Ahhhh….the iPhone 4s….2 weeks in hand…here we go:

1. I don’t miss Swype. at. all. Ok, ok…maybe a teensy bit, I do…shhhhh. However, I find that I make the same amount of mistakes with iPhone as I did with the updated “Gingerbread” version of Android (my phone was a late adopter) and, frankly, I miss the original version of Swype. I will say that the iPhone keyboard “feels” more accurate somehow — and, it seems to learn my personal language faster than ‘droid did.

2. The camera on iPhone is beautiful. The pinch and pull zoom is soo very nice and the video is lovely, too. My goodness — the camera really has many advanced options and the picture quality is divine. (same for video)

3. The phone is quite deceivingly hefty…it carries its weight well, though. Honestly, the dang thing weighs a lot more than it looks like it should — but, as expected, the size is absolutely perfect for my hands and just has a sexy (dare I say “Rubenesque”) feel to it.

4. Speaking of sex, this device seriously speaks to all of my senses. There is such a fluid sensuality that swirls around all of this luxury. Manipulating the iPhone just feels nice…plus, it makes great sounds, too.

5. I believe that Siri may put my memory out of business…and that kind of frightens me. As it is/was, the urge is strong to look up everything rather than learn or remember — but Siri takes that familiar urge and kicks it up 5 notches. I love Siri. No, really.

6. iCloud is a dream wrapped in a pillow sitting atop a cupcake being eaten by kittens.

7. Battery life?  My Galaxy Epic ate batteries like Chiclets and, consequently, I kept 3 spares with me at all times (and their charging sleeves with extra USB cables at all times). Talk about looking like you’re smuggling goddess-knows-what in my pockets and cleavage.

The battery life on the iPhone has been impressive! I did go all out and purchased a 50-hour recharging pod from New Trent for $60ish (link below) and it came in handy last night when I was running on fumes and had forgotten my car charger. The recharging pod is slightly bigger than a deck of cards and will fit in my pocket. However, I’ve recently begun to carry a purse for the first time in my life because I felt like I should grow up. Afterall, when you get undressed at night and remove your bra credit cards, lip gloss, and sunglasses shouldn’t fall on the floor.

8. I also don’t miss the Android crashing on me all of the time. I must have had to pull the battery 10 times per week to get it “unstuck” from whatever app crashed and froze up the device. The re-boot time was terrible, too. If I never see a SD Scanning progress bar again in my life, it’ll be too soon.

9. When it comes to talking, my droid would have the habit of hanging up on my conversation or magically dialing a 3-way with my cheek. I can’t tell you how many times that happened! Not with iPhone. The in-call screen is nice and tidy and doesn’t seem affected by face when I talk or smile.

The speakerphone is clear and crisp and there is no voice distortion. I actually enjoy talking on this thing! Oh!! And FaceTime is incredible and makes me feel so futuristic.  I already use it on iPad, but I love having it on iPhone, too.  Yes, I know and love Skype — but FaceTime is just *that* much cooler!

10. It’s worth the hype. But talk to me in 6 months…I can be fickle.

Apple Announcements Make Me Squeal With Delight

No one can deny that Apple makes some of the sexiest products out there.

Apple products ooze sex-appeal for the geek in all of us. They speak the language of pure sensuality and eroticism in an electronic device.

Nothing beats the slippery scroll with a casual flick on the smoothest screens out there. Pinch and pull til your heart is content with the intuitive interface. No learning curve means everyone is up and running — no waiting — instant wake-up — always at the ready to sate every lusty desire.

I am absolutely in love with my iPad and iPod touch devices — and as long as Sprint doesn’t screw up my data plan, I will be an iPhone owner this month.

Apple is seducing me…hard….and it feels sooooo right.

4th Facial Laser Hair Removal – Face, Chin, Sideburns, Moustache

Just a short entry to let you know how excited I am tonight! I feel closer and closer to getting rid of this hair for good — and that light at the end of the tunnel seems closer and within reach.

I can’t believe how close I’m getting in my quest to zap my Italian Lady Beard! Please check out my latest YouTube video here — you can feel my enthusiasm: http://youtu.be/Rq1uNqKS5VY.

Please check out my other laser hair removal blog entries (use the hashtags to sort) and please watch my other videos!

Thank you all for your support — I know I’m not the only one going through the pains and frustrations of excess facial hair on the chin, neck, sideburns, and moustache. Let’s go through this together!

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Comment, comment, comment!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Facial Laser Hair Removal – Phase 3

My “Italian Lady Beard” is almost gone!

Last night I endured my third treatment under the hot and searing laser.  I just know that, in the end, it’s all going to be worth it.

Yes, as you recall, the first session left me with an array of huge, angry, itchy and swollen red bumps all over my face and neck. Ice packs, aloe vera, hydro-cortisone creams, and patience were the only remedy for the terrible “red beard”.  The good news is, it did go away completely and left my skin nearly hairless, smooth and with fewer left-over dark scars from years of plucking and tweezing and breaking the skin.

The second treatment was just ok. Honestly, I think I got a little bit of a rushed job the second time — but I was feeling good afterwards since I didn’t experience the same “red beard” situation…and the growth cycle seemed to be minimal, so it was kind of a non-event.

Yesterday was Treatment #3 and I left the spa with an icepack for my very red, swollen and hot face.  The laser really seared the follicles again — the smell of singed hair is just nauseating — but this process is SO worth the minimal irritation, odd odor, and temporary discomfort.

I followed the same routine as before: I iced my face/neck the entire drive home and applied chilled aloe vera gel to the areas before bed. I do have some of the familiar (and slightly itchy) red bumps under my chin and a few on my cheeks — but since this is the third go, I feel like an expert now.  I have no apprehension at all and I’m confident that the swelling and redness will be gone in another day or so.

Already the dead hairs are pushing out of their follicles.  It’s such an interesting sensation to see hairs and feel them slide right out of my face with the gentlest tug instead of forcing them out with a metal tool or dirty fingernail!

My next appointment isn’t until 11 weeks from now! Can you believe it? ELEVEN WEEKS???  I’m so close to being done — and this is only the third treatment!  (I bought 12 sessions — so hopefully I’ll be able to use the rest on my underarms or nether-regions!)

Watch my new before and after video here: http://youtu.be/4QLq30NY5G4

Thanks for your interest and positive encouragement!  Please keep your great comments and questions coming!  I love hearing from you all!  I know I’m not the only woman out there with unwanted facial hair — and I’m happy to share my journey with you!

Birthday Amazeballs!

Maybe it’s because I’m an only child and my family always made an extra big deal about my birthday?  But there’s something completely precious about my own personal New Year.

For me, it’s a time of reflection and goal-setting. It’s a time to take inventory of my life, weed out the things I don’t need and change behaviors to get back on path (especially if I’ve drifted).

This year, my birthday seemed to approach WAY faster than usual — so fast, that it seemed to come screeching around the bend before I even realized it.  I string of long work-weeks and extra hours spent on special projects left me exhausted, stressed out, and completely lost when it came to planning any kind of extravaganza for my special day.

I did know that I wanted to see Raja (winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Season 3) perform at my local fabulous alternative venue — so I invited about 20 of my closest friends to join me for the show.  I got 19 “no” replies to my evite — and I was completely bummed out.  I was kind of feeling selfish and pitiful although everyone who declined did have a valid excuse. I felt like I wasn’t a priority in any of my friends’ lives and was seriously bummed out…I really wanted to enjoy a fabulous show and party after such a long and stressful few weeks.

But….good news, bad news, who knows?????  Right???

Turns out, our closest friends from NM surprised me for my birthday — they showed up unannounced on my doorstep just 4 hours before the Drag Show!  I was so surprised — I was crying and shaking — trembling and bawling…completely surprised and feeling so guilty for thinking that no one cared.

The show was great — but, frankly, it didn’t matter where we were! We had so much fun together all weekend showing them around the different beaches and neighborhoods that they had never seen before. Seeing this area through their eyes gave me such a fresh perspective and appreciation of where I live and what I have access to here.  I was really grateful for the experience.

I grew this week. I’m older, wiser, and completely humbled.

Thank you to my very special crew — and cheers to traditions!!

Happy birthday to me!!  This year is going to be fantastic!!

Mystery Shopping & Impressionable Youth

As some of you know, I did a fair amount of Mystery Shopping back in the day.  Judging retail customer service can be a fun and lucrative business if you have enough time and patience for all that’s involved.

Tonight harkened back to those days when Mystery Shopping was my lifestyle — it was exhilarating and nerve-wrecking because this time, there was a $50 prize riding on the employee’s performance. I was asked to ‘shop my local Chick-Fil-A store and present a prize of $50 to the counter help if (and ONLY if) they hit the mark on 7 specific criteria as specified by Corporate.

Sadly, the lad missed two of the seven criteria and instead of whooping it up in celebratory excitement, I had to break the news to him that he had come “this close” to winning.

The teen confessed sheepishly that he had only just been hired 2 months ago and apologized for not completing the tasks required. His embarrassment was palpable though my husband assured the young man that he really did do an excellent job.

As we left the store, I went back to the counter and told the boy to keep up the good work and that we were really sorry that we couldn’t award him the prize money. We got in the car and as we buckled up, I told my husband that we changed that kid’s life today. This impressionable youth of no more than 15 will remember this day forever.

Maybe he’ll never get ‘shopped again — but he’ll remember this time.  He’ll recount this experience to his family when he gets home tonight. He’ll talk to his colleagues who witnessed it and confront rumors from colleagues who missed it. He’ll have a conversation with his manager about it. He’ll tell his best friend. He might recount the story in college — to his girlfriend — maybe to his kids one day.  Today was the day he messed up on the job and got caught.

I’d like to think that we handled the disappointing news tenderly. We praised and encouraged before and after the let down…and smiled and gave the gentle pat on the back. I hope that he remembers the lesson that customers can be and often are not who you think they are…and I hope he remembers to apply that lesson to every area in his life.

I left that parking lot oddly moved. I felt like I took a small piece of innocence from that kid today — and I hope he remembers the experience in a positive light.

If only he had hit all seven targets…I so would have loved to have celebrated with him instead.

Summer 2011: The search for the perfect plus-sized swimsuit

This blog is dedicated to @DamesGotMoxie (found blogging here: http://thedamesgotmoxie.blogspot.com/)

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As many of you know, I have a popular entry on my blog called “Big Girl Bikini”.  Please go check it out if you haven’t already. (Here’s the link: http://wp.me/pEeKD-3c)

It’s summertime again in Florida. Well, considering the temperatures, it’s been summertime since about February — and I’ve been on the search for this season’s perfect swimsuit. I need something that will celebrate my youth and respect my curves.  That translates to style, flattery, and comfort (of body and mind).

I can’t tell you how much I appreciated The Dame’s Got Moxie’s post — and sharing these suits. (Read the blog here: http://thedamesgotmoxie.blogspot.com/2011/05/in-response-to-last-weeks-post-on.html)

I had been trolling Twitter for some new plus-sized swimsuit news and was so excited to find @monifcplussizes! Talk about some gorgeous and flattering duds….I am hooked!  I gasped when I stumbled across their swimsuit line.  Check out these lovers (http://www.monifc.com/plus-size-swimwear.html).  I immediately started to shop and loaded 5 of their suits into my cart before I realized that NONE of these suits has any underwire support — just some measley soft cups.

Waaaaaah!!

Living in Florida, and a self-proclaimed “water baby”, I love to swim and enjoy the spoils of the sun and surf, regardless of my size.

The key to feeling confident in any situation, including poolside, is to know exactly how to dress yourself.  For me, dressing myself always includes playing up my best (a-hem) features.

I have been known to conceal my old bras under my swimsuits in order to get the right “heave ho” I need.  But I’m really tired of rigging up my suits and I’m dying to find plus size swimwear that’s young, stylish, flattering and supportive without having to sacrifice support.  And, honey, soft cups are none of the above!

Torrid has style, but no support.  Lane Bryant has support, but no style.

Help!!!

Facial Laser Hair Removal – Round 2

As many of you know, I’m in the process of having my “Italian Lady Beard” zapped via laser hair removal.

Last night was my second treatment and so far, so good.

You might recall that the first session left me with an array of huge, angry, itchy and swollen red bumps all over my face and neck. Nothing seemed to help last time even though I tried ice packs, aloe vera, hydro-cortisone creams, antihistamines, and lidocaine….to name a few.  For me, I had to sit on my hands and tough it out day and night for almost 2 solid weeks.

Because of that reaction, I was a little nervous as I voluntarily drove to my second appointment. I couldn’t believe I might be facing the same fate. But, I’m an optimist! I survived the first round and I knew I could do it again if I had to.  Besides, being potentially hairless is a huge motivator!

Last night the laser felt hotter for sure.   I know I winced and jumped a little more than I did the first time as my esthetician  blasted the hairs. I think it was typical “second-time” reaction since the adrenaline from the newness of the first time didn’t exist this time. It’s funny how nerves about the unknown have a way of masking the reality of something.

I iced my face/neck the entire drive home and slathered aloe before bed. (It was blue aloe with lidocaine and it dried to a beautiful smurfy hue.) I awoke to some angry red bumps under my chin and one next to my lip.  There was a familiar, yet much slighter itch/tenderness – but I quickly applied ice and aloe again and reached for a new item in my beauty arsenal: BB Cream. (If you don’t know, BB cream acts as a skin brightener, pimple healer, and tinted moisturizer all in one.) I am completely sucked into the Korean “beblesh balm” (BB cream) craze!  I love the stuff!

It’s the end of the day and I haven’t been bothered by itch or swelling at all.  I just took a quick peek at myself in the mirror and I swear the redness and bumpiness has gone down almost completely!  Of course, I don’t know if the second time was just easier — or if my constant icing the entire drive home helped — or if it was the aloe with lidocaine — or the BB Cream (or a combination of these things) — but I feel fantastic and hairless!!  I am really looking forward to my next appointment!!

Now, my goal is to stay tan-free until then. That will be a challenge for me since I tan so easily! I purchased some Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Liquid Daily Sunblock in SPF 55 and I will faithfully apply and wear a hat this summer for sure!

Stay tuned for more updates!

Seattle in a nutshell…

Just flew in from an extraordinary Seattle vacation where we celebrated NPH’s 40th birthday — and boy are my arms tired!!  Ha ha….no, but my feet are!!

Seattle, Washington — what a mighty fine city!!  I was wickedly impressed by every bit that place had to offer…and I learned a lot about the culture of the majestic Pacific Northwest.

The good people of Seattle are sturdy, intelligent, resourceful, tweaked, and hilarious. There is no such thing as a “rain delay” in Seattle — every day is business as usual rain (aka downpour or drizzle) or shine. I found it so refreshing to see so much outdoor activity in weather that I previously considered to be less than ideal!  Runners, kayakers, cyclists, market vendors, school children, business people, shoppers, drivers — all completely unphased by the steady dripping from the sky. Almost every place I’ve lived has a few handfuls of “bad days” each year which normally give way to the typical sunny, warm, breezy and clear ones — leaving the few rainy days to provide respite opportunity to hibernate inside, jump under a blanket with a friend and a pet, and watch movies until the sun comes back out.  My version of “normal” was to believe that rainy days were lazy days — the Universe’s free pass to just relax — a cosmic break and a way to justify doing nothing. Not in Seattle!! Rain isn’t an excuse for anything! People get on their gear and get out there!  Life doesn’t stop for a little water.

And that water goes soooo well with COFFEE!! I will never look at a Starbucks the same way again after this trip. I have never seen so many Starbucks coffee shops in my life! The people of Seattle take their coffee very seriously — Starbucks or otherwise, and I completely get it. The coffee is amazing — and it’s a life-force all its own in Seattle.

After a week in Seattle, the word “progressive” means something entirely new to me, too.  Sure, you have your typical and wonderful Western United States open-mindedness, but Seattle-ites are brilliant and have a lot of basic life and environment improvements figured out and implemented better than I’ve ever seen.  From wide-spread-recycling-almost-everything laws to art budgets included in all building projects, the whole city seems to function effortlessly — and everywhere we went, people were cheerful and helpful and gregarious. If the Seattle model were introduced to the area of Florida where I currently live, I think the locals would revolt and try to burn the place down or kill each other. There’s just some places where people “get it” and other places where people don’t — and Seattle definitely “gets it”.

What a great trip — I really loved every experience in Seattle.  Here’s a quick list of just some of the things we did on our trip:

• Troll
• Fremont Market
• Fisherman’s Terminal
• Chinooks
• Duck Tour
• Space Needle
• Dick’s Drive-In
• Pike’s Market (the WHOLE thing: Thrown fish, Sound View Cafe, Piroshky Piroshky, Original Starbucks, Bubble Tea, Beecher’s Cheese, Pink Door, etc)
• Ye Olde Curiosity Shop
• Olympic Sculpture Park
• Shopping District in Downtown
• Pagliacci’s Pizza
• Cowgirl Espresso
• Redhook Ale Brewery
• Ivar’s on the Water
• Underground Tour
• Victoria Clipper to Canada (China Town, etc)
• XXX Rootbeer Drive-In
• Snoqualmie Falls
• Grave sites of Bruce Lee and Brandon Lee

Wish you could have been there — and I’m so glad we made so many incredible memories! Happy Birthday, NPH!!

Oh yeah…. Cabs are here!

Facial Laser Hair Removal – Day 2

Just wanted to share a super quick update to document the laser hair removal process….

As you know, I had the procedure two days ago (check out my last post for a detailed explanation of what I had done) — almost exactly 48 hours ago — and the area under my chin (also the spot that had the densest & coarsest hairs) is red, splotchy, itchy and the skin is hot to the touch.  Fortunately, there are no blisters — the skin isn’t broken — no crusts, pus, or anything gross — but the itch itch itch itch — it’s maddening!!

I have been trying to soothe myself with ice packs,  hydro-cortisone, and aloe with lidocaine but the itch persists like nothing I’ve ever felt before.  I spoke to the esthetician and she assured me that I would be okay in a few days.   I trust them, so I will sit on my hands and wait it out.