This Page

has been moved to new address

Just Because...

Sorry for inconvenience...

Redirection provided by Blogger to WordPress Migration Service
Just Because...
Just Because...

Sunday, September 30, 2007

Mustering Up The Courage...

I go through these stints where you can drop me in a nightclub and I'm chatting up the DJ and the club owner and am in my environment, to where I turn into a recluse and my shyness takes over and I shut off the phone, don't answer emails, nada.

I have an opportunity this week to branch out, shall we say, but the fear of the unknown is holding me back a bit. All weekend long there have been little things pointing me towards the "do what you REALLY want to do" but then I just want to hide under the covers and not peek out until its safe to go back to the mediocre. And as I go on, I know that the mediocre is not for me. It's a means to an end, but it doesn't fulfill my soul. So now the shy period has set in.

I'm sure that this too shall pass :::sigh:::

Labels:


Posted by Lys :: 8:25 PM :: 2 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Methinks Moi Doth Protest Too Much...

Well, I've come to another earth shattering revelation. I have a habit of protesting stupid things - why I don't know, I just will make a decision and *boom* I'm done with it.

Some prime examples:

1) My friend at work, M., sent me a link of headlines from Central Florida News 13 and one of which was "NIKE UNVEILS SHOE DESIGNED FOR NATIVE AMERICANS". A) That's tacky; B) As I've got some Native American/Indian blood coursing through my veins, I'm annoyed. Do you see any other "race/origin" sneaker. Yeah - exactly. GRRRR; C) Apparently if you are Native American, you have wide feet. They want to promote wellness on the reservations. Umm.. lets see - remove the liquor stores, help with the job banks, etc. What the heck does Nike know about reservations. Plan has now formulated in my head to NEVER buy Nike. Will Nike care - notsomuch. Will I - You Betcha. See, take my Irish temper and Native American blood and add in a case of PMS = Nike better watch out. Makes me want to throw a tomahawk at their butts.

2) One of the Divas, Diane loves herself anything made by Juicy Couture. If it's a bag, sweats, perfume, doggie bed - anything that is made by Juicy, you can rest assured she is considering buying it. Seriously, they should pay her a salary for all that she does. She joked around with me today re: Juicy perfume and I said I don't like it. Have I smelled it - No. Have I tried it - No. My reason for the "No likey" verdict - The Paris Hilton Ebola Virus has worn Juicy products and I don't want any association with that chick. Don't tell me she's worn CLs please. I don't think I can handle the horror.

3) Jessica Simpson shoes: The gal has some seriously cute shoes but I REFUSE to wear them, buy them, nada. I did, at one time, seriously contemplate getting the tortoiseshell heels. Reese promptly held a quasi-intervention and I, to this day, refuse to buy any type of shoes that bear her name and roll my eyes at anything that gal designs. Jessica Simpson = Designer ... ummm.. HUMPH! I don't think so - she has a team that designs for her but blah. Don't get me started on J.Lo either.

4) Jessica Simpson Denim: Continuing on the Jessica Simpson rant - for my plus size gals out there - remember when Ms. Blondie Simpson decided she was going to sell designer jeans in the PLUS SIZE STORES? C'mon - outside of her purses, what the heck does Jessica Simpson know about plus size, let alone plus size fashion - NADA! I refused to shop in The Avenue for 2 years because of it. Thankfully, that is no longer, but still. I see a Jessica Simpson clothing line in any other plus size store, we're done, through, kaput. Y'all think I'm kiddin', right?

5) Grey's Anatomy: When the whole IsaiahGate scandal broke, I got annoyed - annoyed at the media coverage, annoyed at his remarks, and annoyed at the storyline. What did I do - I boycotted. I refused to watch the show. Did ABC care? Nope. Did I? Yup after I got sick of hearing "Did you hear what happened on Grey's" or forever peppering Meowmix with questions on what happened the night before. I also got the overwhelming desire to beg Perez Hilton to forcefeed Ellen Pompeo a cheeseburger. Realizing that neither is gonna happen, I have realized that I missed a whole season over something stupid. Yeah, I know - buy the DVDs...

6) Cracker Barrel: Hearing about the purported discrimination that the restaurant Cracker Barrel carried out against its employees, I refused to eat there. Still don't go. Have never been in. Does Cracker Barrel care - nope. Do I, nope. I probably wouldn't like it anyways.

7) American Idol: While about 60% of the American public tends to gravitate to that music fest that is American Idol, I don't nor do some of my music friends. Why you ask, because it is NOT a true representation of the music industry. The record industry chews up and spits out people by the bushel. And it's not easy - as a matter of fact it's hard. There are bands that struggle for eons trying to get noticed. You don't get noticed by auditioning on TV or doing a panther crawl and have a long lasting musical career out of it. Don't even get me started on their contracts that the finalists have to sign. Highway robbery (but then again - that is an accurate reflection of the music industry). Still, does Fox care that I don't watch it? Nope. Do I care. Not really. And I relish in the fact that while I think Simon is a hoot (and one of the most accurate depictions of a record exec), having to not watch Ryan Seacrest AND Paula Abdul act the fool is even better. I'll just get the recaps from y'all. Want to see some real singing: Showtime at the Apollo!

8) CSI: I love CSI (Las Vegas) but refused to watch most of last season as they put KFed on one of the shows. My reasoning, were the producers stupid? Did CSI jump the shark? KFed couldn't act his way out of his marriage, let alone one of the best series on TV. I refused to watch. Period. Did CBS care? Nope, because I still Tivo'd that mess. Did I care? Yup now because I have to watch the FULL SEASON this weekend. HUMPH! However, I will still fast forward through the KFed parts.

There are, I'm sure, way more examples, but I can't even remember them. Apparently I do protest so often that now my memory is gone.

Labels: ,


Posted by Lys :: 5:13 PM :: 2 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

The Reappearance of the Cooking Mojo...

Friday afternoon, I left the 9to5 early and was able to drop by my fave farm stand: Maters & Taters. I departed with my normal veggies, but added a few extras into the mix (fresh ginger, some asparagus, butternut squash, etc.) See, I have a problem where I will do the food shopping, but when I get home from work, I'm dead drained tired and the last thing I feel like doing lately is whipping up a culinary masterpiece. Either lately I've been doing takeout, grabbing a Lean Cuisine or making something simple, like a sandwich. I know I know. I have a gorgeous kitchen, have my pots and pans and knives which I had to have (and I could have bought those CL shoes with the cost of everything) and hell, let's not even go into the appliances I *had* to buy when I moved into this lovely abode.

I have shamed the cooking gods. Seriously, the Food Network should just ban me from watching because no matter how much I want to cook, I just can't find the get up and gumption to do it. There has been no pep in my step.

Well, that was until tonight. See, Michelle talked about a lovely sauce she made the other day and that inspired me to pick up a batch of mini plum tomatoes from Maters & Taters. I'm not a fan of the jarred sauce. I will use it in a pinch, but most of the time, I prefer to make my own (and my vodka sauce is delish! Trust me on that one!). Not bad for an Irish wench, huh? I joke that I must have been Italian in a former life as I'm a huge fan of anything Italian: shoes, pasta, spices, handbags, art, men, etc. I actually want to go to Italy on a future vacation. Who knows what can happen. But I digress.

Tonight, on the drive home (I got out around 6ish), I figured "eehhh.. let me just pick up something on the way home". Then I thought "eeehhhh... I don't want to cook - I'm tired"... then I remembered that the tomatoes might go bad if I don't get my crap together. See I'll buy something and then don't use it at times. It's a waste, I know but I have this emotional thing where I have to have a full pantry and fridge. Flashback to the whole divorce debacle, I guess. But back to the problem at hand.

Well, I did go pick up something - my Dunkin' Donuts hazelnut iced coffee - 2 of 'em (1 for the morning and 1 for tonight), a muffin for the a.m. drive (pumpkin muffins - yum!) and figured "ENOUGH LAZINESS LYS! TIME TO COOK". So with that, I prepared to enter the kitchen. I washed the dishes, cleared off the cooking area, put a pot of water on the stove to boil, and then got to work.

I was too lazy to go look up Michelle's recipe but remembered enough for a little variation. I preheated the oven to 425, covered a baking sheet with tinfoil and sprayed it with olive oil, washed the pint of plum tomatoes (which turned out to be perfectly ripe), tossed the tomatoes with a bit of EVOO, salt & pepper and popped them into the oven for about 12 min. until they began to burst. Then, I took the tomatoes out, let them rest for about 5 minutes while I took two garlic cloves, the cooled tomatoes, a bit of dried oregano and basil, salt, pepper and a bit of hot pepper flakes for a dash of heat into my NEVER USED food processor (had to have, never broke it in), pulse the above for a little bit, stream in some more olive oil, pulse again and viola! Fresh Roasted Tomato Sauce...


While I was whirring the sauce, my water was boiling some 5 cheese ravioli that I had the in freezer (gotta love Costco) and then it was time for plate assembly.

Ladle a bit of sauce on the bottom ala Emeril style, gently spoon the pillows of pasta-y goodness onto the plate, ladle a bit more sauce and BAM!

Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present, 5 Cheese Ravioli with Roasted Tomato Diablo Sauce... Thanks Michelle!

Labels: ,


Posted by Lys :: 9:22 PM :: 3 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Its Season Premiere Week. Are You Ready??

All those advertisements about the new season shows and premiere culminated into this week. And, after watching tonight's season premieres of BONES and THE UNIT (and prepping for CANE) I have one complaint - What the HECK happened to the theme song for THE UNIT!! I count on that song to set the tone of the episode. WTH?!?!?

What's on your "must see" list this week??

Labels: ,


Posted by Lys :: 9:48 PM :: 2 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Full Disclosure: Shoe Shopping Is NOT Good On A Deadline...

The other day, I had a con call scheduled with an artist that I've been helpin' out with. Prior to jumping on the call, I had to detour to the mall and pick up some shoes to go with my new fall wardrobe as I was wearing an outfit the next day that called for a pop of color. See, I got those lovely Real Women Dollars at Lane Bryant that I had to spend and, I have to confess, this gal went a little crazy. Yes, I saved a fortune, but did I really because of LB's mark-up? Also, I hate when I have an idea of what I want to look like and what shoes I have to have to make the outfit pop. I just refuse to settle for something outside of the concept I have in my mind.

Some time ago, I know I let y'all know that I was debating yellow or blue 9West Liatris Peep Toe Pumps. However, when I went into 9West a few weeks ago (and dealt with idiots 1 & 2 at the Fashion Square Mall), I literally put the yellow pumps back and basically told them not to bother - thanks but no thanks. Yes, I cut them off at the knees, but I've come to expect a certain type of customer service from the 9West folks and these two need to be shipped off with the Nordys shoe guy and that bimbo at Nordstrom to perhaps, I dunno, Shoe Carnival. You either work with a customer or you don't. You don't talk down to them (especially when you have someone like moi who knows 9West's shoes inside and out and has about 70% of her shoe wardrobe from there). You don't lie to a customer that someone does not have a certain shoe when you didn't even call OR look it up online. You don't... let me just shut up - I just will NEVER shop at the 9West at Fashion Square Mall again. They are horrible - both the manager and the salesclerk. Note to Fashion Square 9West folks: Learn your product line. Live your product line. Treat your customers as customers, not a nuisance. And, for the love of god, don't EVER be condescending to a customer. We're done. I'll jump off my soapbox now.

So, back to the story at hand. Y'all know I detest the Florida Mall and normally go there under duress. Well, times have changed. I stopped in and ran into the shoe guy in Saks who, not only remembered my name but also remembered my shoe size!!! However, I have yet to purchase something from him, but you know he's getting that Stuart Weitzman sale from me when I'm ready. I took off like a shot outta hell because I had the shoes to get at 9West and something else before my 7:30 con call and it was already 7:00. Well, 9West had my blue shoe ready and out for me. I had called prior to my arrival to doublecheck about whether or not they had the shoe and the woman there was so kind and gracious - for a second I had to ask if I really called the Florida Mall store - this was Millenia Mall treatment that I always seem to get. Bonus points. And it was on sale.


So behold my cobalt blue beauties from 9West to go with my cobalt pieces from LB shopping overload. Can I say they are hot hot hot! Love them much more than the yellow. The blue is SO rich and with jeans, black, or gray pants - love love love! The pewter base just sets it off perfectly.

And then I detoured into Torrid. Why - because I had to have THESE boots and they are gorgeous - and they are on sale. While their clothes beckoned to be touched, tried on and relocated to a new home, I had to decline and ran out there with only the boots. Reese loves this store and I can start to see why.

Aren't they trouble (but in such a good way - I rocked those puppies last night)...

And finally, I stopped in Staccato - yes, it was 7:25, but I had to look and found a gorgeous pair of grayish blue snakeskin peep pumps for $28 marked down from $118. I'd put up a picture but their website is all flashy and I don't know how to pull the photos - but they are the Clio brand. Knowing that the clock was ticking, I didn't have the time to really try them on and figured 41 = 10.5 - should fit fine as I'm a 9.5/10 and quickly slipped my toes into the front. Well, guess what, when I got them home I found out that I couldn't put them on because those suckers were TOO NARROW at the back. And they were final sale. Totally my own fault - so either one of my friends will adopt them or those are going on EBay for relocation to a loving home. However, lesson learned - in Staccato - try on the daggone shoes and NEVER shop there in a rush. Trust me on this.
All in all, shoe shopping for me is never good on a deadline, but all in all, I'm getting happier with my fall wardrobe.

Labels: , ,


Posted by Lys :: 4:03 PM :: 1 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------

Saturday, September 22, 2007

And With a 1-2 Punch...

Well, like I was prattling on last week - my boy, JoeZ. hit the ball out of the park this month. His album went to #1 as one of the top selling freestyle albums, he's been featured in a top radio industry magazine and he performed at not one but two shows and one of those shows was for one of the top radio stations in Philly, Q102 and was in front of over 2,000 screaming fans.

Earlier this evening, he buzzes me to give me a heads up that the show performance was uploaded to YouTube. So, if you feel like showin' a little love, check out his performance (and please excuse the bouncer who kept moving in front of the vidcam)...



Now, I'm off and about to get gussied up. This gal is heading out to one of the hottest nightspots in Orlando, Dragon Room, and I have an image to maintain ;) Have a fabulous weekend everyone!

Labels:


Posted by Lys :: 7:55 PM :: 0 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------

Friday, September 21, 2007

Obsessed With: Stuart Weitzman's Ombre Pumps..


First of all - I've found myself mesmerized by the Ombre shoes that Prada has. But, sadly, when I happened to be walking through Saks the other day, my shoe buddy showed me the ombre shade I loved, but they were Mary Janes. I'm NOT going to spend $510 on a pair of Mary Janes that I don't adore. I thought I had saw them as pumps, and they were, but only in tan/brown. I wanted grey/black.

Well, The Secret has spoken and I discovered this: Stuart Weitzman's Ombre Pumps in Coal. First, kudos to Kalisah over at I'm Not My Hair for pointing out all things Stuart Weitzman on her blog. That gal has impeccable taste. Secondly, while they are pricey, I am going to do some investigating of these shoes. I need to know fit, sizing, etc. I'm hearing that they might run narrow. I also don't want to go into a situation like when I bought a pair of Michael Kors pumps in a 10 (I run either a 9.5 or a 10 in all shoes) from Nordys last season (the platform 4" round toe stack pumps) and didn't try them on. Sadly, the 10s fit like 9s. Yeah, those are my 4 hour shoes. If you saw under my desk, I have about 3 pairs under there. A pair of black wedges, the painful shoes and a pair of black flats. I'm armed to move people.


So - if anyone has ever tried Mr. Weitzman's shoes, can you fill in a gal? And, this is my promise to y'all - if all works out with a recent project, those shoes WILL be mine by birthday time...

Labels: , ,


Posted by Lys :: 11:02 PM :: 4 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------
Central Florida: Doc Is In The House...


One of my favorite morning radio personalities is Doc Holliday and I, along with many other Central Florida listeners, have missed his witty banter on 106.7 during the morning drive time commute. Now, let me state for the record, Alex & Johnny are fabulous - always enjoy talkin' with them and listening to their crew in the morning is a hoot - but I have to confess, I miss Doc.

Yesterday, in passing at the 9to5, I was asked what had happened to our fave morning man. I commented that the last I heard, Doc had left 106.7 and it was also rumored that he was workin' at ESPN or something doing voice-over work. While I didn't know if it was true or not, I had heard he was doing well (a good friend of mine and he both go to the same church). I still missed hearing him chatter in the morning and, since his departure in February, often I would listen to CDs or something when getting ready then tune into 106.7 on my drive in for traffic, Jayde's celeb trash and whatnot. Well, then I hear this gem: "Lys - Doc's on the morning show at K92 - the Country Station". Sure enough, I google K92, check out the website and viola - DOC IN THE MORNING! Now I'm a VERY happy gal indeed.

Doc, for those that don't know Central Florida, has been in our market for 17 years on one station - that in itself is a huge feat. My mom worked in radio while I was growing up and I remember that about the time when the "books" [Arbitron ratings] came out each quarter (Arbitron can be a *#!*@), you would hear one DJ one day and the next day at the same time *poof* there could be a new DJ.

Doc also has a heart - he's one of the first ones to organize a charity event to help those in need. I saw this first hand with a Christmas drive he was an integral part of. So, K92 got a gem of a guy. And, an added plus, the community got its voice back as well because Doc often speaks what others think but don't often vocalize.

Now - y'all know me. This gal doesn't DO country. Heck, I even turned down some PR work for a country artist because I didn't know the market that well. However, this morning I woke up to a VERY FAMILIAR voice as the sounds of Doc Holliday resonated throughout my house courtesy of the clock radio.

Is there anything better than sitting down with Doc & a cup of coffee to start one's day? I think not.

Welcome back, Doc!!! We've missed you!

Labels: , , ,


Posted by Lys :: 3:40 PM :: 0 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------
Braindead...

I'd love to think of something witty and I know I have a full disclosure to make about my adventures in shoe shopping yesterday, but that would require this gal to think. Sadly, my last 5 functioning brain cells are being used to write this little entry, so I'll give ya a raincheck (but trust me when I say the shoes are va-va-VOOM!)...

So, I'm going to leave you with a funny gem I found via Jossip.com, one of my fave gossip homes. Turn DOWN the speakers or watch it at home, but you will NEVER look at Sesame Street the same, I promise...



I won't go into some of the other stuff on the GorillaMask website, but let's just say seeing Dora the Explorer sing "Lean like a Choulo" and The Seven Dwarfs acting out a scene from Reservoir Dwarfs/Dogs was disturbing, at the very least. I did enjoy some of the other mashups - Muppets & Horror Movies (Preppy - you might enjoy). Just don't shoot me if your IT dept. goes "What EXACTLY were ya lookin' at".

I know I know - totally off the PG-13 rating today :::sigh::: but you gotta admit, Bert & Ernie as Pesci & Deniro are hilar...

Labels: , ,


Posted by Lys :: 12:49 AM :: 2 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

The School of Cash Back...

Interesting Story: My dad called me the other day wanting to buy something online and, as he tells me about it, I told him to hold off for a day or so because not only would I find him a coupon, but he'd also get cash back for it.

At the 9to5, I've been told that I should "teach a class" on the art of the coupon/cash back so, grab your notebook people. Class is now in session.

First of all, there are three places you must sign up:

Now, each one has it's own pluses and minuses, and I personally tend to gravitate to Ebates & Mr. Rebates for most of my cash back deals. Fat Wallet needs to step up the game a bit (and we're still in a bit of a spat - long story).

Payments and Incentives:

Ebates pays quarterly which is always a nice little bonus and you get $5.00 for signing up (as do I). Mr. Rebates gives you a registration bonus of $2.50 (but they also seem to have the higher percentages) and for anyone you refer, you also get bonuses. Also, just fyi - the cash back is normally available in your account after 90 days. Prior to that it's pending.

Customer Service:

For the record, I have had NO problems with Mr. Rebates or Ebates at all and they are amazing. Fat Wallet is trying. They were really good once, and perhaps it was just a rep of theirs which soured me on the site, but I'll give them a shot again.

Shopping Mecca:

Pretty much I'd say about 80% of the stores I use online give cash back through one of these sites. (I'm still hoping that Kiyonna gets a clue). We're talking everything from shoes, to clothes, to DVDs & Movies, to Kitchen Stuff to even iTunes and Apple iPods/Computers! Some places let you buy it online and then go in and pick it up on your way home (Circuit City/Linens N Things/Best Buy). I even got cash back for my credit stuff through MyFico. The junk mail is very nil to none. Also, if you are truly curious, you can shoot me an email and I'll send a copy of my Excel Cash Back Comparison which I refer to first in my handy dandy budget file before any shopping is to be had. (Yes, I know - go ahead and roll the eyes).

Coupons:

Now, any shopping I do online, I really try to use a coupon or some sort of deal. Most of the sites also have a little button for coupons, but I always have to make my life a bit more "adventuresome" and scour the 'net. There are a host of online coupon sites i.e. Coupon Cabin, Ultimate Coupons, etc. Also, you can look through the forums at SlickDeals.net, FatWallet, etc. to maximize your dollar. But be careful with this as sometimes FatWallet will disqualify for use of a coupon.

So, with that, let's break for recess and if you have any questions at all, shoot me an email. I will be available for shopping counseling.

Labels: ,


Posted by Lys :: 12:56 PM :: 2 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

... Just a Couple Minutes More...

Well, I think the last time I posted was Sunday and here it is going into Wednesday and my work is FAR from finished. I need to keep remembering that when one door closes, another two windows fly open. Balancing the 9to5 with the PR stuff has been chaotic at best right now.

JoeZ.'s single has taken off and Sunday night I got a call from him which about floored me. Apparently, he was added to the lineup last minute for a gig up north and the crowd went insane. Now, normally, I have been known to subtract a few points for embellishment if I wasn't there. However, this time was not the case as I spoke with a dear friend of mine who also happened to be at the show. Turns out, actually JoeZ's version was watered down because the crowd went NUTS when he was on stage. Warmed my heart, let me tell you. He's worked so hard and he's been performing like crazy the past month & a half so to see this work out for him is fabulous. To top it off, today, his picture and single were included in a radio trade magazine which set off yet another whirlwind of activity, phones blowing up, emails flying, blackberries buzzing, etc. In the words of Posh Spice, "It's Majahhhhh". Timing wise, it's chaos as I super scheduled myself again and have to move some deadlines.

However, I was able to watch a bit of TV over the top of the laptop screen tonight as I typed pitch after pitch, and caught Bravo's "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style". Let me confess now, I really don't watch Project Runway and I never *got* Mr. Gunn. However, this is the second time I caught the show and, after the first premiere episode, I will admit I went out and bought his book. Now, in no way am I cheating on my beloved What Not To Wear and Clinton & Stacey, but while Stacey can scare a marine, Mr. Gunn just has this grace and style about him where I would love to have 20 minutes to talk to him to just pick his brain. This will be on my Tivo list. And, I'll let you know how the book is. And the Macy*s commercials... too much. I am not a Martha Stewart fan (Michele - DO NOT SHOOT ME), but his interaction with her and her daughter is hilarious.

OK - back to the nose to the grindstone and work work work.

(For those interested in hearing Joe's new single, drop me an email, please.)

Labels: , , ,


Posted by Lys :: 11:11 PM :: 2 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Flashback: High Society...

Rather than watch the Emmys tonight, I decided to work on a client's bio and watch a classic movie which I NEVER saw before (but I will be getting for the DVD rack) - HIGH SOCIETY...

Check this out:

Gotta love Sinatra and Bing Crosby...



And the epitome of grace, Ms. Grace Kelly -



and my favorite song, "Who Wants to Be A Millionaire"...



I had NO IDEA that was Celeste Holm in that clip. I remember her from various shows/soaps in the 80s and of course the classic, All About Eve.

Seriously - if you haven't seen it, you should. The cast is amazing - Frank Sinatra, Grace Kelly, Bing Crosby, Celeste Holm, Louie Armstrong & his band; Music by Cole Porter, etc. etc. etc. Yeah, it's old Hollywood at its best - no super special effects, but good scripts and fabulous talent.

Perhaps its a bit of a carryover from my days at Bay Path where one of my favorite professors, Paul Norton, taught us an appreciation of classic movies, but still they just don't make movies like they did back then :::sigh:::

Labels: ,


Posted by Lys :: 9:20 PM :: 0 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------
Fashion Week S&TC Wisdom


Charlotte (whispering): Could you please not use the F-word in Vera Wang?

Labels:


Posted by Lys :: 4:30 PM :: 1 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------
Word to the Wise...

For the most part, I run an even keel ship when it comes to comments and rarely moderate. I originally put comment moderation in place to deflect spam bots, family members and some of my crazy friends who love to post anonymously (also it sates the control freak in me). However, I do feel the need to remind everyone that this is really a benevolent dictatorship, key term: dictatorship, as this is my blog. And my decision to reject any comment is my choice and final.

Also - let me stress that I REFUSE to let my blog be a forum for someone to attack a blog reader of mine. SO - let this be a stern warning to not use my comments as a method of attack, either on myself or my blog readers. And, to the person who decided to play blog drama queen - either play nicely in the sandbox or don't let the door hit you on the butt on your way out.

And how was your day?

Labels: ,


Posted by Lys :: 4:10 PM :: 1 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------

Saturday, September 15, 2007

The Sweet Stuff...

Today, I decided to crash for a bit on the couch, and decided to watch Food Network's "Food Wars". It was one of those lazy moments where I just did NOT feel like changing the channel, not because I was super interested in the show, but I didn't feel like challenging my hand to find the remote. We'll call it my "guy moment".

Tonight they showed the Food Wars between Ice Cream (Ben & Jerry's/Hagan Daz) and the Cola Wars (Coke v. Pepsi). I already have my favorites between the two. While my uncle prefers Pepsi and I drank Diet Pepsi growing up, I'm more of a Diet Coke gal. (Diet Coke with a bit of Captain Morgan is even better!). Ice Cream - I like both Ben & Jerry's & Hagan Daz. I'm not super picky - I have favorites in both brands and they offer the light/non-fat versions which makes me very happy.

Then they went onto candy companies and let me tell you - the nostalgia wave hit. They showed Dylan Lauren's "Dylan's Candy Bar" as well as brands such as Reeses/Hersey's, The Sky Bar and those daggone candy dots from Necco (Did you know they were made in Cambridge Massachusetts?). Now, I'm a sucker for Reese's Pieces/PB Cups, etc. but candy wise, I'm not super fan. I don't really find myself craving sweet stuff - more salty. Doritos Cool Ranch & I have been longtime friends, but now I have an insane curiosity to go to the Florida Mall tomorrow and actually check out Dylan's Candy Bar. I have never visited the store - just always saw it on my travels to 9West and M.A.C.

I guess it might be what Food Network said: "More people are becoming wistful for their childhood candies". What's your candy craving?

Labels:


Posted by Lys :: 10:21 PM :: 2 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------

Thursday, September 13, 2007

The Return of... S&TC Musings of the Week...

In honor of the new Sex & The City movie due to start filming shortly and an absence of all things Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha related...please enjoy this week's Sex & The City Quote of the Week...

Samantha: I can't even be around that man. He's dangerous and toxic.

Carrie: So he's manthrax?

Labels:


Posted by Lys :: 2:03 PM :: 0 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------
Confession Time...

I have a confession. I have the right to recant this or, on a whim, just change my mind back to my prior musings.

I'm bored with ... Coffee. Yes, you read that right - the coffee addict is kinda bored with her coffee. I love[d] Pumpkin Spice, but after the desire for yet another Blueberry Iced Tea thing,* it seems too much for me (right now). Perhaps I'm still in a summer mood frame (tho with slowly growing fall wardrobe). Perhaps I just need a change. All in all, lately I just haven't felt that morning drive for a cup o' joe. I haven't been entirely bitchy when I haven't had my daily dose of java. I even haven't freaked out when I haven't been able to a lunch or 20 minutes and run across the street for some peace and quiet. And it's not just Starbucks, it's any ice coffee/coffee/Dunkin' Donuts/McD's, etc.

What led to this revelation? Well, last night, I went to the Altamonte Mall to use up a Barnes & Noble coupon that expired. In wandering through Macy*s, Lane Bryant, Bakers and a few other stores, I passed the 'Bucks and, out of habit, I stopped for a Pumpkin Spice Nonfat Iced Latte. In sipping my coffee, I just realized that "hmmm.. not lovin' the stuff as much". It might be an after effect of this damn cold/flu/bug/hellvirus or perhaps my body is on caffeine overload. (I went almost a week without coffee) The feeling still stayed with me today when I did the "cheapgal's latte" (9to5 provided café latte from their espresso machine - not super good but it suffices when I can't leave) and tossed a little pumpkin spice creamer into it.

Someone call the doctor - there must be something wrong. After 35** years on the sauce, I've NEVER felt like this.

*Apparently Starbucks was not prepared for the success of the Blueberry Iced Tea and ran out! This is my notice to them: BRING IT BACK! You would think, as a stockholder, my word would carry a little bit of weight - notsomuch! Seriously, Starbucks just needs to add that to the menu more than some of their other offerings.

** My mother had ice coffee all while pregnant with me - so I consider myself an addict from before birth.

Labels:


Posted by Lys :: 12:12 PM :: 2 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Like a Kid In The Candy Store...

9West and I are on a bit of a "break" ala Ross & Rachel. After a bit of creative differences with two wacky employees, I think the time for me to set my sights on few new other brands is right. Tonight, I took a bit of time to wander through Macy*s and, here are some of the shoes I'm lusting after right now. One problem: I have never worn these brands so I'm a bit hesitant... If you have any advice, it's most welcome :)




I LOVE these black/gray pumps by BCBGirls, but the heel reminds me of a Budget Fashionista post wherein she advised that Lucite heels (even if they are smoky dark grey/black colored) still screams "hooker". Maybe its just me.



And these BCBGirls Pumps are STUNNING. By far they are my favorite. The red quilting and black cap toe are gorgeous. The price, however, is not. Let's hope for a sale... pray for a sale... sale sale sale...



I saw these Etienne Aigner Slingbacks in Philadelphia and loved them. They are classic and I think they would last for quite some time.



These Mary Janes by Circa Joan & David are soooo pretty in person. Again, the price - notsomuch. It's the tan/bronze color that sets these apart.



It was like a kid in the candy store for this gal. I went in looking for a kickin' pair of gray heels and fell in love with way too many looks... :::sigh::: I just hope Overstock or SmartBargains gets some of these lovelies soon.

Labels:


Posted by Lys :: 9:40 PM :: 3 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

9/11: We Remember...


9/11 isn't a day to see who can sell the most albums. 9/11 isn't just another day for anyone that is an American. It is a day on which we remember those who lost their lives in the horrid attack on our nation.

Sometimes, I think that we (myself included) take for granted the freedoms we have in this country. This isn't a time to reflect on the president, Congress, the upcoming campaign or even if Cheney shot someone else while hunting.

This is a time to think about the sacrifices people made for us to enjoy the freedom that we have. We have the right to free speech. We have the right to practice any religion we want whether we are Catholic, Mormon, Protestant, Buddhist, Atheist, Wiccan, Episcopalian, whatever. We have the right to bear arms. We have the right to speak our minds. We have so much prosperity and freedom in this country that we sometimes bitch about every.minor.thing. What about those that don't have the right to prove themselves innocent. What about women who are treated like second/third class citizens overseas. What about those that don't enjoy all that WE have here in the land of the free, home of the brave.

So, with that, please take a moment today and think about those that perished for our freedom. I know I will be.

(Also - many are keeping their headlights on while driving in memory of those in the 9/11 attacks. Jus' something to keep in mind.)

Labels: ,


Posted by Lys :: 2:22 PM :: 1 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------

Monday, September 10, 2007

Ahhh.. Now This is How Its Done...

TiVo not only taped Video Soul for a gal, but also was kind enough to tape BET's Soul Sessions for me and, it more than made up for the craptastic awards last night. Of course they had the normal Beyonce, Kanye and crew, but I don't sweat it and hit the fast forward button (Deja Vu is NOT one of my fave Beyonce tracks). One of the few things I adore outside of Freestyle, 80s tracks and dance music is the Philly NeoSoul sound and in a flash of good karma that I was treated to Angie Stone, Musiq Soulchild, a new artist Deemi, and even a flashback of Janet "Ms. Jackson if You're Nasty" with "When I Think of You"..

Enjoy!

Labels:


Posted by Lys :: 8:39 PM :: 1 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------
Obsessed With: Randolph Duke Lace Up Boots...


Regardless of my living in Central Florida, I am a sucker for a good boot. Ankle boots and me, we'relikethis. If it's sexy, got a heel and I can rock it under pants or jeans, it's all mine. I'm especially a sucker for a good lace up heeled granny boot. Why, I don't know. I can tell you I got into MORE trouble with a particular pair of boots I wore, rain, snow, sleet & ice - I didn't care if I broke my neck - dammit I looked good in those boots. Sadly, the heel broke one night and they were never to be heard from again. To this day, I still sigh and remember those boots of old and have a couple pairs almost like them, but they aren't "the boot"

Last year, I took the plunge and found a couple pairs of knee length boots for gals with wide calves with a pretty decent heel, but it's more chunky than I normally care for. I may be plus size, but dammit, those calves of mine are toned more than LL Cool J's abs. The problem with me is I never can find one with a decent heel height & look. I am, after all, a card carrying member of the Stiletto Sorority. And, when it comes to stretching a boot - I'm always nervous. Meowmix found a killer pair of boots last year and had them stretched, but I wonder - will it work on these?

Well, I found these killer Randolph Duke boots. G'head shudder at the price tag - I did. Now, if you chop it off at the ankle, you will have "The Boot" - the ones I adored. So, here I am, seeing a knee length vision of my favorite boot with 4"+ heel and gold trim and all I can think of is "must must must have". I just need to think about it.

Labels: ,


Posted by Lys :: 5:51 PM :: 1 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------
Soapbox Time: Tabloid-Ism and the Celebutard

I kinda refrain from Celebrity Ranting on this blog, but I have had it up to HERE with the shenanigans of the recent Celebutards that are in the news... You know the normal crew, Lindsay, Paris Hilton, Nicole Ritchie, Jessica Simpson and, of course, the queen of wtf - Britney. We've got major issues in the world and the news is focused on the Celebrity Factor.

Well, I'm reading my gossip blogs online and lo and behold - Britney has done did it again. Yup, Ms. Britney has been spotted out sans knickers getting out of the car at the Bellagio. First the crappy performance last night, massive partying and pics online knowing she'll be in the tabloids and, yup - flashing the va-jay-jay yet again :::yawn:::

I really think that some of these celebutards have an emotional addiction to being in the tabloids. It's almost like they must be on the cover, in the glossy pages, heading the gossip blogs, etc. every week for them to feel validated. Perhaps they must have people consistently chattering about their latest exploit for them to feel "on top". Forget the fact that they are selling albums or in a movie. No - they have to go about crashing cars with the strong possibility of putting innocent people in danger, going to some sort of rehab for the umpteenth time, babies (in the recent "musings" of Ms. Hilton - "I want a baby" - or Jessica Simpson wanting to adopt...ummm.. can someone tell these gals that a baby is NOT a fashion accessory).

These "artists" (and I use the term loosely) appear to do anything of shock value just to get their names in the headlines. I won't even go down the road of their publicists (or them personally) calling the pappies to tip them off to where they are. And then shopping / frequenting certain pappy haunts i.e. Kitsons, Robertson Boulevard, The Ivy, Les Deux, etc. Also, I won't even fathom the idea that their publicists (or them personally) place any and all items, under the guise of any publicity is good publicity. NO - NO - NO!

Listen, there are other people that have things at stake here. In the case of Britney - without even delving into the whole custody drama/momma fighting/divorce/lollipop issue (and my heart breaks for her little ones with all that's been leaked and the upcoming custody battle), but let's talk from the business side - let's talk about the label. The label is putting out her album on November 13th. You can make damn sure that they got someone scrubbing those vocals because with as much partying as Ms. Spears has done lately, you know those vocal cords are going to be a mess. That's expensive. She can't write tracks to save her life, imo, so that's gonna cost money. Rumor had it that she was initially presented with Umbrella and she (or her team) dropped. the. ball. Yes - the runaway hit that garnered Rihanna the top prize was supposedly originally offered to Britney and she stalled. They've got major producers waiting on Britney for a kick-azz track and she's stalling. She's recording a bunch of "lackluster" tracks at best. So then Jive/The Firm (management) or whoever have her open the VMAS. What. A. Joke. The show was really not *all that*, IMO, but it was made MUCH worse by her "comeback" performance which really was a waste of time. There are so many other FABULOUS performers that could use a shot, but she just basically, as Perez says, insulted the viewers with her lackluster performance. And then she flashes her private parts to the world yet again. Like that's going to stop the headlines from "Crappy Performance" to "Oops she did it again". How much did her label lose and how long until they drop her.

Seriously - I'm about over the whole mess.

Labels: , ,


Posted by Lys :: 3:39 PM :: 1 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------

Sunday, September 09, 2007

Live Blogging the VMAs...

That time is upon us again, yes... award season is starting again and kicking it off is the crazy of crazy - MTV's VMAs.. and they couldn't have found a more interesting city to host it in but Vegas. Those that have visited Vegas, know that the town is, most definitely, Sin City - definitely one of my favorite cities on earth...

So - watching the pre-show, I'm going to attempt to live blog the VMAs. Refresh and comment away...

PRE-Show:
  • Enough already with asking every artist and their momma "Do you think Britney can make a comeback". Obviously the channel is going to bank either way - either she does well and makes a comeback and they get press or she tanks, the comeback is nil and they still get press. Like Nelly Furtado said, she was raised doing this - child star and all. Can we move onto something more interesting?
  • So over this 9/11 - Kanye/50 Cent drama. Really - let's remember what 9/11 is REALLY about - it's not about record release dates. Here's a novel idea - how about either of these two hip hop "stars" donating a portion of the record sales to 9/11 families?
  • So over the swag endorsements - Neutrogena Gifting Suite. I'm sure there were gifting suites galore.
  • Mary J. Blige - Classic Diva. Love her. The earrings were very dramatic. Bad form to ask her about Britney.
  • While we are on the subject of clothing choices, Rihanna looked great
  • PCD's Nicole & Lil' Wayne are performing... standby - she can't even get TI to do the track with her LIVE??? I love the PCD, but I'm so sick of the song already. I've heard some of the advance tracks from her new album and I'm not impressed yet.
  • I have to say - I really really really hope that these hip hop artists with all the bling in their mouth also put some money away in investments and things of that nature as well - live off the interest!! (Sorry - watched a Forbes profile on Jay-Z - now that is a businessman!)
  • Back to the Nicole/Lil' Wayne show - not lovin' the booties with the dress. Makeup was flawless as usual.
  • Sujin Pack's dress is really interesting.
  • The Room Check ads are quite funny - 578 breath mints for Justin Timberlake???
  • I LOVE Gym Class Heros - the fact that Travis flat ironed his hair had me in SHOCK. "Clothes Off" is one of my fave tracks.
  • Oh boy - Paris has arrived. *yawn*
  • Jennifer Hudson - looks amazing!! Luda looked good as well. Boy is he shorty short short. Every Forbes profile I watched this weekend, he was also included - another smart businessman. But petite next to Ms. Hudson.
  • Another yawn - Kanye has arrived *yawn*. Let's hope he says something "relevant" and less self centered. I'd like him to be a bit more humble but lately his ego has rivaled Justin Timberlake's. EGADS! Wait - he just admitted that the whole 9/11 is truly a marking thing. Interesting. Well he gets points for honesty.
  • Paris Hilton is being interviewed. Wait - isn't that Gwen Stefani wore TWO YEARS AGO - (or similar). However she said she was in for the night - wasn't she there yesterday also - hmmm..

OK... well let's hope the award show is a bit more interesting...

  • Britney Spears... She seems coherent - lipsyncing - surprise surprise - however, IMO, I've seen better from her and I hope the special effects or whatever she's working on with Criss Angel surpasses. I'm loving the flash to various artists on the floor, Diddy, 50 Cent, Rihanna, etc. and they all seem to have the normal industry look of "Next?"... Wait - no special effects from Criss Angel *yawn*
  • Sarah Silverman - I somewhat find her funny, yet sometimes I wonder "HUH" when she speaks. Wait - she's ragging on Britney Spears. Now I'm really astounded with what she's saying - lots of boos. Interesting.
  • Alicia Keys - WOW! Old school glamour. Focus on the celeb party suites.. They say its a one time airing, but on TiVo it says it's repeating at 11. Hmmmm...
  • Mark Ronson - Reese has been raving about his album. His single is really good - has a touch of the old Kim Wilde song, "Keep Me Hanging On".
  • Eve & Nicole Scherzinger (Pussycat Dolls) - Eve looks pissed. They are presenting Monster Single of the Year - Many of those songs that are nominated, I hope to NEVER hear again (Avril, Party Like a Rock Star, etc) and the winner is Rihanna - Umbrella!! Good choice. Again, they flash to her competitor for reaction - T-Pain & Lil' Mama.
  • Kanye performing from the party suite - that's different. I do like the track, tho. Hate to admit it.
  • Oh lord - Akon again. My version of "Smack That" would be more of smackin' the mic out of his hand.
  • Superbad who??
  • R&B Royalty - Robin Thicke and Jennifer Hudson. Interesting, Mr. Thicke sounds so much like his pops, Dr. Seaver aka Alan Thicke when speaking.
  • Justin Timberlake won Quadruple Threat and he's now challenging MTV to play more videos. I think I just saw his head inflate a touch more. Can't wait to see what Lainey says about this tomorrow on her site.
  • Flash to Fall Out Boy Suite - looks like they are in the Hugh Hefner suite... At least they are singing live.
  • Foo Fighters in yet another suite... are all performances going to be in the suites and not on the arena stage??? Is this Timbaland's idea of being "maestro"?? Seems more like chaos to me.
  • Notice that everyone appearing pretty much has an album to promote, movie to promote, project in the works, needs good PR, is a media tabloid "resident" or some other ulterior motive to be there.
  • Oh brother - enough with the Kanye/50 Cent thing. That's it - I'm buying NEITHER album (well I wasn't anyways but this time I'm REALLY not).
  • Beyonce & Shakira won for Beautiful Liar. MTV - did you have to put the tables throughout the ground floor? Again, kinda chaotic when a winner needs to get the award.
  • Wait - Maroon 5 is on - performances are more scaled down and on the upper parts of the theater, but shortened...
  • TI and the stripper pole. Am I the only one that thinks that the "Pole" on stage is over played? Apparently he's in Justin's "Southern Hospitality Suite"
  • Rosario Dawson?? Wonder what movie she's got coming out. Chris Brown - I swear this kid really might out dance Usher and seems to have the big show elements down. Wait - now I see the reasons for the tables on the floor - they are stages. Lipsyncing again but that's to be expected on numbers with high energy dancing and TV production :::sigh::: cut to Rihanna is singing live... Umbrella... Chris Brown back doing a Michael Jackson tribute performance in front of the MTV logo - cut back to his song. I think the two little kids dancing with him really were great. Standing ovation from the room. Britney - hope you were taking notes - THAT was a production.
  • I think Souljah Boy was just on - *yawn*
  • The Hills gals are on presenting Male Artist of the Year: Akon, Robin Thicke, TI, Justin Timberlake, Kanye West and the winner is.... Justin Timberlake.. Wait -he's left the suite and is escorted up by Timbaland?? Why is Timbaland accepting the statue. Wait - it's his duty as Maestro. oh brother. Long live the Pip to quote Lainey. Wait - Justin - commending another artist - GOOD!
  • Cut to Foo Fighters performing Darling Nikki with Cee-Lo.
  • Now 50 Cent performing in the Southern Hospitality Suite and then the camera cuts to Johnny Wright holding Justin Timberlake's moonman, with Justin & TImbaland right behind him. Now they join the 50 cent performance. Always good to see Mr. Wright - gotta keep earnin' that 2%, right?
  • Where the heck has Shia Lebeauf come out of lately - it seems I see his name everywhere over the past couple of months... He's announcing Female Artist of the Year: Beyonce, Fergie, Nelly Furtado, Rihanna, and Amy Winehouse. Winner is *drum roll* FERGIE! I was swearing it would be someone in attendance. GO Stacey!
  • Pam Anderson introducing T-Pain. Can we take that guy's voicebox away for just one track? I'd love to see if he could sing without the effects. And more Kanye.
  • Gym Class Heros jamming with Fall Out Boy & Lil Wayne. The girl in front looked more put out like "how do I dance to this?"
  • Another one that has been everywhere lately - Meghan Fox aka the Angelina Jolie look alike. Timbaland is taking over Rain nightclub.. let's see what performance this is. I'm guessing its the Pip, Timbaland and Nelly Furtado. The man is a musical genius (Timbaland, not JT) I can see why he commends top dollar for tracks. Wait - it's LINKIN PARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now I'm a happy gal! I love Chester's voice. Can I tell you how much I burned out the Queen of the Damned Soundtrack.
  • When they promoted the "Boys from Entourage", I was under the impression that it would be the WHOLE gang, not just Adrian Grenier and Kevin Connolly. That's okay - they are presenting Best Group - winner is... Fall Out By. What is up with Adrian with his little handi-cam??
  • Rihanna performing with Fall Out Boy as her backup band?? She's got alot of energy - I think people forget how young she is, even if it is her third album. The earrings were straight out of Salt n Pepa's video for "Push It".
  • Alicia Keys performs... now this is how one sings live while performing. Not sure about bringing back the "headband". Seems very 1982, American Bandstand for the outfit.
  • More Gym Class Heroes/Fall Out Boy? and it looks like Travis' hair has gotten a life of it's own.
  • Jaime Fox & Jennifer Garner presenting - their movie "Kingdom" comes out soon. Jaime is pratting on about some fight with Kid Rock and Tommy Lee (note to self: check gossip blogs tomorrow) and Jennifer Garner looks very "deer in headlights" again. Thankfully Jaime can work a stage. Best New Group: Gym Class "Fall Out" - *LOL* Wait - I hope that is not the curse of death... GCH could care less - they are too busy celebrating.
  • I'm really about to curse MTV for my 3 hrs back. :::sigh::: I hope they don't repeat this mess - nothing really I would care to see again or on a highlight reel.
  • Mark Ronson & his vocalist performing "Stop Me". I really like this track. Has this old school vibe.
  • Mary J. Blige - and the gal is wearing what it looks to be Mary Janes - might have picked a different shoe for that dress but still - flawless. The woman is the Queen of Hip Hop and some of these artists need to take some notes. She's introing Dr. Dre and called 50 Cent - 50 CentS *LOL*. Now that I am giggling over. Dr. Dre, much like Timbaland, is highly regarded when it comes to production. Diddy with his "pagent clap" - oh brother. Why does Diddy have a mike?
  • Video of the Year: Rihanna won Video of the Year! Kanye & Pip: Comments from the peanut gallery?? Kanye was waxing all poetic about how he needed that video and should have gotten it. JT, well everyone was saying how he'd sweep it. Gotta look out for the young upstarts.
  • Diddy is on the mike. Apparently it was a fight between Kid Rock & Tommy Lee. Just can't give some people some alcohol. Or sit certain people near each other.
  • Did Hero's cheerleader get to see the show at all She's been in the Neutrogena Fan Suite all night.
  • 11:07 and it's STILL Not over.
  • JT/Pip performing - with Timbaland, and Nelly Furtado. Speaking of Nelly Furtado - love her music, not sure if I'm a total fan of the blonde hair tho. Good she's got a hat on and she's singing live (with a vocal track). Timbaland brought the whole crew - D.O.E. and Magoo - one of the fave hiphop tracks from the 90s was Timbaland and Magoo so glad to see Timbaland keeps lifting up his other artists, besides the usual. Keri Hilson is another artist of his that is amazing. Listening to her sing live tonight tho - hmmm.. All in all - great closing performance. Even Justin gave a good show. The man can perform - I always give him props for that. IS THAT JOEY AND JC WITH HIM???? False alarm... still good show.

I'm so ready for the Grammys now - 50th Anniversary, lots of fun, parties, good people, fabulous clothing, cocktails, and shenanigans... Its not Sin City, but still sooo much fun!

Labels: ,


Posted by Lys :: 8:24 PM :: 0 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------

Saturday, September 08, 2007

Giving Mail A Touch of Style...


So, in honor of Sak's biiiiiiggg shoe department, you know the one that has it's own ZIP CODE, well, the US Postal Service released some stamps featuring the designs of Christian Louboutin, Jimmy Choo, Chloe and more. Should you want to give your letter that extra za za zu, it will only run you a mere $15 for a sheet of 20 stamps at Saks.com.

Labels:


Posted by Lys :: 12:45 PM :: 3 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------

Friday, September 07, 2007

Flashin' Back to the Old School...

Takin' it back to the old school.. Since I'm home sick today from the 9to5, I happened to catch a bito of Video Soul (remember that with Donnie Simpson on BET)... well, I just wanted to share a bit of the video flashbacks I've experienced...

M.C. Hammer's. "2 Legit 2 Quit". Seeing all the people up on stage, special effects, etc. are all reasons why I think he and the bankruptcy court made fast friends. You know the record companies are gonna charge out the *** for any videos like that... C'mon - you know back then you knew part of the routine... admit it...



Bell Biv Devoe or is it New Edition.. wait - it's Bell Biv Devoe FEATURING members of New Edition... "Word to the Motha" (Former Roomie will love this one)...



Michael Jackson's "Black & White", with McCauley Caulkin... Tyra Banks and a host of other familiar faces...



and one of my favorite R&B artists, Pebbles with "Giving You The Benefit"... this is a CD that was immediately put into the iTunes.



Ahhh the memories...

Labels:


Posted by Lys :: 6:20 PM :: 2 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------
You Must Take A Peek At This...

From Heather's blog, From Top to Bottom & Everywhere In Between: How about looking out the office window, if you will, and and you get to see this. I'm rendered speechless.

Labels:


Posted by Lys :: 4:55 PM :: 0 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------

Thursday, September 06, 2007

Operation Credit - Armed and Dangerous...

Word to the wise: Never arm a blond gal with a little knowledge - she will run you over quicker than a fashionista on her way to a Manolo sample sale.

Over the past few years, I've been viciously attacking my credit report, and thankfully I did because when I pulled my scores this week, I saw that in about a year, my score jumped: Transunion +44 pts; Experian + 70 pts and Experian - 12 pts. WT??? Seriously - these three need to get their heads together. I have a few things I'm going to be attacking for 4th Quarter 07.

  • Reduce CC debt. I am planning to pay off 4 cards. They raised the limit on one of my cards without me even asking. The ones I did ask for were denied because they raised them "recently" (recently meaning last year and even then it was only $100.) While I won't be closing those, I will keep those for "emergency" and start closing out eventually.

  • Work on on the errors contained within the report. I.E. Verizon, for that daggone cell that H. had me get - well, they charged an amount of $2k (mind you he did that in ONE month), but then they also created ANOTHER account for $612. Another credit card company (back when I moved down here eons ago) took it upon themselves to issue a new card, but I never authorized nor activated it. Their version of "verification" - screen prints of their account system on a computer - no signature, nada authorizing it. Why - because they don't have it. Also - the first card I had with them was secured, sold off to a new bank (Merrick) and they never applied my security deposit. I made mistakes, but I've been extremely good with my credit to date. I got a second chance in 2005 and learned a valuable lesson - NEVER co-joint-authorize NADA! You would think I would have learned with Mark, but then I made the same mistake with H. Never again will I do that. Lesson learned.

  • Start a fight with the credit bureaus over their "verification" procedures. I've spoken with some of the characters there and, let me tell you, I now understand why some lawyers dumb down the letters. While it really offended me at first, I now see that perhaps Lexington Law has a few things up their sleeve. They did delete a number of things off my report.

  • Start a fight with the false judgment in Massachusetts. Apparently this is becoming a widespread problem. I've had one of my colleges who previously told me I had "student loans" and I took classes there for a FULL YEAR. Well, some time after I left them to return back to Bay Path [which is a whole other ballgame but I'll save that for another day] after I decided to not go to law school, this college changed their position and said I "didn't have student loans". However, they forgot to notify yours truly. No letter, no call, nada, nil, nothing. Riddle me this ****, what am I paying for then?

    Very recently, this well known school had their General Counsel send me a nasty gram with this ridiculous 2 line settlement agreement. First of all, this is a general counsel of an academic institution with a law school and they send me a 2 line settlement agreement unenforceable under Florida law. Hell I could challenge it under Mass law. And, the interest is way more than the amount owed (and I say WAY more - close to amounts that should be deemed illegal but I'm not a lawyer). Obviously, if you can send me a letter at my NEW address that I just moved into now, but couldn't send any correspondence from 1992 + and this is the first I heard about it - isn't something a little fishy? And, the piece de resistance - they took a known shady law firm who got a false judgment with three of my addresses smooshed together in a town where it would have never been able to be served. I found out in Massachusetts this was the norm and the court system would allow it. (Check out the Boston.com series here.) They are trying to make changes now to the system. I'm waiting for the third letter to put an arrow in her snooty behind, with of course, copies going to the President of the School, local news agency and their director of alumni affairs (did I mention my dad is an alumni?) as well as the Board of Bar Overseers for the crooked law firm who filed the false judgment. If I have to fly home to argue it before a judge and retain counsel in town, I'm more than happy to do so, even looking up a former boss to see if he'll take the case for me. Eat that, ****! Oh - and if I have to, guess who's going to be paying legal fees, costs, etc. - not moi. The college will have that lovely bill. Perhaps they should take that out of the GC's salary. Research, sweetheart, research.

That's the shortened list, but wish me luck. I'm getting feisty again...

Labels: ,


Posted by Lys :: 5:04 PM :: 1 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------
I Swear I'll Be Good...


I'm in love with this bag. Seriously beyond obsessed and head over heels in love with this bag. If I could marry it I would. Is it the meds, I wonder or delirium from being sick. I think a side trip to Bloomies to investigate is in order...

Labels:


Posted by Lys :: 4:56 PM :: 0 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

You Know What Is Really Scary...

Here's one to scare the masses...

Ever try to sing along to the radio with no voice? In my case, I was cruising along 436 on my trek home singing away to my current song of the moment, P!nk's "Who Knew" and my voice, if I heard it correctly was intermittant waves of what could only be described as a mixture of the Budweiser frogs and Bob C. From Dance Party (the one who *never* removed his sunglasses) interspersed with Mariahesque high notes and silence and lipsyncing (I was singing, my voice was not). Scared my own damn self, but hey, it was fun.

I'm croaking now so count yourselves blessed that you weren't subjected to the above torture.

Labels:


Posted by Lys :: 8:56 PM :: 2 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------

Monday, September 03, 2007

Oh SmartBargains..Why DO You Tempt Me So...

You know those glasses I want - those gorgeous Gucci sunglasses. I look at the fake ones in the mall and they pale in comparison. I've tried on the real deal and they are *perfect* for me - much better than my fake DKNY ones I picked up in Philly that keeps getting caught in my hair, ripping out chunks of it in the process.

Well here I am waxing on about my PF goals and, when I go to FatWallet.com to pick up the MyFico stuff, I see in big bold letters $25.00 off a purchase of $50.00 or more for SmartBargains.com. And FatWallet offers 5% cash back. EGADS! And it ends on Wednesday... and there's only one pair left...

24 hour rule is now in effect (well, in my case - 12 hr. rule - after I pull my scores and check the finances - Gotta pay rent first, ya know.)

Just when I START to get on the right track...

Labels: ,


Posted by Lys :: 11:57 PM :: 1 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------