The Atomic Housewife

To All the Shoes I've Loved Before

2011-06-10T19:14:00.000-07:00

Lately I've noticed that I'm often haunted by ghosts of shoes past. As I clomped across campus in my new platforms, I grew wistful for my old Esprit nude leather flats. I loved those sandals, even the way the ankle strap wrapped around my thick ankles. I found them at Macy's and was so delighted to find the exact sandals I had imagined in my mind. Sadly, I spilled fix all over them in my photography class, so they had to leave me before their time.
I started collecting shoes (it's a collection, not an obsession) when I was in the 5th grade. My mom bought me a pair of white Converse before Converse came in actual colors (this was the late 70's), and we decided to dye them Fuchsia Pink. Yes, the kids followed me all week whistling the Pink Panther theme, but I didn't care. I had on my hot pink Chucks and the world was my oyster. Years later, when they were the hot thing, I felt the need to remind my friends that I was the first. I had a glorious shoe wardrobe by the 6th grade, with lots of different styles that none of my friends wore. I had nerdy-chic buckle loafers with a pointy toe, cowboy boots, and my beloved pigskin leather Bare Trap wedge sandals. By the time I was in high school, it was time to do my first shoe clean out of all the styles and sizes outgrown. My mom and I counted 40 pairs that I was getting rid of, and I still had a closet full of remaining choices. I said a heartfelt goodbye to each pair.
As I got older, and my feet settled into a perfect size 6 1/2, and I no longer had to say goodbye to shoes just because of the fit. I can remember most of my shoes and our adventures in much greater detail than any of my relationships with men. The black flats with the studded toe that I wore until they got a hole in front, the 4 inch espadrille wedges that I insisted on wearing while pregnant with my first child, that caused me to twist my ankle so badly that I needed crutches. Like relationships, it was all sunshine and roses until things got too comfortable. Suddenly, a new pinch here, an irritating rub there, caused me to end things abruptly. I wasn't going to wait around to see if things could improve with time, if the elements would work the odd irritants out naturally. If they did me wrong, there were no second-chances, they were ruthlessly thrown away. The memories will always be vivid for me, of the good times we shared, and how limited they can be.

Useful Cosmetic Dupes

2010-07-24T16:48:00.000-07:00

I confess that I am a makeup whore, and have found so many cheap dupes of pricey products (after I buy the pricey product) so I thought I'd share some recent ones I've found.

MAC Viva Glam Cyndi - $14 -$20
Nivea Kiss of Shine Cherry - $2.49 (drugstore.com)

MAC's Cyndi is really sheer. I wasn't aware of that when I bought it. It's a lovely color, but no better than my Nivea Cherry. Similar coverage, but Nivea has SPF!

MAC - Blush in Style $20-$24
Rimmel Blush in Peach $1.69 at Ulta

You can see how close these are! MAC's Style has some gold shimmer that the Rimmel doesn't, but the Rimmel is very pretty and lasts even longer. At that price, you can't go wrong!

Benefit Thrrob Blush - $28
NYC Color Wheel Pink Glow - $3.60 Rite Aid

I wanted to love Thrrob, I really did, but it was SO sheer with hardly any payoff. It seems to get brighter the longer it's on. The pink glow color wheel by NYC is actually better, with a prettier shimmer.

I'll try to add more as I find them. It's fun, because the cheaper drugstore brands are usually well worth the small price.

Favorite Things - Hair

2009-02-21T08:21:00.000-08:00

I've always been a frustrated "never was" stylist. In high school I planned to become a make up artist, until one of my parents said that was a career chosen by dumb girls. Right! So now that I have my boring executive assistant position, I wish I could be more creative.
Anyone who knows me knows what a complete product whore I am, so I decided to post items that I have used and loved over the years. I'm not afraid to spend the bucks if something works, but strangely, some of the best products I've found are also the cheapest drugstore brands. Having very thick, coarse, and wavy hair, here are the things that work great to get it in control, and still look healthy.

Matrix Biolage - Curl Defining Cream: Light, smells soft. You only need two little pumps for my entire head, so most people might get by with just one! It brings out and holds your natural curl without any grease or crunchy feeling. I use this when my hair is damp as a first step. Around $9 in most beauty supplies. I have also found this at Great Clips.

Suave Sleek - Heat Protection Spray: This stuff is great! I mist my whole head, or just the ends for a touch up prior to blow drying. So light you barely know it's there. Under $5 at drugstores.

LA Looks - Chaotic Look Whipped Wax: This poor can is several years old, and they may have stopped making it. Occasionally makes an appearance in grocery stores. Just one little dab really makes your curls glossy and perfectly separated. Under $5

Suave Extra Hold - Non Aerosol Hairspray #7: When I buy this stuff, I stock up on several. It's that good! After I do my hair, either curly or straight, I spray this on and it makes your hair look glossy and more piecey. It has never flaked on me once (which is great for people with dark hair) and will hold your hair through any windstorm while keeping it feeling soft and not stiff. Under $5 in supermarkets and drugstores.

Hope you guys have fun trying these bargain brands. I'll do makeup next time :-)

Yucky New Flickr

2008-10-16T16:35:00.000-07:00

Anyone else hate it as much as I do? Why do sites feel the need to change everything without giving PAYING users an opportunity to opt out and use the old format?

The Case for the Missing Chair

2008-03-09T08:15:00.001-07:00

Several weeks ago, my husband sat in one of our oak dining room chairs, and was horrified to watch it crumble beneath him. I guess the kids had been telling him that one of the support rungs was broken, and the whole thing finally gave way.
At first, we were determined to replace the chair immediately, after all, there are four of us, and we need four chairs to eat together properly. But after discovering there were no suitable replacements out there, days stretched into weeks with only room for three.
Pretty early on, I figured this was my "out" from having to sit with the family and explain why there isn't much on my plate, or why I was eating something different. I was able to serve them dinner, and, "Oh my, there isn't any room for Mom!" I take my tiny plate into the livingroom, where I get to sit at my computer or watch TV uninterrupted! Sometimes there is no plate - and I have happily lost a couple pounds. Trust me, I eat enough during the day that missing dinner is not a huge deal. Yes, I'm sure I am a horrible woman for not wanting to spend quality time listening to my kids whine about crust on bread, or vegetables "in" things. I'm sure I will suffer for it, skinny...and blissfully alone.

2006-10-22T16:25:00.000-07:00

Please, Please, Please Barack Obama, Run in 2008!

I love this guy. I could listen to this smartypants speak for hours, seriously. It would be so nice to have him for a President - he'll get my vote for sure. Plus I'm tired of voting for Ralph Nader all the time...

2006-10-04T07:51:00.000-07:00

You Asked For It

For as long as I can remember, my friends have been asking me for advice. OK, well, maybe not asking me, but they have been getting it. As a teen, while pretending to hate and ignore my mom, I was secretly listening to everything she said. Got a rust stain? Pour on some lemon juice and baking soda and place the item in the sun. Some red ink on your white sweater? Spray the area with some hairspray so the alcohol can draw out the ink, then wash. I loved the stunned reaction of my friends as they said, "How do you KNOW this stuff?" Back then, I would just mysteriously say that I picked up the information somewhere.
As I got older, I attributed all of my knowledge to my mom. I'm sure my coworkers imagined my mom to be some kind of omniscient being, dispensing household tips in the blink of an eye. Lately though, after giving such tips to my mom, she has claimed that even SHE didn't know some of this stuff. I don't know what disturbs me more, that I have filled my brain with hundreds of unattributed "junk" tips, or that I have soaked them up through some kind of housewife osmosis without even knowing I was doing so. I do hate not knowing how something works, or worse yet, how to fix it if it breaks. My fear has filled my brain with quick fixes, stain removal tips, and ingredient exchanges. My brain is so full of this stuff that any knowledge of mathematical equations, geography and the French language has been completely pushed out. I have only myself to blame. But my gravy will never be thin.

2006-09-21T14:49:00.000-07:00

So...You Don't Want My Money?

Today I decided to run over to Ye Olde Cheapo hair place to get my hair cut. It had gotten pretty long and was also pretty scraggly. It was time to do my yearly hack-it-all-off routine. I washed my hair, left it wet, and just pulled it into a ponytail. I figured it would save them from having to wash it (ie: get my top all wet) and they could just get right to work. The stylist sat me down in the chair and asked what I wanted to have done as she started yanking the band off my ponytail.
"Well, I'd like to get it cut about shoulder..." I started.
"Now, you don't really want it CUT, do you? Do you just want a tiny bit off the ends?" She continued over me.
"Yes, I want it cut. Make it about shoulder length. Right here." I pointed to where it should be cut to help the poor girl out. She obviously wasn't used to people going to a hair cut place to get their hair cut.
"But it's so pretty! You have such nice hair and you can carry long hair off since you're tall and thin." I was getting suspicious by this point, wondering if David had called ahead and instructed her to talk me out of it. "Throw in the words tall and thin and she'll be putty in your hands. " I could imagine him saying.
So I inisited on getting the cut I wanted, and even with all the pointing at the length I wanted, she still moved her scissors down about two inches. "So I'll start here..." And she snipped.
"No, no. Higher." I pointed again.
"Well, I'm sure you can carry this off, you do have the neck for it."
I am not quite sure what about the style I wanted offended her sensibilities, but at the end of it all, she did admit that it looked cute. "Do you want to put it back up in a ponytail?" She said as I went out the door. Maybe she'll save the clippings somewhere so she can remember the woman who ruined a perfectly good haircut done by someone else.

2006-09-05T22:24:00.001-07:00

I Assure You, It's Perfectly Safe to Drink

A few weeks ago, I ran across a nice deal on bottled water. It was on sale for $1 per six-pack so I bought four, being El Cheapo. I brought it home and was very excited because I started drinking more water again trying to be fit and healthy and all that stuff.
I tore open the first pack and opened bottle #1. This horrible smell came out, kind of like old food that has been in the freezer way too long, only worse. I thought maybe it was the bottle, so I took a sip and it tasted just as bad, with an overpowering metallic taste. I wouldn't even give this stuff to my dog, or my plants for that matter. Being a concerned citizen, I promptly emailed the company, whom I'll call um.....CRYSTAL GEYSER. It took them a week to even answer my email, but they sounded very concerned and wanted me to call them so we could set up a time for them to collect a sample for testing to see what was wrong with it.
I called first thing this morning and was met by the droning voice of a woman who hates her job, hates me, and needs more coffee. She asked the date of my email and I thought we were getting somewhere. She would pull it up and read it in full. She would understand the gravity of the situation, the thousands of bottles they might have to recall, and thank me profusely for alerting them. "Uh, OK, well I need you to read me the code on the bottle above the expiration date."
She was already speaking faster in an effort to confuse me and make me hang up, but I perservered. I read the code and told her the expiration date of April 2008. "Ooooh, well, yeah, that's been sitting around in the store since APRIL, so it's going to taste old." I reminded her it isn't supposed to expire for two more years. No response.
"So, how are we going to get this to you so you guys can have a sample to test?" I asked.
"Oh, we don't need to test it. We haven't gotten any other complaints about that batch, so it's fine."
"But it's NOT fine. It stinks and tastes bad." I said.
"What probably happened is it was stored improperly, and some chemicals spilled on it in the store and it absorbed the smell. That's what you're tasting. I assure you it's PERFECTLY safe to drink." She instructed.
Huh? What? It's perfectly fine to ingest unknown chemicals? I was apparently silent for one second too long when she announced they'd send me some coupons as a good-will gesture. So I can buy more CRYSTAL GEYSER tainted bilge water.
I sent them another email, suggesting they keep their coupons. If I had the means, I'd take the water to an independent lab for testing. Anyone have a coupon?

Time for Studio Portraits!

2006-07-01T19:34:00.000-07:00

1
Originally uploaded by discodollies68.

I can't believe how much Annie has grown since her last pictures, less than a year ago. In a quest for a "creative" pose, the photographer had my sweetie sit on my back, causing a surprising amount of pain. She looks so little, but felt like 200 pounds slammed onto my vertabrae. Well, at least we match.

2006-06-21T23:05:00.000-07:00

In Search Of...

I get to go on my first cruise next month, and to me that means my favorite preparation - buying everything I think I might need. OK, so I already have everything anyone would need for a three day cruise, but that's old stuff. I can't possibly wear last year's swimsuit, glasses or bag! Since I am far from wealthy, my bargain radar comes out.

It started with the bathing suit, it had to be under $20 and I found one online at The 15 Dollar Store (it happens to be really cute, too). Next, I found some semi-cute glasses for $5, but they are only semi-cute, so I'll probably need to replace them with actual cute glasses. I wanted to bring a big tote bag, but it had to zip at the top. You know how many pickpockets there are on cruise ships. I don't want them stealing my cache of dirty pennies or my non-winning lottery tickets, so I found the perfect bag at Old Navy on clearance for $15. So I'm all set, right?

This is the point where my bargain hunting spirals out of control. Yes, I found the perfect bag for $15, but there must be one out there that is not only better, but costs even less. So the search continues in a futile self-punishment, I will look at countless websites, scour endless stores in search of the item that puts my deal to shame. If I am able to search for at least another week and not find a better deal, only then will I breathe a sigh of relief and be content with my purchase.

It's not just small purchases that send me into my bargain frenzy, the large ones are worse. I've owned my current house for four years and am STILL looking at the homes for sale in the paper to be sure we got a good deal. The fact that the value has doubled means nothing. My family doesn't get why I need to immediately scan the ads for the thing I just bought, but to me it's like a form of validation. Shopping is a competitive sport and I want to be the best.

Now to search the cruise lines to make sure we got a good deal on that room. I can't fully enjoy myself otherwise.

2006-06-21T18:55:00.000-07:00

We Are All Entitled to a Free Tree

A few weeks ago I called up my local utitlity company because they have a special deal where you can get free shade trees. The summer was fast approaching and I figured we needed to do something about the side of our yard that looks parched and brown. So they sent out a "community forester" which was a little girl in a safari hat. She surveyed the location and told me we could have just one tree, and it had to be a small one due to the power lines overhead. I chose a purple crape myrtle and signed their contract. She said the tree would arrive some time during the next week.

We waited...and waited. Any time I heard the dog barking next door, I'd peek out my window to see if it was the truck bringing our tree. At this point, I had big plans for the tree. New vines would climb the fence behind it, thriving in the shade. A row of vegetables would be planted in the space to the left of the new tree. The kid's pool would go somewhere in front. Lots of stuff was hinging on this little lone tree arriving, stuff I refused to start until it was established. We avoided mowing the lawn for fear of removing the tree lady's spray painted spot showing us where the tree had to go. The week dragged on and temperatures rose into the 90's.

By the next Monday, I was livid. They were stalling my life because their rotten little tree was "free". It really isn't a free tree, in the contract we signed we agree to plant it exactly where they said, and give them access to check on it any time they wanted for the next five years! Free access to the tree police? Our shade was now a very important matter. I called them and left a message regarding my missing tree. There was no call back after a couple days, so now their negligence has turned into pure spiteful avoidance. I called again and left another voicemail, trying to keep the annoyance out of my voice. After a few hours I got not one, but two calls back. They were very sorry, the nursery was out of my tree and it would come next week.
My two-year-old did not make matters better for me when we sat outside "enjoying" the sunshine. "Mommy, where's the tree?"
"It's not here yet."
"Where is it?"
"It's going to be planted right over there." I pointed.
"But I don't see it."
"That's because they haven't brought it yet, even though they promised to bring it two weeks ago, but I called them and they should be bringing it by..."
At this point, she toddled off to do something else. And so did I.