SueWorks

Pkin Doesn't Like Anything ...

Just like Mikey!  Remember Mikey, Mikey doesn't like anything ... except LIFE cereal.

Yesterday I was planning my outfit for today.  I put on a blouse that had a large, single loose ruffle at the neckline with an A-line skirt, and asked for Pkin's opinion.  He said it looked OK.  I went back to my bedroom and browsed a few more looks. 

Today I put on my large print pencil skirt, see here (but my shoes are cuter), with a white shell and black silk 3/4 sleeve cardigan.

Craig said, "You look nice today."  He rarely, almost never says anything about my clothes - positive or negative.  I must have looked smokin!

Feminine Fashion

I'm hunting for a sports bra that will keep the boobs out of the way and not make they feel like the weigh a tons while exercising.  It's been a challenge.  And this past week as been quite challenging in regards to breasts overall. 

Having always been a proponent of the brassiere, I'm in the minority of my family.  I developed early, while seeing one of my aunts with her monstrous bosoms it was both scary and intriguing.  My development was short lived.  But I'm generally been happy with their final size and shape. 

I was reading in Wikipedia that there is no medical necessity to wear a bra; and that some woman's back pain can be eliminated by not wearing one.  What a shocker!  Of course, I'm sure Warner and Maidenform have studies showing the opposite.  Did you know South Africa created National Cleavage Day?  Mucho interesting.

All I can say, is please do something to try to keep your nipples on a vertical plane.  I'm sure you don't want to world to be looking down at your feet.

UPDATED:  I didn't mean to imply that my Mother runs around bra-less.

The Perfect White Blouse

There is no such thing as the perfect white blouse, but there is a better white top that goes with the outfit you had planned for two days.

We went to a party on Saturday; the invitation said "casual."  The one word all men love and most women dread.  It's such a large category, and that is why Pkin loves it and I hate it.  You have to dress appropriate to the venue, the crowd, the weather and your hips.  These are major factors for a dieting woman.

I found a great denim shirt at Target, and had a bright Springy green sweater, and I also had a very decent white top.  It's slightly scoop-necked, not too thin nor too thick in cotton.  The sleeves are 3/4, and the length is generous enough to cover my waistline but not too long to conflict with my short-waistedness.  Yes, that is a real condition.  It is why my legs appear longer than those of someone my height.

About 15 minutes before departure time, I noticed a spot of orange juice on my chest.  My perfect white top was ruined for the day.

After trying on seven other white blouses, tops, sweaters, and the thought of changing outfits all together, I found the second best white top in my closet.

Pkin thinks that "fine" in reference to gift wrap and clothes is the same "fine" that is used for precious metals.  He's wrong.

Happy Monday

I have weigh-in on Monday, which makes me think a little more about what I eat on Sunday.  It's a good thing.  Today was a good day, down 1.6 pounds.  That seems like such a little bit but it's like half a can of coffee.  That's something!

My friend, and main non-paid motivator, is on Lindora which is a high protein, very low carb plan.  She is losing weight much faster than I am but I like my carbs, love them in fact, this is best plan for me right now.  If only, only I can get exercise in.  We spent a hour at the shooting range, and I'm sore but 'cause of the big ass bruise on my arm that Pkin poked really hard last night.  He can be a major pork chop most of the time.

There was a study in Australia or New Zealand, I think, about low carb versus not low carb diets.  Carbs make people happy, they help in serotonin production.  Though people lost about the same amount of weight, the carb eaters were happier.  It's supposed that happier people have better eating and exercise habits overall.  I like that kind of thinking. 

I'm also afraid to write this next bit.  If I continue on track, I will be at my goal is 31 weeks and my super goal in 36 weeks.  Neither is a long time.  I'm been on plan for 5 weeks so far, that is 13.9% of the way there.  That's like what tax will be next year, at the rate we're headed.  That's almost 15% and that is a lot, a lot!  Wow, I've accomplished so much already and it's been a process but not really super hard.  I just need to keep it up to keep my weight down.

Have I shared about Pkin's diet by proxy?  I'm sure he's down as a size and a half.  He was wearing a formerly sausage shirt that now is only slightly snug about the belly.  He's so lucky I'm doing all this and that he gets the take advantage of the benefits.

Psycho-Fashion or the Deep Recesses of My Closet

I've been watching What Not to Wear on TLC.  I want to say that it is a fascinating show, but that would be too much, so I will say that I find this show incredibly deep.  (Please no remarks about how shallow my pool is.)

The people on the show are so invested in their style or lack there of, you really need a licensed psychologist to weed through all the years of stuff, just as Stacy and Clinton (?) paw through the closets of the style-challenged.  I've seen homely women (it's always women!?!) transformed into swans and still insist they will not take the grooming tips wholeheartedly into their lives.  What the ...!  So you prefer to look like a potato sack? 

A person has an image of him or herself, created through decades of living, and that image reflects in your mirror -- regardless of a mirror bent by laser eye surgery, gastric bypass or NY fashionistas spending a long weekend with you.  There is a show, and I saw all of two minutes of it, with Fiona Some-Body of soap opera fame and a therapist.  The stars and your family generally accost you to point out the errors of your fashion ways.  I'm sure Dr. Phil has done a ton of these types of shows, I just don't know because the man makes me a bit ill.  Back to the show ... I like that it really considers the why.  Stacy is great but she is all about the "gals" (points to my chest.)  I agree that a good bra can do a long, long way ... just like the gals on gravity, but there is more to life than criss-cross support.  And I'm an avid bra wearer.  Honestly, I've been wearing bras since I was about 2.  It's a long story and Mom may have a picture somewhere. 

I read that the founder of Got Junk realizes that a person's possessions (like their clothes) are a massive accumulation of personal values, statements and desires.  When we hold on to our lettermen sweaters and blue jeans from college, we are holding on the memories of how wonderful we felt to be so young and talented or just to remember how good it made our souls feel when are bee-hinds where defying gravity and fit into totally shrunk 501's.  Therefore, we save stuff that we will never use again for the purpose it was intended.  We save the mementos of our life.

George Carlin defined the meaning of life as a mission to find the best container for your stuff.  It may be a house or a bigger house; eventually we do find the best container ... a coffin.  Image this story told with a touch of swearing, a bit of spittle at the corner of the mouth and George ranting pre-rehab.  It's very funny.

I'm striving for meaning in my life.  Right now I think it's the perfect Spring purse.

Work and Relationships

I've wrote about this a bit ... people choose wisely when you enter into a relationship.  Just think about Christie Brinkley.  A women that beautiful and still in the industry must be smart.  She's gorgeous, very intelligent arguably and on husband number 45. 

Think about senior female leaders now.  A while ago I read about a leading scientist/businesswoman.  Turns out she's a widow.  I wonder if her husband had survived would she would have had the success she did.  More often that not men must sublimate their careers if their spouses make good, just like women have done forever.  Would Mr. Scientist have liked it?

When I was young, yes, Sue was young once, I worked with a charming (yes, truly charming) woman.  She married at 37, had twin boys at 38 and at 39 was wishing that her husband made more money than she.  That was not the case.  I googled her today, and there's a consulting business with her name on it in SF.  The boys must be 10 by now.  I wonder if she's still married, or on husband number 2 or 3. 

I could go on and on with examples.  It is easy for the successful women to become resentful, I'm sure many men have been pushed to feeling used and overworked.  Some find younger women in whom they drown their sorrows, i.e., Jack Welch, allegedly, or Christie Brinkley's soon-to-be ex-husband.

Pkin jokes because he's been called Mr. Sue way more often than I've been called Mr. Pkin.  He wants to be a kept man.  I want him to work more so I can work less.  It's our dilemma.  We both just want to win Lotto. 

[The title is suck-ie ... suggestions greatly appreciated.]

Ladies Vs. REAL Women

LADIES - If you accidentally over-salt a dish while it's still  cooking, drop in a peeled potato and it will absorb the excess salt for an instant"fix-me-up."

REAL WOMEN - If you over-salt a dish while you're cooking, that's too damn bad. Please recite with me, The Real Women's motto: "I made it and you will eat it and I don't care how bad it tastes."

LADIES - Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away. 

REAL WOMEN - Take a lime, mix it with tequila, chill and drink. You might still have the headache, but who cares!

LADIES - Stuff a miniature marshmallow at the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice cream drips.

REAL WOMEN - Just suck the ice cream out of the bottom of the cone, for Pete's sake. You're probably sitting your ass on the couch, with your feet up anyway.

LADIES - To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes.

REAL WOMEN - Buy boxed mashed potato mix and you don't have to worry about the potatoes growing arms and legs.

LADIES - When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking pan, use a bit of the dry cake mix instead and there won't be any white mess on the inside of the cake.

REAL WOMEN - Go to the bakery - they'll even decorate the sonofab*tch for you.

LADIES - Brush some beaten egg white over pie crust before baking to yield a beautiful glossy finish.

REAL WOMEN - Sara Lee frozen freakin' pie directions do not include brushing egg whites, so I don't do it.

LADIES - If you have a problem opening jars, try using latex

dish washing gloves. They give a non slip grip that makes opening jars easy.

REAL WOMEN - Go ask the very HOT neighbor guy to do it.

And finally the most important tip....

LADIES! - Don't throw out all that leftover wine. Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces.

REAL WOMEN - Leftover wine??

A Woman Trapped in a Man's Body

The cartoon strip, Sally Forth, used to be written and drawn by one man.  Then another man took over the drawing, he was a "professional" or so the web site said.  Now the second man still draws but a third man, a self-described "sexy bastard", writes it. (Click on image for the full picture.)