My name is Natalie and I have a problem with shoes

Holiday season has just been an excuse for me to buy MYSELF pretty things. This has mostly revolved around shoes, although clothing and jewelry have also contributed. In the last two weeks I've purchased over $200 worth of shoes from online Canadian shops that offer free shipping both ways (due to Cyber Monday sales, etc..)

Most of 8 pairs didn't fit, or were cancelled from the order due to stock issues. The truth is I don't need any of them, yet I'm still having a hard time parting with:

Driven by Naturalizer in wine, with comfort 5 to stand all day at a conference. Goes with black and brown, only need to pack one set of heels.

Nuesca by Transit shoes in brown (to replace the ones my dog ate that looked just like these but only cost my husband $20 one particularly lucky Boxing Day. I could stand all day on concrete in them and still walk to the bar after a conference day....sigh)

Perlstein sandal (to replace the strappy jesus sandals my dog ate that only cost $8 at a discount store that I loved...stupid mutt)

A gem

New album, little but lovely. Appropriately titled "slower, lower". Listened to it by the fire this weekend.

A fluff piece on faces

As a teenager I hated my nose - I thought it was huge. Nothing like the little upturned whisps of noses seen in most magazines.

Truth is, I have big loud features - if I ever shrunk my schnoze I'd just end up with a weird face. Here are four ladies I think likely looked nicer before the too-skinny nose:

Kat von D - really pretty circa 2004, I swear:

Elizabeth Olsen, sister to the famed twins:

Jessica Biel, approaching Micheal Jackson territory:

AJ -still a face for the ages, but it would have been the case pre-nose job too:

Freaks me out every time I see them on the gossip blogs.

curses

Saturday adventures

Adventuring friends and I explored these places;

Abandoned warehouse with fancy photographer (note the fancy digital SLR)

Abandoned warf at sunset

Abandoned house with hastily edited out civic address post

Abandoned house full of stuff and wild animals

I picked cranberries, ate delicious sheperds pie & squash soup, and learned how to play Auction 45s. After driving a friend home, doggie and I went directly to a Blues concert in town where she stayed in the car to sleep and I enjoyed the music and beer. I left around midnight but the evening was so mild that I walked the dog around the neighbourhood in a light sweater before we headed off to home.

Made a fire and passed out.

HumpDay procrastination

I've been very grumpy the last few days, shit is just not going according to plan and people are stupid.

Anyway, here's a distraction: I finished it in 17 attempts.

Update: I actually wore yoga pants and a t-shirt to work on Thursday, that's how crappy I was feeling. Today I got lippy with the facilities management people who might actually maybe possibly fix the fucking floor in my lab that is literally coming apart underfoot. Tonight I'm by myself, shopping online to keep my brain occupied, while husband is out all weekend adventuring with pals. Wreckage, generally. With a MSTRKRFT soundtrack:

Monday Confession

Sometimes, when I have to call a supplier for an e-mail copy of the latest invoice to reconcile my university purchasing card, I throw the person's name (+ company) into facebook to see what the person on the other line looks like.

Creeper factor: 11

Anglophone Edition

Travel plans at 3 AM - why is it ALWAYS the same?!?! I fall down these orbitz-rabbit-holes and can't get out.

But it feels like I've won the lottery this time: my initial budget for airfare was just shy of 1000 (or, 500 each way). Due to late night/early morning sleuthing, I got the return leg for 340, leaving 630 for the FIRST CLASS TRIP ON THE WAY THERE. I've hit the jackpot. And it looks like an Air Canada pre-fab meal with booze. Yess...

Pretend you're a rockstar/don't mind if I do.

Wait now

If NABS changes it's name to SFS, how am I supposed to easily find last year's conference program?

(Can you tell one of my tasks this week is to find relevant conferences that I might be attending as a company representative in 2012? I love my job.)

Update: Can't get from YQM to BOS without at least one stop in middle Canada on a Sunday. Thus a 2 hour flight bloats to 7 hours - gah!

The Brightest Scientific Minds

...write in Comic Sans:

Praytell, how could you possibly make this email opening MORE annoying?

To: University Community

From: Lala Mistypants, Chair, Committee on Committees

Subject: Committee on Committees, General Call for Input

The Committee on Committees is beginning a review of the terms and conditions of all standing committees of Senate. The last comprehensive review was done in 2002. We have asked all committee chairs to solicit input from their respective committee members on the particular terms and conditions and operations of their committee. We are also soliciting input on more general issues from the wider community of faculty, librarians, administrators, and students...

.........*headdesk*

Friday Night Chillin'

Yawn

I guess it's been pretty boring around here. I'll include some actual pictures in this post to cover that fact up.

National Chemistry Week = free chemical cupcakes. Most of the Halogens were gone by the time I wandered into the lounge, so I couldn't pick my favorite.

This is the costume-making workshop (with Mr.Tumnus in the background). My dog thought the faux fur was her long-lost mommy, so she curled up with it whenever we weren't actively cutting it up. We had some left over, so it went in her crate.

Harvesting some of our raspberries we transplanted in June:

And finally, a feel good note that I found in the Student Union Centre. I live in a place where this actually happens (I've deleted identifying information):