That Girl

Ann-Marie. Who is she? Well she's That Girl. You know, Marlo Thomas in the t.v. sitcom from the late 60's. I loved those shows. She was a quirky, mod dresser who lived in an apartment in Manhattan and got into all sorts of predicaments. She was likeable and funny. Her boyfriend was a sensible, almost Dick Van Dyke type and they had great chemistry. Have a minute to see a bit? It's worth your time. Here's the link to a clip on you tube. This episode is when Ann Marie and Donald were going to meet her parents and all kinds of things went wrong. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OUBNjNX0xo ) If you like Doris Day or The Flying nun, Bewitched, Get Smart or even Annette Funicello - Then I think we should back comb our hair and put on some patent go go boots. Then we need to rent some of those old movies together. I love the fashions- they are so great! Get a load of the turkey on a leash and the striped dress on Anne-Marie. "99" has some pretty stylin stuff going on there too! I'm thinking I've got to add those ones to my CD library of greats.

J.

Just 5 more minutes

I realized this morning that I am a "5 more minutes" girl. What I mean is I just don't get up and jump out of bed when the alarm goes off. Not really a snooze button pusher either. I kind of clock watch and doze. Then I am consistently running late. I know it's not a good thing - but those last few minutes of lying in a warm cozy bed are truly glorious. And it's amplified when it's wintery and cold out. This morning I finally sat up on the side of the bed and then surprised myself when I made the conscious move to lay back down even one more time - and pull the covers back up. I actually laughed to myself about how silly this little game had become. So now it's almost midnite and I have worked the afternoon/evening shift and made it back home. It's still raining out and .... now I'm not ready to go to bed. How does such a conundrum work? I think it's the plight of the true night owl. One that I have always been. This night owl looks pretty good with those black rings around those eyes. We however have no feathers to hide the bags. Is it actually the lack of sleep that causes the bags? or is it soft pillows? Age? Wearing glasses? So much to think about and it all started with just 5 more minutes. Go figure.

J.

My comic strip world....

Today I'm not much for words. Isn' t that unusual. I made a comic strip. I think it tells it's own story anyways.

J.

I fall for clever advertising - I admit it.

I love quirky. I even love the word. I think it's what makes the world a more interesting place. I understand it. It makes me smile inside often and if there was a town called Quirky - I think I'd fit right in. I bet the neighborhood would be super creative or full of all kinds of junk and everyone you talked to had a story that you had to sit down to hear.
That's where I think all this clever advertising comes from. People who think outside the box - maybe quirky types that are forced to wear suits and work for big advertising company's. They are the brilliant ones who dream big things. So - today I bought a bottle of wine just for the label. That's what I mean- I fell for clever advertising. I hope its good wine of course - but I am a true appreciator of all things creative and so - "maybe I shouldn't take it" - didn't even cross my mind. See what it says on the label? "Somewhere near the cool shadows of the laundry room. Past the litter box and between the plastic yard toys. This is your time. Time to enjoy a moment to yourself. A moment without the madness. The dishes can wait. Dinner be damned. "Mad Housewife Cabernet Sauvignon". And then the same thing happened when I found this green frog soap that caught my eye for some reason. It was a "soap on a rope" frog but truly what sold me was the message on the back of the box. This one says - " This soap is specially formulated to clean and envigorate your body while ADDING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE! So, I don't know who I am going to give it to yet - but I am definitely expecting some feedback here. Could he be the real frog prince just hanging around on a rope, waiting for someone to rub him? The possibilities are endless and so goes the mind of the creatives. Thank you for you all. You make many of my days amusing.

J

Mirror's are only skin deep.....

"Always moisturize your neck because someday it could be your face." Doesn't that make you chuckle? I read it in on a journal page I came across and it made me think about how every time I go to Winners to browse, the first thing I look at is the face cream section to see if there is any good stuff that says "Made in Italy" ( That makes it the best as far as I am concerned)....
Anyways, today I feel like I have a Rhino's horn on my forehead. I wonder what kind of a headache those poor creatures must have with that kind of pressure between their eyes all day. Today I am thankful for bangs - as I think that unless a wind comes up - I am the only one who'll know I have a big pimple that has erupted right in the middle of my forehead. It's hard to put your best foot forward when those things show up. Thank you hormones. I love you for keeping my skin full of elasticity - but I could truly do without the other. So, the "moisturizing your neck thing because it could be your face someday" has made me laugh and that pimple that I am making believe is a horn I will choose to forgot when I walk away from the mirror. Spritz a little perfume, donne a little pale pink lipstick and put my big flower ring on my pointing finger and away I go. I figure putting your best foot forward is all smoke and fire really and so if something is just not working for you in one department, do the best you can and work on another area. ( Like a detour sign in the middle of the road ) That's all I have to say about that.

Coffee Table Art

I love the book store. All those fantastic covers and creative images - so many subjects and never enough time to read! I just told a girlfriend that we should start a magazine club instead of a book club because we could at least finish them before the next meeting comes around! So this book thing... My dad started that when we were little kids and I always remember that it was his "thing" to go to the bookstore to buy books - usually a couple of days before Christmas - to put under our stockings. I always loved that. He would pick books that each of us in our family were interested in. My mom usually got cookbooks , my brother - books on cars and later as his interests flourished, books on drawing and painting. I got books on gymnasts, and puppies and crafts and ballet and "you name it" because I was interested in everything. Now, that I'm all grown up and I have refined my tastes so to speak. I am thankful that he started such a great tradition. Now that he is gone and I am reminiscing, I think this year I will buy everyone books in his honor. (Great idea Julie..... ) So, now I find that I always notice books on people's coffee tables. I think it tells a story about their lives or what they may be interested in. Take a look the next time you are visiting and see what's around. Actually - would't that be a good question for speed daters? You could ask them... "If I were to be looking at your coffee table right now... What would I find there?" Maybe they would say, "I don't have a coffee table". or.... "My feet are on there!" ..... or "Romeo & Juliet, in Latin" . Wow. Ponder that and enjoy some of my personal coffee table art moments that my camera spotted.

Meet me at the Bibliotheque??? I'll be looking at magazines.
Love Julie

Shed a little light on it....

I am sitting in my living room and the sun has shifted in the sky.    It is hitting the window of the apartment across the way and is reflecting amazing light back through my big window and into my world.     It shows up shadows of little things that you wouldn't have even noticed unless the light had revealed it.    

The shape of the big bow around my lampshade and the statue of "the thinker" poised on the table below.  The horizontal stripes on the wall are cast from the window blinds. 

It's there for only a few minutes until the sun moves on in the sky and changes the shadows.  It makes me think about how many things I have seen and felt that were little surprises in unlikely places.        Those are lucky moments and my wish for you all today is that you see or feel a little surprise today to give you a "moment of pleasure" - whatever that may be for you.  

Today I have been resting from a  bout of the flu..  Nothing serious, but time to snooze and rest and to think.       I got a lovely phonecall from an old friend who is miles away ,   and a caring phonecall from a friend closer by,  a text message with the offer to buy me anything I need - even a magazine and I have had amazing light shine in through my very own window.        Lot's of little  moments today -   and really, that's all anyones needs is just a few.   Truly,  life is how you make it.     (Remind me that I said that in a week please)

Love Julie