Save a Little Tick Tock, Part 2

Dear B-Reader,

In my rush to get ready this morning, it dawned on me that it has been several months since I offered you some of my time-saving tips (didn’t catch the last snippit? http://katherinechalkley.blogspot.com/2010/12/save-little-tick-tock.html).

 Spend a few minutes reading below, and save boo-coos of time later!

1.       Do you ever mull over your beauty product selections wondering which shadow to use with which lip gloss? Why not purchase your makeup as a prepackaged set?  Most such sets are designed by makeup artists who know what they are doing, have their fingers on the pulse of high fashion, and select a pallet that is neutral and becoming on most skin types and skin shades. With my sensitive skin and abhorrence to fragrance, I turn to Clinique; they offer a complete cosmetic set (mascara, eye liner, gloss, blush, shadow) about once seasonally (unfortunately, there is not one at the moment), which is just about the same time when your stash of beauty treatments is running low or getting cakey. Check out Sephora for a new set by Tarte (http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P290628&categoryId=C19970&shouldPaginate=true) which even includes the latest trend, shimmering powder.

2.       Forget to turn off the water or to move the sprinkler to the next section of lawn? I did, at least once a week, until I stumbled across this beauty by Gilmour at my local Lowes (http://www.lowes.com/pd_99229-306-196SPBGF_4294935944+4294965417_4294937087_?productId=3104489&Ns=p_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr|0||p_product_quantity_sold|1&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl_Gilmour_4294935944%2B4294965417_4294937087_%3FNs%3Dp_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr%7C0%7C%7Cp_product_quantity_sold%7C1%26page%3D1&facetInfo=Gilmour).  It is an adjustable sprinkler that you set to fit the pattern of your lawn. No more overwatering the street and unsuspecting passersby with the spray; all the water now lands perfectly on my plot of land. And the timing couldn’t be easier with any of a variety (we own three types) of programmable timers which attach to your water faucet (hose bib for those of you down with the lingo) on one end and to the hose on the other end. Don’t forget to pick up a male and female attachment for you hose so that you can easily interchange the sprinkler head with a hand sprinkler.

I did this!

3.       I like to try my hand at baking on a fairly regular basis. I double the recipe for pie crust, use half of the dough for the pie for which it was created, and freeze the other half for the next time when I’m pressed for time. My fave pie crust recipe is Martha Stewart’s pate brisee, of course (http://www.marthastewart.com/355359/pate-brisee-make-two-9-inch-single-crust-pies-or-one-double-crust-or-lattice-crust-pie). To prep dough for freezing: make dough into ball, wrap in plastic wrap, insert into plastic ziplock bag designed for the freezer, smoosh out all of the air and flatten dough ball into disk in the process, pop into freezer. To thaw dough for the next flaky masterpiece: remove frozen disk from bag, place dough (still in plastic wrap) atop kitchen counter and allow to thaw at room temperature for up to one hour. Remember, when rolling out dough, you want it to be perfectly chilled.

Go Ahead, Make Me Blush

Dear B-Reader,

We all have those days when we feel a little less-than our absolute best. I know I do. When such a day arises, what do I do, you might ask. Well, this girl does NOT reach for the V-8, that's for sure (you know my thoughts about liquefied veggies, right?!). Instead, I apply a little blush to my dimples and down a full glass of clear, cool water.

And blush and water do not only work on lifting MY mood. They also perk the spirits of others. Don't believe me? Just flip on your television and wait for it..."Maybe she's born with it? Maybe it's Maybelline!" (http://www.maybelline.com). And there are floods of ads about the wonders of water. You can even visit the American Museum of Natural History for a tutorial in the stuff of life (http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/water).

When my real estate clients ask me what to do to bring their homes closer to looking their absolute best for potential buyers, I rely on my blush and water regimen. Consider tidying your rooms (fluffing couch pillows, clearing the clutter, and making your bed) as applying blush; it simply enhances the look of what is already there. And the refreshing smell and appearance of a vase of flowers and foliage in your home's entry way is...you guessed it, your water element.

Chalkley Realtor’s prescription for a home on the market: Apply blush and water daily while condition persists. Discontinue use once offer is received and accepted.

http://www.esljunction.com/esl-efl-flashcards/makeup-flashcard/

Etiquette Q&A - Friends Reciprocate

Q: I have a question. What if you have some really good friends that you love doing things with, but it seems that you are doing all of the calling/inviting?

A: Dear Friend,

Thank you for your comment/question to the earlier posting http://katherinechalkley.blogspot.com/2011/07/etiquette-q-invitation-reciprocation.html.

Your friends are not reciprocating, and as mentioned in my post, reciprocation exists in order to build relationships. Relationships take "two to tango" and cannot be one-sided with one party doing all of the inviting.

I sense that you are not OK with this situation (and most people also would not be OK with it) and wish for a more substantial relationship with your friends. There are several approaches that you might take to handle this lack of reciprocation (see http://www.hisocietyds.com/blog/2009/01/05/options-for-the-friend-who-extends/). However, from your question, it appears that you have already tried to ignore the problem and/or have settled to be bothered by this situation and silently stew. My preferred approach to most prolonged, sticky situations is to simply attack such cases head-on.

A good, old-fashioned heart-to-heart conversation with your friends in a gentle, well-mannered method and tone is the tactic that I recommend. Let them know how you feel. You might also consider explaining to them how important their friendship is to you and that you would hope that your friendship is important to them, too. Be straight-forward and uninhibited in asking for what you really feel would be the primary indicator to you that your friendship is valued: tell them that you would appreciate a casual invite out from each of them.

Friendship, like all forms of relationships, takes routine work and appropriate honesty. If a person is a true friend, s/he will take your feelings into consideration.

Etiquette Q&A - Invitation Reciprocation

Dear B-Reader,

Today's posting will begin a new series of responding to reader's etiquette questions. In this series, I will not only offer my opinions, but I will lean on the vast available knowledge in the etiquette community in order to offer as helpful of a response as possible. This is advice, and as such, you, B-Reader, may take it or leave it...but in the least, I am hopeful that you will consider it.

Q: I have an etiquette / protocol question for you. Here’s the timeline:

-Several weeks ago we invited some friends over for dinner. They had plans. We didn’t follow up / forgot / got busy / whatever.

-They invited us over for dinner on Tuesday. Yay fun.

When should we invite them again? How soon is “too soon” and “too late”?

A: Dear Dinner Guest,

Yours is actually a frequent predicament that many guests of parties and gatherings find themselves in, so do not worry, you are not alone in wondering how to approach this matter.

Etiquette suggests that all invitations to private dinners and intimate gatherings (excluding weddings, charity events, and galas) must be reciprocated in some form or fashion. Now, this is not tit for tat. Rather, it is a simple return of a gesture with another gesture. In your situation, you are more than welcome to return the dinner with a comparable dinner at your place. Or, you might consider inviting the couple to a movie or dinner out.

 In other settings, if you are not up to returning a gesture in a similar fashion as it was given to you (as in attending a large party at someone's home or cooking a gourmet meal), then offering the host/hostess out for drinks is just fine (see http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2584293/good_manners_you_should_reciprocate.html?cat=41). The point of invitation reciprocation is to continue to build a relationship with the original host/hostess.

Your question does delve a bit deeper in asking when is too soon or too late to reciprocate an invitation. To be honest, B-Reader, you stumped me for a moment. Fear not, I have a vast collection of references to turn to in such times, and they guided me to a great response. Emily Post's Etiquette (17th ed., p. 253) states "Nor is it necessary to reciprocate immediately. Generally, you should try to entertain the host or hosts of an intimate, at-home gathering within a couple of months." Again, the goal is to continue the momentum of building a relationship, so in your case, if you feel that the couple would enjoy spending time with you again in as soon as two-weeks, then that would be a reasonable time, as one does not want to appear desperate.

A good guest wants to build relationships and therefore s/he reciprocates all invitations to intimate events, and does so within two-weeks to three-month’s time frame. Reciprocation may take any form and is not required to be at the same level as the original event.

Cocktail, Anyone?

Dear B-Reader,

Being the PANK that I am, I just couldn't settle for a stuffy, old-fashioned baby shower for my sister's first baby and my first niece.

Several weeks ago, while mulling over the concept of what to do for a shower, I drove past one of my favorite shops in Houston, Tootsies. In the window display of their new, swanky location in Upper Kirby, they had a glorious, hot pink cocktail dress, and I swear it was teasing me! I knew from that moment that I simply must throw a cocktail party!

"Cocktail party, cocktail party..." I tend to repeat ideas over in my head in order to make sense of them. And then it hit me...my sister had selected a woodland themed nursery crib set, and rabbits live in the woods, and Peter Cottontail is a famous rabbit and children's character, and Cottontail sounds like Cocktail. Viola! Peter Cocktail Party would be the theme of the shower!

Like any good PANK, I turned to my girlfriends and mother for their thoughts (thank goodness for facebook), and they LOVED the idea! Even those who originally questioned the idea of cocktails for a pregnant guest of honor warmed up to the idea when I described the concept of mocktails (non-alcoholic party drinks...cooler version of a Shirley Temple). Ashley, my sister-in-law and shower co-hostess, was in full support of the theme, and we began planning our shin-dig. Rather than bore you with the details, let me show you some photos of the event.

The spread. Food and cocktail ideas courtesy of Martha Stewart, of course! She has kindly put together an easy primer on throwing a cocktail party: http://www.delish.com/entertaining-ideas/parties/cocktail-parties/make-ahead-party-recipes Ashley and I divided up the hors d'oeuvres preparation amongst the two future grandmothers and three future aunts.

My dear friend and culinary artist Stacie (owner of Sugar Chic; http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sugar-Chic-sweets/145064835517887) provided the sweets: a two-tiered cake (strawberry and chocolate) covered in a gorgeous, hand-painted, marshmallow fondant. Go to their design studio's fb page for a closer view...gorgeous!

Lovely plateware and glassware, no? From the personal collections of the hostesses, the great-grandmother, and my friends Kelli and Terri. I am really blessed with people who generously contributed the finer elements of the party planning.

What cocktail party would be complete without cocktail rings, hmm, ladies? Yes, that's right, our diamonds were Ring Pops...because in my house, candy is a girl's second best friend! (Candylicious http://www.theoriginalchocolatebar.com) Bling, bling!

With men present, we had to cater to their appetites as well. What could be more manly than mashed potatoes? What could be more lady-like than martinis? We combined them both in the moderne fashion of wedding receptions and offered Mashed Potato Martinis! Thanks to a great blogger for her lovely idea of how to coordinate such a dish (http://www.mooreminutes.com/2011/01/mashed-potato-martini-bar-mashtinis.html) and other online contributors for the idea of keeping the potatoes warmed in crock pots.

Ashley and I created the cocktails and mocktails, making certain to offer some unique items. Southern Living cookbook had a fab recipe for Apple-Mint Juleps (virgin) that I just had to make in order to put to good use my over-grown mint garden (I am southern, after all). Pictured here are some of the gentle-folk guarding the cocktail station.

How could we ever hostess the shower of the year without appropriate cocktail hostess attire (satin aprons from Pam, who knows how to put on a great party) in order to channel our inner Donna Reed?

 The proud parents-to-be! She looks gorgeous in an uber-mod one-shoulder cocktail dress...and she is approaching the end of her third trimester!

 The finishing touch, a customized bottle of "It's a Girl!" pink nail polish. Each guest was able to choose her fav shade of pink (more economical and waaay cuter than OPI's version; thanks, Lori of Lori Kelly Hair Design for the great favor idea).

And, now that my party is over, I must wait for the real party to start...PANKhood!

*Photos courtesy of David Walton, original dad and future grandfather.

PANK-you, No Kids Allowed Movement!

Dear B-Reader,

My husband, Jeff, and I are what people of our parents' generation affectionately call DINK's (Dual-Income No Kids). If you've been following the goings-on of my real life, then you know that I'm a first-time, expecting auntie. With no human babies of my own (I have plenty of animal babies), I am geared up and ready to spoil the little one rotten! And, now that Jeff and I are entering a new phase of our life, there are new terms to describe us: PANK and PUNK (Professional Aunt/Uncle No Kids, term by Savvy Auntie founder Melanie Notkin http://www.savvyauntie.com).

Jeff and I love children. In fact, several of you, B-Reader, have graciously allowed us to partake in the lives of your sons and daughters in attending ballet recitals, sporting events, birthday parties, lemonade stands, etc. You have likely attended one of our Egg Hunt Parties designed especially for the kids. Although we ourselves are childless, as a PANK and a PUNK, we have a lifestyle full of the special humor and love that come with children.

However, there is a time and place for everything and everyone. The giggle of a small child is adorable when one is at a restaurant at lunchtime and the dessert tray passes by (shout out to Marissa). However, the kicking of the backside of the booth by little feet at a 9:00PM dinner is not what I ordered off of the menu. The choral-like singing of the 20th Century Fox theme song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7GE_HMZxa0) before the latest kids' film is my favorite part of my movie-going experience. But shouting in the middle of a museum collection is disturbing to both me and the statues. And that teeny, tiny, little kiss and ginormous bear hug from a child (Cooper, Lucas, Avery, Gabi) upon opening their holiday present is what I look forward to the most at that time of year. The polite "I'll have one, thank you" from heart-throb Maverick (Top Gun; Dylan) when reaching for Halloween candy is a treat! Yet, the grabbing of every item off of a shelf accompanied by what seems to be a requisite temper tantrum in the middle of the grocery aisle is not my ideal image of a child.

There is a new movement underway, the No Kids Allowed Movement http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/parenting/the-no-kids-allowed-movement-is-spreading-2516110/, which some of my readers who are parents will consider to be anti-child. Please, I am asking that you contemplate a different perspective when pondering this concept. The movement can be considered pro-child in the right setting. If you would like to know my opinion, it is this: Children have their time and place, and the time is not always and the place is not everywhere. They are welcome additions to many of life's activities and should not be banned completely from every venue; how else will they learn to grow to be adults in these situations? However, they and their parents or adult chaperones in these situations must be aware of their surroundings and act appropriately and politely.

Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter what fork you use.  - Emily Post

Think Stock photo

Superman's Titanium Strength!

Dear B-Reader,

Greetings to you and yours on this lovely, warm Texas evening. As you likely know, it is hotter than hot here in the Lone Star State, and many of us are trying our best to beat the heat. Among us is my grandfather, Grandpa Rex. He has lived through almost one century of southern summers and has the no-sweat routine down pat: if you need to do manual labor outside, do it in the cool of the morning.

Yesterday morning, on the eve of his 95th birthday, Grandpa Rex awoke at 5:00AM, two hours earlier than usual. He broke routine on purpose, in order to unload his latest treasure before the heat of the day set in. [Author's note: Grandpa is what is called a "picker." He likes to root around other peoples' old belongings that they no longer want and see if he might find a glimmer of something rare or useful.] Grandpa pulled up to the mini-storage lot, parked in front of his latest win from an auction bid: the trash/treasure of an abandoned storage unit. He decided to load his pickup truck with a few boxes and unload them to their final resting place in his backyard shed, his picker's shrine. After loading box number two, somehow Grandpa lost balance and ended up on the gravel, unable to move his leg.

We grandchildren have always looked up to our grandfather as our own personal Superman. And boy was he that day! Mustering his strength, Grandpa Rex scooted himself across the ground the 10-foot distance from the back of the truck to the front cab. He then hoisted himself into the driver's seat and drove through town until he could find help. All of this effort was done with a broken hip! Hours later at the hospital, he declined pain medication as he, my Supergrandpa, felt that he could tolerate the pain as long as he did not move the injured area. Admirable physical and mental strength!

Oh, and of course, he never skipped a beat throughout this whole ordeal. Grandpa Rex joked about how picking got him into trouble (we all know no matter how Super a man is, at 95, he has no business lifting heavy items at any time of day or any season of the year). He also did not hesitate to let the hospital staff know that it was his 95th birthday today. In pre-op, he was serenaded "Happy Birthday" by ten nurses! Just before being operated on, still sharp as a tack, he quizzed his orthopaedic surgeon on what material composed his hip ball prosthesis. The answer: titanium. How fitting for my Supergrandpa!

Hip Ball Prosthesis http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hip_replacement

Outlook 2010 transfer between computers

Dear B-Reader,

I hope that you are doing well and made it safely through the pseudo-rapture. I am really wishing that it actually had happened so that I would have been swept away from my personal computer h*ll the past two days.

Long story short: My three-year-old Dell Inspiron laptop is on death's door. Purchased a replacement from Best Buy...a Toshiba Satellite light-weight laptop with built-in hot spot (perfect for my on-the-road, open house, etc. work/lifestyle). Now transferring all files and applications from D to T. Battled with my external hard drive (Verbatim XS). Hand-to-hand combat with my network.

Thanks to Kathryn Hatter at http://www.ehow.com/how_6884430_transfer-outlook-email-new-computer.html, I was able to quickly make my way through transferring the most important part of my job: Outlook. After installing the new Outlook 2010 to the T, I went to the D and followed Kathryn's instructions #1 - 6. With the new Outlook 2010, there is a slight twist to step #7. In Outlook, go to File, on the left bar select Open, then select Import. Import Wizard will walk you through the rest: Import from another program or file - Next, Outlook Data File (.pst) - Next, Browse to find your file on the desktop and select "replace duplicates with items imported" - Next, Finish. Viola! The best feeling is when your calendar automatically adds your appointments as Outlook is importing your settings and files. Be certain to repeat Kathryn & Katherine's entire process for your Archive folder as well.

Logging Off,

It's All in the Details

Dear B-Reader,

Got a little story for ya', Ags...

Jeff and I, as you likely know by now, B-Reader, are both Texas Aggies, graduates with two degrees each from Texas A&M University (He: B.S. '99 & D.V.M. '04; She: B.A. '00 & M.S. '05). During his last year of Veterinary Medicine and in the middle of my graduate program in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, we childhood sweethearts got married, where else but in College Station, Texas. After living up the evening with friends and family, we stayed the night at the most luxurious hotel in town, the Hilton. A towering, multi-story hotel with all the amenities: room service, hot tub, pool, gym, bar, coffee bar, restaurant, ballrooms. The honeymoon suite was everything it should have been: sweeping views of the College Station prairie (these were Ol' Ag Days, when there were many fewer buildings on campus), delicate wallpaper and little finishings like vased flowers, and ultra-soft bed linens. Wow, did we feel like we were in sweet honey-heaven!

Fast-forward seven years later, almost to the day...

Jeff is now a Director on the Board of the Texas Veterinary Medical Association. The board meets quarterly across the state, once annually in College Station, Texas. The only conference facility large enough for the state meeting, the board meetings, and the continuing education courses is at...you guessed it...the Hilton. We were totally excited to revisit our honeymoon hotel and have a nice, relaxing, early anniversary weekend in style.

Of course, our work schedules dictated a late arrival on Thursday night. Yes, I've read all of the travel blogs that strongly advise arriving in the golden window, that time shortly after standard check-in and before rush hour. The golden window is when a traveler is most likely to increase the chances of an optional, free upgrade and to decrease the likelihood of a required, free downgrade. But alas, we had no choice. All we could do was prepare, and Jeff called ahead the day of arrival to let the front desk know that we would be there very late and to please hold our room.

So, after driving from Houston to College Station, and parking the VW Bug, we lugged our luggage to the front desk, and checked-in. We were directed to a room down the hall, down to the basement, and on the other side of the pools...the dreaded Cabana Room area. Ugh! So, we again lugged our luggage (you are reading this correctly, no bell-person was in sight, and a luggage cart, ha!) through the maze to our dungeon-ous room. Jeff opened the door, and I swear that my hair instantly frizzed from the humidity and heat. The A/C unit (yes, that's right, an A/C unit in a posh hotel?) was running full-blast, but with only warm air being emitted. I was trying to tell Jeff that this room would not do, but I had to repeat myself and use sign language so as to be understood over the loud shouts coming from our adjoining room neighbors. Of course, we called down to the front desk and requested a new room. And, of course, the only available rooms would require an upgrade fee of an additional $30 per night. Desperate for a decent room, we agreed and re-lugged our luggage down the maze to the front desk.

In an effort to reduce the length of this blog posting, let me give you a summary of the remaining rooms we sampled.

• Room #2 - in the Tower, on a higher floor, opened the door to a room full of cigarette smoke. Poked my head out of the room to inspect the room marker: yes, it was a clearly-marked non-smoking room. Called down to the front desk, relugged luggage to the desk, got new key, lugged to the next room.
• Room #3 - between the Cabana Area and the Tower, on the first floor, opened the room to find a room within a room...sweet! Nope! This was an un-sweetened version of the suite. Huge room with microscopic, ratted furniture. Dirt and trash on the floor by the sofa. Hair in the sink. Can you believe that I, the clean freak, actually slept the night in this one? In my defense, it was nearing midnight.
• Room #4 - thanks to Courtney, the most courteous and prompt reception desk salesperson whom we encountered, this was the keeper for the weekend. In the Tower, on a higher floor, a semi-sweet suite. The room was proportionate to its furnishings, it was very clean, and there were nice, little touches which I would expect in the finest hotel in town.

Yes, folks, it's all about the details...a bucket of ice and two gratis bottles of water, a small package of extra toiletries which one might have left behind at home (beyond your typical shampoo), and the customer service. See, this was the first time in our now one-day experience at the hotel that a bell-person and/or luggage cart had been offered to us to help move our luggage from point A to point B. Thank you, Courtney, for seeing to this small, but pertinent detail to mend my view of your hotel. And, less than one hour after being seamlessly moved to our final destination, Courtney left a pleasant message on the room's answering machine to make certain that we were settled in nicely. Two days later, upon our check-out, Courtney greeted me by name, and with a genuine smile, she asked whether we enjoyed the room she found for us.

Customer service is all in the details, and Courtney at the Hilton College Station surely knows this. Thank you, Courtney.