Scene at 6:45 on Friday mornings: The alarm rings, I realize it’s the last day of the work week and I crack a little smile. A moment later, that grin is wiped out by frustration as I pull the covers over my head and pretend to sob, because I remember it’s business casual time again.
Folks, it’s been a long time since I last had a decent wardrobe. During the last two years I wasn’t able to find much to help alleviate the stress of figuring out what to wear to work every blasted weekday. It’s bad enough when you don’t like where you work, but just try getting out of bed when, on top of that, you have nothing to wear.
I don’t even want to know what people at the office have said behind my back. Probably things like, “Didn’t she wear that last Tuesday, and the Tuesday before that, and the Tuesday before that?” - And the sad part is, they’re right. Staying on track financially through some tough times took everything I had and then some. No budget for clothes.
But, now I’m out of excuses, so I finally went and picked up a few pairs of trousers and coordinating tops. Though my problems from Monday through Thursday aren’t solved, come Friday morning I’ll wake with that little grin and keep it on all day (that is, unless I weep for joy) because for the first Casual Friday in ages - I have something to wear! 
February 7th, 2008
Did I ever mention that I pretty much gave up television a few years ago? Yeah. Reality TV marked the decline and fall of my tenure in front of the tube. At first, I gave it up temporarily just to see how my life would be affected. But after a few weeks without it I realized that I had become far more productive, and was getting a lot more out of life.
This Week: Ten Ways to Avoid Watching TV 10. Find a human and strike up a conversation.
9. Surf the Internet to learn about something.
8. Get to work on chores you’ve been avoiding.
7. Be Creative: Draw, Create, Cook, and Dance.
6. Weigh yourself and consider going for a jog.
5. Sell things you don’t use any more on eBay.
4. Find someone to hug and squeeze and kiss.
3. List your big goals and write up action plans.
2. Grab a book from the shelf and start reading.
1. And my personal favorite: Go ride your bike!
People often say “life is short” and fantasize about all the things they’d still like to accomplish, but then go on to waste huge amounts of time on things that don’t contribute to their goals. If you spend more than a couple hours each week watching television, I recommend taking a tv “hiatus” to tackle some of those more important things.
Who knows, maybe (like me) you’ll never go back!
February 5th, 2008
So, I’ve poked fun at Gwen Stefani in the past. Not for any lack of love, because truly I think she’s lovely. However, none of us are perfect, and as I know well, even bombshell geniuses blunder now and then.
But today, I just want to tell Gwen how much I enjoy her show of good humor via this charming little homage from her Harajuku Lovers Spring 2008 collection.
These “Rocket Girl” bags have a strangely familiar appeal that I can’t seem to place, but I hope dear Bawidamann is flattered by this coincidence, too.
PS: and Gwen, if rumors are true, congrats on the new bun in the oven!
January 29th, 2008
The beautiful Ana (she recently became a new mommy) tagged me to complete a 20-item questionnaire designed to help you reflect on last year and plan ahead for this one. The hitch: Toss one question and replace it with your own, then tag a handful of friends to participate.
My beloved blogroll buddies are invited to join in the fun.
Continue to view the questions & answers…
Continue Reading January 15th, 2008
2006 was the year I took a few sticks of dynamite and blew my life sky high. 2007 was spent huddled up to avoid the fallout from that explosion. But in 2008 - I will start to rebuild my life.
Though I have not emerged from the rubble unscathed, an amazing team of supporters helped me recover much faster than I could have imagined. There simply aren’t sufficient words to express my gratitude.
Now that I’m on the other side of this mess, I almost don’t know where to begin. After spending the last week or so mulling over what I should tackle when, I came to the sad realization that money matters, so finding a new job is going to be priority one.
This is the first year in over a decade that I’ve looked forward to living. Perhaps my life is finally starting to turn a corner, and maybe, just maybe, it’s starting to resemble something that I’ve built deliberately instead of something that just… happened. Let’s see how it goes.
January 7th, 2008
You’re browsing racks of clothes, trying to find just the right outfit for an upcoming event. You wade through aisle after aisle, amassing a good selection to choose from. Then you haul it all into the dressing room and start trying it on for size. This one’s too big. That one is too tight up top. The other needs to come in a few inches in the waist. And with some luck you’ll eventually emerge with a piece that fits just right.
We can use that as a metaphor to better understand how I test out ideas, behaviors, and attitudes. I like to try them on, view them from different angles, and walk around in them a little (privately) before making a decision. Figuring out what works and what doesn’t, adjusting from there to find the perfect fit. Once in a while, I’ll let someone inside my dressing room to provide a second opinion. Woe be it unto them.
Often I don’t give warning. When wrestling with an issue, I’ll just throw concepts out there to seek feedback and study reactions. Those poor people closest to me have trouble at times figuring out whether I’m simply trying something on, or if I bought it. And bless them for trying. Maybe some day I’ll be able to slow the flurry of thoughts enough to first let people know when I’m headed into the dressing room.
December 19th, 2007
Heaven knows I can’t be without a bike for two seconds before I start jonesing for a spin, so I began rebuilding immediately after the crash. Coincidentally, cycling legend Eddy Merckx was coming to town, and since I’d had my eye on one of his frames, that’s where I began.
My new CHM arrived in the same package as the bike Eddy would ride, and Stan and his crew filmed me unwrapping both frames. Although I wasn’t able to ride with Mr. Merckx on December 1st, Jordan took part in a four-man breakaway that proved Eddy still has what it takes to turn the screws. Then, before he left, the Cannibal signed my frame.
Not a bad start for a new bike. The frame isn’t top of the line, but it’s a good value for European carbon at around 2 pounds. So far I’ve built it with Campagnolo Record, Salsa Poco carbon bars, flashy white pedals, those new Fulcrum RS cranks, and Nokon cables for extra bling.
Replacement of the red hot Fulcrum Racing Zero wheels I received for my birthday may need to wait until the property damage settlement, but they’re gonna look pretty flippin’ sweet. Not sure if I’ll need to swap out the Deda carbon stem and seatpost for better fitting items from Thomson, but I’ll post pictures when it’s all done… Almost there!
December 10th, 2007
It doesn’t take much to get me into the holiday spirit. The first sign of red and green gets me smiling, even if it’s while strolling the aisles at Target in October. So, it came as no surprise that last night’s theatrical event threw me over the top, and into full-on yuletide zeal.
My best friend on earth (Whom I just happen to be dating. Did I forget to mention it before? Interesting. Maybe I’ll share the story some day.) is a private banker, and his firm bought out the seats for last night’s performance of “A Christmas Carol” by South Coast Repertory.
I’m no theater buff, but I can see how people get into seeing shows on a regular basis. It was oddly relaxing and thoroughly entertaining. You can kind-of lose yourself in the drama, and there’s an interactive quality that could be addicting, especially when you have great seats.
Not only was the show fantastic, but it was a hoot getting to wear a pretty new cocktail dress and spending the evening on the arm of a very dapper gentleman. Even the obligatory schmoozing with clients and co-workers was unusually tolerable. Last night was such a treat!
December 7th, 2007
Though I’m nearly a week late, it’s been a while since I did one of these weekly “Top Tens” and this one made me smile, so here you go:
This Week’s Topic: Ten Best Games
1. TETRIS - Nearly wore out the buttons on my Motorola SLVR because of this game. My high scores would blow your mind. As an unexpected bonus, mad Tetris skillz have a real-life application: You can pack and move all your household belongings into storage in under five hours.
2. KINGDOM OF LOATHING - If you’ve ever played an online text-based RPG you’ll love this game. The NPC concepts and combat messages are hilarious, and some of the quests could drive you to drink, but that’s ok because drinking earns you extra turns each day. Trust me and try it.
3. MONOPOLY - Though most people probably burn out on this one after a few tries, there’s a special breed of people who don’t tire of this classic board game. I’m one of them. These days the game goes much faster thanks to computers taking care of tedious manual tasks.
4. SETTLERS OF CATAN - Not your usual board game, simple to pick up and fun to master, this game puts your mind to work. With a little bit of luck and a decent strategy your colony will claim victory.
5. APPLES TO APPLES - An interactive card game, mostly for kids, which is more about how well you know the people you’re playing with than anything else. This game gave me and the step kids so many laughs.
6. SUPER MARIO BROS - There’s a good reason why this is the best selling video game of all time: It’s fun! My mom withstood my begging and pleading for a video gaming console until the NES came out, but after that I spent a large chunk of my childhood playing this game.
7. CHEZ GEEK - I have to thank PJ for this one. He brought it with him on his visit from Canada and I liked this card game so much that I got my own deck after he left. Now I just need to find a geek to play with.
8. MAJOR MUD - It may not be as widely known as World of Warcraft, but I must pay homage to a precursor to that modern-day classic. Though I’ve made so many good friends playing MajorMUD, please take my advice and never marry anyone you met in an RPG.
9. CAESAR & CLEOPATRA - Not many people know of this card game, but it won awards when it came out in 1998. Game play and strategy are fun and simple, and I like the elegant shape and design of the cards.
10. MINDTRAP - This is another game that most of you probably haven’t heard of, but I really like it. It involves solving logical riddles, and some of them are so difficult, they’ll really get your gears turning.
BONUS: Don’t forget the ARCADE GAMES here at Atomic Bombshell. Choose from Pac Man, Asteroids, Tetris, Space Invaders, Hexxagon, Simon, Snake, and Tic-Tac-Toe. Always here and ready for you to play.
December 3rd, 2007
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