I want a band skirt

and unless I want to pay 100 for one (lets face it, I do not have the ideal body type for it... I should be accenting my tiny waist and not focusing on my hips and rear) but I can't find one, any help. Every single black simple-ish one on the forever21 site is sold out accept in large... and I have looked elsewhere... any thoughts?? I wish they had it at forever21... there are a few other things I am very tempted to pick up, but without the item I was looking for.. its harder to justify it. lol

A storm is a-brewing, or maybe a liberal fire.

As I left for work today, I stopped to take a quick few snap-shots so you could see my new hair color... (it really is only slightly different, enough to change it, but not enough to really freak me out about the whole hair dyeing thing... its called brownish red, which really, my hair was already brownish brown with a few strands of blondish highlights holding on)... the second I stepped out the door I could feel it, i love that feeling... weather is harsh up here, there aren't many days when it is perfect weather... but I enjoy this, b/c it allows you to feel, and to breathe, the air up here is wonderful, and you can take a big breathe in and slowly exhale... even when you can tell that the rain is about 5 minutes away and its going to pour. I love it.






Jean Jacket - 2nd hand
Shirt/Dress - Cosignment shop
Leggings - Target
Ugg boot look alikes (dirty and old, but warm and comfy) - Costco
Scarf - Target
Cardigan Sweater - Pass-along
Hair - Brownish Red

On to my serious topic and thoughts of the day... our world, planet, future and hope. Now I live in the world of climate change and long range planning to try and reduce emmissions, resource management, to save something for the generations after us. I am also taking a psychology class that touched on the influences of culture on your psychological development

Growing up I always thought, oh I'll grow up, get married, have kids... blah blah blah, and live happily ever after. but the growing up part opens your eyes to how to make a difference.

I have come to the conclusion that to make a difference, we need to do less... less of everything (except maybe educating people) especially in America, our culture is built off of pride and success for the individual; accomplishments, degrees,financial, material success, the individual before the masses. Other cultures think as a group, they care for the success of the group as a whole (maybe I am a flaming liberal for these statements. it is possible) but WTF america... figure it out.

We need to stop caring about having 5 cars, the big house, we need to start thinking about what we would do if the economy just froze and fell off the face of the planet. So many other countries, families live together, the elderly live with their children, and help their grandchildren grown, foster good family ideals, teach caring, among many other things, just because one person is the breadwinner, they are supporting the masses (just as I think we need to support health care) does not make them the "successful one", they are part of the successful system... and they are ok with that.

Did you know the majority of those without health care in America are children.... who have no say in the matter, they also are the age bracket highest in extreme poverty) and our elder are supported by social security that is failling, that keeps them below the poverty line, even though they have worked their whole life and given to this country, and who is making the decisions for these groups... who are the ones that are saying our health care is fine (not the children born into poverty and with no health care, thats for sure)What happen to caring about those around us (yes there will be people that choose to take advantage of "the system" but what system does that not happen) and the majority of people in countries with universial health care are happy with it, and would not want it privitized (despite news media, if you talk to real people, you will find this is th truth).

We need to stop eatting bananas(I know this one seems random), the number 1 consumed fruit in the US, and something that CAN NOT be grown here... Think of how much energy, effort, and pollution it takes to bring a banana to you (yes, I still eat bananas, but I feel a lot guilty every time I eat them!) let alone many other products that come from other countries and other states. We need to be aware of how we get the things we are privilaged to have access to in this country... minerals, jewels, and think of the lives of the people that bring them to us, that allow us to live the way we do... do we as a country consider this... not with any true compassion.

We need to find joy and pride in old things, and not having to have all brand new things, what happen to the pride in items that are passed down, that you fix, that you use adaptively... We need to think locally, and we need to think low impact...

Really I think we would be a whole lot happier as a people, as Americans, as human beings, I think we would relate better with each other, people reflect in their belongings and that there is more beauty in a mess of personalized, old, beautiful, passed down items (let alone stories).

We need to have a cultural identity check, think of others, think of the future, but this would take a lot of psychological overdrive to accomplish... do I think its do-able with the environmental impacts... yes... I do, I hope that we have that ability.

(I honestly have moved from that little girl with a happily ever after, to one that thinks I shouldn't have kids, should buy local, where-ever I might be, and live lightly on the world in all ways as I can... but can one person change the world?... if enough "one persons" thought this way, its possible... but are we past the hope stage...*shruggs shoulders* I could just say fuck it... I mean, I proably won't be around when things go south, but then again, I tend to be a nice caring person that thinks there is good out there, and I have a lot of hope, although I wonder if there is a point to it, or if it is so I personally don't loss my mind. If you don't have hope, what do you have)

Or maybe I am turning into a 70's hippie...but maybe they had something going on their that made sense... even if you don't want to be a hippie and think they are out there in la-la land, sure could learn something from them, they sure had some hope going on.

Discovery

Ok, So I know that people can find people online... Truely its not that hard. However I had not goggled myself in awhile. Heres the thing, before I always googled just my name... and there are hundreds of heather phillips out there... however this time I added the City I am in... bam.... theres this blog... like 4 sites down... wow... and here I thought I had a some what secret hid-away I could write to... there went that idea! Also, what I found funny was that the 1st thing that came up was my twitter account.. Which is for professional uses when I do decide to update it (maybe 1 or 2 times a month) but wow... I didn't really expect it, its not like I am a fancy CEO or Athlete or anything... just bizaar.. reality check I suppose. I just found it funny, since I hadn't done it in awhile, so I editted settings in my blogger settings, and it no longer is the 4th googled thing under heather phillips, arcata, ca! (I bring this up because I recently met someone that then went to look me up online... with limited information, namely that my name was heather phillips, and that i lived in arcata, ca... hense searching for myself that way)
Sunny day today... should be a nice one to get out and run, I love running when the ground is still wet, everything is really green, and the skies are blue... maybe today I will run with my camera... I always kick myself when I see something I want to photograph when I am running... need to come up with a really good camera on garmins, then I would be in business.

I might just jump on the bandwagon of color....

So if you know me, you know that I take days, weeks, years to make any drastic decesion in regards to my hair... I have gotten better about it since I chopped it off last January... I do enjoy it short, but I miss it long, for the same reason I wanted it short, I want something different, and I like the idea of changing it up.
Everyone loved my hair short and said I should never have it long again, but there is something youthful and fun and carefree about longer hair (although it is definetly far from carefree) and I want to live it out a little longer, so the quest to grow my hair to a length that I can play with, wave, curl and just pin back the bits and pieces and have the rest fall gracefully over my shoulders is on its way...
however, the gemini in me has me toying with color.... I have NEVER colored my hair, I used SUN-IN when that was the "cool" thing to do in middle school to lighten your hair, but that was middle school and an aweful choice, lol. anyways in the last 2 years my hair has gotten drastically darker, and I have had some struggles with adjusting to it not lightening up and getting highlights in the summer. Also I have been intrigued by Red... I have always thought that if I did dye it I would go dirty blonde, but frankly everyone goes blonde, and I don't think I really have the blonde "personality" to go with it. I am more quiet and to myself until you know me and then BAM I am loud and you can't shut me up. Sorta that red-head persona.... and I will proably get told I look like Julianne Moore about 123983 times more.... Hey, if I look like her when I am 45-50 I will be A-Okay with that. See exibit 1-4 and please comment if you think I should or not....

What I call the Sarah Palin look...

So this outfit... with my hair pulled back and glasses... makes me look like Sarah Palin... It was suggested to me that I dress up as her for halloween the year of the elections.. however.. halloween being the week before one of the most insanely popular elections... when I wasn't voting for sarah palin... seemed like an odd contesious thing to do... (I would have done it, had my best friend who dressed up as hilary clinton pant suit, short blonde wavy hair and all, was in SLO, but she was in SF)
Anyhow, I LOVE this dress. and best part I found it at my parents house stuck in with a bunch of dresses that were/are mine, however, I have nooo idea how this one came about... oh well, I love it.

shoes - Xilaration
dress - banana republic
cardigan - second hand
pea coat - target

Also anyone interested... I have decided I am going to San Luis the weekend of the Cal Poly Wine Festival... hoping to depart arcata on wed or thurs. and then will have to speedily return on sunday... (the little turns 21 the week before, and I figure this will be a great way to spend time with here, celebrate, and not have to deal with celebrating with her and 349208492 million of her best friends on her actual birthday, even though I wish I could be there then too) so mark your calenders, I will be in town, if you aren't there, you should go so we can pretend we are in college again. (until we are reminded with a nasty hangover, that, in fact we are not the college kids we once were ;) )

Also for anyone wantting a deadline to get in shape... I am running a 1/2 marathon May 2nd... Avenue of the Giants. and going to follow it up with the SF marathon on July 25th... would love a partner to struggle through it with.... no pressure, just saying...

oooohhhhh and i've decided that I need to make plans to City travel next summer/fall or fall/winter.... I will have the car finally paid off (you can not possibly understand how excited I am for the day I mail off the last one!) and I want to City travel... this may turn into a cross country road trip, or it may more simply be a road trip on the west coast and then flights to places like... chicago ; ) (I am told to go in the fall... which I can't wait to see) and NYC... sooooo anyone wantting to join in on this plan is also more then welcome.

Warning:shoppers be warned... this may lead to spending...

I just found a wonderful site. www.eshakti.com
Now while they are made and shipped from India... and i get really excited about clothes that have been eaither made in the US or I got at a thrift store b/c of the carbon footprint (absolute nerd... blame college :) ) this site is unique for another reason. Typically I shy away from online shopping, I never really have done too much of it for clothing items b/c i worry about fit, although I know a lot of people that do and seem to have cracked the sizing methods. HOWEVER, This site offers a custom sizing option, for a bit more (i think like 10 bucks), BUT this is outstanding if you are one of those people with "non-normal" model measurements and end up having to hem pants, adjust sleeves, etc.

And.... they offer more modest clothing for a range of ages, so while I won't buy everything, there are some items that are awesome and aren't out of this world expensive eaither... (lindsay i thought especially of you with the teacher/fashion dilemma, and they have some jewelry, tons of scarves, just check it out already.

I have also noticed they seem to be big on promoting discounts and coupons... right now there is a $20 coupon circulating... RBG5MAT (not case sensitive) that should work til the 31st of Jan. There is also a $15 off coupon (the 20 one i think is for a first time customer) that is facebook123 (suppose to find it out when you become a fan on facebook) soooo now that I have given you $35 in coupons good through the 31st and some killer i finds that can be custom fit, GO SHOP!!! and let me know what you get!

Having a moment

Alright, so really I am not one to really get fed up with people. But I have had it for the moment. I try and schedule a trip down to SLO and let people know what weekend I can go to see if they would be available. They agree that it has been awhile since they have been and most say whenever works me. 2 PEOPLE say they can't go the weekend I was looking at (respectedly because they have inlaws coming into town) but that the weekend following looks great for them... which I can't go because I am housing senting for the sum of a month of rent... and everyone jumps on the bandwagon and is going that weekend. Meaning also if i plan to try and make it down anything right after that, I doubt people will be into it becuase they just went after all..... awekrj;lsdkjf;sdlkfjd;kj

Also I am fed up with people blaming other people. (maybe I just contridicted myself) If you come up to visit your old town and you know I live up here and I've told you I will be here, one would think you could just shoot a text over saying, "hey im here til friday, lets hang out sometime" and not wait til the last night you are here, when you are already at the bar and text me saying "come to everetts!" and then I respond I am having an allergic attack and goign to bed, how long are you here, which respond we leave tomorrow, I told you we got here on tuesday!.... you replied to a random post that said, cool, i will be here, look forward to see you, 4 weeks ago....

4 weeks ago I was in southern california, getting ready to go on a cruise to mexico for a week, at what point a 6.5 earthquake would happen in the town with all my belongings and a 7.0 earthquake would shake haiti to pieces... and you moved away almost a year ago, and I haven't really kept up with you on a normal basis... yet you expect me to just know I am suppose to call you to hang out with you while you are on "vacation" visiting Arcata....

Alright I am done... venting sesh over... oh by the way I am totally over the male population at this time as well, I am in the don't want to give you the time of day b/c you are proably just still in that life stage of wantting someone different every other week mind set....

Thank god its friday, I should go run, and finally get all this reading done....