Totally Irritating Book Trend

What is it about this time of year when publishers rush out "new" how-to-find-love books. Is it because no one wants to be alone on Valentine's Day? What ever the case, I'm not a fan.
What irritates me the most are the titles which are so misleading.
Here are 2 of the new crop:
Marry Smart: The Intelligent Woman's Guide to True Love
Okay where to start with this one. Is it only written for smart women? Is the assumption that to be intelligent a woman has to find "true love"? Is a woman not considered complete or successful until she finds her perfect partner? I haven't even read this book but based purely on the RIDICULOUS title, I wouldn't touch it. I hear ya, "Don't judge a book by it's cover". Whatever, I'm already an intelligent woman who is smart enough to know this book won't have anything new to offer except maybe some clever acronyms and recycled Ann Landers.
Or how about this one:
Get Over Yourself! How to Get Real, Get Serious, and Get Ready to Find True Love
Again someone's selling the "true love" myth. Yup you won't be complete unless you get serious and really work at finding your soul mate. Here's the thing, all the single women I know, whether they are single by choice, after a divorce or even widowed, are all trying to hold it together. They want to keep their jobs in a recession, raise their kids, save for the future, advance their education and if a man comes along well that's a sweet treat. In today's world, what woman not only has the time to read these condescending books but to follow someone else's advice on how to "fix" themselves in order to find the "right man"?
OH OH wait, just spotted another new one:
How To Live Like a Hot Chick: The Girlfriend-to-Girlfriend Guide to Getting the Love You Deserve.
I can't even continue with this one, my girlfriends at the office and I are laughing so hard I need to stop typing.

Fabulous Finds

I thought I would share a few of my fabulous finds for the week.
I've always been a smart shopper and since I was a teen I've been a big resale shopper. While growing up, my paternal Grandmother lived near our summer home in Gulfport Florida. Weekly we would take a shopping trip to a resale shop that benefited the Tampa Bay area Kidney Foundation. My chic Grandmother always called her resale finds "Kennedy Fashions" (a play off KF), hiding the fact that her great style was second hand. Even after her death in 1991 I continued to visit Kennedy Fashions on my visits to Florida until it shut down in the late 90's. Over the years I found amazing leather jackets, suede pants, trench coats, high boots, bargain jewelry and little used leather bags. Never underestimate what Seniors have in the back of their closets and when they move to warmer weather they donate most of it! Buying resale is truly the original "Green" way to shop.
I am still a big resale shopper and have my favorite stores around Chicago. A little storefront in my hometown has the most beautiful designer clothes, bags and shoes and I try and visit at least once a month. Last week I popped in and got the most gorgeous wine colored leather bag for $65. After doing a little research it turns out my fabulous find is a Francesco Biasia Italian bag originally worth over $300, and it's brand new! Steal!
Also while visiting the discount store Marshall's a few weeks ago I spotted a gorgeous creme colored leather bag by Michael Kors! Seriously, it's stunning and with the original price of almost $400, I bought it for less than half that price!Bargain!
So Go Green, visit resale and invest in items that will last, maybe not the latest toss-out-trends, but good pieces you can have for years.

What a week

Had a long week, worked Tuesday through Sunday and heard some terribly tragic news concerning a friend on Sunday afternoon.
Ironically another friend sent me one of those answer-25-question notes and one of the questions was "Who do you miss?".
That was an easy one for me. On a daily basis I miss my grandparents. Having their presence in my life, knowing they were going about their routine at their comfy cozy home in a small town in Florida...knowing that they were breathing and living and laughing and I could hear their familiar voices if I picked up the phone.
I also miss my sister in law Sharon. We were busy planning my wedding, she was to be my Maid of Honor, until her unexpected passing due to complications of ovarian cancer just 4 months before my wedding. I miss her jubilant spirit and her breathtaking smile. I miss her unconditional friendship and the bond we had as women married to brothers.
And I miss a former lover. Knowing that he is alive and well, raising a family of his own gives me comfort, even if I still find sorrow in the fact that he made a life and I'm not a part of it. But that is love, letting go...
So as my friend mourns, so do all of us who are witness to a senseless tragedy where those that we are not ready to lose are lost.
I'm thinking of all of you and wishing I could alter time.

Inauguration Day is finally here

I hope you are doing the same thing that I am doing this morning and watching the historic Inauguration of Barack Obama. I woke up giddy to watch the events unfold and am doubly pleased to have the morning off work to watch it live. Flipping back and forth between MSNBC, ABC and CNN, Charlie Gibson is throwing out some interesting Presidential trivia, Aretha Franklin has arrived to sing with a gigantic bow on her head, she's wrapped up like a gift and Anderson Cooper is just rambling on about the VIPs.
Well I'm getting back to watching, enjoy the day and relish the moment in history you've watched.

New things for my blog

So I'm going to insert a Meebo IM widget into my blog as well as a share icon which will allow anyone to share the content of my blog with their blogs, Facebook etc.
I'm planning on adding these features tonight so check back and let's chat.

Must Have Gadgets for the Office

Obviously I can live without everything on this list, but some of these gadgets are so fun I just have to have them (especially the USB Coffee/Tea Warmer and the USB Humidifier with Aromatherapy).
http://thehottestgadgets.com/2008/09/19-really-cool-gadgets-for-your-office-or-cubicle-001534

78 Year Old Man Kayaks 1000 Miles For His Library

I love this story. People love their libraries.
http://www.enterprisenews.com/news/x1113937438/78-year-old-completes-1-000-mile-paddlethon-for-Wareham-library

Great Magazine and Website-Lucky

So I'm a wee bit fashion obsessed. Not go-into-debt-have-to-buy-that-new-Fendi-bag obsessed but a healthy I-like-a-challenge-to-find-it-on-sale obsessed.
I'll admit I have too many bags and coats (my addictions) but I pride myself on being a smart shopper. I teach an online shopping class at the library and with the magic of the Internet rarely pay full price (except that Louis Vuitton purse I bought in Europe, but it's an investment bag!) and enjoy showing the patrons how to save a buck.
One of my favorite magazines and one of only 2 I still subscribe too (besides Vanity Fair) is Lucky. This fun magazine includes a pull out sheet with little flag stickers that say maybe or yes that you can use to tag the items you want to buy. Stocked full of style tips, great bargains and profiles it's a great mag for the fashion lover. The Lucky website is equally fun to browse through with even more features than the magazine.
Check out the website here: http://www.luckymag.com/

Must see show-Jose Made in Spain

Over the New Years weekend it was cold and nasty here in Chicago so I bundled up in front of our fireplace and happily watched my latest food show addiction. The first season of Jose-Made in Spain is out on DVD and in my opinion is one of the freshest and best food shows on television. During each episode chef Jose Andres takes the viewer to a different region throughout Spain and then back to his home kitchen in Washington D.C. to create Spanish dishes. If Jose is cooking squid, he hops on the boat with the fisherman catches a large squid and then takes it to a friends beach side restaurant on the coast of Spain and cooks it! Ever heard of gooseneck barnacles? I hadn't either until Jose throws on a wetsuit and goes diving for them before preparing them. After watching the first episode I made his very easy dish of tomatoes, soft Spanish cheese, greens and a delicious dressing of extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar and honey. It was devoured quickly when I had friends over this weekend.
Jose has an easy demeanor with the camera and is charming and fun to watch, and his accent is lovely to listen to. If you are not a television watcher than definitely check out Jose's new book:
Made in Spain: Spanish Dishes for the American Kitchen
If your New Year's resolution includes healthy eating than Jose's delicious Spanish dishes are excellent. I'm a fan of the Mediterranean diet and Jose combines the freshest ingredients in simple and tasty ways.

Gotta any New Years resolutions?

Of course I do too, just wondering how long I'm going to stick by them.
In no particular order are a few of my more important ones:
1. Learn to cook
2. Stop swearing (broken on January 1, ah well... it was too f*cking hard)
3. Try to use the phone more, or at least Skype those I love to talk more than email
4. Cut back on the booze (do I really need that glass of wine?)
5. Love more easily
6. Give more
7. Stop procrastinating
8. Walk and water myself more
9. Travel (studying at Oxford in England in May,Spain in October, LA and San Francisco for fun, Florida and Colorado for family, Ireland for my soul)
10. Take more risks (new job, new opportunities...who knows?)