Okay, so I know I was supposed to check in after I read At Wolf Ranch by Jennifer Ryan. The thing is... I haven't read it yet. I know, I know!! I feel so bad about that. Right after I posted that blog I went though a massive re-read phase. Actually, I'm still in it. For some reason I don't want to read anything new. I only want to re-read my oldies.

So since November I've re-read everything Jennifer Crusie's ever written (which, personally, is my idea of heaven. In heaven there are no calorie mochas and Jennifer Crusie's entire backlist.  Even Sizzle. You heard me!)  I re-read Lisa Kleypas's Wallflower series (love love love those.) My favorite is Daisy's story. I know everyone else loves Devil in Winter, and I do, too, but I absolutely love how quirky Daisy is and how Mathew absolutely loves that about her.  Maybe because I'm quirky and I can relate. Then I read her Hathaway series and some of her onsie books.  I read a few Gaelen Foley, some Jill Shalvis, a Julia Quinn or two (or eight.)  

It's been an absolute FLURRY of re-reads.

Am I crazy? I know some people hate re-reading books but for me there's just something so damn comforting about it.  And things have been stressful in Jackie-land* lately so my favorite books act like comfort food.  All the benefits of mashed potatoes and mac & cheese without the ever so lovely muffin top and guilt trips.  

So expect to hear more What Am I Reading Wednesdays.  Until then I'm going to post a bunch of random blogs about nothing in particular.

I really do want to read At Wolf Ranch, though. I might have to just power through and break out of my re-read rut. (Say that ten times fast)  



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*Jackie-land. It's like Candyland without the candy.  'Cause, you know, muffin top ;)

I love antique stores.  I love going to them, I love spending money there, I love just walking around and browsing.  They're fun.  And if you're looking for furniture you're crazy to buy new.  Maybe not as far as sofas go but desks, tables, chairs, all that jazz. When I was looking for a desk even the cheapest options at the store were around $200-$300, you had to put them together yourself and they were cheap veneer.  Ugh. Spare me!  I ended up finding a writing desk that I loved and an adorable side table for under $100.  And that's even a bit pricey for antique stores.  

While we're at it don't get me started on picture frames.  For a new, decent sized frame it can be up to $50 or $100 dollars from the store.  Are.  You.  Kidding?  I got 5 or 6 frames (various sizes) for under $30 all together.  I had to rip really ugly prints and even uglier mats out of them but for a under $10 per picture frame, I'll put in some work.

But for as many wonderful things that you can find, there are also some truly heinous things.  Hilariously heinous things.

In just one trip I found:

Seriously, slap a frame around that creepy thing and it's Phoebe's painting from Friends.

Then there's these two lovely lamps.  The avocado green textured velvet material really brings out the mismatched shade of blue-green in the gigantic crystals hanging off the base. 

Nothing says class like those lamps.  

And then there was this little guy.

It is art and I shall title him 'Smirking Naked Baby with Old Man Face.'  Or possibly 'Just Farted.'  Brilliant!  And at $30 it's a steal.  Guaranteed to elevate any decor into a classy, professional looking room worthy of an HGTV special.  

There you have it.  The best of the best at my local antique store.

Whenever I tell someone I'm a writer, for some reason, I usually get this response: "You're just like Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City!" It's funny, too, because several people have had that reaction all on different occasions.  

My reaction? "Yeah, I'm exactly like Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City... except without the rich, handsome men, I don't live in the city, and instead of Manolo Blahniks I wear Keds.  Other than that, yes.  We're exactly the same."

And then I watch the show and listen to her reading from her columns and wish that I could do that to my blog.  It wouldn't be nearly as interesting, though.  
Hers are all: 

Mine would be more like:

Then I was googling Manolo Blahnik for this post (which, by the way, I find it entirely creepy that facebook is now giving me ads for it, but I digress...) Where was I? Oh yeah, Manolo Blahnik.  I about had a freaking shoe-gasm. Holy crap-balls I wanted those shoes so freaking bad!

This one in particular. It makes me drool a little.

Was it good for you too?

I need to be rich just so I can wear those shoes. I would sell a kidney to own those shoes. Want my eggs? Take 'em, just leave the shoes! Half my liver? Ok, what do I need it for anyway?!?! Gimme, gimme, gimme, I need, I need!!

And as I thought about selling a kidney to own a pair of Manolo Blahniks, I wondered... Am I more like Carrie than I thought?

I got a tumblr account when I first started my ventures into social media but once I got my shiny new website, complete with blog, I wasn't sure what to do with two blogs.  But during the intense amount of procrastination I've done today I decided on my tumblr's fate.  I'm going to revamp it and start posting these thingies (that big pink thing down there.  Yeah, those.) It's going to be stuff that pops into my head (or, like this one, things I say to Codi Gary on twitter.)