J. Crew needs to simmer down their shoe ego

Dear J. Crew,

What do you think qualifies you to charge the same prices for your shoes that high quality designers, such as Stuart Weitzman, charge for some of their art pieces...err...shoes?

To be honest, that is a major difference in my mind. When I buy Mr. Weitzman's shoes, I am purchasing a piece of his soul. Something he has created out of that mind-boggling brain that gets my heart pounding every time I pass his creations in a store.

You on the other hand have mass production of a rather simple shoe with an added bow or rosette here and there, yet you charge 200+ dollars for these shoes I will see on every woman between here and...well, everywhere.

Just asking. Don't you think you should focus on Gap pricing or Banana Republic pricing (though they are getting a bit cocky about their shoes too)?

Sincerely,

An Irritated Shoe Lover

I Drunk-Dialed My Mom!

Ok, this is rather embarrassing to admit but I had a few too many vodka/sodas last night and I drunk-dialed my momma. 

I am not a big drinker and Mr. Marine tends to forget that while he can have multiple drinks, 3 is my limit before I get stupid. He ordered the 4th drink when I was yapping away with a friend and not paying attention...Big Mistake...Big....Huge!

Let's go through what I do remember:

- Arguing about whether Michael Vick should be allowed to play football again. And the difference in standards between bankers and pro-athletes (Bankers, really?)

- Telling my husband he can walk down a different street b/c I didn't want to share my street with him

-Speaking with my sweet unsuspecting momma 

-The scenery getting blurry while having said conversation with momma

- blowing up air mattress downstairs in the basement

Now, what I don't remember:

- Why we were comparing Vick to Bank CEOs

- Why I got so annoyed with Mr. Marine

- Why I called my mother

- What I said to my mother

- Why I called my best friend (learned that from checking my call log this morning)

- Why I blew up the air mattress and didn't just go upstairs to the bed (I'm guessing it had something to do with my irritation with Mr. Marine)

Needless to say, Mr. Marine is going to have a rough day at work and I didn't quite make it to my training session.

Oh, and I hesitantly called momma this morning...AWKWARD...I didn't have the guts to ask her what gibberish I was speaking last night and she didn't bring it up.

I must admit, this is the FIRST time I have ever called my mother after a few too many drinks and it will be the last. 

I don't care if I am 28 and married, I am utterly mortified.

Fashion Flop

[image courtesy]

This dress is embarrassing...

I actually feel bad she left the house like this, much less strutted it down the red carpet...

My boobs hurt just looking at this disaster!

My Heart Is Broken

I am in shock. I just found out my vibrant, independent and beautiful 22 year old cousin died yesterday.

An autopsy has been done because no one knows what happened.

Here was this gorgeous young woman, nearing the end of college and looking forward to grad school and now she is gone. Really, it hasn't hit me yet. I started shaking when I got the news but never shed a tear. I have been at work all day, smiling and helping clients like nothing is wrong. I didn't ask to leave early. I mentioned her passing like it was no big deal.

I'd think something was wrong with me but this is how I have always dealt with things. My friend died in high school and after hearing the news, I put curlers in my hair, painted my nails and practiced my cheer routine for the next days competition. My cousin on my mom's side passed away and I didn't cry. In fact, when my mom cried and tried to hug me...I told her not to touch me. When my mom had a massive heart attack and died before being brought back, I didn't cry one tear until I was alone in the hospital bathroom and I bawled...then I emerged smiling. When I was told I had melanoma that would require surgery...acted like nothing was wrong. When my husband deployed? The only time I broke down was in the shower. As a kid, I remember when I got bad news, I'd go sit in my walk-in closet and cry alone. So numbness and solitude is what I do.

My problem will be what to say to her sister at the funeral. What do I say to my uncle, this tough Marine pilot who is burying his daughter?

I just need time to process...and as it always does, it will hit me and I will become a blubbering mess. But I will cry alone, in the bathtub or sitting on the toilet. Why can't I just learn to lean on people?

Check Out This Blog - It Will Give You My Workout Secret, The One That Makes Me Fabulous!!!

Y'all have got to check out this blog about the TRX - or Total Resistance Exercise.

I am totally and completely addicted to TRX. These handy little parachute straps designed by a couple of Navy SEALs are my go-to piece of equipment when I need a kick-butt routine with almost immediate results.

I'll let you read more about it on this blog but let me leave you with this fact:

When I began working out I couldn't do more than 20 push-ups at a time...after using TRX 3 days a week I just did 200 push-ups throughout the course of my 40 minute training session! Yep...200!!!! I am woman - hear me ROAR!!!!!! raaaaarggghhhhh!