Sunday, January 30, 2011

Failed Resolutions, Etsy Love, and The Aqua Velva Man

It's January 30 already, and the coldest month of the year for Minnesotans is almost over! Yay! 

So, I'm curious... How are y'all doing on those New Year's resolutions that you shared at the beginning of the month?

I'm afraid that I'm not doing too well with my "Social Butterfly" goal - or my goal of losing 10 lbs. by March.

I feel a bit like the plump lady in this 1920's cartoon from The New Yorker...



It's not that I truly "wish to be alone."  I just haven't managed to find a way to fit in an active social life along with the two main after-work activities which suck up enormous amounts of my time:  blogging (and reading/commenting on other blogs) and selling on eBay & Etsy.

Those of you who have full time jobs AND blog AND sell in a shop AND manage to have a social life too - PLEASE tell me how you do it?

I feel like I'm always trying to wear too many hats at once, and it's not a pretty sight...



I'm a bit of a perfectionist (just a wee bit) and it pains me that I'm not able to devote the time necessary to looking marvelous in each of the hats that I'm wearing. 

So I'm often tempted to just say - the hell with it! - and let them all topple over and fall to the ground.  (You perfectionists out there - and I know there are plenty in BlogLand - you know what I'm talking about, don't you?)

Hey, thanks for letting me blow off a little steam.  I don't mean to be so negative.  Actually, there are some Things In My Life That Are Going Well Right Now...

1) I'm LOVING being an empty nester.  I was lonely for about 10 minutes - and after I got that out of my system, I have just been really truly enjoying my FREEDOM.

2) Etsy, Etsy, Etsy...How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...  Oh, how I adore selling on Etsy!  It's the best thing since sliced bread.  It's a perfect companion to eBay for me - and I want to thank all of you for nudging me to start selling there.


3) I've been graced with some lovely blog awards recently (thank you La Dama, Piroska, and Lady Cherry!) and am having fun coming up with a little list of bloggers that I'd like to pass the awards on to.  I'm a big procrastinator, though, so don't hold your breath for that.  In the meantime, take a peek at Lady Cherry's clever awards post:  A Night At the BLOscars.  She's so witty!

4) I've been doing the online dating thing for the past month, and...  Wait a minute, how did this slip into my list of things that are going well?  Online dating - Ugh!   To be honest, I have been a big fan of online dating in the past and have even had some success with it (short-term, obviously) - but lately the crop of interesting men seems to have dwindled.  Maybe it's just me - guess my heart isn't in it. 

Or maybe it's just that I'm still looking for this man...


"Ice Blue" Aqua Velva ad - Look magazine - December 11, 1956

I keep forgetting that the Aqua Velva Man has aged a bit.
And so have I. 

Happy Sunday!  Hope you enjoy the rest of your week.  I promise to put on my Blog Reading hat and find some time to stop by and visit soon!




24 comments:

  1. Well, you thoroughly deserve those awards for putting so much effort into your blog posts.
    We've seen how pretty you are so don't you dare go comparing yourself to that plump lady!!
    Good luck with finding the Aqua Velvet man but I think he's possibly WAAAYYY to old for you. xxx

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  2. Great post! And: congratulations for your awards!! Actually in that New Yorker picture is no one who I would like to look alike.. ;") And I am pretty sure that you haven't got the slightest resemblence to any of them.. March is more than one step ahead - so: don't stress yourself - I am sure you'll make it! (this includes your other goals as well) :")

    Have a GREAT week!!

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  3. haha, that pic from the New Yorker made me giggle. Ebay and blogger take up lots of my time too. In fact all day today x

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  4. Vix & Frl. Irene - thanks for being so sweet. I really wasn't fishing for compliments...but I enjoy them anyway. :-)

    Vix, you're right about the Aqua Velva Man being a bit too old for me. Let's see, if he was 25 back in 1956, he'd be about 80 now. I'm not quite there yet.

    Amy, thanks for stopping - love your blog! I'm a new fan... Glad to know that I'm not the only one who can easily spend an entire precious weekend day on blogging and selling related stuff.

    When I do that, sometimes it feels great. But sometimes I feel...is this really what I should be doing with my life?

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  5. I let all my hats tumble on a regular basis!

    Maybe the Aqua Velva man has a son... or a grandson!

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  6. Lizzie - Yeah, an Aqua Velva, Jr. about 48 to 50-something would be just about right. But a grandson? Ha! In my dreams... :)

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  7. thanks for the blog comment. Yes it's a vintage kitchen cupboard or kitchen 'safe' as I think they used to call them. Its in my craft room and I eep all sorts of stuf in it. There's a better pic of it on an old post I did here;
    http://blightyboutique.blogspot.com/2010/07/excuse-mammoth-blog.html

    Amy x

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  8. I started looking at the internet how to sell things in for example a web shop, that was in 2006 or 5 and still.....I started a blog, yes and I sold a few things on let's say the Dutch Craig's list and that is it! No more resolutions for me! I still can use the ones of the past ten years. BUT there is good news too; though no resolution last year, I managed to loose 16 kgs (which is a little more than 32 lbs)!!! Part of that due to biking to the thrift store so selling is more necessary than ever! Cute post!

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  9. Hahaha I love the cartoon! I feel like that lady at well. My new years resolutions are... not going well. I was going to quit eating chocolate and candy (fail) and join the gym (fail)... so yeah! hehe

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  10. Thank you for the mention!

    I agree, l need 8 days a week ro keep up with everything! Life is hard work sometimes; bit its worth it!

    I totally agree about alone time, was thinking earlier l could really do with a day of nothing to myself!

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  11. I'm only wearing the "Blogging hat" and the part-time job one it's already taking a lot of my time so I'm amazed that you can work full-time AND blog AND sell on e-bay AND sell on etsy. You should be proud of yourself Susan, especially because while doing all those stuff you manage to care about your look!
    And someday a guy will look at you and see how amazing you are!
    My mum (who's a bit older than you obviously),is also single, I wanted her to test the on-line dating but the only guys she found good-looking were the ones who wanted a younger women...silly...

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  12. Lili, you lost 35 lbs last year! Amazing... I never thought of biking to thrift stores/estate sales. What a great excuse for adding more stuff to the growing pile!

    Miss K - Glad you can laugh at your failed resolutions. I like your attitude!

    Oh Lexy! - you are always so good at boosting me up! Are all French women as kind as you?

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  13. I'm a perfectionist and am never satisfied with my efforts so I understand where you are coming from, at least we recognise it in ourselves and know the reason why, how cross we'd be if we didn't recognise it!

    Resolutions, erm don't ask, January has been stupidly busy I feel February might be the time!

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  14. I like your sense of humor, and your openness. And you have nothing to do with the plump lady from the first photo. It's ok not to take oneself seriously, but comparisons as this one might hurt you, on whatever level, so discard them, you're a beautiful lady.

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  15. Thank you for visiting my blog and following!
    I like your blog too, so I will follow you back :) I really liked your etsy shop, I wish I had more money and knowledge to buy something.. :) The brooches were absolutely gorgeous!

    -Sara
    autumn, coffee and inspiration

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  16. He has aged just a tad. :-)

    http://bit.ly/AquaVelvaManManyYearsLater

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  17. Michael - Oh no! That can't possibly be my Aqua Velva Man!

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  18. New Year's Resolutions are really tough but keep plugging away. And it's a long time to go before March, or at least the end of March, so don't stress too much about the weight. After all, stress makes out bodies hold on to weight ^_~

    I've forgotten how much I enjoy reading your blog!

    -Desiree, Pop-o-matic Deluxe!

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  19. you are so funny. what a great post. you know my story....i never stick to resolutions, so i don't make them and i am a loner....because i have 2 little kids and my husband is NEVER HOME. i can't fit a social life in unless that person has young kids and likes junk...lol.
    i have been overwhelmed with way too many hats for way too long too.....i don't think you can stack them that high or it turns into that man in that book CAPS FOR SALE....and they are stolen by monkeys or cats or whomever stole them...point is...too many is too many.
    hang in there. enjoy your freedom. it must be very empowering.....i hope. something i don't feel like i have much of staying home with young ones....
    off to look at your etsy store. have fun with it!!!!
    aqua velva has to be better than old spice. i'm convinced!!! ooh la la virtual man.
    cheers.
    sue

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  20. VintageSue - Me funny? No, it's YOU who are funny! Caps for Sale - I forgot about that book! What a great image...

    Thanks ALL for stopping by! - I haven't been doing much blog reading or posting lately because I have a new goal for the month of February: List 10 items a week on Etsy/eBay. I know it doesn't sound like a lot - but I'm slooow...

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  21. Well, I'm tired just from reading about all the things you ARE doing! Working full time and keeping up with your beautiful blog plus ebay and etsy is a lot. And about the guy thing - keep your eyes and heart open. Sometimes they pop up in the most unexpected places.

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  22. You have been busy and now to add an Aqua Velva Man to your list you will be busy

    I only want to be involved with a man with a snow blower now LOL

    we are waist deep

    Janice

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  23. thats the funniest picture..your not plump at all amor..maybe your too busy selling thats why yo uhavent done your goals..and yeah the aqua man is too old.

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  24. The Floflo cartoon cracked. Me. UP. I love the expression on the dog's face. And his name. Congrats on your awards and good luck with the internet dating. I thought it was all so Dateline/Chris Hansen, but then I met a lot of nice people online and finally my fiance/steady of 3 years. The Aqua Velva man might be a click away! In the meantime, I selfishly ask you to not let the blogging hat slip... I get such a kick out of your writings and your finds! :)

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I love all of your comments - it's what makes blogging fun! C'mon, let's get a conversation going...

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