The Evils of Crap Part 1

Growing up, I learned the evils of crap clothes from my parents, who owns and operates dry cleaners. Crap clothes do not dry clean well, things fade, melt, come loose, fall off, wrinkle funny etc. It takes more work and effort to clean and press crap clothes than expensive clothes. Well, I shouldn't say "expensive" clothes, just 'cause it costs a lot doesn't mean it's not crap. There are certain expensive brands my parents loath, Bebe comes to mind.

Unless it was going to be machine washable, disposable clothing, my mom would not let us buy any crap. My mom kept a mental black list of all the brands that made her job harder and she refused to let us buy anything from those brands. For this reason, we were not allowed to get a letterman's jacket. They hated those with a passion and the refused to buy them for me and my sister. I thought it was pretty unfair at the time but now I see the wisdom in their ways- letterman jackets are pretty fucking ugly.

I'm not against the idea of buying cheap clothing but, just 'cause it's cheap, doesn't mean it has to be crap- and just 'cause it costs a lot, doesn't always mean it's quality.

First off, luxury fabric (cashmere, leather, silk, etc.) doesn't always mean quality. This is a cheap silk blouse after a few wear:

And mind you, this is on the stomach part, not even a high friction area. A good way to check the quality of the fabric is to grab a handful and rub vigorously against each other for a few seconds, like they're two sticks and you're trying to start fire. If it pills, it's cheap. Pilling on silk will pretty much renders it unwearable, you can't even use one of those shaving things to get rid of the pills. Well, I suppose you can sit there with tiny sewing scissors and carefully cut all the pills off... On knits and cotton, pilling just makes it look cheap and old.

Speaking of which, get one of those electric clothes shaver. It's like a face lift for clothes and will make your old tired clothes look almost brand new.


This is hem of a cheap silk blouse. It's sewn by a sweatshop worker in like Indonesia or someplace, working in a crappy environment under a severe time constraint, what do you expect?


Cheap clothes are not always pieced together using fabrics from the same dye lot. As a result, some panels are slightly lighter/darker than others. The difference in this blouse is so extreme, I'm wondering if it was done on purpose.

Unfortunately, sometimes, clothing are coated after they're sewn to hide color difference. You think the colors are uniform until you wash it... and you get this:


Speaking of leather- when buying leather anything, try to find one put together with as little pieces as possible. Coats and bags made with multi panels are made from the reject scraps of a larger (and nicer) leather piece. Avoid anything that looks like a quilt.

Crappy clothing suck 'cause after a few wear, they start to look really bad. However, there are some values to disposable fashion. Aside from the points in my earlier post, cheap clothing are also a great way to test out what you really want and use. For instance, I know that I will get a lot of use out of a champagne colored silk tie neck blouse. Therefore, if I see a good quality one, I would gladly pay good money for one 'cause I know that I would wear it often. On the other hand, the $10 leather blazer I got- I very rarely ever wear it, and now, I know that I should never spend a lot of money on leather blazers.

Seo Taiji is a HACK!

There I said it. He's a hack. A HACK!!! A big old stinky hackety hack hack hack haaaaaaaack!!! And I say this as someone who used to, and still do, love Seo Taiji. You won't know who Seo Taiji is unless you're Korean but know this, the man's a fraud.

I was okay with him stealing Flavor Flav's clock, PM Dawn's dreads and hippi poncho, NWA's button up and beanie, Kurt Cobain's pink hair, Cypress Hill's voice, etc. "Paying homage" to someone's style- fashion and music- is one thing, straight up stealing someone's guitar solo... that makes you a loser.

I used to love his song, Hayoga, from a very early age and my favorite part was always the guitar solo- it's one bad ass guitar solo, let me tell you. So, imagine my surprise when, one day, at work, some trash metal song's playing and all of sudden... Hey! I know that solo! WTF?! I go to check and find that it's a song called First Strike is Deadly by the Testaments. The Testaments!!! You're going to steal a guitar solo from one of the premier thrash metal bands?!

Sigh...

So I google "seo taiji", "first strike is deadly", surely someone besides me would have noticed, right? Hmmm... just 2 links, both broken. Hmm... all audio clips of Hayoga has the solo omitted. So, I sincerely hope that this comes up on someone's google results and if it does, I offer this as proof:



By the way, I'm not a big fan of metal but First Strike is Deadly is pretty awesome. There's a few pitch changes here and there but there's no doubt that it's the same solo. If the Testaments is David Bowie, than Seo Taiji is Vanilla Ice.

Finance Update

Hmm... well, good news first, I bonused this month! When I was at ON, I bonused once the whole 2 years that I was there- lame. They should have just let me run the store. Ever since I left I've been bonusing about 60% of the time. This year, there's only been one month that we didn't bonus. What can I say, I am good at what I do.

Bad news next, I got my car tax notice. Oh, and there's a very good chance that I will need a new external CD drive. I swear, this always happens.

Overall, I did pretty well this month. I didn't keep a budget but my goal was to meet my savings goal and not dip below $1k in my checking, and I did (just barely)! Of course, I needed to save a little extra 'cause I started the month negative $300 but that didn't happen. Oh well...

I was actually a bit surprised that I met my goal since my new found thrifting obsession isn't cheap. I mean, the clothes and purses are cheap... but not if you're buying a whole lot every week, not to mention all the gas, you know? I also went ahead and paid a bit extra on my car payment. I think I was able to pull it off due to some thrifty eating.

Not spending a lot of money on food is... not so awesome. I've been eating very monochromatically, and when that one color is white, that's bad. I splurged today and bought a salad 'cause I just really needed some color in my diet.

Perry Ellis Wing Tip Purse

I got this vintage leather Perry Ellis bag at the Sterling Goodwill for about $5! It looks black in the picture but it's actually navy- I figured it'll go nicely with my navy t-straps. With the exception of a few creases here and there, it's in very good shape. I like the wing tip detail, it's different.

I Called It!

I SO called it!

Okay so you know how I thought those cheesy Indian/Wolves shirts would be the next ironic fashion statement? I think that it's starting... Oh yes, it's becoming trendy, please note all the commenters ooh-ing and ahh-ing at the beauty of those shirts. Of course, you know if a different blogger had posted some pics of some shirts she bought at a flea market or a truck stop, everyone would be all "Ewe! Fug!"

Jamie can rest assured that I did not buy Space Wolf shirt. I did, however, buy this:

Beast!

There are certain band tee etiquettes. One of them dictates that one does not wear a band tee of a band that they don't listen to or like. It's in poor taste to buy a shirt just for the design for it offends the true fans. Eric, however, gave me the go ahead since Atreyu went through a font change and "Atreyu" is written in the same font as their latest album (which I do own and like). At first I was all "What?" but then I understood. There is a big difference between someone who wears an afi shirt and someone who wears an AFI shirt, you know?

Anyhoo... Normally I am a bit self conscious about wearing band tees but most people have never heard of Atreyu so they would just assume it was a brand... which, now that I think about it, is worse...

Blow is my favorite Atryu song. Is nu-80's metal a genre? If prog-post-grindcore is a genre, I think nu-hair metal should be a genre as well. You know a band is good when all the members looks like they got kicked in the face by the ugly monster and girls still geek over them.

Bookmark Clean Out!!!

What was that movie called? Jooney and Benny? No wait... Jooney and... oh crap. Hold on, I'll google it... Benny and Joon! Yes! This picture reminds me of Benny and Joon. I've never seen that movie but it was all over this one issue of Teen magazine that I used to own. My mom was not one to spend money on frivilous teen magazines so when I finally got a copy, I read it over and over, looking at all the pictures, learning all about the importance of lipgloss, etc. Oh to be an insecure middle schooler again... sigh~

But yes, I really cannot wait for the 90's to be back in. I'm kind of bored with the whole 80's revival, skinny turquois pants, leggings as pants look. Maybe I'll wear a thermal inside out tomorrow- remember the whole "deconstructed" look? Hmm... I think Eric wanted to go twinsie on AFI shirts tomorrow so maybe I'll save it for another day.

Anyhoo... unto Friday Bookmark Clean Out!!!

Hmm... I guess I sound stupid.

Why didn't we learn science like this in high school?

I always wondered if my credit card offered rental insurance but I was always too lazy to look it up. Not that I see myself renting a car anytime soon but if something happens, it's good to know if I'm covered or not without having to call the 1-800 number, right? Well, now I know!

$800 a month in gas!!! $800 a month in gas!!! I spend $80 a month on gas! Wow. "Exurban"? It's sad that word even exist. So this guy commutes from Cumberland Md. to Morgantown W. Va? So why are all the Morgantown W. Va people commuting to NoVa? Their argument is that there aren't any high paying jobs in Morgantown, well, there must be if someone's willing to commute from Cumberland, right?

Status Quo bias is costing me money! There's my daily coffee habit... my um... hmmm... well, I can't think of anything right now but yeah. I am thinking of changing my cell phone carrier but, augh... it's so much easier to just stay with Sprint. My contract is up in December (I think) if I do stay with Sprint, I think I'll change to a much lower plan.


Trent, on The Simple Dollar reads more books than anyone I know. Seriously, how does he have time to work, read, and blog... and spend time with his family? But yeah, another interesting post on The Simple Dollar, this time he ponders if organic, local food is worth it. Personally, I plan on growing tomatoes next year. It's easy, it taste better, and I use a lot of tomatoes.

My company does offer a Roth 401(k). To Roth or not to Roth... it's an age old question. Mr. O'Neil, my former SM, once told me that the best time to make a decision is when you know 75% of the fact. If you know less, you aren't informed enough to make the right decision. If you know more, you're so overwhelmed you run the risk of being paralyzed. When it comes to this question, I will follow the example of another SM, Wayne, and stick my head into the sand and scream "Gas prices! Gas prices!! Gas prices!!!"

Hershey's "Kissables" are no longer legally considered chocolate. I used to like milk chocolate but now I'm all about dark chocolate, higher the concentration the better. Oh my goodness, it is divine!

Personally, I'm okay with CEO's making a crap load of money. I know how much my CEO makes (it's all public record) and I think she's fairly compensated. I imagine CEOs get paid what they do for their skill set but I think another part of it is for their dedication and stress load. I mean, the company is their life, there's no vacation, no break, even if they're not at the office, they're still working. My ASM and I technically work the same number of hours but in reality, I work way more than he does 'cause I think about work at home, in the shower, before going to bed, etc. If the numbers aren't where they need to be, I'm stressed about it... If my phone rings and it's work, I always pick up. Again, my boss and I work technically work the same number of hours but he's on the road a lot and he's glued to his blackberry. I can email him at 9pm and get an answer in like 5 five minutes or less. I have no doubt that he thinks about work a lot. So yes, CEOs get paid a lot but I imagine they pretty much sign their life over to the job. Besides, Ben and Jerry tried that whole fair salary thing. They decided that their CEO will not make more than 100x more than their lowest paid worker. I think their CEO was making like $700K. He stuck around for few months and left for a higher paying job. They had such a hard time attracting a talented CEO that they had to revoke that plan and offer a competitive CEO salary.

I admit, I always think of American cars as being crap. Growing up, we were a Ford family and both my parent's Ford's ended up being a money trap. They switched to Toyota/Lexus and haven't had a problem since. Well, turns out it's wrong to judge all American cars based on Ford, Chrysler is the only brand that didn't rank higher than industry average for dependability. Not surprisingly Lexus rated #1. My mom's 10 year old Lexus still runs better than my Civic, and I'm pretty sure my parents are sloppy about maintenance. Once my Civic dies (in about 20 years, fingers crossed) I fully intend on buying a Lexus and driving it until I die.


By the way, kitten tummies are the cutest thing ever!

I can't imagine a time when people didn't know that smoking kills. I guess it's kind of like now, you know, when we don't know that cell phones can (maybe) kill. Does that mean 50 years from now my shows will be interrupted with a barrage of annoying ads from truth about the dangers of cell phone yakking? Will those candy filled plastic toy cell phones go the way of candy cigerrettes?

So I'm looking at the illustration of all the weird fetishes- abasiophilla, spectrophillia, microphillia, etc.- and going "Ha ha ha! FREAKS!!!" until I get to the end... nasophillia (attraction to noses). Wait, that's not weird! I love like a nice nose on a guy- dude, so hot!

This is why I hate guys and the girls who like guys who likes girls like this. I don't know who's to blame, the dudes who finds this attractive or the girls who care about guys who thinks something like this is attractive. I still don't really understand who the product works. I mean, it's obvious they all had plastic surgery.

This is just funny.

I would like to buy everything featured in this blog.

Thrifting is Expensive!

So I thought today was going to be a bust- but no! I got some really awesome pieces at the last thrift store visit of the day!

Have I ever told you how much I love thrift stores? Hmm?

I spent $35 in one thrift store today- which is a lot for me, but I did get some really nice things. My scores du jour...

This cardigan cost me $4.50. Very cute, no? I like it 'cause it reminds me of the $99 Chanel suit Marge bought. Remember that episode? That was a good episode, a wise lesson on the perils of keeping up with the Jones. I wonder what she did with that Chanel store credit... My cardigan is a knit silk/nylon blend and it is not Chanel. I did see a Chanel blouse there but the print looked like a men's necktie. Not necessarily a bad thing but it just didn't look good on me. Besides, I kind of think it was a fake.



The crappy lighting doesn't really show the best part of the cardigan so here's a close up. It's from Mossimo, yes the Target brand. I didn't like the idea of paying $4.50 for a Target cardigan when I probably couldn't gotten it, new, at Target for roughly the same price. However, Target no longer sells this top (I don't think) and I don't see why I shouldn't buy it just 'cause it's a Target brand, you know? Still, I think like $2.99 would've been a fairer price for this top.

This is a vintage Brooks Brother top. A steal at $3.50! That was sacrasm by the way. Still, I like the top a lot. I figure it looks a bit Flash Dance-ish without looking too Flash Dance-ish.

Wha-ha-ha-ha-HA!!! I've always wanted a Mrs. Roper dress. There's a pretty good chance that I might never actually wear this dress out in public so I was kind of hesitant to pay $8 for it but I knew that if I didn't buy it, I would rue that decision until the day I die. It's by Chacok. I did some research at home and found out that it's a french brand with pieces that range from like $200-$600! The only reason I would ever want an iphone (or it's like) is to look up brands while thrifting. "Hmm... this looks expensive, let me google it..."

I also bought a nice long, black, Bennetton jacket for $12. I think it's suppose to be a suit jacket. Remember in the late '90s when the whole long jacket and short skirt (cue that Cake song) was in thanks to Alley McBeal. On me, it's a car coat length and fits me well. I plan on making it my fall coat.

My Sister's Old Dancing Shoes

Back in high school, my sister was in Persuasions- which was our high school's elite chorus class. Not only did they sing, but they danced as well. Their costume was this garish, Joker-ish green and purple satin mess provided by the school. As part of their costume, my sister had to buy a pair of neutral dancing shoes.

I like it 'cause there's something kind of retro old fashioned about the shape. I'm not too fond of the flesh color but I suppose it'll come in handy when I'm wearing something bold (like my new Mrs. Roper dress...). Best of all, it makes the most charming clip clop sound when you walk.

clip clop
clip clop
clip clop
clip clop
(c'mon, sing with me now)
Warn your warmth to turn away~
Here's it's December every day~



Oh Davey~

Bandolino Faux Lizard Leather Ballet Flats

GONE!!!

Wow, look how nicely in blends into the floors...

I can't remember if I bought them or if they were a gift from Jamie but it's one of my favorite ballet flats. I like old women-ish looking things, I like leather, I like bows, and I like hardware. Perfect! As an added bonus, they are insanely comfy. Unfortunately, I fear that it's time bid adieu...

See the white parts around the toe? Yeah, that's not the light reflecting off the shoe, those are worn areas. The upper is made of leather but I think the top layer of the leather is kind of like a printed, embossed, faux lizard skin film or something. What ever it is, it's started to peel off in areas and the shoes actually looks scruffier in real life.

I would still hold onto them if I didn't have a pair that looks almost exactly like this one, only much darker. Plus, I recently bought another pair of brown (well, caramel-y beige) leather ballet flats. A part of me still wants to hold unto it 'cause what if I need a pair of good old fashioned brown shoes- not beige, not mahogany, tan, espresso, Mojave, caramel, teak, etc., just brown. But really, how often is that going to happen? And if it does happen, would I really want to be wearing a pair of worn out peel-y ballet flats?

Healthy Hurts

I grew up right about when the four food group morphed into the mighty food pyramid. Don't try to convince me to eat healthy with your new-fangled pyramid when, in elementary school, I was brainwashed into the four food group square via songs, skits, coloring books, and pizza bagels.

Part of me sincerely believes that any dish containing all four food group is healthier than any dish that only has like 2- which would make a cheeseburger with fixin's healthier than a salad. It's kind of like how my mom sincerely believes that anything she cooks at home, even deep fried spam (augh!), is healthier than anything you buy at restaurants and the frozen food aisle. With that mentality, this is my idea of a "super food":


Let's see...
Dairy: lots of the following- heavy cream, butter, and parm cheese
Carb: pasta
Protein: chicken (seared in oil)
Vegetable: spinach, mushroom, zuchinni, asparagus

It's a powerful combination of healthiness no? Oddly enough, everytime I finish a plate, my heart hurts just a bit and I feel like I just wolfed down a stack of pancakes with a side of hash brown at IHOP and all I want to do is take a nap afterwards. Hmm... so that's what healthy feels like huh? Very overrated.

Gray Xhilaration Spat Boots

I first found out about these from a comment on my post about steam punk. I like them, but, like most Xhilaration shoes, there's no traction. I kind of realized that I don't really know how to wear them. Perhaps with a skirt (and tights)- definitely not tucking my jeans into them... Hmmm... I wore them with my skinny-ish straight leg and I guess it worked... Enough of the top showed that I got some "Hey, cool shoes" but honestly, it looked a little hoof-ish. I mean, the top part is the most interesting part and if I cover them, they just kind of look like felt clogs.

I think they'll be nice warm shoes for the winter time. I wouldn't go stomping through snowbanks in them but it'll be nice winter shoes. I don't think they'll last past winter but buy then, I think I will be over them.

Michelle D Red Leather Heeled Loafer

I'm kind of into loafers right now...

This was a present from Jamies- seems like most of my cute shoes are from Jamie. It's very comfortable and it's definitely a keeper.

Why I Buy Cheap Shit

Due to heightened interest in money and consumer savvy-ness, as well as an heightened interest in the environment and sustainable living, there's been a lot of opinions tossed out buying lasting quality over cheap shit. There's all this argument as to why we should buy lasting quality but no one really talks about why we should buy cheap stuff- probably 'cause there really isn't much of an argument to it other than "It's all I can afford". Sometimes, if you think about it though, it does make sense to buy cheap over quality.

People will argue that "investment" pieces will, in the long run, end up costing you less, since they last longer and won't have to be replaced as often. This is true- but there's a big "If". The best knives in the world won't mean much if you stick in a drawer with all your spoons and spatulas. Yes, nice knives are nice, shell out some money on some Henkles or something- if you are into proper knives maintenance. Real chefs with real knives treat their knives very well. They carry it around in their little rolly cloth knife storage thing, they store them on magnetic knife strips- what ever they need to do to ensure that the blade doesn't come in contact with other metals- or hard surface in general. Treat a $200 knife like a $12 knife and let it bang around in the dishwasher, the sink, the kitchen drawer, etc. and that $200 knife will become a $12 knife real quick.

Anything of quality that's meant to last a long time will require proper care and maintenance. If you're not willing to put some thought and care into your stuff, than just get the disposable kind! A $400 pair of shoes will last you a lifetime, but it'll need polishing, re-soling, etc. and if you don't want to deal with that, just get a $20 pair every year for 20 years... it'll cost the same. Maybe nice stuff last longer 'cause people have more incentive to take care of their nice things.

I am all for buying quality, I am, and it's a switch that I am trying to make with some of my stuff (mostly shoes and bags). However it's very persumptious and rude to blindly chastise people for picking quantity over quality. Quality doesn't always win. I dress casually to work every day, if I know I'm only going to need a suit like maybe twice a year, why do I need to "invest" in a nice suit? As cheap as cheap suits are, it's going to withstand that twice a year wearing for a very long time. Michael goes through a khaki a month due to all the stuff he spills on himself at work. A $70 khakis from Banana isn't going to withstand bleach any better than a $15 one from Walmart. Yes, it would be nice to finally own a piece of furniture that I didn't have to assemble out of a box but... I'm okay with the furniture that I do have. I think my cheap $70 bookcase from Target is going to last me a very long time- I don't see why it wouldn't. And please explain to me- what's the incentive for me to shell out $15 to get a battery replaced on a watch when I can buy a new one at Walmart for $8?

Double Standard

This is an eel.

This is an eel skin bag.

Now I think I understand why some vegetarian's and vegan's refuse to wear leather. The thought of wearing eel is... kind of gross.

I found the eel skin bag at Goodwill. It's shiny, soft, lined entirely in sued, in excellent condition, and, best of all, it was only $2.99. I've never owned eel skin anything before so I thought it was kind of cool. I went home and did some research and found that eel skin was popular during the '80s. Then I saw a picture of a eel.

...

Ewe. I knew eels were long and slimy but still...

...

Gross.

I know carrying an eel skin bag isn't any more gross than carrying leather bag but... you know, it kind of is... eels are gross.

Old Navy Brown Sneaker

I got these at Old Navy about 3 or so years ago. It's a size too big but they're sneakers so I don't really feel the size difference. The padding's worn out so it's a bit uncomfortable at the end of the day. I want to get rid of it but haven't for 2 reasons:

1) I can't seem to find any other brown sneakers that I like. The only brown sneakers I see now days are Pumas. I think Pumas are pretty, but I'm looking for something more Converse-esq. I suppose I can just get a pair of brown Converse but the one's I've seen are kind of ugly.
2) It's another pair of shoes where I get a lot of compliments- and I'm not sure why. Don't get me wrong, I like them, but it's very... average. Maybe it's the gold stripe. Yeah, that gold stripe is pretty rad.

But yeah... no longer comfy... I'll keep it around until I see something better.

Bad Ass Mariella Burani Bag

On Wednesday, I went back to the fabulous thrift store, who's name I shall not type to keep it a secret. I was afraid the last time might have been a fluke, but nope! I, once again, found some awesome stuff at an awesome deal!

I might just make this a Wednesday tradition, thrift store, thrift store, thrift store, used book store, thrift store, Trader Joe's. Sounds like a fun day.

My favorite purchase of the day is this bag.


It's hard to see the awesome rose embellishments so here's a close up:


Beautiful! Kind of has that goth thing going- real goth, not like mall industrial dark street pants goth.

The bag is by Mariella Burani who, according to Wikipedia, is considered a "grand couturiers". According to her own site, however, it seems like Mariella Burani is a fashion group that specializes in "accessible luxury" so... I'm guessing it's like Italian's version of Coach? The Mariella Burani Fashion Group owns a lot of other brands (the only one I recognize is Francesco Biasia) and manufactures leather goods and other accessories under various licences brands (Vivienne Westwood, Missoni, John Galliano, etc.).

I found it cool that Mariella Burani started as a teacher at in Reggio Emilia Italy- which is where Michael's families are from. That's Reggio as in Reggionano, as in Parmesean Reggionano, as in best cheese ever.

The bag really is totally rad, pictures don't really do it justice. Oh, best of all, it cost like $4.50! Man, I love thrift stores.

Bookmark Clean Out!!!

Dumb Little Man's post, 4 Defense Strategies to Becoming a Millionaire, reminded me of my grandfather. My grandfather wasn't a millionaire but he definitely set the foundation down so that my uncle (his oldest son) could be a millionaire. He bought a brand new house in a very good location in a very desirable neighborhood during the late 80's (which has like quadrupled in price) and filled it with quality furniture. My uncle and his wife tapped out all the equity and had to sell it below market value 'cause they had bought another very overpriced, "fancy" house in an inconvenient location. Despite all their fancy clothes, fancy cars, fancy vacations, and a fancy house, I'm willing to bet that my net worth is higher than their- much higher since I have a positive net worth. Even if they sell everything they own they would still be in the red. I should bring that up during Thanksgiving when they start bragging about how rich they are.

This is why I'm not having kids.

If I were Ahab, buttermilk biscuits would be my Moby Dick. I have tried, and tried, and tried but the results are always epic failures. This recipe seems very promising, "If you have had problems in the past with your biscuits turning out to be more like hockey pucks than our beloved southern staple, this recipe is the one for you." Awesome!

Awww... poor rich people, they have to fly commercial now... Sarcasm aside, penny pinching rich people are bad for the economy. In these difficult times, those who can, must spend, spend, spend... don't these people have any sense of noblise oblige?

This is the kind of place I would like to spend my retirement, complete with the tiny gas stove and an old ass oven where I can perfect my buscuit making skills.


My car is still fairly new so, fingers crossed, I won't need to have any work done on it soon, but if I do, this would be good reference site to guage how much I should need to spend for repairs.

There's a good post on Get Rich Slowly (one of my fave PF sites) about the dangers of treats becoming norms. I remember when my $1.57 cup of coffee during work was a treat- something to have when I was especially stressed and or tired, now it's become a norm and I need to stop. But it's coffee! Coffee addiction is so hard to break.

I never knew that Christians used Pandas as proof of Intelligent Design. I don't know what the big deal is about panda's, they aren't even that cute.

Stuff will make you miserable- but getting rid of stuff won't always make you happy either:

There is a story about a man who approached Gandhi and said that he'd been thinking about living a simpler life, but he didn't feel like he could give up his collection of books. Gandhi is said to have replied, "As long as you derive inner help and comfort from anything, you should keep it. If you were to give it up in a mood of self-sacrifice or out of a stern sense of duty, you would continue to want it back, and that unsatisfied want would make trouble for you. Only give up a thing when you want some other condition so much that the thing no longer has any attraction for you."

Tim Burton's ex finance tried to sue him for palimony. Hmm... palimony, what's that? Seriously? "Non-marital relationship contract"? I can see it's application and use for gay couples who are not allowed to get married, but when straight couples do it, it's usuallyt the girl suing the dude 'cause he promised to take care of her for the rest of her life- than dumps her. That just makes women look sad, pathetic, and bitchy. Ugh.


I want to check out Waterford (in Loudound County) it sounds really neat. I thought it was really cute how, in the "Information about Waterford" box to the right, it say, under the store hours for Waterford Market "*unless the ships need attending". Maegan lives around Waterford and she hates it, says the people there are hoity toity rich snobs who snubbed her family and tried to ban them from their school and clubs 'cause they felt her parents weren't rich enough to hang out with them.

This is an aerial view of Waterford btw, not some irrelavant pic I posted 'cause I thought it was cute.

This strawberry crisp looks really easy- and really good... definitely going to have to try it. In the past, everytime I bake strawberries it tastes... like baked strawberries- which isn't as good as it may sound. We'll see how this turns out.

How much time did they spend watching old Simpson shows to write this article?

Old Navy Kid's Embroidered Satin Ballet Flats

GONE!!!

I like these shoes, I really do. It's one of those shoes that's interesting enough to make a jeans and plain t-shirt outfit not so boring. Besides, for a cheap kid's shoes, the detailings are pretty awesome, everything's sewn on there, not glued or drawn on like you would find at Walmart.

Alas! They are a scoosh too small. My feet are fine for awhile but eventually, my big toes start to hurt- a lot from all the squishing. This causes me to walk with my weight bearing down on the pinky side of my feet, which just makes me feet and my big toe hurt a lot. It's been a few days and just looking at those shoes makes my feet hurt.

Too Scared

I first read about going shampoo free on Frugal Urbanite. The idea, at first, grossed me out but, after reading her links, it got me thinking... American's are over sanitized- I say this as an American who washes her hand 30+ times a day so maybe I'm being a hypocrite but yes, American's are over sanitized.

Growing up, in Korea, we did not shower everyday and we didn't wash ourselves with these froo froo pearberry scented body washes either. We only took a shower when we felt we needed to- usually every few days. Then, every couple of week, we soaked in a hot hot tub and scrubed ourselves clean using a special wash cloth that felt like fine grain sand paper. We sloughed off dead skin cells, which look like grey hamster poo. Afterwards, you felt really clean. It's what the ancient Romans used to do (which is why I guess it's referred to as a Roman Bath here). Korea has become a lot more Westernized since I lived there but, back than, no one really used body lotions or moisterizing soap, yet everyone had nice skin. Now, a "good shower" just makes my skin feel dry, back than a good bath with some good hard scrubbing made me feel clean, healthy, and light.

When I visited Korea, about ten years ago, it was during summer- blazing humid heat and wet wet rain. I sweated a lot, and even then I didn't shower every day- utility was very expensive there and I didn't want to burden my relatives by wasting water with my expensive American way- and yet, I don't ever recall feeling grody. Here if I go a more than 24 hours without a shower I feel like my skin's all crawly, clamy and gross.

My mom still doesn't wash her hair every day and she never smells or looks sloppy.

Maybe over-sanitization is why I never had porceline skin. Brainwashed by beauty magazines, I was obsessed with a zit free face from a very early age. Despite my arsenal of creams, washes, pads, lotions, and astrigents strong enough to peel paint, I never had clear skin. My brother, on the other hand, who never used anything other than what ever soap happened to be lying around, always had perfect skin. Perfect skin, ready for my close up skin, no photoshop needed skin.

Daily shampoo-ing is a fairly recent thing. If you watch old movies/shows you'll see that women only washed their hair for special occasions. I once read an old teen romance novel where the girl was afraid her mom might say something to her about having washed her hair twice in one week. Isn't that why people used shower caps back than? I also read an old old book where they looked forward to washing their hair with soap and water out of the rain barrow in the spring. Now, granted, one should not look to history for sanitation advice but, if you think about it, hair washing really isn't a sanitation act. I mean, unless you chew on your hair often, how does "clean" hair effect your health?

There definitely is a good argument for going shampoo free.

That's not to say I'm going to go "poo free". Every testimony I've read speaks highly of the baking soda/vinegar experience and they all claim their hair is 100% better. Fashion magazines are always saying you shouldn't wash your hair every day, how "dirty" hair styles better. There are lots of women who don't wash their hair between their expensive $40 blow outs. It's intriguing, almost tempting, but I'm too scared. You know how they always instruct you to use a quarter sized amount of shampoo? Mine's more like a half dollar sized- maybe bigger- I want to make sure there's a good amount of sud to get my hair clean. I think I'll baby step it by using just a dab of sodium lauryl sulfate free shampoo. Trader Joe sells them for a cheap price. I used to use it but stopped 'cause I felt it wasn't foamy enough. And yes, I know, foam doesn't equal clean but... in my mind it does.

Xhilaration Leopard Print Ballet Flats

These were a gift from Jamie and they are my very favorite ballet flats of all time. Ever. My only complaint is the lack of traction that causes me to walk funny, but that's balanced out by my ability to run-slide across the floor at work. Fun.

I love leopard. I know some people think they're tacky (cough Michael! cough cough) but they're pretty rad in my opinion and I'm always down for having some more leopard stuff in my wardrobe... and plaid.

I've been into the whole '90s revival thing for awhile- into it as in reminiscing and bemoaning the loss of my kitten heeled granny boots, not as in actually doing anything about it- and now that fall's approaching I think it's time to start wearing some plaid.

Or maybe I'll start calling it "tartan" sounds more fancy shmancy.

Why am I talking about plaid in my post about my leopard print ballet flats? The likkle girl who wurves pwetty things had a post featuring D&G's new fall campaign which made me go "Ooooh... Plaid...". That reminded me of the post on Fops and Dandie (which is now private... sad) awhile back that talked about D&G's pre-Fall campaign where they had a model wear plaid and leopard together. Does the thought of plaid and leopard sound horrendously ugly to you? Yeah, I thought so too, but, in practice... not so bad. Check out the chic on the upper left corner.


LC of Fops had a few shots of her pulling off the leopard/plaid look and, againg, not bad. I went throught my closet and found I have more plaid than I thought:


See, it doesn't look that bad with leopard, right? I don't know that I'd have the guts to wear a leopard print cardigan with a plaid shirt... I think on me, it's just going to look like I got dressed in the dark, and not even in a good, interesting way.

This is where the leopard ballet flat comes in handy. I think that with a spans of denim between the two patterns, it won't look so... unintentional, like I just ran out of the house putting on the first thing I could find on the floor, you know?

Silver Old Navy Wedge Sandal

GONE!!!

I got this about 3-4 years ago. It was suppose to be my go-to summer shoes, and, for awhile- like a week, it kind of was. Alas, at size 6, it's a size too and it's backless. I stopped wearing it 'cause it looked and sounded like I'm shmap shmap shmap shmaping around in too big shoes... which I guess is what I was doing...

Goodbye BB&T!

Every time I discuss finance with my sister (which isn't that often...) her question, "Are you still with BB&T? Really? WHY?! They suck!" Then she blah blah blahs about how Wachoiva has better customer service, more ATMs, free bill pay, etc. etc. etc. All I need my bank to do is hold unto my paycheck until I transfer it out into savings, spending, or repayment- that's it! So far, it's done a good job of holding onto my money and I have no complaints.

I am, however, finally going to close out my BB&T savings account. I would have done it a lot sooner except I'm not authorized to withdraw funds from that account- even though it's my account. I opened both my savings and checking through BB&T (Well, First Virginia at the time) when I was a minor so my mom is the... what ever your call it, guardian? Even though I am well past the legal age, BB&T won't let me withdraw funds without my mom's approval- even though it's my money! I think that is part of the reason why I used my checking account as a savings account. If I kept my money in my checking account, I could access it whenever I want, but, had I put it in my savings, I would need to drag my mom to the bank- and she's a busy lady- and I don't want my mom involved in my finances.

I don't have much in there, just $1,000. I wouldn't be apposed to the idea of having that as my back up emergency fund, maybe a SNAFU fund, but it earns like .12% interest a year. Yup, point 12% interest a year. I think the last quarter my $1,000 earned me 19 cents. Whooo! I figure with inflation, I'm losing money every year.

So, as an incentive for my mom to make room in her busy schedule to go to the bank with me, I told her that she can have the $1,000. I'm not in a financial situation where I can just give away $1,000 all willy nilly, but I'm also not in a financial situation where I need that $1,000. If I didn't bribe her with it, that $1,000 will probably sit in that account until she dies and I have a letter proving that she's dead- by then that $1,000 will be worth $100 or something. That's not to say that I need to bribe my mom to do stuff for me, I don't, but to her, a $1,000 in a BB&T account earning .12% interest is the same thing as a $1,000 in an ING account earning 3% a year- "Oh, I'm busy this week, maybe next..."

Besides, it feels good to give your parents money. I told her she should buy a new fridge with it but I think they'll just end up using it to replace their garage doors.

Blue Diesel Sneakers

I got these like... 6 years ago, during the Anniversary Sale, at Nordstroms, for like $30. I was with Heidi at the time and it was one of those purchases where I probably would not have bought it had I been alone but in the spirit of shopping-with-a-friend I bought something, and that something was this sneaker. I was never that crazy about this sneaker, and, to be honest, probably would not have bought them if they weren't Diesel.

I've tried to get rid of them before and I'll decide to wear them out one last time before chucking them, but, everytime I do, someone (99% of the time, a dude) will be all, "Awesome shoes!" and I look down and respond with "Really?".

I don't understand what is so cool about these shoes but they do get a lot of compliments. It fits, it's still in good shape, and it's one of the few things I own that's practically guaranteed a positive feedback everytime I wear them so... I guess there's no reason to get rid of them.

Idiot's Guide to Buying Technology

I like my new camera a lot by the way. I have come to terms with it's pink color. One should not judge the color of the outside, but rather the character of the inside- Martin Luther Jr taught me that.

Since I've had such luck with purchasing my camera, I thought I would share some gadget shopping trick with you. So, the following are my tips to buying the right doodad for your need.

1) Know someone who loves technology and knows more about these kind of things than you.
The way I see it there's no point in trying to familiarize yourself with all the technical specs, widgets vs. gidgets, and so forth just to buy one thing. I mean, why spend hours cramming all the nerd knowledge when you're going to forget it all after you buy your gadget. Even if you do remember, by the time you're ready to buy another one, your knowledge will be obsolete. If you know someone who loves gadgets, have them go shopping with you or just ask them for a recommendation.

2) Make sure your designated techno know it all actually knows it all.
There are lots of people who thinks they know a lot about technology but don't. Just 'cause they were the first kid in class to have email back in 1994, doesn't mean they know what they're talking about.

3) Don't trust user submitted reviews.
A lot of them are either sponsered, written by corporate employees, or written by someone who knows less than you- take it with a grain of salt.

4) Be realistic about what features you will use and don't pay for extra.
Unless you're uber passionate about music, you don't need a 120G ipod. Speaking of which, do you really need an MP3 player that can access the internet? Smile detection? Do you care? When will you ever need to view your video in 1080? Don't get wowed by features you won't use (and don't let your techno-nerd shop vicariously through you).

5) Get it for free or for cheap.
If your toy is the first of its kind that you're getting, try to get it for free or for cheap first. It'll give you a chance to figure out what features are most important to you, or you might find that you don't need or want the gadget after all. A great thing about tech geeks is that they are always looking for any excuse to get rid of their current toy so they can upgrade- they will gladly sell it to you for super cheap, they might even just give it to you. I bought my DS because I found myself playing my brother's old Gameboy a lot. My first digital camera was huge, old one that I got for free from my sister- ditto for my ipod. My first cellphone (and plan) was my mom's. My sister gave me her old external hard drive for my b-day and, even though I thought I really needed one, I'm glad neither of us actually spent money on it 'cause I very rarely use it.

6) Avoid Big Box Retailers when possible.
First off, it's not always cheaper- I know it's a knee jerk reaction to assume that the Target, Wal-mart, Best Buy, Amazon, etc. has the best price but that's not always the case. My camera came with a free case and a free memory stick duo- the camera alone cost $20 more at Target. The bundle price on Amazon is what I paid for at Ritz Camera- and I got to touch it, look at it, and take it home that day. The added avantage at a small store like Ritz is that the sales monkey usually knows what he's talking about. At a place like Target, all you get is someone who can open the glass case. Sales associates at smaller places are also more likely to throw in some freebies and or cut you a deal.

7) Consider the cost of peripherials.
Do you need extra controllers? Memory sticks? Adaptors? wires? Headphones? Batteries? When buying my camera I was considering the Nikon Coolpix S52 and the Sony Cybershot DSCW-120- both were the same price. However, it would have been cheaper for me to buy the Coolpix since I already owned a Coolpix so I wouldn't have had to buy the memory card- saving myself around $30. Luckily, my sister had a spare Sony Memory Stick Pro Duo and gave it to me for free.

Xhilaration Red Strap Cork Wedge

This is actually my first wedge. I was always leery of wedges, I always thought I was too short for them and they would make my feet look stompy. Surprisingly, they look pretty good. I like them 'cause something about them looks '70s retro, maybe it's the cork wedge and the color. I think it would look really awesome with my new cardigan... if I decide to keep them, which I don't think I will.


I've only worn them a few times and they're already falling apart. I suppose I could super glue them but... I don't know... I guess the fact that I'd sooner chuck them then super glue them answers my "Should I keep it?" question.

Besides, after reading this article on buying quality I think I'll really try to just buy quality shoes and bags. It's really not worth it for me to buy quality clothes since I go through different styles and moods so quick. I don't dress up for work (or even business casual) so there's really no need for me to buy investment pieces, though, I'd gladly pick it up if I saw one at an awesome price.

Mudd Stompin' Shoes

I was totally excited to get these shoes since they reminded me of the kind of shoes I used to wear in the '90s. Well, they reminded me of the kind of shoes that other people wore in the '90s. During the '90s I wore mostly heels, kitten heeled granny boots, square heeled sling backs, 3" stiletto heels, 4-5" platform heels, etc. I gave them up real quick in college where walking 20 minutes to your class made them a bit impractical.

These weren't the most comfortable shoes but I think they just need to be broken in. I like that it has a really thick sole, which gives me height, but there's very little ankle support so walking can be a bit funny at times.

The shoes has a good amount of heft and makes me feel like stomping things.

Gas!

I spent a little less than $80 on gas last month. Not bad!

Sunday morning, I learned some interesting facts on how to save gas. Apparently, 2 minutes of idling (like at a drive through) will cost me take .5 miles off your MPG. 10 lbs of dead weight will cost me 4 to 5 miles MPG.

Like I've been saying, people should suggest weight loss as a way to save gas. First off, you're not eating out at greasy, fattening fast food so you won't be idling as much- savings! If you and or your family/regular passengers can lose (a combined weight) of 100lbs, you'll save 4 to 5 MPG.

Coach Sneaker #2

These shoes makes me feel like I should be dressing to go play tennis with Miffy and Tiffy or something- 'cept I am really bad at tennis so Miffy and Tiffy probably wouldn't want to play with me.

This is my first, and therefore, oldest (about... 6 to 5 years), Coach sneakers and I think it's about time to let them go. It's gotten a bit dingy and old. Besides, they don't go with a lot of the stuff I wear now. Hmm... than again, I think I'll hold onto them. I only wear them a few times a year now- which I guess would be an argument to get rid of them but to me it's an argument that they'll last another 5 to 6 years... I think these sneakers are a bit unique and I don't see sneakers like these often. Of course, I don't really go sneaker shopping a lot so, who knows, maybe the store's a full of them.

Little Little

I finished reading Little Little by M.E. Kerr. It's a book about little people so, of course, the whole time I'm reading it, I'm thinking about the Roloff Family. Speaking of which, according to his Wiki site, Matt Roloff, the dad, was arrested in 2003 for DUI after crashing his car and almost killing his passenger. Scandalous! Charges were dropped after he finished rehab. He got off that easily for a DUI? Then, in 2007, he was arrested again for DUI and, once again, charges were dropped! I used to, kind of, like the show but now I think Matt Roloff is an irresponsible, drunk driving jerk.

So, back to Little Little... The book is about a Little Little La Belle who is a PF (Perfectly Formed) dwarf from a rich, supportive family, and Sydney Cinnamon, a hunch backed non-PF dwarf who was abandoned as a child due to his deformity. It's not a very plot driven book, though, that's not to say that it's boring. The book is about self acceptance and standing up for what you want, not what others feel you should want. Both characters are very comfortable with who they are, it is other around them that feels discomfort and insist they know what's good for Little Little and Sydney.

I always wondered why little people want to be referred to as "little people". Personally, I think "little people" sounds more condescending than dwarves and midgets.

Xhilaration Polka Dot Platform

2 things that are always good: polka dots and leopard print- I really love the rockabilly look.

Thursday's Score

I talked to my sister and asked if she wanted to open up a vintage ebay shop with me. She was all for it. I would be operations (merch. procurement, shipping, etc.) and she would be creative (layout design, packaging design, photo retouching, etc.). I'm not sure if I really want to do it. Sure it sounds fun, scour thrift stores for cool old things, but there's a lot of of competition and it's a lot of work for the amount of profit. I'm going to have to do some research first- track some auctions and see how much they go for, product knowledge, etc. In the mean time, I'll just use this possible venture as an excuse to buy things.

So yeah... here are Thursday's score!


This is one of the purse that I bought. It's a good size but the interior is smaller than it looks since it is heavily padded.


The bag is in really good condition and only a handful of the enameled tiles have scratches/marks on them (very small ones, not at all noticeable unless you're hunting for them).


I really liked the straps... kind of reminds me of a snake.

This is the Longchamp bag. Oh how I wish you could smell it. I love the smell of leather. It's in mint condition. There was a streak of stomething on it but I wiped it down with some antibacterial wipe and now it's almost mint.

This is my favorite! For actual use, I like my bags to be kind of shleppy- like tote bags, hobo bags, duffle style bags, etc., but I love how structured hand bags look- especially frame bags. This one is big and lined in nice (fake?) leather. Sigh~ It makes me want to wear those little hats with the mesh thing and dainty white gloves.

I can't wait to go back there. I really hope the bags I decided not to buy are still there so I can pick them up. You know, for my future ebay store...

"Need"

This is a Memory Stick Duo Adaptor that came free with my Sony Cybershot (pink- to match the camera). My sister was all, "Ooh, it comes with a adaptor!" and I was all "Huh? What's an adaptor?"

It's like a flash drive w/ a slot where you stick your memory stick so your computer can read it. This means that I can upload my pics w/o using my camera or a long tangly wire. My sister was all, "It's quicker! You won't drain your camera's battery! No wire!"

I personally didn't see the benefits at first, the convenience it offers is very minor and negligible. However, now that I started using it, I can't really see myself going back to the wire hook up method. You know what this means, for the rest of my life, I will feel that adaptors are a must.

This is what's bad about technology. Your life is perfectly fine w/o the gadget but once you start using it, it's indespensible. Total waste of money.

Baaah!

I've decided to be a sheep and do a link round up every Friday.

I love zoom quilts! The pictures are kind of morbid and zombi-esq but the concept is really cool. A zoom quilt is when many different artists collaborate and each artists world seamlessly transitions and bleeds into another artists world. It's kind of hard to explain, you just have to see it. Just move the marker on the half pipe looking thing to your left to adjust speed and direction.

This site lists 12 Foods You Don't Have to Buy Organic. Luckily, a lot of my fruits and veggies are on that list. Next year, if I have a yard, I would like to grow tomatoes. I used to grow them in elementary/middle school and they are so easy to grow. I might not even need a yard, they don't take up much space.


I think every retailer should post signs like this. People yakking on their phone while they are being serviced are so annoying. Today, I had one lady yak on the phone with me and with her husband while trying to decide amongst the dozen things she had laid out on the counter. Normally, I wouldn't care except a dude was waiting behind her. I kept asking her if she needed more time but she either didn't hear me 'cause she was on the phone or didn't care. Finally I told her to I'll be with her once she's ready and helped the guy behind her. People really shouldn't approach the counter unless they are reasonably sure they're ready to make a purchase. I hate customers who come up with an armload of stuff, lay it all down, and then proceed to weed through the merchandise. If they want to step off to the side and use the counter space to seperate, that's totally fine, but don't create a line of customer behind you so that you can be rung up ASAP once you finally make up your mind!

JLP on All Financial Manner has a very good point, we should Let People (and Companies) Fail. Speaking of which, our FedEx guy told me that our Wilson Leather is now closed. Apparently, they got a call today from the DM telling them to shut the gates 'cause the store is closed and they're all out of jobs. Wow. He told me that their store manager came up from FL 2 months ago to run this store and now she's SOL. It sucks to lose your job but come on now... if you're going to relocate shouldn't you relocate for a company that wasn't headed down the toilet? I mean, 2 months ago is when Wilson Leather announced that they were going to close down like over 180 stores... that didn't tip her off? Hmm... maybe she transfered from a closed store but yeah... if my company was declaring bankruptsy and closed down most of the stores... I'd bail.

JLP also makes a very good counter argument to one of his reader's comment about the above mentioned article.

So apparantly, delicious scents makes one want to spend spend spend. Hmm... there is an empty kiosk space in front of my store, someone should plop a cookie store in front.

Here are some more clarification on CC merchant agreements.

First, we have a women who shot herself over a foreclosed home, now we have a man who set himself on fire over some overdue bills. Good golly, how about just living within your means?

I LOVE pictures of other people's closets. Here is a pic of LC's on Fops and Dandies (her's are the ones on the bottom...). Here's a pic of mine:

The pic's old, I should update but it's been hectic (and I've been kind of lazy so the upper part is cleaner and better organized but the lower part is kind of a mess by my standards. I'm kind of messy except when it comes to closets. My closet is usually very very well organized by type, color, all facing the right way, "Gap" folded, etc. It comes from working retail.

You know all those posts you see on Digg about cool recreation of stuff made from Lego? Well, here're some of iconic album covers. My faves are:



Trent, over at The Simple Dollar always does great, in depth review of finance books every Friday. Reading one of his reviews is like reading the Cliff Note for the book.

Reusble Bags Are Conversation Starters but I'm not really into chatting it up with strangers (outside of work) but I do like the fact that it holds more than the crappy plastic bags (meaning less trips to and from the car). Besides, they're pretty sturdy and you don't have to worry about your grocery splatting all over the sidewalk 'cause some register monkey got a little too carried away with the bag stuffing. I forget my bag all the time as well but I don't feel bad since I use the plastic bags as trash can liners and if I didn't use plastic bags than I would have to buy trash can liners and either way, it's plastic going into the landfill.