Deep Gut-Wrenching Contemplations

I know I've not been around lately. Lately is a relative term. I think in this case it means I haven't blogged in about a month. And I know this has been a huge source of disappointment to the many two of you who read this blog.

My bad.

I started out this year with a determination to blog more regularly. Clearly that resolution bit the dust before the end of January.  And then every time I thought of something to blog, I remembered that I hadn't changed my background or my header picture. I still had hollyberries and loads of snow. Not at all acceptable when I'm sitting here in 80 degree weather.

But I didn't know what to do with the background. Did I want to go back to what I had last year? Find something new? Go back to the basic blogger template? I couldn't decide. And I couldn't blog when I still looked so much like winter. I realize that it still is winter in many parts of the country and a lot both of you are digging out from snow, but still.

All this thinking about the look of my blog led me to thinking about other aspects. And I found myself with a bucketload of soul searching questions:  Is blogging right for me? Should I do something different to gain more followers? (I'm sure more commenting on other people's blogs would help.) Should I stop trying to be funny and start being more profound and thought-provoking? Should I even have a blog at all? Maybe I should quit.

After almost two months of introspection, broken occasionally by a foray into the weekly Hodgepodge, I've come to some rather drastic conclusions.

I need new mascara.

I know. Totally random. Turns out I'm not really profound even in my deep thinking. But one night while I was mulling over these thoughts, I looked in the mirror and realized I had dark circles under my eyes. Turns out my mascara tends to smear by the end of the day.

Other deep thoughts have involved Stephanie's upcoming wedding, and as I stood there at the mirror, these two thoughts collided:  I can't have smeary mascara at her wedding. I might cry. I probably will cry at her wedding. And then I could very well end up doing a good raccoon imitation in the pictures--without the scavenging through garbage, I hope.

So I need some new mascara. Any suggestions? I used to wear Mary Kay's. She was generous like that. And then I got some Ulta mascara for free. I like it, but I get this smear thing going on. I don't want to have to try dozens to find what I want. I just want something that will make my lashes look incredibly awesome without making my face look incredibly stupid. Why doesn't someone use that as their tagline for advertising?

I also need new lipstick, but I think I know what I need here thanks to Fringegirl's blog. She participates in a What I Wear meme every week, and she looks really good. But what I noticed even more than her clothes, was her lipstick. So I asked her what she wore. I guess I'm not the only one that liked it because Fringegirl did a vlog on lipstick not too long ago.

So, I have no deep and profound thoughts and decisions for my blog future, but I'm starting to get a handle on the makeup I need to wear to my daughter's wedding. Now if ya'll can just help me out with some mascara tips, I'll be all set. Except for the fact that I don't have a dress for the wedding yet.

Baby steps, I guess.

And by the way, in case you care (and even if you don't), this is the background I used last year. Turns out that most of the wonderful free backgrounds out there are either too pastel or cutesy for me.

Shocker.