What Now?

Right, so many of you know about my bad bangs. If you're new to the Mandy Lou show and you need to know more about the bad bangs saga, you can find more here, here and here, oh and here - apparently I am that shallow.

Yet again I got them cut, because I am not only shallow, I am dumb - and this time it was really, really bad. So I tried to fix them and, well, let's just say that I didn't make them any better. Now they are freakishly spiky and blunt at the same time - how does that happen? Oh, right, you cut your own bangs, that's how.

What's the point you ask? The point is this, in just over two weeks I have to be perfect. I have to be amazing. I need to look H-O-T, hot. In just over two weeks I am going to a mini college reunion - I'm seeing old college roommates, one and possibly two exes.

Here's what they looked like on New Years (good times, bad bangs).

Now tell me, if the hair needs to be perfect and the bangs are currently pretty damn bad. Do I get them trimmed? Or should I let them grow out as much as possible in the next two weeks?

Who knew that three inches of hair on the front of my head could cause so much drama (on the up side, they apparently give me lots of opportunity to blog)!?

Current Music: I Know, I Know, I Know - Tegan and Sara

Just when you thought...

Just when I thought it was safe to grow the evil bangs out - you go and give me three good hair days in a row. It's just not fair!

The burn has hardly healed, I had my decision made, and now I'm thinking about going to get the evil bangs trimmed, so I can keep them for a while. But if I get them trimmed they'll probably just go all "Peggy-Sue" on me again.

Well played bangs, well played...

Current Music: Message from Yuz - Switches

p.s. - I vowed not to have any pictures taken with the evil bangs, but it was a good hair day.

Bad Bangs

You know how sometimes you go in to get a new hair cut - and you want to do something different, but you're not sure what? I had one of those days last week, and I'm still paying for it! I went in wanting something like this or this or even this and ended up with something like this! Yikes!

I'm not which part is worse:
1. My stylist saying "I won't cut them too short - I don't want to give you 'mall bangs'" and then I got them anyway.
2. Scott saying - "Wow, your hair isn't going to look like that all the time - is it?".
3. J saying "You look just like when we first met you, when you were 19 - only more tired." (On the upside, M came to my defence saying how cute they were and that J would pay later for the comment.)

So the good news is that your hair grows 1/2 inch per month, and my hair tends to grow really fast in the summer - fingers crossed! The other good news is that "Bold Bangs" are in again - now, keep in mind that I do not look anything like any of these fabulous actresses, but it makes me feel better that someone else's stylist had a bad day too!

Current Music: Lost & Found - Adrienne Pierce

Decision Made

I've come to a decision - the bangs will be grown out!

I have burned myself with the curling iron for the LAST TIME! This morning makes the third time in two weeks that I've burned my forehead. Now I have to explain why I have a Dora the Explorer band-aid on my forehead (yep - it was a doosie of a burn).

So it's my skin or the bangs, the bangs are going!

Current Music: Barbie Girl - Aqua

Told You So (well, sort of)

Ok - I bowed to the peer pressure and just as I feared, the rockin' bangs turned into Peggy Sue (or as my dear friend pointed out, Peg Bundy)!

On the upside, I just watched the Devil Wears Prada, and saw that Anne Hathaway has some pretty rockin' bangs - so I'm trying to work something like this or this. Of course I could also go with the "Lily" look.

So the bad news is that the evil bangs looked like crap for a day or two, the good news is that they are pretty much under control and will grow out again!

Current Music: Short Skirt, Long Jacket - Cake

I have a Dilemma

So it's been almost a month since my frightening hair cut. And I've finally figured out how to deal with these stinking bangs (I've got sort of a Heidi Klum thing happening now - just the hair though). The problem is this, now they're too long!

The dilemma is this: do I just keep growing them out and hopefully get the look that I originally wanted or do I get them trimmed and wear them as they are for a bit? But this gets to the deeper problem of bangs - growing them out! What a pain that is, and I'm already part of the way there, so maybe my answer lies there?

Why does it have to be so hard to be a girl? Scott's out of bed and out the door in 15 minutes (well 20 if there's a second bathroom stop!). I'm at the whole "beauty" thing for at least an hour - jeesh!

Current Music: If Looks Could Kill - Camera Obscura

Stress Ball

Yep, that's me - a little wound up ball of stress! Have been all week.

So why am I stressed you say (besides the obvious - no money, dirty house, laundry not done, behind at work)?

Well I've got this thing to go to tomorrow - it's a charity "luncheon" for the local hospital. Doesn't sound all that bad right? My friend invited me since she had an extra ticket plus she figured it would be a good "networking" opportunity. At first it sounded like fun, but then I thought about who was really going to be there - all the doctor's wives, the rich stay at home moms and all the other "ladies of leisure" in town (in short, all of the rich folk that I don't hang out with).

So that got me stressing out about what to wear and since I don't do "luncheons" (I'm more of a casual brunch girl or a hang out after work with friends girl). Off I went to the mall - trying on skirts and suits and slacks and all sorts of other things I would never wear in my normal day to day life. But if I was going to be hanging with this crowd I needed something more than my standard nice top, dressy jeans and cute shoes ensemble. I finally found a cute skirt that went with a sweater I already had - cute and dressy, but could be casual for later use.

Then I realized I didn't have the right shoes. I felt quite strongly that my normal selection of boots, Sketchers, ballet flats or flip-flops just weren't going to cut it. So I went shopping again - I've bought five pairs of shoes this week (admittedly two pairs were not for the outfit)! But after multiple trips to the mall I know have skirt and shoes - oh and a new handbag (cause you can't buy new shoes and not a new purse).

That got me thinking about the state of hair and nails and toes (they're peep-toe shoes after all). So I checked the roots and the half gown out bangs and called in for an appointment with my stylist. The hair was the easiest part all things considered, well, except for the evil bangs but I can work with them. The toes are done, though I'm a bit worried that the color is too bright - but screw them if they can't appreciate a sassy summer color. The nails may have to go as they are since I don't see a manicure happening between now and 11:30 tomorrow.

And of course during this shopping frenzy I've been wondering where the money is going to come from for these purchases. I've tried to keep my purchases reasonable and I think that I should be able to wear all of this stuff more than just this time - so that's good. And I do have a fair number of things to return, that's money back in the bank.

I should be relatively stress free at this point, I'm all ready and I should be able to breath easily. But now I'm worried about the even it's self - will I know anyone? Will I see someone I don't want to run into? Will I somehow embarrass my self?

I suppose the question that I should be worried about more is will I be bored out of my skull and be sorry for spending all the time and money?

Current Music: Picture Perfect - Chris Brown

Interesting Idea

So I stumbled upon this today. The idea of blogging every day is a bit intimidating - really how many times can we discuss the state of my bangs? On the flip side, there's always plenty of times that Scott or my family or my coworkers annoy me, so maybe there really is enough fodder.

Sure - ok, let's give it a try, what's the worst thing that could happen? The blog police will come after me?

Current Music: Why Worry - The All-American Rejects

Name One Thing That Is Lame

Me - that's the answer. But seriously, if I have to come up with a blog a day then I'm gonna need a crutch now and then. So thanks KimmyK!

1. Name one person who made you laugh last night? My mom
2. What were you doing at 0800? Laying in bed thinking of a way to shut the kitten up without having to actually get up.
3. What were you doing 30 minutes ago? Cooking breakfast, well I supposed it's more like brunch (but not as good)
4. What happened to you in 2006? Tons of stuff happened around me, to family members - but not much actually happened to me.
5. What was the last thing you said out loud? Okay, have fun - to Scott as he headed off for a shower.
6. How many beverages did you have today? So far only 2, a glass of milk and a Chai Latte.
7. What color is your hairbrush? Black, I didn't really think that they came in a lot of colors.
8. What was the last thing you paid for? Groceries
9. Where were you last night? Sitting here, watching TV and thinking about which pictures to scrapbook.
10. What color is your front door? White
11. Where do you keep your change? In a loose change jar at the front door.
12. What’s the weather like today? Cool and breezy, nice fall day.
13. What’s the best ice-cream flavor? Hmmm, would probably have to say Cherries Garcia, but it's a seriously tough choice.
14. What excites you? New scrapbooking stuff, going home to see my family, holidays.
15. Do you want to cut your hair? ABSOLUTELY NOT - sorry, was that a bit strong? Currently growing out the evil bangs.
16. Are you over the age of 25? yes, but only by a few years, well ten - crap.
17. Do you talk a lot? Ya think?
18. Do you watch the O.C.? No
19. Do you know anyone named Steven? Technically yes, but it's not anyone I see on a regular basis.
20. Do you make up your own words? All the time, I'm thinking about writing a dictionary.
21. Are you a jealous person? Not usually
22. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter ‘A’: Avery
23. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter ‘K': KimmyK, Kathy
24. Who’s the first person on your received call list? Scott
25. What does the last text message you received say? Missing You - and before you say "awww" it was from my evil sister, attached to a picture of her and our friends at a crop - so now I'm homesick.
26. Do you chew on your straw? If I"m drunk yes, but typically no.
27. Do you have curly hair? nope
28. Where’s the next place you’re going to? probably the shower
29. Who’s the rudest person in your life? some days, my sister - other days, anyone on the road
30. What was the last thing you ate? English Muffin
31. Will you get married in the future? I like to keep the option open - not sure how Scott feels about that though.
32. What’s the best movie you’ve seen in the past 2 weeks? Rent
33. Is there anyone you like right now? There's no one I dislike now
34. When was the last time you did the dishes? Not my job
35. Are you currently depressed? Not really
36. Did you cry today? Not yet, but the day is young
37. Why did you answer and post this? Cause a girl's gotta have something to blog
38. Tag 5 people who would do this survey. I'm not really sure I have 5 people that read my blog, but for those of you who do and don't have anything better to do...

Current Music: Rockaway Beach - The Ramones

Back to the Shallow End

Things have been a bit deep around here lately - and while I can be deep, shallow is so much more fun, so everyone out of the deep end!

A couple of shallow things I have been pondering:

1. I think I'm going to by Dance Dance Revolution tonight on the way home. It looks like fun and I just realized that I'm going to have to get into a bikini soon - maybe it will help. And if nothing less I'll probably be able to laugh my ass off.

2. Can lotion make you static-y? The last couple of nights at the restaurant I have had a serious issue with static. It's the same cotton/poly blend pants and a cotton apron we always wear (and yes there is a shirt) but ever since I've switched to this new lotion I can't keep my apron from clinging to my pants - and let me tell you, it's not a good look. So as of now I'm blaming the windy and warmer weather, not the lotion, but I wonder...

3. I'm trying to decide on my summer toe color. Not that only wear one color all summer long, but I tend to like to get a new color and really wear it a lot during the season. So, I've got to get that done.

4. Bangs - oh yes, they're still here, evil as ever. I just can't decide what to do with them - keep them, let them grow out? And then there's the rest of the hair - should I go shorter for summer? I'll have to pick up some trashy celeb magazines and get some inspiration.

5. Zebra print flats. There's a cute pair at target and I'm thinking I might have to have them - though buying the video game might put a crimp in that plan.

Alrighty, I guess that's it for now, but I'm sure I can come up with more shallowness soon!

Current Music: Summer's Gone - Aberfeldy

I Wonder

I wonder about a lot of things - some are big, some are small. For lack of anything better to post, here are some things that I've been wondering about.

• I wonder how I manage to get so many little injuries on my body on a day to day basis.
• I wonder how I'm going to make it through to November with all the politics, it's already killing me and there is still sooooo long to go.
• I wonder how I managed to missed so much of summer. It's September and the only tan I have is out of a bottle.
• I wonder how much longer I can keep my job, not because I'm going to get fired but because my boss drives me nuts and makes me want to quit on a day to day basis.
• I wonder how I can continue find a way to get a housekeeper once a week, since I have managed to been a really crap-tastic house keeper (and we all know what a great housekeeper Scott is).
• I wonder how much longer I can "keep up with the Jonses", it's so hard to have rich friends (not that they are difficult about it, it's all me).
• I wonder why so many birth control commercials have swimming pools in them - what is that about?
• I wonder if it's ever too early to start becoming the crazy cat lady.
• I wonder if the right pair of shoes really can make the day better - sometimes I think it's absolutely possible.
• I wonder how much Law & Order I can watch before my brain turns to mush.
• I wonder how much longer I can stay in this state and keep my sanity.
• I wonder how I can get a Wii Fit.
• I wonder why I Tivo'd Hole in the wall - I am so dumb.
• Oh yeah, and I wonder why I got my hair cut - I don't mind the 4 to 5 inches she took off the back, but I'm unsure as to why I let her put the evil bangs back. Seriously, I am dumb.

Of course there's more, but really how much are you really wondering about what I'm wondering about?

Blog Neglect

Can I be arrested for blog neglect? Is there a Blog Protective Services, could there be fines involved for the fact that I've been a crap blogger? I hope not, cause I have in deed been a crap blogger!

But, since I'm sure you're all dying to know what's new with me, here's Mandy Lou in bullets:

• The sewage pump is f'd up again, nothing major but if I see those stupid plumbers again... well just keep an eye on the news "Suburban lady opens a can of whoop ass on two under age plumbers".
  
• Scott cleaned both bathrooms this week, no really both bath rooms (and yes, there was much fanfare)
• I am only just now dropping my sister's birthday card in the mail - can it make it to Cali by Saturday?
• I've been working 9+ hours a day, that bites
• I've had PMS for like a week now, that really bites
• I walked over 15,000 steps on Saturday (I had to work at the restaurant)
• May bangs are growing out, again - yeah, I cut them, again. So what's your point?
• I am a week and a half away from becoming the mother of a tween girl and a crazy hockey playing boy - the good news is that it's only a week, but more on all that later
• Even without all the restaurant steps, I'm pretty much making my goal of 7,000 steps a day - gotta love those long walks through the mall!
• Work is sucking - most of the time I dream of using the stapler on my boss' forhead
• Scott spent "all day" cleaning 4 windows - no really, it's hard work being him.
• I'm scheduled to work both Friday and Saturday night working at the restaurant, it's going to be a long weekend, and not in a good way!
  

Well, that's about it for now. I would promise to be a better blogger, but I'd probably let y'all down. So I'll just say I just say see you soon (ish).

Current Music: Ain't Nothing Wrong With That - Robert Randal & The Family Band

Making a List

I'm making a list and checking it twice! Maybe I'm overly anxious for this trip to LA, or maybe I just need to get out of town for a bit - I'm guessing there are actually plenty of answers. But the closer I get to leaving, the longer my to do list gets...

1. pack
2. laundry
3. get suitcase out of attic (get second suitcase out, in case I over pack)
4. do toes and nails
5. shave (hey it's winter and I'm married, so?)
6. buy cat food so that they don't starve
7. figure out what to pack (I guess that should come before pack)
8. get bangs fixed (still not totally sure about this one)
9. go buy travel sized everything
10. book shuttles to and from airport in LA
11. clear up the tivo, so I can tape a bunch more stuff
12. go to the market to buy Scott all the frozen food that he'll need to survive
13. continue with the 100 crunches a day, tan in a can and teeth whitening so that I don't look like a mid-winter midwesterner (again why didn't anyone tell me that you gain at least 5 pounds over winter that you've got to take off before beach season - so unfair)

I think that's it for now, but I'm sure it will get longer before it gets shorter.

Current Music: Dude, I just said I had to get the tivo cleared!

Oh What A Night

I should start out with the requisite apology for goofing up the end of NaBloPoMo and not having been around for a bit. But I really don't have much of and excuse for not being around, besides a severe case of what my sister would call "Head Up Ass" disease. I did bail on the last day of NaBloPoMo, but I have a number of reasonable excuses - I was in a different time zone, I was entertaining someone else's children in Disneyland, I'd already messed up NaBloPoMo anyway, oh and I was at my super important reunion (also called the mini Slug-Fest-Love-Fest-Drinking-Fest).

It was pretty damned awesome! It's been almost 13 years since I'd seen all my old roomies and almost 20 since we'd lived together, yet we were able to pick back up as if no time had passed. Sure we were all a bit older, maybe a few more pounds here and there, but no worse for wear. Some of us had kids, some weren't working, one was having an affair, and one had a nice new set of boobs (none of those are me by the way) - but all still in good shape and still the same bunch of fun gals we always were.

Oh, and did I say we all looked pretty good? 'Cause we did. My one roomie said that "almost 40 is the new 20" - maybe she's right. Oh and I'm pretty sure I pulled off the H-O-T, hot bit as well ("you are hotter now than you even were in college" - a direct quote from the Ex) - even with the bangs.

After plenty of girl chatter and gossip the once "Fearsome Foursome" (our nickname way back in our Freshman year) got all tarted up and headed out to the bar to meet the rest of the Slugs. The group was supposed to include one Ex per roomie (yep, we broke hearts and took names once upon a time), plus a couple of floor-mates from our Freshman and Sophomore dorms. The "rest" of the group ended up being only be my Ex and one other friend. Oh, and my Ex brought his wife - which actually turned out ok, she was really nice (and incredibly tall and could kick my ass in a hot second, so I have to say she was nice right? :-).

Anywhoo, we headed out to the restaurant and proceeded to eat, drink and relive old times (strangely they included a lot of talk about how my Ex and I hooked up all those years ago - the good news is that his wife took it in good form). We kept talking, eating, drinking and laughing till we realized that we were getting a bit too loud for the rest of the restaurant patrons. We knew we weren't done with the evening so we headed on to some random country bar around the corner (which you really wouldn't expect to see in the trendy part of San Diego, and yet...).

At some point between trying to get me on the mechanical bull and the tequila shots we started to really have a good time! The guys tried out a little table dancing - which was frightening (and managed to get the bouncers over to our table). I'm fairly certain that at least one of the girls had a little spin on the pole (clothes on). But the night couldn't end there! Not long after, we all ended up on the roof top bar dancing and drinking well into the wee hours of the morning. Sometime around 3am we dragged ourselves back to our room and into bed.

We all managed to drag ourselves out of bed the next morning and down to breakfast. I'm not sure that we did any better than we did 20 years ago, but we all made it through the night not too much worse for wear. We enjoyed a breakfast and shared a small bottle of Advil and started making plans for the next reunion.

I guess the good news is that I've got a year to recover.

Current Music: So Long, Farewell, Bye Bye - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

I'm Here...Kind Of

Just checking in quickly.

In the good news category:
- Scott got a real job (well kind of).
- That real job comes with real health insurance (instead of the expensive half-assed version that we had before).
- Because of that insurance I've finally decided to get my sorry ass into therapy.
- I got to drive off to DC to meet up with my dear friends to go to the Big Gay Hoedown again.
- I got a sassy new hair cut a month ago, and the bangs are good (I know, I can die happy now, right?)
- It is finally green here, mostly.
- I'm still employed, for now.

In the bad news category:
- The real job that Scott got only helps us go broke more slowly.
- The therapist as diagnosed me as clinically depressed (which I really didn't think I was, but hey, now I can get some cool drugs if I want to).
- I got a ticket on my way back from DC - that sucked.
- It's still freaking freezing here, we've had like 3 warm days and I've either been out of town or in the office.
- I'm not sure how much longer I'm going to be employed, or how much longer I want to be employed.

Other than all that I'm soooo in the middle of my little mid-life crisis. Darn it, I started it without you guys, now I'm in the middle of it and you all don't even know about it. Let's just say that I've done some less than healthy things (less than health for my emotional well being and possibly for my marriage) and am now reaping the rewards. Once I get my head clear(er) I'll report back.

But know that I'm here, mostly. I'm reading your blogs, checking in with you all - even though I'm not commenting much. Really I'm trying to dig out of this hole I've found myself in.

Current Music: We Made You - Eminem