Cleaning Out The IN Box

Uggh...

My desk at work is a clutter of crap! I can't believe I have let it get like this because it is so out of character for me. And I can't even stand it for one more minute. I guess it means I have been busy with other things, but a cluttered desk must mean a cluttered mind and my mind is clear.

Don't you hate it when things pile up on your desk? I have been focusing on the immediate things like everyday stuff that's necessary and INVENTORY! My focus has been to complete inventory before the big events of the weekend, which I almost did-but in the interim everything else landed squarely in a pile on my desk. Now I am back to work and it is looming over my head like a wrecking ball. I can't stand looking at it and I feel like I can't focus on anything else until I clean up that mess. I'm going to dig right in and destroy the clutter like nobody's business. I might even surprise myself.

Because my mind is clear, even if my desk is not.

p.s. This photo is not my desk..if it was-you might find me crumpled up in the fetal position somewhere near there.

Clear View?

So, I just recently started wearing contact lenses. I have been complaining about my failing eyesight for a while now, so on Dec 26th, 2014, I went to the eye doc and got myself a pair of contact lenses. I can't even tell you how my life has changed for the better! I used to be so dependent on my glasses and now? I don't hardly use them at all. It's so much easier at work! I can see everything clearly and I'm not constantly fumbling and looking for my glasses. It is a blessing to be able to do my work without the distraction of searching for a clearer view.

Flash back to Dec 27, 2014: Day One of contact lens wear. It took me a good hour to insert the lenses properly into my eye and after more than a few tears, loud cussing and steely determination, it was mission accomplished!

Day 2: 45 minutes of cussing, frustrated cries for help, but I wasn't giving up!  Finally success!

Day 3: 10 minutes! I may just be getting good at this!

Day 4: 10 minutes and I'm much more confident that this can become part of my everyday life.

Flash Forward to today: Five months of everyday wear, and I've got the insertion of the lenses down to a few minutes. My contact lenses are very dear to me and I can't imagine life without them BUT I discovered today that contact lenses are a very fickle thing.

I insert my contacts after I get out of the shower, before I apply my makeup. I did that today- which was no different than any other day. I got dressed and started to apply my makeup. No problems except for a slight tingle in my left eye-I then began to blow dry my hair and as I was doing so, my phone rang. I looked at the screen and realized immediately that I could not see clearly.

Where was my contact?

I know I put it in and I might even have been able to feel it, but where was it and why wasn't it doing it's job? This is what I had feared. I had heard about contacts that "get lost" in the eye but I never had experienced it till today. I then began the painful process of swiping my iris and cornea searching for the lost contact.

Redness and stinging in the eye ensued.
Black mascara and eyeliner began to expertly pool under my left eye, creating a mess of the artistry I had minutes before created. I couldn't stop though, I knew the contact was in there but I couldn't find it no matter how hard I tried. I decided I may have dropped it somewhere, so I took a pair of extra reader glasses and began searching frantically around the bathroom for it. Nothing. I then washed my hands and began the painful sweeping the cornea/iris process all over again. After several minutes and several tears I decided to give up. It was then that I felt it!! The lost contact was balled up in the corner of my eye and I was able to pull it gently from my eye!!

I swear I shed a tear of relief that I had just successfully retrieved my $$ contact. I then cleaned it off with the disinfecting solution and you know what I did?

You bet I inserted it back into my eye where it peacefully resides right now.
The good truly outweighs the bad with my contacts. I like going through life with a nice clear view.

You Go Girlfriend!!

A self proclaimed "Bravo-phile", it has been well documented here that my TV almost exclusively broadcasts the Bravo network when I find myself in front of it. So it should be no surprise that while on my recent 15 day-unauthorized vacation, that suddenly I had some rare personal time on my hands. Thank God for my iPad, because actually sharing the family room TV with my family can get very tricky. Since I needed to catch up on what all my favorite Housewives were doing, I downloaded the GENIUS Bravo ap and discovered my entire guilty-pleasure-viewing world at my finger tips!

It was within that world that I decided to start watching Bravo's first scripted series "Girlfriends Guide to Divorce". The show is promoted constantly during the Real Housewives franchise and stars Girlfriend Lisa Edelstein as Abby McCarthy, an acclaimed self-help author and family guru who lives in LA. Edelstein is a brilliant choice considering I loved her as the long suffering girlfriend of curmudgeonly doctor House of the 2004 long-running TV series bearing the same name. "Girlfriends" was one of my best binge watches to date. Season 1 is comprised of 13 interesting episodes.

Now before you say anything negative, let me clarify a few things:

• I am EXACTLY the demo Bravo wants; over 40, educated, self employed career woman who is divorced with two children. Safe to say the show speaks to me.
• Abby McCarthy (Lisa Edelstein) and I are nearly the same age and living somewhat the same life-not really-but I am sympathetic to her character and the parallels are numerous. 
• Add marriage, divorce, sex, money, fashion, family and powerful women and I'm in.
• The series first premiered on my birthday. Need I say more?

To those who say that Bravo and it's reality TV franchises are partly responsible for the "dumbing down of America", I say here is a smart and sexy, scripted show that just may teach us a thing or two. 

It's powerful. It's funny and compelling while being heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. And if you've ever been through a rough patch in your life or have a girlfriend who has, it manages to mirror your own personal story only with better fashions and better scripts. It's also one of the best season finale episodes I've watched in a long time. You don't have to be a girlfriend to watch it either, I think the story lines are compelling enough for anyone watching to find a relatable angle. 

Bravo, Bravo! Thanks for giving us finally Girlfriends we can depend on. 

Go Shorty...It's Your Birthday!

It's the one day of the year that is yours and yours alone...so I guess it's my day!

It's "the day of larger than life". According to December 2 Birthday Astrology:


"The mysterious Sagittarius men and women born on December 2 are big on image. They are romantic and talented; their talents often relate to the arts. They sometimes use their talent to shelter themselves from the world. They seem strong but are vulnerable to emotional pressures. They seldom show their wounds, putting a positive spin on difficult events."

Sounds familiar.

Lucky are the ones I love:

"Few people display the loyalty and affection that December 2 men and women show. December 2 people love on an epic scale. They often fall in love unwisely, but there is no doubt of their sincerity. Learning to live with their romantic choices can be difficult, but these resilient people are up to the task."

Up to the task? I guess so considering I've loved and lost and loved and won.

Traits of this day..Dec 2 "Larger than life".

DYNAMIC
LUCID
HUMAN
TEMPERAMENTAL
JUDGMENTAL
MANIPULATIVE

Oh hey! Who threw in manipulative? But I can be influential. Or is it magical?

"Those born on December 2 are possessed of tremendous spirit. No matter how small their physical frame, they will exert an influence on their surroundings far beyond what one might expect on first meeting them. It is only when seen in action that they really shine. So magical is their effect that those involved with them may sometimes feel as if they’ve been hit with a bolo punch."

And now it's calling me out. OK, so you've got me here:

"The December 2 judgmental aspect is very expansive, for better or for worse. On the one hand, those born on this day are keen evaluators, true judges of honesty and integrity, but on the other hand they are capable of harboring grudges and taking their often furious tempers out on those who have transgressed."

As a gift to me here are some words to live by. Advice for those born on this day: 

Watch your temper.

Regardless of what people say, winning isn’t everything.

Real self-assurance will minimize your need to be appreciated.

Try to be less judgmental and condemning.

To improve, one must first acknowledge weaknesses and faults.

On the whole not a bad gig. I'd have to admit to the accuracy. Me and Brittney Spears, Lucy Lu-we are all born on this day. And I'll make my birthday wishes- because there is magic in your birthday wish-
World peace, honesty, integrity, my daughter home safe, health, success and protection for my family. 

That's not asking too much, is it?

Domestic Bliss

Home sweet home, yes home is where the heart is. The older I get the harder I work and the harder I work the more I appreciate quiet time at home.

I was thinking on Sunday, after spending most of the morning/early afternoon in my pajamas, "Is this OK?" By 1:00 pm the guilt got to me and I knew it had to get dressed and get going. Growing up, my mom always made sure that we got up, had breakfast and got dressed for the day. Unless you were sick and then pajamas all day was considered legal and legit, but if you weren't sick then lounging around all day in your pajamas was not OK. In fact, it was considered lazy and that just wasn't something that we did.

But here I am thinking that I did all of nothing on Sunday (my only day off) and I am left wondering if there is something wrong with doing nothing. And by nothing I mean not leaving my house much less the comfort of my sofa. Sure I did some productive stuff on said sofa; answered emails, laundry, did some online Xmas shopping, read some magazines that clutter my kitchen inbox, watched a movie or two and chilled out. I didn't even attempt my favorite Sunday pastime which is cooking.

Again, is there something wrong with doing nothing?

I figure I work hard all week and rarely spend any quality time at home, so staying home on a Sunday has got to be OK, isn't it?
Like, who am I looking for validation from?
I've got to be the one that is OK with it and right about now I feel that being home doing nothing is something sweet.

Bright Eyed And Bushy Tailed

Ahhh, fresh off my "mini-cation" and I feel great! Nothing like a few days of R&R, good friends, shopping, laughing and eating to your heart's content! I tell ya, I could get used to this empty nest thing!

A few observations on the weekend:

• I love my blogger buddies! MarkD60 even though we have never met, I'm pleasantly surprised that you know me so well and that's awesome! You win the prize on where I went!

• Nothing like a Florida sunset, the open ocean, a couple of drinks and the love of some great friends. The foods and drinks taste better when you are with people you love, don't you agree? The gorgeous backdrop doesn't hurt either. 

• My Tommy! YES! My Tommy silenced the critics and everyone else who wanted to spew poison and spread crap about my boy and his commitment to his team. OK, so we won a big one. I'm not a romantic fool. I know that the team's problems are a lot bigger than anyone really knows, but I'm also not one to question it. For now, I'll happily take the momentum and move forward to Buffalo. You go Tommy!!  

• Funny, on Sunday afternoon, when we were sitting out at the beautiful bar on the beach looking at the sunset having drinks, we were chatting with the fun people sitting next to us. They were from Cincinnati and they were talking serious trash about how they were going to kill us in Sunday night's game. Believe it or not we took it! We bowed our heads and agreed that this may not be the Pats year and that there were serious issues with the team, with Brady-hes not happy, blah, blah, blah. We quietly and uncharacteristically agreed with the trash talk.......I couldn't help but think of them halfway through the first quarter of the game. 

• It always takes my dogs a good hour to re acclimate to us coming home. I read once that it causes stress to the "pack" when you separate dogs that live together. They must have been stressed this weekend, because they really take their time about getting right back into the family routine when we get home. It's like they are pissed at us or something. 

•  Happy are those who come home to rest their heads. As fun as it is to get away for a bit, it's always good to come home. That goes for here too bloggers! I'm happy to be back!

Today's Special: The Lust List

The high waisted black pencil skirt. A must have fall wardrobe staple! TIP: Order one size bigger than usual, as they tend to run small and fit skin tight.(and this is a bad thing?)

Rachel Zoe Lauren Leather Platform Pumps. I am DYING!!! These gorgeous babies have my name written all over them. BIG PROBLEM: They are SOLD OUT everywhere. Which makes me want them even more....

A nice wool pea coat. This gorgeous one is from Vivien Westwood is gorgeous and especially cozy for the crisp fall temps here in New England. Quite stylish too.

Amatriciana. Quite possibly the worlds most perfect food. I love me some pasta!

This gorgeous leather cuff from Uno De 50. Simple and edgy enough for everyday, this bracelet pairs well with any look for fall. BUY HERE: candybarcosmetics.com

Eve Lom Cleanser-Voted "the best cleanser in the world" by Vogue Magazine, this balmy cleanser emulsifies into a magical oil that cleanses, tones and exfoliates all in one step. Perfect for all skin types, the Eve Lom Cleanser is great for your skin's transition from summer to fall. BUY HERE: candybarcosmetics.com

A cashmere and silk scarf from Louis Vuitton. Every stylish woman knows that a touch of leopard adds just the right amount of style and class. At $895.00 this scarf may be a bit too pricey for everyone's budget, but I'm obsessed with it. TIP: Buying at top dollar means that it will last. At that price this may be the last leopard scarf you will ever need to buy. Like ever.

And last: eggplant colored nails. So many variations on the shades of eggplant, the experts predict that eggplant with be the hot color this fall for nails. TREND ALERT: Also look for Navy, Hunter Green and of course, black.

Now if my wallet would just cooperate, I could add all these glorious things to my wardrobe right now!

Tuesday Tough Love

We all have to fly. We all have to spread our wings, fly free and soar where we have never dared to soar before. And we have to do it alone, but together in spirit. Always.

• The nest will be empty today..by 5 pm. I've realized that it's not about me. They will be great. I've done my job. 
• It's not so bad... my life is good. Possibly even great, but I'm being challenged lately. I can't run and hide. I've got to fight and move forward with everything I've got. Piece of cake, right?

I'm done whining and crying. I had my moment, now it's time to live. Fly free and soar. 

Eagles don't fly with crows. 

Thru Rose Colored Glasses

It has come to my attention recently, or should I say every day for the past 6 months, that I cannot see a GARD DARN thing. It's awful, really to loose your eyesight, and I have a new found appreciation for eye sight, eye doctors, glasses, readers and everything having to do with seeing the world in front of me more clearly. I used to brag about my eyesight...

In my younger days I never needed an-eye sight-thing! Today I'm at the mercy of my specs. At first it was kinda fun. Things started to get a bit blurry so I would pick up a pair of "cheaters" in 1.0 strength and fool around with the fun "fashion accessory" aspect of actually wearing glasses. Soon enough, I needed something a bit stronger. 1.25 was my number for a couple of years. But now?? I am a steady 1.75 and now I've taken to wearing my prescription glasses all day. The longer I wear them the more I need them. What's next for me? 

The dreaded old lady glasses lanyard??

Oh the FASHION HORROR! 

The doctor tells me I am farsighted, with is funny because I can far away just fine. I can't read a thing in front of my face. Not a fricken thing. Seriously, my kids try to hide any text messages or postings that they do on their cell phones when they are near me and I have to laugh. I told them that there is no need to fret. There is no way in HELL I can see what they are doing because I CANT SEE!

The one on the right is how I need to see my text messages.

I guess I shouldn't really complain. I don't need my glasses to drive or to watch TV (unless I am on a Jet Blue flight watching a Real Housewives Marathon on Bravo-which I've recently discovered is much clearer with my prescription specs) I can see an Eagle pooping at the top of a tree miles away but damn if I can see the lady bug that landed on my knee clearly. This has also become a social media problem. While leisurely scanning my FB, Instagram or Twitter accounts, I may see something I want to post a comment on. Lo and behold, 75% of my comments made without my glasses contain spelling errors or a typo. This is unacceptable to the journalist inside me, yet it happens more than I would like. I liken it to commenting on social media while under the influence of alcohol.   

I think it may be time for contacts? Really? But I don't need them for far away, so they may not be an option. And forget Lasik surgery. That's for people who can't see my friend the Eagle up in the tree. I feel like I'm running out of options. Am I really going to be a slave to my glasses from here on out? 

If that's the case and I have to wear glasses for the rest of my life, I'm making sure I'm seeing everything through rose colored lenses. 

It's A Launch Party!

Hey Bloggers! Happy Friday!

I've been super busy with my new project. I have launched my online store!!!
I'm giddy with excitement about the launch of my new website: www.candybarcosmetics.com. 

To celebrate, I'm throwing a launch party! Shop at www.candybarcosmetics.com till August 6th, 2014 and take 30% off your purchase! Now you can Find your Candy Bar Style wherever you are!

Click on the links above now and join the party!
Have a great weekend and be sure to Find your Candy Bar Style on line!

Face The Truth

I had an interesting conversation with a client yesterday about the injectable beauty treatment Botox. She asked me how I felt about Botox and if I had "experimented' with it. I gave her my opinion and she then told me an interesting thing. She went on to tell me about a very good friend of hers who is trained in a highly specialized discipline called Micro Expression Recognition. She explained how these people are experts in facial recognition and can read your true emotions by studying the facial expressions of the face. Interesting enough, right?

She told me that her friend told her she would NEVER let her get Botox because it would, "ruin her marriage".

Now I was intrigued.

Her friend, she said, believes that in order to communicate with a spouse, the expressions of the face are crucial to giving and receiving emotion. Botox, when injected into the face, 'freezes' expression lines, giving some a motionless face in certain areas. Long since favored by women everywhere to reduce wrinkles, Botox's popularity is by no means waning. In fact it's gathering momentum and Botox injections are becoming so commonplace that women are holding "parties" with their friends to get their injections.

 Are millions of women putting their marriages in jeopardy all for the sake of beauty? A quick check on the subject proves that my client's friend's theory has some scientific weight to it. THIS article goes on to say that Botox does "impair the ability to process the emotional content of language, and may diminish the quality of the emotional experience", but it also states that the media has "overstated" the results of this study and that more investigation is needed.

I say that anything is fine in moderation. So if you think your marriage is in trouble because of your injectable fillers, I've got news for you: there's more to it than meets the eye...no matter if the eye has tell tale "crows feet" or not. It may be time for you to face the truth about your marriage.

On Love And Loss

It's come my attention lately that I have issues....

I know what you're thinking. Candy? Issues? Yes, (lol) Candy has issues. Shocker, right? Some of these I didn't realize I had until I was put into a situation that triggered a response I didn't feel comfortable with. The issues I talk about have to do with love and loss and I admit to having had my fair share of both. I truly believe you can't have one without the other, so the smart ones calculate risk vs reward when entering into love.

Was I smart? Was I stupid? Looking back I think I was both. But I now know that I got "snookered" by deception. Where was the integrity? I now know there was none. Where was the trust? That went out the door with the lies and the rest remain blurry and fuzzy...like the memories of that love I repress. Truth? Are you kidding me? Truth is for the strong who have the integrity to trust in themselves. As I said before the deception in my life had none of those.

I was lucky though...
I found love again. It restored my faith in truth, integrity and trust and it feels great! But I now know that deception lays in wait for me, lurking in the dark alleys of my soul, ready to pounce when I am most vulnerable. I'm mot afraid though because the love I found is bountiful! This love has restored my faith in myself and this love will never leave me. How do I know? Because this is my love.

I love me more.

And that's the best love of all.

Scrub You

While I was away I had the distinct pleasure of having a body scrub at the Eau Spa. Being in the business that I work in, I was more interested in the body treatments than I was in massage. I had a fab mani/pedi on the first day I arrived and after My Guy had a wonderful massage that he raved about, he persuaded me to try the services at the Spa.

I chose the decadent Champagne Shimmer Body Luster. A 60 minute service, it was nothing short of incredible. After being ushered into the spa facilities where I was given a robe and flip flops, I was taken to the relax lounge where a hot tub(with a cascading waterfall fell continuously from the ceiling), steam shower and heated lounge chairs set the tone for my body scrub. I entered into the treatment room where I was instructed to choose the lighting and the music for my treatment. I chose an upbeat playlist with a mixture of lighting (different colors changing sporadically).

The treatment began with a spoon full of honey that was curated by the spa's very own bee keeper and told of the benefits of a spoon full of honey a day. Then it was time for the treatment. Face down, I laid on the massage table as my girl worked the gritty scrub into every part of my body. I had never experienced a spa scrub before, so when it was done my body felt invigorated, yet gritty. I was then allowed to go to my own private, outside shower, just outside the treatment room, to rinse the scrub off. My skin looked amazing and felt even better. Smooth and supple, I then climbed back into the massage bed where I was massaged with exotic oils till my skin literally glowed.

My friends thought the body scrub would scrub off any suntan that I might have gotten the two days before, but on the contrary, my tan was even better and my skin felt and looked...glowing.

I can report that almost 5 days later, my skin never looked better. No dryness, no flaking, which usually happens when I change from a warm climate back to a cooler one, and the best thing? The condition of my skin has improved dramatically. Dimples, freckles and all of those "older skin" issues have almost disappeared completely. I think I may be onto something here! I can't wait to inform my clients the benefits of a 30-50 minute at-home scrub for healthy skin. I would say that an oil based scrub would be most beneficial as we head into the summer and I'm thinking that once a month I will take to a Day Spa for a serious scrub treatment.

I will keep you informed of my results...and I will thoroughly enjoy it. I''ll just file that under "research and development".

 

Another Day In Paradise

Coming home to this Arctic cold really makes me long for another day in our recent Puerto Rican paradise. It was a much needed break from everything, but most of all a great chance to bond as a family. Team Building, as I like to call it, was a great success! From the great weather, the hours spent enjoying recreational activities and the hours spent just relaxing, the trip was well worth it.

I would have to say that the Europeans have it right...

I may be lambasted for this in this public forum, but part of the success of this trip was the fact that my children both of Puerto Rico's drinking age, were for the first time able to experience the "adult activities" legally. It is no secret that Frack-my son-has been pushing the limits of our patience since this summer. I get that he is of the age of experimentation, but every weekend dude? And-forgive me-but Frick probably did all the same things he is doing and never got caught? Having said that...we were a bit worried about Frack and his antics while on vacation and legal to drink.

As a test of sort, we decided to give him some rope and see if he would hang himself with it. The first night we arrived I had come down with that unfortunate vomit bug that seems to be going around, and was unable to do anything except crawl into my hotel bed and die. That left My Guy, Frick and Frack alone to go paint the town without me. My Guy reported that Frack (Frick is a college student in NYC ya know) had announced at the dinner table that evening that this was the first time he was able to order a cocktail legally. A milestone for him, and absolutely to be celebrated. My Guy wondered quietly how much he would celebrate.

After dinner and two cocktails for all, the group then ventured about 50 ft over to the hotel casino. My Guy, a brilliant business man, told our children that he would finance and monitor their gambling for the evening. The only caveat, was that they split their winnings with him. Much to Frick and Frack's surprise and delight, a deal had been struck and off they both went to their first choice, the Roulette table. My Guy sat across the pit at the Blackjack table where he could monitor their progress. He was pleasantly surprised by how the children stood together and watched the game take place for the first 30 mins or so. They then got their colored chips and began to play. When the chips piled up and the winnings being tallied were "colored up"; (meaning the more chips, the more the color of your single chip) my children began stowing these brighter colored, more valuable chips in their pockets. A tip they learned from their mother, a notorious chip hoarder.

After an hour or so of some really fun gambling, Frick and Frack left the table victorious! Both had won quite a bit for their first time. But the amazing this was this..after a great night of gambling and drinking, both children retired with My Guy early. We could hardly believe it. My Guy and I told them that they could go out on the busy, touristy strip-not too far-but far enough- to explore the city TOGETHER. They were not to leave each other. They declined that first night and unbelievably every night after.

I bounced back the next day, and joined my family at the beach and for all the festivities that followed. But amazingly Frick and Frack never left us. And they hardly drank alcohol. After the first day or two of being able to drink at lunch and dinner and the casino, I noticed that they weren't interested in the drinks that much. They would enjoy one with dinner, maybe, but I never saw them order one at the casino again. And the drinks were free!! I know they didn't because by then they had graduated from the Roulette table to the Blackjack table. Gambling Blackjack was much more fun when your mom and dad are right next to you, walking you through it. All in all-Frick and Frack both left Puerto Rico a few hundred $ richer and with a much different perspective on drinking. (I know it would have been a different story if their friends were there) But I am encouraged by the maturity of both of them. Again, maybe the Europeans are onto something...

We are still basking in the glow of the great family experience, and I think we all have a new found trust for each other and the decisions that we make. All of that accomplished in a plane ride to the Caribbean. If you ask me, it was truly a trip to remember and a true paradise.

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the Dandy, every creature was stirring, not least of all Candy.

The children were smiling, there was something in the air, it was the magic of Christmas and it was just about here. The store, it was booming; the sales, there were lots and the year had flown by with special memories in spots. Frick had been cast in her first NYU show and Frack was just accepted into college, ya know. They were joyous and pleasant and had matured as they grew, but Frack? He still tested the waters a time or two.

And Candy in Balmain, her guy dressed in Burberry had settled into party mode making the atmosphere quite merry. The dogs were excited, lots of crumbs to be had, even they could sense the spirit; this was no time to be sad. The prognosis was good for Candy's sister; she was tough. Everything else was unimportant, compared to her fight this crap was just fluff. They were grateful, for things had worked out quite well, wouldn't you say? So the adversity, the trying times, they were put aside for the day.

And My Guy had taken care of the kids who didn't think there was hope. They had a Christmas because of him, yes this was not the end of their rope! It gave him a quiet joy, because he remembered Christmas was rough when he was kid. So he made sure every wish was taken care of and special, you bet he did! Frick and Frack delivered the goods, the feeling was a gift in itself. Doing Santa's work for others was so fulfilling, acting just like an elf. He never forgot them, for those kids were his passion, and he solicited donations from corporate sponsors and made giving "in fashion".

As the families gathered, the good spirits abound, along with the wine and the food that was everywhere around. What a gift, was this life! And it felt good to cheer with the ones who mean most to us at this time of year. So when all was said and done and the day drifted into the night, Candy and her Guy settled in for a quiet moment to reflect on the season, so bright. 

And I heard them exclaim as they rose for the night, 

"Merry Christmas to all, may your holidays delight!"

I'm The Birthday Beeyotch

Here's a toast to you and me; May we never disagree.

But if we do?Screw you! 

Here's to me!

Another year older. Another year wiser? I can only be sure of one thing.

It definitely has been one hell of a ride!!

If You Build It, They Will Come.

Sometimes I wonder if I have what it takes to be successful.

Some Days are harder than others and some days are a breeze, but if I could swap the me that appears on the easy days for the me that appears on the hard days, then maybe I'd be onto something. While it's true that the most successful people actually survive when the going gets tough, I'd like to think I would not only survive but thrive. But as I said, some days its tougher.

Things are good, but I need them to get better and I'm just now trying to figure out how to make something good into something amazing. That's the real key, isn't it? Making something from nothing and turning that something into gold. If it were that easy then I guess everyone would be doing it. I'm talking about growth. Real growth. Double digit growth and I'm just now trying to figure out just how that is accomplished. Nobody said it was going to be easy. Nothing that's worth having ever is, but the true measure of a business is how you build it and how you grow.

Never one to turn my nose up at a challenge, I press on. I read all the business manuals and I go with what I know; what I'm good at. I know there is crazy potential here, and I need to tap into that "what makes me unique" thing to survive and grow. How much of success is patience and hard work and how much is plain old luck? I'm not sure, but I can guarantee I will live or die trying.

Cuz I built it. And they are coming. The question that remains is how we get more to come and keep them coming.

Top Five

I've been feeling a little obsessive compulsive lately. With the summer packing it's bags on the way out, fall is knocking on the door. Time for change, in all things seasonal and otherwise. These are my top five can't live withouts....at the moment.

1. Breakfast-I never eat breakfast. I repeat; I never eat breakfast, but lately I've been eating an apple with a spoonful of peanut butter in the morning. And I love it! I actually look forward to my new ritual of an apple and peanut butter. I can report that I have more energy throughout the day, too. Maybe there is some truth to the claim that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Go figure.

2. Maybelline FitMe Stick Foundation- So that a trip to Ulta with Frick could not be considered a total loss for me, I purchased the $6.99 foundation stick because I was curious. Two thumbs way up! This smooth and soft gel stick foundation glides on the skin effortlessly and leaves a gorgeous matte finish. The core of the stick is made of a lightweight, anti-shine powder. Perfect in the t zone for a combination skinned typed woman like me, I have taken to carrying this tiny stick in my purse for afternoon touch ups.

3. Boodie Bars?- The question mark is there for a reason. I bought these organic, healthy looking energy bars at the market on a whim. They were rich, "superfood" organic energy bars with a thick pasty consistency. The sugar content was low so I tried them and I FRICKEN loved them! Now I can't find them, and I'm embarrassed to admit I don't know what they are called. When I went back to the market to get more, they were gone. I had a vague idea of what the packaged looked liked and when I inquired to the manager their whereabouts, I thought he called them Boodie Bars? I also think there may be a Buddah on the package. In any case, I can't find them!! My Internet searches have come up empty and the market manager wasn't sure if they were going to order more. I'm going to make it my mission to find them.

4. Ray Donovan- Showtime's smash series is entering into its final episodes! What am I going to do?? It seems I can't get enough of the sexy, hunky Liev Schreiber and his family from Southie. There are just two episodes left and I can hardly wait. Then it will be over and I will have Ray no more. It will probably be almost a year before the show comes back for season 2 and I hope they can top this season. I guess I will have to fill my Ray Donovan void with Showtime's Homeland. As much as I love Mandy Patankin, let's face it, he's no Leiv Schreiber.

And my Number 5 Top Five favorite of the moment is:

My baby gir Frick- I know, she's off to college and that she has her own life, but I love talking to her at the end of a long day. It's not smothering if I talk to her once a day, is it? We share with each other our daily challenges and offer advice. I think it's a good thing and I'm somewhat surprised she continues to answer the phone rather than text. I'm always happy to chat with my kiddos about life's little mysteries.  As I said, I don't have all the answers, but sometimes they think I do. 

And that's good enough for me.

Baby It's Cold Outside

So I built my house precisely 13 years ago. At the time I was a bright eyed, young ingenue with nothing but hope and pride for my new project. I had a great general contractor and a great architect and I was able to incorporate some fabulous design elements into the home. We sub-contracted everything out, so I was mulling over every bid for every job daily. It was a wonderful experience.

Did I mention that I was young and bright eyed?

Ya, cuz they saw me coming a mile away...I'm talking about my Viessman heating system. Now don't get me wrong, I didn't say I wasn't smart, I just said I was young and hopeful. At the time I chose the Viessmann European system, I had done my research. It was the newest, brightest, most energy efficient system money could buy and I drank the Viesmann Kool Aid heartily. When my shiny new system was installed into my fabulous new home I practically patted myself on the back!

If I remember correctly, it wasn't until the second or third year I began to run into some serious problems with my Golden Boy system.

• Problem: When the temps outside reach epic numbers, ie: -Minus Zero or above 100 degrees, the system struggles to keep up with the demand. And I mean struggles. 
• Problem: The original guy that installed it quickly went away...he closed up shop and moved to God knows where, leaving me to find a new repair service. Easy enough right? Wrong. I cant tell you how UN-funny it is to have service company after service company tell me, "Golly gee lady, that boiler sure is pur-tee, but I reckon I ain't knowin how 'ter fix it."

Long story short, about 9 years ago I found a company that works with the system. They have only one guy that works with Viessman, and he comes to my home twice a year to maintain my unit. 95 percent of the time I am in good shape, but the other 5 percent is a bitch and only happens when the temps get extreme. Like this past week in frigid cold temps.

Efficient my ass...

Tell that to the pockets of cold areas in my house. 

PT Barnum would have LOVED me......

If I Were A Porn Star...

I'd attend the Porn Golden Globes looking like THIS..... she looked flawless.

So, if I were a porn star my name would be??? Ever wonder what yours would be???? Cmon, you know you have...

I was out some friends and we played this game, and it was hilarious!

Ready?

Your porn name is comprised of:

• your middle name
• the name of the street you grew up on 

Mine? 

Ann Woodridge

Not very sexy. So if you choose to go with  just a single Porn name as a headliner instead, go to the spice cabinet and count the third spice in:

My spice name is AWESOME!

Cinnamon...

Hell yeah, spicy and  sexy! I'll take Cinnamon any day.

What is yours? 

I cant wait for this. It's gonna be good...