Guess who's back!  After months of silence, a story on Good Morning America prompted me into returning.  It was about women who have cancer.  Some are opting out of chemotherapy treatments, because they don't want to lose their hair.  The story went on to talk about some new technology that decreases the chances of hair loss.  But honestly, they lost me way before that. 

Let's examine this--I get a cancer diagnosis and the doctor recommends chemotherapy as part of the treatment process.  My first thought is my hair?  And then I flat out refuse chemo?  Seriously?  Are we that vain as a society?  Can I get a rousing rendition of India Arie's "I Am NOT My Hair?



Ok, tell me the truth.  Would you refuse chemo because you might lose your hair? 

So, everyone knows that since Dear Daughter got accepted to both her first and second choice colleges, we've been trying to help her decide which to attend.  Either Clemson University in South Carolina or Drexel University in Philadelphia. 

She thought it best to visit each, and maybe one or the other would stand out.  But when I started planning the trips, it was chaos.  Planes,  rental cars, hotels, etc. etc.  I was so not looking forward to either trip.

However, thanks to Chevrolet, I'm actually looking forward to it now.  We will be undertaking a 8 day road trip that encompasses both University visits.  And we'll be riding in style--a 2010 Chevy Tahoe!!  This will happen in just a few weeks.  I'll even get to stop and meet some of you!  Details to come...  And of course, I'll keep you updated on our progress, through blog posts, videos, tweets, and photos.

Thanks Chevy for sponsoring our trip!!!

Your comments--priceless!!

If it's anyone's fault, I'd say it's my friend, Mikaela's fault.  You see, she's a lash expert.  I mean like--really, a LASH EXPERT.  This is what she does for a living.  She does lashes. For celebrities.  An expert.   A lash stylist and trainer. Really. And everytime I speak to her, she says, "Jewel, let me know when you are ready for some lashes and I'll do them for you."   But anyhow, she posted some pictures on her Facebook page for her business--LadyLash Studios.  Pictures of her work.  Gorgeous pictures. 

I've NEVER ever EVER wanted to enhance my eyelashes.  But, these were gorgeous pictures.  I saw them Saturday night.  Just before I went to bed.  Maybe, because I lost an hour, the images stuck with me.  Maybe.  But anyhow, I had a fancy event to go to yesterday.  But my eye liner pencil needed sharpening and eye lining is probably my strength in the makeup application arena.  And even that took me 30 years.  But anyhow, I went to Target to get a sharpener.

Well, right next to the sharpeners were some fake lashes.  Hmmmmmm.  AND they were ONLY $2.  DON'T JUDGE ME. So, what the heck, I can have that gorgeous LadyLash look for only $2.  Now why this made sense to me, I have no idea.  And the package said "Glamour Eyelashes--Ready to Wear--Self Adhesive."  I'm sold.  Fine.  I'm in.  Let's do it.  Well,  I got home and propped my mirror up on my desk.  Wait, did I mention that I had to be "out the door" in 15 mins.  Well, anyhow, I peeled the lashes from the packages.  They were even nice enough to mark them "right" and "left."  How helpful is that??? So far, I'm doing well.

Apply X brand EYELASHES as close to the base of your own natural lashes as possible.  Avoid inside corner of your eye.  Press down to adhere.

Simple enough, right?  Well in my efforts to avoid the inside corner of my eye, I ended up with the lash starting midways my eyelid and extending out to my hairline area.  So, I took it off and started again.  This time was worse--it was up near my brow and everytime i got the left side of the lash stuck down..the right side would pop up and when I got the right side down, the left sprung up.  Superglue briefly crossed my mind, but I fought that thought off--only because I didn't have time to run back to Target and get some.

My time ran out.  As per the instructions, I carefully returned my lashes to the package for future use.  But actually, I'm going to call Mikaela.  She's the expert.

Your comments--priceless!!

Good luck!!

Here's the week, so far--

Monday--Day 2 of Daughter's Birthday--most of you know that she's a leap year baby. So on those years that she doesn't have a birthday, she claims both Feb 28 AND March 1 as her birthday. She stretches it over 2 days. So Day 2 bought more birthday cards, cake and cash!

Tuesday--She gets an acceptance letter from her first choice in colleges--Drexel University in Philadelphia. She's over the moon!

Wednesday--TheTinyJEWELBox is named Best Personal Blog in the Sun Sentinel Best of Blogs contest. I was over the moon!

Thursday--She gets an acceptance letter from her second choice in colleges--Clemson University in South Carolina. We're both over the moon!

Today--I'm sitting outside waiting on the postman. I'm hoping that I win the Publishers Clearinghouse Sweepstakes and continue the winning streak...

What's happening in your house this week? Your comments--priceless!!

Yes!!!! Last night, at Yolo Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale, TheTinyJEWELBox was named Best Personal Blog in South Florida. As many as you know, The South Florida Sun Sentinel held this contest, and the winner was determined by votes. It was an amazing feeling to be with so many big names in the South Florida blogosphere and hear all the hoots and whistles when my name was called.

Thanks to everyone who voted. I HEART YOU!

Of course, I've heard that one Tuesday of the year (Today), IHOP gives a short stack of pancakes to anyone that enters. They've been doing it since 2006. The idea is that they will give you the pancakes, with hopes that you will make a donation to The Childrens Miracle Network.

While IHOP has been doing it only a few years, my Granny celebrated Pancake Day on Shrove Tuesday from as far back as I can remember. She would start mentioning it weeks in advance--Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. It would start a frenzy of questions, since children have a warped since of time. Telling us "next week" may as well have been telling us "next year."

Finally, when Pancake Day would arrive, she would make pancakes by the thousand--well that's what it seemed. She would have many different bottles of syrup--Granny always made you feel like you had choices. We would eat pancakes for hours. Fun times. Sharing a meal with multiple generations of extended family and friends. Such memories.

I will think of her often today. What I wouldn't give to see her just once more..

Your thoughts--priceless!!



By the way, I'm still in first place in the Sun Sentinel's Best of Blogs contest. If you haven't voted today, here's the link. Also, the Awards Ceremony is next Wednesday night. They ask that nominees bring family and friends to support them. If you are interested in attending, here's that link as well.

Remember that really cool Disney Interactive event for bloggers that I went to? Well, the same folks that put it together have contacted me again for another cool event. This time I'll be "Taking a Ride on the Wild Side with Chevy."

Chevy has partnered with Lion Country Safari to reach out to bloggers. They will furnish a new Chevy for my family to take a 90 minute trip through Lion Country Safari. This is a cool way to take a test drive, huh? They are even providing Panera Bread boxed lunches for the adventure.

This will all happen next Friday, so look for my post about it next weekend. My husband and kids are excited. I am too--I haven't been to Lion Country Safari since I was a kid. I'll be sure to take plenty of pictures and videos to share!

Your comments--priceless!!!

The world is abuzz with anticipation this morning. They are anxiously awaiting Tiger Woods to read a prepared statement and head back to rehab. We are full of questions--Will the wife show up? Is Tiger golfing next week? Will he apologize?

Am I the only one who won't be glued to the screen? Am I the only one who doesn't care in the least about his statement? Let's put this thing into perspective--Tiger didn't cheat on US. Tiger didn't cheat WITH us. Therefore, Tiger doesn't owe US anything.

We seem to have a weird sense of entitlement when it comes to celebrities. We think that we should be privy to every detail of their lives. Why? Why? Tiger is an athlete. We watch him on television. We may choose to see him golf in person. But, after the clubs are put away, what more does he owe us? What does his offense have to do with golf? What part of it affected his fans? Why is he not entitled to a personal life? Is anyone available to take me to lunch at 11am est today?

Your comments--priceless!!


By the way, don't forget to vote for me in the Sun Sentinel's Best of Blogs awards. I'm currently in second place in the Personal category. Here's the link. You can vote once per day until March 1st.

Yes!!! I've been nominated again for an award. This time, it's the Sun Sentinel BOB awards. You can vote once daily for TheTinyJEWELBox until March 1st. I'm so honored to be nominated and the competition is stiff!!

I've put a banner to make voting easier, but you have to register on the Sun Sentinel's site. Here's the link to vote directly. TheTinyJEWELBox is in the Personal category.

Thanks so much!!