Stop Apologizing

How often do you say those two words?  If you're a woman, probably way more often than you should.  All too often I hear women apologizing.  Just over the last few days, I have witnessed the following incidents:

1. A female co-worker is walking down the hallway and a male student, goofing around with his friends, bumps into her.  She immediately turns and says, "Oh, I'm sorry."
2. A friend and I are having a good natured debate.  At one point in the conversation, she exclaims, "I'm sorry, but that's how I feel."
3. A woman walks into a store at the mall and trips over a stack of shoe boxes left haphazardly by the door.  As she rights herself, she apologizes to the sales staff and offers to help pick up the strewn boxes.
4. A teary-eyed female student keeps apologizing for being a burden when I offer to help her develop some tactics to overcome her test anxiety issues. 

Why are these women apologizing?  They have done nothing wrong.  I hear women exclaim, "I'm sorry" without even thinking if it is appropriate.  It seems to be so ingrained into the female of the human species that it is usually an automatic, hair-trigger response.

I used to do the Sorry thing too.  I said "I'm sorry" to so many people so often during any given week that it lost all meaning.  And when I took an inventory of the situations that prompted the "I'm sorry, " I quickly realized that almost none of them warranted this exclamation.  I felt like a fraud.  I was ready for a change.

It took time, but I no longer blurt out "I'm sorry" unless I actually am remorseful.  These days, I don't diffuse situations or placate others with those two little words, unless it's actually warranted.  I have found more effective methods of communication that allow me to be pleasant without handing away my integrity and self worth.  I now know that it is possible to be self assured without being rude or brash.

So, I urge every woman out there to turn in her Sorry Gang membership card.  I won't lie, it will be hard at first, but in the end you will feel more genuine and true to yourself - it truly is liberating.

Lacquer Lundi

Straight to the pretties:

Joe Fresh Style - Tomato
- purchased at Zehrs (chain grocery store) for $3.33 CDN

The name Tomato is not a misnomer for this juicy red beauty.  It really does evoke images of summer fresh vine-ripened tomatoes.  Unfortunately, in the northern regions of the southern hemisphere those glorious summer days are over.  But, this polish can put salsa on your tips all year long.

Tomato applied beautifully, as have all the other Joe Fresh Style polishes that I have tried.  It covered opaquely in two coats and wore well, with only minor tip wear after two days.  All in all, this line of polishes is a bargain hunters dream - nice colours, great formula and application and darn good wear, all for a small price.  Nice, nice indeed!


In a New York Color Minute - Manhattan
- purchased at Rexall (a CDN chain drug store) for $1.39 CDN

Manhattan is a deep, dark burgundy, with some serious purple leanings.  It is vampy, with a capital "V"!  This is the perfect fall colour for those of us that like a moody polish shade.

Manhattan applied well and covered fully in two coats.  It wore reasonably well, with tip wear only after two days.




Finger Paints - Putty in my Hands
- purchased at Sally Beauty Supply for $4.99 CDN

Putty in my Hands is a light brown, cafe au lait shade that...Oh, c'mon, this polish is the colour of Hartley's poop when he's had too many treats.  All together now - ewww!  Yup, I really wanted to like this one, but it looks way better in the bottle than on the nail.  Blech.

Putty in my Hands applied nicely enough, but it did take three coats for maximum opacity.  It wore well though, with only minor tip wear after four days.  Good formula - horrible colour.

I Now Own a Viking (or Five)!

No, gentle readers of the blog that is supposed to have sewing related content, I am not referring to this kind of Viking:

But, rather, this kind of Viking:

Oh, yeah baby - that's a 36" open burner range from Viking's Professional Series.  I have always wanted a professional kitchen and I will now have one in the new house.  The only catch was that my new range insisted on bringing along a few friends (vent hood, microwave, fridge and dishwasher):

Last weekend, I shelled out the down payment and they are now waiting to be delivered to the new house next spring/summer.  Other than the blueprints, this is the first purchase that was made for the future abode. 

Can I just say........SQUEEEEE!!

Oh, and for those of you that think that this post was all just a sly cover to brag about my new, awesome Viking appliances, it was. 

So, neener, neener, neener. 

And right now, you should all go to your kitchen and tell your Maytags, Kitchen Aids and Kenmores to kneel before my new appliances in supplication.

Go ahead, I'll wait.