Published!

My column summarizing some of my racially-charged experiences in Mississippi is out!
Check it out at JacksonFreePress.com

Smiling Sunday and Giveaways

I really enjoyed doing the Smiling Sunday last week. And while I'm hesitant to say that I'm going to do it each week... I'm just going to say that I'm going to TRY to do it each week.

So for this week, I've combed through the interwebs and found some excellent giveaways (because giveaways are an easy thing to make me smile.)
Here's a few that I've entered and I think you should too!

This tee is hilarious, and is absolutely me. It might be absolutely you too!
Head on over to Akane Designs, which is joining with fellow Etsy seller Herrohachi, and sign up for this giveaway.

How cute are these little earrings?!
Trudie Davies Designs is giving everyone a chance to win them.

Everyone knows that crabs make me smile. Only the Best of Etsy has teamed up with fellow Etsy seller Amiefengshui to bring a lucky person this cute bag.

And who can resist the cuteness that is Happy Snail necklace. Certainly not me! Fellow Etsy seller MaryMaryHandmade is participating in another giveaway, this time with Concrete and Nail Polish for a chance to win some cute!

I like typewriters. I like jewelry. What a perfect combination!
Judith Designs has redone their shop front and wants a few critiques. With your critique, you're entered into possibly winning this necklace! Easy, no?

And finally, So about what I said... is giving a reader a chance to win some cards from CardsInk. And who wouldn't want some? The designs are too cute and everyone (I know I do!) loves getting cards, be it for a special occasion or just because .

Alright, guys.., get out there and win some stuff!

Join me

While scouring the interwebs, I've come across a few giveaways and I'm extending the offers on to you!

Westervin is sponsoring a giveaway with Maranon. They are offering this lovely embroidered peacock fan necklace.
Check it out here.

Bonjour Pierre is giving away one of four candy colored goodies over here.
Check it out before March 5.

How neat are these?! Try to win one of these neat necklaces here.
Check it out before March 15.

I still haven't gotten around to watching this, but lookie here! A chance to win it!
Check it out before March 14.

Looking for an impressive watch? Check here for a chance to win an Orient watch. Check it out before March 12.

With all these neat giveaways, I'll have to start one up myself!
Good luck!

Breakfast of champions

Pizza... that's right. Pizza for breakfast. Breakfast of champions. Especially when that pizza is covered in mozzarella, cheddar and jalapenos. yummy yum...

Well, I'll be picking up my keys to my new apartment today. Very excited to start making it my own. Very UNexcited to start the heavy lifting though. Good thing I have the month of March to move my stuff from one place to another.
And it's all for a good cause: my fur-babies.

Those of you that follow my Twitter probably noticed the cheerful, yet ominous message concerning mono and the flu. It's true, I just have a severe respiratory infection type thing. So, the doctors (because I had to see more than one :/ ) have me dosed up on lots of meds will make me drowsy and keep me awake... huh?
Well, I think the amount of drowsy meds outweighs the awake meds... so if you receive something of a drunken call, text, tweet or similar from me, I'm totally blaming it on the meds.
I kid though. I doubt it'll be that bad, considering I was a work yesterday and was mostly professional.... and also mostly loopy.

No big plans for this weekend:
* demolishing this pizza
* getting new keys and moving a few small things to new apartment
* some much needed vegging (per Dr. Rose's orders of course!)


Got an email from Amazon that made me look cross-eyed for a minute:

Dear Amazon.com Customer,

As someone who has shown an interest in DVD, you might like to know that "Best Foreign Language Film 8-Pack" is the featured Deal of the Day at Amazon.com. This offer is valid today only, February 27, 2010, and while supplies last.

Our Deal of the Day price is just $74.99--60% off the list price of $187.61 for "Best Foreign Language Film 8-Pack." 

It's not so much the price, but the "as someone who has shown an interest in DVD, you might like" part.
Someone who has shown an interest in DVD....

Anywho, here's some lovely things I've found this morning:

A sweet, Russian fairytale.

Beautiful earrings.

A lovely photo.

And of course...

Macarons! via this Pierre Herme

Where Rose + knife = predictable happenstance

This is where it begins. 

Despite what the public might tell you, I'm not the brightest crayon in the box, sharpest tack in the set, shiniest booger in the... you get the idea: I'm bright, but not that bright.

As you can see, my iPod came in (early I might add) as did a vintage necklace (which will be viewed later). I've misplaced my trusty scissors, so I turn to the biggest knife in the apartment to open aforementioned packages.

Let me interrupt to remind you that I've had several people (friends, roommates, family, coworkers) tell me that I should not be allowed around knives due to several mishaps. It's not as if I mean to cause myself or other things harm... things start off with good intentions:

* like the time I used a simple utility knife to open a box (when I worked in retail) and ended up carving into the glass of three very expensive decor pieces, rendering them useless and unsalvageable. (which might not be a word)
* or the time I wanted to make chicken strips from a whole chicken and just ended up with a chicken mess
* or the many, many, many, ungodly amounts of times where I just end up cutting, stabbing or goring myself

So, yeah... I'm sure you know what happens next. It's comforting to know that I can sprint through my apartment and not trip and fall.

There, much better!

Of course, I did go back and finish opening the packages (with the same knife I might add) without another incident.

Yay! iPod goodness!

And check out the engraving: La Vie de Rose: a list of broken things (the original name of my blog and the general motto of my life).

Fake p.s.: yes, I am wearing boxer shorts with crabs on them in the first photo. They're quite pro.

Ladybugs and iPod journeys

I want to run something by you: where do you think iPods come from?

This isn't one of those DEEP questions like, 'What's the meaning of life?' or 'Which is better: chocolate cupcake or strawberry cupcake?' (to which the answer is both, at the same time... but I digress... and make myself hungry...)

As I wrote in my last post, part of my tax refund went to purchasing my first iPod, and incidentally, my first Apple product. After receiving an email stating that my iPod had been sent off, I immediately clicked on the tracking number...
Yes, I admit, I'm one of those people that likes to track their products and raise the level of excitement as it gets closer and closer. The amount of water and states/countries the item has to cross heightens this even more.
You could imagine how balls deep (or is it ovaries deep?) in excitement I was over something being shipped from Japan or France... there's a whole ocean to cross, that's a whole ocean worth of excitement to deal with.

Ok, so back to the iPod... I click on the tracking number and on February 18, my iPod was in Anchorage, Alaska...

Wait, wtf?!

Sure enough, my iPod began its journey in Shenzhen, China.
So, I had to adjust my excitement levels.
However, looking at the tracking info today, my excitement levels went from ZOMG!1! to wtf?! to huh?

Have a look:

Still don't understand?
On February 20, the iPod in question left Memphis, Tennessee, and went to Kenner, Louisiana. In order to get from Memphis to Kenner, you have to drive all the way through Mississippi (hell, they drove right through Jackson, which is an hour and a half northwest of me).
So, I'm sitting at my computer, baffled that they drove right past me, when I take a closer look at the times of arrival and departures.

Which causes the situation thermometer to raise to ZOMG!1! levels again: FedEx has somehow figured out how to travel at mega-high speeds! Six hours(nearly 400 miles) of travel in under an hour!?

.... or I was just being absolutely ridiculous and finally realized that the iPod was traveling by first class on FedEx Air.
Duh... I need to go back to sleep and restart the day with a little less crazy.

Speaking of foreign things: being schooled in anyway is not something I take lightly. I enjoy learning to a disturbing degree, so much that I'll read a book on electrical wiring just to learn something.
And what did I learn? That I shouldn't be in charge of things that could kill people.
Fun Fact: when doing electrical stuff, you're supposed to turn off the breakers not just turn off the lights.

Anywho, I was schooled the other day on spelling. Spelling is something that I pride myself in. So when I see a word that looks wrong to me, I want to find out why and fix it.
While looking over a project that M is working on, I commented that he had misspelled a word.
The conversation went something like this:

R(me): Nice coloring here, but you have a typo.

M: Where?

R: Here ::points to the offending word::

M: No, that's how it's spelled.

R: Can't be, it doesn't look right at all. It has three m's in it. Here, I'll show you. ::types the offending word into Google::

R: Damn you, Google, for taking his side.

M: You shouldn't try to school a southern boy on southern manners of speaking.

Which is true, the word 'ma'am' is foreign to me. I don't use the term at all. In fact, I think I've used it twice in my 28 years, and only after 'miss' and 'excuse me' didn't work.
I've been called 'ma'am' before, much to my chagrin; I associate that word with older women... and I'm not THAT old.

What a strange little word.

via here

Anyone else see the heart? :)

Responsible

I've received my tax return (a paltry $443) and have decided to be responsible with it:
I will pay off the remainder of my cat scan bill and get an iPod and still have money left over.
You should be very proud... I'm growing up and being responsible and ensuring mp3 goodness.


In addition to responsibilities, I also wanted to share this with you:

I borrowed this lovely picture from So About What I Said...

It fills my heart with hope, happiness and warmth. And I hope it keeps you warm through these cold days.

Currently working with a friend to get the Web site up and delicious. ::crosses fingers::

I love you

Happy Valentine's Day, to all!
Valentine's Day isn't just for the romance between lovers, but for love as a whole.
Saint Valentine was cared for by a blind, peasant girl while he was in jail. Valentine prayed for her health and on the day he was to be executed, her sight was restored.

Caring for someone is what Valentine's Day is about, even if that someone is you.

So, I hope that everyone enjoys Valentine's Day in their own way: hang out with friends, be with your love, watch movies, etc.... but make sure to love one another and always remember to love yourself.

via Plush with Attitude

The unbearable lightness of being Rose

To be honest.... I'm glad to see 2009 go.
It was a year of memories, good and ugly.

the Goods of 2009:

This year was dotted with times where I really felt loved:
a bubble bath on Valentine's Day,
a mother's love to help patch-up my broken heart,
a friend's shoulder to cry on and an ear to vent the unfairness of love and life.

After 15 years of wondering, being able to find a lost friend.

Despite great hardship, I saw that I was way stronger than I believed I could be.

Being selected out of seven others and given the chance to work.

the Uglies of 2009:

To start: I wish I could say that I didn't love someone at the expense of loving myself,
I wish I could say that I didn't sacrifice my integrity and personal pride for a job that was soul-sucking,
but I can't.

The end of a seven-year relationship that was two years of love, three years between being content and being taken for granted and two years of being used and finally thrown away.

The end of a job with a horrible environment that came very close to eating my soul and forging a path of substandard living for me to follow.

Being treated as a subhuman and not standing up for myself.

I look toward 2010 with a sense of... well, I don't know. I have no idea what the future may bring; 2010 has already surprised me: snow in Mississippi (again!!); a possible new, additional diagnosis (Rose: now with added crazy!); my first kiss of the new year being from a girl (that's a strange story); after talking with a certain someone (M), feeling my debilitating, hate-filled, looming anger loosen its hold on me, giving me a chance to finally begin to heal; and the surprising, unexpected and uncalled for sweetness of near-total strangers... just to name a few.

A few years ago, I stopped making New Year's resolutions; I would always end up breaking them, getting bored of them or finding them completely ridiculous. However, I plan on making some New Year's.... possibilities:

2010 possibilities:

To try and stick with a three-times-a-week posting schedule (even if it's nothing but trite observations of the day).

After losing 15+ pounds, I want to try and get myself down to a size 10/12. Now that I know that losing weight isn't a complete impossibility (with the help of eating disorders, drugs and intermittent exercise) with my condition, I want to get back to an altered form of my B.C. self (before condition). I want to get back to my B.C. body mass, but keep my hourglass figure... this fat loss plan is going to be bizarre and targeted and I'll be accepting all methods of help... except for liposuction, that's just creepy!

To take more time out to work on my art. My Etsy shop has been pretty lax in having new items in it, I still have tons of photos that I haven't even begun to work on and I can't remember the last time I painted!!

And while I can't stop myself from giving everyone else 110% and leaving nothing to myself, I plan to try and give a little back to myself.

Fill in the blanks...

Copied from For when my head gets full by Patti

1. If I weren't a artist I'd love to be a vaudeville songstress .  
2. When I'm super upset I become speechless and wail .  
3. My favorite thing about myself is my ingrained desire to heal and help .  
4. If I found a $100 in the pocket of last winter's coat I'd spend it on a fantastic lunch with friends .  
5. Even though some people might consider this a flaw, I love not being concerned with doing what is considered normal, just with what I feel is right .  
6. I love the way I feel being in an aquarium .  
7. I love my hair most when it's not too fluffy .

Quite in vogue

This week has been.... interesting.... Has anyone seen the Oxygen show "Snapped" before?
Yeah, it's been kinda like that.

Also, I am disappointed and annoyed with my body's ability (curse?) to quickly tolerate medication. Having to deal with worrying about side effects AND withdrawal symptoms popping up is frustrating.

Also, AT&T and Sprint.... please stop putting my name in your commercials. It disturbs me when you describe what I'm doing, while I'm doing it...
Much like this morning....
Me: ::not really listening to TV::
Commercial: "... and Rose is getting updates..."
Me: WTF?! ::because she was currently getting updates::

..... or assume that I am old.



Maybe Grandma and I were just trading Marble Hornets theories.

And speaking of Marble Hornets, totheark's newest clip!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIe-a6-TNHI&feature=sub

Does anyone else think of Yar's Revenge while watching this?

... and always, ALWAYS be ready to rock 'n' roll

While browsing a TV/film forum I frequent, I came across this nugget of wisdom. The OP was looking for movies to inspire him to not care about what other people think about him.

This reply has got to be the best advice I've heard in a while:

"It doesn't matter how many movies you watch, this is something you have to do by yourself. Think of yourself as a rockstar, OP. Buy a fashionable scarf and don't comb your hair in the morning. Just wake up, drink some coffe, start to smoke and go for it, whatever it is. Because you're awesome and life is your bitch.

And always, ALWAYS be ready to rock 'n' roll."

--Anonymous 

All I want for Christmas....

...is but a few knick-knacks and kitchy cuties:

via Refinery 29

A flask. And not just any flask; a badass flask.

via The SCP Foundation

Not like I need more pets... but seriously, think of the damage/cuteness I could do with one of these.
I'd prefer one of the SCP-2558-J-EX variations.
(click the link and you'll understand)

via YouTube

A new Marble Hornets entry. Spookie Rose likes spooky things for holidays.

World peace, happiness and all that jazz.

Dinner with Hugh Laurie. Mr. Laurie, call me anytime. *wink wink*

To hang out with David Tennant and Catherine Tate. I bet it would be an awesome and hilarious time.

For Wikipedia to hang around forever. So, I donated.

An honorary knighthood, to be made a Member of the Order of the British Empire.

A free trip to Barcelona, to visit the Sagrada Familia and other Gaudi works.

via Steve Madden

More Steve Madden shoes. Many, many more.

And, of course, happiness and good food for my readers.
Just a few trifles for the holidays.

Fudgy goodness

I have completed my training at a neighboring branch in town, tomorrow will be my last day before I am unleashed upon the unsuspecting public.
To thank my mentoring branch, I am baking them Thank you brownies. This brownies are not much different from regular brownies... I just added cinnamon and agave nectar to them. Hopefully, I didn't add too much!

Those that follow my Twitter will see that I have bought a domain and have started on a personal portfolio web site.
I'm learning this as I go along, which means lots of blank stares and hair pulling. Thankfully, I bought the domain through Google, so there's support and help aplenty.
After I've populated the page with more art, I'll post the link so that you may enjoy.

And according to the Jersey Shore Nickname Generator, my Jersey Shore name is R-Pow.

Overall, things are looking up: gainful employment, new pet fish named Gregory, brownies, good friends, tasty holiday food and festivities shared with cats and family and tons of free episodes of House. Even the painful memories are no longer so fresh.

Quarters 1, Rose 0

Got bored and made a quiz. Check it out on my facebook profile.

Enjoying the new job immensely, learning new things daily.... some of which I would rather not know.
Like how a box full of quarters can outsmart me.

With a twist of Paris

Apparently, I did bang myself up a little bit during my fall last night. I woke up feeling sore and with a few minor bruises. But it was all in the name of science!
And by science, I mean snow.
Here's some photos:

I'm also adoring Forever 21's new limited Tres Paris line. I'm drooling over much of the knitted, embellished and detailed apparel.
Sadly, Forever 21 isn't offering this line in extra large, so I'm hesitant in ordering anything.

Well.... hesitant in ordering anything but this:

via Forever 21

I can't help it, I must have this skirt!

Actually, I will listen to reason. Forever 21's measurements for large are 30/40 at their widest.
My measurements are 38/45. Yeah... I don't really see myself fitting into their sizes anytime soon. Sob!

Snow

Went outside to check on the snow and promptly fell down the stairs. 
Luckily, I fell butt first and nothing of value was lost... or broken.


Well, perhaps my pride and dignity. 
But I don't think anyone else saw.


I'll post pictures in the morning as I'm currently too lazy and my down comforter is calling my name.

A job well done

I finished!

A whole month of posting and all I got was this picture... and a sense of satisfaction I suppose.

Mission employment: complete

My first day of work after a nearly two month drought was a shock to my system.
No CSI Miami at 9 a.m.! (or at 3 p.m. for that matter) However, for gainful employment, I suppose that is a sacrifice I am willing to do... besides, I can watch episodes online.

I got a taste of what my new job will be like, and I like it! It seems like there won't be much downtime, which is great, because I hate being bored at work.
Another upside is that I will be in training for the next week or so; much better than other positions I've held where the training consisted of pointing to my computer and telling me 'Good luck!'

Since today is Cyber Monday, I got a great deal on two pairs of shoes.
Take a look:

via DSW

I'm getting them in grey (pictured) and black. I was seriously considering getting the muted pink, but decided (at the last minute, mind you) to go with more professional colors.
Man... I can't wait until they arrive; I'm practically drooling in anticipation!

Pansy cats

To update: Murmur and Leon are doing just fine.
Leon has been prancing about the house, claiming which chair is his and charming everyone with his handsome face.
Murmur, however, is a bit of a scaredy-cat and hides under my bed unless I'm in the room or she hears my voice. She's warming up to my mum and sister, however, my dad's voice is a bit deep for her.

We (Mum and I) took them to the vet today. They received full healthy marks, flea preventative meds and are up to date on their shots.
Sadly, I will be heading back to my apartment tomorrow and won't see my furry babies until  the next time I visit, which will probably be for Christmas. I'll try my best not to cry... however, I'm a little bit of a crybaby.

And by 'a little bit,' I clearly mean I'm a huge crybaby.

However, I am relieved that they will be safe and happy.
I suppose I can deprive myself of my free and fuzzy bedwarmers for their sake.