Julie & Julia

I forget why I picked up Julie & Julia by Julie Powell but it was another library find. Oh yes, I was in the craft book aisle which is by the cooking theme books but not the cookbooks thus, Julie & Julia. This book is a work of non-fiction about a woman, who cannot cook and yet decides to tackle every single recipe in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking in one year. Her challenge was daunting and I won't spoil it but for a first-time writer (her book came about from her blog which documented the journey) it was approachable and funny, which I appreciated. It's a couple years old but it's worth the read if you're looking for a departure from your usual fiction as I was when I stumbled upon this even though I have no affinity for Julia Child and I have yet to master the art of American Cooking before hitting up les livres des francais. (Is that right? Oh it's been so long....)

This is going to be a multi-topic post. Get ready.........

On Sunday, I attempted to finish my second most recent sewing project. It was a Simplicity pattern that I'm too lazy to look up the number on but it would have been a short sleeve, white, collarless jacket, part-Bolero, part structured shrug, if that makes sense. I had cut the fabric a couple weeks ago and just now found the time to stitch. I thought it would go together quickly, and I was right. It gave me the opportunity to practice a pleat (on the sleeve) and more practice with sleeves and neckline, on which I am abysmal. I got it all sewed except for the bottom hem when I decided to try it on. I'm not posting a picture because it is simply too embarrassing. It was a Simplici-don't. My cropped jacket that would have been go-to for dresses, tanks and the like looked like a piece from a line of paper hospital-wear. It would have been as if I had worn this stylish cropped jacket over a gown just prior to surgery. John laughed at me. The fabric, which I thought was going to be so versatile, is to blame. It was a white linen pique which, apparently, doesn't translate well with this pattern. Oh well. Onto the next!

Also v. excited that my car repairs were less than $500 this weekend. Wheeeee!

And, I'm starting a new challenge. I've decided that I LOVE imposing challenges on myself. Currently I have the underwear challenge, and a spending challenge (in order to force the saving of money), and now I have a caffeine challenge. It goes like this:

Each morning at work I typically drink 2 cups of coffee. I'm not as concerned about the caffeine as the amount of cream and sugar I put in the coffee. And so, the challenge, which is henceforth going to be renamed Operation White Food Ban. I am allowing myself one normal cup with cream and sugar but THEN, I will switch to green tea. This will bring in antioxidants and all the other benefits of green tea while nixing the cream and sugar. And also, coffee stains your teeth. Anyway, stay tuned for my progress. Day One -- so so, but I'm attributing this to Daylight Savings Time. I'm wicked tired and I don't think it was the lack of caffeine.

......thiswaslong........

Underwear Challenge

Like many others, cardholder or not, I am constantly getting coupons for a Free Panty (only time that word will appear here) at Victoria's Secret. These coupons often come with another deal: $10 off one bra, etc. In the past, I let many of these coupons go unused. Sometimes I was just lazy, sometimes I felt guilty walking in there saying, "Which underwear is free?" and "No, just the underwear today." I got over that guilt part. I now make a beeline to the back cotton P table and quickly voice that question to the nearest bum-rushing sales girl as if to say, "You will not make a sale off me today. Just the free pair please!"

I will admit, my underwear wardrobe is rather large. This is a holdover from my days at OU when it was necessary to have nearly 30+ pairs to ensure that I would make it to the next laundry day. However, I had a revelation the other day when I received what was probably my 3rd coupon in one month. How long can I go without actually purchasing a pair of underwear? In this self-imposed challenge, I will only use my free "P" coupons. I will not physically purchase a pair until I absolutely must. No, I will not wear nasty old ones just to keep the challenge going. I do have some self respect. But, think about how much underwear you buy in a month. Not that much, right? Not that much unless underwear is your thing. It's not my thing. Shoes are my thing. So I feel as though these coupons could sustain me for quite some time. And here's the catch, the more use them, the more they keep sending them to you. Maybe you didn't know this. It's how store coupons work. They want you to continue shopping in their store. Although, what I will be doing cannot really be considered shopping. I plan to spend money on other things at VS. I'm considering a new bathing suit and they have this new bra that's intriguing. Funnily enough, the ad for that bra came with......a free P coupon + $25 off 2 bras. Boy they are really trying to sucker me in with that one!

Check back for progress and feel free to take the challenge yourself!