Four-eyes...

Today I had to go back to the eye doctor for my follow-up visit. They fitted me for a new kind of contacts that is supposed to be healthier and get more oxygen to my eyes. I have actually had this brand before and didn't really like it but the doctor kept pushing me so I got them. I was a little ticked though when I had to pay the fitting fee when I have already had this brand!

Since the 1st grade I have had glasses or contacts. My prescription is so bad, I don't even own a pair of eyeglasses. The lenses are so thick, it's embarrassing. Since visiting the eye doctor two weeks ago for my annual checkup they nagged me to get glasses like they always do. Every year I think about it and I look for them, but every year I end up declining it and use my vision coverage towards contacts.

This time they said if I purchased a years worth of contacts I could get glasses for 50% off. It would include everything, frames, lenses, and all the little extras I need like shaving down the sides so they don't look like bottle caps (but they still do).

I went in there this morning feeling good about eyeglasses shopping. I knew it was going to be pricy but with the 50% off I was thinking it would be around $250 and was hoping I could find a cute pair with rhinestones, but shopping for eyeglasses with a prescription as high as mine makes it really difficult. My contact lenses prescription is a -9.00, so you can imagine how thick my glasses would be!
After the doctor checked my contacts, I went back out to the waiting room to look for a pair of glasses. I was a little disappointed with the customer service. I needed a lot of assistance finding a pair that would be just right. I couldn't just pick a pair off the shelf and go!
I found a pair I liked that were by Candies, but I didn't love them so I had already decided that if they ended up being over $250 I wasn't going to get them. With all the additional costs the pair I chose ended up costing $420. They were even a cheaper pair of frames, I was checking! I just couldn't justify spending that much when I (a) didn't like them that much and (b) I am unemployed and almost broke, so I didn't get them.
Eyeglass shopping sure brought back some uncomfortable memories of when I was a kid shopping for glasses! My mom and I always had different tastes and she wanted pairs that I thought were ugly. Then on top of it all they were thick as bottle caps! It wasn't fun! Thank goodness for contacts!!

I feel complete again...

I have finally, FINALLY got my computer back! I'm so super excited, it's pretty pathetic how happy a piece of machinery is making me.

Last night I lugged my Macbook into Apple and told them I would like to have it sent off to replace to the logic board. I was fully aware that it would cost an estimated $800 to replace it. The "Genius" at Apple looked at me like I was a moron and asked me if I was really sure that was what I wanted to do considering the same models were now on sale for $999 (I paid $1299).
To make a long story short he convinced me to buy a new computer. Originally I didn't want to do it because I was worried I would have to repurchase all the programs I had on my laptop, like Microsoft Office. I also may or may not have been worried about my widgets on my dashboard...
The Genius assured me that all files, programs, iTunes, pictures and widgets would be easily transferred over to the new computer. I would also be getting an upgraded model (mainly just more RAM), a year warranty AND a free printer (after rebate), all for only $200 more than what I was planning on spending! PLUS... the Geniuses told me to put my old laptop on Ebay and it would probably sell for at least $200! Score!

Now, all I really want is this... so cute!

Take a peek...

Above is a picture of the contents currently in my purse. Molly over at These Little Moments did a post like this awhile back and I thought it was so cute!

1. The book I'm currently reading, Bitter is the New Black borrowed from Lesli. This is a great book to read if you're recently unemployed!

2. My wallet, which looks a little fat but trust me, it's not.

3. My camera. I am always prepared for those moments when you need a camera, but I rarely take pictures. Go figure.

4. Makeup bag. This is a must. Inside my little bag is my favorite lipgloss (so I can find it in a hurry), pressed powder, spare contacts, a Tide pen, travel perfume and mascara (my favorite kind of makeup!).

5. A brooch from Express that I got for $3.59! Score!

6. Five pens. Apparently I need all five of those pens. Weird.

7. Five different kinds of lipgloss. This is not counting the one that is in my makeup bag. Sheesh! I do love me some lipgloss!

8. Ice Breakers gum. It's okay. I wouldn't recommend it, but I will save the gum review for a different day.

9. iPod, with ear buds and USB cord. It would be a tragedy if it died and I couldn't charge it immediately...

10. Planner, which looks like my "Little Black Book" but trust me, it's not. No boys phone numbers in there! ;)

11. Address book, which is my version of the "LBB" I just referred to. Mine isn't black though, it's pink (of course!) and says "So many princes, so little time" on the front.

12. Comb, which my hair could probably use right now.

13. Chanel Mademoiselle lotion, which I got FREE! I love free. Free is good.

14. Cold medication. I don't have a cold right now, so that must be left over from when I did.

And that's it! My phone would be in this photograph but I was using it to take this lovely picture and post it here for you all to see! If you would like to see what my phone looks like, just go here. It's the pink one, and I love it!

eyeslipsface.com

A couple of friends of mine and I recently came across this company that is selling all their makeup really cheap!

The brand is E.L.F. and you can find it here

I do not recommend anything lip related, but so far I am LOOOOVING the mineral eye shadows. I'm a huge fan of Bare Minerals, and I love their eyeshadows. Elf has their mineral eye shadows at only $3 a jar!! That is a total steal!

Twenty five tid bits

This has been going around Facebook for sometime now. I actually started working on it last night, because what else am I going to do? ;)

From Facebook:

So everyone else is doing so I should too, right?! Here goes nothin' :)

1. I'm actually really shy until you get to know me. Once that happens and I'm comfortable, I'm really goofy!

2. I'm a total workaholic, I have to be busy all the time and have a really hard time saying no to new projects.

3. My dream job would be a writer. I would love to live off my writing and be a famous author.

4. I have one younger sister that is my total opposite. Deep down we really love each other but have a hard time getting along. I have always hoped that we will eventually grow closer as we get older.

5. I have three of the greatest BFF's in the world. Our group dynamic is very similar to the group dynamic on Sex and the City. I feel very blessed to have their constant love and support. Many people don't find what we have in girlfriends.

6. I'm extremely close to my mom. I have told her practically everything since I was very little. There is not much I do not feel comfortable talking with her about.

7. I'm not a big sports fan. It just doesn't hold my interest for very long. I was even a football cheerleader in high school and I still can't tell you what "first and down" means. But I know a really cute cheer for it when that happens! Ha!

8. I love kids and am definitely a kid at heart.

9. One of my biggest fears is that I won't be able to have kids.

10. When I was a year old my mom got my ears pierced. Apparently I didn't like them and I pulled one out. My mom left the other one in for a year. So for an entire year I had just one earring in. Wonder if people thought I was a boy?

11. I name my cat after my favorite job I have had so far in my life. Libby, she is all white with one black ear and a black tail. Cute!

12. Ever since I was little I have loved to write. It's a creative outlet for me that I really enjoy. I keep a blog but I like to keep it private from people I know in person. There are several reasons for this, A. I don't want to feel like I have to censor anything I write and B. I like my anonymity. If you find it, that's fine, just don't tell me! :)

13. I love to read -- you will rarely catch me with out a book. I read probably an average of one book per week. My favorite genre is chick lit (yeah, I'm not embarrassed) and someday I will write a chick lit novel. :)

14. I failed my drivers test when I was 16 because I hit a parking sign while trying to park.

15.I have an obsession with movies and own a small library of them.

16. I wear a ton of black and have a white cat, therefore I carry a lint roller almost all the time to keep the white hairs under control.

17. I can't sleep when I'm hungover. No matter what I will end up wide awake at 8am and it is so irritaing!

18. I do not like the taste of watermelon, root beer or Dr. Pepper.

19. I get bored with my hair really easily. Lately I've calmed down quite a bit, but it used to be a different color every 6 months.

20. Long hair is like a secruity blanket to me. I would love to try a chin length bob with it stacked in the back but I'm chicken!

21. I love being near water! Living on a coast is something I hope I get to do again someday. Waking up everyday to the ocean out your window is definitely surreal to me.

22. I love popsicles. My roommate thinks I'm weird because I eat popsicles in the winter.

23. I love the name Daisy and will someday name a daughter of mine that.

24. I'm a caffeine fiend. I have recently cut down my pop intake but I looooove coffee! :)

25. I am a total internet junkie. So last spring when I spilled water in my laptop and ruined it I was devastated.

Goodbye Club Libby Lu

Below is what I am contributing to a scrapbook that we are making for our fearless leader. CEO and Founder of Club Libby Lu. :)
This is very fitting, as my store closed today. We ran out of merchandise completely. The feelings going through me as I walked out of the store are indescribable. I know I will be back, we still have lots to do, but never again will I do a makeover on a little girl, or sprinkle her with fairy dust. I feel like I'm losing a great friend, and we will never run into each other again.



As I think about my life post college, many of my thoughts are of Club Libby Lu. It is full of many fond memories, amazing people, lots of dancing and tons of hilarious V.I.P.’s (Very Important Princesses).
Too many of my memories are “favorites” so choosing one isn’t a possibility for me. Instead I will tell you about a few memories that mean the most to me.

My first memory is of my interview. It was a group interview. Silly questions, secret club names and bright blonde hair are the things I remember most. The Club Libby Lu representative was “Tinkerbell” Jodie. She had her signature bright blonde hair with black flower accessory in it and I immediately liked her. She was warm, friendly and hilarious. I was in a group of about 6 high school girls. Although I probably looked like a high school student myself, I was fresh out of college with a degree in fashion and unemployed. I wasn’t sure what the heck I was doing, but I had heard about Club Libby Lu from one of my sorority sisters that was also a fashion major, so I thought I’d check it out. This is how my career started out with Club Libby Lu. Who would have thought that one of my first interviews after college would involve made up nicknames and sparkly fairy dust?
From there I ended up working as the Assistant Club Director underneath Sabrina. The next year was for sure a roller coaster of events, but one thing I was certain of was I, without a doubt, wanted to be a Club Director and I just had to be at the next Princess Ball! I wouldn’t have made it without Sabrina, she taught me the do’s and don’ts of management and of Club Libby Lu. Without her, I can honestly say I don’t think I would have survived! Below is one of my favorite pictures of us when we were a Club Director and Assistant Club Director team at 809 Oak Park.


Upon Sabrina’s departure from Oak Park onto a bigger (and newer) store I began my search for that perfect Assistant Club Director. After six months I finally found her, err, actually she found me. Senior Club Counselor, Jenny from 833 Independence was interested. I have to admit, at first I was unsure. I had just gotten out of an okay (not bad, just okay) relationship with an ACD that just didn’t make the cut. Was I up for another one? Jenny came over to work with me one day to see if we meshed well. We hit it off right away. Almost immediately I knew we would be a great team, I was ready for her to make the permanent move over to Oak Park straight away! Jenny stayed calm when I got that crazy gleam in my eyes. Jenny was my voice of reason when I had some crazy, far out there idea. There were many a Saturdays where I wondered if she could read my mind and if I could actually read hers. We could tell when the other just needed a break, or when we were sick of running the floor and just wanted to do a makeover! When I decided to hand over the club to her and move on, it was definitely bittersweet. Oak Park was my first store and will probably always be my favorite, but I couldn’t imagine passing the torch onto a better person. Today she’s one of my best friends, and one of the first people I call when I have big news, need a shoulder to cry on or just someone to laugh with.




After opening the Downtown Disney club I do not recall a single Club Libby Lu employee that did not desperately want to see it. Rumors were flying that they had a “pink carpet,” a stage and celebrities in and out of their doors.
Perhaps the celebrity sightings were true…
I was no different. I was determined to someday go to Disneyland and see this amazing store I had built up in my head. So, when the day came that I found out I had won a trip out to Downtown Disney for the Pink Twinkle Party, I think I was more excited about seeing the club then meeting one of the stars of High School Musical, Ashley Tisdale. Almost immediately after walking in the store I knew I loved the energy there, it was busy all the time and how could you not be happy in Disneyland?! There were so many kids there hoping for a glimpse of Ashley and perhaps her autograph, I have to be honest, it sort of overwhelmed me. I felt bad having that access to her, when all these other kids were so infatuated with her. So, I stayed near the front of the club and let the party with Ashley continue in the back of the club. This is when Mary walked up to me and asked if I had a chance to meet her yet. I remember sort of giggling and saying, “No, I would rather the kids get to meet her! They deserve it!” That’s when she grabbed my hand, and pulled me over to her. I shook Ashley’s hand and got my picture taken with her as well as autographs for my team and a few regular VIP’s at my club. I will never forget it!



Even after leaving Club Libby Lu after 2007, I still felt a part of the CLL family. When I spoke of the company, I always caught myself saying “We’re doing this…”, “We feel this way…” even though I wasn’t technically a part of the “we” anymore. When I decided to come back, I was welcomed back warmly and it was such a good feeling! To people outside the CLL family they will never understand why I am grateful to have returned to a company that has to close its doors. I don’t think anyone outside looking in can understand, but I feel blessed to have been a part of this process and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Club Libby Lu has done so much for me between 2004- now, this is the least I can do for them. After we close I will be taking away memories of the best job I have ever had (and probably the most fun I will ever have), amazing lifelong friends and skill sets that I could not have learned anywhere else.
Thank you so much, I will never forget.

Unemployment?

I'm slowly talking myself into applying for unemployment. I know it's not anything I should feel ashamed about. It's not my fault that I am losing my job. As a taxpayer I am entitled to be on unemployment until I find a new job. It's just hard for me to build up enough courage to do it. I don't like taking hand-outs and this is what it feels like I'm doing.
I'm a little bummed today because I didn't get the job I had been interviewing for -- again. How many times does this have to happen to me? I have been turned down a lot lately, and it's really making me feel bad about myself.
I was so excited because they had been calling all my references, even two today! Then the same day they turn me down. They told me everything was great and that I was a phenomenal candidate, they just found someone with more experience.
So, I guess I'm going to probably file for unemployment until I do find something.
I'm still looking into going back to school. Can I go back to school and be on unemployment? I need to work while I'm in school, cause... well, I need money! This is definitely one of the hardest things I have ever been through. I'm praying for all of you struggling out there with this recession and those of you looking for work. I'm definitely feeling your pain.