What I'm Reading Now - April 30, 2012

On Friday I finished Swamplandia!, and yesterday, after some peer-pressure from my sister in-law and mother in-law, followed by a near-wrestling match with my MIL over who would pay for it, I finally picked up Bossypants by Tina Fey at the airport, and I'm pretty sure I'll finish it today. I've never laughed so hard out loud so much while reading before. I was uncontrollably giggling just reading the Introduction! Why is she so funny? Follow-up question: why didn't I think of those jokes first?

This is a reading-style deviation for me, as I'm usually a novel reader. But it's a good one, and worth every public giggle. I'm pretty sure everyone on the bus this morning thought I was crazy, until they checked out the cover of my book. Tell me if you haven't read this yet and I'll mail it to you right-stat-now (or after I finish it over lunch).

Splurge-worthy

I haven't actually splurged yet, but I am 92% sure that I will... soon. Yesterday my feet were tired and a bit swollen at the end of a long day. So I decided to finally buy a pair of simple basic Toms on my way home, just for a bit of relief and to add a good, casual go-to to my shoe wardrobe. Lame-o here landed on boring grey (do you spell it "grey" or "gray"? just curious.).

(Toms)

When the salesman brought them out for me to try, he also cleverly brought out a few other shoes that he "really digs right now" just to show me. (How did he know I'm a sucker for those "impulse" displays by registers?! that I have some sort of biological aversion to self control?!) Everything he brought out was perfection. But never in my life have I tried on something like the new Frye 'Carson' Ballet Flat. For serious, ladies, it's a winner on every level. First of all, Frye. Right? Second of all, it comes in several cool, cute, and sassy-pants colors/patterns. Third of all, it was literally like stepping into a pillow. And still so so simply chic and delicate. I tried on (and fell in love with) the orange one:

(here you go)

I am telling you, it is worth it. My tootsies have never.ever.ever. felt this good before in any flat. Honestly. PLUS, Frye has a great deal that lots of folks don't know about, which is that if ever in the lifetime of your shoe, its sole gets roughed up too much, you can send it back to Frye and they'll completely resole your shoe for a mere $20. For life. The quality is just beyond, obviously. I'm thinking $150 is totally reasonable for this splurge. Plus, the leather feels like BUTTTTTTTERRRRRRRRRRRRR.

What say you? Splurge? or Self Control? (I do have some birthday $$ to spend...)

What Would You Do?

Moral/ethical dilemma...

This morning I stopped at the ATM to grab some cash. When I went to reach for my moola, I noticed a piece of something sticking out of the "seams" on the side of the machine itself. I picked at it, and what do you know but a $20 bill came sliding out. Yup, a $20. I counted up my cash and this was extra. A rogue twenty.

So, being the good citizen paranoid person that I am, I walked into the branch to turn in the money. I didn't want to just walk away with the money... who knows if there were cameras around and mine was the last card in that ATM... Who knows, right? At the window I told the teller what happened. He looked at me in utter disbelief at my honesty and explained that he couldn't take the money either. Apparently, there'd be no way for the bank to track where the money came from, so putting it back in a bank drawer would end up making it look like the bank shorted a customer on a transaction. He kept shaking his head at me for wanting to turn in the money, and with wide eyes told me to consider it my lucky day.

It still feels like I took money that wasn't mine. What should I do with it? Get over my paranoia and consider it my lucky day? Spend it? Give it to a homeless person? Donate it? What would you do?

Best Leggings for Work

This is a random post, I realize. But I recently was discussing leggings-as-pants (for the 100th time) with another friend, and had to give a shout-out to my favorite leggings. I seriously wear these more often than I'd care to admit during the work week. They're just great. So I had to share.

So... leggings as pants. Are you in or out? I was in the "out" column for a long time. But I'm firmly in the "in" category now, IF the leggings are appropriate as pants, and IF they're paired well with an appropriate top, and IF you are not showing more than you should (be real with yourself and others, seriously). All that said, these Ponte Seam Leggings by Mossimo at Target rule. They "look" tailored, with a pronounced seam running down the front and back middles, making them look more like pants than leggings. They look great with flats (probably pumps, too, but I rarely wear pumps these days... old lady!), and are perfect for tucking into boots. They come in three colors - black, dark heather grey, and brown - and they are the.most.comfortable.ever. I need to purchase at least three more pairs of the black. Those are a weekly staple (I also have the dark heather grey). Anyway, for $20, why are we even debating this. They're awesome. Go get them. If you're a leggings-as-pants-wearer, that is.

(see that seam? tailoring (even faux) = professional (right?))

What I'm Reading Now: April 9, 2012

Ignore the shadowy shot and the chipped nail polish (for shame!)... Excited to read this book (Swamplandia! by Karen Russell) for my online book club, Reading Without Borders. Care to join us? Do!!! Email me (hellerms [at] gmail)!