What are you...

[Elessar]

Mischief Managed!

[WarpGirl]

Reading... I just finished James Patterson's Sundays At Tiffany's I had seen the TV movie and loved it! But the book was just lovely. I thought Patterson, was primarily a thriller writer, with a soft spot for kids fiction. Turns out he is probably one of the best "chick lit" authors I've ever read. I liked him much more than Nicholas Sparks. Then I saw that he also wrote The Lake House which was one of my favorite "contemporary films" and the one Sandra Bullock movie I love. Great read, and two ST references one major TNG one minor TOS, plus diamonds, romance, and designer clothes. Too bad this man is married!

[Kotik]

Watching:

Just watching "Of Gods and Men" on a youtube. Entertaining Star Trek fan film and it has the wonderful Gary Graham in it

[marchale]

Doing:

Going into a bit of an emotional meltdown over my wardrobe at the moment . I went shopping at my favorite store in the world, The Unique Thrift Store, this afternoon and spent $132.81 of my Renter's Rebate (that's like a Property Tax Refund for apartment dwellers) buying lots of fantastic second hand clothes I really sorely needed to buy. (And no, I'm not joking about that. Having lost a total of 63 pounds to date since turning diabetic in December (and needing to go on a carb restricted diet because of that), I was starting to look like hell still wearing my old plus size clothing that kept falling off my shoulders now, etc). Anyway, in addition to finding a sweet summer-y type of bedspread full of my beloved palm trees (I'm a bit obsessed with palm trees) for the amazing price of only $3.99 (which was also sorely needed since I only had a warm winter comforter I can't use in the summertime), I got 7 shirts that I adore and fit well now, 3 more shirts I'm not going to wear until I drop the last 20 pounds the dietician wants me to lose (they fit too, but I look slightly pregnant in the spandex-y type shirts at the moment), 2 nightgowns (including a darling oriental Cheongsam style one that was an incredible find even at $12.99; normally that's higher than I spend, but it was so cute I couldn't resist it) and 4 dresses (including a backless snakeskin print sun dress from 9 West I forked over what seemed like a small fortune to spend on a dress ($19.99); but my sister told me later that it probably would've cost more than my entire wardrobe hunting trip did if I had bought it new in a retail clothing store. Anyway, I'm a real sucker for the snakeskin look, as well as animal print in general (3 of my new shirts and a sundress are leopard print and one of those shirts is a combo leopard/snakeskin/and giraffe print). And I even ended up donating a dress and a shirt to our Community Room that were just too tight to feel comfortable wearing. (We bring our unwanted but still good items down to our Community Room to share with other residents here, with 101 apartments here of other poor seniors and disabled, someone's bound to want anything you bring down there. Usually all I have to share are just magazines my sister and I subscribe to, but they're getting all my plus size clothing I can no longer wear anymore as soon as I can go through them here. (I'm just keeping my "one size fits all" caftans though because those are great for sleeping in no matter what you weigh and don't annoy my psoriasis either). But anyway, as alot of our residents are heavier, I'm sure the ladies are gonna love finding lots of plus size clothes I can't wear anymore, and I do have lots of that to share there since I'm a real "clothes horse"). Good thing I wear snug fitting legging type pants with elastic waists though, those still fit fine no matter what I weigh.

Anyway, it's just been kind of an emotional roller coaster ride going shopping today for cute (and best of all, properly fitting!) clothing I can actually wear now, I've been whats considered between obese to morbidly obese for the vast majority of the past twenty five to thirty years now and loving clothes anyway - wow, I felt like a kid in a candy store today going shopping in the medium clothing racks instead of the extra large area. Its like theres a world of difference between the two, since so many designers don't even do clothes for the heavy set; not to mention you're not exactly interested in fashion when you're really overweight, or at least I wasn't (even though I loved going shopping for clothes when I was at my heaviest, 205 pounds). And one last thing here - while you do have to be careful buying used clothing (to make sure that its not stained, that zippers work properly, etc), I'd heartily recommend shopping at places like thrift stores, garage sales, Goodwill, the Salvation Army store, etc. It's insane what department and other retail stores charge for clothing (not to mention other useful things like household goods too, etc). Maybe it's just the "Scottie" in me that I inherited from my dad's side of the family, but I love a bargain and I don't buy anything that isn't used (and a great deal besides) unless I have to. And you can really snag some super finds at thrift stores too (thats really the thrill of the hunt at them). Well, look at what I did today - I purchased 18 items of clothing and one fabulous twin size bedspread for just $132.81 - imagine how far that would get you shopping for clothes in a retail store? (and don't let the "used" stigma get to you, even the millionaires and movie stars have closets full of whats "used clothing" the minute they wear something anyway, right? Right!)

[WarpGirl]

I went on a shopping spree in NY and got some pretty things myself I needed some clothes because mine were worn out. I nearly had a stroke at spending the money. I can't do the thrift store thing. Too much of a germaphobe. My mother and sisters give me a hard time, but I watched a CSI episode where people were dying because of clothes from thrift stores. So forget it I'm too paranoid. Glad you had fun.

[marchale]

I went on a shopping spree in NY and got some pretty things myself I needed some clothes because mine were worn out. I nearly had a stroke at spending the money. I can't do the thrift store thing. Too much of a germaphobe. My mother and sisters give me a hard time, but I watched a CSI episode where people were dying because of clothes from thrift stores. So forget it I'm too paranoid. Glad you had fun.

Thank you, and I'm sorry to hear you've got a 'germaphobe' problem there, thats too bad and I'm glad to hear you went on a shopping spree too - would it help any having your family go shopping with you and to wash anything you purchased before you touch it? I know the place I shop at disinfects any clothing (and cleans anything else they receive as donations) before it goes out on the floor for people to purchase for health reasons; and they are really careful about enforcing that, I know that because I used to work there.

[WarpGirl]

Well I'm not obsessive. I just cannot possibly imagine doing the thrift store thing. My sister has given me every argument known to man on the good thing about thrift stores, but I'm petrified.

[marchale]

Well I'm not obsessive. I just cannot possibly imagine doing the thrift store thing. My sister has given me every argument known to man on the good thing about thrift stores, but I'm petrified.

Well hon, I'm sure not gonna try to tell you what to do there, to each their own - but maybe if you could either wear gloves or just have your sister go shopping with you (so she could show you things without your needing to touch them) or else have her purchase things that you'd like to get and then have her wash or disinfect them for you. I don't know, I'm not trying to tell you what to do there like I said, I just hate hearing you have to miss out on that joy. (And yeah, they do alot of good work for the communities too (in addition to saving you money), the place I shop at donates their profits to help handicapped veterans).

[WarpGirl]

It's not the touching that creeps me out it's the wearing. I mean you go to the regular store and yeah people try on clothes, 10 minutes max! But thrift store clothes are owned by people for weeks, months, or years. Creepy.

[marchale]

It's not the touching that creeps me out it's the wearing. I mean you go to the regular store and yeah people try on clothes, 10 minutes max! But thrift store clothes are owned by people for weeks, months, or years. Creepy.

Yeah, I see what you're getting at there, but things are disinfected to kill any germs (the health department would be all over them if they weren't protecting the public from that) and if you had your sister wash it for you afterwards just to be extra cautious about it too); well - if that still creeps you out - does it help any to think about how your own stuff has been owned by you for years too and that stuff is safe, right? And as long as any germs were killed by someone you love and trust (like your mom or sister). Well, I don't want to try to make you feel uncomfortable here, but I just hate to see you miss out on this.

[WarpGirl]

You're not the only one. I admit I'm irrational. It bugs the heck out of me. But I am irrational about this. I am taking my fobils one at a time. I;m not at thrift store clothes yet. But hey at least I buy books and movies.

[marchale]

You're not the only one. I admit I'm irrational. It bugs the heck out of me. But I am irrational about this. I am taking my fobils one at a time. I;m not at thrift store clothes yet. But hey at least I buy books and movies.

Well, maybe someday this feeling might ease up for you too (and hopefully your family would be willing to help you out with it too) - but don't feel weird about it, there isn't a person alive who doesn't have fobils and irrational fears. Hey, I needed to have a note from my doctor written so I could get and permanently keep my ground floor apartment. There is no way I could live on a different floor with my phobic fear of heights, no way in hell - I cannot even look out a second story window even and I damn near freak out if I have to ride in an elevator or escalator or get anywhere near a ledge - and I feel about half sick even looking up as far as that goes too. We're all bent one way or another, so don't let it get to you.

[WarpGirl]

To make things worse I need a reason for my irrational fears. I don't do well at all when there is no reason for something.

[marchale]

To make things worse I need a reason for my irrational fears. I don't do well at all when there is no reason for something.

Well that doesn't sound weird to me, it sounds like you just want to be reasonable about having an explaination to account for why things happen. Nothing wrong in wanting that. Anyway, I don't think things can happen for no reason because of the cause and effect thing - we might not know why things happen, but it's probably only human nature to want to try to figure it out or understand or to say I think maybe x caused y to happen, so lets try to see if it did.

[Entilzha]

House and dog sitting(my friends Siberian Husky). She´s like no other dog I´ve met. While other dogs play catch she shows me the ball but instead of giving me it she runs around and growls and wants me to chase her. One good thing is she is a really quiet dog I have rarely heard her bark.