Five Favorites - With no particular theme

Joining the link-up!

1. This non-goth nail polish

Normally I favor my mitt-tips on the dark side. For example: the polish to the far right is one of my latest favs, and it's called "Pat on the Black." Technically it's like a dark purplish color, I don't wear ACTUAL black. But amazingly, I recently snagged a pink I do like, as shown in the middle(ish). And by like I mean I didn't scrub it off after 36 hours as typically happens when I attempt to wear pink. The nombre es "Fuschia Power" and they're not kidding about that Xtreme Wear business - we're on Day 8 with this mani and lookin' pretty slick. The Revlon Base Coat is also a Secret Weapon for serious nail painters and Sally Hansen's Insta-Dri top coat is da bomb dot com. Verily's tips for long-lasting nail jobs are a lifesaver for cheapskates like me who get wallet pangs when we even think about paying for an actual manicure. Also the trick of submerging freshly painted nails just past the sticky-dry-phase into a bowl of ice water to set the polish. It's like magic. Arctic magic, but whatever. Beauty knows no chill, or something like that.

2. Popes. And their "Quotes".

On a less shallow note: I run across stuff like this all the time, and just this week found a gem from each of our past three Papas.

They are so full of good advice. :)

3. Hot Rollers

Aaaand back to the shallows: about a year ago, I chopped off my hair. Or, rather, I somewhat nervously paid someone to do it for me. The resulting pixie turned out to be on of my Most Favorite Haircuts of All Time. However, I eventually decided that I really did enjoy styling my hair too much to leave it that length. Or abandon the other lengths, as the case may be. Anyhoo, it's finally getting to be some kind of length and I was actually able to use !!hot!!rollers!!. There are a lot of exclamation points because I am actually a big fan of hot rollers as opposed to curling irons. I used the hot rollers the other day in most of my hair (had to pull out the flat iron for some flat iron curls at the end, I ran out of pins) and ended up looking like Rachel Peabody from Eloise. That was good news in itself, because, hello, Rachel Peabody:

But also good news due to not having to roll-hold-release-roll-hold-release a bajillion times with the flat iron. I mention this because I need new ones! Hot rollers, that is. Any favorites to recommend? We have an old set where the curlers came in three different sizes, which I really like. Suggestions?

4. Archbishop Chaput and His Awesomeness

 “There's a very old Christian expression that goes like this: ‘Hope has two beautiful daughters. Their names are anger and courage; anger at the way things are, and courage to see that they do not remain the way they are.’

Are we troubled enough about what's wrong with the world -- the killing of millions of unborn children through abortion; the neglect of the poor, the disabled and the elderly; the mistreatment of immigrants in our midst? Do we really have the courage of our convictions to change those things?

The opposite of hope is cynicism, and cynicism also has two daughters. Their names are indifference and cowardice. In renewing ourselves in our faith, what Catholics need to change most urgently is the lack of courage we find in our own personal lives.”

- Archbishop Charles Chaput

5. This Book, which I Really For Sure NEED. ASAP.

I just got the email from Magnificat about this today. It instantly became the top (and only) item of importance on my wish list. My birthday is coming, so surely someone will get me one...or even better, a few someones, because then once I have read it and can attest to its marvelousness, I can give some away. So, somebody just needs to get me one. And not worry about if they're the only somebody.