When I was growing up, I thought I was pretty cool – my attitude, the way I dressed, and even my hair.

In the mid 1980s, having a modified Mohawk that was dark brown stubble on the sides with a bleached blonde mane – especially in a small, rural community – was shocking and rebellious. And yes, that was the look I was going for.

However, I suffered a common fashion casualty of the early 90s, when I decided to grow my hair out a little (but only in the back), get rid of the blonde, and de-punk a bit overall. In other words, I had a mullet. But it was a cute mullet, and I’d like to think I pulled it off.

Between that time and now – almost 20 years (gulp) – I’ve had quite a few different doos… and even a few don’ts. One thing I’ve discovered over the years is that I prefer shorter hair. Not only is it easier to manage, but I think it also fits the shape of my face better and makes me look younger (the importance of those things is not necessarily in that order).

I’ve also resorted to treating my hair regularly with a semi-permanent dye that’s very similar to my natural color, which is dark brown. Thanks to genetics, without the dye, my hair would be almost completely gray. And again, while gray can be sexy and distinguished, at this point in my life, I’d rather look 10 years younger. …CONTINUE READING »

I need to color my hair in a bad way. I just didn’t time my visits to the salon right, and now I’ve got roots and grays. My appointment this Saturday cannot come fast enough. I can’t wait to get pampered because my stylist, Matt, gives me the royal treatment.  I am eagerly anticipating the peaceful little break from my hectic life in his salon when I can just sit quietly, read trashy magazines and drink wine. Champagne, actually. Nowhere to rush to, no kids, no husband for one blissful hour. I can’t wait!

Why the emergency? My appointment was rescheduled twice already. The first time was my fault, I had a conflict. The second time was because he was sick, so I can’t blame him. But, it just totally threw me. I will eventually spiral into, “Just cut it all off!” thoughts if I don’t hit the sweet spot and get a cut and color just in time. I sound a little neurotic and flaky. But, I am. Matt knows. He has graciously ushered me through compulsive, sanity-challenging phases. …CONTINUE READING »

I know absolutely nothing about retail practices, so when I see that some item I really like is being discontinued, I take it personally. It never occurs to me that there may be more complicated issues at hand. “Supply and demand” to me means basically that I like something that virtually no one else does.

It all started with my favorite brand and make of jeans. I had finally gotten to that glorious Shangri-la that men reside in where I could just go into a store, pick up my side from the racks and check out without having to try them on.  These jeans were classic Levi’s that hit just below the belly button and had a straight leg.

But then came the explosion of the low-rise elephant bell jeans and my jeans were fazed out. You couldn’t find them anywhere and if you asked a salesperson he or she would look at you like you just asked where they’re corsets were located.  …CONTINUE READING »

Okay, I’m not talking about boiling bunnies or stalking a celebrity (Wentworth Miller of “Prison Break” fame, you have been warned), but I do indeed have a problem. I am obsessed with Vera Bradley bags. (That’s my partial collection at left. I can think of at least four pieces I’m missing. Yikes.) I can’t explain it. Some of the patterns are downright ugly. Still, I find myself staking out rumor boards for possible upcoming patterns, participating in private online sales and scouring eBay for retired prints. What can I say? It’s fun!

My husband might think otherwise. When I recently had a local retailer call to say they had gotten in two limited edition SOI bags in Paprika (squeal!), I was so excited! I got one of just two they’d received! Bill? Just rolled his eyes with an “ohhhh, booooy.” Men. Can’t live with ‘em, but CAN use their credit cards.

It could be worse — I’m not collecting Gucci, right? (Now, Betsey Johnson is another subject altogether, but Bill hasn’t caught on to that little gem yet.) At this point, it’s become a bit of a challenge — to find the best deals on new and gently used Vera Bradley products. I’ve gotten some pretty good deals, ranging from a book cover for $6 on a private Facebook sales page to three retired sashes on eBay for $14 shipped and a petal pink Super Tote on eBags.com for $35. Fist pump! Yes! …CONTINUE READING »

After years of whining, my husband finally gave in and let me get an iPhone 3GS in July. It didn’t take me long to drop my antiquated pink phone like a bad habit. I now get why these mobile units are so popular: iPhone applications are ADDICTIVE. I had to buy a second charger to keep at work so the phone would be 100-percent charged at all times. You know, in case I need to feed my iPet dog or feel the need to fish.

My mother, brother and sister-in-law all have iPhones as well. It’s amazing how different our phones actually are –– each of us has our own favorite applications. My daughter has also become addicted to several apps on my phone, and I’m getting really tired of hearing “Mommy, can I play on your iPod?”

With that said, here’s a list of a few of my favorite applications:

• Pocket God. At just 99 cents, this app is a steal. Frequent updates and a fan blog keep users coming back for more. My daughter loves flicking the Pygmies into the volcano. Mini-games also add to the fun. …CONTINUE READING »

There seems to be a new fad in some of the more upscale clothing stores: music blaring over the speakers.

Shopping during my lunch hour used to be something I did to relax. And I didn’t mind a little bit of Muzak in the background. But, holy cow, going into some stores these days is like entering a dance club. Five minutes in and I literally have to fight the urge to order a mixed drink. My husband called me one time when I was in one of these stores and I had to step outside to hear him. Even then he swore I was out clubbing (at 12:30 in the afternoon).

I’m betting there’s been some psychological study that indicates people spend more money when their adrenaline is pumping. And since it was fairly inefficient to have the salespeople jumping out from behind clothing racks and screaming “BOO!” every five minutes, they decided instead on a loud, driving, middle-ear rattling beat.

Maybe I’m just not cool enough anymore and I just don’t understand this whole new age shopping experience. The salespeople are all wearing phone headsets as if they have to be immediately reachable, like air traffic controllers or something. Seriously, is there ever a situation on the retail floor that could be considered that urgent? …CONTINUE READING »

Like most of America, I’ve spent a lot of time lately watching the news, trying to make sense of the healthcare reform debate. It’s a tough subject; confusing and provoking high emotions on all sides. However, while trying to take all this seriously, something happens every time I see John Boehner that makes me laugh out loud.

For those of you not in the know, John Boehner is the Senate Minority Leader, so he is on TV a lot, espousing the Republican Party view and arguing with Democrat Senate Leader Harry Reid. He is handsome, well spoken and does not embarrass himself, so that’s not what I find so amusing. No, it’s his striking resemblance to the actor Robert Conrad.  That, and his tan.

Every time I see John Boehner, I envision him as Jim, the character Robert Conrad portrayed in the TV show The Wild, Wild West, with a Texas Straight cowboy hat, fancy vest and gun strapped to his thighs, striding though the halls of congress whooping bad guys at every turn.  Yes, I am easily amused. But, to his credit, Boehner has such a serious demeanor, it’s easy to puncture that balloon. …CONTINUE READING »

When I got pregnant many, many, many, many years ago, I read all the books about twins, babies, what to expect when you’re pregnant and raising kids. Not one of those books said that I would need a contractor’s license to be a parent. But, now that the school year is in full swing, I’m starting to realize it would have come in handy for the school projects. 

Because I am not equipped with the innate ability to be creative or crafty or do scrapbooks or decorative stuff, I have come to rely on my artist husband for help with projects.

Pregnancy does weird things to you, and I had a minor brush with creativity when I was in my last trimester. I don’t know what came over me, but I decided I had to make all of the thank you notes for my baby shower. I bought paper and rubber stamps and ribbons and I thought I was so clever with the design. I stamped two sets of baby handprints on the front, punched holes and tied the ribbons into little bows on the cards. They definitely looked handmade. But, I was so giddy over them. I guess the nesting instinct really hit me hard and the hormones took over. I also had a lot of time on my hands, since I was on bed rest. But, as soon as I gave birth, that creativity flew out of me and has not yet returned. …CONTINUE READING »