Exercise Wear

Do you exercise?  If you do, what do you wear?

I think it's possible to be stylish when exercising.  Or, at least, colorful.  Here I'm playing with color to make the activity special.  What do you think?

P.S., Sometimes photos don't accurately record outfits.  You may not realize it here, but I'm wearing a yellow mesh-top over my purple bralette and pants.  The mesh-top almost disappears in the pictures, while making the purple it covers look pink.  In real-life, the mesh-top covers my belly and makes the outfit look much more modest.  To cure this optical flaw, I'm adding a detail-shot which shows the mesh-top more clearly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We Be Giants

There's another blogger who is as tall as I am.  Her name is Gracey and she's a friend of mine.  Gracey has a fun blog on which she displays her talent for dressing well.

Gracey and I are tall (6'0") but still within normal range.  For comic effect, Gracey calls her blog "Fashion For Giants."  We joke about being ginormous.

Last year, I met Gracey in person when she visited New York.  She was as nice and charming in person as she is online.  Gracey is one of those friends whom you cherish.  She's a wonderful person.

So why am I gushing over her like a schoolgirl?  Well, to explain the following photos.  Gracey gave me two presents, both of which I'm showing here.  The first one is something she calls a "lady-tie."  Others call it a pussy bow or mini-scarf.  I've always admired this item and, after reading that on my blog, Gracey found one for me.  Then she found another.  This is the second one she sent.  I love its pretty colors and traditionally feminine vibe.

The second gift is a necklace with the symbol of Gracey's home-state, Oregon.  I'm embarrassed to admit how little I know about geography.  During our meetup, I referred to Oregon as being in the Midwest (like Iowa).  Gracey was kind enough not to correct me.  I later learned Oregon is on the West Coast,  above California.  It actually abuts the Pacific Ocean.  Who knew?

 

 

 

The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Boxing Gloves

I recently wore an accessory that I've NEVER seen anyone else wear.  Ever.  Pink boxing gloves.

I like the gloves -- not only are they cute, they symbolize female power.

I thought it would be fun to share the gloves, since you probably don't see them in your local stores.  So I'm setting the gloves loose.  Anyone who wants to use the gloves can; all you have to do is incorporate them in an outfit-post and then pass them along to the next blogger in the chain.

If you want to be in the chain of badass boxing bloggers, just say so in a comment or e-mail.  I'll ship them out to one of you and ask they be passed along from blogger to blogger.  It'll be fun to see the gloves floating around the blogosphere -- think of how cool you'll look wearing them!

Things I Saw Today

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Absurd? Maybe Not

There's a comedian who was popular in the Eighties whose name is Steven Wright.  He's still around but not as well-known now.

Steven's performances are unusual.  He tells jokes in a dead monotone, focusing all attention on his material.  His jokes are about absurd ideas -- but if you think about them, they contain a kernel of truth.  That contrast creates humor.

Rather than describe Steven's material, let me give you some of his observations:


I was wondering how my life would have been different if I'd been borne one day earlier.  Then I thought maybe it wouldn't have been different other than I would have asked that question yesterday.

It was the first time I was ever in love.  I learned a lot.  Before then, I never even thought about killing myself.

I went to the supermarket today.  I picked up some milk and went up to the register and I said, "Hi.  How are you?" and she said "Will that be all?" and I said, "No, I want to buy this."

Next week I'm going to have a MRI to find out if I have claustrophobia.

A friend of mine has a trophy-wife but apparently it wasn't First Place.

I bought a new camera.  It's very advanced.  You don't even need it.

I bought an iPod.  It can hold 5,000 songs or one telephone message from my mother.

You know, if heat rises, Heaven might be hotter than Hell.

My doctor told me I shouldn't work out any more until I'm in better shape.

One of my grandfathers died when he was a little boy.

I was driving down the highway and saw a guy hitchhiking.  He had a sign that said "Heaven."  So I hit him.

You know, the Earth is bipolar.

She was a mail-order bridesmaid.

She drank so much she slurred her pauses.

She was studying forensic astronomy.

I'm writing an unauthorized autobiography.

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Have you heard of Steven Wright?  Do you think any of these jokes are funny?

The Joy Of Shopping

Before I started to blog, I didn't shop much.  When I needed something, I'd go in, buy it and go home.  I didn't linger; I didn't browse; I didn't even go to stores unless I was on a mission.

That's changed.  I've learned the joy of shopping. 

This week, I had a few spare minutes during lunch so I visited a nice boutique in my town (Fox's).  I rarely buy retail, but this store has designer clothes at discount prices.  I wasn't planning to buy anything, just look around.

But there it was!  A pretty dress in unusual colors.  After circling it a few times (do you ever do that?), I was more and more intrigued.  After finding one in my size, I plunked down $29.  I'm considering this dress a Spring gift to myself since today is the first day of Spring.

What do you think of the dress?  Aren't the colors interesting?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Flip Side

I rarely look at myself in male-mode.  I don't think there's much to see there.  But, after studying my female appearance, I decided to take a glance at how I look as a man.

Surprisingly, I saw things I wasn't previously aware of.  My resemblance to my father; my obvious aging; and my inner soul -- which permeates my face despite the mask I thought concealed it.

Do you see anything?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Battling Back

It's been a long time since I've done an outfit-post.  That's because life knocked me down and I've been reeling.  Fortunately, I got back up before the Referee counted to ten.

To battle back, I created a fun outfit today.  I'm trying to restore enthusiasm to my spirit.  I sought a look that's playful, feminine and light.

This is what I came up with.  What do you think?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back In The Saddle Again

The past two weeks have been among the worst in my life.  Not only did I suffer from the physical injuries of my recent accident, last week I caught an awful cold that turned into bronchitis.  Fever, pounding headaches and constant body pain -- on top of which I had to worry about and conduct a trial in Queens at the end of the week.  I was miserable every day.

But that's behind me now.  Or most of it.  My injuries are 80% healed.  My cold is gone.  My trial is over.  Let's turn the page.

Good news -- I used the opportunity of the accident to not only have my bike repaired but also make some modifications which increase the power and handling of the machine.  I picked the bike up today and it looks great.  Unfortunately, my  right arm is still screwed up so I can't ride well but that strength will return in a few weeks.

My new gear arrived.  I love my shiny Vanson leather jacket.  Stylish, top-notch and cool.  It'll magically transform me into the badass biker you know.  I had to replace my ruined boots, too; the new pair feel wonderful.

Filling out the odd mix that is me, I want to create a new female outfit soon.  Something feminine and light.  But I'll have to be careful to cover up my legs 'cause they still show scrapes and bruises.  Being a badass isn't easy...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hummos and Me

Thirty years ago, I was introduced to hummos.  I ate it at Greek restaurants and Maura made it at home.  I loved hummos at first bite and have never lost my taste for the dish. 

Not only is hummos creamy and tasty, it is incredibly healthy.  Its pure plant nutrition is good for you.  Hummos is perfect for sandwiches instead of less-healthy spreads like mayonnaise (which contains eggs).

In the past three decades, hummos has transformed from an exotic foreign dish to a popular item available in any American supermarket.  Moms buy it.  If you haven't tasted it yet, it's time to try it.

The great thing about hummos is its variety of tastes.  Every Greek restaurant makes it differently.  You can buy it in stores with over a dozen fun toppings, like roasted garlic or black olives.

Natalie Portman, who's a vegetarian, says she eats her body-weight in hummos every day.  I believe that.  Hummos is popular around the world, especially in the Middle East.

What is hummos?  It's a simple combination of a few natural foods.  I'm making some this weekend, so I thought to explain its ingredients to you.

The primary ingredient is chickpeas.  In fact, "hummos" is an Arabic word meaning chickpeas.  Chickpeas are seeds that are super-high in protein.  They're perfect for vegetarians looking for non-meat protein.  Plus, they have a pleasant mild flavor.

The second ingredient is Tahini (which is pronounced,"Ta-heen-a").  Tahini is simply ground-up sesame seeds.  You buy it in jars in ethnic food-stores.  It rarely has preservatives or anything else in it.

Hummos is seasoned by the spices you add.  Essentials are garlic and lemon-juice.  Optional spices are paprika, salt, pepper and hot peppers.

Making hummos couldn't be easier.  Basically you just toss everything in a food-processor and mix it up.  You can make it chunky or smooth, depending on your preference.  Here's the recipe I'm using today, only I'm doubling the amount of garlic and lemon-juice to make it zestier.

Do you like hummos?  Have you ever tried making it?