The Utility Curve

February 7th, 2010

So I am pretty darn swamped with school right now… In an attempt to mix business with pleasure, I am going to take a moment to talk about the utility curve. The utility curve is something used in economics and decision theory, as well as some other areas of business (and probably other areas as well). An ordinary person has a concave (bending away from you if you are standing underneath it… like a dome concert stadium) utility curve. It looks something like this:


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(from hereish)


“Utility” is basically the joy you get from gaining some material object. When you have nothing, gaining utility from an object is really easy. When you have a lot, gaining utility from an object is really hard.

Think of it as… you just ate a spoonful of peanut butter. That first glass of milk you had was absolutely AMAZING (lots of utility) and then you have another glass and it was pretty good (some utility) and then you have another glass and it was okay (a little utility) and then you have another glass and it was eh (hardly any utility).

The point of this post is to say… I am so glad I didn’t grow up having everything I wanted. I see people around me who get everything they want and get so little utility and joy out of the shit they have, and it just makes me sad. They end up acting in extreme ways, trying to gain utility where there is nothing to be gained.

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I can still dream and want and strive. I am so happy that I am still at a point in my life where I gain joy out of most things and can stay positive.   Even though there are so many amazing things I want to do, I’m very glad I am pacing myself.  I am so happy that I am still drinking my first glass of milk.

I probably won’t be updating for a few days because of school… hope you are all doing lovely :].


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Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »



Daily Outfit…

February 5th, 2010

Two outfit posts in a row?  Both involving lace shirts and high-waisted skirts?  Why the heck not!?

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(kimchi blue top, h+m skirt, harajuku lovers shoes)

Do you ever feel like you just HAVE to have an item of clothing, even though the aspects of wearing it are slim to none?  That is how I felt about these fricking cute as heck harajuku lovers from modcloth (they have since sold out).  My big excuse was that “I will wear them for new years!” but me and David ended up just staying in and smoking hookah and watching Drag Me to Hell, so the shoes never, and still haven’t, got worn.  So I’m thinking of wearing them tonight to work (I have the coolest job ever, I intern for a gallery that runs a first friday art walk) but chances are I will end up backing out.  I don’t know when this happened, but at some point I became an absolute puss about wearing tall stilettos for excessive periods of time.  Chunky heels, easy… stilettos, failure.  So… we shall see.


Officially done rambling.


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Posted in Style | 6 Comments »



Daily Outfit

February 4th, 2010

Hey weather, guess what?  I’m over you.  You can continue to try and bother me, but you will simply be ignored.  See those suede boots?  Yeah, I’m wearing them and you’re not stopping me.  Short sleeves?  Yeah snow, deal with that (okay okay, I wore a jacket).

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Outfit… kimchi blue suede boots, sweater tights from somewhere, pink faux-suede urban skirt, and shirts from old navy and wet seal from many years ago.


Um… oh yeah, if anyone cares, gilt has free shipping today.  I bought one of David’s valentine presents and it was so cheap that I doubt they managed to make any money off of me.  Damn the man!  (kidding about the damn-the-man, but not about the free shipping part)


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Posted in Style | 3 Comments »



Rainy Day Blues

February 3rd, 2010

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It’s been raining alllllll day today (just now turned into snow).  I don’t mind the snow, but this freezing rain is just gloomy and not fun.  So for the rest of the afternoon I will be hanging out at my house, looking gross, and drinking tea.  Oh… and playing with my NEW CAMERA, which I am TOTALLY fricking excited about.

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I look like a dirty, wet, mess.  Whatevz.

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I have an herb garden growing in my kitchen!  My thyme is coming along swimmingly.

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My mom’s dog that we are pug-sitting.  Should be on some of those Sarah Mclachlan animal commercials.

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coffee coffee coffee coffee tea tea tea tea tea tea



Hope you lovelies are doing better than me >:[.


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Howto:// Feather Headband

February 1st, 2010

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Finally, the feather headband howto!  It really is quite simple, the hardest part is finding and grooming the feathers.  This tutorial is mostly on how to knot the wire through the feathers.

WHAT YOU NEED:

  • 6 or 8 full, black feathers, around 5 or 6 inches after trimming them.  I used these, which unfortunately come in a variety pack, so I ended up having to buy 3 packs (lord knows what I will use the other colors for)
  • A sharpie
  • Thin, black wire (you can find this with jewelry making supplies)
  • Wire Cutters
  • A thin black head band
  • Necklace chain (also found in jewelry making section)
  • A needle (or safety pin)

STEPS:

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1.  First and foremost, you have to prepare your feathers!  I chose to use three on each side of the headband, but you may want to use four… whatever floats your boat.  Cut the stems (stems?) to identical lengths, and prune the feathers down so that they are as symmetrical as possible.  Cut the stems diagonally so that some of the white center shows, and then color that white center with a sharpie (you can see what I mean more clearly in picture two).  This is basically to make it easier for the needle to pierce through the feather, so if you think you can push the needle through this isn’t an absolute requirement.


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Posted in How-tos & DIY, Style | 3 Comments »



Weekend Post: Pugs in Snow

January 30th, 2010

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(photos 1&2 are Lucy, my parent’s dog, and 2&3 is Meeshu, my dog)

Why would I make a post of just pictures of pugs in snow?  Umm… why WOULDN’T I make it? Also, notice my garden in the first photo, *probably* not harvesting any garlic in Spring, haha :[.

Hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend!!


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Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »



Winter Wonderland

January 29th, 2010

I’ve just recently (today) decided that the very best thing to happen on a day when both school and work are canceled is for the UPS man to bring loads of clothing I ordered online.

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The jacket and boots I am wearing are both from urban.  The BB Dakota jacket is so soft and lovely, but seriously… TWO buttons fell off when I tried it on.  Two of Five.  Forty Percent.  That is really ridiculous.  If I didn’t love it, I would definitely send it back.  (edit: I sent urban an email telling them I was disappointed in the quality and they gave me a $20 coupon, sweet!) . These Kimchi Blue over-the-knee boots have been going in and out of my shopping cart for a very long time.  I was finally convinced when I saw all of the wonderful ways Lauren of Blooming Leopold wore them.  DEFINITELY no regrets with them, I’m so excited to try them on with different outfits.

In other news… yes, quite a few inches of snow in my neck-of-the-texas.

And I am OBSESSED with high buns right now and am going to do a post about how much I love them.

And I got the feathers and am almost finished with that headband tutorial, which will be up soon!

And I’m sooooo excited about my new camera that is currently somewhere in fedex-land.

And my parents are coming down today!  So many fun things :].


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Posted in Style | 6 Comments »



Funny Reviews

January 27th, 2010

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This review on Urban Outfitters is amazing.  I can’t believe only 1 of 4 people found it helpful!  To me, it was very helpful… at making me laugh.  I ALWAYS go to the club with my mom in matching thigh high boots <33333.


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Posted in Style, Uncategorized | 3 Comments »



If I had $40,000…

January 26th, 2010

So the darling Tiffany, who runs I Am Style-ish, posted this crazy giveaway from net-a-porter, in which their millionth customer gets a $40,000 shopping spree.  Uh… yes please?  So I am going to copy Tiffany and post some of the many things I would buy :].

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(ITEM ROLE CALL:  Valentino bag, $2150, Marni bag, $770, Burberry slip, $695, Chloe wedges, $695, Thread Social dress, $395, Minnetonka booties, $45, D&G Dolce&Gabbana dress, $745, and Oscar De La Renta headband, $590)

*le sigh* I love it all.  The only thing I should probably even consider purchasing right now though is the $45 dollar minnetonkas, heh.  I am/have been obsessed with those chloe wedges, though.  I am really not a wedge person, but everyone once in a while I just fall in love with a pair.  Oh, dream dream dream.  Must stop.


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Posted in Style | 4 Comments »



C is for Cats

January 24th, 2010

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(cat painting)

It was months ago when I started doing alphabet posts, and I only did two before deserting the blog for the entire season of Fall.  So… finally another alphabet post.  CATS.  I don’t even really like cats, but I like watching cats do stupid things, pictures of funny cats, and people who obsess over their cats.  And cat fashion.  So here goes :].


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Who in the blogsphere WASN’T obsessed with this vintage cat bathing suit from nasty gal last summer?  Answer: no one.


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If you didn’t adore the Hello Kitty Mac ads from way back when… you probably suck.  They looked like little stacks of adorable kitty cupcakes.  mwah.


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(images from here)

Apparently the newest name in crap-that-makes-animals-look-stupid is CAT PAINTING.  As in… Painting cats to look fricking sweet/ridiculous.  I found this by accident when I searched “cat painting” on google, and boy, talk about a treat.  You must look at the rest of the photos.


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Whenever I am feeling exceptionally sad, I look at memebon and everything is instantly better.  Cutest fricking kitty on the planet.


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Lastly, I am a huge sucker for cat youtube videos.  From left to right, BURGER AND FRIES, cat adoption ad gone wrong, cat massage, and one of the many talking cat videos.



Hope you all had/are having a good weekend :].


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Posted in Alphabet Soup | 3 Comments »