Archive for February 2009

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09 February 2009

The sweetest sin? Living in it

By: Jessica B.
Tagged: Relationships

I am a sinner and one sin I strongly believe in is living in it before marriage.

This topic came up this weekend and I love hearing people’s feedback on it, especially because I’m so pro-premarital cohabitation. And as a child of divorced parents, I think living with a guy before marriage is important. Okay, maybe my guy and I would have to be engaged first, but either way, we’re living under one roof before we say “I do.” And being on that side of the issue makes my friends rationale against it so interesting.
For example, a friend of mine who got married a while ago worried that not living with her now-husband before marriage would be a tough adjustment. When I asked her if she could get over any little quirks that irritated her about him, she said, “we’ll have to work out any disagreements because divorce isn’t an option.”
Okay, that might be a little extreme, but dating someone and living with them are two very different things. And from first-hand experience, it can be a huge adjustment for both parties. I would rather deal with any issues right away, rather than letting then pretending it rolls off my back. And for some reason, the idea of not living together before marriage seems a little old fashioned? Not in a bad way, but just surprising.
So what about everyone else? Would you or did you live with your spouse before you got married? And if you did or didn’t, would you do go back and do things differently?
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08 February 2009

Key Learnings, Sephora temptation and Oscar movies

By: Jessica B.
Tagged: beauty, Chicago, Fashion, Movies

I hate to say it, but I love global warming. After a painfully long January and cool February start, Saturday was by far the best day in awhile. Temps in the 50s? In February? In Chicago?

Whatever is causing it, I’ll take it. I love opening up the windows to air out my apartment. I also sleep a lot better with fresh air too. And now the weather is more mild this week? Holy cow, I’m not complaining. I love it! 
So now let’s close the weekend with some key learnings.
Key Learnings:
  • Quitting drinking during the week is tougher than starting to drink during the week
  • Before going on a wild goose hunt, always call stores ahead of time to make sure they stock the item you’re searching for
  • Man furs, especially man fur vests, will always draw looks from a crowd (and giggles)
  • Just because it’s 50, doesn’t mean you should be out in shorts and leggings with T-shirts. Let’s not get too crazy
  • A real gentleman will carry your obnoxiously large Crate & Barrel bags for you while walking through a crowd
  • Low-key Friday and Saturday nights are a nice change of pace once in awhile
  • Couches have a magical healing power to help you relax and feel better if you’re sick
  • Scalp massages always feel nice when getting your hair done
  • All salons should provide wine to customers. It makes paying much easier
  • The best mimosa’s are 10 percent OJ and 90 percent champagne
  • It’s okay to be afraid of pigeons. They do get uncomfortably close in the city
Sephora love
Although I’m watching my spending, I decided to budget a little money for a treat and headed to Sephora on Saturday. My goal was get something practical and economical, not crazy. Trust me, I would love to roll around in eyeshadow and blush shades, but I need to keep it real too. Sephora is a girl’s playground. Rows of make-up with a generous return policy, it’s a win-win.
My only complaint is that there is never enough staff around to help. I end up having to track people down or wait for them to finish helping another customer, which ends up taking forever. Saturday, I had to answer my own questions, which left me with two hands full of foundation and concealer tests. I now have makeup all of my jacket too thanks to the tests.
In the end, I left with two items: Smashbox Under Eye Brightener and Clinique “All About Eyes” concealer. The only one I’m not 100 percent sure about is the concealer but I look forward to playing with both!

The Oscars
The Oscars are about two weeks away and I’m back to my one-movie-every-weekend routine. This weekend, a friend and I saw Gran Torino. It was shut out from the Oscars, but it was still good. I don’t know if I’ll get to see the Reader or Benjamin Button before the big show, but I don’t think that will change up my pool too much.
How was everyone else’s weekend? What movies do you still need to see before the Oscars? Or what one do you refuse to see until it’s on DVD/Netflix?
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05 February 2009

Rant: What’s weight got to do with it?

By: Jessica B.
Tagged: television
I might be late to the game on this, but the Jessica Simpson weight news is really irritating me. And the part that irritates me the most is why the media asks other celebrities about it, basically saying, “hey, Jessica’s fat again, what’s up with that?” Quite a lead-in for that night’s show.
To be fair, the outfit that she’s wearing in these pictures is not flattering at all. Unless you’re rail-thin, high-waisted jeans just won’t work. And that belt? Bad choice too.
Regardless, my first thought when I saw this and all the ensuing media coverage was…WHO THE HELL CARES IF SHE PUT ON WEIGHT? Seriously!
Guess what? I am still having trouble losing the weight from Christmas. Does that mean my friends and co-workers need to contribute comments about how they support me, or chastise me for getting into “bad habits” again?
Jennifer Love Hewitt graced magazine covers when she sold out and turned into a Stepford Wife and now Jessica Simpson is making headlines, scaring young girls to put down that donut by making her an example of what happens when you put on weight.

While Jennifer was praised, Jessica is dissected, examined and rationalized as to “how could this happen?” God forbid the girl has another helping (or two) of chips or chicken wings (hmmm chicken wings) and a few pounds come on. It appears as though that is the worst thing that can happen to you.

Oh and US Weekly said she weighs 135 now and as a woman who weighs more than that, I’m calling bullsh*t. Yes, we all carry weight differently but there is no way she weighs that, and that is okay! But if she does weigh more, why not come out with it, because if Tony and you don’t care, there’s no shame in hiding. In fact, according to my latest People magazine, you’re proud of your body. 
So, if you want to show that you are comfortable with yourself, be a role model to girls that weight fluctuates and guys don’t always care about how women look below the face.
I can say that as a more overweight teen, having someone come out in support of their shape, rather than hiding it would have been very helpful and it would have made some of the awkwardness around my body better. And knowing that some guys don’t care about your curves or size, would have made me feel like I was more attractive and desirable. 
And please, no more high-waisted jeans. From one curvy girl to another, it’s just not your look. Kthanksbye. Love ya.
Am I off base with my thoughts here? Or am I the only one who is irritated by this?
Reader note: Thank you for all the great comments on how you’re cutting back in the recession. I’m glad to see that I’m not the only one living a little more frugally than normal. Fingers crossed that this gets turned around quickly. And again, welcome to all new commenters!
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03 February 2009

When the recession starts getting real

By: Jessica B.
Tagged: Random

Yes this sounds like a bad Real World intro but right now the reality checks are coming in.

I watch the TODAY show every morning and sometimes, it just depresses me, hearing nothing but bad news about the economy, housing prices, layoffs, etc. I watch the segments and find a few interesting tidbits, but thought none of it would actually come close to me.

That is until my one of my best friends (who is also my first Chicago friend) was laid off last week. The news spread with the start of the phone call, letting us know the news and followed with a sense of total shock among my close-knit friends.

I was shocked that something like this could happen to a close friend of mine, and it immediately got me thinking about my situation. 

I’m a single-income woman in the city, fortunately with some money in savings, but no real back-up plan in case something awful happens. Suze Orman says men and women should have enough money in savings to pay their bills for six months in case we get laid off. Yeah in the city that is a lot of money.

To put more money in savings, I’ve started trimming back on my spending, or at least really trying to. So here is how I’m trying to stretch my dollar a little more:

  • Weekend budgets. I take out a certain amount of money on Friday and it has to cover me until Sunday, or until the money runs out to avoid going too crazy at the bar
  • Grocery shopping. I buy items that I can freeze and prepare for the week. I cook Sunday nights and reheat for the week. Yes it’s not ideal but it keeps me from buying dinner every night
  • Cut back on lunches out. I’m not about eliminating all treats, but I brown bag it just about every day. Keeps down the office snacking too
  • Downgrade my Netflix account. I can barely get through the movies I get in the mail now, so I’ll save some money here

So those are my ways to stretch some dollars right now. It’s not a lot, but every little bit helps.

Is anyone else cutting back in “fun spending?” If so, where are you making adjustments in your budget? Or where is the one place you really don’t want to cut back?
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02 February 2009

Random Monday thoughts

By: Jessica B.
Tagged: Fashion, Food, sports, television

Well, it’s Groundhog’s Day…again. And because January wasn’t long enough, Mr. Groundhog saw his shadow today, which means six more days of winter. Ding! I love that movie :)

Guess it’s not time to put away the Uggs or deep winter jacket just yet.
Anyhow, today was kind of a long day so I’m putting tonight’s random thoughts into a bulleted list, with a strong Super Bowl focus (for this week.)
  • Jennifer Hudson looked fabulous last night singing the national anthem. Her voice is still strong and she looked nervous but composed. She’s a fighter and she came back with style. I totally want that outfit
  • I used to hate clothing tags that would itch my back or hip, but now that clothes have gone tagless, I have started wearing my clothing inside out more frequently. This especially includes: T-shirts and underwear. Last week, I wore clothing inside out at least three times. I’m a freak
  • The Office! After a disappointing few weeks, the Office was super awesome last night. Granted, I could always use more Jim/Pam sweetness in my life, but Dwight’s “safety training” exercises were more than enough enjoyment. One of my favorite parts was during the fire when Angela threw her cat into the ceiling, only to see it crash back down on the opposite side of her desk. I could not stop laughing. 
  • I think Lulu (my Macbook) is having temper tantrums. Lulu has been freezing up a lot lately, forcing me to have to restart the computer without properly shutting down. So I turned on my inner geek switch and broke in my new back-up hard drive (just to be safe.) I would freak out if I lost all of my photos and music, so to be safe, I have a date with the Genius Bar this weekend!
  • As soon as I saw the GI Joe and Transformers 2 trailers last night, I could see my friend Ryan go into a child-like joy fit. I have a feeling I will be dragged to one or both of those movies this summer. I’ll go willingly to one, but not the other
  • Super Bowl commercials – Careerbuilder: Tips and Doritos: Crystal Ball. Why? Throwing a snowglobe to get free snacks is hilarious and wishful thinking. And let’s be honest, when you’re not happy in your job, who hasn’t cried constantly, screamed, daydreamed of being somewhere else or wanted to punch small animals? I do love koalas though.


  • My favorite all-time Super Bowl ad: Bud Light swear jar. I have a potty mouth so anytime TV beeps out swears, I cannot stop laughing. More immaturity
How did you celebrate the game? Or what is your favorite Super Bowl celebration food? The food spread was thin where I was, but I’m planning something bigger for the Oscars, with taco dip! 
Sometimes I wish the game was on Saturday night so I could fully celebrate with fatty foods and beer but I need to lay off the booze now anyhow.
Happy Monday!
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