to go in her crate. She loves her crate usually, she is almost always in there sleeping if she's not staring out the window. Almost like clock work at nine pm, she is in there asleep. After we take her out at night, all we have to say is, "Go to bed, Basil" and she's in there, curled up asleep.

But not with that crate pad. She hated that thing. So, because I am a sucker for my dog, I went to Ross and spent an hour staring at pillows. Most were flimsy and I knew she'd chew right through. Finally, I settled for a 7 dollar circual pillow that was too small for Basil Dog, but was made out of the toughest material Ross was offering.

I can't remember how many months ago I bought that pillow, but the fact it was cicular seemed to stop the Master of Pillow Destruction. I always tried to remember to put her bone or something in with her at night to prevent the temptation to unstuff, but I guess she doesn't care. The bone was in there last night with her and she chose to decimate the pillow.

I did not notice when I first let her out, but at some point in the morning, I noticed green stuffing everywhere. I found her pillow with a huge hole in it and the plastic tag that was the name of the brand was in pieces all over the crate. I yelled at her, took the pillow out and brandished it in her face. Her ears fell, and she went into the crate. (When you yell BAD DOG at her she goes to her crate for timeout. I used to have to drag her there, but recently I simply yell BAD DOG and she goes. and looks pathedic while she sit there waiting for you to close the door.) She spent an hour or so in there (mostly because I forgot she was in till I went to get dressed and she wasn't there). She came out and was still acting like a repentant puppy, till my husband came home and she began jumping on us and I yelled BAD DOG again and she went in there again, looking pathedic. (We are trying to get her to NOT jump on us, we usually end up looking like mauled animals now that it is summer. We have been trying to do this since we got her 8 months ago, but she is still having issues.)

I think she knows she's pissed me off, though, as she's been looking pathedic all day, even when my husband is around. She stares at me with her pethdic puppy dog look, but it doesn't work on me. She is a bad girl, she should not chew on her pillow. I guess she finally forgot what happened the last time she chewed up her pillow.

03 August 2009

remembering ragnar

This past Friday I learned I will be leaving the Dirt Hole for....the state you can see Russia from! This excites me to no end for various reasons, though I did not know how excited I was until I screamed and threw up my arms when the annoucement was made.

In public.

I screamed and pumped my arms in the air in public.

This is not normal behavior for me in the least.

I was confused after I realized I had acted this way.

So, due to all the hub bub on the forums as of late (i lurk usually), I decided to research what I'll need once I arrive.

Alaska doesn't have sales tax.

Guess how much MORE I love Alaska?

Of course, I might be spending 4 months in Chicago, which I know charges sales tax. I also know IL is a pain in the butt for most "government" type things. I guess I'll figure that out when I get to that road block.

But Alaska! Seriously!

My husband claims this is the last time he will get his first choice more than likely for anything, as he's managed to do it so far in his career.

In other news:

The guest room is set up! R said it looked really good for what I had to work with, so I love it.

R also left me. :( She told me since I am going to Alaska she'd come see me. I hope to get some $$$ together to go see her, as I have never been to our first state.

Basil Dog is a brat. She was over excited about the prospect of three dogs in the house, thus cried, whined and attempted to throw up when she should have been sleeping. She kept me up all night. After I was worn out from the excitment of the day. She's been sort of confused these past two days, especially since the guest room still reeks of the two other dogs. lol. She gets up on the bed and just sniffs it. I imagine if the bed was made of glass, it'd be covered in ever inch with nose smudges.

I accidently cleaned the mirrors in the bathroom with shower cleaner. I think I will do this from now on, as they do not get cloudy and more and there was no streaks. Amazing.