(The Follow-up) To Cut or Not To Cut

 It has been several days now and, let me tell you, I am loving this short hair I'm rocking. Well, I am loving it now...

The first couple of days after making the final cut, I was a bit manic and bi-polar about what I'd done with my hair. I'd love it for 10 minutes, then I'd be Googling "how to make a wig look like it's your own hair" and "are weaves hard on your natural hair?"

Thankfully, I adjusted to being so close-cropped. Now I don't know if I will ever go back to longer hair. There are pros and cons to either style.

• I can easily twist longer hair. Twisting elongates my curls and produces a variety of styles.
• I can easily make thicker Bantu knots with longer hair. I love wearing Bantu knots. It was the best way I stayed a bit cooler during the hottest weather before, you know, I CUT OFF ALL MY FREAKING HAIR. 
• I could pull my longer hair back and/or up with bands and clips when I was lazy about styling. Or, for a cute style,  I could twist my hair into rows halfway and pull the rest into a band.
• Hair this short is perfect for lazy people.
• With this short hair, I can still make Bantu knots. They are tiny but not bad-looking. I can also separate and twist my hair into rows but I have to secure and lock down the ends with metallic clips.
• I can style my short hair in more ways than I thought I'd be able to. I can smooth it down on one side or, if I want, smooth all of it down with some holding gel. That's a tricky look to pull off though. Do it wrong and you look like you're wearing shoe polish on your head or like a cat's been licking your hair.
• Sleeping on my short hair is a, um, dream compared to when it was longer. I don't have to worry about my short hair being so mashed out of shape in the morning. I can get up, spray in a little conditioner and get on with life.
• My short hair requires a lot less touching up during the day. There is not enough of it to get messy or for the wind to blow. 
• Shorter hair makes my gray now look more interesting and pretty and not just distracting.

Yeah. I can get down for a while with this short look. I did have to go back several times and snip off some of the stray pieces that I missed the first few times. I think I have it evenly cropped now.

(My cousin asked why this bottom pic looks like a graduation pose! LOL)

I am also pleased that I didn't have to buy any styling products right away. I'm such a product junkie as is that I found what I needed in the bathroom pantry.

I need this curl cream to
get back into stock somewhere soon...
It's amazing.

I think I really needed this big chop. To be honest, my hair did need this. What little hair is left on my head is so soft and healthy. No more damaged sections to hide or split ends to worry about. I don't even have to detangle it after washing. There is not enough of it to tangle! And when I said that sleeping on it is a dream...

The first night I went to bed with the new cut, I was a little lost. I didn't need to spend half an hour putting styling my hair into twists or worry about not twisting it and having to pull it back with a ponytail holder. Nope, none of that. I just... laid down and went to sleep.

That next morning, the only reason I needed to use a conditioning spray was that one side of my hair was flatter than the other. Also, the spray just smells so dang good.

And, guess, what? It was so much cooler today with this short hair -  even though temps got to over 86 degrees. That sounds lovely and would be if the humidity didn't shoot up to 73%. There are days we hit 90 degrees and 80% humidity.

When I feel up to it, I will practice doing some Bantu knots and twist-outs or twist rows. It may not look like there is enough hair left to work with but go look up something called "natural hair shrinkage". Some of the photos are hilarious but true. Your jaw will hit the ground.

Anyway. The cut is here and happening. And maybe shorter hair is the way to go now that I'm over 60? ~shrug~ Watch me if I don't get a t-shirt that says "Short Hair, Don't Care"! 

Peace

--Free

UPDATE - I had to take a photo for a family album the other day. I did both filtered and"natural" shots (I was trying to slide my age back a couple of years!). I thought I would share some just because my hair is growing out and I wanted y'all to see the progress.

I don't know why I look wasted.
I was just tired, not high...

One of my brothers asked
why I look so mean in
photos. What?!?!?

P.S.: For days after writing this follow-up, I was still snipping off stray strands. Every time I stopped to admire myself in a mirror, I'd see one or two little hairs that needed scissoring... I have a feeling that it will be a week or more before I have this short 'do totally neat and cleaned up! But I do love it, yes, I do.

Uh Oh, I Discovered eBay...

Sometimes one thing happens that works out really well with another thing that happens. The first thing that happened was that I got another one-size-fits-all check for my birthday. I seem to have family and friends who know that I am hard to shop for... So, I got a nice little check. I'm not mad.

The next thing that happened was that I made a new online buddy. She is smart and witty and fun. She immediately corrupted me. Immediately.

Let us stop for a moment and mourn G+.  It was such a place to meet acquaintances who share your likes and dislikes. And without all the posing that happens on Fakebook. No one pretended they were ever going to be friends in real life, most of us liked the anonymity of having online-only relationships. If you were into photography, you could find like-minded folk. I'm into blogging and there were a ton of bloggers on G+. Too bad it's long gone...

Anyway, I like Reddit (most of the time) a lot less than G+ but a lot more than Fakebook. And it was while I was on Reddit that the second thing happened. I was in a perfume forum, looking for help in finding affordable vintage perfumes. I'd gotten a suggestion from someone to go vintage for longer-lasting and nicer-smelling fragrances. There was something said about them often getting better with age. So I asked around on Reddit and the best response I got was from - let's call her "JB". 

JB's advised me to try eBay for finding vintage items. I said I didn't know how to use eBay. JB said it was easy. I went to eBay. JB is right. eBay is super easy. And now I am addicted.

I'm not yet addicted to buying everything I see but I already have a "watch list" a mile long. I really love being able to search for things so specifically. I don't like to pay for shipping and I would like free returns. I also love being able to check out the seller ratings and choosing from several other filters. It's so much better than Amazon and it absolutely is cheaper.

The other week, I bought a cheap bottle of Emeraude from Amazon. I think I paid less than 12 bucks for it. It is so weak that I would have been upset at paying half that...

Over on eBay, my first search was for "vintage Emeraude" (filters: under $10, free shipping, free returns). I also learned quickly to check those seller profile ratings. And BOOM, I found: 

" 'VINTAGE' EMERAUDE" BY COTY - SPRAY MIST .75 OUNCE BOTTLE - 90 % FULL"

The price? $7.99

Um, what??? 

I almost snapped a cap off my keyboard ordering that one. Not more than 4 hours later, I get a notice that the item has been shipped.

Once again - WHAT?

So I have to thank JB (who also is on Fragrantica as I am) but I had to self-impose some eBay rules on myself: 

• Never spend more than $30 (s/h included) for perfume.
• Never spend more than $15 on clothing.
• Never shop there more than twice a month - unless in an emergency situation, such as needing an outfit for a wedding or something like that.

I think I will be fine now. As a matter of fact, I realized that if I buy all my hair care and clothing, and household decor from eBay instead of Amazon, I'll be ahead of the game. The thing I like most is being able to only choose items that have free shipping and free returns. That's better than Prime because, with eBay, a bad seller doesn't win. Your ratings have more impact - and there is a money-back guarantee. With Amazon, there's not always a choice of sellers and perfumes usually cannot be returned.

Now, keep in mind that I was able to break my twice-a-month rule when I got my other birthday check. I will keep you informed on the goodies later.

So, thanks a lot JB. You seem to be my kind of gal but I'm going to remember that it was you who turned me on to eBay!

Peace

--Free

 

The Magic Money Trick

This post should be titled "The Disappearing Money Trick". 

Funniest & truest meme 
I've seen

Money doesn't come and go around here, it comes and evaporates. Or something. Here's what's happening now... 

I managed to get through my birthday without shopping myself broker than usual. I even managed to save a few bucks because I didn't have to re-order some of my household items. Also, one of my brothers always gives money for gifts because, you know, it's the best color and size and fits any wallet.

Well, Satan must know when I have the slightest chance of having extra money because he will gunk up the works for me. Once, I had a bunch of unexpected (and un-insured) medical bills that I had to pay off. Another time, I lost a box of the extra contacts I had just when my prescription expired. How did I lose a box of contacts? You got me. I'm starting to think there's a mystery triangle somewhere in this apartment because that's not the first time I have weirdly lost something...

Every dang time I get two steps ahead, I end up moonwalking back ten steps. 

So, this time I had some saved money and some birthday money. I will give myself some credit that really belongs to my mother who taught me how to make a dollar out of fifteen cents. As broke as I am, I have "excellent" credit and last time I checked, I was rocking a 788 score. I am frugal without being cheap - because I have to be.

Anyway, where was I going with that? Oh yeah, I have been saving up to buy a real sofa (to replace the futon I never sit on) but instead, I was going to buy some new bath towels and bed sheets. I have a few decent sets of sheets for myself and one really nice set for guests only. But bath towels? The only ones that match and still look good are the ones on the racks. I don't touch those, not even to dry my hands. I haven't even moved them since I hung them on the racks. So, yeah I need some new linen closet stuff.

But guess what? The old Dragon must have seen my search history and decided I don't need new linens. Instead, he must think I would rather have to buy a new computer. Not a new coffeepot or a new fan or a new anything I can get from a Dollar General.

I don't have any new computer money. At least not like what I spent on this one. However, this one just came from under the warranty about two weeks ago so, of course, it's acting a fool. Actually, it started acting silly a few months ago but Dell was no help. I suppose in their view, I have a credit line with them that I haven't used in two and half years so I should dip into that to replace my battery. That's not going to happen. What happened to be able to easily remove and replace the battery yourself? And, on top of the battery having an attitude, the screen is glitching. I have not dropped this thing or treated it with anything but love and this is how it acts?

Since I don't want to mess with the Dell credit line - and maybe not even Dell  at all after this - and I just cannot afford another laptop like this one, I had to go bargain hunting. 

Woot! is a decent place to find bargains in almost any category. You have to put in some work though. There are great bargains, some decent bargains, and some should-I-or-shouldn't-I bargains. It took a couple of days, but I did manage to find a new laptop in my price range but I am worried about whether or not I chose a good one.

What I decided on is an HP 255 G8 with a 15.6" with these quick specs:

AMD Athlon Gold 3150U CPU, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, Windows 10 Home 

It's not a Chromebook, a refurb, or an unboxed item - like every other non-Apple laptop was - so I was able to get a cheap additional warranty for it. Still... 

I paid around $170 less than list and $200 or so less than some other sites were asking for it. In my desperation for something with enough storage and a decent brand name, I was afraid to hesitate for fear I'd miss out. And I might have been just a tiny bit wooed by the fact that it has a numeric keypad. It sounds like a small thing but you try having my brain and paying bills without a numeric keypad.

Anyway, I snagged it the spent the next few hours trying to find reviews and feedback about it. That's not easy because there are so many variations on the model. Some come with Intel chips or have a whole other setup. My brain is not in the best shape this week so I can't handle all that. I didn't want to ask my brothers to help me in the search because they'd just buy it and I don't want that.

Anyway, I bought the thing.  I figure if I really hate it, I have 30 days to return it for a full refund (minus shipping). And - this is really important - the credit card I used has a special payment plan for purchases over a certain dollar amount.

But still. 

Did I make a good choice? Am I going to regret getting this particular model? Should I have paid more for something better? 

I suppose I will find out soon enough. In the meantime, this Dell is having a couple of other issues that make me regret what I paid for it. So the HP budget model might not be such a bad deal after all. I don't need anything fancy. As long as I can get on the internet, do some tele-med appointments, pay bills, and blog I will be fine.

On the plus side of the money front (and I surely hope Satan ain't listening in on this), I haven't had to replace my cell phone for almost exactly 5 years. It still looks good and works great... I'm telling you, if you take decent care of a Samsung, they just won't die. Of course, they do eventually stop getting updates but I can worry about that another time!

Now I have to go and do some budgeting acrobatics just in case I need coffee and bread anytime soon.

Peace

--Free

P.S.: While I am always a little wallet-light and like to joke about that, I am still so blessed. I just like trying to laugh about how life sometimes is. I am thankful for everything I have, truly. I am eating and housed and clothed. Let's all count our blessings, big and small.

**CROSS POST** The Most Serious Thought Experiment

 I wanted to share this post from my other blog. 

Take some time with this. Take this opportunity to think deeply about this most important thing. 

Imagine that you just died. Now imagine Eternity.

 Maybe you were important enough that the news broke into regular programming. Maybe you were so forgotten on earth that there was no obituary at all. Maybe those of us still alive don't even know that you have died. 

Now you stand before God, facing eternity.

God only asked that you forsake other "gods" and idols. He asked that you believe. He gave you proof of His being. You could look around at nature and the wonders of life and know that He is. 

Maybe you didn't hear about Jesus but you knew that everything that is did not come from nothing. You saw a newborn child, opening their eyes for the first time to see this world. You watched that child come out of the womb, knowing how to breathe and think and wonder. You saw the child learn language and numbers and time. Maybe that told you of God.

Maybe you did hear about Jesus. Maybe you knew and believed but you never finished reading the Bible so you didn't get every detail of what he sacrificed. Maybe you did.

Maybe you were of a brilliant mind and studied the maths and sciences. Maybe you decided that you didn't believe in God because of all that you learned. Maybe you decided that there is a God because of all that you learned.

Maybe you were never very smart. Maybe you never learned to read or write or count. But maybe you still knew of God. 

Maybe you were wealthy and privileged to enjoy every material thing. Maybe you were only well off, or comfortable, or maybe you were poor. 

Maybe you woke up every day, healthy and eager to live. Maybe you struggled with depression or pain or all manner of suffering.

Maybe you were loved by a lot of people, celebrated and lauded and envied. Maybe you just went through life as one of the many people who garner no special attention.

Maybe you were beautiful or handsome; tall and thin, big and robust; shapely and attractive; short and stumpy; ugly of face and plain of body. Maybe you were deformed or crippled or blind or mentally challenged. 

Maybe you were always happy or always sad or just simply living with no expectations of this world.

Maybe you were a good person - generous and kind and loving. Maybe you were a great father, son, wife, husband, or daughter. Maybe you fed the hungry and clothed the poor. 

Maybe you went to church often. Maybe you served in the church you attended. Maybe you never cursed, smoked, drank, took drugs, committed adultery or committed sexual sins. Maybe you were more "moral" and upright than most people who claim to be Christians. 

Maybe you were a good Buddist or Hindu or Muslim or Mormon or Roman Catholic. Maybe you were a committed Mason, Scientologist, or a non-affiliated member of society.  Maybe you never ate meat. Maybe you obeyed all the laws. Maybe you were a good citizen.

Maybe people respected you in your career. Maybe you invented life-saving equipment; discovered life-saving medicines; or found new ways to help people live healthier. 

Maybe you conquered the world with your voice or your intellect or your cunning. Maybe you were charismatic or ruthless or powerful or a titan. 

Maybe you never did anything outstanding or special. Maybe you were un "under-achiever", a "loser", a "slacker", a "drain on society". 

Maybe you traveled the world and saw every wonder on earth. Maybe you slept in fine hotels and dined on meals prepared for royalty. Maybe your home was palatial and luxurious. Maybe cars and airplanes sat ready at your command. Maybe you lived on the streets or ate from charity, or wore clothes thrown out by others. 

Maybe you donated money to open libraries and schools and maybe your name is on buildings of good reputation. 

Maybe you shouted praise from the rooftops or whispered prayers in your heart. Maybe you cursed God eloquently or defied him in the dark.

Back among the living, some might be wishing that you rest in peace. But they can't be sure. But you will know. Eternally.

Some might be wishing that you had a moment to ask forgiveness. But they can't be sure. But you will know. Forever.

Some might believe that they know you are safely in a peaceful rest. But they can't be sure. But you will know. Always.

No one can be sure what is in your heart but God. The God you believe in or the God you rejected? The God you challenged or the God you prayed to? The God you chose or the God you turned away from?

No one here on earth can be sure. But you and God will know because whoever you were, you are now dead. And you stand before God, facing eternity.

Will you be thankful for the rest you have earned? Will you be frightened of the consequences of your beliefs? 

You are dead and facing eternity. What will your eternity consist of?

For those of us still alive, we have time - if only this very moment - to think and to be sure. 

Don't reject what you haven't carefully considered. Don't turn away from what you cannot dismiss with certainty. Don't discard out of anger or hatred. Don't dismiss what frightens you without knowing why it frightens you. Know why. Think, think, think, and consider.

No matter what your life is among the living, your eternity is coming. Every day that you live, prepare to be eternally not among the living. The choice you make while you still can choose will be with you for all of the rest of time. 

As you live this part of your existence, prepare for the next part - the eternal part - that is coming.

There is nothing but the blood of Jesus that will be your eternal salvation and mind. Nothing - not a priest, a church, a parent or child; not your career or talent or wealth; not your looks or abilities; not your fame or notoriety; not your social connections; not your good works; not lighting candles or praying to saints; not sitting in a confessional or being blessed by some man or woman. 

Are you sure? Of what you believe or not believe in? Are you absolutely certain? Are you willing to stake all eternity on your choice?

Peace

--Free

P.S.:  It occurs to me that, as I was writing this, deaths were occurring. Deaths are always occurring. Think about that. You or I could be next.

I am praying that everyone takes the time to consider their life and their coming death. Many of us are afraid to think about our deaths. We don't want to think about what death will mean to us. We will think about what our death means to those we leave behind before we think about what we are dying into. 

We buy burial insurance and make wills and choose where and whether our bodies will be in the ground, crypt or urn. Our families will have to write an obituary or arrange a wake or memorial of funeral service. Someone will have to clean and dress our dead bodies, comb our hair, apply makeup, and make us presentable for viewing - or ready us from cremation and disposal. But that is just the flesh and bone of what is left of us.

The essential part of what we are, the part that lives on - that is the most important part. What plans have we made for that?

Please take the time to ready yourself for the biggest part of existence, what I think of as the "forever and ever" part.

To Cut or Not To Cut (Hair, That Is) UPDATE

 I am writing this post on my birthday. I will post it when I decide whether or not to cut my hair. That might be when I finish writing it.

This morning, I freaked out one of my neighbors when she saw my full, uncurled, untamed, unabashed afro. I got up early to mess with my hair when I realized I'd need to take out the garbage because of the holiday pickup schedule. Well, if you could have seen the look on that sweet little lady's face...

She has only ever seen me with my hair tamed with products or naturally wavy or twisted into spiral curls. This freaking Angela Davis afro made her stutter.

I have often been amazed myself the few times I have iron-straightened my hair or blown it out with a dryer. I just don't like putting heat in my hair. And I'm lazy. It's easier to wash my hair and twist-style it or slap on some products and let it dry into its own curl pattern. SO much easier. 

Still, I have been thinking about making my hair care routine even easier. If I cut it short enough, I can just style it by wetting in and rubbing in some good curl cream. On the other hand, if I don't cut it short enough, I will have to work harder to style it. Such a dilemma.

So I am sitting here, holding my scissors, knowing that once I start cutting, I'm going to have to commit. That or turn a crazy half-cut 'fro into a new look.

Years ago, when I wore my hair relaxed, I got a bad batch of product and had to get my hair cut so short you could see my thoughts. I mean, I had to go to a barber. That's because I knew a barber could do a really short cut better than I could. (I've almost always been my own hairstylist. I don't trust anyone else.) I had left work with a medium bob cut and went back on Monday looking like my daddy. SO much like my daddy. The last time I chopped my hair was back in 2015 after my sister passed. I went to visit my niece in Dallas and she put in some braids before I left for home again. But that short style wasn't really that bad.

I haven't been this thin in a while!

Of course, back when I got the barber cut I was under 100 pounds wet and on a full stomach. Of course, I looked like my taller, thinner daddy. These days though, I'm packing enough middle-age weight that I will still look like a woman even rocking a razor-short cut. But let's not get carried away here...

If I do go short-short, I might as well do something to highlight all this grey that's been playing peek-a-boo. 

This is so stressful. And why? It's just hair. 

Maybe I'm reluctant to do a big chop because I'm worried my hair won't grow back. This methotrexate I'm on has been kind so far - to my hair, that is. I haven't had a lot of thinning except for my eyebrows, and I've been on this nasty medicine for a long time. A lady in an online support group told me that she started losing her hair almost within a month of starting methotrexate. Maybe the folic acid I take helps? Prednisone on the other hand... My hair and skin were never more glorious when I was fat and dosed up on something like 60mg of that demon drug.

Predni-ick. 
 I'd rather be bald, thanks.
But my double chin is cute as can be!

So, I am still sitting here, holding the scissors. Thinking. And looking for styling ideas. I do see some cute styles on this page but they are all too young-looking - or overly colorful - for my tastes.

Maybe I will just start with a really deep trim? That will make my hair look healthier, I suppose. Also, think of the money I will save on hair products.

But...

Nope. No cut for today. I will do a bit of a trim and see how I feel after that. But I am definitely thinking of going greyer.

Peace

--Free

65 HOURS LATER...

I went ahead and cut my hair. I figured what the hey. Plus, I could almost hear my best friend saying something like, "Go ahead, tusta girl. It's only hair."

I might go a bit shorter

I tried to brighten this to show the gray on the sides... 

I actually like it shorter. I noticed that my sides are where I am greyest and I like that too.

On a more serious note, when my SIL and I were looking at these pics, we noticed something else. My right eye opens wider when I am looking upwards and I can actually feel a difference. The left eye is more hooded at the corners. 

When I first got sick with this sarcoidosis, I looked stroked out because of the difference in one side of my face. I cannot remember for anything which side that was. My SIL and I think I will need to get in touch with my doctors to ask about this because she said that she has not noticed this before now. 

Oh, goodie. It looks like my 61st year is going to be as fun as my 50th!

Keep me in your prayers and I will post again if I do any more hair "trimming".

The Next Day...

I did a little more trimming and this time I was committed to the shortness!

I look grumpy but oh well

I like this final (?) cut. I need to get a better curl/shine cream though. Also...

DID I CUT OFF ALL MY FREAKING HAIR?????

Just kidding. I like the cut and caring for it will be easier. It's too humid here for all that naturally kinky-curly hair. Short and kinky-curly is the game for a while.

**Chick Stuff**I Love Face Serum Sticks

Correction: the title should read "I Love Olay Face Serum Sticks"

Being someone who has always tried to use primarily natural oils on my skin, I'm not big on a lot of branded facial care products. I do like Loreal's Age Perfect cream and the Moistfull cream from Etude House. The only Olay product I've ever liked was the Regenerist Serum I discovered about 10 or 12 years ago. Then I went back to my oils.

I found the Regenerist again a couple of years ago, but either they've changed the formula or else my skin no longer likes it. However, I have found another Olay product that my skin adores...And now that I'm sliding into the second year of my 6th decade, I am having to spoil my skin with more than cooking oils. 

Enter Olay Serums in stick form. 

(l to r) Brightening, Refreshing, and 
Cooling

I've been using the Refreshing/pink formula for over 2 years. I love that it's moisturizing without being heavy or greasy. Also, just one stick lasts so long. It took me around 9 or 10 months to go through my first one and it wasn't completely depleted before I ordered the next one. I ended up giving the 2nd (and partially-used) stick to one of the SILs (she tried it and loves it) and I'm now on my 3rd stick. When I went back to order that one, I noticed there were 2 more formulas. In total, there is the Refreshing (pink), Cooling (green), and Brightening (white).

While I will always want to have the Refreshing serum around, I can live without the Cooling one. It does nothing noticeable to my skin. However, I do like very much the Brightening formula. While I like the skin brightening (brightening, not whitening), I stay for its hyper-moisturizing properties - again while being weightless. I use it at night when my skin tends to dry out no matter the season.

Well, let me deep-dive into what I think about each of these.

They are slightly waxy-feeling
but are not waxy on the skin

The pink/Refreshing stick formula sake kasu and vitamin B3. The green/Cooling stick has vitamin B3 and cactus water. The white/Brightening stick has vitamins C and B3.

 Honestly, I didn't expect there to be much of a difference. However, I could immediately smell a difference in the green stick as it has the slightest scent, one that I can't place. It's not strong or offensive but I did notice it.

I think I am partial to the pink one - maybe because I am used to it - but it did seem to be much more moisturizing than the Cooling stick. It also goes on heavier. 

The green one is a bit moisturizing but not like the pink one and I don't notice anything "cooling" about it. Maybe I need to wait for a day when my skin feels inflamed? And by "cooling", I think what they mean is that it's supposed to be "calming".

When I smooth the pink stick over my face, it leaves a trail of cream that I can see. Of course, I dab it in with my fingertips so it doesn't stay visible. Although I can feel the green stick leaving a trace, I can't see it. 

Now the Brightening stick is pricier than the other two. They run around $6.50-$7.00 while this one is around $15. I treated myself for my birthday and, honestly, I think it's worth it.

The main thing I like about each of the serums is that they are in stick form. Also, you do get the benefit of moisture without a heavy film. I've seen reviews complaining about the lack of moisture. I thought that when I first started using the Refreshing serum. What I finally realized is that the moisture from these sticks is not like that from a jar of cream. You have to glide the stick over your face, then sort of pat in the residue with your fingertips and it disappears. Unlike with some jar creams, I can't see the moisture but I can definitely feel it. 

long-lasting

Because it costs more, I've been saving the Brightening stick until just before bedtime. Of course, in the very dry winter weather, I will probably use it along with the Refresher serum during the day. I notice that if I use either stick on my skin before applying perfume, it helps with fragrance longevity. So that's a plus.

The best thing is that these are priced reasonably - even the more expensive formula - because they last forever and a minute. I will replace the pink one regularly and just get the white one as my budget allows.  I won't buy the green one again though. At the rate that my pink ones have lasted in the past, I don't think I will need to replace any of them for another 8 months to a year.

Peace

--Free

P.S.: As for the prices, I used what they were on Amazon the last time I checked. These serums can be found at other retailers at a variety of prices. The Amazon prices fluctuate often - as much as a dollar or two - depending on who knows what?

Things I’d Like Never To Run Out Of

 Instead of thinking about the things I need, as I do every time I put together a monthly shopping list, I wanted to switch it up. Of course, I can't actually do this for real, but I can dream.

This morning, while looking through my Amazon Wish List(s), I realized that it's not a very good list. Most of the things on it are Needs, not Wants. A more accurate list would look like this:

• 3 of my favorite hair products - Honey Hydrate, TGIN Miracle RepaiRX, and Silicon mix bamboo leave-in (my hair is lost without this stuff)
• Glossier's You compact solid perfume (because the spray has zero longevity).
• Olay's Skin Refreshing Serum Stick (best facial product ever)
• Huggies Nourish & Care Baby Wipes (best face cleaning product ever, ever, ever)
• Candle Science's Lemon Pound Cake fragrance oil (because I run through Walmart's Iced Lemon Sugar Cookie wax melts way too quickly)
• Yoga pants (even though I won't be caught dead doing yoga... the pants are life itself.)
• A good weighted blanket - one for winter and one for summer. (I've gotten to where I have trouble sleeping without mine but it's too hot for summer)
• Ninja Foodi (because it has replaced every other appliance I have except for the coffee pot)
• Those nail stickers that are so cute and lack the mess of wet polish. (I like the Diva nail brand but have to find something more affordable.)
• EOS lotion. (I get the Vanilla Cashmere for the fragrance but that lotion itself is, hands-down, the best I've ever used - including those 20-dollar special formulas!)
• A Rocketbook notebook and erasable pens. (My notebook and pens are lifesaving workarounds for my lousy memory)

I could add at least 10 more things, but they would all be various perfumes. 

Or more hair products.

I got into a comment discussion once on Reddit about things we can't live without. Everybody has their certain something that just makes their daily life better. One person said that they have to keep a large jar of Jolly Ranchers and Jelly Beans around. It's their go-to snack for when they have anxiety.  One person shared their version of retail therapy. They peruse their favorite shopping site for about an hour but then empty out their cart when they feel better. I wish I had that kind of willpower. I have an Amazon cart loaded right now worth around $200. All that stuff will go to my Save For Later basket.

My late best friend (a gangsta-level shopaholic) could afford any kind of food she wanted but the only thing she to always had to have in her house was fresh fruit. Fruit and tea. She had a pantry the size of my bedroom closet and it was completely filled with every kind of tea that you could think of. All that tea but she had to run out and buy a coffee pot for when I visited her...Weirdo! (RIP Barbie girl.)

I just realized that I don't have food or coffee on my list up there. A few years ago - or even just last year - coffee would have taken up at least 3 spots. 

In 10 years, I imagine my list will consist of things like Ben-Gay or Aspercreme. Who knows? Lord willing, I hope to live long enough to find out.

Peace

--Free

**REVIEW** Mix:Bar Perfumes Are Pretty Yummy

 What a delightful find this was. Thanks to a comment on Fragrantica, I heard that one of the fragrances from Mix:Bar (yes, that is the way the name is styled) is a possible dupe for Glossier's You perfume.

Do tell.

Better yet, the Mix:Bar line is really affordable. I mean, really affordable. As in $10 for the hair and body mists, $12 for the small-sized (0.14oz) perfume, and $20 for the large (1.7oz) perfume.

And... And...

...One of the scents really is a dupe for You. I got my hands on a discovery kit from Target with 0.05oz samples, each large enough for me to try out several times. 

$13.99 for this sampler set

I tried every single one, so let me tell you about them. By the way, I'll show the notes given on the product pages for each fragrance but I will link the names to Fragrantica so you can see more detailed info:

• Cloud Musk - (Notes: Cardamom, Iris, Jasmine, Cotton Peony, Tonka Beans.) This is the You dupe. The notes for You: Musk, Powdery, Iris. In the Cloud, I don't smell any of the notes listed on the product page but I do smell (mostly) powder and (a touch of ) musk. So...The only reason Glossier won't have to worry is that this, as delicious as it is, doesn't last long. Well... neither does the You in a bottle (unlike the solid for the compact). This Cloud perfume is so quiet that it practically whispers. I couldn't even smell it a minute after spraying it. So, while the perfume would be, IMO, a waste of money, the hair and body mist is a go. It is stronger and longer-lasting. There is no need for the perfume.
• Whipped Almond - (Notes: Sweet Milk, Almond, Iris, Sandalwood.) My least favorite of the sampler. I smelled only almond and sandalwood - mostly almond. While not for me, I could see someone liking this if they are into the drier smell of the almond/sandalwood combo. I didn't get any floral notes. Also, this was very faint. I have not tried the mist.
• Sparkling Hibiscus - (Notes: Bergamot, Hibiscus, Champagne Bubbles, Cashmere Musk.) Even though this is not my kind of scent (too playful and "bright"), it's a fun one. For someone who wants the vibe of a floral mimosa, this is the one. It's really interesting. I didn't get anything very cashmere-like about it, but bubbly and citrusy, yep. Cyndi Lauper (from her "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" days) looks like she'd wear this.
• Coconut Palm - (Notes: Coconut Wood, Vanilla, Salty Accord, Incense, Amber, Musk Milk.) This was very forgettable, so much so that I had to go back and try it again to write this review... I expected coconut at the least and maybe some vanilla. I was thinking tropical and sweet but I just got something that reminded me of an old Avon perfume (and not one of the decent ones) from about 20 years ago. It was more incense than coco-amber. ~meh~.
• Vanilla Bourbon - (Notes: Bergamot, Jasmine, Apple Blossom, Madagascar Vanilla, Sandalwood.) Ding, ding, ding, ding! Winner, winner, chicken dinner! Out of the entire kit, this was my favorite. Every note comes through - even though the apple was very weak. And that is fine. The vanilla is a not-fake-but-truly-rich one and it goes perfectly with the sandalwood. And I normally don't love sandalwood because it reminds me of incense. Not this time though. I also get some of the bergamot but it doesn't drown out the sweetness of the 'nilla. I liked this one so much that I got a full-size perfume and even sprung for the mist.

Now, the Mix:Bar brand is styled that way because you are meant to mix and layer the various cocktails (of scents). Clever, right? I think it must be a Target brand because that's where you can find all of them. (You can find some of them on Amazon, of course, but I would stick with Target for the real deal. Too many iffy sellers and you cannot return most perfumes to Amazon...)

Vanilla.
+
Bourbon.

While I didn't love all of these, for the price, I can't say anything bad about this line. Well, maybe that the longevity isn't great, but did I mention the price? This is a great buy for someone who wants to smell nice but can't spring for the pricier scents. Go look up the notes for your wish list fragrance then try subbing it with one of these until you can get something else in the $50 to $150 range. We can't all have big budgets. Each of these is pretty much a dupe (or good substitute) for more extravagant brands.  

I haven't tried any other than these 5 scents. I'm sort of tempted to try the Wood Elixir and I've heard nice things about the Glass Rose one but I'm going to stick with the Cloud Musk mist and the perfume and mist of the Vanilla Bourbon. They mix nicely and the V.B. brings out the best in the Cloud. The Cloud also works really nice with Britney's Fantasy. Who knew?

I suggest trying one of the discovery kits. Everyone has different body chemistry and skin type. What doesn't work for me might turn out to be your favorite thing.

Peace

--Free

**REVIEW** Experiencing Zenni Optical (Final UPDATE, Finally)

Okay. I am now a lot happier with Zenni. For one thing, customer service bent over backward to be helpful. Apparently, I checked off the wrong box somewhere when ordering the first pair. They let me return those and apply the credit to another pair. On top of that, they actually sent me the exact numbers I should have input the first time. Probably they were thinking, "This poor idiot here..."

When you get your Zenni glasses, you get a couple of little goodies - a cleaning rag and a Hello Fresh coupon - all in a cute but thin plastic mailer.  The standard glasses case is Dollar Store basic-looking but it is at least protective.You also get several special rulers for measuring your PD. 

You will need this!

(A little advice: Don't toss that mailer bag. You can use it should you have to do a return. As a matter of fact, keep everything until you're sure of your order. I'm so glad I did.)

Anyway, for my replacement glasses, I chose a much cuter frame design that I had not previously noticed. I also went with smaller lenses. Good thing because they work better with this super-short haircut I have now. The color choices were grey and gold. I went with grey because I tend to prefer silver & white gold jewelry over gold but...

They look much cuter in person

I love the nice metal &
the cute design

I'm starting to really like the gold frames
the more I look at them

...the gold ones are cute! Because these were only $15.95, I'd get the gold if I need to replace the greys.

Since the refunded pair was $19.95, I used the rest of my credit for a case...

I wanted to see how it looked in a purse

...because the standard case does the job but not with any style!

Yeah, the standard on the right is... meh

So I guess I would recommend Zenni Optical. However, do your measurements carefully. Better yet, have them done for you - either at a walk-in optical shop or by a friend. Also, check and double-check your prescription and use all the how-to videos on the website.

For around $16 (+s&h), I got a really nice and durable pair of prescription readers. I'll be mad if they get lost or broken but I won't be eighty-five dollars worth of mad like when I lost a previous pair.

Another bonus with Zenni is that, if I keep using them (and I probably will), I will earn points/rewards and so on. I still hate the initial learning curve in using the site but now I can just re-order. My script is on file and good for 2 years.

And that is my Zenni experience.

**UPDATE**

Someone from Zenni did get in touch to tell me about their return/credit-refund policy. And they told me to try wearing the glasses until I adjust to them (?). Uh, nah. I'm good, sis. 

Here's the thing: I paid 20 bucks for the glasses. They didn't work out for me. I'm not going to spend money to return them for a chance to get another pair of glasses. The glasses didn't work because of a flaw (possibly of mine) in the process. You have to be pretty careful about measuring in order to get a useable pair of glasses. If I only had mild vision problems, I'd try again but I don't want to make my vision worse by trying to save some money. 

While not ideal, I think I will stick to using OTC reading glasses on the days when I am resting my eyes from the contacts.

Not all people have my experience. Obviously. Zenni is a hit with several people I know, My niece loves ordering from them and I think she now belongs to their little "club". 

 Welp. I finally took a chance and ordered some glasses from Zenni Optical. I didn't jump in blindly though.

One of my nieces has ordered from Zenni - more than once - and has been happy with her purchases. And Walmart ticked me off the last time I went in for an eye exam.

The doc was nice enough - very nice, in fact. My problem is with the pricing of frames and glasses. For a simple pair of prescription readers, I was looking at paying at least $100 for some simple (and ugly) frames. For around $49 I could get super simple and hyper ugly frames. (Yes, there are cheaper frames but only if you want Dollar Store quality.) Then there would be a charge for the lenses. And, of course, they want to hype the add-ons. So, let's say $150 minimum for some readers.

I was already a little heated that I had to call and have them mail me a signed copy of my prescriptions. I wasn't wearing my contacts when I walked out of the store so I didn't notice that the script for the contacts or glasses was signed.

Anyway.

I have a year's worth of contacts (my script is good for 2 years) but I like having glasses to wear while taking a break from contacts. So in order to get a decent-looking pair of readers without having to take out a personal loan, I decided to give Zenni's a try.

The prices are great but the ordering process is... oh boy.

You have to know how to read your prescription. Really. I didn't even know that my pupillary distance wasn't automatically listed on my script. No. Back it up. I didn't even know there was such a thing as "pupillary distance". 

Pupillary distance (PD) measures the distance between the centers of your pupils. (from Zenni)

I was at another doc to get my eyes checked for problems with the sarcoidosis. I got one of the ladies up front to do the PD measurement for me. That was the easy part.

Back on Zenni, I had to figure out and/or choose:

• whether I had single or dual PD numbers.
• width and or length of the frame, bridge, lens, and temple arm.
• what type of material I wanted. There were just too many choices,
• what shape - oval, aviator, blah, blah, blah.

I just took measurements from my old glasses and tapped out on getting into the details. I decided to just browse through the available square-shaped frames - sorted from lowest to highest price. Trust me, that whittles down the list of choices to fool with.

Finally, I found this pair -

Plain and simple but not too ugly. I think I'm getting some sexy librarian vibes. Or maybe just sexy old lady vibes. Whatever. The only people who will see me wearing these are my neighbors (who can't see too well anyway) and anyone at Walmart on the days when I go there without my contacts. Oh and...

...there's that price I just didn't expect. 

With shipping & handling, I paid less than 25 bucks for a (hopefully) decent pair of readers.

So what about bifocals?

If I decide to go back for bifocals - and I am thinking about it - the price came up to just under $80. But that was high-index progressive lenses with anti-reflective coating.

That's not bad considering I'm getting frames and lenses. And I am sure that there are codes to be found online somewhere to shave a few pennies off the total price. 

What's the bottom line of the ordering process?

It can be tedious. The worse thing is that once you have something in your cart, it's very tricky to make adjustments. I started out with the $80 pair before I remembered that I am seeing 3 doctors and a dentist in the next few weeks. The out-of-pocket costs can nickel and dime a sister in the poorhouse. So I decided to change up and just get readers for now. Well, that was insanely difficult to do. I had to totally back out of the cart and start all over again.

I do like that I can store more than one version of my script. I now have one for bifocals and another for the readers. Now when I go back to order the bifocals, I can pull that up and place the order.

The waiting game

• June 6th -  I ordered the glasses. I was talking to a nurse at a doc appointment and she raved about the cute Zenni glasses she was wearing. She told me about the rewards program they have and now I am just too excited.
• June 9th - I got an email informing me that the glasses are "being manufactured". There is a link to check the status but the link takes me to a Rewards tracking page. The Order Status (when I locate it) is shown to be "Manufactured/En Route to Distribution Center". That is a little confusing. Are they saying that the glasses have been made and are now about to be shipped to me?  I do some googling and learn from a Zenni Tweet that it means that "the glasses have completed production and are on the way to our shipping center". Okay. I'm getting excited. Or anxious?
• June 10th - I am starting to doubt my choice of frame. I went with something similar to the sunglasses that look good on me. However, reading glasses aren't darkly tinted. Maybe I will just look like a super-nerd and not the sexy-nerd type? Oh boy. I am starting to overthink this...

The Plane! The Plane. They're here!

It is June 16th and the glasses have arrived. So. What do I think? First off, they are cute as heck and everything I wanted. The completely match the online photos.

Lenses so clear they're invisible! 

The packaging was cheap (but so is the price, right?) but the glasses were well-protected in a hard casing. Also, there were a lot of those rulers for the next time I have to measure the PD...

They even look cute on me (and mine is the only opinion that matters!).

I miss being able to smile!

I love everything about these glasses. 

Except...

I can't see with them. I can see better - but not great - at a distance. I cannot see well enough for reading. These were meant to be my reading specs when I am resting from wearing contacts. 

The glasses are just the tiniest bit off in every way. I think the prescription is just a little bit off. Off enough that everything looks obscured by a heatwave. It's very frustrating.

Summary

I have written Zenni just to let them know what issues I am having. I told them that I won't be applying for a refund. As I understand it, I can get a 50% credit back to my payment method or a 100% store credit. I paid 20 bucks for the glasses, folks. I'm not sure I care that much at this point. I might ask for a store credit and go for the same glasses with some input from someone at Zenni.

So, there you go. If the prescription had worked, I would be ready to spend at least $100 at Zenni. The frame quality on this pair is lovely and I can't say enough how much I like the frames. But the prescription didn't work. I can find a really good pair of non-prescription reading glasses for $20 that won't give me a headache.

Keep in mind that my niece and someone in one of my doctor's office raves about their Zenni glasses. Maybe I just need to try again another time?

Peace

--Free

**REVIEW** Fantasy Intimate Edition Eau de Parfum (from Britney Spears)

 This is the other of the two fragrances I bought for my birthday:

You already know about the first fragrance from my previous post. I love, love, love that one but I have to say... this one is also getting to be up there with my top 5 of the past several years.

As with all my fragrances, I always want to see what Frangrantica has to say. For this one, as with the Cheirosa ’62, Fragrantica listed some of the accords I love the most.

 

The only thing missing for me on that chart is the caramel. However, I can actually smell a little of it in the actual perfume. This is the "pyramid" of notes for this one:

The very first time I tried the perfume, I was not impressed. As a matter of fact, I really regretted buying it. It was, I thought, too candy-like and "young-ish" for me. Of what smelled slightly grown-up, I got too much citrus (lemon?) and something flowery that I never like in a perfume. 

I hate when I blind-buy a fragrance only not to like it. I don't have money to play with like that. So I was upset with myself. (But I have to say that the bottle is super cute. From the online photos, I thought it looked cheap and toy-like, but, nope. It's glass and heavy enough to use as a weapon.)

Now, I'd had a fresh shower that morning and had used one of my lotions without paying attention to which one it was. I have several lotions and creams and oils that I use, depending on the weather. It's really humid this past week so I haven't been using my heavier moisturizers. When I checked, I realized I had used some Palmer's. Palmer's lotion has cocoa butter in it and you definitely smell that ingredient! I realized that this might have thrown off the Fantasy perfume.

I waited a couple of days before giving Brit-Brit's fragrance another try and, in the meantime, I just enjoyed some body mists. (And, oh, yeah, I lied about getting only two things for myself so I will have to tell you about the other things later...)

After my next shower, I remembered to go fragrance-free with the moisturizer. I used some of my fragrance-free Neutrogena oil. I love that stuff for these hot and humid days. It's light and silky-feeling without being greasy. 

This time Fantasy was everything I wanted. It hit all the vanilla and amber highs that I like and had just enough "powder" scent to make me feel super-feminine. It's light enough for daytime wear but I think that it could be used for date night if I, you know, felt like dating.

The longer I wore the perfume, the more I loved it. I'd put it on around 8-ish that morning and by the time I had my second coffee at 10, it was doing something new. The sharpness of the citrus had died down and the vanilla and that caramel I'd sensed were showing up and showing out. Nicely. 

Damn! I smelled so good I wished I did feel like dating! Someone else needed to experience this grown-woman sexiness. I went out of my apartment - as I try hard to do as little as possible - to return something to the building manager. As soon as I was in her office, she did a double-take. "Ooo, you smell good, Ms. Trudy." (Note: She is the only one around here who notices things like this. She's young enough to still have a good sense of smell and sight.) So...

Thank you. Thank you very much, Britney boo. I hope that you find all the love and happiness you yearn for, you darling lady.

By the way, the perfume lasted well into the evening. I think I stopped being able to notice it around 7 or 8 that night. Not bad. Just like with the Cheirosa '62, I will start spraying some on my clothes if I want them to last even longer.

Buying this fragrance by Britney reminds me of something. Some years back, when one of my older nieces was visiting, I had asked what she was wearing. She is not big on perfumes and usually sticks to body sprays. This time, she smelled luscious and it could not just be a simple body spray. She looked a little embarrassed and, as if she were admitting to a crime, she whispered, "Jessica Simpson. It's called 'Fancy'."

What is up with these formerly teeny-bopper hotties? How are they killing the game with these amazing fragrances??? I love the idea that they are capitalizing on their celebrity to enrich themselves without becoming has-been jokes. 

I checked (yes, Fragrantica) to see who or what is behind Britney's perfumes. The parent company is Elizabeth Arden and there are at least 6 perfumers working on the scents. Simpson is with a different parent company but also works with several perfumers. (Guess which perfumes I will be putting on future gift lists?)

Back to this Fantasy fragrance...

I have now worn this solo for several days but I have also paired it with the Solinotes Vanille (which was a total disappointment by itself) and also with some Eos Vanilla Cashmere lotion. Fantasy elevates the heck out of the Vanille. I'd been wanting to toss that odorless mess in the trash at one point. Now I will keep it because it creates a sweeter vanilla scent when combined with Fantasy.

Now, the Vanilla Cashmere lotion is the strongest scented lotion I have ever used. Ever. If you ever wanted a vanilla scent without buying a perfume, this is your groove. It's lovely and, pro tip: it really does remind me of Donna Karan's Cashmere. Truly.

About 7 bucks 
worth every nickel

The lotion though did not pair well with Fantasy. The lotion's scent was kind of trying to outshout the vanilla in the Fantasy. The combination had me smelling like a food fight between vanilla custard and lemon-nilla pie. I like dessert scents but this one was just a bit too much.

Oh well.

Anyway, as I said, I had added this perfume to my top 5. And my top 5 for the last 5 years? They are, in no set order:

1. Lalique (I've only ever tried a sample because, you know, my budget🙄)
2. Fantasy Intimate Edition
3. JHAG Not A Perfume (usually at the very top of the list)
4. Glossier You (the solid, not the bottle which never lasts more than 5 seconds)
5. Cheirosa '62 (this is another new favorite & I actually would prefer the Cheirosa '71 if it came in a perfume instead of just a mist)

Back in the day, I had a couple of "signature" scents with Shalimar (the vintage because the stuff from the past 10 years is, in my opinion, garbage) being the all-time Number One. The Flori Roberts Gold fragrance is no longer being made, but I loved it so much that I once thought about having a reproduction done by one of those formulating houses. This is back when I was making good money though.

Oh, and remember when I said I lied about only getting myself two gifts? Well, I used some of my gift card gifts (?) to get a couple of other fragrances. Technically, I didn't buy the gifts but, since the cards are from Visa, I suppose I could have bought something a little more necessary. But it's my freaking birthday month!

Using my Target cards, I got a Mix Bar Discovery set of perfumes. I fell in love with 2 of the scents so I used the card balance to get full-sized bottles of the hair and body mists in Cloud Musk and Vanilla Bourbon. And I liked the Vanilla Bourbon sample enough to get a full bottle of the perfume. 

I haven't used any of the Mix Bar items enough yet to fully review them. I can say that I do love something about both scents. I will do a post when I've had more time to use them. I'm wondering if I will be adding to or rearranging my Favorites list???

Speaking of celebrity fragrances, when I was telling a family member about loving Fantasy, she mentioned that I will just have to try Mariah Carey's Dreams. She swears it's right up my alley as far as the notes. I checked Fragrantica and she's so right.

When my birthday month is over, I will get back to buying only necessities. For now, I'm having fun. 

Peace

--Free