Corned Beef, Cabbage, and That Wet Dog Smell

Happy St. Patty's Day everyone. We're getting a lovely rainstorm here in SoCal, which for me is a nice change from the dryness. Maybe it will even green things up a bit!

The only downside?

Filthy dogs.

The Pig Dog, still being a puppy, needs to be closely monitored when inside, and we are training her to go outside when nature calls. Unfortunately, she still loves to pee and poop on the carpets for some reason, (even when she's just come back inside!) so we are putting her out a lot. Not that she minds the rain. It makes for lovely mud puddles to dig in. When she comes back in, though, as with all the pooches, she's filthy, and doesn't smell so great, either.

Rough life.

So there will be a full round of baths later today. Probably after our corned beef and cabbage. Mmmmm....

How You Like Me Now?

I meant to post a Monday Musings or Monday Makeup post yesterday, but Daylight Savings kicked my arse. Well, I guess that's not quite accurate. What really happened is Standard Time captured my body and held it hostage, not letting me fall asleep on Sunday night and then reminding me at the already ungodly hour of 3:30 AM (when my alarm goes off) that it was really only 2:30 and that I should either go back to sleep or have a pity party and start crying. Needing an income to survive, I chose option number 2, heaved myself out of bed, and started getting ready for work. I barely had enough energy to function yesterday.

And while there is not enough coffee on the planet to help me with my time-change hangover, this song did pump me up this morning. I think I heard on the radio that it was one of the Yo Gabba Gabba character's birthdays today, and it immediately made me think of this commercial. One of my faves.





Here's the song in its entirety:





I'm also lovin' this song right now. Another good one to help shake the cobwebs from the brain in the morning.





I am going to sing both of these songs while dancing on Standard Time's grave. Happy Tuesday everyone.

Running and Digging Holes

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In the book, Holes, Stanley has to dig a five-foot deep, five-foot wide hole every day. His fellow diggers tell him, "The first hole is the worst." Yet, the second day his body is screaming in pain from the first day and his hands are all bloody and can barely hold the shovel. Another kid tells him, "The second hole is the worst." The third day, yup, "The third hole is the worst." And so on. Until finally someone says, "The next hole is always the worst."

Always the next hole. The one you have to anticipate is the worst, not the one you've already dug.

That's how I feel about running lately. I used to run. A lot. I was on the track and cross country team, I ran half marathons and even did a full 26.2 once.

Nowadays? Having to get up at 3:30 in the morning for work has pretty much ceased any consistency with my workouts. (I've always done better in the morning.) I've been trying to run when I get home, and let me tell you, getting out the door is pure torture. And so is the 20 or so minutes I'm forcing myself to run.

I know I did this to myself, not keeping it up. I hope one day my body remembers that it liked running at one point in my life. I hope that one day it will not make me want to cry every time I look at my watch during a run and realize I'm not even halfway done. I hope that I will someday actually feel more in shape than out of shape.

Until then, I just have to face the fact that the next run is always the worst.

Until it's finally not.

Makeup Monday: Advanced Style

This post isn't so much about makeup as it is about style. Advanced Style, to be precise. I found this amazing blog while hopping about on vintage blogs. I immediately fell in love with the ladies showcased, and I swear I check it every day.





Ari Seth Cohen, the author of the blog and soon-to-be released book of the same name, takes pictures of amazing older women who have cultivated their own unique style over the years.





I am amazed at their gumption and the genuine FUN that they seem to be having with dressing up.

I want to emulate them, but don't know if I quite have the guts.

Maybe someday.

Now get out there and have some fun!!

all photos from Advanced Style

Shmalentines

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"Valentine’s Day... may be a good idea in theory, like communism, or the carb free diet, but in actuality it is pretty much oppressive." (source)




Hope you all have a fantastic unimaginative, consumerist-oriented, entirely arbitrary, manipulative and shallow interpretation of romance Valentine's Day ;-)


(Who am I kidding? I love any day where as a general rule, chocolate is a requirement.)

Makeup Monday: Dolly Parton

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I don't necessarily think of Dolly Parton when I'm thinking of trying new makeup looks. But she is quite famous for her hair and makeup. I read this excerpt from her book, My Life and Other Unfinished Business and thought it was great. (Found on Glamourologist.)

I like that she never seems to care what the current trend is or what is deemed classy or appropriate. She goes with what she likes and wants to look like.

We should all be so bold and brave.


I also like that she never seems to take herself or her looks too seriously.

"I describe my look as a blend of Mother Goose, Cinderella, and the local hooker."

(source for all other photos)

"You can do it in good taste, but if you want to look like the town tramp like me, you can."




"I'm just a backwoods Barbie, too much makeup, too much hair. But, don't be fooled by thinkin' that the goods are not all there."




"If I see something saggin', draggin' or baggin', I get it sucked, tucked or plucked. It takes a lot of money to look as cheap as I look."




"Those old seeds of doubt about my looks have grown into quite a bumper crop for many a makeup artist, wig maker and plastic surgeon."



"I'm not offended by dumb blonde jokes because I know that I'm not dumb . . . I also know that I'm not blonde."


Just some fun for your Monday.

I Am Pig Dog. Hear Me Snore.

We have apparently become known as the family who takes in all the animals others can't keep. Not that I'm complaining. We've inherited quite a brood of amazing critters, and we just added one more.

Introducing
Princess Piggy Specklebottom

(I snort like a pig)


She's a four-month-old French Bulldog with whom we fell in love on New Year's Eve.



Our friends weren't really supposed to have dogs at their place, and when they saw how much she clicked with all of us, they knew they'd found a good home for her.

(You can see the polka dots on my butt here; hence my last name)


Our friends also loved the fact that Piggy has other dogs to play with, as she was a bit lonely over there. She LOVES chasing the other dogs and going after their tails.



They are amazingly patient with her.



When she's not chasing something/someone, she can usually be found napping.

(I snore like a chainsaw)


Or chillin'.



She always wants to be close by.



I love how she looks like a grumpy old man here.


I think she'll fit right in.