A friend told me she was watching Samantha Brown on the travel channel. She was in Barcelona, and the hotel she stayed in gave free perfume along with the usual soaps, etc.

I’m not sure if it was my friend or SB who wondered if you would get better treatment in a posh shop wearing the perfume from the super-posh hotel.

What do you think? Would the shop keepers recognize that is where you were staying?

Karin

• If you love perfume

• Perfume — one of the pleasures of life

• Catching up

• Some perfume stats

• Neil Morris Fragrances, Part 1

• Vintage Perfume Store

• Antique Perfume Store

• Vanity, Perfume Shaving Collectibles

• Shaving Vanity, Perfume Shaving Collectibles

• Solid Perfume Store

I don’t know about you, but I like looking at the clothes and jewels of Oscar night.

I don’t hanker after any of the jewels as they are way out of my reach, so I can look without angst. And I remind myself that most of them are on loan from the jewelers, they are not owned by the wearer. But the craftsmanship (artsmanship) of some of the pieces are worth looking at, if nothing else. I really admire some of the work of (especially) antique jewelry. Much of it cannot be duplicated today. An artist is an artist.

Karin

Here’s a rundown:

Cuffs sparkle at Oscars 2008

2008 was a blingin’ year on the Oscars red carpet.
Conservative gowns and understated hair meant that the fashion drama
of the evening was concentrated in the jewels, with many actresses
opting for large, diamond-encrusted cuffs…the kind even Mr. T would
have approved of.

Tilda Swinton’s huge Damiani Diamond Sahara Cuff,
featuring 1865 Diamonds, was a show-stealer, with Renée Zellweger’s Cartier 1930’s Art Deco diamond bracelet ($563,000) and 1926 priceless diamond strap bracelet also adding some major sparkle to the red carpet.

Heidi Klum sported a ruby and pink diamond wrist
cuff from her “Heidi Klum Collection for Mouawad”
collection. Set in 18k rose gold, the cuff alone was worth a quarter of a million dollars.

Other cuffers included Amy Ryan, Olivia Thirlby,
Tia Carrere, Lisa Rinna, Hilary Swank, and Jennifer Garner.
Sassy, wearable, and glamorous, this is one red carpet trend that might actually stick.

Oscar accessories rundown:

Nicole Kidman: diamond Sautoir necklace by L’Wren Scott

Marion Cotillard: Chopard’s 64-carat champagne-diamond necklace

Julie Christie: custom pink scarab necklace by Neil Lane

Jennifer Garner: Van Cleef and Arpels 1928 Art Deco diamond necklace

Penelope Cruz: Chopard’s ruby and diamond drop earrings

Jessica Alba: “Creole” hoop earrings by Cartier

• Not-so-invisible older women

• On winning an Oscar

• Dream Girls

• A good insult

• Are you going to watch the Oscars?

• Oscar de la Renta Women Discount Fragrances Store

• Night Lights Lamps, Lighting Collectibles

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This is a good reminder for me. When I’m having a hard day, it is sometimes difficult to rise above it, but I never give in.

How about you, what do you do when a day is rough?

Karin

Here is your Friday story,

The Perspective Song

One day, not long ago, I decided to re-send the attitude-changing philosophy in “A Course in Miracles.” Three years before, in its simple to follow lesson-a-day, the Course had helped me cultivate new levels of inner peace. I figured I could use more of the same. Within the first few weeks, I came upon a lesson that showed me I’d figured well.

The lesson was: “There is another way of looking at this.” The idea is to apply the lesson as often as possible throughout the day, to whatever situation is before you.

Okay, I thought. Simple enough. I’ll go apply “There is another way of looking at this,” to my day. No problem.

The trouble with this was that every situation I faced that day was challenging. And there was not another darn way to look at things. Thank you very much.

From a crashed computer to people not being available on the phone, to running out of shampoo in the middle of a shower, my day was filled with frustrations. It held little, if any, opportunity for me to look at things anew. And no New Age self-help affirmation was going to convince me otherwise!

So I pulled on my panty hose, zipped up my dress, dried my un-shampooed wet hair, and left for an appointment that was only 20 minutes away. Or so I thought.

Okay, the traffic is always crazy at the end of a workday. But I did not expect a bumper-to-bumper gridlock in the middle of the afternoon. Sitting there in my car, I did my best to repeat the day’s lesson to myself, hoping that I could find “another way of looking at this” freeway parking lot.

After an eternity, I decided there was no way out and that I’d be better off letting go of my plans and forgetting about making the appointment on time. One cell phone call later, assuring my colleague that I’d meet her the following day instead, I sat back in the car to wait things out.

As I did, something caught my attention at the side of the road. Pulled over onto the shoulder of the highway was an old, yellow, Ford pickup truck. It was lopsided. When I looked closer, I could see that the front tire was as flat as the plains of Texas. Since I wasn’t moving anywhere, I had plenty of time to stare.

The driver of the truck was sitting on the rusted and beat up tailgate. He was a young man with a ponytail, wore well-splattered painter’s pants and a matching, torn t-shirt. While waiting for a tow truck, or perhaps some divine intervention, he had pulled out his guitar and looked to be moving his mouth as if in song.

I rolled down my window. He was singing at the top of his lungs. My mouth hung open as I saw the peace on his face.

He’d found “another way of looking at this.” His music made me smile. His attitude cleared the traffic jam in my head.

I think he understood the lesson for the day. And finally, so did I.

Erica Ross-Krieger

For more than 20 years, Erica Ross-Krieger has inspired people throughout the world to come to life more fully. She is an author, a successful entrepreneur and founder of several businesses. In her work and her writing, Erica teaches her clients and readers how to cultivate the attitudes that will lead them to live more joyful and meaningful lives. Visit her website at: www.EricaRossKrieger.com from Insight of the Day

• Space for recuperation

• Difficult birthdays

• Jane Porter speaking about life

• Jimmy Buffet Come Monday

• Thought for the day

• Toy Story Pixar Collectibles Contemporary 1968-Now Disneyana Collectibles

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• Rough for Cabbing Lapidary Materials Rocks, Fossils, Minerals Collectibles

fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too. Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can.

i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno’t mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghi t pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can raed tihs forwrad it.

I thought this was fun, and yes, I could read it.

Karin

• What are you currently reading?

• Let me know if you would like to review any book you’ve read

• The joy of reading

• Yes, I like the HP book, no spoiler

• Harry Potter spoilers here in comment section, not in main post

This quote came across my computer this morning, and it got me to thinking about how we keep score(s) in life.

Money is a way of keeping score in life, says T. Boone Pickens. But that is just for those who like playing the game. The real goal is to live with grace and dignity. You can do that with a small amount of money…or not do it with a fortune.
– Bill Bonner, financial journalist

How do we keep score? or, perhaps, how do we rate ourselves? I never really thought about it much. I tend not to want to play that game. Someone else always seems to be the winner!

If we think about raising children, keeping score starts as early as meeting in the parks, where moms share, bragging, about how early their kids learn the ABCs or can count to 10.

If we are keeping score in adoptions, people one-up themselves by what country they chose to adopt from.

Do we keep score by awards?

Do we only count if we win awards?

I hope not, for the great majority of folks are never up for any awards.

I loved the idea in this quote of having the goal of expressing grace and dignity no matter our circumstances. It’s an honest assessment of knowing we sometimes fall short.

I recently witnessed someone with a great deal of grace and dignity in a score keeping moment. I commented on it to the person, because it warmed my heart.

Moments of grace or dignity, when impossible to do on our own, are divine.

Have you witnessed such moments or been the one expressing them? What do you think about keeping score in life? Do you do it or know someone who does?

Karin

• The resolved and the unresolved

• Getting a second wind

• The elusive nature of happiness, part 6

• Catch and Release, movie and CDs

• Meet the Robinsons, movie review contains spoiler

• Life Savers Candy Nuts Advertising Collectibles

• Long Life Light Bulbs Home Lighting

• A Bugs Life Pixar Collectibles Contemporary 1968-Now Disneyana Collectibles

• Real Estate Opportunities

• Playing Cards Breweriana, Beer Collectibles

This gives a whole new definition to vision and sight. I find it inspiring.

Karin

• How do you like my new logo?

• New glasses

• Etch a sketch

• Tom Tom Club - Genius Of Love

• Oscar jewels

• Hard to Find Romance Books

• Artist Bears Dolls Bears

• Hard to Find Romance Audio Books

• Manufactured Artist Bears Dolls Bears

• One of a Kind Artist Bears Dolls Bears

I saw this on AOL the other day and decided to give it a try.

They said to get perspiration out of white clothes, put white vinegar on the stain, then wash.

I thought, hey, why not try. Both of my older girls have had these stains under the arms.

I figured, it likely wouldn’t work, especially since the stain was old, and when I realized I had washed it without remembering to try it, while it was still wet, I put the vinegar on the stain, and it didn’t appear to do anything, so I put a little soap with it, and maybe it erased it a little. (I had already tried bleach on another occasion.) When it dried, I could hardly see it! So before she wore it again, in the next light load, I put white vinegar on the stain, threw it in the wash, and it came out completely.

Who knew! Did you?

Karin

• Getting back in the groove

• Yesterday was a day…laughing at my life

• A little story

• Paul Potts singing semi-final

• New England images

• Deals White Pass Washington Skiing Vacation

• Deals Big White British Columbia Canada Skiing Vacation

• White Chandeliers Home Lighting

• White Ceiling Fans Home Lighting

• White Light Bulbs Home Lighting

Trying to resurrect this conversation:

Just prior to having Chinese New Year dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, our 10 year old said something to the effect:

I’m Chinese, right? [Yes.]

Then she remarked that kids say, That’s your mother?

And I said: And they are surprised that I’m not Chinese, right? [Yes.]

And I asked: And that bothers you, right? [Yes.]

And she said: That really offends me. [I forget the word tonight that she used. It was our 12 year old who remembered. When I asked the 10 year old tonight, she thought she would say: That really hurts me.]

I can understand that, can’t you? [OTOH, the 12 yo, at least tonight, says she doesn't feel that way.]

>>>>>>>

This child is a sweetheart of a kid. You couldn’t ask for a better kid. I’m thankful every day that we are together.

Today I looked at her and she had multiple bracelets on. Somedays she chooses to wear a lot of rubber bands as bracelets. I had to laugh, because I am the bracelet queen.

I got a birthday card from my son and daughter-in-law one time that had a hand and arm on the front cover, with the arm covered in bracelets (I brought the style back in again, LOL) — 15 to be exact, all the way up to the elbow (I’m not quite this exotic), but the caption reads: Who’s to say how many bracelets are ‘too many’?

So I said to her, you are certainly my daughter, when you look at your bracelets. (And we both laughed.) I told her the next time someone wonders if I’m her mother, she should just tell them to look at our bracelets, not to mention our hearts.

I wonder if her other mother wears so many bracelets. Likely not. But their hearts match too.

Karin

• Harry Potter revisited

• Yes, I like the HP book, no spoiler

• Losses in adoption

• Speaking of spam

• Preparing our kids for the storms

• Chinese Asian Antiques

• Chinese Romance Books

• Chinese Crested Dog Animals Collectibles

• Baskets Chinese Asian Antiques

• Bowls Chinese Asian Antiques

College Girl and I went to see this movie tonight. I wasn’t sure if I’d want to see it, after reading the review, but I had seen a preview.

There was a lot of laughter in the theater. Everyone seemed to like it.

Of course, it is fluff, but hey, sometimes fluff works. I think two of my favorite characters are her business partner and her love interest’s sister. There is one scene where we felt so sad for the business partner, but it turned out the way I had hoped.

Karin

• In the garden, Bob Dylan

• A little Lao Tzu

• Talkin’ about MMU Make Me Smooth cosmetics/fragrances

• Tuesday of Holy Week, part 5 (end of Tuesday)

• Hot Fuzz, movie review

• Bath Body Works Lip Gloss Makeup Store

• Bath Body Works Women Discount Fragrances Store

• Movie Memorabilia Entertainment Memorabilia

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I just received a call from Shawn saying they have free shipping and gift wrap for Valentines Day.

Call (877) 273-3369 to place an order.

Enjoy!

Karin

• Kudos to Bond No. 9 for customer relations

• The ability of the family/APs to adapt is a critical issue (adoption)

• Comparing Bryant Park and West Side, Bond No 9s

• Bond No 9 for Saks 5th Avenue

• Bond No 9 Coney Island

• Valentines Day Holiday, Seasonal Collectibles

• Valentines Day Holidays Postcards Collectibles

• Contemporary 1960-Now Valentines Day Holiday, Seasonal Collectibles

• Vintage Pre-1960 Valentines Day Holiday, Seasonal Collectibles

• Valentines Day Vintage Greeting Cards Paper Collectibles