The Good, The Bad, The Ugly...

Well, after two days I am still sick. Not sick enough to be passed out in bed, but just sick enough to not be able to go in to work and be stuck in the house bored.

So, after two days of watching Entertainment TV, I decided to do my own best and worst dressed lists for the Oscars. I have to say, I think the bulk of this year's major lists were right on the money, but I had a couple of quibbles and some of my own ideas about who hit and missed on the Red Carpet.

Oh, and did I mention I've been getting pestered about doing one of these by multiple faithful readers? That too...

So, here we go

Stanfill's Sartorial Samplings: 2009 Oscars Best and Worst Dressed

Top 5 Best Dressed Females

Penelope Cruz in vintage Balmain:
Okay, let it be known that I am a HUGE Penelope fan. Her US films, her foreign films, you name it, I probably loved it. And I think that, for the most part, she always looks like a class act. Pair that with her 60+ year old vintage gown that she has been hanging on to for eight years to wear to something "special" (getting an Oscar, check, I think it counts). Toss in the $3M worth of diamonds she wore for the evening and her to-die-for sweetheart bangs and you've got the complete look. She floated down the Red Carpet and I have to say I find the overall effect of a silhouette like this far more pleasing than some of the uber-tight gowns we saw this year. I don't care what kind of body you have, as my daddy says "Every step looks like two pigs fighting under a blanket." Okay, maybe not SO much on the red carpet, but still...she FLOATED. Some argued that the dress looked a little too bridal...I disagree...and I would also submit that if I can look anywhere NEAR this good on my wedding day, I'll take it. Well done, Pen.


Vannessa Hudgens in Marchessa:This pains me. It truly, truly does. To ever have to tip my hat to anyone remotely involved with the bane that is the High School Musical Series is almost more than I can bear. And yet, I feel I owe it to this girl. I have to say, for her age, she rocked the Red Carpet. Her dress was completely AGE APPROPRIATE (SHARON STONE AND MILEY CYRUS ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME!?!). Fun and unstuffy while still sophisticated. The dress was originally knee length and she had the extra bottom layer added to make it more appropriate for the red carpet. While I am usually anti-mermaid, the addition took her from Jessica McClintock Prom Queen to Red Carpet Diva. The earrings and the hair were also right on point. *HOWEVER, I did hear that she compared herself to a young Audrey Hepburn...Girfriend...all I am going to say is DON'T EVER compare yourself to Audrey. Particularly when your body of work includes countless films under the title "High School Musical..." You're talking about the Funny Girl, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Roman Holiday ICON here. Just do yourself a favor and stand in wonder at the force that is and was Audrey Hepburn and DON'T EVER let a reporter catch you saying you think you look like her. Good Grief Girl...Show a little respect.

Tiraji P. Hensen in Roberto Cavalli:

Two words: Rocked It. This gown was tricky and could have gone very quickly from edgy-sophisticated to straight- up Mummy Chic. How many poor actresses have we seen get slammed for trying to rock this look only to be criticized for looking like the dog, the lawnmower, Enron's accounting department (oh, was that out loud?), etc got hold of their dress the night before the ceremony. However, Tiraji's amazing body and expertly coiffed 'do tied it all together. Oh yes, and did I mention the bling? An antique diamond choker that could put the Milky Way to shame. It can be tricky pairing something as fashion forward as this shredded tiered column with something vintage, but this was seriously perfect. She may have even inspired me to go with short hair for summer. I love the A-line bob with the dramatic bangs. Add in her satiny skin and amazing eyes and it's a 10! Much love for Tiraji.

Anne Hathaway in Armani Prive':

Again, this is a little painful, because I have tried for a very long time to hate on this girl (mostly out of loyalty to dear cousin Emily; Hathaway dated one of Em's ex-boyfriends, and we had sworn a pact to loathe her all our days...it's just what you do) but I can do it no longer. She rocks my socks as far as fashion is concerned. She looks like a million bucks ALL THE TIME. Now, given, it's hard to look bad in Armani, this dress still had it's little tricks. For starters, I, as a general rule, have a paillete problem...and this dress was COVERED in 'em. However, it worked. She worked. IT ALL JUST WORKED. She was like her own flashbulb. Skin: Flawless. Hair: Classic. Makeup: Perfection. Pair it with her Megawatt personality and humble, yet confident persona and she's a winner in my book. My only quibble is she is still looking a little skinny, which pains me. However, given the trauma she's been through lately with her ex-hubby in the clink and all, I'd say she looks pretty dang fabulous. In my humble opinion, if anyone in Hollywood today can come anywhere NEAR touching Ms. Hepburn, it would be Anne, although she still has a ways to go. Take a note V.

Natalie Portman in Rodarte:Portman was a total darkhorse for me this year. I had gotten so used to seeing her in these trippy Star Wars Princess Amidala inspired get-ups that I had sort of given up on her doing anything noteworthy. And honestly, when would I ever pick a pepto-pink gown for a best dressed award? Granted, this is still a little Grecian Goddess, which is a staple in Natalie's Red Carpet attire, but the overall look is fantastic. Not many people can wear "Hubba-Bubba" pink and make it look this good, but with her skin tone, it's a fantastic choice and a few of this year's white/beige sporting starlets could have taken a cue from her daring-do. The hair, also fantastic and the diamond studs were superb. I would have liked to see a little more bling around her neck (something simple a' la Penelope Cruz's sparkler) but when you've got skin like hers, who really needs it? Now if only we could melt the ice off that stare of hers...

Top 5 Best Dressed Males

Brad Pitt in Tom Ford:What can I say Tom Ford makes a nice suit, and when you put Brad Pitt in it, what else could it be but magic? Also, a small note, The caps on the buttons on his shirt are actually 24K-gold rimmed black diamonds. Nicely Done. Can we also get some quick love for Angie's crush-worthy emerald earrings and knuckle crushing emerald ring? Wow.

Sean Penn in Armani:
Not gonna lie...the black on black on black is a gamble. But Penn pulls it off with incredible style. For starters, the cut and tailoring of this suit is nothing short of impeccable. In general, a suit is a suit is a suit, but when it fits like this it is magic. Also, the woven texture of the long tie against the other blacks and the sheen of the satin lapels and buttons on his tux give a lot interest and sophistication to something that could have otherwise turned very dark and brooding very quickly. A quick shout out to his serious arm-candy of a wife too...She looked flawless.

Robert Downey Jr. in Someone Who Should be Getting Paid More:Someone please tell me when was the last time we saw RDJ looking this good? Wow. I didn't even RECOGNIZE him in the first few photos I saw. Wow. The suit is perfect, his hair looks amazing, and who knew he had such chiseled features under all that scruff we've been putting up with for so long. Have I said Wow yet? Chalk one up to a hot shower and a well-timed trip to the barber.

Hugh Jackman in Burberry, Shoes by Salvatore Ferragamo:
Okay, can't lie...Jackman could wear a potato sack (which I might prefer) and still look amazing. His rogue-ish good looks translated perfectly on stage and he was probably one of the best Oscar Hosts I've seen. Not too mention he looked amazing. He chucked the traditional cummerbund for a vest that made this look perfect. The deep V jacket and scooped vest only served to emphasize his incredible physique. The charmingly off-kilter bow-tie and Aussie accent didn't hurt either.

Robert Pattinson in Dolce & Gabbana:This also pains me. What is it about young Hollywood that I find so obnoxious as of late...oh wait, maybe the fact that they are no longer in my own personal age bracket and I am a little bitter...tear. Anyway...I have to hand it to Robert, seeing as how he has 3/4 of the female population of THE WORLD eating out of his hand (yes I saw the movie, yes it made a little short of breath, yes I am exorbitantly embarrassed by both of these facts) it would have been easy for him to show up in pretty much whatever he wanted...you know, flex his "I'm young and hot and who's gonna tell me I can't wear ripped jeans and a feather boa with aviators to the Oscars?" muscles (past offenders, you know who you are). Instead, he showed up in head to toe classic Dolce & Gabbana and maintained his youth and rakish charm with unkempt hair and just a wee bit of scruff. Well played, you too-young-for-me hottie, you.

Top 5 Worst Dressed Females

Sophia Loren in I Can't Even Think About It Too Hard:

Sophia...Seriously. Three things. 1.) You are ITALIAN, darling! I shudder to think at the endless numbers of your well-heeled patriarchy rolling over in their collective graves as we speak! 2.) You are a FASHION ICON...I don't care how old you're getting, we REALLY don't need another Elizabeth Taylor situation on our hands here 3.) No one with Olive skin (okay, or black, white, brown, red, yellow, blue, green I DON'T CARE WHAT COLOR YOUR SKIN IS) looks good in a hue inspired by Egg Drop Soup. Fortune Cookie Say: You Lose, Sophie. Better Luck Next Year, Bella.

Mylie Cyrus in Zuhair MuradMiley, Miley, Miley...Give it a few more years, okay, hunny? Seriously. This dress is truly stunning (despite a sort of overwhelming seashell/scallop theme that is enough to send anyone with a severe enough shellfish allergy into anaphylactic shock)...stunning, that is, if you're a 7 foot glamazon on the runway in Milan...not so much the cute and perky Tween star with an alter-ego. Poor Miley, at her age, to already have two identities and now be bucking for a third as a mature, sophisticated Red Carpet fashion staple is just too much. What Miley needs to do is take a note from Vannessa Hudgens and stick to something more her age. She's got the goods, cute smile, great little body...she needs to live it up while she can still wear the edgy youthful fashion. Plenty of time for mature sophistication...just look at Helen Miren. Although, somehow I have my doubts that Miss Cyrus' career will be quite so long and illustrious as Dame Miren's. Just a Hunch.

Beyonce' in House of Dereon (shocker):
This is also painful. I like Beyonce', really, I do. But every awards season we have to watch her walk the Red Carpet in one of her mother's monstrosities and then get slammed from all sides about it the next day. If I were Beyonce', I think I would just have to pull mom aside before awards season started and have a little chat about "branching out." Seriously. It's a disaster. This dress is like something you would find on Bram Stoker's mantle. Her cleavage is cramped, the mermaid fishtail is almost unforgivable, and the restricted range of motion is going to insure that she does not outrun ANY of the paparazzi taking her "Worst Dressed" photo. Poor Girl. Beyonce' would be a dream to dress...she's got one of the most amazing bodies in Hollywood, amazing skin, flawless features, the hair, you name it...but she insists on sticking with her mom's disaster-destined label. I don't know what kind of mother does this to their daughter, but seriously...Beyonce' needs to start taking it personally.

Jessica Biel in Prada
Small Sartorial Note: When in Doubt DO NOT ATTACH A DEFLATED DERIGIBLE TO YOUR DECOLLATAGE! Yikes. Seriously, Justin Timberlake has had hangovers that were less sloppy than this ensemble. It's just really unfortunate all the way around. Jessica Biel is gorgeous and has, arguably, on of the best bodies in Hollywood. I also happen to love Prada, so the fact that the two of these generally beautiful entities have come together to form such a total and utter disaster is really a shame. First off, this dress plus her skin tone = no good. She could have taken a hint and gone for something in a more vibrant hue a la Natalie Portman (anybody remember her gorgeous grape colored number from a year or two back?). Secondly...speaking of Enron's accounting department (oh dangit, I did it again) they seem to have gotten a hold of her hair. Either curl it or straighten it...or get up earlier before the show...or somethin'. Also, while you can't see them in this photo, she was wearing closed-toe black satin librarian-esque pumps. Heaven Help Us. Where was Prada on that one, I ask you? On an upnote, her jewels were flawless and whoever styled her makeup did a knockout job. Not a total loss.

Kate Winslet in Yves Saint Laurent:
Just stick with me for a second here. You have to know that I am a huge KW fan. I kept liking her even after she did Titanic. I think she picks stellar roles and I think she is a strong and admirable person. I also am aware that the things I am about to say might qualify as a capital offense in the UK (pretty sure they have a guillotine still operating in the Tower of London for just such purposes). However, I have to say I think this was a miss for Miss Winslett. The colors, for starters, were not great for her. Her alabaster skin and blonde hair are complemented so beautifully by, well, by pretty much anything other than gun-metal grey and black. In addition to that, Kate is classic old Hollywood. She screams old Hollywood and always looks amazing when she is styled that way. This dress, however, is decidedly forward leaning fashion and it clashes with her still classically sculpted coif. It's like two ends of the spectrum fighting over who will win and it just ends up in a big jumble, with pretty Kate in the middle of it. I have to say No, despite the aclaim it received from other fashion gurus. I'm sticking to my guns on this one. One other note...this dress ballparks for around $50K...if you're going to wear a dress that costs $50,000, you better look fabulous. I don't care if it's borrowed or not!

Top 5 Worst Dressed Males

Phillip Seymore Hoffman in Someone Who's Getting Paid Too MuchActually, we aren't even going to dignify this with 5 entire entries because Phillip Seymore Hoffman looked SO BAD that is made up for all the rest of the potential winners. Good grief, he even managed to trump Mickey Rourke, who looked like a disaster, by the way. Rumor has it, however, that he just lost his much-loved pooch, so we'll give him a pass for grieving purposes...RIP Loki. ANWAY, back to PSH. A Beanie? Really? You're going to come to the biggest awards show of the year in a black woolen beanie? I know haircare takes time and effort, but seriously...you're PSH for crying out loud...pay someone to shlack a ponytail on there for you and call it good. In addition to that, he also chose to wear a vest, however, in contrast to Hugh Jackman's impecabbly fitting vest and jacket, Hoffman's just looks kind of like a shiny sausage casing. Probably not such a smart move. Forgive him Father, for this Doubt star has sinned...Big Time.

Honorable Mentions:

Tina Fey in Zac Posen

Love Tina Fey, and I think she's beautiful...it's also rare that you see her looking so elegant. Bu she looks a little too much like King Tut's sarcophogus in this dress. Big time props on the hair though...she looked gorgeous no doubt about it.

Jennifer Anniston in Valentino
One of the best looks I've seen Jennifer wear. Props to her, as well, on being totally cool headed while presenting like 5 feet away from Brangelina. If the goal was to look as gorgeous as possible, she definitely did the job. Also, quick shout out to her arm candy for the evening, John Mayer...he looked fab as well.

Sarah Jessica Parker in Dior Haute Couture
A lot of people loved this dress, but the boobs were just a leeeeetle much for me. I love SJP's style, she's got it in spades, but this dress made the cliff houses at Cuenca look like Erector Set Jr. stuff compared to the architectural feat that is holding up her decollatage. Who knew Dior did seismically sound couture?

Amy Adams in Carolina Herrera, Necklace by Fred Leighton
Truth be told, I loved this look, but I know it was a little much. The dress was knockout, the collar was to die for, but together they were just a little over powering. Next year Amy,darling, you're gonna get 'em next year!

Tilda Swinton in Lanvin
I know, you're scratching your head abou this one. I love this women and I think she is a theatrical force in and of herself. Her style, however is decidedly avant garde, which makes it tough to wear on the red carpet. This, quite frankly is a great choice for her. I was impressed. If you're having trouble believing me just check out some of her past selections and you might get my point.


Well, that's it. My Oscar's 2009 fashion wrap. It's just too much work to try and cover the after parties and everything too, so if you have faves that you thought were left out leave me a note and I'll check them out. Disagree with me? Let me know. I want to hear your faves as well as the ones that maybe you didn't think were so great. Maybe there will even be a "Gems We Missed" post to recap some of the diamonds in the rough. Hope you Enjoyed. Until Next Year!

The Universe Hates Me...

I had the best of intentions.

Monday's are great days for starting fresh, and after a very fun weekend with my fabulous grandparents in NYC I was feeling refreshed and invigorated and ready to take the world by storm.

At work I was going to be newly focused, more productive...Spend less time running from point A to point B and more time producing desired product C. I was going to charm my new boss with my wit and intellect and propose some stunning new project so innovative he couldn't help but be impressed.

In the gym I was going to...okay, fine, I was going to get IN the gym. Period. The new work/commute has thrown a wrench in my gym schedule and it's been WAY to cold to run outside. Yes I have a 10 miler coming up in a little over a month. No I have not really been training (by really, I mean at all).

I was going to go to FHE. Not gonna lie, my attendance as of late has been spotty at best. Sometimes one just gets a little overwhelmed with it all, and I've sort of been on church detox. Still attending the 3 hour block (of course, that goes without saying) but I had sort of declared a short moratorium on extraneous meetings/activities. However, I was feeling ready to jump back in the fray, and we were going to be at one of the bishopric members' houses, so it promised to be a good time.

This all would have happened, if the universe didn't hate me.


For starters, work was, well, let's just say it didn't go quite as planned and the morning was spent, well, the morning was spent not quite as I had planned.

Then, around three o'clock I felt it. That achy-neck feeling. Then came the chills. When your hands are so cold there's no possible way for you to tell if you actually have a fever, or if everything feels hot because they are like ice.

The aches kept getting worse and turned into that spine twisting "yep, you're as sick as you think" feeling and then my insides started feeling like they wanted to be on my outsides.

So I may be stubborn, but I know when I'm a danger to those around me, so I took off early and headed home. The metro ride was miserable, and there was more than one moment where I had to think to myself "am I willing to ruin this BRAND NEW purse to save the people around me from a VERY unpleasant experience?" Thankfully, I never had to answer the question in earnest.

By the time I got home I was a shivering, quivering mess. So, I piled on the flannel and sweat shirts and got in bed. And here I am...5 hours later...still sick, still with that spine twisting "your body hates you" feeling, still with the chills, and still with the, yeah...everything else...but hoping against hope that it's just a 24 hour thing and not a repeat of the crab cake debacle of three weeks ago.

On the upside...I did lose roughly 6 lbs in approximately 4 days during said debacle.

There's always a silver lining.

YUPdates -OR- Is It Friday Yet? ...

YUPdates (Young Urban Professional updates) may or may not become a series...but don't get your hopes up. Mostly I just was a little at loose ends at work today so I actually wrote down some of the odd thoughts that I had...Nothing special, so don't get too excited.

For Starters...

1. Why do people expect me to love the cold just because I'm from MT? Why would I love something that makes it difficult and unpleasant to get around in any more just because I grew up with it. If anything this means I've been putting up with it for the last 26 years and could use a break. When I told my officemate I didn't like the cold (while we were both shaking the snow out of our hair and changing out of our boots after a long, cold, wet walk from the metro, btw) she looked at me like I had told her I didn't think I needed my kidneys. Either of them.

2. I have been filling out a lot of paperwork lately for a temporary assignment in a new office. A lot of this paperwork involves my personal information, including my birthday. When the people in charge of filling out the paperwork ask me my birthday I tell them "10-13-1982." Inevitably they look up at me from under their eyebrows and say "1982?" To which I say "Yes." Inevitably they shake their heads and sigh and mutter about "kids running the world these days" or something equally as ridiculous. Does my heart good.

In Addi(c)tion to That...

3. Every morning when my new boss takes his B-12 supplement he insists that I take a B-12 supplement. It is becoming something of a ritual. He suspects I am deficient. I had no idea there was a sight test for B-12 deficiency. I also have no idea what the symptoms or detriments of being B-12 deficient are. Actually, I have no idea what one needs B-12 for anyway. I also have no way of confirming that what he is giving me is actually B-12. Thus far, however, I have not lost control of any of my motor skills or major bodily functions and have had no hallucinatory* experiences, so I guess I'm safe. Also, I think I am slowly winning him over. You gotta do what you gotta do. *Note: I may have made up this word...

4. On the trash cans in the cafeteria at my office there are signs that say "Did you remember to Recycle?" The only disposable materials available at the cafeteria are made of Styrofoam and bleached white plastic. There are also no recycling bins. I find this ironic. And disheartening.

Oh Yes, And Also This...

5. Some people get mid-afternoon munchy cravings. I get mid-afternoon music cravings. Working in a sanitized environment, I cannot bring in my media devices, and thus get pretty desperate for my favorite tunes. Today at about 3:00pm I got the craziest urge to listen to The Killers. I needed it. Like a drug. I could hear my favorite songs from the latest album running through my head over and over. Needless to say you know what I rocked on the metro ride home. *Note: I should clarify that I DO get mid-afternoon munchy cravings in addition to my mid-afternoon music cravings. Lately it's been sweet potato fries...with a vengeance.

On A More Serious Note...

6. The effects of a lagging economy are becoming more visible in DC. One of the escalators at the metro station I use for my morning commute (at one of the busier stations in the city, by my calculations) has been broken for nearly 2 weeks, causing massive backups on the working escalators and contributing to general congestion of the station. Let's just say if there was a fire it would be heap big problems. Not only has the escalator been out of commission for nearly 2 weeks, but during those 2 weeks I have yet to see anyone actually working on fixing the thing. In the past, such a breakdown would have had maintenance crews working round the clock to fix the problem within one or two days. I suspect the city has had to lay off metro maintenance employees to deal with budget crunches. I say 'suspect' because I am too lazy to do the actual research. This is why I am an armchair expert of many things.

That is All.

25 Things...

Okay, I can't count how many times I have been "tagged" with this thing, and I have resisted. Truly, I would say I have made a valiant effort to get out of doing it...but due to a dearth in creativity and worthy blogging material, I've caved.

So here's the deal, I put down 25 things about myself and then "tag" my friends to do the same. If you're reading, consider yourself tagged. Given this is my blog those are going to be my rules...so if you're reading (and yes, up to this point counts, so quit trying to squirm out of it by closing that tab...too late, buddy) you'd better start making your list.

So, here goes...25 mild to moderately useless things about yours truly...should anyone care to know.

1. I went to two high schools. I was not popular at either of them.

2. I got my tongue stuck to our satellite dish when I was 4 or 5 years old. I scooped up a pile of snow and was going to lick it off. I missed. Not pretty.

3. I am embarrassed by a fair amount of the music on my ipod. That doesn't mean I don't listen to it on occasion.

4. Sleeping Beauty is my all-time favorite Disney Classic.

5. I have a strange fascination and affinity for religious iconography. I like to collect objects related to religious practices of the world. My friends think I'm an idol worshiper.

6. If money were not an object and I could reinvent myself through a new career I would go to culinary school and eventually open my own restaurant. Probably specializing in Mediterranean Cuisine.

7. Personal fantasy: Walking the catwalk in a huge runway show. Alas, I am 5'4" and my face is a little crooked...I still think I could rock it, though.

8. My preferred reading genre is historical fiction.

9. I need music in my life to survive. I think one of the worst possible things that could happen to me would be to go deaf. I almost always have music playing, and when I can't play it I hear it in my head. Beautiful music fills me up in a way that I cannot describe.

10. Sometimes I'm too honest. I don't like to hold things back. I don't think it's fair to you or to me. If I feel something I will probably say it. Sorry.

11. I like green things.

12. Sometimes I get in strange moods. These usually involve me listening to a lot of Regina Specter, wearing clothes that only sort of match, and me doing something less than flattering with my hair. Luckily, these do not last for very long.

13. My parents rock.

14. I love to cook. However, I am chronically lazy, which means I rarely cook for myself. If I invite you over for dinner, please say yes because it gives me an excuse to cook good food, and I will eat well, too. Otherwise, I will probably have toast for dinner. It's mutually beneficial, so just go with it.

15. I had LASIK surgery on 4 December. My vision is now 20/15. I have no idea why I waited until I was 26.

16. My current favorite day-dream is coming home after a tough day at work to a man who just wants to sit on the sofa and hold me for a while. He doesn't have to make dinner or clean the apartment or even want to talk about why the day was hard or try to fix it. Just hold me for a while. It's a good one.

17. I'm a dog person.

18. Someday I would like to have a garden. Nothing big or ambitious...just somewhere I can grow herbs and tomatoes and tulips. For now I will just have to make-do with the pots on my deck.

19. I get super jealous. It's one of the things about my personality/character that I HATE. I hate being jealous and I think it's a direct symptom of insecurity. I've tried to cure it, but thus far not much luck. On the flip side I am also viciously loyal, a characteristic that I am sort of proud of. Do not cross my friends...I will hunt you.

20. I was 1st runner-up in my high school's Jr. Miss pageant. It's a SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. I won the "Poise and Composure" portion of the competition. Sometimes I think I'm regressing in the "poise and composure" portion of my life. Aish.

21. I have always wanted to take one year of my life and spend the entire winter working as a liftie at a ski resort and the entire summer working on a scuba boat in the Caribbean. An entire year of skiing and diving...I can imagine nothing better.

22. I love to dance. It's on my genetic code. If there is music with any kind of beat I cannot hold still. It doesn't matter how exhausted I am or how uncomfortable my shoes are, I have to move my body.

23. Each of my younger sisters is a role model for me. Each one has characteristics that I admire and want to emulate. They are truly amazing women.

24. I went through a REALLY long awkward stage...Like from age 11 to...oh, I dunno...roughly 22 or so. Sometimes I still feel like I am recovering.

25. I'm an art junky. I think this is directly related to the fact that I have NO artistic ability whatsoever...but have always wished that I had. When I lived in Spain my friends stopped going to the Prado with me. I can sit and stare for hours. I love feeling like I have made a personal connection with a painting.

So, there you have it. 25 random things about me. Probably more than some of you EVER wanted to know. I will be expecting your lists shortly.

I'm A Sell Out...

I did it. I admit it.

I went against every sartorial principle that is dear to me, and I bought them. A pair of Uggs.


They are grey. They are ugly. They are obnoxiously trendy. I bought them anyway.

I have always maintained, and still feel rather strongly, that these are quite possibly the ugliest form of footwear known to man. And if not that, at least the worst thing to happen to fashion since the Burkenstock. But I couldn't help myself.

I've started a new work assignment that requires me to take the metro during the early morning hours and then walk another 10-15 mins from the station to my office. This doesn't sound like much, I know, but it's been FREEZING and I finally decided I needed to something to protect me from the cold.

So I did it. I caved. Completely. I sold my soul to the Ugly-As-Sin-But-Inexplicably-Popular Footwear Gods. For full price. I make myself sick.

So after a heinously cold week of waiting they finally arrived yesterday.

The creepy thing is, I can't take them off. I have no desire to take them off. I want to wear them EVERYWHERE...with EVERYTHING.

I think these boots have powers. Mystical, dark powers that have made them a fashion staple despite a design that breaks every rule of fashion known to man.

I hang my head in shame...but that doesn't mean I'm taking off my boots.


Should I happen to purchase a pair of leggings or skinny jeans at any point in the future please perform an intervention. I may not be strong enough to save me from myself.

Groundhog's Day...

As promised, a quickie...

Today is Groundhog's Day.

I hate that $%&# groundhog*. I hate him because he never tells me what I want to hear.

I want him to tell me spring is a'comin'...like tomorrow. But no. All I ever get is "6 more weeks of winter." I hate that hog.

I spent 20 minutes of my meeting today not focused on how Democratization in Korea affects the Economy...but wondering to myself which side of my apartment complex's pool deck gets the best sun, and thinking I should scope that out soon so I can be sure to maximize my time this summer... When I snapped back to I looked around the room and saw that at least 10 others were glazed over from the tryptophan in their turkey sandwiches...so I checked back out and had a lovely day dream involving me, the sun, and the latest installment of Bon Apetit Magazine...

Sigh...

What is it about the word "February" that just gets a girl depressed?

*Note: Blame Grandpa.