Category Archives: Whatever

Style & Fashion, Whatever

Service with a smile

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Last night I was out doing a little shopping and stopped by Macy’s at Alderwood Mall.  Knowing my daughter, Ashley, is still trying to find something to wear to her American Idol audition on Tuesday, decided to check out the sale racks.   

I found a couple of dresses that I thought might fit and that Ashley might like and pulled out the phone camera and sent her a pic of one of them.  She called right back with a “That is SO CUTE!”  So I knew I was on the right track.

Calvin Klein optionI have to just publicly thank the darling sales associate, Ayse, who actually agreed to TRY THE DRESSES ON so I could get an idea of how they looked and if they might fit.   She is a little shorter/smaller than Ashley – but it was so helpful!

Cute Nine West numberI took pics and sent them to Ashley – and with Ayse’s help we determined that the black/pink/white Nine West dress would probably fit (and looked much better on).   And at 75% off, I couldn’t pass it up.

So I popped it in the mail late last night – keep your fingers crossed it arrives on Monday… and that it fits!

Have you ever had a sales associate that really went out of their way to be helpful?

Style & Fashion, Whatever

Rate my space

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condo_living2a.jpgI live in a small, 1 bedroom condo – less than 800 square feet.  But after living in apartments for several years I was so sick of white walls that I went color-happy.   

Living RoomWith the help of Benjamin Moore (and my sister), I painted the living/dining/kitchen/hall (all connected in some way) a combination of Henderson Buff (a pale yellowish green), Monroe Bisque (beige), and Plum Raisin. It sounds like a lot of color, but it looks really cool with the asian feel of my furnishings.  

KitchenMy bathroom is a lovely taupe/stone color, and my bedroom is Dijon (mustard yellow).  There is nary a white wall in the place, other than inside closets.   It took me several months to complete and my right shoulder has never been the same.

While at the Benjamin Moore paint store, I noticed some really cool shimmering metallic glazes.    Mind you, I have a love of all things sparkly, opalescent, irridescent and metallic and my mind started racing with possibilities….  unchecked, I could turn my place into a tacky, gawdy nightmare    But I restrained myself and recently came up with an elegant plan.

Wall GridI don’t have a headboard, and so decided to make an entire wall a lovely focal point for the room using metallic glazes.

I started by designing the general layout for the wall.   Then I started taping off the squares.  I could only do one layer at a time, because the glaze has to dry before taping/painting over the corners with another color.   I used a combination of a small roller brush, a dry sponge and a rag.  I’m still not sure which method I like best.

My Bohemian BedroomIt took me about 2 weeks, painting a portion nearly every evening, to get this far.  I still have a few of the most sheer/pale squares to go – but this gives a good idea of how it looks.  (Click the photo to enlarge).   It’s a sublte effect, and doesn’t really show in the photos, but some of these squares really shimmer – especially when the light hits them just right.   Once all the squares are done, I’m will probably sponge over the whole thing with a sheer, shimmery gold glaze so that it catches the light even more.   

My beaded curtainI love it.  It looks great with the beaded curtain (real, hand strung amber and gold glass beads – and shimmery gold ribbon)  that leads to my closet. 

Did I mention I like sparkly, shiny stuff?

 So what do you think?   Are you inspired to create your own shimmering (or other) wall?

Whatever

The Jury is Out

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Yesterday I stopped at the mailbox, excited to see what Netflix had sent me (I don’t keep track of my queue sometimes) and hoping I might even be surprised by a card, letter or a check from a client.  But no….   instead, I was greeted by an envelope bearing the dreaded words:

IMPORTANT!  JURY SUMMONS ENCLOSED - IMMEDIATE RESPONSE REQUIRED

I have been summonedI don’t have time for jury duty!  Not that I would mind serving as a juror, mind you, but being the sole support for my household I kind of need my income….  

PLUS, they have sommoned me for the week that Brandon & Jennifer will be bringing granddaughters Emily and Marie for a visit.    (I can request a postponement, thank heavens)

So share your jury experiences with me.  Ever been summoned before?  Ever served?  Ever gotten out of serving?   Any suggestions for convincing them I really need to be excused?  Have any good jury stories?

Politics / Social Issues, Whatever

A new name

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Since I wasn’t given one at birth, I’ve decided to take on a middle name.   I wanted to choose an interesting name, with a cool meaning – and settled on one that means little; good looking.   Apparently this is becoming a bit of a trend right now (click to read the article that inspired me) , and I encourage you to do the same.  I’ll even share my middle name with you…. we can all be a little good looking… or was that little, good looking?

So just call me Allison Hussein Hays.

Oh, and by sheer coincidence this is the same middle name of Barack Obama – soon to be the next president of the United States.  Cool, huh?      Will you join me in taking on his middle name?

Funny Stuff, Whatever

Bad Spam

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I manage over a dozen email addresses – and a couple of them have gotten onto junk mail lists, receiving hundreds of spam emails a day.  Thank heaven for spam arrest which stops them from getting to my inbox. 

I do have to check the filter every few days to see if legitimate mail is stuck, and when I do, I am faced with some of the must ridiculous subject lines.  Some are really stupid, others totally crack me up.  Here are a few of the more memorable ones of late:
 

  • What a stupid face you have allison
  • Does this look illegal?
  • Bomb her womb from your huge cannon!
  • Have you ever felt the kiss of a womb?
  • Satisfy your woman, you pin dick!
  • Help your little soldier stand taller

Noticing a theme?   What is the deal with the obsession with the “male member”?  And can any man’s penis ever live up to the expectations of these emails??? 

What memorable spam subject lines have you received?

Whatever

Ode to a watermelon

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Oh, watermelon, thou perfect summer fruit.
You beguile me so, with sweet redness
encased in emerald orb.
Crisp and juicy, refreshing and yummy
and delightfully seedless.
A guiltless summer pleasure, full of fluid and fiber.
I will love you now….
gorging myself on your goodness.
For all too soon your glory shall fade into fall.
Why must your season of sweet ripeness be so brief?
Whatever

Dream hugs

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Jon Stewart gives great hugs.  That’s what I found  out in my Monday night dream.  Frankly, I don’t know what he was doing at my deceased grandmother’s house on 7th east, along with an assortment of other people I apparently knew.  But as I bid them all farewell, he gave me the most amazingly warm, memorable hug.   And he looked great in his grey suit.

Last night’s dreams were not nearly so rewarding.

In one segment, I was fending off rather large sharks with a knife and a stick in a rope-infested bay (yes, large ropes were floating around the surface of this water, making it a challenge to swim).  I have no idea what prompted me to leave the safety of the rowboat I had been in. 

The last couple of nights my dreams have been a bit like short story collections – one segment completely unrelated to the next.    There was quite a bit of hiking over straw and snow covered hills.  Ashley (looking about age 10 – she often shows up in my dreams as a baby or young child) happily slid down one of them, out of site.   I took a cd of music in to my massage therapist in hopes they would exchange it out for the weird music they’ve been playing lately.   Some guy was trying to talk me into taking his $800 self-help seminar (I said no.)

However, my dreams are usually more like full-length feature films – very vivid, very realistic, often very entertaining.  Much more so that my waking life.     Sometimes I literally wake myself up laughing at the silliness – other times it seems like they were an important message I need to figure out. 

A dream HugOccasionally (not nearly often enough) I get to enjoy a nice, steamy dream…    most recently with David Peckham (a guy from my neighborhood when I was growing up.)   Completely random.  No idea what prompted that, since I never even had a crush on Dave in my teen years and haven’t seen or heard from him since high school.   But it was a memorable dream : )

Shemar has yet to make an appearance, however. 

What memorable dreams have you had of late?  Do you think they have any meaning?   Any ideas what MY dreams meant?

Whatever

Sexiest Man Alive

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Matt Damon - NOT the sexiest man aliveEvery year People magazine chooses the sexiest man alive.  Sometimes I wholeheartedly agree (George Clooney – 1997 & 2006) – and others, it seems a bit of a miss (Nick Nolte – 1991).  This year their choice was Matt Damon.  Now, Matt is a handsome young buck and a terrific actor – but sexiest man alive??? I think not.

While in Salt Lake last week, Ashley, Kathleen and I took a stroll through the covers of all the previous years of Sexiest Man Alive issues and gave them our own 1 – 10 ratings (and for the most part, were in agreement).   As we were oggling the pics at People.com, we commented on how a person’s behavior impacts their sexiness.

  • George Clooney: humanitarian/political activist = sexy.
  • Brad Pitt: humanitarian = sexy.
  • Mel Gibson: anti-semetism = not sexy.
  • Sean Connery: wife beater = not sexy.

This year I have painstakingly reviewed potential candidates (it was quite a chore, as you can well imagine), and have selected my own honoree.

I present to you now my choice for the 2007 Sexiest Man Alive:

Shemar Moore

Gaze upon his countenance and drool.

Shemar Moore - Sexiest Man Alive

This man is simply gorgeous.

I don’t know much about him or his personality, but I’m a fan of his character on Criminal Minds.

At some point I may learn of some unsavory detail about his life that reduces his sexiness – but for now, this is my dream boy.

Who is your pick?

Whatever

The joy of art

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Dale Chihuly 2002 SLC OlympicsOne of the many things I love about living near Seattle is the vibrant art community – and particularly the abundant art glass found here.   I remember being fascinated and blown away by the exhibits of Dale Chihuly (yes, he’s from here) during the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics. 

There are literally dozens of art glass studios as well as art institutes/schools here.  I wander through the galleries and shop which featuring local artists and am inspired, wishing I had the light, display space and money to create a gallery of these piece in my home… 

Leaded Glass SnowflakeBlown glass, dichroic glass, leaded glass – jewelry, functional pieces and abstract art.  I’d surround myself with this beauty if I could.  Art is not cheap.

Over the past 4 1/2 years I have lived here (has it really been that long??) I have collected 4 stunning leaded glass snowflakes, created by Cheryl Parrott, and a couple of years ago received a fused/dichroic glass pendant from my cousin, Rob (I still love and wear it Rob!). 

When Margie came to visit in October, I took her to a couple of my favorite local art shops where she, too, was astounded at the quality and quantity of local artistry.  I think she must have noticed my longing glances (or perhaps my pulling on her arm to “look at THAT!”) at some of the art glass, because her Christmas gift to me this year was sending me out to pick my favorite glass piece. 

Selecting the perfect piece took repeat visits to several galleries – but one piece just kept calling me back.  When the owner said I could take it home and if it didn’t work, I could return it – I pulled out the American Express and she carefully wrapped it in bubble wrap.   Orange and and purple are not colors that will go with just any decor – but I had hopes that it would go in mine.   The moment it was unwrapped, I knew it would not be leaving my home – it’s PERFECT.   

My art glass plate

It’s about 17″ across, and has a custom stand, and looks great in several places in my condo, but I decided it would make the ideal entry piece.  Not sure if you can tell in this photo, but it almost glows when the light hits it.  It sits right next to my front door – so I see it every time I leave my home, or walk down the hall to my bedroom.  

Isn’t it beautiful?   Thanks Margie!

Do you have a favorite piece of art in your home?   Or art that you haven’t acquired but that continues to call to you?