Items of Interest

Links checked 12/12/13

A few random items of interest for this entry (as opposed to my last editorial rambling) about China Glaze New Bohemian collection polish, jewelry and craft supplies and finally, a stereo recommendation.

News for those of you that saw the China Glaze press release that has been all over the blog world: it had a lot of us lusting after the collection but so far, no swatches that I know of. The collection was due out August 2012, but Ulta already has them listed on their website individually for $9.00. 

Alternately, you can also find the whole collection sans display on eBay from two different sellers for $29.00 + $6.00 shipping which would make these a "whopping" $5.83 a bottle. Both US sellers have 100% feedback rating, one is based upon 11 ratings and the other 33- my normal inclination is to avoid newer sellers but 100% is 100% (Amazon marketplace ratings have been far less reliable in my experience). However, since atoznailsupply does not accept returns, I would go with buying from The China Glaze Store. Thank goodness for birthday presents or this would go on my wish list, not my purchase list.  

The second portion of this: jewelry and craft supplies. I've seen that many of you shop at A.C.Moore but there doesn't happen to be one of those around me so I am stuck with Michaels or Hobby Lobby- until yesterday! Because yesterday, in my one-mile-radius for shopping, they put in a Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Store. This store probably isn't new to you, nor really to me since I've seen the name since I was a "kid" but I'd never been in one before. Anyone remember the episode of Married with Children where the Bundys moved into the grocery store? Well I want to live in Jo-Ann's, right smack in the middle of the sparkly beads isle... one of them because there were several. And the prices, up to 50% off jewelry supplies (online right now, too) offset the buyers remorse... and that I wasn't paying for it myself, again, thank you to birthdays, husbands and fathers.

Now lastly, music and stereo systems but let me specify- "bookshelf systems", not component stereos with huge free-standing speakers, sub woofers, separate receivers, CD players and amplifiers which is what my Dad has. Having a quality stereo to play my massive library is important, (more so than having a TV if you ask me) but since I spent most of my life being told to, "Turn that s**t down!" and am now an apartment dweller, my chosen stereo has to be small but powerful not to mention that I prefer having two, one for my bedroom and another for the living room.

What I have is this, Sony MHC-EC709iP from Best Buy. This particular system has at total of 360 watts, the iPod docking station for the ultimate in portable music and it's rather diminutive size makes it perfect for any room. But don't let the size fool you, the sound is just as good in my larger living room as it does my smaller bedroom. Priced at $150.00.

-MK

Birthday Musings

I didn't intend for this entry to be "controversial" but since it's struck a chord with a few of you, I've added some comments.

While it seems like I forgot about the blog momentarily and all tasks associated with it- including all those photo-comparison-posts I'm supposed to be working on, I haven't. I've been occupying my free time with my second love, jewelry making (my first love is art which would make the polish thing a close third) and while I'll never be rich from it, it takes up time and materials. I also happen to have one of those Baby Boomer generation parents who thinks computers are evil incarnate despite the fact that he has a $2k + computer system he doesn't know how to use and so my computer time is limited here. But that's not why I'm here.

My birthday is a couple days away, the big 34 and that gets me thinking. I have an almost 18 y/o sister and one who'll be 38 so right now, I feel neither young or old- old enough to view an 18 year old as a baby, young enough that I still dread my 50s- still comfortably middle-of-the-road. And I like middle-of-the-road. Stay with me here, I'm slow to get to it but I have a point. When my mother was in her mid-30s, she was a single mother of a teenage daughter (me) and worked too much to have free time to dabble with arts and crafts. By the time I left the house, she was married again but had another baby to take care of (her baby, not mine lol) and even less free time. All that was in complete contrast to how I grew up since until I was 13, my parents were married, Mom stayed at home with my older sister and I, and had plenty of time to be as artsy as she wanted.

You might as well say I'm married and since my husband makes a decent income, I'm able to be a stay-at-home mother too, but my sons are verging on 13 and 15 and beyond the "Mommy" years. That's half my point- I have two boys, no daughters, neither with an artistic bone in their bodies. The second half is that one day I'll hit the age I'm "too old" to be wearing flashy polish and jewelry, and probably too blind to be screwing around with tiny jumprings and 4mm beads... so where will all my jewelry, polish and art supplies go? Perhaps if I am fortunate- make that exceedingly lucky- one of my boys will marry a chick I actually like and is interested in such things.

It's apparently the "too old" comment of mine that struck a chord. I love getting comments on my entries but I certainly wasn't trying to offend any woman of any age- or chosen style. I'm not saying there is anything wrong or improper with colored hair, bright clothing and flashy adornments if worn after a certain age- this is an individual choice based on personality, is it not? As one of my readers phrased it, "Yes, it is true, as you get older certain clothes, colors, fashions don't suit you anymore" and I agree. I am also one of those people that aim to "fade into the wallpaper", not attracting undue attention with my appearance. Let my work stand out, not my face. For those women that are willing and/or strive to be the opposite, to be the color in our lives and theirs and probably, more importantly, comfortable in their own skin at every age- good for you! Confidence is a beautiful thing. -MK

Malware Update

As a refresher, in an entry I posted June 16th, I stated that there was a rash of malware attaching itself to various blogs and because of this, I removed the blog lists containing links to my followers' blogs and to other frankeners' blogs. At that time, there were too many blogs to count that were infected or contained a link to one that was but it has since calmed down.

I am preparing to add the blog roll again. I've gone through my Reading List from the Dashboard side and found those blogs that are still infected. Thus far, the blog titled "KKnails" should be avoided and removed from your own lists as this seems to be the root.

The blogs "Queen of Friggen Crap" and "Swaafie" have also been removed from my list because they contain a link to "immhappy" that is itself infected. If you know these blog owners, please inform them of that link so they may remove it.

The blog "Oje Vitrini" contains a link to "nemolatte" that is infected and has been removed.

-MK

Lazy Days of Summer

Why is it that summer vacation from school for my boys never seems to be extra time for me to get things I want to do, done?

This summer, because my boys are finally old enough, and because my father is... less than kind towards his grandsons, I made the decision to let my boys stay home while I fulfill my commitment of coming to my father's home- the Bermuda Triangle of Kentucky. It's the biggest house I've ever seen that somehow disappears from the road when you're on the outside and that the world forgets the people who exist on the inside. But that's all figuratively speaking.

Instead, my jobs double during the summer, keeping up with two houses, two men and one bad mood 12 hours of every day. And my boys, rugrats that they are, don't do the cleaning at home for me, poor pitiful me! I am still glad I don't have hormonal daughters like me but boys are pigs. Ok, I'm done complaining.

The summer is here, the Fourth of July is coming so while you try to beat the heat, enjoy your holidays. -MK