Getting Back Into The Blogosphere

Hello, hello… anyone out there?

It probably seems like I have abandoned this bloggy and well, I admit, I kinda did. It’s not that I haven’t wanted to write. I just haven’t had anything worth writing about. Or anything anyone would care about. I’m lame like that. But I’ve recently felt inspired to really try to write and think I might have something to write about that at least a few people might care about. And that’s enough for me.

I’m kinda known for finding good deals on clothes and accessories. I don’t necessarily go out to specifically find them. I just stumble upon them. And when I do, I’m pretty good at matching them with other deals to piece together ensembles. So, I’ve decided I’m going to try to start writing about them. And, even if I don’t necessarily find a good deal but find something that is just great in general, I’m going to try writing about them, too.

I’m going to start with pajamas. Boring? Maybe. But I’ve recently become a little obsessed with pajama sets. I like the cozy feeling of a warm pair of jammies and I love to lounge around in them. I realize that may surprise some of you who have only seen me in non-loungy clothes, but it’s true, I do. Especially on these cold winter days and nights. There’s nothing like slipping on some cozy jammies and crawling into bed to catch up on the DVR or to watch a movie.

My favorite pajama sets come from Victoria’s Secret. They’re a little on the spendy side and I initially hesitated to order a set, but I love them. I own two sets and have a third on the way. The first set I ordered is the red plaid “flannel” set. I put flannel in quotes because they say they’re flannel, but they’re not really. They just look like it. I also had a promo code for free matching slippers. I’m glad they were free, because they certainly aren’t worth the $25 they charge in the stores.

I recently went to one of their stores in search of another set. Unfortunately the in-store selection was pretty minimal and the pattern I liked most (pink and white leopard print) was out of stock in my size. That’s always my luck. The store also doesn’t offer them in different lengths like they do online (short, regular or long). I settled on the light blue leopard print. No slippers, though. One, they didn’t have this pattern, and two, they are only free with the online promo code.

The blue leopard ones didn’t look like they were as soft as the red plaid ones, but they actually are. Very comfy and cozy. I decided to splurge on one more set and have one on order that is very much me. Hot pink. They are supposed to arrive by December 31.

The pajama sets from VS are $39.50. Again, I know it’s pricey. On the cheaper end, I have two, three-piece sets from Kohls that were on-sale for around $18. I can’t get the pictures posted here, but I have the set with red plaid flannel pants, white flannel shorts with black and red snowflakes, and black longsleeved shirt; and the set with purple and white striped flannel pants, purple and white print flannel shorts and purple longsleeved shirt. Both very comfy and cozy.

http://www.kohls.com/kohlsStore/womens/sleepwearrobes/sets/PRD~696077/SONOMA+life+++style+3pc+Pajama+Set.jsp

My Little Speech

Every now and then, I get to go to MDA events and visit with the participants and volunteers, and every now and then, I get to give a speech. Below is a recent speech from a TELU fundraiser that I wanted to share (slightly modified to not include my name so people can’t stalk me). Enjoy!

I’m a 29-year-old from Brooklyn Park. I have Spinal Muscular Atrophy, also known as SMA. I also have a 32-year-old brother with SMA. By the time I was born, my brother had already been diagnosed and my family was already involved with MDA. Essentially, I was born into the MDA family.

Family…that’s really what MDA is to the people they serve. Whether it’s the awesome office staff working countless hours on fundraising and support services or the doctors and specialists working tiredlessly caring for patients at the clinic and conducting research in the lab, they are always there to answer your questions, help you find resources or to just support you…just like any family member would.

One of the most important things MDA did for me while I was growing up was give me the opportunity to have the time of my life at summer camp. Camp gave me the opportunity to participate in activities that I normally wouldn’t get to do at home, such as swimming, horsebacking riding or doing some really awesome but sometimes disgusting science experiments with a scientist from 3M. Camp gave me the opportunity to spend the week with kids who were just like me, where I didn’t standout because I was in a wheelchair and where there were no physical obstacles. I was just me. Everything at camp was planned to meet my abilities and when I did need help with an activity, there was always a really cool volunteer there for me. I made many great friends whom I’m still friends with today, including my very first camp volunteer 21 years ago. She and her family quickly became like family to me and are still very dear to me today.

Camp wasn’t just special to me. It was for my parents, too. It gave them a much needed and deserved break, as caring for a child with MD is a never-ending job. For a week they put their faith and trust in the wonderful camp staff, excellent nurses and generous volunteers, so they could have a week to themselves to relax and do things they wanted to do, for themselves. My parents even went on vacation, by themselves, for the first time in years. They knew I was in good hands and that they would come to pick me up from camp at the end of the week refusing to go home.

Now that I’m older, I have the honor and privilege of being a volunteer staff member. This summer was my 8th year on staff. It is truly a rewarding experience to see the kids smiling, laughing, having fun and making friends and memories that I know will stay with them forever just as they have with me. I know firsthand just how important and how special that week is to them and their families, and being able to be a part of making that week possible for them is a wonderful feeling. We have the best group of campers and volunteers that anyone could ask for, and they are what make it the fun and rewarding experience it is. They are truly an inspiring group of people and I always come home feeling refreshed. Our campers will tell you that for them it’s the best week of the year. Our volunteers would echo that same sentiment. I wouldn’t trade the week and experience for anything in the world, not even a tropical vacation, and I look forward to reaching the 20 and 30 year milestones of volunteering at camp just like a number of our volunteers already have.

Thank you for giving up your time to support MDA and the families they serve by being here today. You are truly making a difference and having an impact on people’s lives much more than you know.

Natural Glow Express - It's Magic!

If you’re a typical Norwegian like me, with blonde hair and pale skin, you’re pretty eager to get some color. That color would be tan. And, like me, you probably spend hours in the sun and barely get anything less than a nice, red, painful sunburn. Even the sun on the Equator barely works… or leaves you red, swollen and blotchy, looking like you got into it with a pirate. So, of course, you’re always on the lookout for a great tanner or bronzing lotion that actually works and without leaving you orange.

My fellow Norwegian females, I have found the answer. I like to call it “Magic.” It’s really called “Natural Glow Express.” It’s the latest and greatest product by Jergen’s from their “Natural Glow” line.

I had already been using “Natural Glow” for a few years and was initially impressed by it. After using it for a couple of weeks, I definitely did look tanner and people thought I had been on vacation. But once you reach a certain shade, you’re kind of stuck there. And even trying the next shade up doesn’t give you much change. So I decided I needed to find something else.

I stumbled on “Natural Glow Express” at Target. The bottle claimed to get you nice and tan in just three days. Three days was perfect with my birthday plans. Needless to say, I had to try it.

Much to my surprise and satisfaction, just hours after the first application there was a noticeable difference and as the hours passed, it got even more noticeable. In less than 24-hours, I already had a nice tan. Two hours after the second application, you could see the color changing and by the hour I was getting more and more tan. Day Three went the same way. And now, I have a great, not orange tan, without increasing my chances of getting cancer. :)

Before & After

I realize a just gave away my secret, but when I find something as amazing as this, I want to help my fellow girls out and share.

It also is an excellent moisturizer. It made my dry, itchy areas of skin nice and smooth once again.

Check out "Natural Glow Express" here

My Inner Fashionista

Today I treated myself to a (small) shopping spree and, no, I’m not suffering buyer’s remorse. I figured I was entitled to such a treat for the following reasons.

1. Last month, I finally landed another PR job. It’s not a full-time one, but is a nice part-time one to slightly increase my income and I decided the first month’s check was to have some fun with.
   
   
2. I’m kind of kicking boo-tay at said job. My boss told me that she loves working with me, because I know how to get the job done without any handholding. I’ve secured some big placements in a short amount of time.
   
   
3. I haven’t gone on this kind of a shopping spree in a year. I’ve been a very good girl.
   
   
4. I’ve been battling a really strange bug and it’s had me bogged down for weeks. But, at last, I’m finally free of it.
   
   
5. Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. Being that I’m single, I doubt anybody is buying me anything and so I could buy myself stuff.
   
   
6. My birthday is Friday. Happy Birthday to me!
   

So, what did I treat myself to? Here are just a few of the newest additions to my collection:

http://www2.victoriassecret.com/commerce/onlineProductDisplay.vs?namespace=productDisplay&origin=onlineProductDisplay.jsp&event=display&prnbr=GJ-253307&page=1&cgname=OSPNKSPLZZZ&rfnbr=3462
VS Pink Bling Duofold Pants – super cute with pink sequins and super comfy. You can’t go wrong with lounge wear from VS Pink!

http://www2.victoriassecret.com/commerce/onlineProductDisplay.vs?namespace=productDisplay&origin=onlineProductDisplay.jsp&event=display&prnbr=GJ-258404&page=1&cgname=OSPNKTOPZZZ&rfnbr=6431
VS Pink Favorite Tee in yellow – sometimes we all just need a smile. :)

http://www.wetseal.com/catalog/product.jsp?categoryId=101&subCategoryId=115&productId=32691
Wet Seal Crochet Peasant Top in pink– perfect to pair with jeans and a long, silver necklace this Spring and Summer.

http://www.wetseal.com/catalog/product.jsp?categoryId=104&subCategoryId=124&productId=32314
Wet Seal Rose Mesh Dress – pair with some simple, black leggings and it’s a super cute outfit.

http://www.wetseal.com/catalog/product.jsp?categoryId=106&subCategoryId=197&productId=31558
Wet Seal Shield Crocodile Sunglasses – as my long lost sister Paris (Hilton) would say, “huge!”

http://www.charlotterusse.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3943441
Charlotte Russe Rugby Stripe Tee in navy – great casual look to wear with jeans

http://www.charlotterusse.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3892842
Charlotte Russe Crossdyed Denim Trousers – dress them up or down, these are a great, comfy alternative to jeans.

I bought a number of other cute items, however, they were on clearance and are no longer available online. But, I think that is what makes me an excellent shopper (not to brag). I’m very successful at getting great, trendy finds for less. I know how to maximize my budget utilizing sale racks, discount cards and store dollars. It’s an art.

Now I just need to fill my social calendar a bit more. :)

Glimpse Of A Celebrity's Life

This weekend I got a glimpse of what it just might be like to be one of the most famous people in the world and it left me feeling at least a little bad for them.

Paris Hilton hosted a party at a casino in northern Minnesota. She arrived around Midnight and was escorted to her personal VIP area, after saying a quick hello on stage. Her personal VIP area was just like any you would see in LA or NYC clubs, except probably not as private. She had a trendy white sofa and trendy white chairs with a couple of tables up on a small stage, with the area separated from the general public by velvet ropes.

Of course, people went crazy. I can’t really blame them. I was excited to see her, too. But I was rather taken back by their behavior. People were squishing each other just to get even two inches closer and reaching over and around each other, desperate to get her attention. People reaching out with stuff in hopes of getting it signed and their cameras in hopes she might grab it and take a picture. One lady just would not quit with the camera waving, after Paris’ manager repeatedly shook his head ‘no’.

It was obvious Paris was not leaving that little stage. She did exactly what she was paid to do. Dance around and be cute. Her boyfriend Doug was along and they danced around, watched the dance floor and took their own pictures. And as all of this took place, people just stood around the area as tight and close as possible, snapping picture after picture and watching. Why not just take a couple or few pictures, wave and move on so others can have a chance? But no, they just watched. It was as if they were at a zoo watching animals in a cage.

I got to wonder what it felt like to her to be watched and treated this way. I was invited to join her in her personal VIP area and as I was on the inside looking out at the madness, I began to feel bad for her. Sure, she must be used to it and it is what she was getting paid to experience, but she is a human, too. Not an animal. A sweet, good-hearted young lady, who really is not all that different from the rest of us. She enjoys lounging around watching movies and TV, and making mac & cheese over walking red carpets and partying. She likes reptiles and outdoorsy activities. And she works hard, just like the rest of us. That doesn’t sound like an animal to me and she, nor any other celebrity, should be treated more respectfully and with courtesy.

Welcome to adulthood...

A few weeks ago I casually mentioned to my doc that I don’t sleep well sometimes. I either can’t fall asleep or don’t stay asleep, and I inquired about taking something light to help. I fully expected him to go off on a bunch of medical reasons why this is happening and to refuse to give me something, being the overly-cautious doc he has been since I was seven. Much to my surprise, that didn’t happen. His first response was, “Welcome to adulthood. Adults don’t sleep.”

He suggested reading and asked if I have a Kindle. I was too surprised that he knew what that was to answer anything more than a simple no. After much dialogue back-and-forth about reading and the Kindle, he suggested I get one to make reading easier for me (physically).

You would think that since I earned a Minor in English, I might be an avid reader. Wrong. That couldn’t be any further from the truth. My college required students to get a Major with a Minor or to double-Major. It’s probably their way of getting thousands more dollars out of you, but they’d probably say it’s to make you a more diverse and well-rounded individual. An English Minor was only four more classes and since I’m excellent at writing papers, I figured that was the way to go. Yes. I took the easy way out. My English GPA ended up as a perfect 4.0 (all done as Independent Study, too) and it boosted my overall GPA. It was a win-win for me.

But all of that reading burned me out. The semester averaged a book every week or week-and-a-half. One semester had me reading 10 Shakespeare plays in 12-weeks. You do that and see how much you love reading afterwards. You won’t love it so much.

Reading also hurt my eyes and made my arms exhausted. It was physically strenuous to hold a book open and turn the page without the whole thing falling over. And since I couldn’t hold a book up or tip my head down to see the pages, I had to “bend” my eyes down and strain them to focus, leaving me with a headache. I did eventually get my school books digitized, but it still strained my eyes to read on the computer for hours. So, I’ve hated reading ever since. Even for fun. I think I’ve read three books for fun since high school, if not longer.

I recently decided I wanted to read The Cure, a true-life story about two children with muscular dystrophy and their father who went on a mission to find a cure. The upcoming movie Extraordinary Measures stems from this book. I’ll write more on this in another post. So I went to see if Amazon had it as an e-book. Of course, the only option was the Kindle format. I was disappointed. But then I saw a glimmer of hope. I saw something that said Kindle for PC. Curious about what that was, I clicked on it. I discovered you can get the Kindle software for your PC and the best part? It’s free. You only pay for each book you download. A MAC version is coming soon. Needless to say, I immediately downloaded the software and then paid for a download of The Cure.

That was less than a week ago and I’ve already finished the book. I think I might start to like this reading thing and it has helped me wind-down at night. Maybe the doc was right. I just limited my time to keep my eyes from getting crabby. And, so I can read in bed, I have installed Kindle for PC on my Dell Mini and can now have all books on both computers.

Next up, The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks.

Thank you Amazon for making the software available and for free. :)

TTFN!

Well, hello...

Hello. I’m Jen. And I could be a princess. I’m not really sure and it’s pretty likely I’m not, but I was once told there was Norwegian royalty in our bloodlines. It’s really far back and I don’t know when nor who, but it’s possible I could be a princess. Anything is possible. Until someone can prove I’m not, I’m claiming the title. And even if I’m not, I can pretend to be. As Paris Hilton once said, “Always act like you're wearing an invisible crown. I do. And it's always worked for me."

In case you plan on being a loyal reader, I have to caution you. I have no real plan for the direction of this blog. I recently felt inspired to start one. Why? I don’t know. Maybe it was watching “Julie & Julia”.

Writing is a good form of expression, or so I’ve been told. I write for my job, but never about anything I want to and never anything like this. Unlike my fellow PR peers, I probably won’t be writing about anything industry-related. I need an escape from that world and I’d like this to be just that. So we’ll see what happens. I hope you keep coming back. I’d like an audience. But if you do, don’t expect anything fancy or profound.

I’m off to read. Expect me to write about “The Cure” sometime soon.

TTFN!