Weekend Open Thread

428 Comments

1. I know this has been asked in the past but I can’t find it. I’m going away for the weekend and just realized I left my foundation at home. I’m leaving straight from work and don’t have time to stop home. Any recommendations for decent drugstore brand liquid foundation?

   1. No specific recommendation from experience, but from my soapbox I humbly ask you to choose one of these that doesn’t test on animals:
      http://www.mybeautybunny.com/drugstore-makeup-cruelty-free/

      1. I started off being annoyed* at your soapboxing but after clicking through I was glad to see that one Burt’s Bees is on your list and look forward to further exploring your blog.

         * Why annoyed? Merely because I’m browsing this site while too tired to contemplate any serious issues–not because you’ve done anything to cause offense. (In other words, it’s my problem and I’m claiming it.)

         As for “soapboxing,” if it wasn’t a verb already, it is now. ;)

         1. Forgot to add that I recently located a gelatin-free nail polish remover at Ulta: “Naturally Clean” by Essie. It’s probably also available online. It’s much more expensive than the plain old drugstore brands with gelatin, but oh well.

            Although neither a vegetarian nor an animal rights advocate (though not in favor of cruelty to animals either!) I avoid red meat and most byproducts in food and cosmetics (with exceptions for gelatin in medications or pill capsules, and for leather in shoes, bags, or gloves). My preference is to eat and dress lower on the food chain / more simply / without consuming products created by petrochemicals (e.g. some leather substitutes). None of this implies that people who eat red meat are immoral, environmentally insensitive, and/or any other unflattering adjectives! People make all kinds of choices for all kinds of reasons…or just because they haven’t ever thought about things because they’ve just been living their lives. Not everybody questions mainstream customs.

            Okay, the novel is ended.

   2. Maybelline Fit Me liquid foundation is my drugstore replacement for my regular Makeup Forever HD foundation. Maybelline Fit Me concealer is so good it’s replaced my regular Estee Lauder one!

2. My boyfriend’s 11-year old niece was super excited to meet me last month, and she made me a cute little craft. I’m going to be seeing her again in a couple of weeks, and I think it would be nice to bring her a little something. Do you think this is a good idea? And if so, any suggestions? I am thinking just something small (maybe jewelry?) in the $5-$10 range

   1. How about buying her something to do crafts with rather than something already made? Sounds like she enjoys making things.

      1. +1 – Why don’t you get her one of the Klutz books?? They are craft books that include the supplies to do the craft and then you can do them with her! You can find them at big book stores and craft stores like Michael’s.

         The jewelry making ones are fun, and there are a million options!

         http://www.klutz.com/kid/crafts

         1. +1 As an adult, I still love my Klutz books that I got in the late 90’s-early 2000’s. They were the best thing ever as a kid.

   2. Adorable! I think you’d get major brownie points with the bf’s family.

3. How is it only 4:15? Longest week ever!

   1. Agreed.

   2. Try being in PST ;)

      1. …where it is finally, finally 4:30 now. Only an hour or so until I can leave without people questioning it…

4. Anyone have a yummy lemon dessert recipe to share?

   1. http://www.aspicyperspective.com/2010/05/farmstand-fresh.html

      This cake is amazing. I didn’t make the glaze and it was still moist and delicious, with a delicate strawberry lemon flavor. It’s not too sweet, so it could work for dessert or as a coffee cake. It’s a version of the ubiquitous French yogurt cake, so you could sub the strawberries for another fruit or eliminate them altogether and use lemon yogurt to really highlight the lemon flavor.

      1. That looks awesome, I’ll have to save that recipe to try sometime.

   2. In the summer, my fave is a no-bake lemon tart. It’s similar to this: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/No-Bake-Lemon-Cream-Tart-105707
      I sprinkle fresh blueberries on the top after it has started to set.

      I also recently made a lemon bundt cake and threw frozen blueberries into it. So good!

      Can you tell I like lemon and blueberries together?

      1. Mmm, this looks really good too! Though I have to admit for some reason I’m a little intimidated by recipes that require gelatin…

         1. I use unflavored gelatin for a couple of recipes and have never had an issue at all. Just follow the instructions and it’s easy peasy. The lemon tart has been a huge hit with my friends. And it’s so refreshing.

5. I had today off of work, so I went to the far grocery store, that I never have time for.

   I saw two fruits that I’ve never seen before, so I bought them, because why not – Granadilla and Tamarillo. I have no idea what to do with them, or what they taste like, etc. Anyone else heard of these fruits before?

   1. A granadilla is similar to a passion fruit. My favourite application is to fold the juicy pulp inside into cream cheese frosting to frost vanilla sponge cake (my granny made this granadilla cake for special occasions when I was a kid) , but it is also very, very good with yoghurt or fruit salad.

      1. Excellent! I’ll try it in yogurt for breakfast tomorrow! Thanks!

   2. For the tamarillo (aka tomate de árbol or “tree tomato”), they can be somewhat bitter, so don’t eat the skin. You might try making it into a salsa (“ají” in Colombian/Ecuadorian/Peruvian cuisine, which I associate this fruit with), You can also make a juice by throwing the peeled fruit into a blender with water and a bit of sugar to taste. It’s one of those fruits that’s best used as an ingredient rather than eaten alone.

6. I am literally the only person in my office right now…

7. I have no plans for the long weekend and my friends are out of town. What’s a girl to do?

   1. Enjoy it! If you are a staying in person, have some wine, dessert, and/or movie/tv marathon. Get some things done in between or before the marathoning – then you feel productive, too! If you like going out, take the opportunity to meet up with someone you haven’t had a chance to catch up with in a while or go out alone. Sometimes it is nice to just go by yourself for a walk, to a restaurant, etc.

8. I just really need more time this summer. I have so many things left to do (including finding a job for next summer, preparing for my one and only callback interview, more mass mailing) but now have to do assignments and go back to classes, journal, and student orgs. I’m just so not ready for this yet. and I’d love for the stress to be a little less, by maybe finding a job, medical issues going away, or anything. and for some of my roommates to stop being inconsiderate/oblivious.

   /rant. I’m not usually such a stressed out person, I just really wish I had another week (and better job prospects!). I also just went online shopping (for about fifteen minutes) and then decided it was too much effort considering I can’t really afford new clothes I hope others are taking advantage of some of these amazing sales, though! :)

   1. I…am not going back for 2L. Taking a year break and reevaluating.

      Good luck!

      1. That sounds really nice right now (especially while trying to do my tax homework without having the book yet)! (I know I’m going to continue forward no matter what.) I know some 3Ls and graduates from my school who did that (some to take advantage of opportunities, some for other reasons) and they all seem much better off for it!

         Best of luck! :)

      2. Good for you, green lamp! Get out before you’ve invested too much.

9. Vent: I hate my job. I have had 6 days off all summer (including weekend days) and I am stuck at work all weekend. I have seen my family for less than 3 hours in the past two weeks. I have not had time to see friends for over two months. I almost resigned by email last night when I got more worked heaped on me at 9:45 p.m. that has to be done before Tuesday morning. Anyone want to talk me out of quitting?

   1. Do you have a spouse and kids that depend on you? How will you deal with a lack of insurance coverage if you quit? Are you in an industry that is even hiring right now, or would you be faced with long term unemployment? Do you generally like your career and feel that you are getting something important out of it (or contributing to the greater good in a meaningful way)? Depending on how you answer these questions, you might want to think long term and reconsider quitting.

      That said, if I were you, I absolutely would have quit by now. Life is too short. I love my job, but part of the reason I love it is that it ebbs and flows. Two days off a month, with extremely short hours, is not for me, particularly because I don’t have a family that depends on me. YMMV.

      1. I have a spouse who works (for a considerably lower salary than me, but enough to get by) and provides insurance, plus we have plenty of savings. So from a practical standpoint, I could quit, though it would detrimentally impact our long term financial goals. I’m in a very specialized legal field where there are basically no jobs outside of large law firms, so I’ve been having a hard time finding a way out. But I am at the point where I feel life is too short. I’ve never been one to do something big impulsively, so my personality is holding me back.

         1. So don’t do it impulsively. Investigate, see whether you could branch out to firms where fewer hours may be expected. Think about what else to do with your life, and how you might get there. Look for another job. Then quit :-).

   2. +1 to all of Monte’s questions.
      Here’s a checklist for everything I hope is already in your life:
      – getting something approximating enough sleep?
      – ditto for good nutrition?
      – outsourcing any chores (I’m hoping your family includes a supportive partner and/or enough disposable income to make this possible) you haven’t already delegated?
      For the long term, can you
      – take a sick day?
      – change jobs (even if it means taking baby steps in your nonexistent spare time, and accepting that under these circumstances it will take you much longer than usual to accomplish each task along the way)?
      Also, even if you’ve already been told that there’s no hope of redistributing the workload or hiring more staff–ask again!
      Good luck. This sounds just awful.

      1. Thanks for the tips and sympathy! I’m eating well, but not getting anywhere near enough sleep. I’ve outsourced the chores but when you bill 70-80 hours a week, there is no free time even with no chores. What really gets to me is that every week I think “If I can just get through this week, next week will be better.” But it never is. I’ve been working at or near this pace since December, and they refuse to hire someone. I just asked again last week. I know I need to move forward with finding something new, but making the type of change I need to make is overwhelming.

         1. Sounds like you’re getting good and burned out. Both my sister and I, in our 30s, got so overworked it took us something like a year to feel normal again after we quit those jobs. Don’t let some vague financial security totally ruin your life, and your health..

10. Threadjack: I’ve read many posts here from women who are not used to wearing makeup and find using it to be intimidating. Here’s a great post for how to apply simple, very natural-looking makeup in under five minutes (she even recommends a “starter kit” for under $50): http://www.maskcara.com/maskcara/2013/08/30/baseball-makeup/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=baseball-makeup

    1. I keep hearing things about primer, but I’ve never used it. Do people think it’s really needed? I also read an article the other day of top makeup mistake women make and I commit around 2-3/5 of them daily. However, if I mostly like how it looks, I’m not sure how bad that really is (other than one which is supposedly bad for your skin… oops).

       1. Sorry – pressed post too soon. I also wanted to thank you for posting this! It might help me. :) I have way too much makeup that I never use and don’t really understand the proper way to use.

11. Are any Chicago area C o r p o r e t t e s familiar with a restaurant called the Boardinghouse. We ‘re going to a family wedding in October and the rehearsal dinner is at that restaurant. I’m wondering what the appropriate attire for myself and Mr. Gov anon is . Wedding is cocktail attire and I’m wondering if I need similar for the rehearsal dinner.

    1. I am going next weekend to celebrate my first wedding anniversary and am planning to wear a either a LBD or sundress (will depend on what fits my 15 weeks pregnant belly). You will see everything from jeans and embellished tops to cocktail dresses.

12. test2

13. Howdy! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to follow you if that would be ok.

    I’m undoubtedly enjoying your blog and look forward to new updates.

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