Monthly Archives: October 2008

October 14, 2008 · 9:47 am

Thrift Store Finds: Vintage Dresses

I seem to have a knack for finding vintage dresses and handbags at thrift stores. For ridiculous prices. I mean, it’s easy to go into a specialty store like Boss Vintage and find a beautiful dress on the rack. In fact, one of the dresses below is exactly such a dress. You pay a price for that ease, though. (Note: Boss Vintage has very reasonable prices, and I love love love them in their new space, even if I do miss All American Vogue.)

Thrifting (new verb) for dresses takes a little more work. I love it. Well, I love going through the “bric-a-brac” area, because everything is there for you to see. The clothing is more of a drag. Rack upon rack of tightly packed shirts and skirts and sweaters and dresses. Even if you’re lucky enough to find a specialized “vintage” section, it’s usually populated with icky, meltable fabrics from the ’70s. Finally, you find a gem of a dress, but it was made for someone with a 24″ waist. On one occasion, I bought that dress anyway. It was simply too beautiful to leave behind. I knew I’d make a good amount of money selling it on eBay at the very least. After a couple of years, I finally listed it. End result? I got a whopping $30 for what was undeniably an amazing, mint-condition, vintage dress with great lines, rickrack trim, heart-shaped buttons, and the fullest skirt I have ever seen on a single dress. After my initial cost and the listing fee, plus the sadness of boxing it up and seeing it go, it wasn’t worth it. I remind myself of that every time I see a dress that isn’t right for me, but maybe I could… no. No no no, leave that to the experts.

Anyway, these are my newest additions. You can read their stories here.

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Filed under collections, fashion, shopping, vintage

October 13, 2008 · 9:48 am

Credit where credit is due

While catching up with Twitter on Sunday afternoon, I saw that wynk mentioned something about apple chips. I scrolled back through the updates, and couldn’t find the start of that thread. I went to her actual Twitter page, and realized that it WAS the start of her thread. Simply a random, “OMG! I DO have apples! I am totally making apple chips later” moment. So I hit her up for a recipe, while I researched on my own. Soon, I was down to business.

Oh. My. These are GOOD. I managed to pack them up before I ate them ALL.

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Filed under food

October 9, 2008 · 10:14 pm

lessons from my parents

(Meme stolen from Mighty Girl)

Anything [band here] is doing was done first, and better, by Led Zeppelin.

It’s okay that you don’t type well. That means you can’t get a job as a secretary.

A car is a tool, not a toy.

Your perfume should leave a hint, not a punch.

All generalizations are false.

Offer a firm handshake.

I can sing a rainbow.

Dress nicely for an interview. (You would think this was hella obvious, but some of the people I’ve seen…)

If you can’t make it good, make it big. If you can’t make it big, make it red.

My all-time, absolute, penultimate favorite: Look it up.

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Filed under blogging, family

October 8, 2008 · 11:03 pm

It Ain’t Over Until The Jaw Bone Melts

(This will, hopefully, be the last installment in what has been for many of you WAY too much information about my mouth)

So, I had my progress meeting with the oral surgeon on Tuesday. It’s healing well, my sinus cavity isn’t leaking into anywhere it shouldn’t, and the lingering pain is to be expected as my tendons move around and regrip. (Pokes around in my mouth with mirror, hits spot that makes me flinch, says “Oh.”)

Oh? (And by the way, ow.)

Well, you have a bit of sharp bone there. (Bone? There is bone POKING OUT FROM MY GUMS?) It should melt away on its own…

I’m sorry, melt? When did bone start to melt?

Your bones are constantly moving, shifting, changing. Right now, you have some bone in your jaw that is looking for something to grip. Some will be absorbed and will help hold that back tooth in. The rest will… sort of flake off. Or I could file it. It’s simple.

It’s simple for YOU. It’s not YOUR mouth! (I don’t like the words “file” and “gums” to have any relation to each other.)

If you prefer, you can wait and see how it goes. It should be fine. Come in and see me if it’s bothering you.

And so, I’m to give it 6-ishy weeks. The irritation should gradually decrease as that pokey bit OF MY JAW apparently “melts” away and the gums continue to heal up. For now: Ow. Owwww. (Poke poke poke, bother bother bother.) I have graduated to food that requires chewing, but I’m still favoring the other side and staying away from anything crunchy.

So of course, I really want Doritos. :)

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Filed under doctors and dentists, food

October 6, 2008 · 11:16 pm

More Mouthyness

1. However many years ago, when I had all four impacted wisdom teeth surgically removed, I recovered just fine without the benefit of painkillers. For this one lousy tooth (and minor sinus reconstruction), I have been taking Vicodin on and off for nearly a week. And I’m still in pain. I am somewhat concerned, but have a follow-up appointment on Tuesday during which I’ll look pleadingly at the doctor and hope he tells me it’s all normal and I’m healing just fine.

2. As I described to someone today (and also twittered), it feels as though I have had a mouth replacement. This does not feel like my mouth. The teeth are all wrong. The sinus headache? That’s familiar. I was hoping that removing That Damn Tooth would make those go away. C’mon, healing! Let’s go!

3. (This one is my Special Story dedicated to Binky-comma-Imaginary) By describing one particular oral-surgery-related tale, I so grossed out a friend that the friend immediately THREW UP. In a public place. In front of people (who may or may not have been paying any attention). This is a person who I thought had no boundaries, who has never hesitated to tell me anything no matter how gross and/or personal, who has PEED while on the PHONE with me (much to my chagrin). I am mortified to have caused such deeply felt, stomach-churning ickyness. Luckily for me, said friend seems to find this incident amusing, and is now wearing it as a badge of… well, not courage.

Beat ’em beat ’em/Buck ’em buck ’em/Lay ’em down and/Really fight! Goooo, Unicorns!

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Filed under doctors and dentists