Uniforms Don't Have to Be UNIFORM!

When I look back over my school and career, I did have to wear a uniform on more than once occasion. I attended Catholic schools so the plaid uniform was a staple for four years. Once I got out of high school, I literally had no clothes at all for college. I had to get an entire new wardrobe and that was way fun to buy. Finally some originality. One of my early work positions was with Estee Lauder cosmetics and we always had to wear the signature blue Lauder uniform. They cut and style at times was not quite right but we had to wear them. I remember standing around the counter and wishing that we could talk to the person at home office who designed those informs. They needed more style and better fitting.

When I think of workers in hospitals growing up they all looked the same. Uniforms were standard with no colors that really varied at all. Nurses wore white and the scrubs were the standard hospital blue. But now more! Today there is style and fashion in the world of uniforms. Check out this link! http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/categories/Scrubs/Scrubs-for-Women/ . You will not be disappointed if you work in the medical field and want a little variety or individuality in your uniform. Just think, if you are in a career and have to wear scrubs for your entire career that could be 5-10 years or even more, wearing a blue scrub for 10 years would be so monotonous.

Blue sky scrubs was born out of the need to have variety and a scrub hat the fit. Since the company began the line has expanded to include scrubs of all colors and even different styles. the boring blue scrub is no more. If you want the original blue scrub is is there but there are offering scrubs options that include more color options, a better fit and a design from quality fabrics. They have several lines available, one of which is the Grey Label Scrubs that include 16 colors to choose from. Other scrubs for women include the Urban scrubs that have a more casual look. Still very professional but with flair. In addition there scrubs can be custom designed to fit your needs.

Blue Sky Scrubs does have a 90 day return policy of there is any issue that needs to be resolved. They have a team of professionals committed to providing the best quality product to the public and to be sure that we are satisfied. Buying on line via the website can be done from the comfort of your own home with just a few clicks of the mouse. If you are in the medical field and looking for a little variety, be sure to check out Blue Sky Scrubs. you will not be disappointed.

What I do is kick them in the pants with a diamond buckled shoe! ~~Aileen Mehle~~

Death of a Sperry

I have a favorite pair of sperry top siders that have seen better days. They are green and made of suede. The style was slipon. They have served me well in all sorts of weather and occasions. They were super comfortable but now are totally uncomfortable. So it is time for them to go to the great shoe graveyard in the sky. I will miss them because they went with so many things I had to wear as far as casual wear. They were a staple with jeans. I do not think I will replace them. I have three other pairs of sperry top siders to wear and they are no where near being worn out.

Still doing good. Still not buying anymore shoes before I wear out all that I have. At this rate, I may not need to ever by another pair of shoes in a very long time. Well, except for a pair of black dress pumps for special occasions. I need those now.

So long my favorite pair of sperry's. Enjoy you rest in the afterlife of shoes.

What I do is kick them in the pants with a diamond buckled shoe! ~~Aileen Mehle~~

Rat Shoe. REALLY!!

Who came up with this for fall?

Definitively what I will not be wearing!

What I do is kick them in the pants with a diamond buckled shoe! ~~Aileen Mehle~~

Night Out On the Town!

This past July my church choir had the unique opportunity to sing Rutter's Requiem at Carnegie Hall. We spent the entire 6 months before rehearsing and rehearsing and rehearsing some more! With Rutter it has to be perfect. He is the man! Before going to NYC, we had the opportunity to join with another church choir and sing it for local performances in my home with and at the home town of the visiting church. It was spectacular! We were wonderful.

With the trip to NYC to sing the Requiem at Carnegie Hall, not all of us choir members could go because the total cost of the trip was great during these economic times. I think it was about $3000 per person to go for the week so about 1/3 of my choir went. The actual performance was on Memorial Day. I was not lucky enough to afford the NYC trip to actually work with Rutter, but I was able to perform in both local concerts. It was joyous either way. I did wish at the time I live in NYC so that I could be there.

I had no idea what the cost of the Carnegie Hall tickets would have been to see the show. I imagine that it may have been pricey. There are sorts of shows going on there as well as sporting events and concerts. Tickets for some of these are hard to get. Cheapseat.com has tickets available for just about any event you could want to attend. They are a privately owned company that buys and resells tickets on the secondary market. They offer premium seats that may be hard to get or even sold out without anyone having to stand in line or wait on hold. Now you may pay a pretty penny for them but they are premium seats!

The site itself is easy to use. For example, if you wanted Harlem Globetrotters Tickets or

Jersey Boy Tickets, simply go to the event and click view tickets on the day and time you prefer. A page will come up giving you the seat location and number of tickets available. After that select buy tickets and with your credit card, your tickets are yours in minutes. It could not be any easier. There are tickets available for every budget.

Fenway Park Tickets may be hard to come by for the average person calling or hoping to get tickets to a sporting event on line. Sometimes sporting events sell out in minutes as soon as they become available online. I have experienced this. By using Cheapseats or the link, you can get great tickets to your sporting events at Fenway Park. Sometimes the only way for the general public to get tickets to "BIG" sporting events is via a ticket broker. Yankee Stadium Tickets are available now and it looks like some tickets for the very elusive World Series tickets are still there! Wow! That would be exciting to see!

Searching by vendor, event or city is easy. With three basic steps your ticket order can be completed. All sales are final because they are one of a kind items. If there is a cancellation, refunds will be honored if done within 10 days. Professional customer service agents are also available to assist you as needed.

So, the need to sweat getting quality tickets at great performances is over! Whether it be comedy, drama, the ballet, sporting events or concerts, check out Cheapseats for all your ticket needs. The holidays are soon to be coming and lots of special seasonal events will be coming up. Get ready for that! Tickets are already available and ready to purchase.

Taylor Swift Tickets are available now for all of her performances in all venues. Shop ahead and get the best seats now for those performances. I do think that using Cheapseats will take the headache out of holiday performances that occur at holiday time. That is one less thing to worry about with the crush of the holiday rush!

What I do is kick them in the pants with a diamond buckled shoe! ~~Aileen Mehle~~

Heels and the Love of Shoes

Heels! I have always been in love with them. I remember some of my very first pair of shoes that I bought with my own money were a pair of high heels by an Italian designer whose name I cannot recall right now. They were the best shoes ever! They cost $80 and that was a huge sum back in 1977 for a pair of black, strappy heels. They had the best fit of any shoes I had at the time. I could do anything in them and they were comfortable.

Disco was in back then and I was able to dance the night away in those shoes. I could dance for hours and they never hurt my feet. They were perfect. I remember when the soles began to wear out, I would take them to the cobbler and have them resoled. That worked for about a year until I was finally ready to let them go.

I will never forget those shoes. They made anything I wore look instantly better, more sexy and they made my legs look good. My legs were my best feature! I wore heels all the time and I was sleek and walking tall in my heels. No one could tell me a thing.

I think a girl always remembers her first pair of high heels just like she remembers her very first boyfriend. You look back and feel that bittersweet feeling of good times long gone. And wondering if those time will come again. Will a pair of shoes ever fit that well again? Will another pair fit your feet like a pair of gloves? Will you have a love like that again.

I have pleasant memories of various past shoes! Probably more memories of shoes than old boyfriends. Shoes are definitively more reliable and dependable than some of those old boyfriends were.

I do not think my love affair of shoes will ever end. If I am having a bad day, I can go to my closet and try on a pair of my many shoes, strut around the house and feel all better. Heels are the best shoe for that. The average running shoe or sandal will not have the same effect. Heels. Heels are the best balm for anything that makes your day left of center.

What I do is kick them in the pants with a diamond buckled shoe! ~~Aileen Mehle~~

Just A Thought!

"If anything terrifies me, I must try to conquer it." - Francis Chichester

What I do is kick them in the pants with a diamond buckled shoe! ~~Aileen Mehle~~

The Birthday Shoes

My daughter has been wanting a particular pair of Converse for quite a while. I got them for her for her birthday last month. She was a happy camper. They were an exclusive pair made by Journeys and they were not longer available in our local store. Not to worry! All I had to do was go in and order them in the store and within 2 days they here.

It was a seamless purchase and delivery with no problems at all. My daughter takes after her mother. But with a little more reason. She loves shoes too. Here are a picture of the Vans she just had to have.

Shoes. They do a body good.

The birthday shoes!

What I do is kick them in the pants with a diamond buckled shoe! ~~Aileen Mehle~~

Intervention Working

My intervention has been working. I have been wearing out shoes more and buying a lot less. I am wearing them to the point of wearing out. That took a great while to make that transition. I was a shoe-aholic. I think I still am but I do have the buying under control. I have not take a count recently as to how many pairs I have left. When I last counted my shoes I was up to 69 pairs. This was about 3. 5 years ago. I am glad to say that I have more money to spend on other things.

I can now say that I am in need of a new pair of black pumps. I wore out my last pair. It is so good to get that shoe obsession under control. I will always loves shoes. Wearing them and even more....buying them. They are so pretty. The economy has helped. The need to hold onto all available funds will put things into perspective.

What I do is kick them in the pants with a diamond buckled shoe! ~~Aileen Mehle~~

The "New" Espadrille

Spring is here and summer is coming! When I was in college espadrilles were the shoe to wear but that was in the 80's and the style was just a little different. Not so high and not so fashionable Preppy was in and all the preppy girls wore them. Today's espadrilles are totally new and fresh. High too! At least 4 inches. I love these by Nine West. They have a complete line and they are all fab! They seem to be all in the $99.00 range. Check them out! I want about 2 pairs for the summer!

What I do is kick them in the pants with a diamond buckled shoe! ~~Aileen Mehle~~

Shoe Deaths

It has not been a good six months for me and my shoes. I have had quite a few die from old age. It was just time. I have many shoes that are just worn out and have loved a very long life. Sad to see some of them go! I have lost about 6 pairs in the past 6 months with 2 more failing now. I guess that is a good thing. The bad thing is that they decide to kick the bucket at odd times. Last weekend I was at church and all of a sudden I tripped as I walked. I did not fall down but as it turned out, the front sole of my left shoe decided to separate from the shoe itself. It began to flap down as I walked. Not good. Luckily I did not have much walking to do. I was able to get home and examine them. There was no hope. In the garbage they went. They were my favorite pair of black dress shoes! Now I need a new pair. In reality, I need several new pairs! That is good. I get to go shoe shopping!

What I do is kick them in the pants with a diamond buckled shoe! ~~Aileen Mehle~~

A Retirement Trip

Guest post written by Judy Kitson

On the way to the Hearing Test Center, my husband and I noticed a travel agent center along the way. We took a quick peek in the window and we decided to take a step inside. We've been very interested in going on a fun retirement trip, and we thought it might be best to find a few ideas. While we didn't put anything on the books right then and there, our visit gave us some ideas for when we went home. We got on the computer and started looking about trips up north.

We've wanted to go to an area with a little more snow because we've always wanted to rent a cabin and do a little cross country skiing in the open air. After searching for an hour or so, we came across the perfect place. We read that there were plenty of recreational areas nearby and it sounded like there was a lot of land. We went ahead and booked a trip. We're really looking forward to getting some fresh air and getting some exercise with the cross country skiing. This is really going to be great!

What I do is kick them in the pants with a diamond buckled shoe! ~~Aileen Mehle~~

Footin' It

Right now I am footin' in. Really. And it is no fun at all. About 3 weeks ago my car began to make funny sounds and then one day when I was at work it would not start. I was stranded in the middle of a median on the highway. I thank god the median was there because it was a very busy road. I had to have 3 men stop and help push me off the highway. I called my mechanic and later found out that a part in the motor has worn out and basically the engine is gone. Without an engine you have no car.

Right now I am not in a position to buy a new car or take on a car payment so my first option now is to get a new or used engine. My mechanic is now in the process of finding a good used engine to put in the car. He is looking and while he is looking I am waiting and I have no car. Bad way to be these days.

I have actually begun to look now at cars because my car is old. I bought it used and it only has a few good years left before I would have to get a new car anyway. I have always bought sedans in the past and they have been both domestic and foreign models. There are all sorts of places to look for cars but there is an option on line called the Car Connection. Take a look at this Audi S6 . It is a beauty! I would not mind a car like this! Use the photo gallery to get a look at it from all angles. There is even a link to get a price on what it would cost in my area. Put in your zip code, phone and how you expect to pay and a quote will be delivered to you on the spot. There is even a way to compare prices as well. There is even a away to get a "true price quote" and find out what others really paid for the car.

I have never considered a truck before but maybe an SUV...a small one. The only time I drove a truck was years ago when a rental agency ran out of cars and they only had a truck to rent to me. I do not remember the type but this GMC Canyon looks similar. This is available in both 2 wheel and 4 wheel drive. On the site it even gives a side by side comparison of city verses highway driving. That is a big thing given the price of gas these days. Another tool the site offers are reviews by users and experts so you can get a feel of what people think of the truck and how it handles. You can even get pricing broken down by trim.

The Toyota Avalon is up next. This is the car my brother drives. In fact, Toyotas are the only cars he has ever driven. He loves them and it is a very nice ride! The car connection also offers comparisons of this car to others like it. Buying a new car is not a fast thing to do. It takes time to look and research all options and to find the best deals out there.

The car connection brings all the information together so that the consumer can make an informed decision. It has tips, reviews, pricing and news all in one place. The people behind the scenes are well informed. They are a team of car experts with over 50 years of automotive journalism experience. Those experts want to hear from us...the consumer... so they encourage our reviews and questions.

I am still waiting to hear the fate of my little car and whether it will make it. I am glad to know that there are sites like this one that make it easy to research cars all in one place on the web. I know I will have to get a new car in about 3 years, (if this one makes it with a used engine) and it is good to know there is a valuable resource on the web to aid me in my car search in the future. Be sure to check it out and even here for more info .

What I do is kick them in the pants with a diamond buckled shoe! ~~Aileen Mehle~~

Vans! : aN uPDATE

FUNNY THING! My daughter told me Friday that since she has gotten her Vans everyone she sees has the exact same pair that she has. Other girls in her classes and she says she had them first and they are copying her! I could only tell her that imitation is the best compliment!

What I do is kick them in the pants with a diamond buckled shoe! ~~Aileen Mehle~~

Statement Shoes - Discover More Fall and Resort Accessories on ELLE.com

Statement Shoes - Discover More Fall and Resort Accessories on ELLE.com

Wow! Check out all these shoes! Way Cool!

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Easy Walk Down the Math Path

Third grade was the undoing of my math career. I had a horrible teacher. I know she was bad as my mother was a school teacher. My third grade teacher did nothing except sit at her desk and read novels. She did not teach us math at all that year, so when I got to fourth grade I was at a great disadvantage.

I changed schools and ended up having to learn basic things like the multiplication tables that I should have learned in the third grade. I ended up having another student who was really good in math sit with me and she acted as my math tutor. I thank god for her. She helped me make it and as you can guess, math was never my best subject. It was always a struggle. I believe that
if you do not have access to what you need then the next best thing would be a tutor. There are now tutors for every subject out there. My own child needed help in middle school and I sent her to the after school tutors at her school.

With our wave of technology there is even help on line now. Take Algebra 2 for example. There
is free online help with TutorVista. If your child is stuck doing that homework they can get help with algebra 2 in such a way that they will understand it and not just be given the answers. Understanding how the answer is derived is the whole thing. Understanding is power. The tutors will provide one on one help and are experts who will work at your child's level and speed to be sure they comprehend the math they are having difficulty with.

There is even help with 4th grade math as well as 5th grade math. Math topics pertenant to each grade level will be addressed. In 4th grade math a few of the subjects that can be accessed are fractions, decimals and geometry. In 5th grade math some of the subjects include fractions and mixed numbers, word problems and graphs. In 4th grade math learning begins with a subject area, then doing simple then more complex problems and ends with a math test to see where you stand. With the 5th grade tutoring, study is customized to the student with thousands of study questions to practice on. Those along with math worksheets will surely improve comprehension. Regardless of the time this help is available 24 hours a day! So late night study is not a problem.

When I was in middle and high school the one thing I recall that I could do well was adding fractions. I loved to do them. In addition to the help with manually adding fractions you can even add fractions on line and get an answer on the spot! That was not around when I was in school! Formula for volume and figuring that out for different shapes was something I had a hard time with. I will never forget that. I had help and once I understood I had no problem after that . Looking at it now it looks like greek and I am so glad I do not have to deal with that anymore! (Volume of a shape is given by computing area of a cross section and spinning it over 360 degrees--did I say greek!)My child is working with that now and she must be smarter that me because she is having no problem with it! If she did I would refer her to the online tutoring that is available!

My child is in high school now and is doing work with graph of lineal equations. She came to me with this about 3 weeks ago and I told her I could not help her. I knew I had had it before but remembered nothing! I guess my mind was a blank slate-a tabula rasa! At that time I referred her to school tutors and she has no problem now. I did not know about this website and the wonderful assistant it can provide. We know now. Both of us for the remainder of this school year will be referring to it if she has any math issues.

Having use of chat and a whiteboard to work out problems with a live tutor is just like working face to face. Students and parents are happy with this service. Check out the testimonials!

What I do is kick them in the pants with a diamond buckled shoe! ~~Aileen Mehle~~

Vans!

This school year was a little different in that the only pair of shoes my child wanted was a pair of Vans. I had no clue what they were. I had not heard of that brand....as it turned out she wanted to go to Journeys in the mall and get a pair. She took me there and I learned all I ever needed to know about Vans. I was thinking they are more for the grunge look/type and as it turns out it is a skate shoe. I guess roller and skateboard skating. She wanted the purple plaid/checkerboard.

I was thinking that a more modest style or color would go with many more things. Then I began to think with Vans I guess it is not about matching but with just having a pair. So the purple checkboard pair was bought for her and she was happy as a clam! These are them and believe me when I say she loves them. Once I pretended that I was going to try them on and my feet are bigger than hers. Well...I was in fear that I would loose a toe! Hands off her VANS! She loves them and the more I look they are very interesting shoes. Good to wear with jeans. I may even get a pair and I will not be getting a solid color either! Vans! If they are good enought for my child, they are good enough for me!

The price was not too bad. I paid about $45 dollars for them. There seems to be a whole lifestyle of skating surrounding the Van name. I mean really...they gave bmx riders a camera and sent them on a trip. Okay. I can do that! Send me on a trip with a camera. It would be Vans from an older generation perspective!

What I do is kick them in the pants with a diamond buckled shoe!

~~Aileen Mehle~~