Because this has become a place I feel comfortable over-sharing, I think it's only fair to tell you about my ChapStick thing. It's one of those brands that has become synonymous with the product itself - like Kleenex or Q-tips or McNuggets. And it's not hard to see why. I personally take great care of my ChapStick. After years of trial and error I am now fiercely loyal to the blue tube - Moisturizer, though there was a fairly significant phase in college during which my friend Jenni and I scoured every possible store for the coveted STRAWBERRY. I buy them in the triple pack and keep the extras in a kitchen drawer beside other essentials like flashlights and rubber bands. I have blue ChapStick EVERYWHERE - purse, diaper bag, car, winter coats, bedside table, office desk drawer. I try to be prepared. And when I open a new tube I am really careful to peel off the little plastic seal so that there's a clean break and a smooth edge on the remaining plastic. I go to more trouble than I should probably admit to get this just right. And after I get the little white cap off I spend some time shaping the top of the tube so it's nice and round. Again - just right.
See? Over-sharing.
I can't help it. I love ChapStick. And apparently I'm not alone. I spent some time last night doing all the appropriate research. And you're looking at the newest member of the Official ChapStick Fan Club. Benefits of membership are a little vague, but we'll see what happens. Next, naturally, I checked it out on Facebook. There are 193 pages about ChapStick on Facebook and over 1100 groups. And (what appears to be) the Official Fan Page has over 160,000 fans! And I'm one of them.
And where did all this nonsense come from? I'm so glad you asked. My very serious, grown-up job of course. Yesterday, the following all-important question was discussed, at length, at my office: Do you share your ChapStick?
Well? DO you?
I will reserve my answer so as not to sway the vote, but I want to hear your take. I will tell you that I think there's more to it than a yes/no. The question is wide open. Shades of gray. Disclaimers everywhere. What if this? and What about that? and Only if it's my wife/child/boss/roommate/total stranger. I want to hear it all. Bring it on. Leave a comment making your case. Do you share your ChapStick?
Separately, I'm thinking of submitting an entry to Urban Dictionary and would like your help with that, too. One of my disclaimers is that it depends on whether or not it is a "ChapStick Emergency", and I need some help fleshing out my definition. Determining a ChapStick Emergency is tricky. And subjective.
So here's my first attempt:
ChapStick Emergency -
1. A sudden, urgent, usually unexpected occurrence requiring immediate relief - that which can only truly be provided by ChapStick. "Woah, the wind is brutal today. This sudden storm is going to cause a ChapStick Emergency." 2. Any situation which impedes the process or progress of applying ChapStick. "I have lotion on my fingers and can't get the tube open. This is a ChapStick Emergency!" 3. Any circumstances whereby one has not made the necessary ChapStick preparations and finds oneself without an adequate supply. "Man, I can't believe I'm halfway through this movie, all alone in a dark theater with a bucket of salty popcorn, and no ChapStick! This is a ChapStick Emergency!"
Thoughts? You may or may not be surprised to know just how many entries in the Urban Dictionary contain the word "chapstick". I counted eleven. With your help, I could be number twelve.
Ok, I'm done. Now feel free to go find something that will restore those IQ points that just slipped away.
A look back on your year. A time for reflection. A chance to make new friends.
__________
Sign. Me. Up.
I live for that stuff.
So I recently found a website called gwenbell.com. And though I am 18 days late, I LOVE the idea of taking time during each day in December to look back and highlight all of my 2009 notables. There is a prompt listed for each day, but since I didn't get in on the ground floor, I'll be taking some liberties so that I can fit it all in.
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December 18. Shop. Online or offline, where did you spend most of your mad money this year?
My name is Sarah Hood. And I am addicted to Shutterfly. I honestly can't imagine that you haven't heard of it, but I suppose stranger things have happened. From Shutterfly's About Us page: We are a leading Internet-based social expression and personal publishing service that enables consumers to share, print and preserve their memories by leveraging our technology-based platform and manufacturing processes.
Translation: A big pile of awesomeness.
I think I knew of Shutterfly before but I experienced my first Shutterfly project last Christmas when my sister-in-law Lynn made Jeff a photo book of his trip to Washington to climb Mt. Rainier. It is really cool and something we still look through from time to time. I loved that you could put journaling and photos together in a professionally bound book - and putting it together is SO easy. Everything is online so there are no scrapbooking supplies to buy/store/sort, you can make endless adjustments until you order, and you can work on multiple projects at once -- I currently have 6 open projects!
So. It's my new favorite thing. I did our Christmas cards with them this year and several Christmas presents for family. And! My most favorite! Colt's baby book. It starts the day I found out I was pregnant - October 1, 2007 - and runs through his entire first year. Shutterfly photo books start at 20 pages and max out at 100. His book is every bit of 100 pages and holds several hundred photographs. But honestly, if they had an option for a 700 page book...
I started it over six months ago. And working on it the last several months has all but permanently shifted my bedtime from around 10 to around midnight. I have stayed up after the boys are asleep, playing with backgrounds and fonts and cropping/editing photos until I just can't keep my eyes open. And I'm almost sad that it's all done. Though - never fear - I have already started his Second Year book!
Shutterfly is definitely a favorite new hobby - and not free (what is?!) - but it has truly been therapeutic. Looking through old photos, reading through old blog entries. I can't get enough. Jeff has been teasing me - saying I actually made the book for Colt's (someday) wife, which is probably somewhat true! But I hope that Colt and his family enjoy it someday, reading through his first year of life and getting a strong sense of where he came from.
I thought about posting the link here so you can see my handiwork, but I don't want to spoil the surprise for grandparents and family when they see it next week at Christmas. I promise to post a link after that. And as a consolation prize - and so you can see the photo book concept in action - you can feast your eyes on another recently completed project - my Africa trip.
