HNT: Poolside

Here are my pink toes (and a piece of my nephew) in a photo taken on Tuesday. It hasn't even been two days, but it already feels like ages ago.
The trip was a nice break from my routine. Three days, jam packed... pool, beach, family, and I even learned to fish with the guys!Check out more HNT fun by clicking the Half Nekkid Thursday sidebar link.

See ya!

I'm off on a quickie vacay. In honor of the occasion, I decided to embrace my inner girlie-girl, and get a pedicure.

I have to admit, I was a little annoyed with the pedicurist when she was putting the finishing touches on my toes and asked, I do your brows?

My mind started racing, What's wrong with my brows? Do I need to have them done? Am I starting to look like Peter Gallagher? Seriously, I wonder if those girls sit around after hours, and plot out how to make people feel self-conscious, so they can make more money. It is just so wrong.

But she did do a nice job with the pedi. My toes are painted pink, and they're ready to dig into some warm sand... See you in a few days!

HNT: Like Orangina

Here I am...
a bit of a mess.
Exhausted after a long day of work at the magazine, and then a night of losing at poker. But there is a glimmer of happiness on that face, because the right person was voted off of American Idol. I know, I'm a big dork. Is it wrong to get so much pleasure from someone else's pain?

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It's a taxing job

Trying to get my tax-y goodness in order for a CPA meeting tomorrow. It's amazing to see on two pages how much money can just slip away... Ah, the wonder of Quicken.

At least I can feel good that a large percentage went to charities. In 2005, I helped preemie babies like my nephew through the March of Dimes, gave to the US fund for Unicef, helped other families and people like my dad who are suffering from ALS, also the Coalition for the Homeless, Breast Cancer research, Red Cross for Katrina relief efforts, Project Sunshine to help sick children, and the Alliance for Lupus.

I actually think I have unintentionally taken care of my tithing this year, which in the Jewish religion is the practice of giving away 10% of what you make to help others. It is said to bring you more wealth in the end... So donate away!

HNT: Closet Case

I have another confession to make... No, it's not that kind of closet confession. Been there, done that.

This one is a real secret that I have kept behind closed doors. Well, one closed door in particular...
My closet. The truth is: I have lived in my new home for well over two months now, and I have yet to unpack my clothes. I know, the horror. My nice walk-in closet has been defiled by full suitcases, backpacks, and a huge black garbage bag full of shoes. Seriously. A trash bag 'o shoes.

There are many things that may have contributed to it getting this far... Maybe it's the fact that I can't fit into any of my clothes yet, or perhaps it's that summer clothes bum me out when it's cold, or maybe it is the fact that my closet is the one space in my home that is mine alone, and since things are going well in all the other areas of my life, I need to do something to self-sabotage... Oooor maybe I'm just tired, a.k.a. lazy.

But now, the plot thickens. Several nights ago, as I was readying myself to retire to the boudoir, I went to flip the closet's light switch to on, and there was a pop and then a flash, and suddenly everything went dark. I think the closet was trying to tell me something. My bulb had bust, and I was thrust into total darkness, too embarrassed by the condition of the space, and too intent on maintaining the privacy of that space, to tell the man. I know I could just change it myself, which would take all of about two minutes, but it just hasn't happened. So for three days now, I have been in secret darkness, not only living out of suitcases, but fumbling around trying to find clothes and socks to match in the dark.

In short, if the state of a person's closet directly correlates to the state of their life... I am in serious trouble.

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On newstands today...

If you happen to see the following two magazines, you can check out this Jersey girl's photography in print.

On page 34 of the March issue of Psychology Today, there's a portrait of the private eye to the stars...

And two more portraits on page 12 of the Spring issue of Oprah's O at Home...
The on-page gutter credits (in the middle crease of the magazine), identify the photos... It's no spread in W, but I'm sure my grandma will be proud!

HNT: Check out my juicy mangos...

**I'm posting HNT early this week, since I won't be able to post tonight...

Succulent, don't you think? My new addiction... Sweet, tangy, and makes me drool just thinking about it... No, I'm not talking about Dr. McDreamy (although he is pretty delicious), I'm talking about mango... as in, the fruit.

I've always been rather obsessed with food, especially snacks, constantly thinking about the next thing I am going to eat, and the thing after that; but mango was never really one of those foods on my radar. I never even gave it a thought, except on the rare occasion when I would encounter an unfamiliar bite of fruit salad or a candied cube of dried fruit in with trail mix.

Things all changed last week though, as I was waiting at the register of the craptastic deli/salad bar/sushi-rama/smoothie hut/florist downstairs from where I work. There it was, on display for all to admire, love in the guise of a stack of round clear plastic containers with sliced yellow fruit inside, and stickers that read a mere $1.99. $1.99 for a healthy(er) snack? I had to give it a go.

Once back at my desk, I revealed the plastic fruit-filled container from within the generic white plastic bag, carefully but deliberately, like unwrapping a present. I then loaded up the plastic fork and let the luscious fruit slide past my readied lips. That first memorable moment is emblazoned on my memory. I closed my eyes, momentarily escaping the green haze of fluorescent lights and computer screen's glow, and fully experience the flavor, as it slid down my throat. I was instantly transported to a beach, drinking cocktails with my love beneath a palm tree.

I have a problem now though... No other snack will do it for me any more. I have started craving it's sweet deliciousness all the time, to the point where I fantasize about eating it. Seriously. I may soon be in need of MA... Mango-eaters anonymous.

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My body, my business, be-otch!

Did you hear? It's scary, but true: South Dakota has banned abortion.

The bill, which is clearly part of a larger anti-choice strategy to overturn Roe v. Wade, was signed on Monday by Gov. Mike Rounds.

The South Dakota law outlaws abortion in almost all cases, including cases of rape or incest. Doctors who violate the ban could face up to five years in prison... Yikes!

Please join me in sending messages to our governors asking them to hold the line on a woman's right to choose. Click here to learn more and take action.

Missy Hissy

Waaah... I want to jump around and stomp my feet. I want to pound my fists on the floor and wail. I want to moan and groan, and stick out my lower lip in a big dramatic pout.

No, it's not because Crash won the Oscar for Best Picture (although I do think Brokeback Mountain should have won). I am simply upset because I don't want to go to sleep.

This happens every Sunday (and most other nights of the week). I feel like a kid with a bedtime earlier than her friends (yes, I was always that girl... 8PM sharp). But Mo-omm, I'm awake and I want to stay up. I'm not ready for the weekend to be over!

But, the truth is, I know I'll feel worse in the morning if I don't hit the sheets now. So, I'm off... Off to suffer with my nightly struggle. Off to try and quiet my mind. Hopefully I won't have a song in my head like last night... Domo Arigato Mister Roboto... Oh crap. I'm screwed.

HNT Pieces

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