Music Monday: Lily Allen

Ok so I wanted to do a "Music Monday" segment on here every so often. I started off with the best of intentions and then wammo, nearly two years go by before I post another one. Well I am back and ready to revive whatever is left of Music Monday.

This week's Music Monday artist of choice is Lily Allen. I have loved Lily's music for quite a while now. It could be her brutally honest, well written lyrics or it could be the fact that she will say exactly what she wants (and what everyone else is thinking) without caring what anyone else has to say about it, but whatever it is it makes it possible for me to put on any one of her cd's and listen to it from start to finish.

Sadly, she has decided to retire/take a very long hiatus from the recording industry. Let's hope she comes back soon because as they say in after school specials or something, "talent is a terrible thing to waste."

Here are just a few of my favorites from Ms.Allen.

Are you a fan of Lily Allen?

#8 The First Book That Moved Me

I was a huge fan of the Babysitter's Club when I was younger. I loved reading about Claudia's fashion sense, Mallory and her old house filled with tons of siblings, and especially Jessie and her love for ballet. For the most part the books were lighthearted and included life lessons about peer pressure, boys and how bad smoking is for you. You know the regular stuff kids should know.

One book in particular focused on Claudia and the death of her Grandma. After reading Baby-Sitter Club books about things much less serious, this book kinda knocked the wind out of me. Claudia and her grandma (Mimi) were really close and I remember feeling so sad that she lost her beloved Mimi. Never mind that neither poor grams, nor Claudia were real. I remember at one point while reading I started to cry and it shocked me. I had never had such an emotional reaction to a book. I remember feeling really embarrassed at first-no other book had done this to me, what the heck was happening? I remember being relieved to finish the book because I didn't like how much emotional power it had over me.

More recently a book that made me bawl like a little reading baby was James Frey's book "My Friend Leonard". Oh goodness gracious this was a heart tugger. And funny enough I remember as I read/cried during My Friend Leonard I thought of Claudia and Mimi.

Has a book ever made you cry?

What I Wore: Out With The Old iphone

Let's give you a pic of the boots.

I took these pictures last week right before my iphone 3G bit the dust. Now that I have my iphone 4 I am shocked at how awful the picture quality was with my old one. Anyhoo, you came here to talk fashion not technology.

Turtleneck: Urban Outfitters from a couple years ago.

Jacket: I bought this for $14 at a thrift shop. This purchase nearly shocked the pants off me because I never find stuff at thrift store and it was in really good condition.

Pants: GAP, always skinny

Goloshes: I bought these yeaaaaars ago from Payless and they are still in really good condition.

#6 and #7 Photos From At Least 10 Years Ago & Something That Scares Me

10 years ago I was 16, in high school, on dance team and really having a grand time being a teenager. When I think about all of the things that have happened between then and now it I guess it makes sense that 10 years has passed since I was 16.

This is mine and Jon's first picture together.

But on the inside I still feel like that same 16 year old. The one that laughs loudly in quiet rooms, loves pictures of dogs in clothes, and the type of girl that thinks that pink marabou pens like this one are perfect for taking notes (I actually had that same pen).

Getting ready to go onstage with other officers of the dance team.

What I am trying to say is that sometimes it is hard for me to grasp that so much time has gone by. It seems like yesterday I was waiting outside of Tower Records for NSync tickets to go on sale and today I have a boyfriend, a pup, and my little brothers will be turning 21 this year. It all happened so fast, and that scares me. I tend to be a bit of a control freak by nature and the fact that all of this time passage is happening without my consent can be nerve wracking. It causes me to worry about not having enough time to accomplish things I want and that I am one step closer to losing people I care about.

I can honestly say that the speed at which time goes by has always scared me, even when I was little. I realized that one day I was 7 the next I was 10 and this whole life thing was going along at a pretty fast pace. I think the best way to describe it would be to use someone else's words.

I related so intensely with the following passage from Elizabeth Gilbert's book, Eat, Pray, Love:

"When I was nine years old, going on ten, I experienced a true metaphysical crisis.

Maybe this seems young for such a thing, but I was always a precocious child. It all happened over the summer between fourth and fifth grade. I was going to be turning

ten years old in July, and there was something about the transition from nine to ten-

from single digit to double digits-that shocked me into a genuine existential panic,

usually reserved for people turning fifty. I remember thinking that life was passing

me by so fast."

This picture and the one above it are from dance camp.

Let it just be said that I spent most of the late '90's/early 00's

with my stomach showing. P.S. I am impersonating Britney Spears

in this picture-hence the balloons in my top

So how do I deal with this fear? I just try to stay where my feet are planted. No matter how much I replay the past in my head it can never come back, and I can never go back to it. The future is out there somewhere waiting for me to find my place in it. It will be here soon enough and there is no need to constantly ask "what if?" because there are a thousand answers to that question, answers that if I gave space to pondering I would miss what's happening right now.

accutane update

Disclaimer: The following post is purely my experience using Accutane and is in no way an endorsement or professional medical advice. I am not affiliated with Accutane in any commerical or professional capacity. Please talk to your doctor should you have questions/concerns about Accutane.

I have been on Accutane for 62 days. All in all I haven't experienced anything much different from my last update. Thankfully, I have been able to get used to the side effects I mentioned in my last post. For instance, I always make sure that I have my lip gloss nearby at all times and I have resorted to drinking a small cup of coffee now and then when I am feeling drowsy.

One very different side effect is that my scalp is drying out beyond all get out. I have always had an issue with dandruff but the weird thing is that my scalp is almost too dry to flake off. I know, it doesn't make sense does it? Truth be told, I hardly ever have to wash my hair. For real. Like maybe once a week-if I wash it any more than that it gets suuuuper dry. To be totally honest, I am kinda enjoying not having to wash my hair very often. It's pretty freeing.

Another weird side effect is that my joints are so achey. I told my dermatologist about this and she said that it is an expected side effect of people that work out. She also said that I might be feeling particularly achey because I do yoga which stretches out your joints and ligaments more than any other types of exercise. It is a very weird feeling to feel so achey all over, its like I aged 50 years over night.

As for the reason for taking the accutane, my skin. Overall it looks far less agitated but I am still getting some break outs. I am trying not to get too bummed out about it because my dermatologist did say that it would get worse before it got better. There is part of me that fears that my acne may be too intense for the accutane to work.

Gosh, I hope not!

Oh but on a funny note I went to pick up my prescription when the pharmacist says:

"Do you know what medication you have here"

Me: I'm sorry?

Pharmacist: Do you know what medication is in this bag? (points to bag), do you know what you are getting into?

Me: well, yes I have been on it for nearly three months.

Pharmacist: Oh ok, just wanted to make sure-so....is it working?

Was she asking for personal interest? For her job? I was kind of stumped as to her interest.

Our Second Famaversary!

Valentine's Day happens to be the anniversary of the day we brought Mr. Franklin Theodore home. We have coined the a phrase for this day, entitling it, "famaversary"-meaning it is the day we became a little family. Since Valentine's Day is today, a Monday, we decided to celebrate on Saturday instead.

Last year we went to the beach to celebrate with hot coffee/tea, and scarves. This year we decided to carry on the tradition and go back to the same beach. One thing was vastly different though.

We were in bathing suits. In February.

"Hi friends covered in snow...don't hate me!"

We all had a great time hanging out in the sunshine. Frank and Jon even went swimming in the freezing ocean. I tried to take a picture with him but lately he has a habit of moving last minute so that just his butt is in the picture. See, he did it here too! Well, I guess its ok because even bulldog butts are adorable.

Jon had somewhat better luck.

After a couple of hours in the sunshine we headed home. Jon was ambitious and cleaned his car for our date night while I sprawled out on the couch watching some Sex and the City Reruns. ahh perfect!! Later that night we went to our favorite french restaurant. Such a great day!

Are you celebrating Valentine's day this year? If so, how?

Just One Of Those Days...

Do you ever have one of those days where you feel like this guy?

photo credit

Yeah, that was me today.

It all kinda started yesterday when I heard the brakes in my car make a loud groan as I slowed down. I took my car in and the mechanic guessed that I would probably need new brakes. I tried not to get too agitated at the news but let's be real, I would rather spend my money elsewhere. The annoying icing on this cake is that my car is on it's last legs, er, wheels so to speak. Sure new cars are fun but they also cost a whole bunch of money. Money that is being mercilessly thrown in the direction of a mountain of student loans.

In the grand scheme of things I know what I am writing about is manageable. It will work out because it has to ya know? But sometimes I feel as thought I am getting a handle on this whole adult thing and then something gets tossed into the equation and I have to re-do my math to make things work. Like I said, it is totally doable, I can do it. But sometimes it just gets exhausting and puts me in a funk for a bit. And that's where I am now.

What I Wore: Public Restroom Edition

This WIW takes us to a public bathroom. I thought the lighting was decent so I decided to ignore the fact that there was stray toilet paper in the background (no way, no how was I going to pick it up blech!!) and snap away.

Shirt: Walmart (First Walmart purchase ever)

Jeans: GAP-Always skinny

Necklace: Just Expressive on Etsy

Watch: Michael Kors

Nail Polish: OPI-Jade Is The New Black

#5 Photos From My Childhood

Here are some randomly selected pictures from when I was just a wee Sass. The first picture shows the birth of my appreciation for a well made piece of cake.

This next picture is one of my earliest Halloween costumes. When I was little my mom always made my costumes and this little angel getup was no exception. I am told that I hated wearing the wings, I am also told that my mom would say to me "Sarah you are mama's little what?" and I would answer with "Ainjow" (Angel)-which I am sure made up for the fact that I complained about wearing her hand crafted costume.

I feel as though this next picture explains the "Sassy" in Sensibly Sassy.

I asked my parents if this picture was posed and apparently the hands on the hips "don't mess with me posture" was all my idea.

My sassiness is completely organic.

What I Wore: Forget Chico's It's An Argyle Kind Of Day

One of my goals this winter was to really work on putting effort into what I wear. Ya see, winter isn't my forte as far as putting together outfits. Usually I would just make sure I am warm enough (important) and then make sure I don't look like a kid. Well this year I don't want to look passable, I really want to feel good! This requires me to mix and match and step out of my comfort zone sometimes.

With this outfit I wasn't totally sure about tucking in the argyle, I thought it sorta looked weird because it had a pattern. It isn't something I would normally wear but I am proud of myself for trying something new.

Sweater: Target

Skirt: J.Crew

Tights: Target

Boots: Clark's The Proctor (I seriously wear these boots all the damn time)

#4 My Favorite Teacher

Her name was Mrs. Theresa Thomas and she was my third grade teacher.

Mrs. Thomas loved teaching, it was obvious. Even though it was nearly 20 years ago since I was in 3rd grade (holy cow!) I can still remember how she would hold my hand in hers as I held the chalk up to the board and we would practice my cursive writing. Her full bosom would smash up against my head which I found oddly comforting and I would watch her costume jewelry rings sparkle under the flourescent overhead lighting. My cursive writing has gone by the wayside but that memory holds steady for me.

Mrs. Thomas was an African American woman that had lived through the worst and the best of the fight for civil rights. She taught us peaceful protest songs that many years later I found myself singing along to when watching old tape of Martin Luther King Jr. march on Washington. We would sit in a circle and her booming voice would guide our little voices in the messages of peace. I always noticed that she would close her eyes as she sang; these songs clearly took her somewhere else. I wonder now just where she went. She acknowledged that it is good to have things in common but would always reminded us that it is our differences that made us special. I can't stress enough how important of a message that is for a child to here. You are special. You matter. There is no one else like you and that is a good thing.

Mrs.Thomas retired at the end of my 3rd grade year, which at the time seemed pretty special because I was in her very last class. But now as I look back it seems unfortunate that so many kids after me missed out on having her as their teacher.

Who was your favorite teacher?

What Is The Internet?

It's hard to believe that the Internet was such a novel idea in 1994. In fact, it is hard to imagine life without it. Here's a little blast from the not so distant past reminding us that the Internet wasn't always our well known go to for shopping, blogging, googling in fact it was literally unknown.