I've had a great first year blogging here at haighthearts, now I am starting a new, more organized (ha!) blog over on wordpress called The Roaring Recession. It's all about life in these times, my fight to stay afloat, and keeping creative and fashionable. Thanks so much for reading!
xoxo
My second segment of HIlarious (to me) text messages between me and Oddie my BFF.
This one is from today (nearly 3 months after election day)
Oddie: Yay! Yes we can! I voted for change!
Me: Wait, did you vote?
Oddie: I had a personal election! I won!
Me: Yes you can!
Yes, this is what I did tonight.
It's been over a year since I got a pedicure (pre-recession, i had one at least 2x a month [!!!]) and almost 2 months since I have even done it myself. It's a good thing I did though because i think my happiness level went up maybe .5 points now that I'm not looking at ugly plain toenails anymore.
I was thinking about this one time when I had to interview my grandma about the Depression for a class in 7th grade, and she told me stories about drawing seams on their legs cause they had no stockings and rolling their hair with tin cans. For me, saving and making money without sacrificing quality of life has become kind of an obsession for me of late.
Clothes: I bought a $2 GAP sweater from the Goodwill distribution center for the background jobs I'm doing in the movies, and it's actually become my new favorite. I never thought I'd enjoy second hand clothes as much as I do now. Although Target is having like a 75% off sale or something ridiculous, and I got a t-shirt for $7, same as Goodwill prices.
Books: Used on Amazon. Why waste more paper and money?
iTunes: Cheap, and no plastic wasted! I love it!!!
Sephora lip gloss: $10, but just as pretty as the fancy ones like Dior and MAC.
Cheap wine: Yes.
Breakfast out: Here's how do do it on the cheap. Go to a Wal Mart with a McDonald's. The Deluxe breakfast is like $3.50, you get eggs, sausage, 3 "hot cakes", an english muffin, and a cancerous hash brown (yum). Then as you're waiting for your order run into Wal Mart's refrigerated aisle and buy a bottle of OJ. It's bigger than the teeny bottle they sell at McDonald's and like 30 cents less! Awesome.
Pedicure: OK, I went to cosmetology school to learn this stuff, but you can get pretty good at it with practice. You'll need one of those Ped-Eggs (amazing) a nail file (shaping instead of cutting) lotion, socks, and quick dry top coat. Put the lotion on the night after you paint your toes so it doesn't smudge and sleep with socks on. That's it.
I'm going to think up more amazing tips, but you know how I start things then forget about it, so
Yeah, it's been a while since I blogged anything, I think I've just been concentrating on not freezing to death (see post below).
Right now is the Lucky 13 Sale, all tops being just $13.
I went to the Goodwill Distribution Center in downtown LA yesterday. I had heard of this place and until yesterday it was an urban vintage myth. Years ago I was told of this place where the clothes were seriously cheap. I finally tracked it down, and I knew immediately I was in the right place-there were bins and bins of clothes haphazardly dumped in and people tearing through them.
There's a small price to pay for such inexpensive secondhand clothes ($1.50 women's apparel, $2 for pants)- my fingers narrowly grazed a red thong and some big grandma underpants thrown carelessly into the mix. An uneaten granola bar also floated through one of the bins.
But, I had a tiny triumph-I discovered someone's discarded boy scout sash complete with 7 pristine merit badges. I carefully detached them with a seam ripper (there's a reason sewing was not one of this boy scout's merits) and glued little circles of gray felt (handfelted from a secondhand wool sweater) on the back, and then a metal pin:
Voila! Merit badge pins-for those of you that like to buy your awards, they're only $1 each.
I swear it is like 50 degrees in my house. On a student's income heat and ac are just not options. It's hard to type cause my hands freeze, so i whipped up some snazzy fingerless hobo gloves of some felted sweater scraps. They fucking rule.
Sometimes I do think that there's not a huge difference between my life and a homeless person's.
Horrible camera pic, my real camera decided to die after I dropped it.
An arborphile's dream:)
The Pirate's House-where able-bodied men were drugged and shanghaied through a secret tunnel only to awaken miles away at sea.
Typical amazing historical house..jpg)
I think the last time I wrote one of these letters was in 5th grade when I started a Save the Whales Club and forced my friend to write a letter with me to President Clinton about the issue. I remember I got an "autographed" picture of the President and a nagging feeling that nothing at all would happen. Well, I'm back to my old tricks! I stopped by Goodwill today to look for wool sweaters to turn into a sweater quilt and i found one that was perfect but stained. Well, the reason for my letter is explained here:
Hello,
I recently visited your store in Cerritos and found an item that had some significant staining, however, since i was planning on repurposing it for a project of mine I inquired if Goodwill offers discounts on damaged items. I was informed that you do not, and that the item should not have been on the rack and that it was to be "sent back."
I am not sure if this is your stance on discounting items, but if it is, I have some concerns. I frequently upcycle and repurpose clothes and whenever I am in Goodwill there is an announcement on the radio about how shopping at Goodwill reduces clothes that end up in the landfill. I asked the clerk what happens when damaged clothes are "sent back." She didn't know, so I am assuming if they arent fit for discount in the store then they do end up back in the landfill.
I am concerned because this item was stained in a way that no one would wear it, at the least not for the full price. If someone offers money in exchange for something unsellable I would think that the offer would be accepted, not just for monetary gain but to ensure that the item is finding a second purpose and not sitting in a landfill polluting the earth. I offered to buy this piece with a permanent plan for it that would have avoided this outcome, but I left it because I would rather find something in good condition if I am going to pay full price.
I hope you can reconsider your position on offering discounts in the stores.
Thank you,
Erin Haight
You know, people should try writing letters about issues they care about more often. Having worked as a hairstylist in the service industry for so many years, I realize that if people just complained about important things as vehemently as they do totally fucking dumb things, we just might get somewhere!
This awesome dress was scarcely online 10 minutes before it was sold. Congrats to the new owner, I almost didn't let it go!
Other new vintage is up tonight as well!
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