Please, please, please let me get what I want

Good times, for a change...

Lately, as I've been on the job (and, now, car) hunt, I've had this classic by The Smiths on heavy rotation. An angsty soundtrack go-to for several films, from Pretty in Pink to Ferris Bueller's Day Off to, yes, (500) Days of Summer, "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want" is the quintessential twenty-something anthem, the perfect theme song for weathering life's ups and downs.

Since I graduated college about 2 1/2 years ago, my job search has been pretty elusive. I've landed a few freelance writing gigs and worked three different part-time jobs (four if you count occasionally substitute teaching and five with a one-day stint at DSW!). And while freelancing affords a lot of flexibility, I'm more than ready for a change... and by change, I mean something full-time. I'm hoping to bring home the (vegan) bacon and still have a chance to work on my writing. Lately I've become quite the hermit, setting up a home office and sending out story after cover letter after resume. It can be disheartening, but I have to remind myself to stay active and keep applying, and most importantly of all, keep writing. Because if you don't believe in your talent and abilities, no one will.

So for now, I'm just trying to keep my energy and my spirits up, and remind myself that the good things in life are worth waiting for... and that the best opportunities take time to find. I'm just not sure, exactly, what I'm looking for yet... but I've got my eyes wide open.

Thank you all so much for your kind comments regarding my poor little car. I know everyone has been there before at some point, and your words are a real encouragement. So if I get a little schizo over the next few weeks or fail to do much blogging, you'll know it's because I'm off searching for something... awesome. :)

So please, please, please, let me, let me, let me get what I want this time...

Favorite things: January

It's been a dreary January day, one spent mostly indoors. I've been trying to make myself clean house (ha!), but that's proved rather... trying. After cooking up some fabulous pasta e fagioli with turnip greens, I've finally got a few loads of laundry going. As the spin cycle does its thing, I'm going to let my fuschia nail polish dry and conjure up a list of things that make me smile, right now.

Anthropologie's Spring 2010 catalog:Sophie Kinsella's latest (hilarious) tome:

Katy Perry in Glamour (she looks unreal; that '40s-inspired pin-up look really works for her!):

Jason Mraz's Beautiful Mess - Live on Earth (especially his cover of "All Night Long"):Watching (and copying) Giada at Home:Finally (finally!) Netflix-ing (500) Days of Summer. Yeesh.

And... getting back to my roots! I've got my salon appointment booked; now I just need to keep my fingers crossed and hope my haircolor doesn't get botched!Also, exciting news! I might have a fun giveaway coming soon, so stay tuned!

What are your favorite things this month?

My mother is going to kill me...

Because THIS is coming to my mailbox:I mean, really. My 'rents already think I've gone off the deep end with this whole "fashion writer" thing. Receiving a magazine with a barely-clad ScarJo cover complete with scintillating headlines does not help matters. Thanks a lot, Glamour!

Now I wouldn't call myself a prude, but this mag is just EMBARRASSING! I'm talking Seventeen trauma-rama bad! It may not be very modern of me to say so, but 99.9% of the time, I think it's better to follow a more conservative route. Why? Perhaps because I'm a pastor's daughter. I like fashion and all, but when my beloved glossies decide to go the tarty route, I'm not afraid to get all Jane Austen up in their business. Word.*

I suppose this is why I'm not a huge Scarlett Johansson fan... because most of the time she represents herself as a bat-'er-eyes, voluptous vixen. Yes, ScarJo, you're gorgeous. You've got the perfect figure and can do any hair color. We get it, okay? Stop rubbing your wannabe Ann Margaret-ness in our faces already. Yeesh.

That said, is it bad that I'm secretly curious to hear her latest musical endeavor? Only because it involves Pete Yorn. I dug She & Him, so I might have to give these tunes a spin. Maybe. Happy now, Glamour? I'm intrigued. But good luck beating this:
Maybe I prefer Zooey because she, well, prefers wearing clothes. If only Zooey had been Glamour's cover choice (perhaps in a whimsical alterna-fantasy world, where everyone would sport charming vintage frocks and sip tea atop their bicycle/roller skates of choice. And we'd all sing "Xanadu." Of course). I jumped for joy when this hit my mailbox a few months back:
This cover is so sweet, fresh, and girlie without being cheesy. Obviously this was part of Zooey's promotion for 500 Days of Summer, and most likely resulted in thousands more flocking to theaters to catch that quirky indie darling. This cover is the perfect marketing tool that paints Deschanel as the ingenue she is. And that coral-hued dress with matching Repetto flats? Self isn't even a fashion mag, but it clearly has a far superior styling squad here. Sorry, Glamour. You got schooled. (And it's not the first time! Yawn fest).

So. Have any of you heard Zooey or ScarJo's music? In a Zooey vs. Scarlett face-off, who wins? Do let me know what you think. I'd do another spiffy poll, as the last one was a rousing (wee!) success, but I'm too lazy. Oh, and have you ever received a blush-worthy magazine in the mail that you wanted to hide before your parentals/flatmates/neighbors/cat could see? Feel free to sound off in the comments, loves.
And if you watched The Hills or The City last night and laughed your butt off (or cried tears of joy.... or anguish)... well, I wanna know that, too. :)


*And perhaps I've erred by drawing unnecessary attention to this tacky cover. That's the journalist in me wanting to "seek truth and report it," I guess. Or, in this case, expose things. Nevertheless, I'm bothered, and usually when I'm bothered, I share. And then you share, too, and we all share something deep and meaningful and weep and laugh and become the best of friends. Or not. I don't really know. All I know is it's early morning and I need to make coffee. :P