by Jillian @ http://blueshelled.com . May 13, 2010 . 6:36PM
Everyone in my family enjoys going to the movies. There is nothing like spending $30 just to get in the door, another $40 on tasteless treats and sugary sodas and then the opportunity to sit next to people who are either going to yell at the screen, text non-stop (you know who you are twitterphiles), whisper to one another about how you just can’t liiiiiiive without out each other (gag) or put their hands all over each other.
Let me clarify this. I hate going to the movies unless the movie has been out for at least 8 weeks, everyone else has seen it and there is the remote chance that I could be sitting in the theater room by myself. Then I LOVE going to the movies. And I will enjoy the biggest Coca Cola there is while I’m there. Mmmm.
And the movie will be awesome until my 9-year old inevitably says, “Mom, I’ve gotta pee.”
Now, I’ve been lucky in that, well, he’s a boy. I can’t go into the boy’s bathroom and his daddy generally is a good sport about saying “C’mon I’ll take you” or threatening him to within an inch of his life that he’d “better hold that pee until this movie is over because I offered to take you to pee and you swore on your life you didn’t have to pee.” Every now and then, though, I have to bite the bullet because I’m with him at the theater without a man or because I get THE LOOK.
As I was reading an older Woman’s Day, I think it was from March, something caught my eye. A website called Runpee.com. I love potty humor, so anything that talks about peeing automatically gets my full and complete attention. Runpee.com is a website that will tell you the best times in movies to take “a break” and how long you can “break.”
This is incredibly helpful not just for those little ones, but also for people like me who enjoy the super large keg sized Coca Cola in the dark theater.
So, who is going to a really old movie with me this weekend? If you text during it, I reserve the right to throw your phone across the theater.
by Jillian @ http://blueshelled.com . April 14, 2010 . 2:38PM
I know you may be tired of hearing how much I love my Mapco. I promise they don’t sponsor my blog, but if they did, I’d shout it even more. One of the advertising folks over there read the post about Bryan and my 1am adventure and sent me a very sweet note and a gas card as a thank you. It made my day. I’d post the note, but my phone camera just isn’t that great. It looks gorgeous, but doesn’t like Times New Roman. And my Mapco now has a Quiznos which means I can get my ham and swiss EVERY DAY. I love them. And they aren’t paying me to say that. I LOVE THEM. I believe in rewarding places that are clean, nice, well-stocked and helpful to me when I’m there. It’s capitalism, people! And now that they were more nice to me, I’ll go there even more often. Yes, I will.
Lately, I’ve had a lot of time to think and what I think is that being kind is underrated. The simple things in day to day life are making or breaking me the last couple of weeks and a nice word or gesture is really all it takes to salvage a day.
What I’ve also realized is that the little things in life that make a person miserable aren’t worth it and if something is toxic that it needs to be cut out like a boil. If you constantly find yourself feeling a certain way about a certain thing, a certain idea, or a certain person that makes you feel bad or unhappy, then, as painful as that is, sometimes you have to let go. Especially if you feel like you can’t confront the feeling head-on or support the person as they are.
But mainly, kindness is really really important. And if someone isn’t kind to you in your darkest of moments, move on. And when a gas company is, support them.
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by Jillian @ http://blueshelled.com . October 13, 2009 . 2:27PM
The most beautiful makeup of a woman is passion. But cosmetics are easier to buy.” — Yves Saint Laurent
Women wear makeup for other women. It’s true and it’s not a secret. I’ve said it before, here in this blog. Men, it may come as a surprise for you and a small blow to your ego, but we aren’t competing with you, are we? We’re competing for you and your attention. For those married folks, we’re competing to keep what we’ve got or gain something new. For those who are single, they are shopping their options and the goal is to be the prettiest peacock on the block.
Over the summer, a friend of mine in my program at school, Susan (Not her name), mentioned to me that she thinks I’m beautiful. I mentioned to her that I’d pay her to say it all day long. She laughed and said that because I’m a white woman, and a large woman, that she gets it. And I think she does. I’ll talk more about this tomorrow. She stated that she noticed that I have more confidence on the days that I wear makeup and the days that I do my hair (instead of my favored ponytails) and pop some earrings in or wear jewelry. Adorning my face gives me confidence.
“She has such a pretty face, if only she’d do something about that body.”
Fair enough. Last week, I tested it. True to form, I get a different reaction from people when I “do my face.” Either, I’m projecting more confidence or I’m looking good and it gets a different reaction. I’m assuming it’s a little of both, but more the latter. Research has shown that attractive people tend to get more favorable reviews when asked how they are viewed by observers. We like pretty people. There is a reason the cosmetics corporations make billions of dollars.
Women want to look good and they like the way people respond.
I liked the way people responded to me last week. They were quick to meet my needs. They were complimentary. They were interested. It conditioned my response. I spent a good 20 extra minutes a day on hair and make-up. What? I’m still low-maintenance. You can’t pay me to spend more time than that on looking good.
You should see the responses I get when I don’t wear my wedding rings. That’s another post for another day.
Have any of you had similar experiences?
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by Jillian @ http://blueshelled.com . September 26, 2009 . 8:00PM
Tonight, we were walking out of Target after a 3 day bender. For me, a 3 day bender means a 3 day migraine. I’d gone to the walk-in clinic last night and a magic Dr. gave me magic shots that make me sleep and make the bad migraine take a break. Or, not necessarily go away, but I feel them less, which is what happened in this case. I’d slept most of today and the edge was off of my migraine.
It was time to get out of the house and try to regain sanity after being sick most all of the week.
A.J. had scrounged up some pocket change. I have no idea where he found it, but my guess is that he raided couches and bathrooms and tables. He had almost $5. In little boy world, this is a fortune and can be spent on things that will drive your parents absolutely nuts.
He’d scored some Halloween window clings from the $1 bin and some matchbox cars. Of course, they had to be done in separate trips to a very patient cashier who counted out his change with him. She deserves an award.
As we walked out to the car, in the pouring rain, without umbrellas or coats (we laugh in the face of pneumonia), I heard him softly singing next to me: “I ammmm a happy boy, a happy boooooy, a happy BOY! I ammmm a happy boy, a happy booooy, a hap-eeee-BOY!”
I guess we’re doing something right.
by Jillian @ http://blueshelled.com . August 31, 2009 . 1:56PM
Dear Studio 35 Hair Care,
I leapt out of bed this morning* to start my day. Last night, I’d dreamt I was going to have a great day and it was the first night in over a week that I’d had pleasant dreams. With my newfound hope, I’d decided not to cut off my mid-back length hair, which has been driving my crazy lately.
Recently, I’d purchased what I thought was an amazing deal from my local Walgreens. For $3.99, I got a Studio 35 Hair Care pack that contained multiple claw clips in various sizes, a couple of clips to hold my bangs back and some hair ties. I’d been delighted at your price, and though you were not my beloved Goody brand, I grabbed you for your sheer thrifty value.
I’d yet to open your product and my eyes were still slightly bleary from sleep**. I had it in mind to do my long, luscious hair in some American Indian brains and then pull them up into a bun. It was going to be glorious, because that’s what you do with long hair you don’t want to chop off. I went to pull off a claw clip and it didn’t move.
This is when I decided to open war upon you. I flipped over your generic packaging and saw that not only did you have each clip tied onto your cardboard packaging with not one, but TWO aluminum ties, you’d also put packaging tape over the entire backside. As I cursed your name and attempted to get tape off my hand, like a cat in a household of boys (or me) who thinks it’s funny to watch the cat try to get tape off its hand, I stomped and grimaced and decided that no hair was worth your crap.
I want to cut my hair off. And it’s all thanks to you, Studio 35 hair care. Because if I don’t have hair, I don’t need your stupid products. 25 minutes after I started opening your package, I was able to get out the items I needed to do my amazing bun and ended up looking like a triceratops with a drug problem.
I’ll never forsake Goody again. A pox on your company.
Sincerely,
Jillian
*May be a lie.
**Bleary=crusted like Mom’s apple pie
Home
Everyone in my family enjoys going to the movies. There is nothing like spending $30 just to get in the door, another $40 on tasteless treats and sugary sodas and then the opportunity to sit next to people who are either going to yell at the screen, text non-stop (you know who you are twitterphiles), whisper to one another about how you just can’t liiiiiiive without out each other (gag) or put their hands all over each other. 
Life is like a game. We all have challenges, thoughts, opinions and beliefs. Often, it feels like something out there, life, karma, catty people, or blue shells (for the Kart lovers), seeks to bring us down. Luckily, we always get up. This is where I wear my heart on my sleeve and my foot in my mouth.
