Queen of list-making Meg Fowler is taking a survey of favorites. And not just anyone’s favorites–mine. And well, yours too. Pretty much anyone’s. So, in the great tradition of Favorites, here are mine.

Your look:

Favourite clothing store to shop in?
If I had unlimited funds, I’d do all my shopping at Nordstrom. However, since I do not, I am not ashamed to admit that a good third of my wardrobe comes from Target and another third from Banana Republic.

Favourite brand of jeans, or place to buy jeans?
Since I have to wear professional business attire five out of seven days, I have a single pair of jeans I bought four years ago at Gap. I guess I would buy them there again, since they sell their jeans in Longs.

Favourite brand of shoe (and type of shoe)?
It is cold cold cold in Boston. Even though I long made fun of them, I am now a total Ugg boot convert. People, it was 37 degrees when I left the office! I am not wearing trainers for my commute.

That said, I do have a favorite pair of red shoes that gets me compliments each time I wear them. (Please note that I did not pay full price for either pairs of these shoes–there were sales and coupons employed!)

Favourite brand of handbag?
I carry my work satchel pretty much everywhere. I tend to forget handbags, so I don’t use them. (I did pay full price for the bag, and it was so worth it.)

Favourite clothing influence (relative, celebrity, something)?
“I base most of my fashion taste on what doesn’t itch.” – Gilda Radner

I also seem to be moving to a 1995-1998 Meg Ryan style. I have NO IDEA what that’s about, but the classic cardigans and skirts and white button downs seem to be a good idea when everyone else is wearing… God, I don’t even know what everyone else is wearing.

Favourite brand of running shoe?
Inov-8. I will never wear a pair of Nikes again.

Favourite accessory (scarves, rings, belts, hats, tiny dogs) and where you find it?
Scarves. I have a few I’ve bought, but lately I’ve been gifted a few and I love thinking of the people who gave them to me when I wear them.

Your feel:

Favourite body soap or wash?
Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash

Favourite fragrance?
La Chasse aux Papillons

Favourite moisturizer (face)?
Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion

Favourite moisturizer (body)?
ANYTHING. I am so itchy right now.

Favourite lip balm (see? I made it unisex!)?
Blistex DCT

Favourite physical indulgence and where you indulge it (massage, long hot showers, pedicures, facials, etc.)?
Manicures/pedicures at Embellish when I am home in Texas; long hot showers when I am in Boston

Your surroundings:

Favourite place to be/live?
Anywhere Ben the Husband & Della the Weimaraner are. (But especially if they are in Los Angeles, CA or Austin, Texas)

Favourite place to vacation?
The beach!

Favourite sheets (fabric, thread count, brand if you want)?
None, but I like them crispy, not soft. And no jersey sheets!

Favourite architectural style?
Modern. Very modern. This is our house.

Favourite form of lighting (big windows, candlelight, overhead fluorescence)?
Big windows facing north

Favourite piece of furniture (bed, sofa, bathtub, etc.)?
Bed. We have the best bed–memory foam, king size.

Favourite time of year/weather?
Summer! I love the heat.

BONUS: Your belly:

Favourite beverage:
Right now? Cocoa with marshmallows

Favourite ethnic cuisine:
Indian. I got to eat Indian food in Brick Lane last time I was in London, and it was heaven.

Favourite snack food:
Chocolate chip cookies

Favourite meal:
Breakfast on Saturdays with Ben

Favourite breakfast:
Pancakes!

And now, a double bonus: The playlist this was written to. Yes, go ahead and enjoy it while you dance around your bedroom singing into your hairbrush. I won’t tell anyone.

there was a time when the words came a lot more easily. they flowed from my brain and out of my fingers. daytime, nighttime. the middle of the night. 4am. fueled by a nauseating mix of passion and being 20 and diet soda and candy. a lot of candy. the editor was quieter, the time more invisible. i had all the time in the world to share secrets, feelings i didn’t know how to articulate, thoughts i was sure would change the world. i was not actually as creative as i hoped. i was a hack, exploring the limits of my willingness to stay up all night for no real reward. i ignored structure and called it “free writing”. i ignored grammar and common sense and punctuation and the concept of writing to the reader.

if i were to go back to the start, to do it over, to revise the plan, i would kick myself out of the chair and into a creative writing class. i would put myself in the midst of better writers and let my ego take the beating. i would stop with the writing as means to communicate feelings and instead learn how to speak, a talent that eludes me still.

that option is closed, though. and looking back only brings the shame of having wasted so much time on something i swear that i love to do. the only option is to go forward. to ask if i really do love to write. to realize that i ask too many rhetorical questions and don’t put enough of myself out there and rely on lots and lots of commas. to take a class that tears apart any writing i do. to study plot and structure and new words and grammar and use uppercase letters. to learn all over again. to go back to the start.

We went to New York this past weekend and ate our way through Soho and Chinatown when we weren’t walking… and we’re walking…

Things I find fascinating:

Taking inspiration from old artistic activities to inform new ones:

Walk It Out Fosse:

Putting some humor in what isn’t even a contentious issue among my generation:

“I’m automatically in favor of gay marriage because of my feelings about events involving cake”: Illinois Airship

plus some new fashion to wear whilst attending the wedding

Puns:

Lisztomania by Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix:

Europe:

Sandra Juto’s photos of Berlin that have me desperately wanting to pack up and go to Berlin tomorrow

The Smoove B School for Fine Woman Wooing Graduating Class of 2009 Final Project:

Ladies of the World by Flight of the Conchords:

Also, I’ve been watching a lot of Remington Steele lately. Who knows what that is doing to my brain? Has there been a study?

In addition to the 10 blogs from yesterday, there are two that I left off the list because they deserve their own post. Nearly every day I check in on Anna who lives in Newburgh, New York and blogs at DoorSixteen, and Benita, who lives in Sweden and blogs at Chez Larsson. They both write about their homes and lives in it, including decorating, design, and efficiency.

Here’s a room designed by Anna:

I especially like Anna’s ability to combine modern furniture in an older home, as well as her willingness to share photos of the removation work in progress. No guts, no glory, right?

Here’s a room decorated by Benita:

I like the white furniture surrounded by colorful walls and accents. I am terrible at incorporating color and haven’t even attempted to do so yet. Hopefully I can be as brave as Benita!

My favorite aspect of both of them is that they both have such clean design ideas that are still sensible for everyday living. I look forward to seeing how Anna’s garden unfurls and Benita’s book project progresses.

While I read a lot of business news, marketing ideas, entrepreneurship tips, and so on, I also spend an inordinate amount of time looking at super girly fashion and photography blogs. There is something about the fuzzy lenses, soft light, and thoughtful text from the ladies–usually about subjects the ladies find interesting–that is so much more compelling than, say, articles on TARP fraud (although serious props to Elizabeth Warren! Check out her Daily Show appearance–Part 1 & Part 2.) or the massive drop in VC spending on entrepreneurs last quarter.

Here are 10 that I find totally fascinating:

1. This is Glamorous
I start here because it’s short and always pretty. Sometimes I don’t make it past here because the links are so good.

2. A Glamorous Little Side Project
The inspiration board for the above, just as pretty.

3. Style Rookie
Talented writer Tavi has a special gift for explaining the intellectual aspects of a challenging collection. Currently raising money for her bat mitzvah project at Clothing with a Cause (http://clothingwithacause.blogspot.com/). Wise beyond her mere 12 years.

4. Slow Motion Crawl
Tavi’s equally eclectic and intellectual inspiration board.

5. Smosch
An artist who lives in Gothenburg, Sweden, resulting in some truly intriguing photos of everyday life. I would like her to pack me in her knapsack on her next trip to Berlin.

6. Nectar & Light
Jenifer Altman’s personal site, including links and photos, esp those done in polaroid. Love the softness of the pictures.

7. Lobster and Swan
Lifestyle photos from Jeska Hearne that include a lot about the life that goes with them.

8. Little Kingdoms in Your Chest
Originally titled “I Love You All Wrong”. Predominantly photos and quotes.

9. Completely Out Of Touch
Photographer Eleanor Hardwick’s photoblog.

10. Ghost Parties
Eleanor’s inspiration board
.

If that doesn’t do it for you, I give to you: Earnings Season Q1 2009 – Losses Posted Everywhere. Enjoy.

If you recall, I had some plans for this year. To wit:

Guidelines for 2009

* Do the hard thing first.
* Be Abby.
* Be consistent.

Top 10 Goals

1. Spend 30 min/day on me. – Not done. Struggling to accomplish this.
2. Kickass employment/predictable revenue streams. — Working on it!
3. Start a side business. — Working on it slowly.
   
4. Write something long-form. — Working on it slowly.
5. Get summer vacation tickets before April — Possible hold, pending Goal #2.
6. Meet financial goals for 2009. — Ongoing.
7. Make house comfortable. – Massive progress!
8. Take 1 picture & post daily. — Not done. Struggling to accomplish this.
9. Compete in triathlon. — Workouts are progressing, tri signed up for, all systems go!
10. Manage me better. — Not done. Struggling to accomplish this.

Every Sunday (usually), I sit down and review the goals for my accomplishments, disappointments, and lessons for the previous week and plan the next week. This part is working brilliantly. What’s not working so well is actually doing the things on the plan.

Perhaps it’s the new Twitter obsession. Or having to understand a new Facebook layout every two months. Or spending too much time telling the dog “Off!” and “No!” and “Don’t eat that!” (”But, Moooooom…”)

There are two parts to my struggle to accomplish the goals:

1) What if the idea in my head doesn’t come out as well once executed? This hangs me up on the photo taking, the writing, and the side business. I get caught up in how to make it match what’s in my head as part of the planning process and then I never actually do it. I haven’t figured out a solution to this yet. Any ideas?

2) It all feels like chores on a to-do list, and I’m not doing anything fun. To counter this, I’ve decided that the things that are actual chores on my list get 1 point per 1 hour/task completed. Five points means I can take an afternoon to do something I like to do with no guilt attached; 10 points means I can do something that costs money, like go to the movies, again no guilt attached.

As far as the guidelines go, I tried out not letting myself do anything fun until after I had completed that day’s hard tasks. No go. It just made the whole day chore-ridden and lacking in any sort of amusement. I have been more successful in being me–laying down boundaries, sharing some of my strengths, and not apologizing for weaknesses. The weekly planning is helping with the consistency, as is nailing down a more regular schedule. I’m truly terrible at the free-form Zen-like no-schedule days: I get nothing done and feel guilty about having spent all day on it.

On the two goals on which I’ve made massive progress:

• Make house more comfortable: Photos of the new veggie beds and container gardens and an ornamental grass bed
• Compete in triathlon: I have some funky tan lines I’ve earned with swimming 2x/week & the longest bike ride yet (12 miles).

Next quarter, I should have some news on the job front, photos from the summer vacation, and the financial progress pending the job. I can’t believe we’re 25% done with 2009. So fast. Too fast.

mine (learning to play with Photoshop effects)

“I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I do not know any other way of loving but this, in which there is no I or you, so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand, so intimate that when I fall asleep your eyes close.”

One Hundred Years of Solitude, Gabriel Garcia Marquez