Not the most exciting shoe in the world...

I bought these mary jane pumps from Target a few months ago.


I really like them for work.  The heel is walkable, and they are balanced well enough that they don't kill my toes.  The wide straps don't cut into my feet either.  They are "vegan-friendly," but not cheap-looking.  I've been happy with them.

**Full disclosure: actions you take by clicking on the links may yield commissions for this blog.  Which would be great, but I thought you should be allowed to make an informed decision.**

I bought these on clearance at my local Target store a few weeks ago because I was looking for some gray boots.  I like these, but the lug sole does give them more a casual feel. Of course, they are "vegan-friendly," AKA, fake suede. I don't really care; most of my shoes are cheap as hell. My feet aren't particular.  My recommendation is to check the shelves of your local Target store, especially if you wear a size six, and see if you can find them for half off.  If not, they appear to be available online...


**Full disclosure: actions you take by clicking on the links may yield commissions for this blog.  Which would be great, but I thought you should be allowed to make an informed decision.**

Brown or Black?

Black:


Brown:



I like them both. If only my funds were limitless. 
 
**Full disclosure: actions you take by clicking on the links may yield commissions for this blog.  Which would be great, but I thought you should be allowed to make an informed decision.**

Winter sucks. Maybe new boots would help?

I have these:

Except much dirtier and more horrid.
I want these:
  Or something similar. I sort of resent the idea of spending so much cash on icky winter boots, but in the climate I live in, I suppose it makes sense.  If I had bought these in October, the cost per wear would probably be around $3 by now. Sick.

Recommendations

I've written about this before, I think, but Amazon's recommendation page drives me a little batty.  I mostly use it to get ideas for books to check out from the library. I rate stuff I've read, and the list (supposedly) kicks back other books I might enjoy.  Por ejemplo, I recently read (and liked, okay?) the Sookie Stackhouse books.  So according the Amazon algorithm,  I probably only want to read books featuring vampires, fairies, werewolves, ghosts, gnomes, etc.  Gah! Ninety percent of the recent glut of this type of book flat-out sucks. I'm going to have to check "not interested" on about one hundred items to get some fresh ideas. 
P.S. to fantasy writers: If you spell vampire, "vampyre" or kindred, "kyndred," I refuse to read your stupid book. Annoying!


And sometimes, the recommendations are kind of mind-bending.  Amazon suggests I might want to buy Fig Newtonsbecause I put a portable clothes drying rack on my wish list. What are people out there doing that unites these two products?!

Dear Conde Nast:

Please stop shrink-wrapping all the magazines you send me. I know you deperately want me to renew (early and often), but all that nasty plastic is starting to piss me off. If I want to resubscribe, I will use one of the eleventy billion postcards you thoughtfully scatter throughout your pages. Alternatively, I will go on this new-fangled thing called "the internet," where I can buy magazines with no paper waste what-so-ever. No more plastic wrap! I beg of you.

Sincerely,

K.

Closet Voyeurism

A blogger (when I remember who, I will credit her) mentioned recently how much she liked seeing other people's closets. I also like seeing other people's closets, so I thought I would post mine. The above is a picture of the outside; it's hard to get a good shot, both because of the shape of the room, and because I'm a terrible photog. Anyway, it's a pretty standard closet with bi-fold doors and one hanging bar/shelf. It's actually really long with two sets of doors, but my husband uses the other half. I keep trying to encroach, but he will have none of it. Notice that the closet appears to be leaking garments. I assure you, this is absolutely normal. Do not be alarmed.


Here's the inside:



Looking at this picture, I realize how much space I'm wasting up top. I might need to get in there and figure out a better way to use that. Maybe a shelf? While I'm at it, I should probably recycle those boxes. Also, note the Leopard Print Faux Fur Coat of Dooooom. This may be the final straw that causes Amish Ryan to divorce me. Or die of embarrassment. But it's so cuuuute, says I. The reason for the massive laundry pile, besides sheer laziness, is that if all my clothes are clean, they do not fit in this closet. I hope to have a walk-in someday, but until then, I may just get a bigger laundry basket. You may also notice what isn't here: shoes. They don't fit, so they are all piled up in boxes around the corner in the bedroom. The Shoe Mountain will be Exhibit B in the divorce filing, right after my faux fur coat.