Cool shoes!

Wahoo! I've been seeing those really cool high-heel oxford shoes in the fashion magazines lately. Normally, I'm not a big shoe person but I just love the look of these. However, when I looked on line all I could find were 5-inchers and they were very expensive. Both are too high for me. I was talking to a coworker about them and she suggested DSW Shoes. Duh, there's on just a few miles from me that was recently built and I forgot all about it. Well, I went there and, lo and behold! there they were. These have about a 3.5 inch heel and are all black, with black patent leather on the heel and toe an black suede over the rest.

Sounds silly, but it made my day. :)

What a beautiful night!

Here in Philly, like in much of the country, the weather has been disgustingly hot and humid. It was a little cooler this morning but still very sticky and gross. Then, when I left work at 5:30, it was like a miracle -- it was almost chilly! It was nice and breezy, not humid, probably in the low 70's. I walked to the train with a smile on my face, and now I'm in my very comfortable apartment with the windows open and the fans on and am going to have a great sleep tonight!

Have I mentioned that I can't wait for Autumn? :)

I feel like such an ass!

I know it's not my fault, but I still feel bad. I've been here about 1.5 years now and just today noticed my boss's beautiful ring. I think I may have noticed it before but didn't comment. Well, today I opened my big mouth and commented. Well, duh -- it's her engagement ring. She had just gotten engaged two years ago last Friday and her fiance was killed in an accident. So, this time of year is tough enough for her without me bring it up. She knows I didn't do it on purpose and so do I, but jeesh!

C'mon Fall!

August is always tough for me -- usually the hottest summer month and at the end of the season when I just want to move on to fall. I looooove fall, my favorite season. I've been perusing various websites and stores, just looking to see what I can add to my wardrobe this year -- a few skirts, some cool colored and textured tights and thigh highs, etc. Last year I had my black and my brown tights and loved them. This year I plan on buying a pair of thigh highs to see if I like them, and also some textured tights that I can layer over some other tights for a cool effect with an otherwise solid color outfit. I actually wear skirts more in the fall and winter because my legs look better in tights than bare, and it's too darn hot to wander around the city in summer wearing pantyhose if I can help it. Hee hee, my summer skirts are long and my winter skirts are mostly knee length or a little shorter. Weird.

I did buy some wide calf boots from Torrid. I've never bought from there but have heard they have great stuff. There are some other items I want to eventually order, but for now I bought some high black boots. I'm soooo looking forward to wearing high boots this year. I wanted to last year but just didn't find any I liked that fit my huge calves. I figure I can wear them with a shorter skirt with some tights and look almost cute. :)

Sick of hearing about the Duggars

OK, so they had another child. I personally don't agree with it, but people don't personally agree with everything I do, so there you go. They appear to be cared for and doing well, so that's that.

What bothers me is that this one family gets so much attention when there are others out there who do more for this world. Whenever I hear about the Duggars, I think of a kid who used to work for me at Burger King about 12 or so years ago. Stuart was 18, one of 21 kids -- yes, 21. He was the second oldest so you can imagine how many little ones were running around. Some of them were her natural children. However, the vast majority were adopted and some were foster kids she was planning to adopt. I was never at the house so can't speak for it. I do know that Stuart was a great employee. He was funny and helpful, pitched in where I needed him, and the customers thought he was great. He wasn't surly or grumpy.

Stuart's parents, to me, are examples of real heroes when it comes to kids. They took in kids who had nowhere to go and gave them a loving home. I also think of the people who take in kids who are born with all sorts of mental and physical problems and addictions. You don't hear about them very often, do you? No, we only hear about a woman who has the ability to give birth to 17 children and wants more. Again, I really do think they are cared for, but it bothers me that this one family gets so much attention when there are others out there scraping by just to help kids who aren't as fortunate.

I also think of a woman I work with, who was telling me about how her mom used to teach kids in Camden, NJ (one of the worst if not THE worst places in the country). Not only were these kids living in horrible communities, but they were mentally challenged in various ways. This woman, and others like her, didn't have to do this for a living, making mediocre (if not worse) pay. Yet there they are, doing what they can to help kids in unspeakable situations, trying to help them get as far as possible.

I really wish the media would focus on people like that, people who are helping the kids in awful situations and those already here, rather than focusing on one family simply because it's large and the kids all dress alike. I know I could not do what Stuart's mom and my coworker's mom do. I don't have that in me, which is why I am so in awe of people who can give of themselves in such a way.