Countdown...

20 days 'til me (and my wardrobe! :) move to a new town to start a new life with a job... that PAYS! HALLELUJAH!

And in other exciting news.... I blow dried my hair tonight. In a tragic turn of events, however, I looked outside and realized its raining. Yes, the forecast calls for rain all. day. tomorrow.

Ah... love my life. 15 hour days on the job just can't get me down, especially when I'm going to see The Nutcracker in two Sundays AND go to an Ugly Christmas Sweater Party this Saturday.

Yep, life is preeeeettttyyyyy sweet!!!!

And I promise you, I'm being 102% sincere.

And a final question for the evening...

WHY OH WHY DO I HAVE SUCH A STRONG AFFINITY FOR PARTY DRESSES?

Why won't this madness stop?!?!?!?

:)

Fishing lures and non-sober sober drivers

I wore my fabulous sparkly INC dress to a fabulous shin-dig on Saturday night. Just what the doctor ordered- a bottle of wine, to myself, and some outstanding h' ordeurves. (sp?) I rocked my dress with round-toe pumps, black tights, and a black blazer. I sparkled like a damn fishing lure, and it was damn wonderful! Not only were my sparkles completely and gloriously obnoxious (hehe), I couldn't get left behind in any of the dive bars we visited. (Yup, I definitely stuck out like a sore thumb, and it was completely fun and refreshing! I used to love doing that in SLO.)

Perhaps the best part of the evening was how it ended. And I'm not talking hunched over a toilet (thank GOD!) Nope, it ended outside a bar in 25 degree weather watching our ride leave without us. I'll explain, because its quite the doozy!

So the evening's hostesses rented a party bus for a sober ride for the evening. Smart and responsible, no? The bus was AWESOME, too. A converted school bus, it was painted not yellow, had black leather seats along the edge with white piping, and a tool box that had been converted into a cooler. Yeah, I know it sounds... odd- but let me assure you, for a group of almost 20 people headed out on a liver-destroying evening, it was perfect! And the sound system was outta this world.

We get onto the bus, and it is so much fun! After our first stop at a small bar, we get back on the bus, and it smells, um, illegal. Catch my drift? It gets worse and worse at each stop... until finally, at the last bar, 40 minutes away from home, we come out and see the BUS DRIVER indulging in "illegal substances." Um, yeah. Our sober driver... not so sober! Perhaps in a rash drunken moment, or in a moment of complete clarity (I'm not sure which, but I sure side with her!) one of the hostesses sent the bus home.... Here we are... all dressed up, 25 degrees outside and far, far from home. A $60 cab ride later (and an angry conversation with the bus' owner, who REFUSED to give a refund...) we made it safely.

Honestly- honestly now, was this for real? I mean, I can't stop laughing enough to get mad. How ridiculous! This was probably one of the most hilarious holiday parties I have ever been to. It was AWESOME!

AND I NOW HAVE A JOB!!!!! If only temporarily, but a job, nonetheless.

Talk about blessings when one probably doesn't deserve it.

Oh, I think I like it!

Lindsay's little helper...

www.retailmenot.com

I feel so sneaky going onto this website! However, this sneaky feeling quickly disappears when I think about the major deals on purchases I've made- free shipping, 25-40% off... you catch my drift.

If you're a babe on a budget, this website could be your new secret: the I'm-ashamed-to admit-it-cause-I-feel-I'm-cheating-but-hot-damn-its-cool-saving-my-limited-cash-funds best friend.

(Obviously, I'm not ashamed. I'm frigging broke and this helps me get some "bang for my buck," so to speak!!! I'm so excited that this website has helped allay some of my retail guilt- I'm a terrific spender, but saving isn't my strong suit :). Thank you, retailmenot, for helping me succumb to my sometimes unnecessary- but always fabulous- clothing, shoe, and purse desires. Gulp.

See, I made this deal with myself when I realized that I had to tighten my belt- refer to post at the beginning of November- that I could only buy stuff on sale with coupons. And I have stuck to that promise. Like my aunt says, "Look at how much money I saved buying it on sale! I could have bought it full price, and I had to have it anyway, so I saved lots." Yeah, its backwards, but it does help me feel a weensy bit better about this clothing habit I've acquired...)

(And speaking of retail guilt, I DO NOT RECOMMEND IT. AVOID THIS AT ALL COSTS. You end up returning really great clothes, and then you feel return regret. I assure you the latter is INFINITELY worse!!!!!!!)

I've been bad...

Dammit!

I swear, this shopping thing is a compulsion. I do well for a few weeks- I brown-bag my lunch, swear off online shopping, avoid malls like the plague... for heaven's sake, I didn't even go shopping on Black Friday!- and then I crumble. Like a kid desperate for more candy after Easter morning, I'm in a blind rush for the pretty item I've been fighting against buying for so long.

I am a total product of my generation.

So what pulled me back into my spendthrift ways?

This dress, which is going to be an outstanding addition for the upcoming holiday season.

And no, I didn't spend $100 on it... I got it on killer sale. (Well, I guess $60 including tax is my definition of a killer sale. Weak, I know.) I'll get lots of wear- um, hello, holiday work parties and holiday friends parties and New Years and Las Vegas and whatever else I set my mind to! I can't wait to wear it- this weekend I'm going on a "girl's night out" that specified "your best cocktail attire." Now this may not be cocktail, but it certainly catches one's eye, right?

And did I mention that I purchased a fabulous new bag that makes me feel a lot tougher than I really am? I mean, a girl's gotta do what she can when she feels pretty low. (Another reason why I shop so much- stress. Shopping is like a huge stress relief for me. The hum of the customers, or my computer, depending on the venue... the cha-ching of the cash register, the confirmation email in my inbox and that shiver of anticipation at the package waiting at the front door for me after a 12 hour day- very few things brings me such a child-like sense of happiness. - and don't think I'm entirely materialistic... but I do love pretty clothes and shoes. Who doesn't like looking good?)

So as I continue my search for the perfect foundation and foundation primer for under $10 a piece (excuse me while I sob a little), I'm going to enjoy my shiny, sparkly dress that is currently sitting in my closet, waiting for its shiny, sparkly debut, and my big tough girl purse that makes me feel ferocious. :)