Annie's Journal of Dating and Body Hair Removal

[annie24]

Thanks Layaan and batya. I had a dream about Logan's friends last night - we all had some class together. Logan wasn't in the dream. My cousin's daughter (I call her my niece but she's actually my first cousin once removed, hehe)... she was looking at the sandals I bought yesterday and was like, "Oh you can wear them with your boyfriend." I said, "we broke up." She said, "aww, I'm sorry. I wanted you to get married." I said, 'I'll find someone else.' She said, "ok!!" lol.

 

We had a nice thanksgiving meal. I made a spring mix salad with feta cheese, sliced almonds, and dried cherries with a balsamic vinegarette. This is the recipe. I love it.

 

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[annie24]

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Backpack was on sale - $120 off! I bought it online. yay!

[annie24]

omg. weird dreams last night.

 

I had a dream that since Logan and I broke up, I had another guy I was seeing (kind of overlapping) but not as serious - Jax (Charlie Hunnam) from Sons of Anarchy. We had sex on stage at a sex show or something and people were taking videos. Yikes. Then I went to a work party, and there was a guy from work who told me he had a crush on me (married guy!) and we had sex right there in one of the private areas. geez.

 

Then I was at a sorority in a beautiful, historic house for some kind of event. I was in a bedroom and spilled red wine on the beige couch while petting the cat. The maid helped me make a concoction to clean it up - which included water, tomato juice, and dimes. Amazingly, it worked, but the girl who lived in that room was less than thrilled with everything. I told her if it didn't work I would pay for the cleaning. There were lots of things on the stairs (like glasswork, knick knacks) and it was hard to walk down the stairs without breaking things.

[annie24]

omg, i really want to smack my niece right now....

[petite]

Great deal on the backpack. I ordered a few things on Black Friday but seriously have been pretty disappointed this year with the deals. I was hoping Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus would have better deals. Last year I got a lot of stuff with great savings - not so much this year.

[annie24]

I think that the deal on the backpack was due, in part, to Tumi releasing a new line of Calais backpacks.... discounting the old ones. Fine with me!!

 

Ugh, I am so annoyed. I have some insane amount of work to do, which is hard while on vacation. But then my nieces are really being pains in the butt. sigh. it's hard at those ages (2 and 6). Like I would tell the 6 year old i need to quiet to do my work. Then she leans on me and wants to play iPhone games. i said fine. then she starts interrupting me every 30 seconds to ask me a question or show me something stupid. I say to her to please stop. she starts kicking, i move accross the room. she follows me. gahhhhh!!!!! After lunch, I told her mom I needed some time to work, so she's kept the girls away from me. I've finally managed to make some progress. i know it sucks because she wants to spend time with me, but I really am not able to spend 24/7 the way she wants me to. Like, I was using the bathroom yesterday, and they kept knocking on the door!!!!!! ugh! i couldn't properly "go" as they kept knocking on the door. Then they ask why i keep going to the bathroom. oh god, if this is what having kids is like --- no thanks!!

 

oh yes, and my niece informed me that i look fat. oh, and she also wishes that i were her mother. gah. i'm having enough of this.

 

It's not like I haven't done a lot with them today - we made ginger bread houses, more arts and crafts, I helped with their homework, we decorated the tree, had lunch together, etc... so it's not like i've been sitting by myself working all day.

[luminousone]

Love the backpack! Very chic-

 

Your nieces sound so cute! Yes- that is what having kids is like. Right now you are the special focus of their attention because it is fun to have you there on a visit. If you were there everyday then it would be normal for them to switch their focus to the next person after a while.

 

I really don't think it sounds like you can get much work done there. Is it possible to do it at a coffee place with wifi?

 

When my oldest was 1, my then husband quit his job and decided to work from home. The whole time he was trying to work, our son was banging on the office door crying for dadda. Hubby got frustrated and so did I, as well as our son. My day was spent trying desperately to keep our son away from his dad so work could get done. But then I couldn't get my stuff done. No one was happy and it was a disaster.

 

Kids are total joy. And they can be disruptive, a pain in the rear, funny, interesting, sweet, cuddly, and cranky. Being a parent is by far the hardest job I have had in life.

 

I had my first son just after grad school. I thought that since I made it through a very grueling Masters program, then I was strong and capable and ready for any challenge. And the I became a parent and I have been truly humbled.

 

But my kids have challenged me to grow.

[annie24]

yeah, they take a lot of time and effort!!! i was up to 3 AM this morning, and then woke up early to do other work. I'm so exhausted. the kids are actually all out of the house right now (1 is at a music lesson, the rest are at a park) so I have some time to work while they are gone. I'm trying to squeeze it in at those times. I'm leaving super early tomorrow morning and am going straight to work. I need a vacation.....

[Batya33]

I've very rarely been able to get anything of substance done while I am with my 5 year old. And that's not a complaint, it's just reality. I do my best to train him to wait (I make him wait on purpose sometimes so he gets even more used to it). I tell him when I need my space/private time and often, these days, that works, as long as it's for a short period of time. The only time I have a phone conversation longer than 3-4 minutes is if he is watching a tv show (typically 20 minutes at a time) or if he is doing an educational computer game (very little time spent playing typical computer games) where I know he can do it on his own and he likely will be involved for about 10-15 minutes. Still I only make a call if the other person understands I may have to go abruptly or quickly. I would never try to work from home if he was around at that time -it wouldn't be fair to the employer.

 

I know other parents whose kids play for far longer periods of time independently or who watch TV or a movie for a long period of time. It all depends on the child, the parent, the parent-child dynamic. When I am "off duty" (i.e .my husband is around) I am very, very protective of my me time even if it's just for 15 minutes. That helps a lot.

[petite]

I think it's definitely possible to work from home when you have kids, if you have help around. One of my friends; a very successful blogger, has four kids and works from home. She literally locks herself in her office while the kids are with the nanny.nthen another friend, also a blogger works from home and her two boys are old enough to entertain themselves (school age) but she's been doing this for years so definitely had plenty of struggles. Sometimes it works and other times it doesn't. I can't imagine the difficulties because I know if it were me I'd really struggle to get anything done. Interestingly enough my daughter having just turned one seems to know that daddy goes to work so if he's in the office working, she doesn't seem to even realize he's gone, unless she sees him walking in me closing the office door, or coming out. But if I were to disappear, all hell would break loose. These says even just leaving her with the sitter for a few hours while we go out to dinner can be a struggle. She is VERY, VERY clingy. It feels like I'm wearing her since she's constantly climbing up my legs, climbing all over me when were sitting down, wanting to be picked up and so on. I secretly love it (most of the time) but damn there's only so much you can handle before feeling kinda - invaded. But we love some 'us' time and dining out so she will just have to get used to our date nights.

 

I think it's maybe less annoying when it's your child, Annie. Like no matter how irritating something can be or even gross, it's just that tad bit worse when it isn't your kid.

[luminousone]

Petite, in my experience, my sons were clingy with me. Then it was all about their dad. Then it was me again. It went back and forth.

[Batya33]

My son definitely respects when my husband is working in the other room -and we have a small apartment - but if we're all in the same room and one of us isn't paying attention to him then it's much harder. He is probably somewhat more clingy to me which I think is fantastic (meaning that he will hang out with his dad easily and happily the vast majority of the time even though I am the one with him most of the time). He probably would stay with a nanny/sitter even if I was in the same apartment but my preference would be, when I return to work, to work in an office.

 

Annie I agree it's different when it's your own kid!

[luminousone]

Annie - New options instead of body hair removal... lol...

 

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and

 

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[annie24]

I saw that and thought about it, hahah!!!!

[Applewhite]

I saw that and am seriously considering it. For the summer.

[annie24]

Haha I'm joking. My armpit hair is starting to bother me so I might wax this week. Dying is too much effort.

[WithLove]

I work for a radiology company and we get discounts through work for laser hair removal. Anyone ever had it done? I'm curious.

[petite]

WithLove - I've had laser hair removal and it's simple and easy. It can be a tiny bit painful in certain sensitive parts of the body, otherwise it's straight forward. Usually one needs about 6 sessions, depending on the area each appointment is about 4-6 weeks apart and you also need to purchase the aftercare lotions while in treatment.

 

I had it done early 2000's first time and for years I didn't get any hair growth, apart from a hair here or there but that's it. I only started getting more hair growth when I got pregnant. That quickly got sorted after I had m daughter and went for a few sessions. Really it's just upkeep after you do it the first time. Some people might get hair growth within the first year and some don't get anything. Just depends on the person. The hair you do get though is super, super fine, feels like baby hairs.

 

I would venture to say it is better to get it done during winter time because you really shouldn't be tanning or be exposed to much sun while in treatment.

 

The clinics up have you fill out a form in which you must write any and all meds that you're taking or whether you have some illnesses. This is all done at the consultation. Lighter hair usually isn't successful with laser and they will say so. The darker the better.

For example if one is taking antibiotics you have to wait 2-3 weeks after you finish them before you can go to an appointment.

 

Personally, even if I had to get it done once a year I would. It's so worth it. I hated shaving and waxing was always a chore. And well bushy anything isn't my cup of tea. I never understood how anyone can just not shave their legs during winter, I'd feel...manly lol.

Laser hair removal - best money ever spent. Hell, I'd give up a lot to have the freedom of not shaving or waxing.

[faraday]

I wish I wasn't blonde they said it won't work on me because my hair is too light...but I don't want leg/arm/and bikini line hair...and although my moustache is light, I still have one...that I have to wax because the hair is coarse.

 

Being a chick sucks sometimes

 

 

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[Applewhite]

For anyone that is interested in laser hair removal, in my experience (and research) an "Alexandrite" laser is the way to go. And yes if you have light hair or dark skin the treatments aren't as effective (and for dark skin they can be dangerous!).

 

IPL supposedly works for all hair color, but IPL is not a permanent solution. (I've tried both). I now have some hair (that is fine and short) under my arms (because the underarms were partially treated with IPL prior to laser treatments) but it doesn't bother me so I may not go back to get that done with laser. I have some very fine/light and sporadic hair on my legs, but they don't bother me.

 

Despite having received laser hair removal on large parts of my body, I dislike the double standard about hair for different genders. The fact that hair is "manly" or "disgusting" (usually pointed out for women, rarely for men) is a social construct and is sexist. Bah. Vent.

[petite]

Meh why is it sexist? LOL! If you like having hair then let it grow and that's it.

Not everyone likes it or enjoys having hairy legs. Plenty of men shave their legs and underarms these days. Many, many athletes have shaved their legs due to taping because It would hurt less to pull the tape off.

 

If you like hair - let it grow. If not enjoy being hairless. It's that simple, really.

 

Saying it's manly is just one of those common things people say because these days men have more hair than women.

Plenty other things are more sexist.

 

 

 

 

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[WithLove]

The hair on my head is a dirty blonde, but I have PCOS, so my body hair is ridiculously dark and coarse. Even when shaving, you still see how dark it is at the pores. (I'm also very light-skinned.) Shaving SUCKS. Honestly, I'd rather shave every other area than my legs. I HATE shaving my legs. It's the most visual, therefore it takes me FOREVER. /rant

 

I think it would be totally out of my range to get it done on my legs, though.

[petite]

If you mean financially out of range, if you really want to do it you can look on those Groupon sites or look for discounts. They run them often, at least where I am.

 

I hear you on shaving, Especially the itchiness and just feeling like my skin was super dry after shaving. I've always hated it.

 

 

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[WithLove]

I browsed Groupon for a bit and found a deal - $299 for six treatments on a large area. I don't have that kind of cash right now, but it's good to know there are deals out there.

 

I asked HR here and apparently we get a 30% discount on laser hair removal, but when I looked at our charge sheets, legs aren't mentioned.

[annie24]

Yeah, I might look into laser again once I pay off this credit card bill. It would be way cheaper than waxing, in the long run.