10 Things Every Woman Should Have

In Allure magazine this month, Oscar de la Renta made a list of 10 things every woman should have.  I usually just scan through the magazine for perfume samples-- but I stopped and read this article to see how I measure up.

1.  A Great Romance.  Check.

 

2.  Face-framing Earrings.  Done.  NOBODY does big earrings like I do.                                                                

3.  A Small Bag.  Ok, I take exception with this one.  Clearly, the women in Oscar de la Renta's life are not toting around three small children.  In my mind, the bigger the bag, the better.  Even with no need for diapers anymore, I am still responsible for snacks, toys, wipes, hand sanitizer, bug spray etc.  I'll run out and get a small bag on the same day I buy myself a small car.

4.  Black Lace.  I bought this great skirt from Target a few weeks ago.  Love it. 

5.  A confident walk. Um... that's weird.  I'll work on that one.

6.  A cause to support.  This is a great one.  Mine is education... and family issues.  Everyone should have something they are passionate about.

7.  Red carnations. "a deep, deep red".  Another weird one.  But carnations are cheap-- so maybe I will work on this one too.

8.  A significant scent. I don't have a signature scent.  As I mentioned before, I love "Falling in Love" by Philosophy, but I don't wear it everyday.  I have about 20 different perfumes and body sprays I rotate through-- depending on the occasion.  Maybe I should commit to one for a while.  (For the record, for years I never wore anything but "Flowering Herbs" from Bath and Body Works).

9.  Very tall shoes.  I own this one!  A few months ago, the missionaries in my ward asked me to stop wearing such tall heels because I made all the Elders look short.  But I married a man that is 6'4-- I am free to wear any size heel I want!  I love it!

10.  A competitive streak.  I have always been competitive-- but the streak has died down over the past 5 years or so.  It took me nearly 30 years to realize that I am not very good at anything!

Some Light Reading

I had a few weeks in between semesters at school.  I decided to indulge in my favorite past time-- reading mindless drivel!  10 years ago, I was a history major at BYU and had to read so many heavy, tedious texts that it became a treat to read some Nicholas Sparks and Danielle Steel (gag) in between semesters.  Sadly, this became a habit.

So, with my precious two weeks of freedom from insipid education textbooks, I indulged in the following:

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me by Mindy Kaling


I stumbled across this book at Target and laughed so hard at the Introduction that I had to buy it.  It did not disappoint.  Mindy is hilarious and easy to relate to.  She really hits her high in the first 4-5 chapters of the book.  After that, it gets a bit slow.  But those first chapters are so funny that its still one of my favorite new books.  (Beware, there is some language)

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
 

This book isn't as mindless as I generally prefer.  A friend told me that the book was written from the point of view of the family dog and I knew I just had to read it.   It is good-- not great.  Its a bit sad and heavy at times-- but overall a well-written story.

Now You See Her by James Patterson


This is James Patterson at his absolute best!  I have read just about every James Patterson book ever written (except for his young adult books) and I still did not know how this was going to end.  LOVED it!  (Again-- some language)

Crossed by Ally Condie


I had forgotten that I had read the first book in this series, "Matched".  The sequel is pretty good.  To be honest, it is not that different from all of the other post-apocalypse utopian young adult novels (Hunger Games, Pretties, The Giver, etc).  Intriguing, easy read.

Picture Perfect by Jodi Picoult

Picoult is a good writer-- but kind of bugs me sometimes.  This is an interesting story-- but not an amazing book.  Her other books are better.

Now I'm back in school.  And instead of these delightfully shallow reads, you can find me scouring the pages of this: