Five Things

Inspired by Meredith's post over on It's Like This, I thought I'd share five tidbits about myself that you may not know.

1. I am rather skilled at cracking eggs.  It's one of my hidden talents.  Nary a speck of shell escapes my watchful eyes or nimble fingers.  Egg whites only?  No problem.  Bring it.

2. If I find a song to be funny, then it gets added to this internal list of go-to, pick-me-up tunes.  In fact, it's my main criterion for non-ballad songs.  Favorites include "Potential New Boyfriend" by Dolly Parton, "Private Dancer" by Tina Turner, and "Stay With Me" by Rod Stewart.  Oh, and "Barracuda" by Heart.  The more dramatic, the better.

3. I hate Lucite furniture.  Hate.  I get it.  It's "modern" (sarcastic quotes) and doesn't take up visual space.  But it seems like such a dust and fingerprint magnet.  People tend to throw a damn Phillipe Starck Ghost Chair in a room and call it done.  My initial reaction is always this thought: Oh.  How clever!  I can't help it.  Then I think: You just spent $300 on a piece of molded plastic that's ugly as homemade sin.  Congrats!

4. I have a twin brother.  And in the ways that we're different, we're so different.  But I'm coming to realize that the older we get, the more we have in common.  Friends who have known us for many years now swear up and down that we have the same sense of humor.  That's hard for me to see, but sometimes it takes a third party to point out these things.

5. It's a rare day that I don't quote Home Alone, Clueless, or something from The Golden Girls.  Rare.  Like I often follow a food order with I'm not drivin', a la Kevin McCallister.   These are fine examples of entertainment media that I can count on to make me laugh, regardless how many times I've seen them or how accurately I can quote them.

The Big Three...Oh.

In honor/anticipation/fear of a milestone birthday, I have gone to three excellent concerts in the last few weeks.  They were basically childhood fantasies come true.  Please bear with me this post.

First up was Boyz II Men at the Schermerhorn, which is just beautiful.  For those outside of Music City, let me explain.  It's where the Nashville Symphony performs.  Balconies.  Tuxedos.  Fountains.  And the Boyz turned it out.

The remaining members played all of their hits with one glaring exception.  (But "Motownphilly" is really not meant for symphonic accompaniment.  Only Stephanie Tanner's dance troupe.)  They even covered Journey's "Open Arms" with soulful aplomb.  I remember being in junior high and singing along with their album called II.  It was epic then, and it's epic now.  "Water Runs Dry" was the high point for me.

Next up was a bucket list item.  Rufus Wainwright at The Ryman.  (I need to take a minute.)

I have been enchanted by his very unique and crazy-gifted ability since the 1998 holiday season, when he hit the scene in a Gap commercial.  Remember this?  Hooked was I.

From Rufus Wainwright to Poses to the Want albums to Release The Stars, Rufus has been in constant rotation in my life.  Out of the Game, his latest release, is not too shabby, either.  His songs run the gamut from campy, addictive pop to heartfelt, chill-inducing ballads.  But they're always smart, and sometimes his harmonies and epic moments are almost too much for my nervous system to handle.  I can't say much else except that his show will hold a special place in my memory.  Thanks for going, Hol.

(Unforeseen bonus: Opener Ingrid Michaelson.  Especially her haunting cover of REM's "Nightswimming.")

And in a bit of a happy accident, I was able to see Alanis Morrissette the other night, again at The Ryman.

I really loved Jagged Little Pill back in the mid-90s.  My brother bought it first (for his Discman, of course), but I totally borrowed it whenever I wanted.  It was so unusual to hear such anger and conviction on the radio--especially coming from such a young woman.  But it was time. 

And then I was on board with thanking India, too.  I appreciate that Alanis has stayed true to her vision, and I have to say that she was the most gracious performer I've ever seen.  She kept thanking us for being there and seemed very sincere.  Her "Uninvited/You Oughta Know" combo blew me away.

Today I turn 30.  And I guess I've hemmed and hawed a bit the last few weeks.  But it's just another day.  I move into another decade of life.  And it's a pretty great one.  I'm healthy, and I'm happy.  And I'm always working on improving. 

Thanks for keeping me and my blog in mind.

What'll I Do?

Heavens to Betsy.  Will ya look at that?  I don't remember temperatures this high--especially so early in our 8-month summer.  :) 

Well, y'all know that I'm not an outdoor boy, but it's still warm.  So here's what's new in my mostly-air-conditioned world lately.

Ummm.  Breaking Bad.  In preparation for the upcoming season, AMC has being running old episodes late at night, starting with the pilot.  About two weeks ago I set my DVR, and the rest is history.  I had never seen the show before, although a teacher friend (shoutout to Lana!) highly recommended it.  The show's about cooking meth, so 'highly' is a bit of a pun.  Now I'm all caught up on it, and it's excellent.  Definitely TV-14 to MA, so no kids!

And I recently visited local restaurants Sloco and The Pharmacy.  Yum.  If you're in town, you should definitely try them out.  Sloco features local and sustainable sandwiches at affordable prices.  The Pharmacy is an old-school soda shop/beer garden.  A group of friends from work met there one Sunday afternoon for lunch and a board game.  What could be better?

On that note, I'm also back to working on my fitness.  It's good for baby.

And I'm continuing to volunteer at Gilda's Club.  This July 19th I'm teaching my third crafty class there.  It's really rewarding and fun.  If you're in town, you should definitely join us! 

How is your summer going?  What's on the agenda?

Mr. Specs Went To Washington

Let me just say that I had an excellent trip to DC, thanks in large part to my high school friend Scott (who lives there now), his girlfriend Wendy, and blog friends Thomas from My White Shirt, Jenn from Dear Heart, and Suann from Simple Song. 

I did not do tons of tourist-y stuff, but that was by design.  Mostly it was about the sweet treats and shopping.  Oh, and a Joel Osteen spotting at Barney's.  Here are the results of my main tourist thing, which was a trip through the excellent Hirshhorn Museum.

You know I loves me some stamps.  This sculpture by Tony Cragg is called Subcommittee.  Clever, no?

My jury is still out on whether some of this is actually art, but it's subjective.  I get that.  This is a row of blue fluorescent lights.  Untitled (to Helga and Carlo, with respect and affection) by Dan Flavin.

The Tragic Comedians by Walt Kuhn.

Composition with Blue and Yellow.  Piet Mondrian was not one to mince words.

Neither was Alberto Giacometti.  Tall Figure.  Go figure.

I'll do another DC post in the next few days, so stay tuned.  Since that trip each weekend has been filled with family events, and the weekdays seem to be flying by.  I've been hitting up the treadmill and clearing out the DVR, so the plan is to get back into blogging more consistently very soon. 

Thanks for checking in!

A Refreshing Weekend

The last few days have been filled with rest, exercise, and a bit of shopping.  I finally (after about five years) tracked down ranunculus.  Because I was using my counter/bar for some Specs Appeal Papers, I moved the vase to the bathroom.  (See my toothbrush in the background?  Hehe.)

And then I came across this post from Dear Heart (formerly Dept. of the Interior).  Then I saw an Instagram update from Jane at Ill Seen, Ill Said.  It seems that we all had the same idea for flowers this weekend.  Great minds, right, Jane?  :)

Mine came from Trader Joe's, and I must say that I'm enamored.  They're so free-form as extensions on curly stems, but the buds are rather geometric.  Nice little conundrums, those ranunculus.  (See what I did there with the nuns?)

And shhh....I'm off work tomorrow, too.  Look out, J.Crew Outlet.  Look out, Hunger Games.  I'm going to round out this momentous weekend of we-meet-at-lasts.

Green Is My Favorite Color...

...for more than just one reason.  (Insert wicked chuckle.)

Again, great money information from LearnVest.  No one is going to do it for us.  Come on ride the train, and ride it.

Sneak Peek...

Big news is coming soon...

App-y as a Clam

So I gave myself a bit of an early Christmas present.  It's an iPhone.  And I'm instantly/officially/hopelessly obsessed.  It took me a while to come around, as I had what I somewhat lovingly refer to as my Jitterbug phone for three years.  I felt practically geriatric.

No longer.

What are some of your favorite apps?  So far I have Evernote, CardStar, Coupon Sherpa, Instagram, Flipboard, and Redbox.  Which ones am I missing, peeps?  And whare are some cool (legal) ways that you use your iPhone?

I plan on posting my final gift guide of the season either over the weekend or on Monday.  Thanks!

Gift Guide 2011: Etsy Edition

I love a gift guide.  And this year I thought I'd break mine up into small editions to keep things easier.  First up is Etsy. 

Where to start?  These picks came from countless hours of perusing blogs, magazines, and Etsy itself.  Most of my favorites are of the paper variety, but I tried to branch out a bit.  I am a fan of supporting independent businesses and craftspeople whenever possible.  You end up with unique, creative gifts while helping someone else live their dreams.  Hokey but accurate.

A milk & honey candle from Sweet Petula.  It's vegetable wax in a clean scent, and it will burn for 60+ hours in that snazzy frosted (reusable) glass.  $24

A linen-covered journal in awesome chevron stripes from Holli Zollinger.  And a kraft paper binding, naturally.  Let your recipient sketch, list, and doodle to their heart's content.   $12

A jar of chocolate spoon fudge from Nicole's Treats.  Handmade in a really nifty 4 oz. jar, with two mini spoons!  Nummy.  $9

A monogrammed porcelain tray from Jeanette Risco.  Customizable, 6.75" x 5.25", and just the right size for an array of finger sandwiches or your favorite cosmetics containers.  $31

A chevron jotter from Wit & Whistle.  I love a chevron.  Guilty.  At 3.5" by 5" and in sturdy kraft paper, it's perfect for marking down websites, coupon codes, blog ideas, etc. in an old-school way.  $5.75

A set of me & you pencils from Knot & Bow.  Now, aren't these sweet?  A veritable who's who of the great food pairings, along with a lil' sentiment for a best friend or a significant otre, to round out the set of six.  $12

(Note: I received permission from all sellers to use their images and to link to their Etsy stores.)

Definitely Late 20s Now. And Austin?

Well, my 20s are almost officially over.  My birthday happened over the weekend, and I'm now 29.

My twin bro and I met up at our older sister's house, and along with her family and our mom, we had a big lunch.  If it wasn't a simple carb, we weren't eating it.  For dessert we had cupcakes.  They were most delicious.

The picture above shows my placecard for the meal, handmade by my younger niece.  She did one for everybody and then thought it would be hilarious to turn them around so that we all had to guess where we were sitting.  Isn't little kids' handwriting the best?!

I'm going on a weekend trip to Austin to visit some friends, so I'm extra excited about that, too.  Does anyone have any must-sees?!

Boo.

Guess who I was for a Halloween party over the weekend.  :)

Yes! New Job!

I am so excited.  I just got a new job.  Like an hour ago.  It's at my same company, which is nice, but it's in the Education Department instead of Support. 

Even before this wretched economy, I've always been fairly blessed with good jobs.  (Cue the theme from The Wonder Years.)  I started out working in a video store in high school (like Dawson and Pacey!  What?!) and moved to a bank for most of college and grad school.  I had a one-year stint as a high school English teacher, but to say that it was not ideal would be a massive understatement.

That is such a long story, but the gist is this: I loved the teaching part, and I hated the babysitting/politics part.  My new job is going to be all teaching, all the time.  I'll work with new employees at our company as well as clients (mostly hospital employees) who pay us for training.  And I'm stoked.

I've worked in Support (almost exactly two years now) for our software, so I'm on the phone for seven hours a day with hospital staff who are having trouble with our program.  I've learned a ton, but it's probably the hardest and most stressful job I'll ever have.  The system is so complex, and I did not receive much training before going on the phones.  And we're constantly being rushed by management. 

Hopefully, as an educator in the company, I can help make a change for the better.  That's not to say that I am flat-out running away from Support; on the contrary, I am grateful for the experience I've gained there.  It's put me in touch with lots of our clients, and it's helped me to identify with their needs and expectations.  It will only make me better at anything else I do in the company going forward. 

I should start in the new position in the next few weeks.  Those of you who know me personally probably know how stressed I've become at work, but this move just feels right.  And I know that every job has its ups and downs, and almost no job is perfect.  But I'm super optimistic.  I just wanted to share my news and capture this excitement, blog-style.

Long Weekend

In three words.  Relaxing.  Flowers.  Stamping.

I picked these up at Whole Foods today.  Just because.

Then I stamped up some birthday lovin' for my niece. 

Don't worry about this spoiling the surprise.  She's not a blogger, although I did have her text me her current favorite colors.  Aren't kids funny that way?

What did you do over the last few days?

Geeze. Give Me Some Credit

Some things in this world just make little to no sense.  Wheel taxes.  The Kardashians.  And credit.

The thing with credit is that it takes credit to get credit, much like new graduates feel the pressure to have job experience to get a job.  It's a total catch-22.

Here are a couple of things that I've learned so far.  Hopefully they will help you, too.  Please bear with me.  We're dealing with complicated subject matter here.  (Unlike said Kardashians.)

In my quest for fiscal knowledge, I have found that one of the best ways to raise one's credit score is to use a credit card.  (Remember to check Credit Karma to see your score for free.)  Oh, and pay it off in full each month.  Just pay a regular expense, such as a cell phone bill or a trip to the grocery, with your credit card.  Come home, unpack, and virtually swipe that debit card to pay off your credit card purchase.

This way you use a small part of your credit limit, which improves your debt-to-credit ratio.  And make consistent payments without carrying a balance.  This looks good to Mr. FICO.

You may be saying: But TomTom, how do I get a credit card?  Excellent question, you.

Recently I applied for a card from a major company and was instantly denied.  Limited credit history.  What a bummer.  I have a steady job, stable income, pay my bills on time, etc.  It didn't matter.  My score was considered fair, but the 'hard inquiry' from that company lowered my score by 20 points.  This is what's known as a double whammy.  You try to scrape together a decent score, but your efforts are only rewarded with a swat at your points.  Le sigh.

I was able to get a no-frills card from a local bank, and after using my card one time (and paying it off, as mentioned above), my score went back up by about 20 points.  I look for it to increase as I continue to make a credit card purchase at least once a month, indefinitely.

Why does this matter?  Your credit score is a numerical way of expressing your reliability.  At least in "The Man's" eyes.  If you plan to buy a house, then the higher your score, the lower your interest rate.  If you apply for a job, the potential employer may check your credit score.  Collections from Verizon?  Goodbye, corner office.  Or tiny cubicle. 

These are not circumstances to be taken lightly.  If you are in college, please don't be like me and treat pre-approved credit offers like they're covered in warts.  Compare your offers and take a card.  It doesn't mean you have to max it out or even carry it around all the time.  Again--small, regular purchases that you pay off.

If you have teenage children, call your credit card company and have your child(ren) added as authorized users.  Then don't even tell them until they're older.  That way, your score becomes their score, and they don't have to do anything to earn it.  (It's one of the few times in life that I will endorse that mentality.)  When you go to remove them as authorized users, it will not affect the score of either party.

If you've made it this far, thanks!  I hope that this has been useful information.  On Specs Appeal I try to share only what I feel is crucial for your daily life.  Please remember that I am not a financial expert and am only sharing things that I have learned in my own experience.  There are tons of great books, blogs, websites, and so on, but if I can be of assistance, please let me know!  Mazel!

The Sunday Blahs

Does anyone else just get completely side-swiped by Sundays?  I mean, it's like Friday nights and Saturday mornings are glorious.  But the whole time there's this little gnat in my ear.  And its name is Sunday night.

It's saying, "Enjoy it while it lasts, sucker.  I'm coming for ya."  And tonight, I said two things.  The first was: I'm off tomorrow, so take that.  2. I'm gonna light some damn candles.

This was not, like, a seance for weekends past or anything.  It was just something cozy to do.  I put them on top of my fridge.  Just 'cause. 

I remember getting the Sunday blahs way back in grade school.  I'd try to stay up as late as possible on Sunday night, just to hold on to the weekend.  Then I'd be a little bespectacled zombie clear through to Tuesday or so.  (Shhhh.  Sometimes I still do that.)

But I try to remember that I am fortunate enough to have a job to go to on Mondays.  And if I stayed at home all the time, it wouldn't be nearly as special.  I hope you have a great week!

My Favorite Price

That would be free.  And here are my latest freebies that the WWW has to offer.

My new blog pal Erin of Better Than Bland turned me on to Picnik.  It's my favorite of the bunch, and here's why.  It's like a free (!) online (!!) Photoshop (!!!).  You don't even have to sign up, and you can upload and edit pictures.  If you do sign up, the site keeps track of your five most recent pics. 

My favorite edit button is "Auto-fix" because it magically corrects all evils with said photos.  (You know how oft I lament my dire apartment lighting situation.)  I was considering the purchase of a new camera or Photoshop/lessons to operate Photoshop.  But no longer. 

Actually, I've gone back to some of my homemade pictures on older blog posts and corrected them with Picnik.  Tah.  Der.

I stumbled upon The League of Moveable Type when searching for cool fonts.  This is a great place for them.  Gratis!

Evernote is a site I found through Real Simple.  Go figure.  It's a one-stop destination for corralling virtually anything, from shopping lists to pictures to websites.  And it links up and syncs up across all of your devices.  Home PC.  Space phones.  iPad/Pod.  Laptop.  Dental fillings.  JK.  Not too shabby.

Limited Time Offer: Suze's Gift to Us

You all know by now that I heart Suze Orman.  Yes, she's crazy.  And she's loud.  And sometimes she gets so excited that she fumbles her words.  But she is smart.  And honest.  I also love that Kristen Wiig impersonates her rather accurately.

But the point of this post is to share with you a gift from Suze, which she provided on the latest episode of her show.  If you go to this link, click on the Gift Code button, and enter 'CNBC', you will get a free will and trust kit.

When I tried, I got a screen stating that the server has been overwhelmed with requests but that they are extending the offer for a week (previously it was set to expire at midnight Pacific Time on 9/13/11).   If you have not yet completed the advance directive form, please follow the preceding link to my blog post.  However, that form is included in this free kit as well. 

If September 11th of 2001 taught us anything, it's that we should not take tomorrow for granted.  I hope that this post finds you in good health and good spirits.  Thank you, again, for taking the time to visit Specs Appeal.

A Little More Peace of Mind

That wakeup call a few weeks ago is still front and center in my mind.  I've continued to read and research, and today I found a really useful site called Caring Connections. 

On this site, you can download (for free) the state-specific advance directive form that applies for you.  This is basically a document that you sign (and typically have witnessed and/or notarized, depending on the state) that tells your wishes.  Do you want to be kept alive on machines if, God forbid, something terrible happens in your young life?  What if you develop a serious condition when you're older? 

The fact is that no one can predict what will happen, and when you need to make use of an advance directive, it will already be too late.  This site makes it very easy to download, print, and proceed with completing your advance directive.  It is a document that every legal adult should have.  And it's free.

I try not to be too preachy with my blog, but when I come across information that I feel is vital to be shared, then I am going to share it.  It's because I care about each of you whom I know personally, and I also want other readers to be in the know.

Note: This is by no means a substitute for legal or medical advice.  I feel compelled to add that little jewel.

Failure to Prepare...

...is preparation to fail.

I'm using this cool, Real Simple graphic of spoons in a drawer again because a) I love it and 2) I've been getting my collective "house" in order. 

 A couple of weekends ago, when I was back home visiting, I was awakened early Sunday morning by screams from my mom.  Needless to say, it was unsettling.  She had fallen in the dark, on her way to the bathroom, and long story short, my brother and I ended up in the ER with her. 

She is totally fine now, although at the time she was beside herself with pain and confusion.  And so were my brother and I.  We did not react very well to this mini-crisis at first, but we picked up the slack and got her the care she needed.

All of this got me to thinking about making arrangements for life's little uncertainties well in advance.  For example, I was faced with this question: Sir, what is your mother allergic to?  And I promptly drew a blank.  My brother knew less than I did.

Now, granted, Barb is completely back to her version of normal now.  And she's way (way) too young to be "falling," but these are the kinds of things one should prepare for before they are needed.  Suze always says that one needs a will and trust.  I'm now working on that, despite my lack of vast wealth or children.

The important thing is to make your wishes known to your immediate family, despite your current health, income, living situation, etc.  If (God forbid) your health were to take a turn for the worse, would you want life support?  Who gets your house?  Your money?  Your creepy doll collection?  Do you want to be buried?  Cremated?  Other?

I'm not trying to be all macabre here, but I've had a bit of a wakeup call, and I want to pass along this life lesson that I'm currently in the midst of learning.

Blog Much?

A few semi-recent posts on blogs that I regularly read and admire have gotten me to thinking about blogging in general.

Why blog?  What's the point?  How do you classify blogs?

I have to say that Specs Appeal is, admittedly, somewhat random musings.  I started it back when I was still living at home, finishing up grad school.  Oddly enough, I had much more time then to blog and to read other blogs than I do now.  I had tried to post every day, or at least every other day.  Now it's more like once or twice a week.

I mostly blog when the inspiration strikes, and if you have been reading my posts for very long, you know that you're likely to see book reviews, things that I'm lusting over, or my latest trophy.  It started with this title of Specs Appeal because my friend Joe Y. said that phrase to me a long time ago, and it just cracked me up.  Now I sort of operate with the idea of what appeals to me through my own specs.

Blogging for me is fun, and I'm constantly looking for things to post, being careful not to copy/paste the same things that make the rounds everywhere else.  If I do post something, it's because I think it's either valuable or funny or informative or some combination of these things.

And my opinion of ads on blogs is not very positive.  That's why you probably won't see any here.  Well, that, and my blog is rather small.  Scratch that.  We'll say intimate.  Yes, intimate.  That is why I do appreciate every visitor, follower, and comment.  Thanks for your support.

Which blogs do you regularly visit?  What are your thoughts on blogs?  Life in general?  Puppies?