Simple Pleasures

Sometimes I remind myself how essentially easy I am to please, how sometimes the smallest things give me the biggest smile. Current simple pleasures:
- Waking to new snow...white coated branches, bushes wearing a shawl of snow, fresh snow underfoot
- Snow falling...dancing through the air, eerily perfect silence as it falls
- My friends dog wagging his tail whenever they say my name to him
- A new puppy, full of fluffy new fur
- Having time to make a second latte before going to work
- Upcoming dinner parties
- The anticipation of an evening snowshoe
- 5 minutes of extra sleep
- A new recipe to try
- The smell of the almost expired narcissus flowers on my dining room table
- The little birds that nestle into the bare bushes beside my house...they chirp softly every morning as I walk by on the way to my car. I always say good morning
- A morning phone call from a friend and being a few minutes late to work because catching up was a perfect start to the morning
- The perfectly baked, soft, oatmeal chocolate chip cookie from Great Harvest
- Orchids. Always.
- A text or email with only the words "thinking about you"

Sometimes I forget that the small details are what really make up the big picture. In my job, this is what I deal with on a daily basis, making sure all the tiny minute details that no one sees are in place b/c without them the big picture would be incomplete. Life is similar. You can't build a chemical compound without first having atoms, you can't build a house without nails, bolts, caulking and other tiny items. They become the glue that holds the framework together.

Fake or real?

I had an interesting conversation with my dear friend Becky recently regarding fake eyelashes. Now, personally we both love them...well, the effect of them. But the discussion turned to the reality of falsies, what those who don't use them or who don't know you are wearing them, are unaware of.

I am a firm believer in lengthy eyelashes, luscious lashes, the kind that could fan a sweating man by simply batting them. I picture old movie stars giving that look to the male protagonist that stops him in his tracks. Generally that look involves batty eyelashes. I do believe though, in life and film, many people are unaware of this little prosthetic addition.

Ladies and gentlemen, these are not Kate Moss' real eyelashes:


Here is what we summarized, and what it really boils down to...are they worth it? Putting on false eyelashes is like intricate hand surgery..it should require extra special, separate training in the makeup and aesthetics department. Not to mention that application is occurring milimeters away from where you gain your sense of sight. Not only does it take a painstakingly steady hand, but rarely do you get it right on the first try which generally means a few twinges of pain as your involuntarily rip off skin cells and/or an eyelash or two. Once you get them on, think you are in the clear? Au contraire. For the next hour or so, you will be so acutely aware of your own eyelids it may drive you into mild insanity. On top of that, something about false eyelashes causes severe dryness of the eye. So, yes...all in all, they are quite a hassle and not comfortable whatsoever. But the look? Can't be beat.

I once heard someone say, "you've got to suffer to be beautiful, hell, I've been suffering my whole life." Take from it as you will.