Karen

You might be wondering, “So what the heck is this Monday Poll thing anyway?”

Well, it isn’t much of a poll. It’s more just a constantly evolving (devolving?), somewhat random list of questions I’ve been putting out to readers every Monday morning for the past four years. I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.

1. How do you feel right now?
   I’m all smiles. 🙂 The sun’s out, I slept well (went to bed at 10…although I was hoping to be in bed by 9:30), and there’s a ginormous tabby meowing up a storm on my lap.

   I know he just wants food, but I’m going to pretend he’s happy to see me.

2. Bacon: love it or leave it?
   Love the fake stuff from Morning Star, which, by the way, really does smell (and almost taste) like bacon!

   Oh, you were talking about Kevin Bacon? Well I love him, too. I’ll always have place in my heart for the OG Footloose (“Kick off your Sunday shoes!”).

3. If you could spend a year living anywhere, and the living would be easy, where would you live?
   Seeing as how it’s been freezing here lately, I’m going with Oahu, Hawaii! I could see myself as a beach bum, and go surfing every morning (slathered in sunscreen from head to toe, of course). I’m a water baby, through and through!
4. Do you remember your very first day of school?
   I remember the bag lunch my mom prepared for me for my first day of kindergarten. She filled a gray, glass-shaped Tupperware with milk because we didn’t have a thermos (the tupperware was supposed to be for making Jell-O).

   Unfortunately, the milk leaked in the bag and soaked everything, but I guess it wasn’t a big whoop because I don’t remember crying about it…the spilled milk. 🙂

5. What’s something that sometimes holds you back?
   I think fear holds me back more than it used to. I remember being pretty fearless in my late teens and early 20s.

   I’m not sure when it changed — probably after being knocked down by life a few times (unexpected family illnesses, starting to perceive my own mortality, facing failure at work, that sort of thing).

   Sometimes, I think I’m also just too exhausted to try, like I’ve temporarily depleted my willpower.

6. What’s one keepsake it would break your heart to lose?
   Oh, gawd, my wedding or engagement rings. I would FREAK OUT!

   I have a bad habit of losing jewelry, which is one big reason why I like costume jewelry so much.

   But with my engagement and wedding rings, I told El Hub, “Um, yeah. Not gonna be costume jewelry.” LOL! And I’ve developed some extra-paranoid tactics to keep from losing them, like storing them in the same designated place in the house whenever I take them off, or never taking them off at all when I’m away from home.

   So far, so good (knock on wood!), although I have left them in a pocket before and found them later in the washing machine…

   Whoops!

7. Do you have a morning skincare routine?
   I do, and I like to do this right when I get up. If I don’t I feel kind of groggy all morning long.

   First thing, I wash my face, and lately I’ve been using Neutrogena’s All-in-1 Acne Control Daily Face Scrub because I’ve got some acne on my chin. It seems to be getting them under control.

   I follow that up with a serum by Skinceuticals called CE Ferulic, which I’ve been using and loving for the past few months.

   I think it’s totally changed my skin — made it generally brighter, more even-toned and smoother.

   Then I apply my eye cream, lately SK-II’s Skin Signature.

   After that, I rub Kate Somerville’s Anti Bac Clearing Lotion around my mouth, chin and jaw. (For the zits! It’s an acne treatment.)

   Lastly, sunscreen, and right now I’m using Clarins SPF 30 Wrinkle Control on my eyes and Caudalie Vinoperfect SPF 15 Day Perfecting Fluid on the rest of my face.

8. When you’re feeling grubby, what’s one thing you do to look/feel polished?
   I brush my teeth and floss when I need a quick pick-me-up, but if I have a little more time, I’ll straighten my hair, and smooth down the ends with Bumble & Bumble Brilliantine Cream.
9. What’s been your favorite day of the new year so far?
   Okay, so I know we’re only 14 days in, but my best day so far was about a week ago at that spa day/slumber party I mentioned. So much fun!
10. What are you hoping to accomplish this week?
    Well, I have a few writing deadlines, so I hope to get those done early this week…

    I’m so over procrastinating. I’m just sick of it!

    This hit me last week when I went to meet a friend for lunch. I’m usually rushing to make it out the door at the last minute and always feeling kind of frazzled, but that day I left the house early, with time to spare, and made it to lunch 15 minutes early.

    Wow.

    It felt great! And I sorta rediscovered how much I like getting stuff done early. Somewhere along the way, I turned into a procrastinator, and I don’t think it suits me anymore…

To complete the Monday Poll, just copy the following list, and paste it with your answers in the comments.

Le List

1. How do you feel right now?
2. Bacon: love it or leave it?
3. If you could spend a year living anywhere, and the living would be easy, where would you live?
4. Do you remember your very first day of school?
5. What’s something that sometimes holds you back?
6. What’s one keepsake it would break your heart to lose?
7. Do you have a morning skincare routine?
8. When you’re feeling grubby, what’s one thing you do to look/feel polished?
9. What’s been your favorite day of the year so far?
10. What are your weekly goals?

What’s up, cutie? Here’s a big Monday morning hug (HUG).

But if you don’t like your personal space invaded, then please take this gentle shoulder squeeze from an arm’s length away. 🙂

It’s with great relief that I can finally say that — TA-DA! — I’m finally done watching The Hills. And I’m a better person for it!

Okay, not really, but it was good enough brain candy while it lasted.

I just started a new show called Homeland with Claire Danes. I’m five episodes in, and it’s intense!

I needed something to tide me over until The Walking Dead comes back next month, and this should do nicely.

Anyway, hope you’re having a good day so far. Looking forward to sharing another week with you.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen