Pop Culture Vultures and Lovebirds

Can an average-looking girl land a gorgeous guy?  That's the age-old question posed in Curtis Sittenfeld's Romantic Comedy.  The "normie" heroine is Sally Milz, an Emmy-winning writer for The Night Owls, a sketch comedy so much like Saturday Night Live I wondered if Sittenfeld had once worked there.  This fascinating window into the workings of SNL is sure to delight any fan.  But it's the story-within-the-story of Sally herself that resonates.  Brilliant but socially awkward, she's sick of seeing her schlubby male coworkers snag the beautiful women who host the show.  She even goes so far as to write a sketch about it.  Then Top 40 It Boy Noah Brewster gets the gig.  He's not only hot but surprisingly nice, and he and Sally forge an unlikely but very real friendship.  That is, until she sabotages it.

Sharp and witty and just plain fun, Romantic Comedy spans the space of three years, including the pandemic, to find out, once and for all, if men really like -- no, love -- smart women.  Through the admittedly distorted lens of Sally's insecurities, Sittenfeld skewers romcoms even as she applauds what makes them great.  

And that's what makes Romantic Comedy great, too -- its willingness to laugh at itself.    

Stupid for Cupid . . . and Surprise Snowballs

Top: Candie's, Kohl's; Shoes: Worthington, JCPenney; Bag: Xhilaration, Target

Nautical Knot Necklace

Headband: Xhilaration, Target

Skirt: Dolls Kill; Shoes: Anne Michelle: JCPenney; Bag: Katy Perry Collection

Heart Haven Maven Necklace

Barrettes: The Tote Trove

It's almost February, so you know what that means.  Time to start the heart party!  And nothing gives Valentine's vibes like a necklace featuring a huge, red plastic heart pendant that also happens to be a box.  Apparently, these cuties are meant for caching candy, but when I saw them at Michaels I thought, necklaces.  So I filled one with white pompoms to make this Heart Haven Maven Necklace.    

On the outfit front, pregnancy has changed things a little.  For example, this skirt is a size bigger than I usually wear, and the red top is normally more blousy.  I'm glad I have this kind of stuff in my wardrobe, though, because it makes for a nice transition between my regular clothes and maternity garb.  So far, I have six pairs of (nearly identical) maternity leggings, a pair of jeans, two tunics, and a sweater.  The pouches on the pants are so funny!  It'll be interesting to see what they look like on.

By June, I expect to be living in muumuus. 😏

Maid in the Shade, Then the Sunshine

When my sister chose Nita Prose's The Maid to read for our book club, I thought it was Maid, the novel that became a gritty Netflix series.  Naturally, I was relieved to find out that it wasn't that book.  But once I started turning the pages of Prose's debut not-quite-whodunit, my concern returned.  

Twenty-five-year-old Molly Gray is a maid at a fancy hotel.  But she isn't a clock puncher eager to trade her Pledge for party clothes after her shift.  Cleaning is Molly's life.  She takes unparalleled joy in "returning rooms to a state of perfection" and maintains a rigorous home housework schedule in the tenement she shares with her grandmother.  Molly and her grandmother are best friends.  Actually, Gran is Molly's only friend.  Her wisdom, often dispensed as aphorisms, helps Molly navigate the daily challenge of social situations as well as the sometimes not-so-nice (i.e. cruel) colleagues and guests she encounters.

So it isn't easy being Molly.  And it gets more difficult when she finds a dead body while cleaning the penthouse.  What happens next tests everything Molly knows -- and doesn't know -- about how people work.  Their characters, their motivations, and their shockingly common tendency to bend the truth.  Watching her forge through the forest that is this puzzle is painful, memories of her grandmother and other past moments mingling to reveal the extent of her struggles.          

Prose's story isn't so much about solving a murder mystery, or even the mystery of Molly herself.  It's about understanding -- and ultimately respecting -- people who are different.  Because as Gran herself often says, "We're all the same in different ways."  By placing Molly in a dangerous situation, Prose magnifies her otherness, rousing our sympathies.  But she also shows us that Molly has the rare kind of courage that just might save the day.   

Poignant and human and sometimes hard to read, The Maid is a metaphor for life's messes.  In the end, I was glad we read it for book club.

If only as a little reminder that we're each equipped with our own kind of mop.

Thinking Pink and Growing Rainbows

Dress: Speechless, Kohl's

Shoes: Mix No. 6, DSW

Denim shirt: Marshalls; Bag: Ella & Elly, Zulily

As my baby bump burgeons, I'm phasing belts and jeans out of my daily wardrobe.  So I was psyched to unearth my old but trusty black A-line dress to wear to my belated b-day celebration, as well as a skirt and leggings for a doctor's appointment.  Rediscovering these long-forgotten garments has been fun, presenting me with a new kind of fashion challenge.  

Speaking of which, making this Kooky Candy Necklace was another everything-old-is-new-again experience.  Partly because I haven't been crafting much lately, partly because I used old rhinestones I found when decluttering my craft room. 

As its name suggests, Kooky Candy is big and weird and a little bit wonky -- but that's okay because it's mine.  

The other new accessory I'm sporting is this nifty '90s-style scrunchie, which I love but (obviously) didn't make:

Scrunchie: Classic Alpaca, West End Garage

I bought it after Christmas at the West End Garage in Cape May.  It's from a small business called Classic Alpaca, as evidenced by its critter-shaped packaging.  Which in and of itself is cute enough to tack up in my craft room.

There's always space for another civilian in the land of pink and rainbows.

Barrettes and Cupcakes and Blueberries

Every now and then I like to post a pic that has nothing to do with the post.  Because I like to keep things fresh.  And also because I'm lazy.  

In that same vein, instead of doing reviews of the Lee Hollis cozy mysteries I recently read, I'm pasting the blurbs I posted on Instagram:

Death of a Cupcake Queen: They say that cat ladies are sad ladies, but sometimes dog ladies are sadder.  Something to chew on while you gobble this cupcake caper. 🐶🧁🐱

Death of a Blueberry Tart: Any character named Caskie Lemon-Hogg is destined for disaster.  Devour her demise along with your favorite blueberry dessert. 💙🥧🌿

Sometimes a soundbite is all you need.

Hold the Phone: Birthdays of Today and Tomorrow

Dress: So, Kohl's; Bag: Sugar Thrillz, Dolls Kill

Flowers from my parents; they're the best!

Today is my 42nd birthday.  I have a head cold, so the celebration is on hold, but I decided to dress up for pics anyway.  Still, yesterday I got the best gift of all.  I found out that the husband and I are having a baby girl!  Back in September, when I first saw the pregnancy test, I was shocked.  Although the husband and I hoped for years, we knew that having a family might not be in the cards for us.  And then, once we (okay, I) stopped stressing, it was!  So that's why I believe that everything happens for a reason and when it's supposed to.  

It's exciting -- and scary! -- but mostly exciting, and I can't wait to meet our little girl in June.  I hope that we'll have the same unbreakable bond that's always been between my mom and me.  

So, thanks for reading and sharing in my news.  I've always been and will always be grateful for the kindness of this lovely community.  

And now I think I'll retire to the couch.  Because this mama is tired. 😏🎀👶

What's in Store for 2024?

Top: Nine West, Kohl's; Skirt: Candie's, Kohl's

Bag: Betsey Johnson

Necklaces and bracelet: Betsey Johnson

Barrette: Marshalls

For one thing, hopefully, me opening my eyes for pictures!  This shot was sadly the best of the bunch that the husband took of me on New Year's Eve before we headed out with my parents.  But my disappointment got me thinking.  About how I hate New Year's resolutions because I feel that they exacerbate my perfectionism.  Which is a problem as one of my biggest struggles is accepting that things don't always have to go smoothly or look like a postcard or turn out the way I expected.  I'm much better about that stuff than I used to be but still have work to do.

So I take back what I said about wishing I'd opened my eyes.  Even if, metaphorically speaking, I'm opening my eyes -- and heart --to imperfection. 😏👀