While I was at the Lululemon exchanging my yoga crop pants, I thought I'd stop by the Comfort One Shoes store, which is right around the corner in Clarendon, VA. I had heard a rumor that Comfort One was closing its stores, but I checked their web site and saw no evidence of that. But they did close their store in Clarendon. I've bought just about every pair of shoes I own from Comfort One--they have comfortable shoes that are stylish--sometimes a touch combination to come by. So I was concerned that the Clarendon closure was another blow for Fashion that Appeals to Boomers. But in checking their web site (which now has been updated so the Clarendon location is no longer listed), I noticed that they're now at Pentagon City, a nearby mall. So they are still in business; not sure why they closed the Clarendon location. Except that I hadn't been there in several months; maybe I had been keeping them afloat.
I've found many great shoes at Comfort One--one of my favorite brands is Beautifeel--Israeli made shoes (didn't even know they had a shoe industry) that can be worn with business casual. So many comfortable shoes look clunky; these don't. I also love Naot sandals (another Israeli brand). I have 3 or 4 pairs in the same style. Kind of Jesus-sandal looking (hope that's not sacriligeous)--plain and flat, with cross straps--but very comfortable.
I was looking to replace a pair of slippers I bought there a few years ago. Now I'll have to wait until the next time I'm at Pentagon City. Or Tysons, God forbid, which I avoid due to massive construction on top of already too much traffic. Although we did go there yesterday to buy shoes for my son. In and out quickly, on a Sunday afternoon. Not too bad.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Lululemon redux
I took the advice of the Lululemon rep who read my recent blog, and took my crop pants with the loose threads back to my local Lululemon shop. (Doesn't everyone have one?) I had a great outcome--the sales person asked if I wanted to replace the pants, so I picked out a new pair. They didn't have grey pants; guess they stopped making them. But I picked out a nice black pair with purple trim--and without the stitching that had been problematic. I haven't put them on yet, but they're the same size as the originals so I'm sure they're fine. Success! So Lululemon does live up to its reputation for standing by its products. I definitely would purchase Lululemon yogawear in the future. Too bad they can't replace the pants that were stolen!
Thursday, September 16, 2010
A first...
I set out this morning to look for one item at LL Bean--yoga pants--and came back with just one item--yoga pants. Not that I didn't look at other clothes. One in particular would make a great fall dog walking shirt---a padded blouse. But I stuck with my plan and only tried on 2 pairs of "fitness pants". (LL Bean stopped calling them yoga pants a while ago.) I had looked on the LLB web site, but couldn't decide which type to buy, if any. I love the cropped LLB yoga pants (back when they were yoga pants) I bought some years ago, but they no longer exist. Everything's been "improved" and generified ("fitness").
I tried on the two types of cropped fitness pants I'd seen on the web--luckily they had both, and in my size. I went with the "Black Fitness Crop" as opposed to the "Perfect Fit Pants, Cropped". I actually thought the "perfect fit" pants were a little softer, but they had, in my view, a fatal flaw--side pockets that stuck out with wings. Who wants more attention to the hips? I'm thin, but relatively speaking my hips/upper thigh are big. The pants I bought are not as soft and comfortable as the old yoga pants, bur they're a lot cheaper than Lululemon at $39.50 (with a $10 coupon $29.50). My late departed Lululemons cost almost $90.
One improvement in the new LLB crops is a back zip pocket--my old yoga pants have no pocket at all. Aside from the fabric blend being a bit heavier and less soft, the new crops have an elastic waistband. Even at a size XS, the waist is already too big, and likely will get bigger as the elastic gives way. Which it always does. I wish they'd go back to drawstring, with is what the old pants (and my Lulus) had. Even though the drawstring disappeared some time ago, the waist is still comfortable.
Also, the new XS is a bit more form fitting than my old LLB yoga pants--I like the old fit better. They're neither baggy nor form fitting. But this seems to be the new norm--the new crops have 12 percent spandex.
Limiting myself to what I set out to buy--and focusing on only one purchase--is a rarity if not a first for a recovering shopaholic. But I do have my eyes on that puffy shirt...maybe I'll just look it up on the LLB web site to get more info...
I tried on the two types of cropped fitness pants I'd seen on the web--luckily they had both, and in my size. I went with the "Black Fitness Crop" as opposed to the "Perfect Fit Pants, Cropped". I actually thought the "perfect fit" pants were a little softer, but they had, in my view, a fatal flaw--side pockets that stuck out with wings. Who wants more attention to the hips? I'm thin, but relatively speaking my hips/upper thigh are big. The pants I bought are not as soft and comfortable as the old yoga pants, bur they're a lot cheaper than Lululemon at $39.50 (with a $10 coupon $29.50). My late departed Lululemons cost almost $90.
One improvement in the new LLB crops is a back zip pocket--my old yoga pants have no pocket at all. Aside from the fabric blend being a bit heavier and less soft, the new crops have an elastic waistband. Even at a size XS, the waist is already too big, and likely will get bigger as the elastic gives way. Which it always does. I wish they'd go back to drawstring, with is what the old pants (and my Lulus) had. Even though the drawstring disappeared some time ago, the waist is still comfortable.
Also, the new XS is a bit more form fitting than my old LLB yoga pants--I like the old fit better. They're neither baggy nor form fitting. But this seems to be the new norm--the new crops have 12 percent spandex.
Limiting myself to what I set out to buy--and focusing on only one purchase--is a rarity if not a first for a recovering shopaholic. But I do have my eyes on that puffy shirt...maybe I'll just look it up on the LLB web site to get more info...
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Healing
The doctor (his assistant, actually) finally removed the stitches from my hand yesterday--it really hurt. I felt nauseous after I got home. Whenever I feel that way, I worry that it's the Meniere's disease, and that I'm headed for a vertigo attack. I haven't had a bout with Meniere's-related vertigo since Dec. '06. That was a bad Fall (and fall, figuratively speaking). I'm still very glad my illness didn't coincide with my son's. Fall seems to be a tough time for our family.
The palm of my left hand looks like chopped up meat--I took a photo of it yesterday so I can see how I'm progressing. The doctor said it would take at least a month (maybe longer) before the swelling will go down. But right now what's prominent are the six holes where the stitches protruded through my skin, and the line where one of the stitches crossed over the center of my palm. The surgery cut line is disappearing quickly--except where a stitch crossed it. But this morning I could hold a half gallon orange juice carton without my hand hurting--the stitches were pulling and making it difficult to open my hand fully. So having the stitches out is quite a relief.
My quad strain is slow to heal--the doctor said it would take a while. (I heard him say 2 weeks when I first went to see him--maybe I misunderstood what would be better after 2 weeks.) I can walk, bike, and do yoga, but he said not running or jumping until it's fully healed. And if something starts to hurt, I should stop. So that means I'll have to take it easy on yoga poses. I used to do boat pose every day, but I'm afraid to pull my quad up and back. And I won't be able to do camel pose, either. And no jumping from downward facing dog to whatever the pose is called where you're bent over. I'll need to learn these names if I'm going to teach! I sanskrit, let alone English.
I have lots of qualms about my new attempted ventures--I have too much time to think. Not good for someone like me--it's easier for me if I'm kept busy with meetings, busy work, etc. Having open ended time is hard for me--I don't consistently have a lot of self-discipline. So I've made renewed efforts to find some work in my old line. At the same time, I signed up for a free webinar on "monetizing" oneself for voiceovers. Or however you say "making money doing voiceovers" these days. A topic for another blog posting. Now it's off to yoga...
The palm of my left hand looks like chopped up meat--I took a photo of it yesterday so I can see how I'm progressing. The doctor said it would take at least a month (maybe longer) before the swelling will go down. But right now what's prominent are the six holes where the stitches protruded through my skin, and the line where one of the stitches crossed over the center of my palm. The surgery cut line is disappearing quickly--except where a stitch crossed it. But this morning I could hold a half gallon orange juice carton without my hand hurting--the stitches were pulling and making it difficult to open my hand fully. So having the stitches out is quite a relief.
My quad strain is slow to heal--the doctor said it would take a while. (I heard him say 2 weeks when I first went to see him--maybe I misunderstood what would be better after 2 weeks.) I can walk, bike, and do yoga, but he said not running or jumping until it's fully healed. And if something starts to hurt, I should stop. So that means I'll have to take it easy on yoga poses. I used to do boat pose every day, but I'm afraid to pull my quad up and back. And I won't be able to do camel pose, either. And no jumping from downward facing dog to whatever the pose is called where you're bent over. I'll need to learn these names if I'm going to teach! I sanskrit, let alone English.
I have lots of qualms about my new attempted ventures--I have too much time to think. Not good for someone like me--it's easier for me if I'm kept busy with meetings, busy work, etc. Having open ended time is hard for me--I don't consistently have a lot of self-discipline. So I've made renewed efforts to find some work in my old line. At the same time, I signed up for a free webinar on "monetizing" oneself for voiceovers. Or however you say "making money doing voiceovers" these days. A topic for another blog posting. Now it's off to yoga...
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
lululemon lemon?
I can't believe it--I bought the popular (and pricey) lululemon yoga pants (groove crop II) and noticed today that some of the threads at the waist (decorative trim) have pulled out. And they're in the middle of the trim line, so I can't cut it. I only wear these pants at home--they're so tight I won't wear them to the yoga studio, since I walk there. When I bought the pants, I told the sales clerk I needed a larger size--she said I had the correct size. That if the pants were too small, she would be able to see light shining through the fabric! Even though I'm fairly thin, more of my weight is in my lower half, so I'm self-conscious about how I look in them. So why did I buy them, you ask? Guess I thought I'd get used to them. They do feel good, since they compress the legs a bit--made my sore leg feel better.
I'm probably especially miffed that the threads came out since the robburglar stole my other pair of lululemon crops. Stole the beach bag they were in, I mean.
Reminds my of the time I bought a pair of Liz Claiborne pants, and the button fell off the first time I put the pants on. No, they weren't too tight--the button hadn't been sewn on properly. That was the first and only time I bought anything from Liz Claiborne. Although I learned recently that Liz Claiborne company owned the Sigrid Olsen line. That was one of my favorite lines of clothing, and Claiborne dumped it. Another example of fashion leaving me, not me leaving it. So being an aging boomer and spending less on clothing ends up being a self-fulfilling prophesy--stores offer less that's appealing to me, so I in turn lose interest in shopping. For clothes, at least. I could spend a lot (more) on house and garden...
I'm probably especially miffed that the threads came out since the robburglar stole my other pair of lululemon crops. Stole the beach bag they were in, I mean.
Reminds my of the time I bought a pair of Liz Claiborne pants, and the button fell off the first time I put the pants on. No, they weren't too tight--the button hadn't been sewn on properly. That was the first and only time I bought anything from Liz Claiborne. Although I learned recently that Liz Claiborne company owned the Sigrid Olsen line. That was one of my favorite lines of clothing, and Claiborne dumped it. Another example of fashion leaving me, not me leaving it. So being an aging boomer and spending less on clothing ends up being a self-fulfilling prophesy--stores offer less that's appealing to me, so I in turn lose interest in shopping. For clothes, at least. I could spend a lot (more) on house and garden...
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
another week of stitches...and more on cosmetics
I guess I misunderstood the doctor--I thought he'd be taking the stitches out of my hand today, I was so looking forward to it--but he said it was too soon. So I have to live with stitches through the palm of my hand for another week. Guess I'll just do as much as I can, and not worry too much about the pulling. Maybe as the week progresses, the stitches won't pull against my skin so much. Sigh.
I whiled away part of the day looking up songs on YouTube--I'm amazed at how many are available for free. Or maybe they're not supposed to be free, but they are. So I won't mention what I've added to my favorites and playlist, to protect those who are providing them. Some are songs I have on CDs or albums from years ago; it's nice to have them on the computer. I wish I could play them in the background while I do other things on the computer; I'll have to figure out if there's a way to do that.
I read today in the WSJ that Estee Lauder is revamping its department store displays to be more accessible. Younger shoppers, the article noted, like to test things. So do we boomers--we just, I think, took many approaches as givens. But now my goal is not to buy any expensive department store-type cosmetics. The last to fall was the foundation--the brands available in department stores had many more hues, and my skin is so fair (yet blotchy and reddish in spots) that it's hard to find a good shade. Has to be tested on the skin. Although even with that, I wasn't always happy with the shade I ended up buying. Drugstore brands tended to come in light, medium, dark. But I just purchased L'Oreal's Visible Lift makeup in light ivory, so I'm going to see if that's a good replacement for the much more expensive Lancome or Bobbi Brown. (I liked the Bobbi Brown until the bottle started leaking every time I took it on an airplane--no matter how tightly I closed it.) I used a coupon from Real Simple magazine--the ad had a color palette with some of the actual foundation, so I could test it against the Lancome foundation I've been using. This L'Oreal has proretinol A+ (whatever that is) and vitamin C. So it's supposed to be anti-aging. But I think I only paid about $15 with the coupon, so I'm not out much if it doesn't live up to the anti-aging hype. Even with the foundation swatches, I still had trouble picking between light and medium ivory. Since we're moving into fall, and I use SPF 30 on my face every day, I thought lighter would blend in better. Just hope I don't look pasty--that's the danger if it's too light. I use foundation sparingly, only over the T zone of my face, where the skintone is uneven.
The only expensive product I'm now using is the Azelex cream--I paid $111 for a 50 gram tube. But the pharmacist said I saved over $200 with my health insurance. At least I think that's what he said. Prescribed by my dermatologist. Otherwise, she told me to use CeraVe, which is a very inexpensive moisturizer. She basically said there's not much else I can do at this point. I'm trying not to succumb to the ads for anti-aging products. Best to avoid certain magazines, like More, that are inundated with such ads. And combined with stories of all the famous women who look great at 50, 60, 70...just makes the rest of us feel worse, I think.
On a positive note, I'm off to yoga, after a 2 week hiatus to rest my strained quad. And now I also have s sore paw--I'll have to work around these injuries, hopefully for only about a week.
I whiled away part of the day looking up songs on YouTube--I'm amazed at how many are available for free. Or maybe they're not supposed to be free, but they are. So I won't mention what I've added to my favorites and playlist, to protect those who are providing them. Some are songs I have on CDs or albums from years ago; it's nice to have them on the computer. I wish I could play them in the background while I do other things on the computer; I'll have to figure out if there's a way to do that.
I read today in the WSJ that Estee Lauder is revamping its department store displays to be more accessible. Younger shoppers, the article noted, like to test things. So do we boomers--we just, I think, took many approaches as givens. But now my goal is not to buy any expensive department store-type cosmetics. The last to fall was the foundation--the brands available in department stores had many more hues, and my skin is so fair (yet blotchy and reddish in spots) that it's hard to find a good shade. Has to be tested on the skin. Although even with that, I wasn't always happy with the shade I ended up buying. Drugstore brands tended to come in light, medium, dark. But I just purchased L'Oreal's Visible Lift makeup in light ivory, so I'm going to see if that's a good replacement for the much more expensive Lancome or Bobbi Brown. (I liked the Bobbi Brown until the bottle started leaking every time I took it on an airplane--no matter how tightly I closed it.) I used a coupon from Real Simple magazine--the ad had a color palette with some of the actual foundation, so I could test it against the Lancome foundation I've been using. This L'Oreal has proretinol A+ (whatever that is) and vitamin C. So it's supposed to be anti-aging. But I think I only paid about $15 with the coupon, so I'm not out much if it doesn't live up to the anti-aging hype. Even with the foundation swatches, I still had trouble picking between light and medium ivory. Since we're moving into fall, and I use SPF 30 on my face every day, I thought lighter would blend in better. Just hope I don't look pasty--that's the danger if it's too light. I use foundation sparingly, only over the T zone of my face, where the skintone is uneven.
The only expensive product I'm now using is the Azelex cream--I paid $111 for a 50 gram tube. But the pharmacist said I saved over $200 with my health insurance. At least I think that's what he said. Prescribed by my dermatologist. Otherwise, she told me to use CeraVe, which is a very inexpensive moisturizer. She basically said there's not much else I can do at this point. I'm trying not to succumb to the ads for anti-aging products. Best to avoid certain magazines, like More, that are inundated with such ads. And combined with stories of all the famous women who look great at 50, 60, 70...just makes the rest of us feel worse, I think.
On a positive note, I'm off to yoga, after a 2 week hiatus to rest my strained quad. And now I also have s sore paw--I'll have to work around these injuries, hopefully for only about a week.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Recuperating...
It's been a week since I had the surgery to fix my trigger finger--took me longer to recover than I had thought. Wonder if I take longer now that I have the luxury to do so--without the obligation of paid work. The way he stitched up my hand is pretty painful and limiting. I don't feel pain when I type, but do when I try to do anything that requires the whole hand. He's got quite a bit of my skin pulled up into the stitches--right across my left palm. I guess that's to protect the suture line, but it means I can't fully unbend my hand. Certain daily activities--especially taking a shower and cooking-are among the hardest. They may seem like disparate activities, but soaping up is very tough--have to go easy on the left palm--and so is opening bottles and chopping food. I'm sure I'll feel much better once the stitches are out--that happens tomorrow.
My quad pull doesn't seem to be healing very well--the doctor said it should be better in 2 weeks. I pulled it outright 2 weeks ago yesterday, although the originating event occurred in early August. After not walking (much) for 2 weeks, I'll slowly get back to my daily walking routine. And our Y closed for the entire Labor Day weekend, so I haven't been able to use a stationary bike--something I'm supposed to do as often as possible and at least every other day. My leg hurts, and is still swollen; but it doesn't hurt when I walk. The doctor told me not to take long strides, so I'm being careful about that. And I'll start back in on yoga tomorrow and see how that goes.
I start a new yoga class this week-advanced yoga studies--that's a requirement for the yoga teacher training program I'm about to begin. I just hope my leg improves before I have to do the intensive weekend session. Still mulling over the fact that I've chosen to pursue vocations--voice acting and yoga teacher training--that require one to be in top physical form. And now I'm struggling with both--my voice wears out quickly, and I've got this quad pull..
I still look for possible positions that utilize my management and public policy background, but so far haven't found anything that looks like a fit. Have applied for a few positions over the past several months, but no bites. Not sure how my resume looks to people. But I also have the luxury of applying very selectively, and of not having to worry if I don't get an interview. Probably would be best for me not to get another full-time job, so I can pursue these other interests and develop new expertise. Bur if something comes along that's a mutually good fit, I don't think I can afford to pass it up. I worry that the longer I go without being in the workforce, the less likely it will be that someone would want to hire me--or that I'll feel up to going back to an office work environment.
Too much thinking, not enough doing...so I'll get back to doing. At least I've restarted my blog after a week's absence!
My quad pull doesn't seem to be healing very well--the doctor said it should be better in 2 weeks. I pulled it outright 2 weeks ago yesterday, although the originating event occurred in early August. After not walking (much) for 2 weeks, I'll slowly get back to my daily walking routine. And our Y closed for the entire Labor Day weekend, so I haven't been able to use a stationary bike--something I'm supposed to do as often as possible and at least every other day. My leg hurts, and is still swollen; but it doesn't hurt when I walk. The doctor told me not to take long strides, so I'm being careful about that. And I'll start back in on yoga tomorrow and see how that goes.
I start a new yoga class this week-advanced yoga studies--that's a requirement for the yoga teacher training program I'm about to begin. I just hope my leg improves before I have to do the intensive weekend session. Still mulling over the fact that I've chosen to pursue vocations--voice acting and yoga teacher training--that require one to be in top physical form. And now I'm struggling with both--my voice wears out quickly, and I've got this quad pull..
I still look for possible positions that utilize my management and public policy background, but so far haven't found anything that looks like a fit. Have applied for a few positions over the past several months, but no bites. Not sure how my resume looks to people. But I also have the luxury of applying very selectively, and of not having to worry if I don't get an interview. Probably would be best for me not to get another full-time job, so I can pursue these other interests and develop new expertise. Bur if something comes along that's a mutually good fit, I don't think I can afford to pass it up. I worry that the longer I go without being in the workforce, the less likely it will be that someone would want to hire me--or that I'll feel up to going back to an office work environment.
Too much thinking, not enough doing...so I'll get back to doing. At least I've restarted my blog after a week's absence!
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