BADASS
I spent my teenage years in the 90’s. Which means (as I’ve posted several times before, like here blog-challenge-20-my-favorite-tv-show) I grew up watching Beverly Hills, 90210. And because it was the 90’s and the show was addictive and these girls (Brenda, Kelly, Donna and Andrea) were meant to be role models, I kinda idolized Shannen Doherty.
Shannen Doherty played Brenda Walsh. Brenda started out as a nice girl. A bit of a drama queen, but still she was a nice girl. But as Shannen Doherty’s real life antics and reputation began to catch up with her – or maybe it was vice versa – Brenda became more of a bitch and people hated them both.
Shannen was said to have been fired from BH, 90210 (but who ever really knows the truth, right?) because of attitude, conflicts and her personal life spiraling out of control. But I never gave up on Shannen. I have, and always will be, a fan.
I don’t want to say I was obsessed with Shannen/Brenda but I did revere her immensely. She had style, she exuded confidence, she was (is) gorgeous and she told it like it was. Like Jennifer Aniston started “The Rachel” hairstyle, Shannen Doherty started “The Brenda Bangs” and I wanted them soooo badly!
The most famous bangs of the 90’s
Unfortunately, I have naturally curly hair and the 90’s preceded hair straighteners (at least for me) and I ended up looking, as my friend Heather says, like I had a wallet stuck to my head! (I was going to post a photo here of my 15 year old self with my Brenda Bangs but I decided not to do that to you. )
With the invention of hair straighteners, I could almost pull the bangs off these days. (Here, I was just playing around and had them *pinned* up…I did not go out like this.)
My first ever purchased* YM Magazine (is that even still made??) I picked up solely because Shannen was on the cover.
The golden goddess
(*My first EVER YM Magazine was purchased by my aunt, Donna, because it had Christian Slater on the cover and we both loved him.)
My very first YM with Christian Slater *sigh*….Love the 90’s.
In the 8th grade I had seen this photo of Shannen in Seventeen magazine (which I think I eventually ripped off from the school library – and felt bad so I donated a bunch of other crappy magazines to replace it):
The bangs, the coat…she’s so cool!
That summer, my mom and I were in the City shopping and I came across a similar one and my mommy, being as awesome as she is, bought it for me.
The jacket is the vibrant red as Shannen’s (just not in this pic. And yes, I’m a bit of a hoarder.
It’s exactly the same color, although you can’t tell from the crappy picture. And it doesn’t have the fur collar but other than that it’s the same one Shannen rocked. Of course, in the *ahem* few years that have passed since Junior High I’ve gotten taller and longer and the jacket doesn’t quite work anymore.
Last year I really wanted Shannen’s book, BADASS. And my lovely honey bunny bought it for me for Christmas.
Badass by Shannen Doherty
I finally got around to starting it the other night (I’ve been addicted to my John Grisham books, sorry Shannen) and it is very insightful. We have a window into some of the things that caused Shannen’s bad girl behaviour, and for the most part, she owns up to it. She’s now moved on from bad girl to Badass. And she owns it!
If you have the opportunity, pick up the book (just please, don’t rip it off from your library) and give it a read. And become a fan of Shanned Doherty once again. She deserves a second chance.
Still beautiful. Still stylish. Still rockin’ the badass attitude. How effing cool is she!
And remember, don’t judge a book by its cover…unless the book is BADASS.
Cheers.
Happy Birthday Mr. Dressup!
Highlights from my childhood – Mr. Dressup, Casey and Finegan
If you’re Canadian (and semi-old like me) you might should remember Mr. Dressup. If you don’t…then you’ve been, what? Living under a rock maybe?
Mr. Dressup was a CBC classic that ran from 1967 to 1996, and the title character, Mr. D himself, was played by Ernie Coombs. Mr. Dressup is iconic in Canadian history. His show was directed at preschoolers – teaching preschool subjects, playing games with Casey & Finegan (and anyone else who happened to stop by), singing songs and reaching into the Tickle Trunk to find a cool costume to dress Up in.
Ahh…the mysterious Tickle Trunk and its endless possibilities.
Mr. Dressup was a kind man and each day my brother and I would settle in to watch and see what events would occur or what games would be played or what lesson we would learn. Each episode was a fulfilling experience.
Today, November 27th, 2012, would have been Ernie Coombs’ 85th birthday. (Sadly, Mr. Coombs died in 2001 from a stroke.) In his honor and memory, Google Canada’s search bar today was the following:
A lovely tribute to a great man….thanks Google.
What a nice surprise for Canadians using Google today….to see such a tribute. I’m sure it brought back wonderful memories from childhood for many people. In a time where Internet, Smart phones and iPads are a way of life, isn’t it nice to reflect on simpler (and happier) times? However, I hope Mr. Dressup gets to live on via Youtube*.
Cheers!
*Just a note, Ernie Coombs did not like to use a computer. All of his fan letters were written by hand. Warms your heart, doesn’t it?
Fashion For Lunch
My friend over at Fashion For Lunch (http://fashionforlunch.wordpress.com/) hosts a sweet blog (<<— that’s it over there <<–) about fashion and product review. She has beautiful style – a little classic, a little eccentric, tons of color. She is a total fashionista. So I’m happy to brag about her and her site (seriously…go check it out RIGHT NOW as soon as you’re finished reading this post.
And so, not too long ago while out shopping I picked up a jacket that I was inspired to buy after several of her colorful outfits. I told her long ago that I would post it but I never got around to it because I’m lazy so insanely busy that time would just not allow lazy. So here it is FFF – just for you:
Not the best photo I’ve ever taken but the jacket is cool.
It has a button in the center but the jacket’s a little too big so I cinched it with a belt. One of these days I’ll try and get around to moving the button over or maybe taking the jacket in.
A close up
I also picked up this ring about a year and a half ago and I thought FFF would like it…She has tons of cool jewelry:
Tweet this!
I normally stick to my regular rings (birthstones and family rings) but I went out on a limb with this one because it’s unique and fun.
Cheers!
Have You Tried……..
COCONUT WATER?
So, have you tried coconut water? It’s (apparently) the new craze, but it’s also so good for you and totally delish. And it’s not overwhelmingly coconutty…although I love coconut…especially when it’s covered in chocolate. But that’s a whole other post.
I bet this would taste good with vodka…..
Here are some of the health benefits of coconut water:
– Low in carbs and sugars and is 99% fat free
– Keeps the body cool and hydrated
– Raises your metabolism and promotes weight loss and boosts poor circulation
– Detoxifies and fights viruses and cleanses your digestive tract and boosts your immune system
– Balances your PH and reduces risks of cancer; aids in fighting viruses that cause the flu, herpes and AIDS
– Relieves urinary problems and breaks up kidney stones
– Is antibacterial
– Helps control vomiting
These are just some of the great benefits of coconut water. It’s a wonderful hydrant for a post workout and tastes great mixed with vodka.
There are tons of companies now jumping on this bandwagon and many different brands to choose from so if you’re planning to pick some up be sure to check the nutritional labels to ensure you’re getting what you want.
I’ve seen it recently packed along the aisles in the produce department at the grocery store (and at the dollar store!!) but you can also check out the shelves of your grocery store. For years it’s been in regular aisles alongside coconut milk and water chestnuts, etc. so you can check there for smaller cans.
If you try the water and find that it is a little too coconutty for your liking just add a splash of regular water to downplay the taste. You’ll still get all the benefits and some of the great taste.
Mmmm…I feel like I’m on a warm sunny tropical beach….
Party Shoes
A beautiful design that I’d happily wear
Anyone who knows me knows that I am a show fanatic. I love shoes. LOVE THEM! Especially a high heel (my most recent shoe purchase is a vibrant red suede high-heeled booty). And I thought since Christmas and New Years are just around the corner, I’d post a few great sets of party shoes. I would love to have any of these on my wish list.
This first pair – the emerald-colored satin – are what prompted me to begin this post. I want them. So pretty and festive.
It’s not easy being green…unless you’re these shoes
Perfect for glitzing in the New Year or for some added sparkle around the Christmas tree.
Something kinda romantic
Love Love Love these….but they wouldn’t go well with my cankles, *sad face*
A little suede goes a long way
A pop of color with an LBD a la Cameron Diaz…so pretty
One of my favorite pairs of shoes – ever….again, Cameron Diaz knows shoes
I do love a good booty…and the more, the merrier
Pretty in Pink and Dramatic
So there you have it….a beautiful collection of festive shoes for holiday parties, dancing and being pretty. Last Christmas I wore my gold sparkly Steve Madden stiletto platforms:
Dear Shimmery Shoes: I *heart you*
More than likely I’ll wear these again because they’re so darn pretty and, in all honesty, how often will I have the opportunity to wear them?
Cheers!
PS – These shoes have been on my *LOVE* list for a long time too:
Part tacky. Part Flare.
Christmas in November?
I’ve been noticing lately a lot of Christmas decorations on display already and I pose this question: Is it too early to begin decorating for the holidays?
I would normally say yes. I think it’s still quite early for homes to decorate and have Christmas trees decorated and lit up beautifully in living rooms. Last week was Remembrance Day and, personally, I think it’s tacky to have Christmas decorations up before November 11. Both of my grandfathers were fought in the wars. They, along with so many others, made huge sacrifices, saw things that we only hope to never see, and did things I pray I will never have to do. I think holiday decorating prior to Remembrance day is disrespectful and takes away from the one day dedicated to recognizing their efforts and sacrifices.
I especially think it’s tacky to have Christmas decorations up before Halloween. And believe me, I’ve witnessed it all….Christmas lights twinkling, Christmas trees glowing thru windows as trick-or-treaters buzz by on the October streets. I wonder what people are thinking.
But then I read this post (http://nuttygoodness.wordpress.com/2012/11/12/remember-christmas/) the other day. Written by my friend, Anthony, it gave me a few things to think about and consider before I think early Christmas decorators are crazy.
The truth is, I don’t know what’s going on behind closed doors and what Anthony suggests is that the reason for an early Christmas could be a number of things (aside being crazy): Perhaps the family inside has a sick child and wants to give him/her one last Christmas. Or maybe a parent is military and heading overseas to Afghanistan or Iraq to peace-keep in the middle of war ground. Maybe a home has been sold and the family wants to have one last Christmas morning in their home. And maybe, just maybe, the person inside is crazy really loves Christmas.
So, the next time you see a Christmas tree or a Nativity scene set up in early November, consider other options before jumping the gun and assuming that crazy folk live there.
Cheers.
Happy Birthday to my BFF, Steph!
A little shout out to my girl, Steph – It’s her Birthday and I want to let her know how much I think she rocks!
HAPPPPPPPPY Birthday, Steph!
Stephanie and I have been friends since middle school but didn’t become BFFs until high school (10th grade, to be exact). We kinda just connected and we’ve had great times and so many incredible memories. We bonded over Clueless and Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the movies!), Les Mis (the play) and our infatuation love for Chris O’Donnell. We’re happy to demonstrate how to do the Funky Chicken
How funky is your chicken? How loose is your goose?
or the best way to do Jello shots (even tho I think Jello is disgusting). But just to tide you over, here’s a little story from my very first visit to Stephy’s house:
After becoming fast friends in 10th grade we decided we were going to throw a Christmas party together at her parents’ house. We had planned everything together, invited tons of friends (and in turn, ended up having a ball!!), and worked out all the minor details – the party was going to be in the basement which had a huge rec room, separate bathroom facilities and a sort of makeshift nook (for food placement). The main entrance to Stephanie’s house is as follows: open door and you’re just off the kitchen. However, take a step and a half forward and you’re heading down the steep stairs to the basement.
Could I find a better friend? AS IF!!
Upon entering Stephanie’s house for the very first time the following happened: I walk in. Meet her mom. We head down to the basement. I, on the first step say “watch me fall down these stairs”, then, not AT ALL on purpose, I misstep and proceed to ‘thump thump thump‘ all the way to the very bottom of the staircase.
A) Stephanie and family got to see my klutziness full on at the start of our friendship
B) No one in Stephanie’s family has EVER let me live it down
C) Stephanie refuses to travel with me unless I have medical/accidental insurance
D) No one in Stephanie’s family has EVER let me live it down
My birthday gift to her (for today) is sharing that tiny bit of embarrassment with you.
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
Cheers!
I mean, how adorable is that face??
We *heart* you Chris O’Donnell!
Where Are My Socks??
Each spring I pack up my socks…I roll them together and tuck the tops in and stuff them in my sock drawer. In late fall when the weather starts to cool and I can no longer get away with wearing flip flops or open toed shoes, I begin the task of looking for my socks. And each year I have the same outcome….no socks. Where the EFF are my socks? Does this happen to other people? Is there a sock conspiracy? Is there a bandit who sneaks in over the summer and rips me off of my footwear?
Socks? What socks??
This morning I was digging around in the drawer, desperate for a pair of socks to cover my tootsies (partly to keep warm and partly to prevent my new boots from ending up smelling like a bag of moldy cheese) and…nuthin’! WTF? WHERE are my socks???
The only pair of decent socks I could find are my gym socks and I didn’t want to wear those. I came up with a (possibly) mis-matched pair of men’s socks and I I honestly don’t even know whose they are? (I’m assuming they belong to the man b/c sometimes I steal his…which them leaves the question: where are the socks I stole from him???).
I no see your socks…I swear.
I have no idea what’s going on with my socks but it looks like I’m going to have to purchase some new ones. And I think when Spring arrives next year and the warm weather warrants sockless feet I may hide tracking devices in the socks that are being stowed away for a few seasons.
Cheers!
Happy Cheeks?
I saw this for sale on my lunch break and couldn’t resist snapping a pic.
Too funny not to share.
(for a happy bum)
Cheers!
Sandy the Social Butterfly 