Current obsession: These wedge boots Thursday, Nov 5 2009

You guys, I am so obsessed with these boots it’s not even funny. I also own them in black, and I’ve probably worn the black ones four times as often as the brown. I just wear black more often. Where are they from?

If you guessed Target, you would be correct. I have an unhealthy obsession with Target’s shoe department — the shoes are generally under $40 (which is great if a pair of shoes is so trendy you don’t want to spend more than $50 on them) and most of the time they’re pretty comfy. And if they give you blisters while you break them in, well, you can also buy Band-Aids at Target.

I first spotted these lovelies at the Target in Bel Air, Md. in August. I almost snatched them up, but I decided August was a bit too early to buy boots. I also wasn’t sure if I could cram them in my small carry-on duffel bag. Finally, I thought they might go on sale in September or October.

I spent the next month or so stalking these boots online. The price didn’t go down! I was sort of shocked, but I finally decided to suck it up and pay full price (a whopping $36 — I’m cheap, what can I say?). Alas! They were sold out online! I headed to one of the three Targets in the vicinity of my house, prepared to hit them all up in case they were sold out.

At the first location, though, I realized the suburbanites hadn’t realized just how amazing these boots are. There were many, many pairs of these lying around, and I even snagged the black ones as well. (What was I thinking, second-guessing if I was going to wear those black ones as often as the brown?)

Since that day in September, these boots have become a staple in my wardrobe. I’ve worn them with skinny jeans, skirts and dresses, tights and no tights, and they work every time. There’s a tiny little (semi-hidden) wedge, so they make me a little taller and are just as comfy as regular flat boots.

I don’t like to play favorites when it comes to my shoes (OK, yes I do), but these are probably my favorite Target purchase this season.

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Wearing my emotions Wednesday, Nov 4 2009

My yoga teacher told me I look mean yesterday.

I was leaving the studio around 9 p.m. after a way-too-intense hot yoga session (in which I had to take child’s pose many more times than usual. I’m thinking I didn’t drink enough water beforehand.) I thanked the instructor for the class, and that’s when he said it.

“Girl, you look mean.”

“What?”

“Everytime I see you, it’s like your eyebrows are…” He made a motion with his hands indicated my brow was furrowed. “You’re cool, right?”

“Yeah, I just … had a rough class. It happens.”

We laughed and I set out for home, but it made me think. That wasn’t the first time someone has told me I have a “mean” (or insert another synonym there) expression. I’m not sure why the default position for my eyebrows is “furrowed.” I guess it’s just the most comfortable position for my eyebrows, and as a result, I come off as “mean.” I’ve never considered myself a mean person. Snarky and sarcastic, almost always. Actually mean-spirited? No.

So I’m making an effort to “unfurrow my brow” and actually show my emotions. I’m overall pretty content with my life (ignoring the obvious: commute, no health insurance, etc…). Things could definitely be worse, and I’m grateful for the opportunities I have.

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My dream job Tuesday, Nov 3 2009

I’m not going to lie, I enjoy my current job a lot. Pretty much the only thing negative about it is how long it takes me to get to the office each day (and home each evening). But where do I see myself in 10 years?

I’ll be 32 in 10 years. And even though I know 32 isn’t old by any stretch of the imagination, gosh does it sound a little scary. What do I want to be doing with my time?

Here’s a list of things I enjoy:

• Reading
• Writing
• Practicing yoga
• Fashion (magazines, shopping, etc… Not designing so much. I can’t draw.)
• Baking
• Sleeping

Can any of those things be turned into a job? Sure, I could be a yoga instructor, but I’m pretty sure that couldn’t support my shoe-shopping habit. I realize money isn’t everything, but I would like to be able to support myself without denying little luxuries (like nice cheese and a bottle [or five] of cheap wine).

Writing? What journalism or English major doesn’t aspire to write a book? I think I need to get into the habit of blogging more regularly and see what happens from there. Practice practice practice. I won’t rule it out completely, but I’m pretty sure I can’t rely on it to be my sole source of income right now.

Reading? I’d love to be an editor and fix people’s mistakes. (Insert obvious joke here.) Sadly, print is dying, and I’m not sure I could edit something I wasn’t at least partly interested in. Not sure this is a viable option.

Fashion? If I had my current job at a company related to fashion, that would be awesome. I’m still not enthralled with working in an office each day, but I feel like telecommuting will be more professionally acceptable in a few years. I’m holding out for a sweet home office hook-up at some point.

Obviously I still want to go to business school, but I’m not sure how it relates to my “dream job,” mostly because I’m not sure what that is. I do know I want something flexible, that will allow me to buy shoes and wine more than once a year, is in a major city (that is either Chicago, LA, Boston, NYC or DC) and one that makes me feel fulfilled. And preferably something with a commute of less than 30 minutes. (Walking from my bed to my desk in the next room would be ideal, but really I could live with anything less than 10 miles away.)

Step one, though is moving out of my parents’ house. I’m paying rent now, which is totally fine (believe me, I wish my real rent would be so cheap) but I’m tired of feeling obligated to go to family events. I don’t mind going most of the time — I just mind the intangible obligation I feel. (Although I am marching-banded-out right now.)

Clearly, I have no idea what my dream job is, but I have a framework in mind. I wish someone would be pay for sitting on the beach, but since that doesn’t seem likely, I’ll have to figure something else out. At least I’m only 22. Who knows where I’ll be when I’m 32…

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Audiobooks and podcasts Monday, Nov 2 2009

I just bought Chuck Klosterman’s “Eating the Dinosaur” from iTunes to listen to on my commutes. I’ve only found one or two podcasts that really capture my interest (“This American Life” and Bill Simmons’ “BS Report”), so I figured an audiobook was the next option. (Coincidentally, one of the narrators of “Eating the Dinosaur” is Ira Glass, who narrates “This American Life.”)

I haven’t found it difficult to concentrate on driving while listening to people talk thus far, even though I still have yet to finish Barack Obama’s recording of “Dreams From My Father,” which I really enjoyed while I listened.

I should just go to the library to borrow audiobooks, but I don’t have a lot of free time and I prefer to spend it either working out or drinking wine with my mom. I would have bought “Eating the Dinosaur” in print regardless. I reread books all the time, but I feel like audiobooks are more of a “listen-once” kind of thing.

I’m always taking suggestions for new podcasts, as they’re usually good for fresh material for my commutes.

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My Top 10 Pet Peeves Friday, Oct 30 2009

In order…

1. Leggings worn as pants
2. The media’s love affair with Tim Tebow. I’m not kidding.
3. When people cut me off without using a turn signal. Announce yourselves, jerks!
4. People who leave comments on editorials and opinion columns saying the pieces are “biased.” You don’t say!
5. Cigarette smoke in my vicinity
6. That Taylor Swift song
7. When my BlackBerry freezes, which happens more often than it should
8. Gmail going down
9. Soccer
10. Figuring out how much tip to leave and other activities that involve numbers

But none of that matters right now because I’m sharing a wonderful three-day weekend with my favorite person.

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