Oh my-he's another year older, another year better, funnier, grumpier, handsomer, hotter (I'm talking body temperature here, people....) ornerier, lovelier, sarcasticer, analyzeier, sportier and just plain more "ererereryer!' (It really does make sense- just work with me on this okay?)
Enjoy your day- you deserve the best of everything. Know that you are loved and appreciated for who you are to me and every member of our family.
(Ta- DA!) Here's the Birthday Boy! Happy 48th!
I now have a child who is no longer a teenager...they have hit the 2nd decade.....
Youngest, Mom and Eldest
Happy 20th Birthday, Eldest. The best is yet to come....
A running joke between my mother and I is the fact that I put my makeup on with a little compact mirror. She doesn't understand how I can see anything effectively enough to put makeup on correctly or even a little heavy handed with such a tiny mirror. Many times I find myself putting my makeup on in my car. Usually, this is when I've been running late and need to jump in the car to take kids to school and then get on my merry way to work. And, I like putting my makeup on in the car. (I will add that I do not do this while driving.)
Applying your makeup in the car is actually not such a bad thing. The natural light is great, much better than any lighting I have in my house. What my mother can't get over is the mirror I use as my tool. Until recently, it was actually the other half of a broken compact and if in the car, my rear view mirror. Fortunately for me, my good buddy, B who completely understood my makeup applying habits, helped me, by giving my a double sided mirror compact. One side is normal and the other side is 10x magnifying.
This is good for a number of reasons. One, it does allow me to see things up close, especially when applying eye makeup. But more importantly, and sometimes to my detriment, it shows every little blemish and unwanted hair. Literally, I can spend an hour plucking on an especially sunny morning. Let me tell you- if you've never examined your face up close and magnified in the sunlight, truly you don't know what you're missing. Well, actually, you're probably missing a lot of hairs and plugged pores, but what you can't see can't hurt you.
Here's the problem, sometimes I can't stop myself. Case in point, I was tweezing my eyebrows. Really, I was just cleaning up the strays when I spotted a crazy hair in the brow that would not be tamed. In my zest to remove said hair, I kind of got some other crucial hairs that needed to stay in their place. Well, once you mess with the balance, you have to even things out....and well I ended up totally changing the shape of ONE of my brows. I really didn't have the stomach to do the same to the other brow, thereby changing my eyebrows completely! So, I did a little adjusting trying to make things look even. I'm not really happy with the brow situation at this time. I'm letting the skinny brow grow back in - but man is it difficult to look at the regrowth and not want to clean it up - again- which is how I found myself in this situation.
So- what about you? Where do you apply your makeup? At a well lit vanity or sitting on the toilet in your bathroom? What size mirror and lighting must you have to get the job done?
- OR -
Everybody Wang Chung Tonight!
This past weekend Youngest was invited to a 'Totally Awesome 80's Party." Come in Costume!
Please enjoy the following conversation-
Me- Well, that sounds like fun.
Youngest- I know! Mom- you were alive in the 80"s right? How old were you? Do you know what someone younger would wear from the 80's?
Me- No- I have no idea....OF COURSE I DO!! I was a lady of the 80's! Man- that was my decade!I totally have you covered on this one....
Youngest- Well- let's Google some images just to be sure....
________________________________________________
Cut to Saturday night. Our house became Beauty Central for a few of the party goers. Eldest did hair- I was in charge of make-up! Can I just say- that it was TOTALLY fun coming up with a costume and creating their looks...but there is something humbling about your kid needing to dress up- in an outfit from your younger era. I remember 50's costume parties being the rage when I was younger and my mom kind of getting excited coming up with the 'right look."
See for yourselves.....
Eldest started with makup and hair on Youngest- and then once everyone started arriving, I needed to step in help. Eldest was determined to give everyone their own separate hair look!
Youngest is sporting the "Madonna."
This creation is the "Faux-Hawk.' It actually turned out really well.
This sweet gal wanted the "Farrah Fawcett." When I told her that Farrah was more late 70's she really didn't care. She just wanted her long lockes curled and we tied a scarf as a headband and called it a day!
We had a couple of "Jane Fonda's" and "Flashdances" going on...and a few Madonna/Cyndi Lauper looks too. The girls really had a lot of fun putting it altogether!
Cause....Girls Just Wanna Have Fuuuunnnnn! Girls just wanna have fun!!!
Did I tell you the one about the time Eldest decided to drop out of college and enrolled in Cosmetology school? I didn't? Well, she did. She's in month 3 of her 12 month program. She's just completed a milestone in her training, in that she's moving to the FLOOR. That means, she'll be working on real live heads of hair as she continues her training.
She's enjoying her new school - immensely. I think she might have found her niche. A rite of passage for these cosmetologists in training is to decorate the model heads they work on throughout their early training days. (They actually go through several- but the last one gets to be decorated like some sort of flamboyant drag queen...)
They have these model heads on display in the studio- it's rather entertaining and somewhat creepy viewing all of these over the top decorated heads.
First here's her inspiration- Lady GaGa
Allow me to introduce you to Eldest's version of Lady GaGa....
I was very impressed. I don't think I could have had the patience to glue those safety pins- just so...
Did I also tell you the one, where I had to be the hair model for foiling techniques- and one of the three colors used came out REALLY orange? Did you also know, Dawn Detergent will help take out semi-permanent color. (Thank you, Val, my every loving stylist who helps me play along and then fixes things...)
**Side note- I am in no way criticizing Eldest's techniques. She actually got a great review on her technique from the instructor. It was- said, Instructor who did the color choosing and mixing....I just want to be perfectly clear....I am in total support of Eldest.
Calling all my Ladies of the 80's Friends- 1985 was the year- It's smack dab in the middle of this fabulous decade of my youth. Many notable events took place- Do you remember the following?...
· The Food and Drug Administration approves a blood test for AIDS,
· The first .Com domain name, symbolics.com, is registered by the Symbolics corporation. However, .edu domains, for educational institutions, still predominate over the commercial .com ones
· Microsoft Corporation releases the first version of Windows, Windows 1.0.
· Compact Discs are introduced to American Consumers
· The space shuttle Atlantis is launched
· British Scientists discover a hole in the earths Ozone Layer
· Various artists, including Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Billy Joel, Cyndi Lauper, Willie Nelson, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, Kenny Rogers, Diana Ross, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner and Stevie Wonder, record the song "We Are The World" as USA for Africa. to raise money for famine relief
The TV shows Growing Pains, Golden Girls and MacGyver all begin in this year.
Popular Movies of this year are-
· Back to the Future
· Rambo: First Blood Part II
· Rocky IV
· The Color Purple
· Out of Africa
· Cocoon
· Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment
· A View to a Kill
· Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
· Top Ten Singles
·
· January 1985
· 1. "Like A Virgin," Madonna
· 2. "All I Need," Jack Wagner
· 3. "You're The Inspiration," Chicago
· 4. "The Wild Boys," Duran Duran
· 5. "Run To You," Bryan Adams
· 6. "I Want To Know What Love Is," Foreigner
· 7. "We Belong," Pat Benatar
· 8. "Easy Lover," Philip Bailey & Phil Collins
· 9. "Sea Of Love," Honeydrippers
· 10. "Born In The U.S.A.," Bruce Springsteen
And it's the 25th Anniversary of my 21st Birthday....(not really sure if that makes me sound older than actually repeating my age or not, so I'll let you do the math.)
(me-1985 at 21 years of age.)
Here's how I spent my 21st birthday. My sorority sister roommates start the day pretending they forgot my birthday and continue the charade throughout the day. I have a nagging back pain all day and as I'm working kitchen duty in my sorority house after dinner, my back goes out. (What the hell? I'm only 21-what's up with that?!) I go up to our suite in the house, lay down and can't get back up. My roommates use this time to "Surprise" me with my 21st birthday celebration....unfortunately going uptown to "drink" it all in doesn't seem to be in the cards since I can't get off the floor. My roomies panic and have our housemother call an ambulance and I'm carried out of the house on a stretcher. (Again- WTH- this is so not how I pictured the evening.)
I'm released from the emergency room with a nice supply of muscle relaxers with instructions to not mix with alcohol. My roommates gather round me in our suite and consume the booze that was meant for the party and I get looped on my pharmaceuticals. A few days later, I eventually celebrate in high style. That was the first and last time that ever happened to my back. Go figure. Definitely a night I never forgot.
How did you spend your 21st birthday? What's your favorite 80's memory. song, movie? Share your stories- I'd love to hear them.
I'm off to enjoy the dirty martini Beloved just handed me- Cheers!
**Today's post contains information regarding the waxing of a sensitive area. I don't want to make anyone feel uncomfortable, just wanted to forewarn you.
As many of you know, I'm pretty much an open book here on It Is What It Is...Life Happens - Make It Work. I really try to walk the talk. When I try new things, I feel compelled to share with all of you these experiences. Perhaps, you've experienced the same thing. Perhaps, you've been thinking about the same things, or maybe you've never given what I'm about to share a darn, second thought. Anyway you slice it, maybe you can get a little chuckle out of my personal shenanigans.
I'll admit, I'm a girly, girl. I'm not afraid to get dirty, but I love my salon, my stylist and all that she stands for....while at my last hair cut, we were discussing waxing. Bikini/Brazilian waxing to be more direct. Specifically, the landscaping that I needed to consider since swimsuit season was upon us.
Have you seen the movie, Sex and the City? Loved that movie...favorite line in the whole movie came from Samantha to Miranda as they were lounging at a pool....
"Honey- Wax much?"
Frankly, I didn't want to be Miranda. One of my sister-in-laws is an aesthetician. She is a waxing machine. There isn't a family gathering that she doesn't' espouse the virtues of the brazilian wax. Seriously, I was at a dental show and a hygienist I was talking to goes to my SIL. She shared with me, in intimate detail her positive experiences with the brazilian. (I will spare you the details, suffice it to say, I didn't know her well enough to know all the things she shared with me.) This hygienist wanted to know if I went to SIL for the brazilian. Uh- no. Let's just say, I try to keep our relationship above the neck and fully clothed. I don't do the brazilian- but I'm happy to share with you what I know- because frankly- I've learned alot.
Exhibit A-
This should be pretty self explanatory. The last one is the "Full Brazilian." Yep- naked as the day you were born. This was not on my personal list of choices. If might work for some, but for me, not so much. I bet you didn't know there were so many shapes to choose from. I know, this was new territory for me too. Might I also mention, they have one of these diagrams for men as well. (Way too much information...) Plus, for what I was looking to have done, I didn't think I needed a chart.
So, back to my stylist. While we were discussing waxing techniques, I told her I thought I'd like to keep our relationship pretty much contained to the hair on my head. She totally understood and recommended a sweet little girl who's working for her. I've never had anything professionally waxed, other than my eyebrows. I know that I"m pretty lucky in that way. I have numerous friends who have become one with their aesthetician's and have to maintain areas other than their bikini zone. This was new territory for me. I was a bit nervous, but I forged on in the interest of sharing with you, my friends and of course not embarrassing myself while at a public pool.
Well, sweet little Jessica was a doll. She made me feel completely comfortable. She knew I was a waxing virgin and treated me as such. First, we go into the room. It's very zen like in it's decor with waterfall music playing in the background. Jessica hands me a robe that I am free to change into- or not, whichever I feel most comfortable with. (I chose not to wear it- call me a prude but I didn't feel the need to be fully undressed for this.)
She hands me two different pairs of disposable panties. She said "Wear whichever you'd like, this is to protect your clothing. It also serves as a guide, so to speak."
One of the pairs looked like a g-string thong like thing. The other was more like a scaled down version of a bikini bottom. Full coverage for the backside- and almost an upside down triangle for the front. I hope you can guess my choice. (In this particular instance, the adage, less is more was not applicable.) I chose the modest bikini bottoms. Once I was changed, I hopped up on the table and waited for Jessica.
It was like waiting for the gynecologist without the stirrups. Jessica knocked lightly on the door and waited for my reply before entering. "Ready to get started?" She quipped cheerily. "Nothing to be nervous about. I'll tell you what I'm doing the whole time." First, she sprinkled some sort of powder that was supposed to help with lessening the pain of the pull. She then started applying the wax to one side, applying the fabric strips and then holding my skin and pulling up quickly.
How bad did it hurt? Well, considering I was expecting torturous type pain- I would say not too bad. It was uncomfortable, no doubt about it. It didn't bring tears to my eyes. After a while, I got kind of use to it. (I know that just sounds so wrong...) I felt completely comfortable. I didn't have to contort my legs in any weird positions. Depending on the side she was working, I just had to bend my leg a little.
I will say she was thorough. She even brought out the tweezers for a few pesky strays that did not want to cooperate. (That probably hurt the most.) When she was done, she put some sort of cooling lotion on the exposed area and after getting changed, off I went. It didn't feel strange at all. (My stylist said it might feel a bit different, but I was fine.)
So- to recap- bikini wax- not so bad. I will probably do it again. The results have lasted. If you're thinking you might be inclined to try, don't be afraid. I will say, if you're thinking brazilian, be prepared for full exposure, spread eagle and then up on all fours. Those instructions are from my SIL. I don't think I'm inclined for that type activity at this juncture. Good on you-if you are.
This concludes today's tutorial.
