I think someone tried to "borrow" my most recent Netflix movie. The envelope was open so that the DVD could slide out.

I'm guessing the potential thief took one look at Ingmar Bergman and decided I should receive my movie after all.

I haven't read a blog or posted to my blog in weeks. Any number of excuses can be used for why I haven't been a good blogger lately: crazy days at work, my busy social life, or just being plain uninterested in blogging. What I have been doing a lot more of lately is reading, and maybe that was what I needed. Reading has put me back in touch with my desire to write, but I've just been diving into books (and films) lately, which means I don't really have time for a blog post or read.

You see, a typical day for me is: wake up, gym, work (with little time for distractions like reading blogs unless they are work related), work-related event or late night at work, arrive home tired, do nothing except watch TV or watch Netflix movie or read before going to bed. Blog reading usually fits into that after-work period, but lately I haven't had the interest (no offense). I've just wanted to do mindless things (like TV) or keep up with the great books I've been reading. Once I get started on a book, I just want to get right through it. The other time that I would use for blog reading was downtime at work. However, there hasn't been much downtime lately. And when I'm in a few minutes of it, I'm usually doing something mindless again. Blog posting and reading takes up just too much actual thought to be a random activity.

But I am back! I promise. I will start reading your blogs again. This weekend perhaps? Well, on Saturday because Sunday I am going to my first baseball game of the season (cannot wait - Go Sox!). So in between re-organizing my closet for spring/summer (because I think it is finally here), I will try to be online and see what all of you lovely bloggers have been doing lately.

I feel pretty. Oh, so pretty. I feel pretty and witty and broke.

Because I just shelled out way too much money for make-up. Something I usually buy at Walgreen's at a fraction of the price. What made today different?

I never really invest in make-up, but part of me thinks that at 25 I should start. So I was perusing the cosmetics area at Nordstrom this afternoon, wondering if I could get a mini-makeover to make my day a bit brighter. I also knew that I would inevitably walk away with a few products in hand, but if they looked good on me, what's the harm?

Oh everything looked good on me. And all the brushes were necessary for applying the goodies. So I couldn't just buy one without the other, right? (Again, my former investments in make-up had not required me to own make-up brushes.) I saw the tools as the proper investment; if I bought them today, I wouldn't need to buy them again.

When my stash of beauty supplies was put into dollar form, my heart skipped a beat or two. There was NO WAY I could have possibly spent THAT MUCH MONEY on some make-up. Seriously?

So then I went and bought two pairs of shoes.

Yes, I realize my latest posts have been short and, well, lame. My excuse for not posting is usually one of two things: I am busy or I want to just relax. When I am busy, I don't have time. When I just want to relax, I don't want to touch my computer.

I would like to start posting more regularly, and that is my new goal. Promise. I've got some material in my head that just needs to come out. And I'm reading a book that's giving me inspiration to actually start writing again (Interpreter of Maladies was first recommended to me by my senior seminar professor and now I can see why).

In the meantime, there are coyotes in Chicago.

Thank you Florida Gators. And all the other teams who played in the NCAA tournament and scored the way you did.

For someone who knows very little about college basketball, I wound up winning one of the office pools (this is 1st place out of over 80 entries) and came home with a nice wad of cash. Makes up for a relatively crappy day at work.