Michele's Musings

I'M MOVING!

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 00:39:00 +0000

Well friends, after 3 years, it's time for a change, and I'm so happy to say that I'm moving.

This blog has been a great sounding board for me over the years, and it was a godsend to have while I was in grad school and trying to balance the stress of work, school, a new relationship and moving to Boston.

But more than 3 years later, my focus has changed. My passions have changed, and so... this blog must change.

I'll still be Michele's Musings, but I needed a smarter blog address to help narrow my focus and build my following, so from now on you can find me here: MicheleMuses.blogspot.com.

I really hope you'll come on over to the new blog. It's the same me with a new address. Don't worry, no housewarming gifts necessary, unless of course you're into that sort of thing. In which case, feel free to send me a gift.

My First Attempt to Thrift Sell = FAIL

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 10:27:00 +0000

My weekend with one of my favorite gal pals fell through after her work event was canceled this week, so my plans changed significantly. After feeling awesome about my scores at Target, I decided to do some spring cleaning of the closet variety.

I hand selected about a dozen items (about half with tags on them) to sell at Buffalo Exchange, a national thrift shop with a good conscience. When I arrived there was a line of folks looking to sell their wares, so I waited patiently. I chatted with the woman in front of me who had some ridiculously awesome wares from around the world (think red leather knee high boots from Ireland, a leather cream motorcycle jacket, and an ultra fab tweed coat) and each item the BE buyer pulled from the bag was better than the item before. When it was said and done, BE rejected almost half of the stuff (and seriously, I would have snatched everything up if the shoes had only fit.) Once I saw that, I knew my stuff didn't stand a chance.

Included in my wares today were a pair of studded suede pumps that I wore once, plus cropped black silk pants, olive ankle pants and a white linen skirt, all from Ann Taylor Loft. After going through all my items, BE took ONE top - a cheapo top from New York & Company. When I asked why, the girl said that most of these items were too "worn" to be considered. HOW could clothes with tags on them be considered too "worn" to take?

Since this is my first time to thrift sell, I'm curious if this is the norm, and if so, what should I consider when taking clothes to a consignment shop?

Have you Seen Target Lately?

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 11:28:00 +0000

Once a go-to staple for shopping, I admit that I've neglected Target for a while. Every once in a while I see something cute, but for the most part I haven't seen anything inspiring, even the recent re-releases of the Go Collection. I know, I know, that's almost blasphemous; please don't hate me or take away my fashion card for saying that. But everything changed this past weekend when I went to pick up some toiletries.

I spent at least half an hour in the dressing room trying on everything I could find, and eventually settled on these two items:

Buy here

This Merona striped tee is normally $20, but it was on sale for $17 - hello deal! This will be perfect for a casual Friday at the office with some sandals, or on weekends when I want something comfy and still a little dressy. I can picture a pair of Chuck Taylor's being the perfect shoe for walking around Boston and soaking up the sunshine.

Buy here

Also from Merona, this Phiona faux lace skirt is really cute and totally office appropriate. I picture pairing it with a melon or pink shirt and nude pumps for the office.

Despite only settling on these two items, I loved half a dozen others, so if you haven't checked out Target lately, I strongly suggest you get down there ASAP. I guarantee you'll find something you can't resist.

Happy Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 14:30:00 +0000

Happy Friday lovelies! TGIF! I thought you'd enjoy one more picture from my Jamaica vacation. Each year I take a photo of my feet lounging at the beach, and these always end up being one of my favorite photos from the trip.

I have to say that my first week back from vacation was really tough - ouch! - but luckily I have a friend visiting from Texas and the weather in Boston is supposed to be downright balmy, so it's going to be a doubly good weekend if I do say so myself!

What do you have on tap? Whatever it is, I hope you have sunny skies and warm weather so you can get out and enjoy the time.

Swimsuit Fashionista

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 10:41:00 +0000

I got the sweetest email from Pop.Bop.Shop commenting on my outfits during Jamaica, and she sweetly suggested I share those photos with you. Never one to turn down a request from a loyal reader, I present my Jamaica fashion for those .001% of you who are not my Facebook friends (but we can change that if you really want - just e-mail me.)


With the fabulous twinlets, Jess and Jo. The necklace belonged to my grandma - it's one of my fave costume pieces. Dress, from Hemline boutique in Dallas, TX.

With the handsome hubs. Weird that I already call him the hubs and we're not engaged yet? Nah! Wearing a SeerSucker dress picked up from Francesca's Boutique in Cambridge, MA.

Roasting marshmallows at the beach. Wearing a top I got at a gently used boutique in Dallas (best $5 I ever spent) and white pants from Second Time Around (again, gently used.)

Lounging on the beach in one of my fave Victoria's Secret bathing suits (and congratulating myself for working out so hard.) :)


In my new favorite Victoria's Secret bikini. At the private waterfalls in Ocho Rios. Can you believe how tall Stephen is (and how handsome)?

So there you have it - my Jamaican outfits (the ones that were good enough to show you.) I don't normally like showing off outfits (especially when there's not much to show) but this could be the start to doing more fashion outfit photos. Let me know if you'd be down for seeing more - I can't promise it will be often, but, like I did for P.B.S. in this post, I'm happy to oblige my readers.

Rested and Relaxed

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 10:21:00 +0000

I'm finally back from Jamaica; rested, relaxed and back in full force. I'll have photos from my trip up later, but Stephen and I had a wonderful trip. We spent the first half of the trip with my twinlet friends, where all we did was lay by the pool, reading and drinking fabulous drinks (you can read about it here and get a sneak peek at my very handsome beau.) After the twinlets left, we moved our selves down to the beach (to read and drink) but ended up getting way more active. We took out the Hobie cats and sailed on the ocean, played numerous games of beach volleyball, and went hiking up the famous Dunn's River Falls.

The trip was exactly what I needed to recharge my batteries and continue strengthening my relationship with Stephen. It's amazing how much a week away from the routine can do you good.

I hope you all had a wonderful week while I was out, and I look forward to catching up on everyone's happenings as well. I'll be back to usual posting tomorrow. Yeah, mon!

The Gift of Being Valued

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 10:31:00 +0000

Today I learned that a former colleague from my Dallas agency is finally moving on to the next step in her career. She described the feeling as bittersweet, and I know exactly what she means because I was there when I left the agency too.

As I reflected on how awesome my old agency was (hey guys, miss you!), I can't help but think about how great my new agency is. It's challenging to be sure, but one of the things that makes it so right is that I feel like a valued team member. It's one thing to be treated like a cog in the wheel, and something totally different to know that you're valuable and valued by your employer. It makes all that hard work and time put into doing my job seem worth it.

So thank you company, for giving me a voice, for letting my voice be heard, for guiding me through a new and challenging position, and for trusting me and trusting in me. You guys rock!

Live it Up, Will Ya?

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:43:00 +0000

I don't normally pay attention to my horoscope, but today's was funny enough that I had to share:

Leo (July 23 - August 22)

Spring is in the air and it’s time to quit it with the old married couple routine. Even if you are single, whatever schedule you have yourself running on, time to end it and throw some interesting monkey wrenches into your life. Adventure is calling and it's time to step out of your usual routine! Dare yourself to take that next step to realizing your dream.
This was particularly funny because I feel like Stephen and I are an old married couple, and we're neither old, nor married (but our cats do make our lives exciting.) If we're this bad already, what happens when we do get married and start having a family? How lame will we be then?

I shared my horoscope with Stephen, and while his recommendation was fun, it was also a little reckless and irresponsible, something not even an old married couple should be. So I'm turning to my community for some suggestions on things we can do to shake up our ~~boring~~ laid back routine. I'd love to hear your thoughts on things we can do that are out of the box, fun, and will get us back to being a young, hip couple.

For Japan

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:42:00 +0000

Please join me, alongside my fellow bloggers, in a donation to help those in Japan who are facing a serious struggle in the immediate future. My heart aches for those who lost their lives and families last week, and the least we can do is donate a little money to help them recover. Thanks, and God bless those of us who are so fortunate right now, and God bless those in Japan.

Trouve, What a Find

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:18:00 +0000

My French skills are ~~not so awesome anymore~~ a little rusty, so I admittedly had to Google what Trouve means in English. Turns out it means "found" which is awesome, because my latest shoe purchase was a major find. I guess you could say that these shoes found me.

If you're not familiar with Trouve, it's an in-house line from Nordstrom (and if you know anything about shoes, Nordstrom is one of the key places for shoes.) I happened upon these shoes while walking through the shoe department on my way to Ann Taylor (well played Nordstrom, well played.)

Trouve Bridgeport

These wedge booties are just so cute, and it doesn't matter that I can't think of a single thing to wear with them, I had to have them. I've got a few ideas of what to wear these with, but I'd love any suggestions - are they too dressy for shorts, or not dressy enough this pencil skirt and top?

Please share your thoughts. I'd love some feedback!

Brad's Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 10:58:00 +0000

I have two confessions to make. The first is that I recently canceled my cable. Yeah, it was crazy on my part, but "regular TV" isn't ~~killing me yet~~ so bad.

My second confession is that The Rachel Zoe project is one of my favorite shows. I've faithfully watched Zoe from season 1, where that nasty girl, Tay Tay, tormented my favorite reality gay, Brad. I guess karma has a way of catching up because where is Tay Tay now? I know, I know, she's doing fashion, but still. She does not have the star power of Brad. I love Brad, and while I was sad to see him leave TRZP, I can now get a semi-regular dose of Brad thanks to the launch of his new blog!

Brad Goreski via

The aptly named Brad's Blog will give you the innermost thoughts of Brad, including where he is in the world and what he's working on. While I'm super stoked about reading about Brad, the thing that struck me the most is that Brad's blog is hosted on Blogger. It's such humble beginnings that I can't help but love Brad even more!

So go check out Brad's Blog when you get the chance.

Bridezilla Beware!

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 10:44:00 +0000

When I think of Bridezillas, I can't help but giggle. I never understood how the "happiest day of your life" could be so stressful that it sends brides to be into crazy mode. So, I couldn't help but laugh even harder when I came across this nifty gift from Refinery 29.

Buy here

The bad-ass bridal brass knuckles. I don't think any Bridezilla would have to get all Bridezilla on any offending person just by flashing this set.

It also makes a really nifty gift for the girl who's dying to get engaged (do you hear me boyfriend?God?) If all else fails, one whack upside the head to your beloved with this four ring bling might have him seeing diamonds in his sleep (do you hear me now boyfriend?)

Texas Hold Em

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 12:06:00 +0000

It's no secret that I love all things Texas. To be a Texan (especially a lady Texan) is to be bold and assertive (and still maintain the southern ladylike charm.) Loving all things Texas means I was especially excited when my favorite nail polish company launched their latest line dedicated to, you guessed it, Texas.**

The Texas collection by OPI has 12 lust worthy shades with even better names. "Do You Think I'm Tex-y" is the ultimate spring berry shade that I imagine most women in Dallas are wearing right.this.second. Want something a little more daring? The awesome orange, "Y'all Come Back Now, Ya Hear?" is right up your alley. But my absolute faves have to be "Big Hair, Big Nails," the epitome of Texas (what? I know there are photos of me with big hair. Just ask my parents.) and San Tan-tonio, the perfect greige. And of course, our girl Suzy (you can find her skiing the Pyrenees) loves Cowboys too. Pampered and Polish and That Leanne both have nice write ups and you can see these colors up close (don't they just look awesome on?)

You can see close ups of all the lust worthy shades here, but if you're dying to channel your inner Texan (and who isn't?) I suggest you get your butt to you nearest salon and tell them you want to be Texan. Big hair optional.

*shout out to Pop.Bop.Shop girl for e-mailing me this weekend and telling me I need to blog about this collection. She was right.

Black Betty

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 11:55:00 +0000

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend. I spent all weekend, and most of last night working on taking home this:

Meet Black Betty, my new girl (named after a favorite classic song). She's a 2011 Ford Escape XLT 4wd. I honestly was only "looking" at upgrading Holly, but Ford offered can't-be-beat financing, and 72 hours later this girl is mine.

Betty has so many bells and whistles that I've never thought about before, including Ford's Sync system powered by Microsoft. I can't tell you everything it does yet, but on the list of cool includes the ability to say commands, make hands-free phone calls and sync up and play music from my Blackberry or iPod. It's pretty crazy and a little overwhelming, but I'm excited to discover all the nifty tricks this girl can do.

I've got to admit, it was a little sad to say good bye to Holly (and a tear or two may have been shed) but Betty will be a nice upgrade.

Have a Fabulous Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 12:01:00 +0000


Image via

Hello Friday! I'm so glad to see you! Have you noticed how short work weeks seem to turn into the longest?

What are you up to this weekend? We're expected to get more snow (grrr!) so I'll be dreaming of our upcoming Jamaican vacation to get my thoughts on the positive track. There will also be some serious gym time and some serious Oscar's watching.

Whatever you're up to, I hope you have a fabulous weekend!

Think Pink

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 11:34:00 +0000

Boston was lucky enough last week to have two days of spring-worthy weather (high 50s - yes please!), and that has me thinking pink in everything I wear. I must admit that I'm not usually a girly girl, and I've never really been one for pink, but this year I'm craving every shade of the pretty color.

I didn't hesitate to pick up this gorgeous Kate Spade skirt last week during the online sample sale, and literally squealed when it arrived over the weekend. Isn't this skirt just lovely? I'm already dreaming up different tops to mix with this skirt to take me through fall (did I just say fall? go ahead and slap me.)


Kate Spade Janelle Skirt - buy it here

Ann Taylor Loft


LA Made - buy here

I'm also eyeing this gorgeous Ann Taylor Loft shell - it's perfect for a casual day at work with jeans and nude pumps. This LA Made dress is on sale at Piperlime, so snatch it up while you can.

So are you thinking pink this spring, or do you, like me (in most cases) avoid the ultra feminine shade?

Hapy Lovers Day

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 11:55:00 +0000

Happy Valentine's Day to all my lovelies, and especially to my lover. I just love this Valentine from Kate Spade's BMINE e-Valentine collection - it reminds me of Stephen in so many ways.

What do you have planned for this special day? We're skipping our usual plans and I'm making dinner at home. Whatever your plans, I hope you have a fabulous day!

Winner Winner - Weekend Kick-Off

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 20:36:00 +0000

My weekend was already going to be awesome (hello snowboarding!) but today I got news that officially got the weekend kicked off on the right foot.

The Lovely Ladies at Shop Mamie selected me as their giveaway winner for telling them how I'm beating the winter blues (hint).

It doesn't take a genius to tell you that I'm over the moon about winning a $40 gift certificate to their site - the clothes are fabulous (or Mah-jor!), and the price is oh-so-right. It's going to be tough to pick just one or two things, but here's what's topping my list to keep me looking cute off the slopes:

High Tides Cropped Jacket - Just $44!

The Honeycomb jacket - perfect for spring

The jeggings I have been lusting over

The Poppy Military jacket to fuel my craving for all things orange

So when you get a chance (like, now!) go check out Shop Mamie and stock up on their ultra great wares.

Thank you again ladies, I can't wait to go shopping!

Shredding It

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 12:46:00 +0000

Remember last fall when we went for a little relaxing weekend and came back with full snowboard setups? We thought it would be a great excuse to learn how to snowboard, plus it's a way to make the looooong winter a little more fun.

Well, I've got to admit that it's been SO much fun learning how to snowboard. We've been twice now. The first time we went to Wachusetts, a little mountain about an hour outside of Boston. We stayed on the bunny trail that day, just getting familiar with our boards, learning how to stand up, how to stop and how to carve. The bunny trail was jam packed and we spent most of the day biting it while trying to avoid the crowds that just hung out in the middle of the trail. It was awesome, let me tell you.

Last week we kicked it up a notch and went with our neighbors to WaterValley in New Hampshire. Our neighbors are good boarders; the guy grew up in NH, so he's been boarding/skiing since he could walk. His girlfriend (also a warm weather native like me) isn't as good, but has been boarding for a few years so she's way more advanced than we are.

Stephen and I spent the morning on the bunny trail again, but after a few hours I was ready to tackle the mountain. Mind you, I was only ready to tackle a green trail, but still... HUGE step. So we took the lift to the top of the (little) mountain got strapped into our bindings and away we went.

I wish I could say that my snowboarding style looks like this

Unfortunately I'm not quite there yet and instead, my ride down the mountain looked more like this

Still, we're having a blast learning how to snowboard, and I've got to admit we're doing a pretty decent job considering we're self teaching. I've got new found respect for what the professional athletes are doing, because I can attest that even standing up, let alone making it downhill standing up, is a considerable feat.

Shabby Apple Goes to South Pacific

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 12:15:00 +0000

My favorite dress shop, Shabby Apple, just launched its new line of dresses last week, and I think they must have heard the prayers of us northerners who have been getting dumped on by Mother Nature.

The South Pacific line has me dreaming of our upcoming tropical vacation, where the sun shines forever, the crystal blue oceans stretches to infinity and the booze flows freely. Luckily we're only two short months away from that luxury, so to pass the time I'm going to snag up some of these new dresses. Here are the ones that are at the top of my list.

Nothin' Like a Dame

Bali Ha'i'

If you haven't already, I suggest you head on over to Shabby Apple and snag up these gems ASAP.

Let's Make a Deal

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 12:49:00 +0000

After a tough week of more Shaq snow (we're now up to 70+ inches!), exhausted arms (from all that shoveling) and an exhausted mind, I thought a little retail therapy wouldn't hurt.

What I love even more than retail therapy is retail therapy on sale. I've been hunting for some cute winter booties and thankfully Macy's delivered a shoe bomb in my inbox over the weekend that provided a fix for my military craving. I got this pair of wicked cute military themed booties that will complement about 5 different outfits that I can think about off the top of my head.

Guess Owens Ankle Boots

These beauties were marked off 50% AND Macy's had an extra 20% on top of that, so I got them for a steal. Deals like that just make my day.

Slowly Getting There

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 17:33:00 +0000

Type in a Google Search for the term "going crazy" and this is what popped up, and it's totally my life right now.

Work is slowing getting better. I went from 5.5 accounts (it was 6, but I wasn't able to devote my full attention to one account, so I count it as 1/2) to four, and I no longer feel like I'm paddling just to keep my head above water. Now I'm in a position where I can think about my client's needs and offer them good, strategic counsel.

It's so funny how things work out. I was talking to a former client yesterday and remarked about how much has changed in the three years we've known each other. Back then I was an entry level account executive who knew very little about tech PR. He was a product manager for one of my accounts. Now I'm an account manager and he's a VP of marketing.

Looking back on three short years I've made significant leaps, and I can only imagine how much more I'll grow in my career in the next three years. The challenges I face now as a new manager will be old hat in three years and I'll be working on new challenges, and honestly those challenges are probably things that aren't even on my radar now.

For a long time I thought I was ready for the step into a manager role. I knew what was expected (or so I thought) but I never had any idea the extent of what was expected. And I don't want to whine, but being a manager is HARD. There are decisions I've had to make early on that I didn't believe I'd have to think about for a long while. Yet, here I am, 5 weeks into being a manager with tough decisions to make. Knowing what I now know, I have new found respect for every manager I've worked with. I had no idea the challenges they were facing and what they were being asked to do. I realize now that they were doing the best they could, and 99% of the time they did a great job. And what's harder is that I've realized early on how thankless a manager's job can be. If we're doing our jobs well, our clients will be happy with the results the reps are getting, and all the background work we're doing will never be known. And for a Leo who loves the spotlight, I can honestly say that's going to take some getting used to. On the flip side though, if a client isn't happy about something (real or imaginary) the blame and the expectation to fix it is directly on the manager. Talk about a pressure situation!

I think the part of this job that's going to be hardest for me is not taking things personally. The thick skin I've developed over six years in this industry is going to need to get thicker. There are going to be days I'm not going to enjoy being a manager, when I have to deliver bad news, when I make someone cry/get angry/frustrated/you name it, and I'm going to have to remember that it's not personal, it's business. I told Stephen that my goal at the end of the day is to be respected as a manager. I may not always be liked (I know, I'm shocked at that thought too) but if people can respect my decisions, respect me as a person, then I will feel like I succeeded.

So I realize that I'm slowly getting there. And hopefully I don't become like the comic above. I don't want to do what I'm doing just to avoid poverty. I want to keep doing what I love, especially because it's challenging.

To my Hero

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 02:47:00 +0000

From the moment you held me in your arms, the bond was formed. That first photo of us is one of my prized possessions. From that first moment, to nearly 32 years later, you have been my rock. And no matter how rough your exterior to outsiders, I know it's just a front and that you're a marshmallow with a heart of gold. And now my readers know too.

You taught me the meaning of hard work, you taught me how to go after what I wanted, and you taught me how to do it while being graceful - to myself and to others

And no matter what I've done, whether it's good or bad, you've always let me know how proud I make you. The thing is, you make me proud. You make me want to be better, and you make it so easy to succeed in life; after all, you showed me how it's done.

So happy birthday to my hero. You're really the best dad a girl could have.

Snowpocalypse, Shaq Style

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 12:29:00 +0000

Courtesy of The Boston Globe

It's been snowing in Boston. A LOT. The graph above demonstrates how much snow we've gotten, compared to the beloved newest Celtics member, Shaq (why we love him so much I'll never understand.)

As you can see, we typically get an average of 41.8 inches. Can you see what we've gotten so far? That's 60.3 inches my friends. The scariest part is that we've still got a few months to go, and those 60 inches came in the past 5 weeks. Scary, right?

And here's the craziest part: we don't have a snow blower. Yeah, you heard me. That means we've had to shovel those 60 inches. And we have a corner house, so that means 60 inches on two sidewalks, PLUS 60 inches from our driveway. At this rate friends, my arms are going to look AMAZING when it's time to wear sundresses, just like the Material Girl.

Courtesy of Seattle Pi

Love Actually, Sort Of

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 12:21:00 +0000

Borrowing this from A Cup of Jo. It's so sweet, and reminds me that 1) Love is hard, especially when it's new and 2) Love is hard, even when you've loved the person for years.

I say don't hold back. If you love someone, tell them.