When I used to go to the salon to get my hair dyed it drove me crazy that I had no where to go but home afterward. It seemed a waste of a good coiffing.

Since we’re being slowly suffocated by medical bills over here, I’ve been dying my own hair. In case you haven’t tried this yourself, you should know that ALL THE BOXES AT THE GROCERY STORE LIE. Despite the untruths, I colored my hair today.

I wasn’t about to let my supposed-to-be-blond-but-really-turned-out-orange hair go unnoticed, so I went to the thrift store. Because nothing lifts you up after dying your hair in your half bathroom quite like looking through other people’s cast-off clothing.

To be honest, I’ve always been what I refer to as “a good shopper” even when I didn’t need to be. I love a good deal. This is evidenced by the huge increase to our bug spray and sunscreen collection…in October. I cruise the end-caps at stores and scope out the off-season bargains because it pains me to pay full-price when I know I could have bought it six months ago for half the cost.

I look at the thrift store like I’m getting hand-me-downs; hand-me-downs that I keep closed tightly in a plastic trash bag until I have the time to wash them in scalding hot water.

Today I scored:

Banana Republic sweater dress for $1.99

Gap winter coat for $3.99

Evan Picone sweater for $2.99

Old Navy long-sleeved t-shirt for $.99

I also bought another sweater, a sweatshirt and a very pretty belt. I spent $20.00 total.

Then I went to Target for toilet paper, razor blades and hearing aid batteries and spent $64.00.

And, THAT right there? Is why my hair will stay orange.

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Here I am! With a few hours left in the first day of November, I’m getting in a post by the skin of my teeth. Speaking of that, how many of you feel like you have socks on your teeth from all the sugar you’ve eaten today?

Halloween was kind of a bust around here, what with the rain and the FREEZING, but somehow my kids managed to get plenty of junk. The adults managed to drink plenty of beer too, because we roll redneck in Ohio. It makes the cold bearable. Almost.

I won’t lie. I didn’t craft together my son’s costume until about an hour before trick-or-treat, because of the wicked witch that blew through earlier this week, I just wasn’t into it this year. Hurricane Sandy kind of ruined the spirit of Halloween. Get it? Spirit. People, this is as good as it’s going to get if I’m posting every day.

Now that my kids have dressed up for Halloween a combined total of 25 times I am apparently tired of taking pictures of them in their costumes. I got one photo of my daughter with a glaring flash, none of my two kids together and two pictures of my son which, if pieced together, make his full costume. Take this duct tape covered parka…

…and combine it with this mustache (instead of the one above that I crookedly drew on with waterproof mascara)…

…and you have the total look.

I win at mothering, no? Don’t worry, I’ll make it up to them at Thanksgiving. I’ll give them all the dark meat and I won’t let their dad deep-fry the turkey again. You’re welcome, kids. You’re welcome.

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Posting has been light around here lately. Sure you might think I’m polite and don’t want to share my nonsense when half the eastern seaboard is dealing with devastation, but you would be giving me too much credit.

Okay, I took today off because of Sandy, but what’s my excuse for all of the other days I’ve skipped?

It’s because I have been gearing up for this. And, by “gearing up” I mean doing nothing whatsoever.

Apparently, I didn’t learn my lesson last year.

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I saw this on Etsy the other day and fell in love:

I think it’s fair to say that it’s hard for most people to step outside of their comfort zone. I also think it’s fair to say that a lot of people are searching for something they will never find unless they take that first step. You know that whole, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” thing? Yeah, that.

Take the shot.

Whatever it is that you want to be, or do…just try. I promise that no one will laugh at you or call you foolish. Even if you fail, they will say, “Wow. How great that she tried!” or “He never shirks away from a challenge”.

If you want to learn to tango, wear a red dress, get a new job, go back to school, attend trapeze lessons, start going to church, run a marathon, clean out your garage, or write a blog post every day for a month (or even…let’s say…28 days out of 30), then go for it!

Maybe, just maybe, you will succeed.

And, that will feel spectacular.

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