Answers... It's All I've Got

Ladies, it's Monday and we've got a lot of loose ends around here.  Time to wrap some of this crap up or I shall never ever finish and I shall die.

Wearing Mascara said…

What is your opinion on living together before marriage? :-)

Soo, this is kind of a hot-button issue in the blogging world, I believe.  There are the religious-types who will tell you that it is sinful to live as man and wife before marriage... and there are those who live in NYC and can and do live together and "what of it?!"   I'm somewhere in the middle.  

So, part of my religious upbringing is a little scandalized at the thought of living together before marriage.  I am certainly not morally opposed, it just seems a bit sensational to me.   On the other hand, my younger self would say rock on with your bad self and live together.  

But... I'm kind of growing up and changing.  GO FIGURE!  Right now, I think that not living together before marriage is probably the best decision for me.  There are circumstances where I think it is understandable (living in astronomical-rent-NYC, anyone?)... but more often than not, I see a LOT of people get into terrible situations here.  In fact, my current coworker is living with a man and she is too freaking close to the situation to understand that he is emotionally abusing her.  I am trying to support her and empower her - but I feel that it is only a matter of time before it becomes physical.  And it is pissing me the HELL off.

Ok, back to the question.  I am not a fan of living together before marriage.  I think that there is a LOT to be learned from living with someone - and I do believe it makes the first year of marriage that much more difficult.  For me, I don't think it's the best.  I think that it would be fun and convenient and make life easier - but I think that little bit of difficulty and effort required might make things better in the end.

The end.  Boring-est answer ever?

Token Yankee asked….

What's your favorite thing to buy at Target? Anything you wouldn't buy from there?

Clothes.  I love love them.  I have clothes from high school that look to be in mint condition.  LOOVE.  I used to buy their shoes all the time but I haven't bought any in years.  My feet are just SO wimpy and I haven't had a pair from there that hasn't caused me pain in a long time.  

Sad old lady feet like more expensive shoes.  And unfortunately not Louboutins.  Haha!

The Lovely One asked…

Ok, here's my question....  I notice you buy a lot of stuff online, and then you try it on once you get it, you don't love it, so you think about returning it. Do you really return it all? And what reason do you give for the return? I am terrible about returning, and I always feel so guilty when they ask "was anything wrong with it?" I feel like you should do a post on store returns 101!

Oh damn, I freaking HATE returning clothes.  Hate hate it.  You should see me when I tell Mr. RH I have a return to make.  I usually turn 50 shades of red/white and start stressing out.  

I don't always return it all, but when I say I'm going to return it, I usually do.  For stuff you can only return online (ie Forever21 orders used to be mail-order return only), I do it in a heartbeat.  No harm no foul!  You usually only have to check a box (ie Too Big, Too Short, Wrong Color... blah blah blah).  

However, I tend to only buy things that I can return in person.  Now - I live in a town with a mall but not the big malls that have ALL the stores I want.  So, I typically make a monthly pilgrimage to Indianapolis for a marathon returning spree.  Meaning:  at the stores where I make returns, I usually see the people working there less than once a month.  

When they ask me if there is something wrong, I am 100% honest:  "There's not a ________ (ie LOFT) store in my town, so I have to snap up all the deals I can online and these just didn't fit."  

Being a retail store manager, I know how bad returns suck.  How returns can ruin your numbers and, generally, your entire day.  I tend to be a shopaholic - and when I return something, it's not just because. 

For example, the last time I returned a million dresses to NY&Co... I loved the dresses, but they fit HORRIBLY.  And I asked the sales associate who completely agreed with me.  She made me feel 100x better.

So, I don't do a ton of returns to the stores I shop at daily.  I just don't, I would be pretty uncomfortable.  Luckily for me, there are 3 huge malls within an hour of my house and I can return to any of them.  

Sad but true.  I can't even believe I answered that question, I have horrible return shame. 

Sarah asked…

If you could change one thing in your past, what would it be and why?  and just for fun...
If you had to give up ALL of your shoes save for 2 pairs (say one comfy/every day, one dressy) - which two pairs would you keep?

I honestly don't know that I would change anything.  I feel like my life has followed a pretty predictable pattern of events that have been based on the choices I've made.  And even though my life is far from perfect, I'm pretty happy where I am.

Maybe I shouldn't have quit volleyball in the 7th grade.  Or basketball in the 6th grade.  I would love to have an ounce of athletic ability.  But it wasn't meant to be.

And the shoe question is pretty impossible for me.  It makes no sense, because I love shoes... but I just don't have any that I absolutely LOVE.  

The last pair of shoes I love was a pair of leopard pumps that I killed on my way to work in college.  I cried at my desk.

Krystal asked…

What’s your ultimate career goal??

Ugh, this question haunts me.  I just don't know if I have one.  I loved my college, I would like to work there one day. 

I do not want to work retail forever - the schedule is grueling and it's really difficult to have a life outside of work.  

Anyone with suggestions on THIS topic... CALL ME!  Haha, no, seriously.

Megan asked…

When do you think the rig is going to come ;) ???

I'm pretty sure Megan meant "ring"... and in that case, I hope soon!  When I met Mr. RH, I spent a WHOLE evening on one of our first ten dates telling him how I would need to know a man for AT LEAST three years before I would ever consider marrying him.  I was quite adamant about this fact... so much so that I spent a 20 minute drive explaining it. 

I remember looking at his face - he was smiling and nodding like a goofball and I could not figure out what was going on in his head.  But now I get it.  It has been a whirlwind courtship and faster than I ever would have anticipated... but I wouldn't change a thing.

Susan said…

When you get married, do you plan to DIY most of it? I love DIY weddings! Have a great weekend!

Um, kind of.  I plan to be a very hands on bride - but not so hands on that I'm mixing the drinks, if you know what I mean.  My life is pretty hectic, so I don't know how this will work out.  PLUS, it would be really nice to have my crafty mother around for this.  She could sew and craft with the best of them - I'm just an average crafter.  

So yes, I will try.  And then probably fail and load up my credit card up trying to fix my mistakes.  :/

 Becky asked…

OK, my question(s)... What did you go to school for, and what is your ultimate career goal?

I have a marketing degree - and I loved every second of it.  I didn't really ever have any other aspiration while I was in college, loved marketing from the second I started studying it (with only a brief flirtation with accounting).  I still like accounting, I just don't know if it's the job for me.  

The thing is - marketing majors are a dime a dozen.  Literally!  It's such a competitive field, and I find myself completely lost 3.5 years after graduation.  My ultimate goal is a job that doesn't consume my whole life!

Michelle C asked…

Your worst fashion faux pas...what was it?

Old Navy tech vest.  I can't find a picture because those were the pre-digital days (maybe?)... or it's just been a while.  Rest assured that I believe this question deserves another post all it's own.  With perhaps a slideshow set to music of my most epic fashion misses.

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So, I believe I answered All The Questions!!  Can we start celebrating Wine Wednesday early?  I'm exhausted.  Woof.