The Oil Cleansing Method

Fact:  My skin sucks.

So, before you all call me crazy for trying this skin-cleansing method, please remember that important fact.

Through the wonders of the interwebz, I have discovered a facial cleansing/moisturizing regimen called “The Oil Cleansing Method.”  I started it about a week ago, and so far I am on the fence about its effectiveness for me.  But, in case some of you out there are interested, here is the basic concept.

Most of the beauty products out there right now are all about being oil free.  In fact, our entire society is way too obsessed with cleanliness right now, and don’t even get me started on the problems that is causing.  So, what usually happens to me regarding my face is that I strip all the oil away using my oil-free cleansers and oil-free moisturizers.  My skin feels clean and tight and dry, and then it gets oily again around 2:00pm.  By stripping the natural oil away from my skin, my skin is over-compensating for the lack of moisture by creating more oil. 

This method revolves around the concept that oil dissolves oil.  Our skin naturally produces oil because it needs it.  So, instead of using dozens of different skin products to both moisturize and rid my face of oil (yeah, because that makes sense), I am going back to the basics.  Oil is not the enemy.  

The concept is simple, and so is the practice.  All you need are two kinds of oil (for cleansing and moisture) and a steamy washcloth.  I won’t go into all the details here, but if you want to try it, check out The Oil Cleansing Method website. 

I would also like to point out that a friend of mine told me this was all the rage back in the ’70s.  So I can’t be completely crazy, right? 

 

Parallel Parking – Defined

Matt and I went to a wedding a few weeks ago, and the ceremony was outside in a park. We were running very late, so Matt attempted to parallel park in a spot that was clearly too small. This was just a little road in a State Park, and we knew we would only be there for 15 minutes or so. So we just gave up, parked there, and ran to the ceremony.

On our way back to the car, we noticed that everyone around us had left already. I took a picture to document this moment, naturally.

 

 

Make it Work!

I met Tim Gunn yesterday! He was in town for a Liz Claiborne for Boston Store event benefitting the MACC Fund, and our firm sponsored a table so I got to attend. He was very genuine and friendly and exactly like he is on tv. I was definitely a little star struck. I’ve never met a celebrity before!

Black & White

I love the interwebz. I find the most random things. I most recently came across a pretty sweet label for a brand of whiskey called “Black & White”. Apparently this particular brand was popular with Dean Martin in the ’50s and ’60s.

Don’t these little dogs look familiar to some of you? And look at what a google search turned up!

All kinds of lovely old ads!

Who knew we had real-life dog models walking among us?
<

Well, maybe if I could get them to look at the camera once in a while.

Conehead

Alfie is getting his very own blog post today. And I don’t think he’s too thrilled. You see, he has a bit of an injury.

Sometimes life is just not fun, even for a cat.

Especially when your nemesis feigns concern but is secretly laughing at you.

I think Alfie is plotting his revenge.

My Idea of Fall Decor

I have the perfect fall decorating trick for those of you who don’t like to buy candy unless it has some other purpose besides sitting in the cupboard for you to eat. See, usually I will only buy candy if I have some excuse for it – like I’m going to put it in a jar on my desk at work for “everyone” to eat, or I’m buying candy for “trick-or-treaters.”

Well, I have now discovered a new reason to buy candy corn in the fall – put it in a vase with a candle and it’s a pretty little decoration!  Sleuthy! 

To be fair, I don’t actually have a candle in there, but that’s only because I couldn’t find a white one. But I put candy corn in vases with candles all around my house last year. And it was a good year.

Random complaint of the day

“Smile!”

Have you ever had someone say that to you?  Just out of the blue?  Or look at you and say, “You should smile” or “You look so thrilled to be buying that broom!”

I mean, really.  Who do these people think they are?  This has happened to me more than once.  And it’s usually random strangers.  Like random middle-aged men at Walmart. 

So what if my normal, relaxed face looks like a scowl to you.  And what if it is a scowl?  What if I am pissed that I am buying a broom?  Why do you care?

I mean, I think I’m a pretty happy person most of the time.  It’s not like I walk around looking depressed on purpose.  And, in fact, these ridiculous attempts to make me smile actually have the exact opposite effect!  So, congratulations.  Now I’m pissed at you, stranger. 

Please tell me I am not the only one.

A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

I have to admit I put this book off for a long time. I thought it would be a tough read and not really my “style”. Boy, was I wrong.

One fascinating thing that probably would have forced me to read it sooner if I had known, is that the author, John Kennedy Toole, committed suicide in 1969. His mother found the complete manuscript of the novel and tried unsuccessfully for years to get it published. The book was finally published in 1980, through the efforts of writer Walker Percy. It won the Pulitzer Prize for literature in 1981.

The title comes from a Jonathan Swift quote:
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him.

The main character of the book, Ignatius J. Reilly, would definitely agree with that quote. According to Walker Percy, who wrote the forward to the book, Ignatius Reilly is a “slob extraordinary, a mad Oliver Hardy, a fat Don Quixote, a perverse Thomas Aquinas rolled into one.” Ignatius is educated, ridiculous, obese, idealistic, and has a great disdain for modern life. He prefers the philosophy of the Middle Ages, and often refers to the modern world as in need of some “theology and geometry.”

In short, and in my opinion, Ignatius Reilly is one of the most brilliant literary characters in all of fiction. I loved this character, and I really felt as though no other character in fiction could possibly match him. He’s hilarious, ridiculous and tragic, and although you will really hate him, you will love him at the same time.

The plot of the novel follows Ignatius as he tries to find a job, tortures his widowed, drunk mother, and interacts with various New Orleans characters. Overall, I loved the writing, I loved all the supplementary characters, and I definitely recommend you guys give this one a try.

I dust a bit…in addition, I am at the moment writing a lengthy indictment against our century. When my brain begins to reel from my literary labors, I make an occasional cheese dip.
-Ignatius J. Reilly

Losing it.

When I was in high school, I borrowed my mom’s camera and then lost it at school the same day. Actually, I maintain that it was stolen. And I had some damn awesome pictures on there too.

When I was in college, I lost my school ID during week 2. I purchased a new one for $5.00. Approximately one day later, some random dude walked up to me outside of my dorm and said, “I found your ID”. Okay, stalker.

So, then I had 2 IDs. Over the next year, I lost both of them. I purchased another new ID sophomore year and lost it again. By then, they had upped the purchase price to $10.00. $10.00! That was my breaking point. I purchased my 5th ID and never lost it again. I still own it.

In fact, since that day approximately 8 years ago, I can’t think of a single thing that I lost.

(Okay, except for my awesome red hooded Wisconsin sweatshirt, but that was definitely stolen.)

And last weekend I lost my debit card. I hope this isn’t a bad sign.

Cooking FAIL

I attempted to make a frozen cheese pizza for dinner last night.

I mean, how hard is it, right?

In my defense, our pizza pizzaz timer thingy broke. The timer was apparently working in ultra-slow motion, so it never “dinged”, but kept right on cooking.

This pizza was smokin’.

Either way, I FAIL.