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3 Things Learned From Silly Little Phone Games

May 082020

How’s quarantine treating you? Bored yet? Not bored? Learning something new? Mastering Netflix and chill? Hey, these are all ways to deal with things as they are now. Actually, anything you can do to stay sane during this trying time is a good thing. Me? I play silly little phone games. Well, let me back up a bit to explain that one.

When my gamer son was in high school and his friends would come over, they tried to make small talk with me. One day, one of said friends asked me if played computer games. I proudly held my head up and told him about the three or four games I play on my phone. Had he been able to pat me on the head, he would have. He grinned and said, “Oh, you play silly little phone games.” He was basically correct, but let me tell you three life lessons I’ve learned from those silly little phone games.

Some Levels Are More Challenging Than Others

You know how you have some bad days and some good days? That’s life, as in some days you eat the bear and some days the bear eats you. Same for silly little phone games. Just keep playing. If you streak through 15 levels, pat yourself on the back, but if you’re on the same level after a month. . .pat yourself on the back. Keep at it. You’ll move up.

Use Your Helpers

We’re not designed to go through this life alone. I know right now it seems that many of us are forced into that, but it’s not the natural way of things. Same thing with games. They give you those boosters or helpers for a reason. You can win them, buy them, however you want, AS LONG AS YOU USE THEM! When I first started playing I would never use anything. It had to be ALL ME. What an idiot I was! One day I needed to clear one row to win this level I’d been on for weeks. I looked down and there were the tools to do it! So I hit one and BOOM. Done. After that? I rarely have anything in my tray. They get used up as soon as they appear. It makes the game much more fun. Life will be fun again, too, with all our helpers and friends.

Don’t Give Up

Keep playing long enough and you’re going to win your level. Don’t give up. Just keep going, especially if you love it. John Lennon famously or infamously said. . .

He was right. Silly little phone games can take a while. So can life. But guess what? It’s worth it. And even though it may not seem that way right now, hang in there. Friday’s coming.

Loving Your Quarantine Self

Good Advice, Life's Little Observations, Musings, Uncategorized 1 Response »

May 052020

Before Plague

Guess who’s back? And I’m even older and more busted than ever. LOL How’s quarantine treating you? Scary stuff, huh? Speaking of scary, have you met the real you yet? I mean, of course, uncut hair, undone nails, no facials and whatever other treats you do for yourself on a daily basis. There is nothing wrong with this, nothing AT ALL, but. . . a lot of us have had to face the mirror and see a stranger. Actually, a lot of us is ME. I’m “a lot of us.” Looking at your quarantine self is one thing. Loving your quarantine self is another thing entirely.

First Look

The first time I looked at the flat gray hair, the wrinkles (oh, the wrinkles!!!), the droopy eyes and the rest of it, well, I ran for the makeup drawer and threw on a metric ton. That was okay for a while. But one day it was, like, “Why bother? You’re not going anywhere. Your husband, daughter and grandson (fellow quarantiners in this house) have seen you in worse shape. Just be you. You’re old. Get used to it.” Easy to say. Not so easy to do.

The Yucky Mirror

The first few days. . . I’m lying. . . weeks were tough. Who was that old lady looking back at me in that mirror? I mean, yeah, my hair has started to gray but this old broad was doggone near totally gray with wrinkles all over the place, discolored skin and. . . hey, did you get the number of that crow that stomped all over my eyes? Being perfectly serious for a moment, I was really shocked. Was I that good at using makeup to hide all this stuff? Did Mother Nature hate me all THAT much? Apparently, the answer to both those questions was yes.

Plague Me

The Selfies From Hell

After I got used to looking in the mirror and when I could stop crying, I started taking a few selfies here and there. Think you look bad in that dastardly mirror? Wait until you see what your damn phone does to you!!! At first, I erased them all. I wasn’t having it. There was no way on this earth that I could look THAT bad. Or could I?

Acceptance Comes Slowly

As the days dragged on by and the selfies piled up, albeit slowly, I started getting used to what I saw in the mirror AND in the camera. I didn’t like it. Was I going to go back to the old me and just keep using the makeup for no good reason except to delude myself? I wasn’t sure. I put some on here and there. And then it went to just a lot of moisturizer. And then it went to. . . me. The real me. The me that is now. The 67-year-old me with wrinkles and crepey eyes, turkey neck and a myriad of other unflattering accouterments. And then it didn’t hurt so bad. And then it didn’t hurt at all. And then? Well, hell, it’s me. I earned every single one of those wrinkles. I earned every one of those damn gray hairs. I earned every sagging part of me. And you know what? It’s just. . . me.

And Now?

Well, I’m back to learning to love myself, which is where I was when this plague took over the world. Would I like it better if I looked like I thought I did with the war paint on my face? Yeah, I would, but guess what? That’s not really me. Me is the old lady looking back at me with all the imperfections, yeah, the ones I’ve earned over a long and pretty decent life.

The Future

And when all of this is a memory, will I start with the makeup again? Will I try to alter the me I’ve become and learned to love? I want to say, “Hey, this is me and this is what you’re getting from this point forward.” I want to say that. If I do, will I mean it? I’m honestly not sure. I mean, yeah, I always want to look my best, but if this IS my best, well, I guess I’ll have to accept that. But if part of loving your quarantine self also includes a little powder and lipstick, count me in!

The Crow

The Beautiful Crow That Stepped On My Eyes

Today I Am Officially Old

Life's Little Observations, Musings, Uncategorized No Responses »

Nov 272017

Today is my birthday. My 65th birthday, more accurately. I know it is because the government sent me a Medicare card. That means I’m officially old, right? It set me back a bit when it arrived, but it got me thinking about a lot of things.

How Did I Get Here?

I honestly never thought I would reach this age. I was told three times in my life to buy the plot, set my affairs in order and get ready to go. Well, I guess I just don’t work and play well with others, though, because I refused. The last time, I was released from the surgeon’s care the day before my 50th birthday, an age I was told I would never reach. And here I am 15 years later.

So Here I Sit

What does it mean? Well, in the most simplistic terms, it means I have experienced six-and-a-half decades of living. They say that in the last half of the 20th century, more things were discovered than in all of history before that. I don’t know if that’s true, quite honestly, but there were many, many things my now-aging eyes were witness to.

What Happened Along The Way

Sputnik. Duck and cover drills. The Space Race. The assassination of John F. Kennedy. The moon landing in 1969, offset by the shocking murders perpetrated by the Charles Manson family a month later. Woodstock. I got married before that first Atari ping pong ball jumped across that line on the screen. I grew up with movies at the big theater with curtains on the stage on Saturday afternoons. Watch movies at home? Yeah, right. Phones were black boxes with curled cords. Had you told me way back when that I would be able to run my entire life from a little rectangle held in my hand, I would have laughed hysterically. I could go on and on. There was just so much!

And the technology! Some days I am sorta kinda well-versed in it. Other days I blatantly suck. There are times when I simply don’t want to learn one more damn thing. (Being officially old does that to ya! LOL) And then there are days when I eagerly suck up knowledge like it’s the best milk shake in town.

Slowly I Turn

And as much as it pains me to admit it, I am slowing down. I move slower, I think slower. I used to be a little dynamo. People could barely spot my vapor trail back in the day. Ancient history now. My skin is drying out at an incredible pace. There are lines on my face. We won’t discuss hair color as I’m still into hiding it. Maybe not for too much longer, though.

Things That Might Have Been

Regrets? Sure. We all have them. Not spending enough time with those I loved in the quest for the almighty buck. Not becoming a lawyer (something I would have been REALLY good at with my big mouth) because it took too long. Not embracing things I truly loved but embracing what I was told I was supposed to love. Swallowing too much BS from folks I honestly thought had my back. There are more.

The Joy Of It All

But you know what? There were (and are) many, many joys. Family, good friends, fun times, babies born, hugs, kisses, laughter. And I’m still waking up on this side of the sod. Does it get any better than that? Maybe, but waking up means you have another chance, one more shot at loving better, caring more, doing something for someone other than yourself.

So today I am officially old. And that’s okay. I always remember something I saw years ago on an email tagline. It was on my mind as I woke up this morning. “Never regret growing old. So many are denied the privilege.”

Please watch the video. It’s a great one.

Five Ways You Know You’re Getting Old

Life's Little Observations, Musings, Uncategorized No Responses »

Aug 312017

Aging. It’s a taboo subject in the good ‘ole US of A. Youth is worshiped; old age is dreaded. It hit me a little later than some. I was carded until I was almost 40. Now they chase me with a senior discount. LOL

My 50s were my best decade. When I turned, 60, though, that bitch of an old age fairy let me have it but good! Everything started to sag, bag and droop. . . or so it seemed. If you haven’t experienced this yet, it’s coming to a theater near you. Here’s a bit of a humorous look on how to know you’re getting old.

Turkey wattles and other loosey goosey stuff. . .

This is probably the first thing I noticed. Everything got looser, for lack of a better word. Me and the Thanksgiving turkey have a lot in common these days, especially around the neck area. And it seems that no matter how many times I go to the gym, there are way too many dangly bits hanging about. For more on this phenomenon, check out If You’re Old and You Know It Flap Your Arms.

The pup ain’t the only one who needs pee pads. . .

And speaking of things getting loosey goosey. . . my friends used to call me a camel because I could hold it all day long. Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.” 🙂 At the mildest urging I start looking for facilities. I know where all the public bathrooms are in town and the exact distance between them. Tena pads are great. But wait. . . there’s more in the loosey goosey department!

Do your boobs hang low, do they wobble to and fro. . .

I think it was Maya Angelou who said that her breasts were having a race to see which one would get to her waist first. Well, I think mine have achieved that goal and are now eying my knees as their next challenge! I am not particularly large (C cup) but. . . it’s getting very uncomfortable without a bra on these days. And that side boob action. . . I could kill small children with a single blow if I swing around too fast!

By the hair on my chinny chin chin. . .

There is an old joke that says an older woman’s hair thins as she ages so she can pay more attention to the hair on her face, or words to that effect. True Dat! The hair on my body all fell out about 10 years ago and what there was of it was blonde and red. It’s nice that I no longer have to shave the legs and pits, but the hair on my face is getting worse. AND to add insult to injury, that hair is black. I have tweezers and razors all over the house.

Slowly I turn. . .

Well, slowly I do everything these days, or so it seems. I was a real dynamo way back when. I spoke fast. I moved fast. I thought fast. Today it’s like. . . . well, it’s not fast. Oh, I try to move fast, but. . . fast and me no longer have a relationship. Both my body and brain go into giggle fits when I give it a go. I forget what I’m going to the kitchen for before I get there. It takes me twice as long to do things. And I trip over my own tongue trying to get thoughts out in the right order and with the correct verbiage. The little girl who still resides inside of me puts her hands on her hips with a bratty, “I DON’T WANNA SLOW DOWN!!!” Sadly, I have no choice. . . or else.

These are just some of the joys of the golden years. There are a lot more, but you know what? Living to a ripe old age means you’ve done just that, LIVED. Years ago, I saw a tag line on someone’s email that I’ve seen many times since. It has always stuck with me. It said, “Never regret getting old. Many are denied the privilege.”

And as that wise saying implies, it sure as hell beats the alternative. I’ve learned to just have a good giggle over all of the above, take a deep breath, roll up my boobs and stuff ‘em in my bra.

REVIEW: The Understated Elegance of J. Jill

Review, Uncategorized No Responses »

Jun 092017

Store Name: J. Jill

Size Range: Misses 2-18, Petite 0-18, Tall 4-18, Plus 16-28

Shoes: Yes, but I can’t seem to find wide widths on the site

Trendy: No. Understated elegance (my words)

Overall Rating (out of 10): 9

Last week we went retro/Goth with Torrid. Now we’re swinging back to the more classic side of the pendulum. This one should be easy for me. J. Jill is my favorite clothing store at the moment. Actually, it has been for the past two years or so. It’s classic, but not too classic that it steps over the line to Frumpy & Dumpy. I love their clean lines. And although I will never look like their willowy models, I love the way I look in their clothes.

The Clothing

This is me in my J. Jill “Favorite 3/4 Sleeve Dress.” It’s actually still available in the sale section for $59.99. Super comfy, washes like a dream and I always get tons of compliments while wearing it. I’m wearing a Petite Large.

J. Jill has a really nice selection of classic pieces. You can find dresses, tops, pants, shoes, sleepwear and accessories. Most things come in all their different size ranges although, as usual, if you can fit a regular misses size range you have the most options. I have found the quality of the clothing to be very good and their customer service to be unparalleled. I ordered a dress for a special occasion. Two weeks later it was still in the land of the missing. I called. Turns out the carrier lost it. J. Jill replaced it immediately without charging me, gave me a free, two-day shipping upgrade to make sure I got it in time for my event and a prepaid shipping label to return the first one if/when it eventually arrived. It did show up, a week too late. In this day and age of no or limited customer service, I was, quite honestly, amazed.

Do You Like Linen?

If you’re a linen lover, you’re in for a treat. They have a lot of it in the summer. Personally, I don’t care for linen as every linen item I’ve ever owned has ended up looking like an unmade bed or a pile of laundry in five minutes or less. I have not tried J. Jill’s linen YET. I may in the future. But if you love linen and their styling, you’re in for a treat!

Pricing

The clothing is pricey, at least by my definition of pricey. Most basic dresses are in the $89-$99 range. Sometimes, it seems like everything is in that range. Some items are considerably more. As much as I love this company and their clothing, I only purchase during sales or when I have some hot coupons. Preferably both! And while I don’t encourage credit card shopping, if you get their card you will get a percentage off your first order and 5% off every order you place after that, even if there are already sales applied.

The Essential Linen Shirt. Great summertime piece if you love linen. $79 Reg. Price ($89 in Plus) You can choose this lovely print or from a selection of solid colors.

Sizing/Fit

J. Jill has a full range of misses sizes, up through 18, which is unusual these days. Most regular sizing goes to a 14 or 16 and then they have you paying extra for the plus sizes. Great for the woman who just needs a smidge more room. Plus sizes are about $10 more. This is the only thing I don’t like about J. Jill. Misses, petite and tall are the same price. Granted, they all top out at a size 18 and the plus range at a 28, but a tall 18 takes considerably more fabric than a petite 18 does and they are the same price.

As to fit, I wear a 14-16 almost everywhere and I wear the Petite Large at J. Jill. It fits perfectly, like it was custom-made just for yours truly. I have never purchased shoes, so I can’t say much about them. If my experience with them is indicative of the entire line, you should be able to order your standard size without going up or down. I have two or three dresses, several pairs of pants, a skirt and a selection of tops and I feel they fit true to size. My one slight gripe is that their petite pants are a wee bit long on occasion. I have one pair that actually had to be shortened. I double-checked that I ordered petites and I did. Measured the inseam at 29″. Ummm, no, that’s not exactly petite.

Shipping, Returns and Exchanges

Standard shipping (4-7 days) starts at $5.95 and goes up to $19.95 depending on the price of your order. For $8 extra you can get guaranteed two-day delivery. For an extra $15, if you order before 3 p.m. eastern time, you can have your order in your hands the next day. Good to know if you need something NOW.

Exchanges are a phone call away at 1-800-343-5700 (7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday). Your new item is sent immediately. Then you send your unwanted item(s) back the same way you would return something to the company.

You can return anything purchased online to a J. Jill retail store if you have one in your area. You should bring your clothing item, the payment method used and the receipt that came in the package.

Beautiful layered tank dress from J. Jill

This may be my next summer dress if they run a HOT sale. It’s $119 in that print. Wearever Layered Tank Dress

If you want to return directly to the company, you use the Smart Post return label which is in all shipped packages. It is postage-paid; however, once all is said and done, J. Jill will charge your original payment method $6.95 for the return shipping. Full details can be found on the web site.

Special Deals

J. Jill runs sales at least three times a week. Once you get on the email list, you will be advised when there is a sale. These sales are usually a percentage off a certain class of items, like 30% off dresses or 20% off pants and jeans. There are online coupons out there. My first stop for online coupons is Retail Me Not.

My Overall Impression

As I said at the beginning of this review, I love J. Jill. Yes, I like stores like Torrid for fun clothing but. . . I seem to always come back to J. Jill. I think I wore out two pair of their wool-blend pants this winter! Classic but not stuffy, with a soft easy drape, very easy to wear, quality fabrics. . . I could go on and on. What’s not to love? If you have a retail store in your area and you like this type of clothing, go and try a few things on. I think you’ll be glad you did.

See ya next time!

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