Hey, guess what: it's Friday.
For a job-hating cubicle rat such as yours truly: ever so much more significant because it means 3 whole days away from staring at this:
That's the screen at which I sqiunt for 8 hours a day, logging little notes about software support issues.
Anyway - in honor of the fact that my brain is pretty well toasted after a long week and I'm looking forward to several days of blissful nothingness, I'm going to skip the celebrity commentary and toss up a list of Neat Things. Things That Are Neat.
Roll with it.
Neat thing #1 - DiorShow Airflash Spray Foundation
I love this stuff. Don't use it so much as an all-over foundation (though in that regard, it is by far the best I've ever used) as I do a spot concealer; it's got a great, moisturizing texture that keeps it from looking too matte and "cakey" when used to cover up those hormonal breakouts or whisker-rash on the chin from kissing Man with Facial Hair, or under-eye circles, or whatever else you need to conceal). I use it as an eye shadow base, as well -- or sometimes, when my skin is more fair, I'll use a darker shade of this foundation as an eye shadow shade all on its own. It goes on smoothly, stays put, looks creamy and flawless and dewey. Highly recommend it. Tips for applying to the entire face as foundation (as it's intended): use a sponge or foundation brush (I even had some success with a kabuki brush). You waste less product and can apply it more precisely. While it's marketed as a "spray straight at your face and you're done" concept, that's more wishful thinking - it ends up in your hair, eyebrows, lips - may as well save yourself the vague sensation of "Mystic Tan Booth" and actually put the makeup where you want it.
Neat thing #2 - Chewy Lemonhead & Friends Candy
The sad truth: they're not Twerpz (my all-time favorite candy, since discontinued.....and may you live a long and miserable life listening only to Michael Buble music and John Mayer diatribes, Twizzlers people. You killed my favorite junk food), but they're a pretty good substitute. They don't have the delightful white sugary coating like Sour Patch Kids or the neat "flesh-like" spring of Gummy LifeSavers, but they're good. Dependable. Sort of like what Jelly Beans would taste like if Jelly Beans actually tasted good. Doesn't hurt that there are 5 flavors per package, so each bite is sort of a fun, pleasant, tart surprise. Well played, Ferra Pan Candy People.
Neat thing #3 - This top
Target: you nailed it here. Nothing about the fabric feels even remotely chintzy, the cut of the neckline, the amount of ruffle, the length, the adjustable straps - all combine to make this the perfect Girlie Tank Top in the perfect shade of cobalt (I have it in several colors, actually). It's timeless: not too trendy, not likely to date itself for years, but current, classic, endlessly wearable. For instance: can be worn right now with skinny jeans and boots, or later with city shorts and strappy heels when the weather gets nicer (here in Seattle, I suppose that equals July 5th). Toss a cami over the top and it's great for the office, add a funky necklace and it's "evening out" gear. The perfect tank top. Love it. Thinking of springing for the "electric fuschia" shade as well, since I've already worn the black color more times that I wear most pairs of my jeans in their lifetime. Amazing clothing success, Target.
Neat thing #4 - The brilliantly hilarious minds behind Go Fug Yourself
I love witty writing, love good satire, love blogs in general and ALWAYS love oogling celebrities in their fancy clothes. This website has stood the test of celebrity gossip time in my book - over the last 5 years of my blogging experience, this is about the only site that I still visit almost daily. The ladies that come up with the absolutely excellent commentary for each and every red carpet misstep are my pop-lit heroes. They're at their best when they're "speaking from the perspective" of Kanye West while making fun of someone's hideous red carpet getup. All caps. All hilarious.
Neat Thing #5 - Horrible "Sex and the City" movie reviews!
Reviews have been nothing but scathing since the first unnaturally photoshopped movie poster hit the webernet - now that the movie's open, there's not a single good thing anyone can think to say about it. Roger Ebert was more relentless with this film than I've ever seen before (and also more entertaining), opening his review with "Some of these people make my skin crawl" and taking it from there. The New York Times says "Your watch will tell you that a shade less than two and a half hours have elapsed, but you may be shocked at just how much older you feel when the whole thing is over." The LA Times gets irritatingly alliterative by saying "In this second screen incarnation of the fabulous HBO series, the satire is sagging, the irony's atrophied and the funny is flabby." And Entertainment Weekly weighs in with "Mood swings similar to those experienced by menopausal Samantha are a common side effect of exposure to Sex and the City 2." Frankly, the first movie was awful enough, so I'm delighted that the sequel takes the awful to new heights. I'll go see it on a weeknight after it's been open for a week or so and heckle to my heart's content.
Neat thing #6 - Domaine Carneros' Le Reve
I'm a bubbly fiend. Drink of choice, hands down, every time, no questions asked. Hold the dorky flute, please, I prefer mine in a nice white wine glass. And I'll happily spend nearly as much on a bottle of bubbles as I will on a pair of Hudsons after a hard week. This particular bubbly comes from Domaine Carneros in the Napa Valley - the winery is owned and operated by Tattinger, meaning there's a certain respectable French cache to their operation straight out of the gate. But while their signature brut is outstanding, this Blanc de Blancs is absolutely superb. Surprisingly, it's 98% chardonnay, 2% pinot blanc - by my usual wine standards, I shouldn't enjoy this (I struggle with sparklers heavy on the chardonnay) - but it's one of the best. Finishes with creamy notes of vanilla - it's the reason I joined the Carneros wine club and do a giddy little happy dance every few months when a bottle of this shows up at work. Delightful.
Neat thing #7 - Ke$ha - Animal
I'm being perfectly serious. I hated this chick - found her stupid Tic Tok song about as vapid as any song I'd ever suffered through while inside a Forever21. And then it started to grow on me. She seemed almost sarcastic, the more closely I listened. Almost like they'd deliberately produced an ironic pop cd. Decided to test the outer limits of my very high pop tolerance and listen to the rest of the CD. It's a ridiculously good time. There's not a song on the album that isn't "stuck in your head catchy." It's sort of a "who's who" of pop influences - she rips of the styles of everyone from Imogen Heap to Tiffany to Justin Timberlake as far as I can tell, and she has fun doing it. She knows who her audience is, she knows she's obnoxious, she revels in it. So do I. Give it a listen with an ear to the sarcasm - she's laughing at us, she's laughing at herself, she's having fun....I don't see a huge market for a follow-up release, but it's sugar-coated, auto-tuned, 808-drummed party fun. Not kidding. Track to listen for: "Blah blah blah" is gloriously gender-bending.
So that's that. About another 2 hours and I will happily join the ranks of working stiffs fleeing the city by sitting in probably record-breaking traffic on my way to a weekend-kickoff happy hour and three glorious days away from this particular computer screen.
Cheers!
Niiiiiiiiiice. Especially 1, 3 and 6.
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