one of those really weird Arizona summer days when it's super sunny, hot and humid early on and it just feels blindingly oppressive.

I'm debating on channeling my inner starlet today for work - Sephora has this amazing red lips/liquid eyeliner thing going on and I think that some beautiful waves in my hair and a little smoke to the liner will make me feel much better.

I want to be somewhere far away (with the man who plays my favorite vampire) and have all the things in my mind and body settled.

until then, work, play and everything in between.

birthday blues

Well, in all fairness, not really blues, per se.

More like in my cash strapped madness I have spied many little "presents" that I would love to give myself - and without a pot to piss in, unlike in years past, I am spying them with envy.

Examples:
BP flowy white peasant top - even on sale, too much for me.
Perfume that smells remarkably like one that I treasure, though I have saved but a few drops.
(though this might, at some point, come home with me - at $28 it is not a big splurge)
The Sartorialist - in paperback, a style bible - no computer necessary.

These are the three candles on my wishful birthday cupcake.
12 days and counting!

In other news, Matt is on tour. Spent the weekend in the company of friends, strangers and new friends and had a great time. I rode the light rail, did a little drinking, ran into some folks I haven't seen in a while and spent some time with the bestie. Good times.

I neglected Miss Karenina, and so I must make up for it beginning today. I am debating on whether to call a former-would-be employer and seeing if they will consider hiring me again, for the prospect of a dependable paycheck from a fun and stable company is really starting to win me over.

plus, I could get a discount on fun stuff for my house. bonus!

reality check...

So after I decided, excitedly and absolutely, that the top 100 pre-30 was a realistic undertaking, I seriously thought about it. roughly 380 days before I enter my thirties. 100 books. That leaves me approximately 3.8 days per book. Given that these are literary giants (and I'm not necessarily talkin' size-wise) that some scholars spend decades, if not lifetimes, studying and analyzing, I decided to relax about it and go at my own pace - to enjoy each book for what it is (and also allow myself to enjoy certain novels that might finally be published come September - damn you Claire and Jamie and all that is my infinitely guilty pleasure!).

That said, I am about a fifth of the way into Anna Karenina. I love how the book jumps to each of the different characters' stories. I love the descriptions Tolstoy uses - whether describing the physical manifestation of spring in the Russian countryside, or the rich details he gives about high society life in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

My next literary companion and bedfellow will be 'Slaughterhouse Five' by Kurt Vonnegut. Purchased a used copy yesterday (I'm sure I stole a glance at Matt rolling his eyes) and I think next I will finally delve into 'Lolita'.

Aside from my voracious appetite for all things literary - I have been plotting my own little novel. Time to put pen to paper? Not quite yet.

Oh, and current obsession: Shu Uemura lipstick in WN 260. The perfect purple-toned fuschia.

100

Tonight, I have come up with the most fantastic idea - my pre-30's mental 'bucket list' goal.

I want to read all 100 of the top 100 books before my 30th birthday!

There are so many books I have wanted to read on the list, and why not start as soon as possible.

Anna Karenina, I am coming for you!