Like, Ha Ha Funny?

You know what I love?

Funny people. And funny blogs. And funny people who write funny blogs.

It's true, I do enjoy the mom blogs that are less funny and more sentimental, and also the fashion blogs that require few words but a good camera. But nothing moves my morning (or hell, day) along like a good laugh.

Last night my friend Jess Mann and I were sitting in the train station bar (who knew these existed?) drinking some wine while we waited for her train and discussing what blogs we read. Surprisingly, we didn't have any overlapping blogs. Considering that we have the same sense of humor and appreciation for humorous writing, this was definitely something we needed to fix. When we made it homes to our respective residents, we exchanged emails with long lists of those bloggers we thought were worth passing on. (Editor's note: just because your blog may not be listed below, it doesn't mean you were not passed on.)

I sent her the likes of The Bloggess, Jen Lancaster, and Kelly Oxford. She sent back Barefoot Foodie, who may just be one of the funniest women I've ever read. However, what I noticed about the four of these blogs is that all four are women (surprise, surprise) but that they also have similar senses of humor and almost identical voices (esp The Bloggess and Barefoot Foodie). It explained a whole lot about why Jess and I get along.

I have spent the better part of my free time today (I take little breaks every hour to break up the monotony) catching up on Barefoot Foodie, and I am absolutely loving it.


I also enjoy statements taken out of context, like this one that I just send my co-worker Holly:

Me: are you doing better with Jose Saramago now that he died?

or this one:

BfF: the last thing I want for Christmas is a geyser shooting out of my vagina.

I don't know why, but it's the littlest things that make me the happiest.

It's a thrifter, a thrifter!

So, it's been a long while since I've actually posted here, and for that, I am sorry. I've been extremely busy with graduating, catching up on sleep, focusing on my job, and allowing myself to go home after work and just chill. It's actually been a really nice couple of weeks, but I am ready to start being a responsible blogger again.

Recently, in an attempt to curb my spending, I decided to cut down on my non-essential purchases, like clothing, dinners on the town, and other such things. However, Memorial Day weekend I went down to CT to visit my bestest friend Becky Neal, and allowed myself to splurge on some thrifting. And by splurge I mean around $60 total. Now that, my friends, is a deal.

I've been thrifting a lot recently, and the three dresses below are my current favorite purchases:

WWII Era


1980s (belt added)

New, bought as overstock (100% silk!)

I got the first two off Etsy, and the third from a local chain called Second Time Around. I have yet to decide which one I love more, although I really think that might prove impossible.

So, on Memorial Day weekend, I picked up the rest of the stuff shown . The purse (vintage Coach!) was a gift from Becky, as were the dark red wedges. I got the rest of my purchases for under $60. If I wasn't having such issues with Blogger, I would post all the pictures. All in all, it was an amazing weekend for thirfting, and I can't wait to do it again soon!

Nail-ed It!

Ok girls.

It's that time of the year when we start hitting up the salon for manis and pedis (or doing it yourself if you're anything like me), and each year it seems as if the nail polish names are getting crazier and crazier.



About a year ago, I tried to convince my friends that I should get a job naming nail polish colors. I came up with names a whole Star Wars line of colors (with one for each of the six movies):

A PhanPlum Menace
Attack of the Turqlones
ReveOrange of the Sith
A Blue Hope
The Empire Strikes Black
Return of the Jet-i

A bit of a stretch, I know, but there are some crazy nail polish names out there.

I'm partial to Essie (no particular reason, it's just what I usually buy) and my favorite colors to wear are "Steel-ing the Scene" and "Thigh High":

Perusing some of the other current colors on Essie's website I found such winners as Chips No Potatoes (russet brown), Starter Wife (pale pink), Big Bag Theory (brick red), and Red-y Set Ex (orangy-red).

Opi is also excellent for color names. I really like Suzi Sells Sushi by the Seashore and I'm Not Really A Waitress. To which I respond "well, then what are you?"


And if you want some really dirty polish names check out Naughty Nailz. Some of these color names are a bit more than PG-13, so I'll just let you look them up yourselves.

Sometimes I wonder if there are people that just sit around and name the nail polish colors.

I would like that job, so if someone out there works for a nail polish company, let me know. I am excellent at bad puns.

Right now, I think I would come up with some sort of "recessionista" line (I hate the word, but in the current economic climate it is used more and more often). Some color names could be:

In the Red/In the Black (either as individual colors or as a combo pack)
Raise-ing the Green
Unemployment Check
COBRA
Downsized
Maybe MBA 
Housing Bubble-Gum Pink
Gas Hike
Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac

Ok, so now my ideas are out in the public domain. If you work for a nail polish company and decide to use them, just let me know!
 

Thank you, Sweeden!

Wow. We fail at blogging.

Sorry.

I know that you have been waiting with baited breath for Emily and/or I to update our blog with our thoughts, hopes, and dreams. It shouldn't have taken this long, but alas... it has.

So here's my first entry in far too long.

Ikea.

The mecca for the modern 20-something year old person with its cheap prices, cool Swedish accessories, and modern do-it-yourself (sorta) design, Ikea has become our generation's This End Up  (I think we all had or knew someone who had this furniture in their rec room growing up and then saw it again as dorm furniture in college). I dare you to meet someone who lives in or around a fairly busy metropolis who does not own at least one piece of Ikea furniture. It's affordable, easy to put together, and you can pretty much find something for everyone.

Growing up, I remember the closest Ikea was at least an hour away, but it was near Potomac Mills so we would stop in when shopping at the outlets. In college, my friend Carolyn convinced two guys she knew (one had a van) to drive to the closest Ikea (in NEWARK, NJ) so that she could get a (admittedly perfect for her) purple couch.



Living in Alabama for two years was the furthest I'd ever been from an Ikea, until they put one in Atlanta.
People who aren't used to the sheer wonder of the store just don't understand how awesome it is.

Now, Ikea is less than 25 minutes from me and at least once or twice a year my friends and I make the trip. No one walks away empty handed. It doesn't matter if you didn't come for anything, you will likely walk away with either some artwork or an amazing kitchen accessory (it's only $3, of course you can afford that milk frother).

We'll head out first thing in the morning and grab breakfast (a full breakfast for less than $3, yes please!)

Gone are the days when Ikea furniture was merely pressboard lightweight crap. Now some of that stuff is actually wood and it is HEAVY (imagine two girls trying to load four large boxes longer than we are tall in to an SUV. It was tricky, but we did it.). It looks great and really can make a house look like a home.

Now that I'm moving in to my very first home (yes, I FINALLY found out that I've got the house and I close on FRIDAY!! but more on that later), I am already browsing for furniture and one of the first places I looked was Ikea.

I want this for my TV stand (rotated 90 degrees). 

 

I've already got a few older pieces of Ikea furniture in my apartment (a dresser, a couple of floor lamps, a desk), but I am all about upgrading to stuff that doesn't look like it came out of a dorm room (or grad student apartment).

My boyfriend and I have plans to go to Ikea after we close on our house, and hopefully he will talk me out of buying some of the rediculous stuff that I want like this amazing lamp:

It's huge and amazing and this picture doesn't do it justice.

I will end up also buying some "real" furniture, but for now, Ikea suits me just fine.

I'll also probably pick up some things in their "home decor" section like rugs, artwork, and lots of kitchen gadgets. I really love kitchen gadgets.

Well, what about you? What's your favorite peice of Ikea furniture? What would you do if you were unable to get to an Ikea?