Today is Thursday.

I need to find somewhere new to take these pictures! My yard is in such disarray! I try to do yard work, I swear, but I am just hopeless at it. I picked up leaves a few weeks ago, and I more or less picked them up one by one because I could not get the rake to work.

A rake is a simple thing... I know... but I still failed epically and I wish so bad that there was some sort of photographic documentation of my yard work misadventures.

Where do people usually take these pictures? Any advice?!

So I desperately want to go to Tombstone and Bisbee on Sunday, which may explain the cowboy booties, denim dress, and rustic, tooled leather bag I felt compelled to wear today.

I adore Tombstone's cheesy, gunslinger vibe, and it's a perfect for doing touristy things like taking pictures dressed as a saloon girl and watching staged gun fights, while Bisbee is a kitschy little artist colony in southern Arizona. You can wander the streets for hours just taking in all the murals and sculptures and even the old architecture is worth the trip down. The scores of well-stocked antique shops are just icing on the cake of awesomeness that is Bisbee.

Driving to work this morning I was like "want to go somewhere Sunday?" and my boyfriend was like "okay." So I think we probably won't go, because most people would've been, "where?" The immediacy of his affirmative response seems to indicate that that little stinker is hoping we will do what we do every Sunday morning. Just what is it we do every Sunday? Well, it involves some sort of food in bed (grilled cheese, eggs, soup), Family Guy on Hulu and sometimes we wrestle. We are both busy little engineers, so when we're together we do some pretty hardcore relaxing!

Dress: Urban Outfitters (Ecote)

Bag: Lucky Brand

Booties: Franco Sarto

Beads: the Goodwill by my house

Sunglasses: Ray Bans

I also would like to take this time to introduce a prized possession of mine... the giant rooster you see sneaking into some of these photos.

Here's the little fella's face. This is the type of shit my mom LOVES, and to be honest, that I love. It's quirky and random and fabulous and super rusty.

My mom and I have insanely similar tastes, and not just in over-sized, crudely fabricated farm animals, either. We will be across the store from each other, and we'll both go "hey look!" and we will both proceed to simultaneously lift up the same shirt/skirt/dress. It happens all the time.

Anyway, I digress, I always digress it seems and today is Thursday as my cube mate is always so quick to tell me, so enjoy your Thursdays!

Stylish Blogger Award...

Thanks so much to the wonderful, incomparable, Claire at Spinning Threads for honoring me, along with seven other incredibly deserving and stylish ladies, with the Stylish Blogger Award!

This means a lot to me since I am so so so so new to this and still feel like a COMPLETE spaz having my picture taken!

Now, there are rules to abide by...

First you thank and link back to who gave you this award, and share eight things about yourself and nominate eight other blogs that you have recently discovered and enjoy and proceed to leave those bloggers a message telling them kindly about this award :)

Let me first say that I would love to name Claire at Spinning Threads for the Stylish Blogger Award, because I love love love what she's about and I have definitely become a regular at her site... but I am unsure about the nominating someone who already nominated you and so on and so forth... kind of like the hands drawing the other hands picture, or the snake eating its own tail...

First, things first... eight things about me...

1. I can write in cursive with my toes.

2. I used to be quite an accomplished Olympic weightlifter.

3. I drive a pink Tacoma that I painted myself and call the "Pink Taco."

4. I cry during virtually every movie (I don't even remember the last 3o minutes of Wall-E because I was sobbing so profusely).

5. I started working at a helicopter company three days after I graduated with my bachelors in materials engineering, and for the 15 months I was the only girl engineer and the only materials engineer.

6. My mom curses just as much as me, and sometimes when I'm on the phone with my dad and I'm saying the f-word a lot because I'm angry or frustrated he will say "you're starting to sound like your mother!"

7. I desperately need the glasses I wear, I am so near sighted...

8. I am a tickie hogging snuggle machine, and thankfully I have just the snuggliest boyfriend and the cuddliest little puppers around!

Second things next... eight blogs I recently encountered and love...

Strawberry Freckleface

(For being one sassy little redhead)

Slightly Noodles

(This girl can do/craft/make anything, and I am in awe of her!)

GretchTM

(She was already nominated, but I second that because this adorable midwestern girl has some freaking style)

Caramella

(For being immaculately styled and having a page that makes me hungry!)

Baby Budget Blog

(For having a style all her own, and just LOOK at that smile!)

BraveGrrl

(For always looking amazing and being the first blog I ever followed)

Z's Closet

(I've only just found this blog, but holy crap, girl's got style)

Dress Up With Lola

(I LOVE the collages and detailed shots!)

The devil is in the details, I mean, just look at that matchin' bow/tights/sunglasses combo! Wooooeeeee, I do love micro-coordinating!

I love love love love ankle booties... I always felt my calves were too big for regular cowboy boots, and then the fashion powers that be invented ankle boots! These are the Vegas boot by Franco Sarto, and I think they are pretty aptly named.

Dress: Urban Outfitters (Kimchi Blue)

Underneath Dress: Urban Outfitters (Sparkle and Fade)

Tights: Target

Bow: Forever 21

Boots: Franco Sarto

Sunglasses: Betsey Johnson

Have wonderful and productive and fabulous days any and all who may stumble unwittingly across this blahggy guy!

it's getting hot in here (i.e. the greater Phoenix metropolitan area)

Today was one of those days where I could NOT leave my bed. Everything was EXTRA comfy, as though my blankies and pillows knew I would be leaving them and made sure to pull out all the stops in an attempt to get me to stay.

In my defense my 8:30 a.m. meeting with my grad advisor was cancelled...

and my 12:00 p.m. inorganic membranes class was cancelled...

so it only follows that my 10:30-11:45 a.m. kinetics class, which was very much NOT cancelled, did not happen.

Look at that smug, self-satisfied grin. I know I was a little shit today...

It took me literally like three hours to rouse myself and put on pants (ew) and closed-toe shoes and go to school for a grand total of 38 seconds so I could remove my sample from the oven and place it in a desiccator.

I park a good 1/2 mile away from where the lab is, and wearing that lab appropriate attire made me super hot and fussy. As soon as I got home I ripped off those clothes and put on this breezy, happy little outfit that I will wear the remainder of my day.

When I was little my mom used to make me wear white tights to church on Sunday and I vividly recall ripping them off just as soon as we would get home or to the car, or hell, sometimes I only made it out to the parking lot before I would hastily remove them. I HATED wearing those damn tights, and I would relish feeling the sun and the wind and the grass on my legs for the rest of the day. No hyperbole here, wearing tights as a child was torture.

And today was not unlike that.

Top: Free People

Skirt: Urban Outfitters (Cooperative)

Shoes: Urban Outfitters (Kimchi Blue)

Sunglasses: Betsey Johnson

Bangle and Bolo: the Goodwill by my house

I know this is two days in a row of tummy showin' but I swear I don't usually expose muh midriff! It's just the first days hovering around 90, and my body has completely forgotten how to deal with this. It will be 97 on Thursday... 97. Degrees. Fahrenheit. The Phoenix area has exactly two weeks of perfect weather a year. And it never lasts long enough! Oh well, I'm just bitching because it came on so suddenly... I usually accept my weather fate with dignity and shut the hell up around April/May.

I am making stuffed green peppers tonight... on accounta I can't cook ANYTHING, and want to learn. The incomparable Stephanie has valiantly and selflessly offered to eat them with me. And then we might just hafta watch some Lifetime Movie Network.

Also, I think this marks a week of blahging! In two more this might just take.

Have wonderful days any and all who may encounter these thingies I post.

I forgot to name it!

It's coming... tomorrow it will be 88 degrees, and it's still March, by mid-April it will be 100+ every day until the beginning of November.

I'm starting to get in the mood by dressing decidedly summery.

I saw this dress on urbanoutfitters.com and I knew I had to have it. Unfortunately, as it is Urban Renewal, the fit is so weird and the buttons permanently lean to the left, but, as with all other Urban Renewal pieces I own, they are so fabulous and worth the strange quirks.

Dress: Urban Outfitters (Urban Renewal)

Jacket: Target

Shoes: Chuck Taylors from 2004

Bangle: the Goodwill by my house

I would also like to introduce two of my accessory mainstays:

1. a sterling Tiffany's pretzel charm

and

2. an old school Mexican scapular.

Since they both get worn pretty much every day, I want to mention them. The pretzel was a gift from my boyfriend (who is hands-down the best boyfriend in the whole wide world, duuuuh). Although he said I could pick whichever charm I wanted, it was clear that the pretzel was the only one he wanted me to pick :) So everyday I proudly wear a salted silver pretzel around my neck.

The scapular was also a gift. I was admiring my friend Fabian's and he was like "wait here" and after like 45 minutes of utterly destroying his apartment, all the while refusing to tell me what he was looking for, he presented me with it. I have worn it everyday since. It is crudely crafted (in an AMAZING way, I'm not being critical) and consists mainly of a brown string with some green seed beads and two brown felt patches. I love it, and although I haven't practiced Catholicism in over a decade, there is something comforting about having that reminder with me always.

I'd like to say this blahging thing is getting easier, but it really isn't.

Every time I go to the dentist he always says, "Floss every day for three weeks, because it takes 21 days to form a habit." Maybe it's just my dentist, but I swear to God, EVERY time he says that.

And...

Every time I stop flossing right after three or four days (don't judge me).

So what I am getting at is that I will hopefully develop a sort of blahging "habit" within 21 days.

Ok, have lovely days anyone who might see this!

these shoes technically meet OSHA regulations...

Friday! Friday! Friday! And I have to go to the lab, classes AND work... so getting dressed for all three was a struggle...

Today I am wearing three things that I almost didn't buy but thankfully did because I can't live without them. And that was a terribly constructed sentence...

First this skirt, which, oh my goodness, is aces for sure. I wear the shit out of this skirt.

Shirt: American Apparel

Skirt: The Goodwill not really near my house

Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell

Beaded Collar: A thrift store in Bowie, MD

Then these shoes almost didn't make the cut as I was torn violently between "I can't live without their gaudy majesty" and, well, "their gaudiness, although majestic, is too much."

My boyfriend absolutely loved them and since he almost never expresses an opinion on matters such as shoes, I heeded his advice and kept them.

So, as I mentioned, I have to stop by the lab today to "decant and replenish the chloroform" and this is what I am wearing. The shoes are closed-toe, that counts for something.

And finally this collar. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this collar. When I saw it I was on vacation to the east coast and had spent an exorbitant amount of money already (it was Christmas time and shopping was getting did) and felt I couldn't justify purchasing it for myself. I finally caved and it ended up being 50% off! Who doesn't love surprise sales?!

Have fabulous days anyone who might unwittingly stumble across this blog :)

bean people

So let me preface this with... I am not stable in many ways. Period. One prominently cited example of this is my relationship with my puppies.

I have the two most amazing puppies in the whole world... it is INSANE.

They are people. Bean people. On accounta their bodies are shaped like kidney beans.

My ex-boyfriend and I first got Gertrude (Gertie, Lil Pretty, Trude) in the fall of 2006. Then along came Tonka Truck (Tonka, TonkaDonk, Lil Bully) one year later. They have the same biological mommy and daddy and were born 11 and a half months apart. They are "the kids." It's been three years after my ex and I split up and we still have joint custody.

This is Gertie as a puppy! She's a real good helper! This is from fall 2006, she's probably like 8 weeks old there.

This is early spring 2007, note the sweet rat tail I have. Gertie is a spoiled rotten only child at this age. And that little stinker got away with murder because, come on, have you ever seen such a beautiful face?

Then along came baby Tonka Truck! Look at that smile! He's just such a lover, such a happy, gentle, kind soul.

He's the love of my life that dude, and he is DEFINITELY a mama's boy.

My ex moved to Vegas and took the kids a couple of years ago, and Tonka sank into such a deep depression that he had to move back. It honestly killed me to think of my little man not understanding why he doesn't get to see his mama anymore.

Look at that guy! So handsome and big and strong! His sister is in the back eating a stick and my pinky toe is saying "what's up."

So Tonka has this thing, if you insult him he takes serious offense. Like one time I said "look at your little crack baby teeth!" and he closed his mouth, stared at me for like 10 full seconds, did an about face and laid down with a dramatic sigh. So everyone has to be real careful and call him "big and strong" which he LOVES and upon hearing how big and strong he is he proceeds to strut on by and flex his leg for us.

If personality were measurable in SI units he would have a personality that measures on the order of "tera-." Where the "-" is the fundamental unit of personality.

They are inseparable! The love each other so much. They are also such good protectors, I believe they were just doing surveillance when this picture was taken, you know, making sure everything in my backyard was on the up and up.

Nature pups.

Having these pups in my life is such a blessing. I could honestly have typed thirty pages filled with anecdotes of their antics or "the cute little faces they make" or "that one time they..." without even coming up for air.

Their overwhelming optimism and zeal for life has gotten me through some tough times.

I. love. the. shit. out. of. these. puppies.

nope, not getting any easier

Still feel like a spaz doing this... oh well... and my outfits haven't been very inspired either. Not really hitting the ground running with this thing, am I?

Dress: Urban Outfitters (Silence & Noise)

Cardigan: Urban Outfitters (byCORPUS)

Belt: the Goodwill by my house

Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell

Sun Glasses: Betsey Johnson

Seeee, shoes! Fabulous shoes. Anything that seamlessly mixes black and brown is just fine by me.

No need for stupid pants today on accounta I don't have to go to the lab today, just work.

BUT

Yesterday we couldn't find a a really simple part of the press mold for making the alumina pellets so I couldn't even utilize my functional and lab-safety-approved ensemble. Further ramifications of that pellet press mold going AWOL is that I had to reschedule for tomorrow.

Once this semester is out I will be in the lab full time (I'm told this is between 65-70 hours a week) which means I don't know what in the hell I'm going to do... HAR-rumpf! Pants EVERY day? That's UNPOSSIBLE!

I thiiiiink I may stash an old pair of boy's True Religions (everyone goes through a baggy pants phase, right?) and slip-on Keds in the lab, or wear one of those sweet Intel suits. Maybe.

I digress. Bye!

you're so vain...

Eeesh, that was hard to do. I hope through this blog I learn to stop myself from fidgeting awkwardly and making weird faces subconsciously upon seeing a camera. Maybe eventually at least.

Things wrong by my count:

1. There is really nothing special about my outfit

2. The lighting

3. Everything

4. The setting

5. Everything

6. I need to do some yard work

In my defense, I only took these photos so I wouldn't lose momentum on this. I know me and I know that if I don't start something immediately, I never will.

Also, today I am synthesizing some alpha alumina discs in the lab, so I have to wear the pants and closed-toed shoes. I usually never wear pants.

Seeee... Pants.

Jeans: William Rast

Flannel: Thrifted

Jacket: Target

Shoes: Urban Outfitters (BDG)

Sun Goggles: Ray Bans

I didn't purposely bleach my bangs... my hair looked like this two days ago...

This was taken at the Getty Center in LA.

This was thoroughly traumatic... it's off to kinetics now. Bye!

oh no!

Hi!

This blog was supposed to be a joint effort, then we both just went "meh" about it...

and life...

and hanging out together in general...

(Andrew, if you ever read this, I feel like you're mad I didn't go to your birthday... I would've but you only invited me like 3 hours before and I already had a ton of shit I could not get out of... I'm sorry!)

Now it's just me. Hi! I'm Alex. I don't know why I desperately want to chronicle my outfits, but something about fashion blahging (it's more phonetically correct) seems fun as hell.

Except, except, except, except...

1. I can not take a good picture to save my life

and

2. I HATE having my picture taken.

But I feel I should try and extricate myself from my shell of camera shy?