I'm pissed!

I DVR'd American Idol tonight, as I do every Tuesday night. It was set for the whole hour, but since the show ran over , I missed the last performance, which was my boy, Adam Lambert! And since most of the show was LAME tonight, I was hoping for a stellar performance from him. I can't believe it's down to the final eight, and everyone pretty much sucked. I was happy to see Matt "work it out", as Randy would say. I want him to stick around. I'm so mad at my stupid show. And the DVR. I just needed 2 more minutes...

Not much to say.

But I did just realize it's been a week since I've blogged. What's new in my world?

I had a pretty low key weekend, which was nice. I got to catch up on a few movies I've been wanting to see for a while. The boyfriend surprised me the other day when Marley & Me came in the mail. I read the book years ago, but the movie still made me cry at the end. Then the boyfriend was angry I made him watch it, because he said it was depressing and he was going to have nightmares of Hayden dog dying. If that doesn't prove how much he loves my dog, I don't know what does. Then I made him watch Twilight, which he also bought for me. Which leads me to realize I probably owe him some movie watching time involving sci-fi, fantasy, or horror movies. Without complaining. These next two I watched alone, as the boyfriend flat out refused to watch any more of my movies. I saw Slumdog Millionaire, finally, and it was awesome. Then I watched Seven Pounds, which I actually really liked, even though it started out slow, and I felt a little confused at the beginning. By the end, though... wow! What a powerful movie. Loved it. Rent it. And keep Kleenex by your side.

Today I worked on my website. I totally changed it up. It wasn't eye catching before, so I jazzed it up a bit. Now it's cute! Then I met my mom for lunch, and we went and got facials. It was so nice to lay down for an hour and have someone else give me a facial. It looks like we're going to make a monthly habit of this! My mom has been going to the same esthetician for many, many years, so it's funny when people are shocked that my mom doesn't come to me for her facials. But I'd rather go with my mom, and get a facial instead!

I spent the weekend doing a detox/cleanse thing. It was supposed to be a three day liquid cleanse, but I only did two and a half days. I forgot I made the lunch plans when I planned this whole thing out. So, for two days I prepped for the detox, meaning I cut out all dairy, refined sugar and flour, caffeine, and alcohol. If I was a meat eater, I would've needed to give that up, too. Then for the next three days - two and a half in my case! - I drank a mixture of fresh lemon juice, pure maple syrup, and distilled water. It tasted like lemonade and was really pretty yummy. The very first day - prep day 1 - I was really wanting my coffee. The smell of coffee in the house is so divine. I love that smell. Then I had a headache most of the day. Caffeine and sugar are two major food groups in my life so the first few days without was bad. The lemonade days really weren't as bad as I anticipated. I was never really hungry, but I had cravings like crazy. And going back to solid food today, I was very reasonable about what I ate. Next time, I'm doing the full three days. I feel great! And I fit into my new Abercrombie PJ pants I got when trading in Clint's PJ pants from his family. They shrunk a little after the first wash, and they weren't super loose to begin with. Abercrombie does not cater to the chubby girl. They don't even cater to the normal girl. Apparently, they only cater to anorexic 12 year olds, and coked out models who are over 5 foot 10. Not a good store for my self esteem. I digress. Sorry. But yeah, I fit into my skinny PJ pants. When I fit in my skinny jeans, I'm throwing a party for all my Blogger friends. You'll all be invited.

What a week...

It's been a fun work week. I came back with all my goodies from Dallas, and I got new tile in my room yesterday. My carpet was a disaster. The girl who rented the room before me had made a disgusting mess of the carpet. There were big black spots all over, and we were never quite sure what it was. Some thought it might be color, or tint, from tinting eyebrows and lashes, but some of these spots were big. I think it was wax. Anyway, I had the option of tan or black tile, and I went with black. Now my floor looks awesome. It looks like a whole new room. You should all come see it! Now I can't wait to go shopping for a rug.

This was one of those weird weeks where business was SLOW. I mean dead. Not just me, but all the stylists as well. I didn't have any gift certificate clients, and none of my regular standing appointment clients fell on this week. As long as I can make my room rent, I've learned not to stress out about weeks like this. I just enjoy the time off that I get, and try to be productive in other ways. As slow as this week was, I already have six facials on the book for next week. That doesn't include my waxing clients, and last minute callers.

The line of skincare products I brought in to retail has also been doing very well. I just placed another order the other day, because I sold out of my moisturizer and I'm down to two bottles of hydrating mist. If you want to know what brand I carry, you can check out www.302skincare.com and find out more!

Off to another random and different subject... I totally do NOT understand men and the need for surround sound. I can hear the television just fine without the living room sounding like a drug deal gone wrong, or I'm in the middle of a high speed chase. Or I'm actually at a concert. If I'm in the bedroom trying to watch TV, while Clint is in our home theater/living room, I can't hear Millionaire Matchmaker or Rock of Love Bus(priorities, duh!)over the sounds of WWIII right outside the bedroom door. Literally. One of the surround sound speakers is a foot from the bedroom door. I just don't get it. I'm a girl, so I never will.

I know, I know...

I've gone missing from the Blogger world. A quick update on my life.

I just got back from Dallas and had a great time at the esthetics convention. Always a good time. I got to shop around the show floor, attend a few lectures, and a few classes. The only thing that sucks about these things is that they schedule all the classes for only two blocks of time. So in those two time frames, you have to choose which class you want to attend, and sometimes that's hard! Then you've got people trying to hop from class to class, which is just stupid. Not only are you not getting anyuseful information by leaving a class early, you disrupt the class you walk in on halfway through. There was a brazilian class I really wanted to attend on Sunday, since that's a money making service, but the class was so ridiculously crowded, and there was a line all the way down the hall. Also stupid, because if you are standing in the back of the room, there's no way you could see the model or the demo of the service.

Anyhoo, I did get to buy a few cool things. I ordered a new stool for my room, which has a saddle seat, so it forces you to sit up really straight. Got some new wax, some new skincare products from one of my favorite lines, new robes and headbands, magnifying glasses with light - like a visor, mascara and an eyelash curler, a nutritional drink and detox kit, a really cute scarf, and a some liquid eyeliner stuff you dip in glitter for crazy eye makeup. Oh - and some makeup brushes.

I found out today that Locks of Love does take color treated hair. They don't take bleached out hair, but it can be color treated. So I'm in! I've been wanting to donate my hair when it gets long enough, but for some reason I thought it couldn't be chemically treated. And let's face it ladies - I work in a salon, my hair is chemically treated every six weeks without fail. We measured it today and from the base of my ponytail it's about 7.5 inches. It has to be 10 inches, so I've got a ways to go.

Now I have to briefly express my thoughts on American Idol. I love Danny. I love Adam Lambert. Those are my favorite guys. Allison is amazing. I like Lil' Rounds. The hippie chick with the strange dance moves has got to go. So does the Texan. Everyone else is just kinda there. Good, but not great. Matt is growing on me, though. I'm still bummed by the cute little pink haired mom that left last week. She's way better than several people that stayed. Oh well, what are ya gonna do?

Word on the street is, it's supposed to snow. I'm not a fan of snow. Or ice. Or temps below 60. I am a fan of the beach, though. I'm a fan of swim-up bars. And drinks that have umbrellas. That's where I would like to be.

Why my boyfriend rocks!

Part 2...

When I came home today I had another cardboard box with my name on it. What could it be this time?

A big ass gift basket with chocolate goodies. I call it a big ass gift basket because after I eat everything in the basket, my ass will be huge. I should've taken a picture, but I didn't think of that until I'd already torn into the thing and messed up the pretty ribbon. And ate a cookie. And a few chocolate covered chocolate balls.

The best part was the sweet little card that came with it. It said Callie, Happy(no specific holiday)! I love you, Clinton.

Really?! How sweet is that?!

And that my friends, is why my boyfriend totally rocks!

Guess what?

I'm going to post a real blog later. But for now you need to know...

I have the best boyfriend ever. I came home from work today to a big cardboard box with my name on the address label. What was inside?

A Dyson vacuum cleaner!

My inner domestic goddess was glowing as we assembled it. And still glowing as I vacuumed the house.

Life is good.

Yesterday was one of those days where I was reminded of how much I love what I do. It's easy for me to start going down the path of frustration - I was thirty before I figured out what I wanted to do with my life. I was well into my grown-up years before I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. All through my twenties I saw my friends settling into their careers, moving up in the ranks, getting raises, buying houses, and doing the adult things we're supposed to do. Meanwhile, I'm working at the mall, with my college degree, making an hourly wage with no benefits. I did take a sales rep job, with benefits, but I hated it with a passion, and lasted only six months. I did buy a house at 26, only to sell it at 29, and move out of Oklahoma.

A few weeks after I turned 30, I moved to Tennessee and enrolled in beauty school for the esthetician program. Everything I packed in the back of my SUV was what I lived with for the next seven months. I went from living in a 1200 square foot house with a backyard, my two dogs, and all my furniture to a 600 square foot apartment, with one dog, no backyard, no furniture, no money, and a job at the mall (again). Looking back at those seven months, it seems like it should've been more difficult. But it never felt that way. I was going to school, and loving every single moment of it. I was stripped of so many material things, and I realized how little I really needed to be content. I missed my friends in Oklahoma, but being away from them made me realize which ones truly mattered.

So I've been back in Oklahoma over 2 years now, and I've been at my current job a little over a year. I definitely have moments of frustration. I wonder why I couldn't have figured out what I wanted in my late teens/early twenties. Or at least figured it out before I bought my house. Even now that I have a career that I love and have passion for, I still sometimes feel that I'm so far behind where I should be in life. I know we all have those moments, I've discussed this with many of my friends... but especially lately, I've been thinking about how I thought I would be so much more secure and successful by my thirties. Oh, the joys of being self employed! When my friends discuss their 401K's, I have no idea what they are talking about. When they discuss their benefits packages - I have no idea what they are talking about. When they discuss their travels to other countries, whether they be work related or just a vacation, I have no idea what they are talking about. My trip to Dallas later this month will be the first vacation I've had since... last years trip to Dallas!

Yesterday, however, reminded me that I'm in the right place. As silly as it sounds, I averted an eyebrow crisis, and was told my facials are better than the ones by the owner at a well established day spa in Norman. And that pretty much made my month. I had a girl come in who was in tears after a bad wax job at another salon across the street from us. After I fixed her jacked up eyebrows, she left a happy camper, and was no longer on the verge of a meltdown. Later that day, I had a mother/daughter team come in for 90 minute facials. And just so you know, those wear me out. I could never be a massage therapist. The mother is first. She completely fell asleep, and woke herself up from snoring. A few hours later, the daughter comes in for her facial. She says, "I hear I'm in for a real treat. My mom said you were AMAZING, and she's really picky about her facials". These ladies completely made my day. Not only did the mother love her facial, but the daughter just had a baby, and I got to give her the gift of relaxation - which is something most new moms don't really get to experience.

So, I'll just keep hanging in there. And one day, hopefully not too far away, I will be able to take a much needed real vacation.