went to ross.

went to ROSS (dress for less). I love calling it Ross Dress for Less. I don't even know if it's still called that, or if they've dropped the last part, but it's still fun to call it that.

so, went to ROSS dress for less today on my lunch break. as you may know if you've ever been to this store, you have to be in the right mindset for it. you can't go expecting to have a good time. you go, fully expecting a torturous shopping experience, but you're rewarded when you leave with several surprisingly cute dresses and tops that were significantly less expensive than they would be anywhere else.

today, i had a visitor in my dressing room. a small little boy, who obviously has no parents. i don't think he spoke English, so when i said sweetly, "oh, watch out" with a smile and nice inflection, he didn't understand me. So i said "NO," not so sweetly all while shaking my foot at him (don't give me grief - it was my first instinct - my hands were too busy covering my bod - and don't worry, it was just a shake, not a kick)!! I think he got the picture and he backed out of my room.

Here are my questions for Ross Dress for Less: Sadly, I already know the answer, which is the same for every question. BECAUSE IT'S ROSS DRESS FOR LESS!!

Why don't the dressing rooms have locks?
Why does the security guard stare at me like I've already stolen something the moment I walk in the front door?
Why do they need a security guard?
Why were there no carts?
Why does the one cart I finally found have a tall beacon on it?
Why did the dressing room attendant make me feel like a criminal and make me hang my clothes on a rack so SHE could count them, because I'm obviously going to lie about how many items I bring in?
Why is this child climbing under my dressing room door?
Why can't I get this dress over my head? Oh, it's labeled as a Medium, but it's really an XS.
Why is this seam HERE?
Why isn't there a pocket on this side too?
Why is there a pile of trash and dust in the corner?
Why must I put my purse on every time I go back out to exchange what doesn't look good for more items?
Why can't I wait to get home and wash my body?
Why are there 30 people in line and only one cash register open?
Why are the other employees standing around and not opening up cash registers?
Why is this taking entirely too long?
Why is the security guard STILL staring at me?! I'm NOT GOING TO STEAL ANYTHING!!
Whose child is this?

I could go on.... all these questions go through my mind whenever I go to Ross Dress for Less.
HOWEVER - and this is a big however - even with all of the nonsense, I love you, Ross Dress for Less.

I love you, because I got nine dresses, two tops, and a Christmas gift for my dad, all for $90.

rave review.

As I may have mentioned in previous posts, I had some pre-cancerous moles taken off back in February. Since then, I've been a pretty big proponent of not frying like crazy in the sun, if at all possible.

I have had a few sunburns this year. One pretty bad one on my legs (how did i put sunscreen EVERYWHERE but the front of my thighs?!?) but I've been really trying to not lay outside and literally bake my skin.

In my efforts to keep the big C at bay while still enjoying the self-esteem boosting effects that a sun tan has to offer, I've resorted to self tanning spray. I LOVE IT!

This product, in particular, has the least "fake tanner" smell of any that I've tried or been unfortunate enough to smell on others. It's airbrush, 360 (so i can turn the can upside down while trying to get the rear regions of my bod) and I've noticed a gradual bronzing of my skin since I began using the product! HoRrAY!

So, my rave review, folks, is for L'Oreal Paris Sublime Bronze ProPerfect Self Tanning Mist, my shade is Medium Natural Tan. LOVE LOVE LOVE!!

enjoy, ladies and germs.

what's up.

Oh, what a month.

My cousin has been gone almost a month. I'm still not sure if it's completely hit me yet. I won't give too much detail out in the bloggisphere, but he was shot and killed. It was so tragic, so violent, so awful. We're still coping. We will be coping for quite some time. The horrible human beings who did this to him were charged with aggravated robbery and murder one. Hopefully, they'll be in jail forever, never able to do this to another family ever again.

I've been having nightmares ever since. There have been some other family health scares over the past month. My uncle (my cousin's dad) has actually been very sick and in the hospital having major surgery. My grandfather on my mom's side was in the hospital for a week with a failing epiglottis. He was breathing in food and water and got pneumonia from it.

Needless to say, it's been hard. Really hard. Between the nightmares, the stress and pain of losing a close relative, and the complete anxiety of every time the phone rings freaking out thinking that another tragedy has hit me, I'm exhausted. I keep a smile on my face because it's who I am, but I'm beat. Mentally, physically, emotionally beat.

It's been a very tough month.

So, what else...
I'm really liking my new place, although I've been in such a stress-fog that I haven't really taken the time to sit down and enjoy it. Photo stuff has been great, but busy, so the little bit of time I've had to sit, I've been editing. But pictures are my happy place and I love it. The photos I sold for the flood was a huge success! I was able to donate $350 to Hands on Nashville. They sent me a very sweet thank you letter. I was happy to be able to raise a bit of cash to send their way. They're doing such great things.

Cord and I are doing well. I see him, like, never... but I am so in heart with him still. Maybe that's the key? Never see each other and then the little time you do get to spend is valued so much more? We just booked a trip to Chicago for late July. I'm so, so, so excited. The last "vacation" we went on was in August of 2007 to Disney World. We were in such a different place then... we were kids, for sure. Hell, we're still kids! We're staying at the Dana Hotel and Spa downtown Chicago. His bro stayed there recently and said it was amazing. I'm super excited!

My Maryland trip over Memorial day was when we ended up having my cousin's funeral, so the trip was obviously not the trip we had planned for. I hope to get back to MD again this summer to get over to see everyone. I miss home so, so much.

Until next time...

loss.

Loss is difficult. Losing a loved one is difficult. It's devastating. Especially when it's so tragic and unexpected.

I have lost. It is difficult. I am coping. I am strong.

Love and miss you always.

and on and on it goes.

Gosh, I have really not blogged much lately. I really don't have the time to put everything that's been going on into words.

Here's a basic rundown.

moved. no longer a single apartment-dweller. now a sylvan park roommate. and very happy about it!
got a promotion and a raise at work (pat self on back now).
sister moved to nashville. made my life complete.
cord and i haven't seen each other much in the past few weeks. i'm hoping for an entire day and night with him. is that too much to ask?
going home to MD for memorial day. thank you jesus.
enjoying the maryland-like spring we've had. 68 degrees is my ultimate temperature. that one was for you, nee-ko. :)
hope to get to Chicago this summer, maybe even around my b-day? im not going to be able to take vacay from mid august till october b/c of work, so i better get it in while i can.
photo stuff is going very well. recently had photos featured on CNN. sold over 30 copies of my broadway photo to donate to Hands on Nashville for flood victims. very happy and feel good about it.
lots of visitors in town. ready for a weekend to nest at the new place.
in general, happy with life. excited about earning more moolah and saving more with my living situation change, so hopefully i will get to be a bit more social now that i have a little extra cash flow.
still trotting in between the health train and the fat train. moving was an intense workout. i hope once they can open back the Green Hills Y (sustained major damage in the flood) I will get back into the groove. I've been eating much healthier though, so that's helping me maintain. but i want to lose. i want to lose more.
that's about it. i guess.

Buy a photo, support flood victims.

I have a photo I took of Broadway that from May 5th-15th, I'm selling for $10 (see the link below). I'm going to donate all net proceeds directly to Hands On Nashville to benefit the flood victims. (www.hon.org)

Please see the link below to purchase, or please forward this on to your friends to spread the word. If anyone has any questions, they can contact me at meglangfordphoto@gmail.com

Here's my etsy site where you can purchase the Broadway Print:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/meglangford

Nashville Flood

I made it downtown last night to take some pictures. Such an eerie, sad sight. I hope that they can salvage these historic buildings that give Nashville our character!!