Monday, December 29, 2008

Car Titles

I have not owned many cars in my life - 2 to be exact. Each one I owned for 6-7 years. So I'm not that familiar with titles and all that crap.

My first car - I took out a loan, paid it and got my title when it was paid from Toyota Financial Services. My second car I took out a loan and also paid it back in September of '06. I got a letter from Toyota saying 'Congratulations! Your account is now paid in full'. Great.. only thing is - they never sent me the title!

I have called them several times over the past 2.5 years and they say oh yes we'll send that out right away and continue not to. I am currently on hold with them (for about 15 minutes and counting) trying to once again get them to send me the title.

Anyone ever had this happen to them? I heard I can go to the registry and get a duplicate made for $150 but I refuse to pay for something my financing company should have sent me for free 2 years ago and that I've repeatedly called them and asked for (out of principle)!!! Why can NOTHING ever be done right? Why can nothing ever be easy? It apparently takes 60-90 days to mail the damn thing out too - which doesn't much help me if I'm trying to buy a car this week.

Sunday, December 28, 2008

New Car?

I'm debating taking advantage of the down economy to buy a new car.

It makes me a little nervous to buy a new car because I have no idea what will happen in this insane economy, but I am so sick of my car. Why? The doors are so god damned heavy and they bounce back closed every time I open them on my ankles! I have to kick out my leg to keep the friggin thing open. it SUCKS! I seriously cannot stress enough how much I HATE the door on my car. The handles also are not right for the door (the fixed that the later models) - they are too small/slippery and I jam my fingers all the time. I've had the car 6 years (a solara) since it was new and I'm just done with that door. I like Toyotas - that's all I've ever owned and they are reliable and overall great cars, but I am ready for a change. And a door that doesn't attack me when I try to get out of the car.

I've been debating several cars and I'm having trouble narrowing down a decision:

Toyota Rav 4 - which has mostly been ruled out (I hate the back tire, and the sport version with no tire makes me nervous with the run flat tires.

Honda CRV - not bad, and can take turns WAY better than my solara...

Nissan Murano - pretty fun to drive and had everything.. but that comes with a hefty price tag too.. I don't think I can realistically afford this car.

Acura RDX - my boyfriend suggested I try this car and I have to admit I liked it a lot. So much I think I may get it... BUT then while looking at/test driving the RDX I wanted to take the TSX out for a spin (I've always really liked them) and it comes in a 6 speed manual transmission. WOW was it fun to drive!!! Now that has me all screwed up. Do I get the TSX or the RDX? I had wanted a change from a car - to be higher up and have all wheel drive, but I do really love to drive standards. I cannot decide. I read all the consumer reports and Car and Driver reviews (mixed, but overall people like the TSX more) and I still can't make a decision.

Course the decision may end up being made for me - I need to get a significant discount to afford the cars - which may or may not happen. I am hoping that the dealers are hurting for business and willing to take my offer. If not, I may not be getting anything - or having to set my expectations much lower.

So my question is: anyone drive one of these cars? Do you love it? Hate it? Have any good tips about any of the models?

tough season

to be a Pats fan. :(

We go 11-5 yet may still not make the playoffs. The way the Jets and Jacksonville are playing looks like our season does not have much hope of continuing. How many more plays can the Jets blow in this game? UGH a very hard season to be a pats fan.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Classic Holiday Movies

I'm one of those people that every holiday season takes out all my favorite xmas movies and watches them. I love this. It gets me in the holiday spirit and who doesn't love to watch one of their favorite movies again?

My list of favorites include:
Frosty the Snowman
The Year Without a Santa Claus
Bishop's Wife (the original with Cary Grant, not the remake with Whitney)
Miracle on 34th Street
It's a Wonderful Life
Love Actually *
A Christmas Story
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Muppet Christmas
Charlie Brown Christmas
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Christmas Vacation

* one of the best movies ever - this is a MUST watch every year!

I don't watch all of them every year, but definitely many of them. However, my boyfriend seems to think "we've already seen this, why would you watch it again" and basically makes fun of the movie the entire way through so as not to allow me to enjoy it either. He thinks it's hilarious to get me annoyed throughout the film. But seriously who watches a movie they like once? He doesn't do that either!! He's seen Napolean Dynamite 20 times at least! And how can one really hate all Christmas movies? The only one I can get him to watch without complaint is A Christmas Story (it has a bb gun, shooting your eye out, fights, a horrible cheap lamp women hate and men love... you know all the stuff guys like). I just want one holiday movie without 'hilarious' commentary...

Monday, December 15, 2008

Top 10 Albums of 2008

It's all subjective... but here's my list:

1: Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
2: Ben Folds - Way to Normal
3: The Verve - Fourth
4: Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs
5: Elvis Costello - Momofuku
6: My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
7: Bob Mould - District Line
8: BellX1 - Flock
9: Aimee Mann - @#25&! Smilers
10: Bon Iver - For Emmma, Forever Ago

Other good albums that don't quite make my top ten, but are worth mentioning:
Adele - 19
Beck - Modern Guilt
Coldplay - Viva la Vida
Dandy Warhols - Earth to the Dandy Warhols
Duffy - Rockferry
Ingrid Michaelson - Be OK
Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul
Sia - Some People Have Real Problems
Weezer - The Red Album

Fun was never a requirement

Once in a life before Mzinga I heard those exact words in a meeting when I asked why the user interface and experience of an application was so boring and uninspired. I was told this is a real business application – fun was never a requirement.

Then I wondered – why did people feel fun and work had to be mutually exclusive? They don't have to be! Having some fun at work doesn't make people less productive; in fact, I would argue it does just the opposite. To me great user experiences are: Fun, Simple, Easy and Relevant.

Several years ago I designed the UI to a web application – I had used color (not like a circus, but I had a liberal use of color) and icons to give visual cues to the user what was going on. I thought it looked pretty slick (design is always subjective though) and had a rich enough feature set that the geeks were happy too. To me, it was kind of like a pair of Cole Haan heels with Nike Air – sure it's a slick and stylish patent leather heel, but it functions well too.

I showed some folks the mockups I had made in addition to the detailed functional specification I wrote to back up the pretty face. Many thought it was great and ready to move forward, but then there were others that were hesitant. They said it had too much color and too many icons. That it looked great for a consumer product, but for a business product... well to be taken seriously there I was told, I needed to have an all gray color scheme and text only menus. No one would take an application seriously with a menu of icons. No business would buy that kind of application. I said but it has all the functionality one would want, why wouldn't they buy it?! I can understand that argument if it looked really slick, but then didn't have any decent functionality – but that wasn't the case here at all – it was packed with great functionality. Wasn't it an added bonus that it looked nice too? It didn't matter. Nor did it matter that it was PEOPLE not businesses that used this software, and at the end of the day all people are consumers. I lost the argument and we ended up with a colorless, boring UI with text only menus. *sigh*

When was it decided business applications had to suck to be taken seriously? Can't something look fantastic AND function? Anyone who still believes it can't hasn't walked into an apple store lately. They are proving users can really have their cake and eat it too. And with social media tools proliferating into businesses it's happening to web applications too – people want tools that are easy and fun to use, can be configured to how they work, have slick user interfaces, and function well. And contrary to some folk's beliefs – you can really have that!

Where does the time go

I have been seriously slacking the last few months with my blog! Life has been so hectic and busy that I just have not had any time. I am REALLY looking forward to that 2 week vacation... starting this Friday! :)

Friday, November 21, 2008

People Fall for This?

Who actually falls for this email and opens the attachments?

Subject of email: Your Tracking # 235478914988
From: United Postal Service

UM ok if you really are going to try to get me to think I shipped something via the USPS perhaps you want to call the postal service by it's real name the *United States* Postal Service. Just Sayin'

Oh and BTW - I buy enough crap online that I know the USPS has never contacted me via email (except to confirm an address change I did online once). But even if I hadn't this email is so fake it's ridiculous!

Body of email:
Sorry, we were not able to deliver postal package you sent on November the 1st in time because the recipient s address is not correct.

Please print out the invoice copy attached and collect the package at our office.
If you do not receive package in ten days you will have to pay 36$ per day.

Your UPS

I'm not sure what is worse: the grammar or the content itself. If I don't 'receive' it they will charge $36? UM well since they are the 'postal service' it's kind of their job that I receive it (or rather the person I 'sent' it to does), perhaps if you don't 'pick up your package' or 'put the correct address on it' would have been slightly better. and really who's seen the post office sign anything 'yours UPS' oh and btw that acronym stands for 'united parcel service' and if they are trying to fake UPS, their tracking numbers always have a Z in them. But I'm back to - if you knew I send a package wouldn't you know my phone number or name?

What I don't understand is - who falls for this bullshit? Is there really a person who says oh my - I need to get that package back right away. I don't remember shipping anything, but I must have! and opens the attachments? Really???

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Right Turn Grinches

What do I mean by right turn grinches? I'm sure you've been there before.

Picture this: you are driving along and you are approaching a red light. Well that's ok you think, I can turn right on red and there's no one coming. Ah but wait my friend, the right turn grinch in front of you who is going straight and has their own lane has decided that they are going to block you from taking the right. There's is no way on earth they are going to let you get in front of them, even though you are aren't even going in the same direction.

So now instead of turning right and going on your merry way. you have to sit. and wait. and wait. because some jerk can't stay in their lane and insists on hogging two lanes - the right turn and the straight one. WHY WHY WHY do people do this? This happens to me almost daily.

Now I can see in traffic - the lanes fill up and cars going straight end up blocking the right turn lane. That makes sense, but it's the other time when there are only 1 or 2 cars in front of you and someone insists on doing this.

Perhaps they are clueless and don't realize it? But honestly if you are this out of it and have no idea what lane you are in or if you are turning or not you shouldn't be behind the wheel of a CAR!

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Yes We...

Can DID!!!

What an exciting night to be alive to witness history!

I wasn't always an Obama supporter - I voted for Hillary in the primary (I've always liked the Clintons)... but once it was narrowed down to the 2 candidates and the VP picks were made, my choice was clear. I didn't dislike McCain - in fact I liked him more than any other Republican candidate, but he just didn't have that magnetic personality Obama has and I didn't feel he had a real plan for America. I felt like McCain wasn't tuned into Gen X or Gen Y in quite the same way Obama was. And honestly his campaign people ran a shitty smear ridden campaign. Even Bill Kristol of the weekly standard said weeks ago that McCain should fire his strategy people- because of the negative campaign and other tactics they were employing. I did not like the Palin pick. As an independent woman that voted Hillary that wasn't how to get me.

For me, it really felt like finally a candidate who gets where I'm coming from - he's younger, intelligent, passionate, and all around I feel like he gets it. He's in touch with what's going on. Some think Socialist, but I think he's more about doing what it right for the greater good of society. He got the youth excited again! He got them involved - Gen X and Gen Y made the difference in this election. I've been voting for some time now, but I've never been as excited, hopeful, and nervous as I was yesterday casting my vote.

As a person that works in Social Media - I was also amazed at the role it played in this election. Following the coverage on Twitter was awesome. I was getting updates from Twitter often faster than I was on the news (switching back and forth between: CNN, NBC, Fox and Comedy Central). Obama was the first candidate that really reached out and embraced technologies like Twitter, Facebook, SMS etc. To me those things were critical: He got my world, he knew how to reach me. This is what I do every day. My company always talks about the Power of WE and how our product helps businesses harness that to gain insight from their employees, customers, or partners faster. But now we all just witnessed the power of WE nationally. What a shame his grandmother and even mother didn't get to live to see this amazing day.

How awesome was it for America that our young people took to the streets beeping, yelling, screaming, cheering... celebrating the election of a PRESIDENT as if it was a Superbowl or World Series win!!??? I know I haven't witnessed that in my lifetime. Young people as enthusiastic about our electoral process as a sporting event? Americans not looking like the spoiled, apathetic, buffoons the rest of the world has often painted us as (and rightfully so sometimes).

If Obama is as good of a leader as he is a speaker - we just may be looking at one of the greatest presidents of all time, certainly in our lifetime. Wouldn't that be amazing? I'm just so happy I was alive to witness this. He's got a very tough road ahead: 2 wars, a struggling economy, home foreclosures, job loss etc etc... and it remains to be seen how well he will handle those hurdles, but I feel hopeful about it. Now let's all work together as a nation to fix these issues and make this a great country to live in.


* You realize Bostonians will go back to being their miserable selves again in about 2 weeks... ;)

Monday, November 3, 2008

Nov 4th

How long do you think the lines will be to vote tomorrow in Somerville? Why doesn't MA have early voting like so many other states? Not really looking forward to wasting half my morning in line, but there is no way I'm not voting!

I will be so happy (well I hope so) when this election is over. I am sick and tired of hearing the candidates smear each other. And honestly the crap I've heard come out of some of the folks working for McCain is flat out lies. Why lie? Each person's record should speak for itself.

In fact the "attack calls" being made by the McCain camp were so offensive 3 dozen workers in Indiana walked off the job rather than make the calls.

There are reasons to vote for and against both candidates, so why not focus on WHY I should vote for YOU, rather than why I shouldn't vote for someone else? That is far more effective for me. And honestly I was who McCain was trying to reach (an independent woman who voted for Hillary in the primaries) when he picked Palin, but it did the opposite for me - and then his campaign alienated me more with the behavior at the RNC (who makes fun of a community organizer? they got of their ASS and made a difference, doesn't that matter?), attack ads, and rude comments/lies from various people in his campaign.

I found this post that a middle aged white guy wrote about Obama pretty interesting.

Facebook Ads

Facebook finally figured out how to get me to click on an ad! It was finally something I was actually interested in, and not the stupid ones they show most of the time. Sure they show me ads occasionally for random shoes, but I am not interested in random shoes. I have specific taste. So if you want to get me to buy something, you better target it right. Just sayin'

This time they got it right: super cute Diane Von Furstenberg heels on sale.. just in time for holidays parties. Now all I need is a LBD to wear these fabulous shoes with!

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

I love it when...

phishing emails claiming to be legitimate companies have typos in their emails. Because I am *sure* Amazon doesn't know the difference between below and bellow.

Here's the lovely phishing email I got this morning from 'amazon':

We are contacting you to inform you that our Account Review Team identified some unusual activity in your account. In accordance with Amazon's User Agreement and to ensure that your account has not been compromised, access to your account was limited. Your account access will remain limited until this issue has been resolved. To secure your account and quickly restore full access, we may require some additional information from you for the following reason: We have been notified that a card associated with your account has been reported as lost or stolen, or that there were additional problems with your card.
This process is mandatory, and if not completed within the nearest time your account or credit card may be subject for temporary suspension.
To securely confirm your Amazon information please click on the link bellow:

http://g3.office-moon.co.jp/-/Amazon/www.amazon.com/

yea cuz THAT looks like amazon's URL.

Who actually clicks on this stuff and enters their personal information? Misspellings and strange a URL weren't a tip off enough?

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Magazing Subscriptions...

Just a quick note to magazine subscription people:

If I subscribe to a magazine in July of 2008 and my subscription is set to renew July 2009, don't send me 'RENEW Now!!!' crap in the mail (wasting paper) in OCTOBER of 2008!!!!!!! WTF! I have 9 freaking months left of my subscription. I don't need to be reminded THAT far ahead to renew.. and I certainly don't need to renew now before it's too late.

And I am pretty sure they already sent me a renewal notice last month too. Who actually thinks oh I should renew now because they won't remind me 20 more times before my subscription ends??

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Direct TV YOU SUCK!

What a way to WASTE the best fall day of the year.. waiting. inside my house. for you shitty direct tv to show up!

We wanted to upgrade to HD and scheduled an appointment today. They gave us a window of 12-5pm - which already is pretty ridiculous. You need a 5 HOUR window!? Just tell us the friggin time! And honestly it may not even be the guy they send out - it's probably that they book him 250 appointments in one day. Like I have nothing better to do!?

So needless to say, it's 6:30pm and they STILL haven't fucking shown up. AN HOUR AND A HALF AFTER THE LATEST TIME THEY GAVE US!!!! I am beyond bullshit. I told bf to take the old direct tv receiver and the stuff and hand it to the guy when he shows up - tell him to fuck off and that we are switching services because they blew it! and I will be sending them a bill for MY wasted time! But he didn't really go for that..

How can these companies get away with this kind of service... if you can call it that.

I hate you direct tv, and if it was up to me I would cancel your service!!!

Friday, October 10, 2008

WTF?

So I joined this site because they supposedly have great discounts on designer clothing and shoes. They open the boutique for 2 days and each day there is a new boutique.

Which is cool... but um WTF is up with this shoe collection? I love Marc Jacobs shoes...

but I do NOT like these.

why is it

That every time I go to the gas station to fill up - the attendant hits on me?

Nothing against the guy working the pump, he provides a service we all need (unless you go to self serve then you don't need him), but I digress... I just don't think we are on the same path in life. Does he really think I'm: A: Single B: Willing to leave my boyfriend if I'm not and C: that I'm not a workaholic who wants to be with a career driven person.

Tonight after he hit on me, he asked me who I was voting for! I couldn't tell if it was a trick question or not.

Ladies does this happen to you too?

Friday, October 3, 2008

What happens when...

You live in a 100+ year old house in Somerville and want to change a light?

Well you have to call an electrician because the box in the ceiling and the light attached to it are original to 1900. All of the light fixtures in my house have gas lines coming into them! Gas lines! for actual gas lamps! Apparently in 1900 they wired the houses for electricity, but since most didn't have that yet - also installed gas lines in every room to have gas lights until electricity was installed.

Which brings us to modern day. We have lights in every room. They are ugly and dated so we want to change them. We attempted on our own and turns out - the entire box housing the light fixture and the gas line needs to be taken out to install any light fixture made in the last 30 years. Oh and of course that is uber expensive to do... Great. Now I know why all the previous owners of the house chose to leave the lights as they were.

A view of the hole in the ceiling with gas line coming out:





Wednesday, October 1, 2008

speaking of bullshit...

Somerville's revenue generator, Oh I mean their 'street cleaning' racket really pisses me off. Twice a week I can't park on my street, or the side streets near me because of 'street cleaning' which half the time they don't ACTUALLY DO!

Last night I forgot to move my car and sure enough when I remembered at 12:01 they are already out there ticketing me. Hey if you go down to the traffic office you wait 45 minutes, but they are mighty timely when it comes to ticketing you the tax payer of their town. The ticket is also $50! Are you kidding me!?? $50 fucking dollars for parking during 'street cleaning'.

YEA and this morning when I came out (no reason to move my car after the $50 ticket) it was CLEAR the street wasn't cleaned at all! There were a bunch of leaves and dirt/sand on the side that was 'cleaned' and there was no clear path of where the street sweeper had driven through - you can see the path when they drive through it lasts for a while.

OH and I REALLY love it when it's raining and they ticket for 'street cleaning'. I can HEAR the cleaner when it drives by and doesn't go by when it's raining.

What a waste of time

Wicked glad I wasted 2 hours of my night in rush hour traffic (and hungry!) driving to Butcherie in Brookline - only to get there and it's closed!!!

Their website says they are open till 8pm tonight.. Guess it's the 2nd day of Rosh Hashanah, so I assume that's why they are closed, but didn't see anything on the website.. maybe they should let people know that kind of thing before they waste 2 hours driving behind moronic drivers who can't even go the speed limit to get there!!!

On the Leverett Connector we get behind some guy going 25mph - who NO ONE in front of him!! So even though there wasn't any traffic on the Leverett for a change we waited anyway stop/go (me and about 5 other cars) because of an idiot in the front that can't drive!!!!!

Now I am home. Sans hummus and kugel. Hungry. Bitchy. and tired. ARGH!!!

And while I'm at it, who are the jackasses that saunter across the street at a green light like they have ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD - don't worry - I've only waited 20 minutes for the green, but go ahead, you should cross right now so I miss the green AGAIN!!! NO REALLY I HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO FUCKING DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

ARGH...

So Busy and stressed!

So much work to do at work and at home... I feel like I'm never getting ahead of all I have to do. I need a vacation!

I've been neglecting my blog and it's making me sad... I want to talk about shoes during my nights, not user interactions..

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Excitement at Work

The other day at work there was a car crash.. and a car flipped..

Caused quite a stir in the office.

The white truck tried to cut someone off to take the left, but obviously misjudged how fast the oncoming car was going (blue car). The white truck then spun around, hit the gold car and flipped.



Thursday, September 18, 2008

even more annoying than barking dogsI

Is the crazy guy - who's outside my house walking back and forth screaming 'fucking fuck' at people as they walk down the street and following them.

NICE.

We had a few day reprieve from him. I was hopeful.... now, not so much.

chihuahuas

Chihuahua's have to be the most annoying and paranoid dogs ever!!!

My neighbor next door has two chihuahuas and then another dog that appears to be a pit bull mix. I have to say I LOVE the pit mix and can't stand the stupid chihuahuas!!!

Why?
The chihuahuas bark at every noise, movement, atmospheric pressure change.. you name it - these freaking dogs are barking like maniacs at it. See their own shadow they are barking.... They also think at 10lbs each (maybe a little more) that they are really tough. Who are they kidding? Sure they are actually kind of cute, but they are freaking ANNOYING.

Now take the pit mix - he's gorgeous and pretty huge AND he rarely barks. He seems like a great dog. When does he bark? When he's been out there all day and getting lonely for some attention - and even then he only lets out a few 'hey don't forget about me barks'. Other than that I don't hear him barking very often. Maybe a few times here or there when someone comes into his lawn. He's pretty chill.

Some of my windows face the fenced in area they hang out in all day. So I like to say hello. the pit looks up and wags his tail and seems pretty happy someone is talking to him. The freaking rug rats bark like maniacs - and the pit just looks down at them like what is the problem - Shut up.

Today I'm working from home and the big guy is just chilling as usual, but the rats are going nuts because there are roofers on the neighbors house. They aren't even in their yard or all that close to it. HOW LARGE do the chihuahuas think their territory is? The pit mix doesn't seem to give a hoot what the roofers are doing.

What makes me laugh even more - one time the fence was either left open accidentally, or became open somehow and the BAD ASS chihuahuas just went up to the back door of their house and barked to be let in. They didn't even run away.. OR bark at the people walking by on the street that they could have gone after since they were actually finally free. Real tough.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Blink Tags!?

There's almost nothing I hate more than the Blink tag. Why would you make things blink on the screen? It's annoying to users and, like, soooo 1995.

Luckily most sites no longer use such offensive HTML on their sites, so you can imagine my shock and horror to find it today on the the MA Voter Registration form. UGH why why why why? I moved, so I need to update my location for my voter registration - I found a link to request a form online. Granted they wanted to make it clear that my voter registration update wouldn't be final until I mail in the form. But instead of the irritating blink tag taking away my attention from the action I'm trying to perform, why not use a different color text, like red to call my attention, make the text bold (they did that), and make it a slightly larger font size?

But don't believe me... check it for yourself: http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elestu/stuidx.htm

Friday, September 12, 2008

How to Piss of your Customers / Users

I decided to set up Poland Spring water delivery service to my home. I drink a ton of water, it's nice to have the dispenser that gives hot and cold, I use less (if any) small water bottles, and I don't have to go to the store and get it. All good stuff.

But try to figure out your friggin bill. Good luck! Here's what the screen looks like with my billing information:



It appears to me that my bill each month will be $31.96. But I look at my credit card and I've been charged $58.70 - UM WTF is going on?

I call and get a representative that tells me - for your first delivery there is a $20 deposit, there is tax on each delivery, and a $2.00 a month rental fee for the water cooler. Ok fine I say, but you should really be more clear on your website. There is NO WAY for me to find out the information what my bill will REALLY cost me. She says yes that information can ONLY be found in the email we send when we first confirm you as a customer. HUH so the only way I can EVER know my full bill is to search and find this email. Wicked helpful. Thanks.

I mean if it's more each month include that on the page with my billing info! Why only show me part of my bill? Then I realized upon further reading (clicking the click here for details) in the pop-up window that there's also a fuel surcharge - which from calculating the charge on my credit card and subtracting the other fees is about $5. The woman on the phone didn't mention anything about a fuel surcharge for each delivery.

Then she kept explaining that there was a $2.00 fee for the cooler and tax. I GET THAT - REALLY I DO. What I am trying to tell you folks at Poland Spring - your site is ineffective. You do not clearly show the user what their bill will be each month. Clicking the more details just says there are fees, but doesn't tell me what they are for my bill.

Wouldn't it be so much easier for me as a customer and user of your website to say here's your monthly bill:
Water $31.96,
Tax $0.10,
Water Cooler $2.00,
Fuel Surcharge $5.00.
For a total of: $39.06.

I mean cuz that would be... um.. USABLE???

Oh and one may think 'hey I will just click on that My Billing link there, that's going to show me my real bill'. If you thought that - you would be wrong. This is what I got when I clicked that link:



I've never actually been able to get my real billing info by clicking that link. All I ever get is an error. Don't know if it never works, or only when I want to see my billing info?

Also BTW I should add the woman on the phone either wasn't aware of the fuel surcharge, or somehow can't figure out exactly what my monthly bill will be (if that is true why is it so variable!??) because she said my bill would be about $35 a month. But by my calculations of the bill I just got for the first one that's incorrect it's going to be $39.06. And why can they only say around, why can't I get an accurate quote of my bill? And I get if I add something to my order one month it goes up, but if I don't and I get my standard order - can't they give me the exact amount it will cost me?

I then log out and go to the website to see if I were to create a new account - would this information all be clear to me? This is what I get - still different amounts than what I was charged - although they do point out tax, deposit, and fuel surcharge.



So then I think where the hell is this first bill that I got in an email explaining all this? I have to search for it because they only send that once. The email to let me know I have a delivery is just that - no billing info is contained in it. So I find it... and shock #2 - apparently it's also a 24 month service contract. That's not on their site ANYWHERE when you sign up... well anywhere one is actually looking for the information!



I found the information at the bottom of the screen, then had to click a pop-up to figure out how long the service agreement is (seriously WHY wouldn't you put this information right where I'm reviewing my order in the same font size!?????) Maybe because you know I may rethink that order if I knew I was locked in for 2 years? I hate those service commitments! However the website says it's only a 12 month commitment!!!! Not 24 like the email says. So which is it!? I want the 12 of course.



I mean I like the convenience of the water delivery and all, but don't make me a detective to figure out what my bill is going to be each month and how long my service contract is!!!

Monday, September 8, 2008

Winter Boots

Yey It's boot time again (well I hate snow, I just like wearing an array of boots!)

I'm scoping out the best pairs and I don't know which to get yet...

Loving these Stuart Weitzman's:



Tried on these Lamb shoes today, gotta say leather isn't as nice as the Weitzman's:



Sorry Lamb I wanted to like you but I don't... not as comfy and I don't like the leather as much.

Fall Shoes

Ahhh shoe shopping again. Hey its a new season, that means new shoes!

I'm still on the look out for those Vipers, but Nordstrom didn't have them. Bummer. I did however get these today:



Only catch they didn't have my size I tried on a larger size - liked them so I had to order them. Now I need to wait 3-5 business days. UGH I HATE waiting... I want them now! </whine>

Um Yea

So our football season began and ended in the same quarter. Waahhh.

I am so incredibly sad Brady is out for the season and nothing against Cassel - he's just no Brady.

There's talk that Pollard made a cheap shot, but it's so hard to tell. It's going to be an interesting game next week against the Jets...

nothing deflating our hopes in the first 7 minutes of the first game.

Sunday, September 7, 2008

getting political for a minute..

So normally I don't talk politics on my blog - as I would rather focus on Fashion, Football, and Somerville... but I just can't help myself today.

I'm a pretty moderate person - there's things I like about both parties. My problem I hate hypocrites.

I don't want to be highly taxed - I personally think taxes should factor how much you make and WHERE in the country you live. Because making 100K in the middle of Oklahoma is REALLY different from making that same salary in NYC, Boston, or San Francisco - the cost of life is so much more expensive in those cites. I think society has an obligation to help people, but don't think people should abuse that help and if they do I think there should be repercussions. I think parents shouldn't look to schools to raise their kids for them. I think people should start stepping up and taking ownership and responsibility for their actions.

I like that republicans don't want lots of big government interfering in people lives. Well rather in theory it's a good idea not to interfere. But in reality they want to tell me who I can marry, and what I can do with my own body. To me that IS big government interfering with my life and telling me how to live it! To me government has no right to interfere with those two things. And it's not because I want to go get an abortion if I got pregnant I wouldn't, but I don't know everyone's situations. Who am I (or anyone) to decide and judge them on that? Who am I to decide who someone can love and marry? Aren't there more important things to worry about?

What also makes no sense to me is this whole pro life, but pro death penalty. How can a person be pro life, but then pro death at the same time? To me that just doesn't add up. Because if you truly think that everyone deserves life - doesn't that really include EVERYONE?

And this whole gun thing.. surely folks that are responsible gun owners and hunters should be able to have a gun and hunt. Do I like hunting? Not at all, but if someone hunts for their food and eats it - who the hell am I to judge? I don't like it if people are just doing it for sport and not using the animal for food. And I find it pretty hypocritical if someone is super pro life but then shoots and animal for the hell of it and sticks it's head on their wall- what about the animal's right to life? People have to see that having a gun in Alaska is VERY different from walking around with one in the middle of a city! And it's also clear to me not everyone is a responsible adult, or has good intentions - so you need some rules around guns for the good of society. Otherwise it's just chaos.

Folks always quote the constitution and the right to bear arms, but that was written over 200 years ago - the world was different then. Then the world was much more rural, people probably hunted more for their food. People had to protect their property from large animals and probably other people (especially during a war!) But in today's world can you imagine if every single person living in a large apartment complex in the middle of a city had a gun? It that really necessary or a good idea? It all depends where you live - the farmer in Montana living on hundreds of acres of land is quite different from me living in a Condo in Somerville where my neighbors are on top of me. I don't need a gun - he probably does.

But what I mostly don't like about this election - the twisting of words. I hate backstabbing and mud slinging. Stick to what YOU are going to do - don't tell me how much the other person sucks. That is just ridiculous and not helpful. If anything it makes me less likely to vote for you. These republican strategists have somehow gotten it into many people's heads Obama isn't like them. He grew up with a single mom - how is that really elite? How is he really so different? They say he doesn't have small town values, but then when asked in a poll at the RNC what small town values were - no one could answer it!! NOT ONE PERSON!

I mean if you are going to say someone doesn't have small town values - you should be able to define what that means and why they don't have it. One woman said 'it's sitting around the kitchen table talking'. Does she REALLY FREAKING believe that Obama has never sat around his kitchen table talking with his family??? REALLY?????? Are you fucking kidding me? To me small town values means that I should treat others how I would like to be treated - which means I am not going to judge people or want to put discrimination into our constitution or society. But clearly their word twisting propaganda has worked - yesterday I was out and heard someone talking politics and how Obama is: an elitist, a muslim, was going to raise everyone's taxes and more. He's not a muslim (and really it shouldn't matter if he is - he's an AMERICAN - that's what matters!!!!!) but those words have been put out there enough there are people that believe it! I can't even believe there are, but there are - I heard it with my own ears!!!!

And really that is just sad. I want to know all the information I can possibly know. I want to make a decision I feel comfortable with and be able to explain why I made that decision. I watch NBC, CNN, Fox, and more to make sure I see all sides. Each network has a different slant and from that I hope I can take away the truth. How can people not be interested in trying to find out all the information? It's out there - you just have to look for it. Why be ignorant?

Monday, September 1, 2008

Dogtown

Yesterday we decided to go for a hike with friends. They had some kind of hiking/trail guide that listed Dogtown as a strenuous hike - rated 7. Sounded fun. It was listed as 8 miles long.

We get there - all seems hopeful. They have sheets of paper with a map of the trails. But the trails are listed by name, not by color.

I don't know how or when we went wrong but none of the trails were labeled by name, only by color - and we had no idea which color mapped to what trail. So we just decided to follow the red. Seems simple until you realize wherever we were walking was the most poorly labeled trail we'd ever been on. We wandered all over. We barely found markings on the trees and could not figure out where we were on the map.

I finally gathered the 7 rating was the frustration level one feels trying to find the actual path.

After wandering for a few hours we found our way out and left. We then went to this random bar/restaurant in Peabody known to have the best steak tips on the north shore. And I gotta say - they were pretty damn tasty.

The highlight of this day of hiking:
leaving the restaurant one of our friends goes to open his trunk and drops his one and only set of keys down a sewer grate!! Luckily the sewer was not that deep and the guys managed to move the grate. After a few failed attempts of using the snow scrapper to get the keys, one of the guys went into the nasty looking and smelling sewer and fished them out! EWWWWWW poor guy!

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Patriots

I hope these preseason games are just a fluke and they are going to get it together for the real games.

These preseason games have not been good.

ohhh I Need these

Loving these shoes. I need to have them NOW.

Stuart Weitzman - Viper Platform Slingbacks

They're Back

Yes it's that time of the year again. Cambridge, Somerville, and Boston all over has been infested with students. Yesterday must have been move in day at Harvard and Tufts because it took me forever to get home. And there seriously has to be a lot of freshman or something because no one knew what the hell they were doing, or where they were going.

Driving home people were stopping in the middle of the freaking road. for no good reason. They weren't turning. I don't know what the fuck they were doing besides getting in my way! Who stops in the middle of the road? No blinker. No pulling aside. Just stopping! ARGH Pull to the side!

Yesterday it took me a full hour to drive from Newton to Somerville via back roads that normally take me 20 minutes! I have not seen such poor driving in a looooooong time.

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Prada.com

UM WHY Prada would you not have an online store for the US, but you have one for for all of Europe. Not Fair!!!!!!!

And if Saks or Neimans were actually carrying your new shoe from Vogue's August edition I would buy it there, but they don't have it!

I'm annoyed. I NEED this shoe!

Cusp

ohh there's going to be a new boutique opening in Chestnut Hill called Cusp. It looks like it may be pretty good. This is their blog too.

The card they sent me shows items from: See by Chloe, LAMB, Nanette Lepore, and Cynthia Vincent. Grand Opening is Thursday, August 28th.

I sense a shopping trip coming on... good thing the credit cards are all paid off for this month! WOO HOO ;)

Thursday, August 21, 2008

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

Who actually REPLIES to these stupid emails?? I guess someone must or they wouldn't keep sending them out. I don't know how a person could fall for this!? and if you worked for a 'reputable bank in South Africa' wouldn't you just name the bank???? I mean come on - make it sound KIND OF REAL WTF!? Oh and he has a gmail account - cuz that is so legit for a banker!

So hilarious:

I am Dr. Fredrick Mbeki, the account officer of a reputable bank in South Africa. There is an account open in this bank in 2002 and since 2004 and nobody has operated on this account again. After going through some old files in the records, I discovered that if I do not remit this money out urgently it would be forfeited for nothing.

The owner of this account is Mr. Daniel Benson, a foreigner, Business Man and a miner at Kruger Gold Company, a Geologist by profession and he died since 2003.No other person knows this account or anything concerning it, the account has no other beneficiary and my investigation proved to me as well that this company does not know anything about this account and the money involved is One hundred and Thirty Six Million United States Dollars (US$ 136 Million).

I want us to first transfer US$ 36 Million from this money into your safe overseas account before the rest. I am only contacting you as a foreigner because this money cannot be approved to a local bank here, but can only be approved to any foreign account because the money is in United States Dollars and the former owner Mr. Daniel Benson is a foreigner too. I know that this message will come to you as surprise as we don't know ourselves before. We will sign an agreement, but be sure that it is real and a genuine business. You can view the web site bellow for more information on our late client.http://archives.cnn.com/2003/US/02/01/alaska.airlines.list/

I only got your contact information from my secretary who operates computer; with believe in God that you will never let me down in this business, considering my position as a public servant. You are the only person that I have contacted in this business; so please reply urgently so that I will inform you the next step to take immediately.

Send also your private telephone and fax numbers including the full details of your account to be used for the deposit. I want us to meet face-to-face and sign a binding agreement to bind us together so that you can receive this money into your account where the fund will be safe. And I will fly to your country for withdrawal and sharing and other investment.

Meanwhile, I am contacting you because of the need to involve a foreigner with foreign account and foreign beneficiary. I need your full co-operation to make this work fine because the management is ready to approve this payment to any foreigner who has correct information of this account, which I will give to you as soon as you indicate your sincerity to co-operate with me, and capability to handle such amount in strict confidence and trust according to my instruction and advice for our mutual benefit because this opportunity may never come again in my life. I need a truthful and God fearing person in this business because I don't want to make a mistake so I need your strong assurance and trust.

With my position in the office I don't want anything that will jeopardize my job so I advice that we should make secrecy and confidentiality our primary working condition, bearing in mind that I am a public servant. I will also use my position and influence to effect legal approvals and onward transfer of this money to your account with appropriate clearance forms of the ministries and foreign exchange department.

At the conclusion of this business, you will be giving 25% of the total amount, 70% will be for me, while 5% will be for expenses both parties might have incurred the process of the transfer. I look forward to your earliest reply through my alternative email address:

Yours sincerely,

Dr.Fredrick Mbeki

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Rotaries

Why is it that people just cannot navigate a rotary??

Today I got to witness a genius go through the rotary in the wrong direction to apparently make a turn into a parking lot quicker?

What jackass does this and stops up the rotary for minutes while everyone tries to figure out what this idiot is trying to do?

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Ugg

I'm not a fan. I think I'm in the minority though.

It seems everyone has a pair of these boots. I guess they are probably warm and comfortable, but I just can't do it.

And now they are making them in silver. It looks like a moon boot.

UGG

How do you Ruin...

A perfectly cute stilleto? You add a rugged giant ugly sole to it.

What is up with the sole on this Yves Saint Laurent shoe? Prior to that manly work boot sole - these would have been super cute shoes for a dressy occasion. Now they just look horsey. Plus they are all around $800 (give or take a little). I'm sorry but I'm not paying $800 for a big rubber soled shoe. I don't think I'd pay $50. I just don't like the sole. Waste of a cute shoe.





Fall Shoes

One of my favorite thing about fall is new shoes! I love looking at all the new styles and while I love my summer sandals - there's something fantastic about a pair of leather boots, or classic black heels.

I am loving these new Christian Louboutin Black Leather Armadillo Peep-Toe Platforms. The striped pattern is very funky, yet classic.

If I don't shop for any else all month maybe I can afford them...

Thursday, August 14, 2008

What's Society to do?

So I moved in with my boyfriend who lives right in Davis Sq. slightly closer to Powderhouse circle (I used to be near Porter). I've lived in Somerville for close to 4 years.

So now for the dilemma. There is a man who I believe is named Mike who is clearly mentally disabled. Some days he sits quietly on a bench and chain smokes, but more often than not he follows people down the street yelling, screaming, spitting, swearing at them and violating their personal space while doing it. Most of the time he repeats the same speech - why did they do this or that - not really sure what he's saying and I really try to avoid him at all costs.

Now I really wouldn't care if this man sat on a bench all day and yelled and smoked. But he doesn't he walks down the streets scaring people (at least it scares me) - he talks way too closely for my comfort and spits on you as he's yelling (not on purpose). But it's gross - who wants to get spit on?

Now he's coming further down my street towards Davis (he used to stay right @Powerhouse circle). Now most mornings I wake up to him screaming outside my window. It's annoying when my windows are open in the summer and all I hear for about 2 hours straight are the same ramblings from this guy. I would like to wake up to a little peace and quiet - my street is busy enough with all the cars.

And now last week he started a new thing - screaming 'get the fuck out of here' over and over. Great... now he's yelling AND angry AND swearing! AND on MY fucking front lawn! I don't want to be harassed and scared when I'm trying to come and go from my home! I don't want to feel like a hostage in my own home because I'm afraid to leave because he's standing in front of my car. I don't want someone screaming get the fuck out of here at me while I am trying to get into my car to go to work! This morning he was hovering on the sidewalk in front of my house - blocking the way to my car so I stayed in my house until he moved across the street to yell at another innocent victim.

I mean what is one to do about this? On one hand the man is clearly mentally disabled. He clearly can't help it - I feel bad for him. But then why is it ok for him (or anyone) to scream at me in front of my home? BF says to me well he's harmless he's never hurt anyone, just ignore him. It seems he hasn't, but still that makes it ok for him to verbally assault me in front of my home because he's got an illness? Where are my rights? How can I ignore someone yelling at me, close to my face, spitting on me, walking next to me? How does society handle something like this? What is the right thing to do here?

Monday, August 11, 2008

Overheard @ Burlington Mall

From what looked like a very able 6 year old boy (or he looked about that age) to his mother on her cell phone:

'Mom tie my shoe'.

Um tie it yourself! He looked old enough to know how to perform this task. Is this how lazy American kids are getting they can't even tie their own shoes? UGH

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

F-U state of CT

After a weekend of debauchery in the NJ Shore - we were making such great time coming home - when on 84 at 7pm on a Sunday night in the summer - The state of CT shuts the whole thing down to one freaking lane to do road work.

Are you kidding me???

It's 7pm! On a Sunday in the summer - you have to KNOW tons of people will be driving back from their vacation destinations! Like maybe shutting the road down at 10pm would be a smarter decision?????

So instead of getting home while it was still light out - we sat in an hour and a half traffic while the highway went down to one lane. An hour and half to drive one freaking mile!!!!!!!!!!!!! I guess the one good thing is that we were there right after they shut down the road so didn't have to wait as long as the miles of folks behind us waiting.

Thursday, July 31, 2008

A Real MASShole

Some people just suck.

I just don't understand the need some assholes feel to yell and scream at random people for no good reason.

Here's the scenario:

I'm in moving hell, boxes stacked as tall as me, my new house in complete chaos with clothes, shoes, furniture, books, and various other things strewn everywhere. My back is killing me because I have just brought my 12th load of clean laundry up 2 flights to put away. I did so much laundry and leaned the baskets against my waist I actually had bruises on each side from the weight and amount of loads I did. On top of that I was cleaning and such - working non stop for 15 hours each day Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and then Sunday. I was exhausted and dirty - I had to run errands in between all of this. I threw on shorts and an I love NY tshirt. basically something I didn't care if it got all dirty or whatever.

so now comes the screaming part.

I had gone to goodwill to donate an entire truck full of duplicate dishes, sheets, towels, old clothes etc. It was a lot of work loading it up, then unloading at Goodwill. I was tired, in pain, hungry, and crabby.

I park my car to go back inside and do more unpacking when some jackass starts screaming out his car window at me "I HATE NY, NY SUCKS, WTF, FUCK NEW YORK" and it goes on....

OK ASSHOLE I get it.

But seriously shut the fuck up! It's a t-shirt. who wanted your stupid opinion anyway? I don't give a flying shit who you like or don't like. And seriously what prick starts screaming out the window at a chick walking into her house? I just do not get behavior like this. There is no reason to verbally assault people walking into their homes at 2pm on a Sunday afternoon - or anytime for that matter!

Moving of the Shoes

As anyone who ever reads my sad little blog knows - I have a small issue with shoes.

I have a lot of them and they are my most valuable possessions besides my kitties. They are my artwork on display.

So moving them to the new condo couldn't be left up to just anyone. I knew special care had to be taken, so my friend and I moved them over ourselves before the move. I didn't bring all of them at once (as I needed a few pairs for the week before the move), but most of them went over a week before.

There were so many they filled the entire back of a Pathfinder with the back seats down! There were 3-4 boxes of shoes per shopping bag and about 60 pairs or so.

We got such a good laugh we had to take a picture:







I'm slacking!

With the chaos of the move (I'm still organizing) I have blown off my blog almost the entire month of July! Oh My!

I will be back in full swing come when my house is organized!

Monday, July 21, 2008

What a Racket!

For the most part I love living in Somerville, but there are some things that just really piss me off.

For example the racket they have going on with the parking situation.

Every year I have to get a permit for $12 (resident and 2 guest)- I am ok with that, but the permit has to renew in March because 'that is the zone' WTF!? So when I first got the permit in November or whenever I first got it a few years ago - I paid $12 for 4 months, then had to pay another $12 in March again! It's not a lot of money, but still if I get a permit for a 'year' it should really be for a 'year' not 2 months, for 4 months - 12 months!!! Today I was in the parking clerks office and the woman next to me just moved here and was getting on and they told her the same bullshit - oh you can't get this July-July - this is only good till March - it's your 'zone'.

Then there are the parking tickets because of 'street cleaning'. If it rains they don't clean the streets, but still ticket!!!! So I can't go on vacation for a week without bringing my car, because I have to move my car at least 2 times a week because of street cleaning 12am-6am two nights a week. Which of course creates a parking nightmare when you can only park on one side of the street overnight. If you forget they of course are quick to ticket.

Then there is the wonderful $30 or maybe even now $50 ticket for 'parking too close to an intersection'. What I love about this one is that we park in the same spot almost every day. Occasionally we have gotten this ticket, most of the time we don't. So I don't understand how only sometimes it's too close, but the other 90% of the time it's totally fine. Must be around end of the month quota time - lets screw residents that park in this same spot every day. I suggested fighting the ticket, bf thinks that is just a bigger waste of time. OH and I should add by 'intersection' they mean a very small one way side street with no light. RIGHT - definitely screwing up traffic at an 'intersection'! OH and the you parked here longer than 2 hours ticket is great. I parked in the same spot every day for about a year. Then one day (around labor day/moving time for college students) - I got a ticket! For violating the 2 hour limit! I literally had parked there every single day for a year without one! And I have never gotten that ticket again either!

Snow emergencies are another joy - first a $100 ticket if you don't make it home in time from work [or wherever you were off to when they declared it] to move your car, then a tow ride on top of that. WOO HOO! Oh and then when you go to the other lots to park, once the ban has been lifted you have 2 hours to get your car out of the lot or MORE tickets/towing. Gotta love it.

Which all leads me to today. I went to go get the parking restriction signs I need to allow a truck next to my building to move out ($10). My guess is I need them for a maximum of 3 hours (maybe less). My new condo has a driveway so I will just have the moving truck pull into that. So all I need were 2 of those restriction signs to hang up on my street for the movers. I have a front lot in my building, but it's slanted so I figured it would just be easier to park on the street - which now that I'm thinking about it - is also slanted. Whatever.

When I moved in I got the 2 signs - hung them up and the movers moved everything in quickly. I fill out the form to get the restriction which BTW they ask for my SS number? UM no don't think so - there is no reason you need my SS number for a 3 hour parking restriction!! WTF!? Then the lady tells me there is a new policy that I have to pay $25 to get a temporary moving van permit for EACH street and then the parking restriction signs for each street. UM no I'm not paying an additional $60 so Somerville can make even more money off me. I said when I moved in I only needed the restrictions - and I already paid for visitor permits. She says yea - you can't use those anymore we changed the rule 2 weeks ago. I mean really. What a bunch of bullshit. For years and years - they made $10 for parking restriction signs, and people probably put their guest parking permit in the window of the moving van. Now suddenly they need to charge $25 per day per vehicle, per street (one moving from and then one moving to)?

Why can't they find better ways to generate revenue than by scamming their residents on parking???? WTF!! So now I'm just going to have the moving van park in my lot on the hill and deal with it. I refuse to waste money on bullshit like that - oh that wouldn't have cost me almost anything 2 weeks ago.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

holy crap

I've been seriously ignoring my blog this week, but I promise I will be back in force once the move is over!

My friend - you know who you are! came over today and helped me pack! I feel like we got so much accomplished. Although I have not yet started my kitchen - which could be a disaster!

We loaded up the entire back of a Nissan Pathfinder (back seats down too) with my shoes to bring them over! I mean they are the most important part of the move (besides the me, my cats, and my clothes). I took pics I need to get them off my camera to post them.

Well no one reading this should be shocked with the excessive amounts of shoes I have. My collection is a serious commitment!

The other good thing my new condo is sparkling clean thanks to 3 very hard working cleaners that worked for 5.5 hours cleaning bf's condo (which I suspect he's NEVER actually cleaned even though he 'claims' he has - wiping down a counter doesn't actually clean the entire kitchen). Good thing I did that 2.5 hours of prep work to get the place organized and threw trash out before they got there!!!

Monday, July 14, 2008

Back to Reality

UGH it sucks...........

Got back from my vacation at the NJ Shore last night and back to work today. As if coming back to work after a week off isn't stressful enough as it is I had to:


  • Cancel my cable tv and internet

  • Cancel my electricity

  • Set up forwarding addresses for my periodicals and such

  • hire a carpet cleaner to clean my carpets after I move out (part of my lease agreement)

  • go to the post office to mail amended tax returns

  • attempt to do some cleaning @ BF's condo to prepare

  • realized cleaning BF's condo is futile - research hiring a cleaning person

  • narrow cleaning list down to 2 women - one recommended from friend, another from Yelp

  • Stare into the abyss of shit in my apt overwhelmed at how I am going to manage to pack all this shit in time for the movers

  • contemplate how totally overwhelmed I will be when all my shit is combined with bf's shit next week - I need a Valium ugh

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Ahhh Vacation....

I've not been that active the last week and a half because I've been enjoying my vacation on the Jersey Shore.

right now I'm looking out the front deck onto the beach and waves coming in - I could get used to a view like this.

Friday, July 4, 2008

4th of July

Happy 4th of July! What a crappy day though :( - oh well I guess I can clean up my house and hope the rest of my vacation week will be nice weather.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

shoes 7-1

I can't believe it's already July! Crazy! 4th of July is this week and we still haven't nailed down our plans.

The good thing about a Jimmy Choo 50% sale is I get to buy 2 pairs. YEY for me - happy 4th of July to me! LOL And I wonder why I have no money? It's all in the shoes......

Jimmy Choo White summer sandals:





Monday, June 30, 2008

shoes 6-30

WOO HOOO what's not to love about the Jimmy Choo 50% off sale????????????

I mean one may still tell me I'm a fool for spending $250 on a pair of shoes, but that's 50% off the normal price. And seriously I would probably buy them at $500 too, so I saved money. I'm all about value :) ha ha ha ha

But seriously. I love Jimmy Choo shoes. Silver sandals:





Sunday, June 29, 2008

Packing Sucks

I know I don't have to move until July 25th, but if I don't start now I will never be ready. After the excessive amounts of shoe photos you can imagine it would take days just to pack my shoes, never mind my clothes.

Last time I moved I was still packing when the movers showed up, and they ended up packing some boxes too. ooops. I was convinced I would be ready in time. I was wrong.

So this time I am trying to be more prepared. I already have some boxes at my apt and I went over to bf's condo to organize his basement today so it would be ready for some of the excess stuff we would have to figure out what to do with.

It's overwhelming. UGH. The good thing is I'm so annoyed to pack stuff I've been throwing a lot away or donating it. I really hope I have FAR LESS stuff this time - than I did my last move - which took 3 movers 6-8 hours to complete. yeeaaaah.... I have a lot of stuff.

shoes 6-27

Well these aren't the funkiest shoes or anything, but hey I was going on a booze cruise with younger friends for a 26th birthday (wow I feel old) and I needed to make sure I had shoes I could wear all day and all night. I knew partying with these young-uns would be fun, and I knew I'd get drunk.

It was fun, and I was drunk.

Good thing I had simple easy shoes I can walk in. They are comfy too with a cork sole.

Donald Pliner black wedges:





shoes 6-26

OMG I LOVE LOVE LOVE these shoes for summer!

A few weeks ago - maybe even a month - I saw these cuties at Nordstrom's. I meant to go back for them, but hadn't gotten a chance. Then on Wednesday of last week I went to lunch with a friend of mine. We went to the Cheesecake Factory in the Burlington Mall (near work) and then stopped at the Nordstrom on the way out.

I got the last pair of 7.5 they had in the store! WOO HOO! Just in time! I would have been sooooo sad if they didn't have my size. She picked up a cute pair of black Cole Haan sandals. What is also wicked cool about Cole Haan shoes is that they all have Nike Air in them! It's like wearing a sneaker, except it's a super cute heel!!!! YEY! and I can tell you these yellow cuties were comfy all day and into the night! Score!


Cole Haan Bright Yellow Patent Leather Heels:





shoes 6-25

Lace up Marc Jacobs Wedges:



shoes 6-23

I love these shoes. I try not to wear them too often to keep the white bright and shiny.

Chanel heels:





shoes 6-20

I love these but I hate them too - because I feel soooo short when I wear them! plus ballet flats look much cuter on, than in a photo.

Jil Sander black leather ballet flats:



shoes 6-19

These are old, but I still love them. I picked these up one time on a trip to Canada.

Why (Italian designer - I've never really seen them here in the states) retro funky wedge heels:





shoes 6-18

Hey I even wear comfy flats sometimes!

Kenneth Cole Gentle Souls: