The rash that ate Wednesday

My rash on my neck (of all places!) is worse, so I went to the doctor this morning and he very helpfully told me to knock it the fuck off with the beauty products. Essentially, Anthem Blue Cross and I paid him an exorbitant fee to be told that if we stop touching it, it will get better. He told me to get some OTC hydrocortizone cream and stop being so damn vain. Ok, he didn't say that last part, but it was implied.

Sigh.

So my day off was spent going to a useless doctor appt., the drug store, and buying paper towels in mass quantities at Sam's Club. Then I was so exhausted that I came home and took a 2 hour nap, and that was my day.

I need a smile, so let me share something that I came across yesterday during my internet travels. It's this little lipdubbing music video made by some students at the University of Quebec at Montreal - they did a little music video to the Black Eyed Peas song, "I Got A Feelin'."

I didn't see any edits, so I'm impressed! It's cute and well done and obviously took a lot of planning and choreography. Check it out:



SMILE! It's hump day, and so begins the slow slide into the weekend! Hopefully I will be blotch-free by then.

Grand Final Day

I figure when you own the shop you can wear whatever you like to work!!

It's one of the perks. Especially when you have to work on the day your team is actually playing in the Grand Final.

(And yes, I am in fact wearing a footy jumper!)

The burning means it's working!

Recently I started a new skin care regimen, and judging by the rash that's appeared on my neck, I don't think it's gonna work out. A few weeks ago I was chatting with a new acquaintance at a kid's birthday party and he (yes, he -- don't judge!) started telling me about this product he is using that is helping to fade his crow's feet and fine lines. Of course you all know that I plan to fight aging tooth & nail, so I perked up and took notes. I was sitting right next to him, and his skin DID look fantastic!

Laurie ran right out and bought it and reported that her skin felt soft and lovely. She was kind enough to give me the little travel sized samples that came with her kit, so I gave it a try. Incidentally, even my husband thought I was crazy when he saw the product in the bathroom. His exact words were, "Why are you using an acne product? You don't have acne!" When I told him about my fine lines he actually snorted.

I'm really glad I didn't purchase the whole kit without trying it because it immediately started causing problems. It burned! It left me with red splotches on each cheek! My face felt dry even after applying the lotion! And now, weeks after I started using it, I'm breaking out in a rash and I'm itching in weird places like my hairline, neck, and ears.

Fuck this noise! Now I think I need to go get a professional facial. This itching is ridonk!

I've been faithfully rubbing the lotion on its skin since I was 18 years old. In fact, I remember the day I started because it was one of those blustery, sub-zero winter days in Burlington, VT, and my face felt tight and dry as I slid into my seat in French class one day. I had become friendly with a girl who sat next to me, and as I dug through my bag for my lip balm I remember kvetching about how dry my skin felt. This girl was tiny and had some sort of indistinguishable foreign accent, and she proceeded to school me on how I needed to moisturize. I remember her little fingers grazing her own flawless cheeks, her eyes wide and intense, as she told me how moisturizer is basically the fountain of youth and an essential ingredient to being a hot babe.

Clearly, she was very convincing. Strangely enough, I never saw her again after that one class, and I don't even remember her name, but I think about her almost every time I buy moisturizer. Life is so odd. It's quite possible that she was an angel, but I can't back that up.

So, I'm back in the market for a fantastic line-reducing skincare line. Suggestions welcome. Guys, no facial jokes or I shall find you and pummel you with a rubber chicken.

Let's see, what else is new? I stumbled across something very dirty last night involving our friend Colin Farrell. VERY DIRTY. So that was a fun way to spend 13 minutes. (Do I need to tell you that it's NSFW? Because it SO is. In fact I'd say it's NSFA - not safe for anywhere. Yes, that means it's pron. Proceed with caution!)

Tell 'em Bev sent you. Enjoy, my delightful little pervs, and don't say I never gave you anything!

XOXO

That's a wrap!

Hiya! Hope everyone had a nice weekend. I'm feeling a little sassy this morning, most likely a result of getting more sleep than usual over the last couple of days. Let's wrap this mutha up, shall we?

Friday night I was supposed to go out to dinner with the lovely Malomatic, but I had a spell of tummy troubles so I had to take a rain check. BOOOOOO! It's a good thing I stayed home, though, and that's all I'm gonna say about that. Bedtime was 9:45 PM, because I am cool like 'dat.

Saturday I felt a little better and it was a beautiful Fall day, so naturally I spent the first half inside, cleaning. I scrubbed the floors, the bathrooms, the kitchen, then the kids. It may sound boring, but it was actually extremely satisfying!



Later in the afternoon Jillinator came over with her daughters and we went apple picking. We had a good time and then came back to my place to have a glass of wine and a chat, then ended up making a pie together.

Behold our beautiful (and delicious) apple pie!


Jill was going out that night but I took a rain check on that one, too. I know! Very un-Bev! I just wasn't feeling terrific this weekend and wanted to relax, that's all. I'm sure I'll get my groove back soon!

Bedtime: Asleep on the couch by 10:15. WOOT.

Sunday I did nothin'. Absolutely nothin'. I played with the kids all morning, then J let me have some solo time in my room, which I LOVE. I watched a movie I'd already seen (Burn After Reading), read a little, and just stared at the wall for a while. It rocked. Last night we watched the season premier of Dexter (LOVE that show) and cleared a few other shows off the DVR, but that's about it.

I'm pleased to report that my attention span seems to be making a come-back. YAY! I am embarrassed that I haven't been able to focus much since, oh, April? I'm not sure, somewhere last Spring I stopped reading, writing, and even watching movies and my favorite shows. Yes, it was right around the time when my dad got his diagnosis and subsequently passed away.

I noticed a week or so ago that I was craving a good book, and I felt encouraged. After all, I've always been an avid reader and when this malaise came over me I literally put down two novels in mid-sentence and never looked at them again. Strangely enough, I still don't want to read those two novels anymore; they've become permanently tainted in my mind, I'm afraid. Kind of like how I can't watch Slumdog Millionaire because I tried to watch it the night Dad died, so now the two things are linked in my mind.

Recently I've found myself watching movies again. Over the past couple of weeks I've seen:

Frozen River
Excellent indie drama with a talented cast of unknowns. Very simple but moving.

Volver
I have been meaning to watch this movie for ages - AGES - but I was never in the mood to sit through a movie with subtitles. I'm so glad I finally did. I loved everything about it, and about an hour in I realized it was quickly becoming one of my favorite movies ever. I've never had much of an opinion about Penelope Cruz before, but she was outstanding (and gorgeous) in this film. The language was incredibly beautiful to listen to, and it was just well-done on every level. LOVED it.

Now that I know that I have the attention span to read subtitles again, I can finally bump I've Loved You So Long back up to the top of my Netflix queue, too. Yay!

Little Children
I'd seen this one before and liked it, so I watched it again and liked it just as much as the first time. Kate Winslet is one of my favorite actors, and the hot sex scenes with Patrick Wilson are only PART of the reason why this movie rocks. It's smart and intense and makes you think hard about tough subjects. It actually makes you feel sorry for child molestors and adulterers. What I love most about the movie is the growing sense of dread that you feel as you watch it; you feel like you're being shoved towards the inevitable climax, and you know it's gonna be scary and hurt but you can't stop watching. It's sublime. I dig it.

Burn After Reading
I dunno, this movie is just okay. George Clooney is really funny in it, and I like most of the actors in it, but I've tried to watch it twice now and I can't seem to make it all the way to the end without losing interest. I make it to the point where a certain character gets offed, and then I just kind of... drift. Meh.

Knowing
Ugh, I can't believe I watched a new Nic Cage movie. It sucked, and I'm not just saying that because it's about aliens and shit. It was really, really bad, and really, really long. Not a good combo.

Anywho, it's good to be able to pay attention for longer periods of time again. I've even begun jotting down ideas in my handy-dandy notebook again and spent a couple of hours writing the other day. Could this be the return of Creative Bev? I hope so -- I've missed her.

Stay tuned.

Hope everyone is avoiding "The Mondays" today.

YWPS ART SHOW

I think we must be involved with the greatest school in the Western suburbs! (Slight bias) During the last week of term The school puts on the most amazing Art Show which also doubles as a ripper of a night out. Everyone has a fantastic night with food, wine, and great music adding to the festivities. The kids produced amazing work and get a real thrill out of showing off their efforts. Next up - The Christmas Concert!

Sarah Has Popped

Charlotte Grace Prinze - she's here and she's all good.

Congratulations Sarah and Freddie.

It's Never The End Of The World

I can't believe we actually lost! Well I can believe it as I am a supporter who lived through the '80s and survived loss after loss with the wooden spoon usually the only reward. I am so proud of the Saints and although sad, I'm so impressed with my team.

Go Saints.

Now to really perk up my day - GREASE is on. No matter how often I watch it I can't help but get sucked in all over again. Thank you channel seven

I've just been catching up on all the Twitter I have missed since being away and wanted to show you Miley's new Twitter icon. I think it is a fabulous picture and although it doesn't show up when it is small, enlarged it is a ripper.

What do you think?

CARN THE SAINTS

3/4 time - 7 points up

Come on Saints - You're killing me!

Why the frak did I know that?

Do you ever blurt out an answer to some ridiculous trivia question and then find yourself wondering when your brain became cluttered with so much worthless knowledge? I do.

Just now someone in my office made a comment about dancing at a big Irish wedding he'd attended last weekend, and I made a sarcastic humorous comment about how he must have looked like the Lord of the Dance. He stared at me blankly because I work with a bunch of boring asswads who don't get my jokes (ever!), and I said, "You know, Michael Flatley? The Lord of the Dance?" I held my arms over my head and chair-danced a little Irish jig for effect.

Still nothin'.

Now, I've never once SEEN Riverdance with my own eyes, and I certainly couldn't pick Michael Flatley out of a famous Irishman line-up*, yet I know his name and what he's famous for, and can even mimic his famous dancing style on cue. What the damn? What ELSE is in this noggin that I have no business knowing?

* For the record, my Famous Irishman line-up would look something like this:


(edited for El Frankerino)

To sum up, my brain is filled with worthless crap, I'm in a bad mood today, people are very disappointing creatures, and I need a hug & a big glass of wine. Stick a fork in me, I'm done. (OW! I didn't mean literally!)

I was just big-boned, plus: the narcoleptic years

That's right, today I'm opening up The VAULT!



I'm the chubby 1-year-old in the wife-beater & saggy diaper who looks like she wants to punch my cousin John in the face. If you met John, you'd know why. That's my bratty older sister, who was rockin' the Marcia Brady 'do and holey pj pants, and my other cousin Mike is doing his best Napoleon Dynamite impression in the back.

My parents like to talk about how I was such a great sleeper when I was a child, which honestly doesn't surprise me. I mean, you're all aware of my tendency towards slothfulness and my deep love of sleeping, right? Apparently as a kid I would be running across the floor full-tilt and then I'd trip and go to sleep right there on the floor (and no, I had not suffered a head injury in the fall). It happened a lot. Hey, what can I say? Girlfriend likes her sleep.

Looking through old photos of me is kind of boring as a result. What can I say except, "Oh yeah, that looks like a great nap." or "Awww, yeah, snuggle it baby!"



I remember that cat (Rocky) and I also remember that pillow case. It was Family Circus, and oh, how I howled with laughter over that zany family! Really, my sides hurt.
(Was that comic strip EVER funny? Honestly!)



Here I am sleeping through The Nutcracker. My grandmother had written on the back of this photo that I fell asleep immediately but that she and Debbie really enjoyed it. Looks like I did, too.

And finally, because I love you all, here's one of those photos of my lovely sister during her "awkward phase." Isn't she a good sport for letting me share her Beavis & Butthead look? Props to my sis, who went on to become a stone cold fox. WOOT!



Velour - I kind of miss it, don't you?

Ok, that's all I'm sharing today. Don't wanna shoot my photo wad all in one day! Hope you enjoyed this walk down memory lane. Have a happy hump day, everyone!

Does this look wrong to anyone else?

Please tell me I'm not the only one who thinks this toy is a teensy bit pornographic? I'm actually really surprised because I always figured Elmo for a power bottom.

Yeah, I know I'm a perv. So? All I know is that yesterday I was shuffling around in my bathrobe at 5:30 AM and I sat down to have some coffee in the living room when this toy caught my eye. I blinked and rubbed my eyes, but it was still there, and I swear I saw the mailbox wink at me suggestively.



Yeah, she likes it when you stick things in her slot, and she doesn't mind the occasional triangle, oval or star shape, either. She's kinky like that.

That's when I knew that I need to start getting more sleep, and that I need to avoid looking at things -- any things -- until I've had at least two cups of coffee.

Bev Versus the Volcano

WARNING: This post contains no boobs and no booze. I've been accused of "going all introspective and philosophical" on yo' asses, so be ye forewarned, and proceed at will!

(Happy, Kate? teehee)

One night when I was a teenager my parents had plans for the evening and I had the house to myself. This was a rare occurrence; my parents were the ultimate homebodies and didn't often stay out past 9 PM. I had no plans with my friends and was happy to have some alone time. Even then, I cherished a few hours of solitude and used those hours much the same way that I would use them now: by watching a movie and eating something crunchy and salty with a high fat content. Some things really don't ever change.

That night I had gone to the video rental store and picked up a movie starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan called Joe Versus The Volcano. I watched it all... and hated it. Really, really hated it. I thought it wasn't funny and was dull just plain stupid.

It wasn't until many years later that I watched the movie again and saw what the film makers were trying to achieve. Sure, it's ridiculous and the climactic scenes are completely absurd, but there is a much deeper and more poignant theme at work if you overlook the dumb stuff. There is symbolism - the recurring lightning bolt, the flower defying the odds by growing through the crack in the sidewalk only to be stepped upon by the masses, the brain cloud, the flickering and buzzing of the florescent light bulbs in Joe's office, the mixing of the cold, blue imagery of work with the warm reds of the tropics. The tropics themselves ultimately symbolize Joe's salvation. Even the fact that Meg Ryan portrays three separate but somehow interconnected characters is a commentary, of sorts.

What I never got before is the movie's message, and maybe I never saw it because I had not yet experienced the monotony of rising every morning and going to a job that is, quite literally, draining your soul. I couldn't know at age 16 that I too would someday discover that all of the body and head aches I feel while sitting at work will drop away like petals from a flower as I get in my car and drive away from the building. How could I know then that I would someday feel like I, too, have a brain cloud between the hours of 9-5?

One scene in particular stands out in my mind, in which Joe has his big epiphany. He is staring at the moon while stranded in the middle of the Pacific on a raft made out of his luggage, and he says, "I forgot how big it is."



Now, I know just what he meant. Every once in a while you find yourself looking at something in nature that makes you realize how huge it is, and how insignificant we are in comparison. You forget that there are planets, galaxies, and the unfathomable vastness of space out there. The day to day drudgery keeps us from seeing the forest for the trees, and if you're not careful it will bog you down to the point where you let your brain cloud overtake your life. You become a shoe-gazing pessimist who wallows in trouble and basks in misery.

I need to remember that my troubles are small and my joys are great. I need to be grateful for the love I've been given without questioning from where it comes or why. I need to remember that in the grand scheme of things, it is not about how much you get or do or achieve, it's about embodying and broadcasting love and gratitude. If you're not happy, change what's making you sad. If you're not fulfilled, find something that fills you to the brim. If you're complacent, do something that scares you.

I'm going to make a concerted effort to do just that, starting today. I promise.

Life is short, and maybe we are specks of cosmic dust on the shoe of a peasant in some other world, so grab some happiness and own your life.

So, you see, even silly movies can inspire deep(ish) thoughts. If you haven't seen it, give it a try, but don't come cryin' to the Bev when you think the whole orange soda thing is lame or don't laugh at the understated humor. I like it, I quote it, and I think I get it, but it's not for everyone.

SAVERS ROCKS

We went on a family excursion to Savers today - Surfer Boy and I used to love a good fossik to see what treasures we could unearth. Lately we seem to have forgotten the joy and haven't been there for ages. Today was the day and we grabbed a trolley with great excitement. The kids were allowed to choose 1 item each so they sped off to see what they could find.

Moondoggie chose a video of Batman - the one with Robin and Batgirl no less. I think it is brand new. He clutched it tight and couldn't believe his luck.

Gidget chose a madras, drop waist ra-ra skirt and hasn't taken it off since.

Surfer Boy picked up a great hoody and I?

Well I am soooo excited with my purchases.

First up I found this fabulous aeroplane material and when I got home I discovered it is a single bed doona cover so guess where that's going!

Next up I collected a lovely pile of children's books but then the most amazing piece of good luck.

I found this.....

I grew up in the 70's and my Mum had one of these that sat on our dining table and I loved it. I don't know what happened to ours - perhaps this is it. I'm yet to ask Mum but needless to say when I saw this at the back of the nic nac shelf I nearly hyperventilated. It is the most amazing piece with each section spinning individually so everyone can reach the nuts. I'm guessing it's for nibblies - nuts, olives, cheese squares, etc. I can't wait to have people over so I can fill it up. Unfortunately there is a bit missing - originally the top section - the pineapple - had wooden scoop shaped pieces which looked like the leaves of the pineapple. I think Surfer Boy is going to make me some to make the experience complete.

Suffice to say I am extremely pleased with our excursion and keep pinching myself every time I look at the pineapple condiment thingy to make sure it's real.

Nearly There

I've been posting regular photos of Sarah Michelle Geller due to her fabulous pregnancy style but now I feel emotionally invested in the birth of this baby and can't wait to see what she has in only a few weeks now. Freddie and Sarah are one of my favourite low key couples and by the looks of this latest photo it won't be long until they are parents. Sarah definitely won't be having pelvic floor issues if she keeps this up...

Sarah leaving her Pilates class.

2010 Boots and boot

Style of 2010 ; Boots very tall this season . Skin boots very fashionable .

Ugg boot and for kids

Ugg boots very trend this season ( 2009 / 2010 ) so many people use Ugg . Ugg boots have quality and woolen .Very hot in of Ugg boot .Ugg boots for kids very good and fashionable boots .

Rihanna and new style 2009

Rihanna new photos.

Rihanna have big and black glasses and jumpsiut .

Bag ; small and black.

Friday Fun

"'Cause it's Friday, and we ain't got shit to do!"

Ok, well, that's not entirely true. I always have shit to do, and since I'm at work, I do have to lift a finger here or there to get through my day. I think you all know to which finger I am referring.

Anywho, it has been a long, uninspired week for me. I've just been kind of blah, mentally, which is why I've been less than regular with my postings. However, it's Friday, and I want to play a game. How about another round of Smack, Marry, or Boink? Sound good? Good. Ok, here goes:

The men:
Simon Baker, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Will Smith. GO!



The Women:
Amy Adams, Katherine Heigl, and Jennifer Love Hewitt. GO!



Have fun, and T.G.I.F!