You might be wondering, “So what the heck is this Monday Poll thing anyway?”
Well, it isn’t much of a poll. It’s more just a constantly evolving (devolving?), somewhat random list of questions I’ve been putting out to readers every Monday morning for the past seven years. I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.
- Pizza: deep dish or thin crust?
Thin crust all the way, baby! And please pass the ranch and chili pepper flakes while you’re at it. - Who does your brows?
Me, myself and I.I have weird control issues when it comes to my brows…
- Does it ever rain in the summer where you live?
Nope, usually not a drop from June through mid-October. We live in a high risk fire zone so the trees and grasses get bone dry.I wish it did rain in summer, though, because I love warm places when it rains, like when it rains in the tropics.
- Surround yourself with _____.
Kitties. Lots and lots of kitties!Or, just one cat, if your main kitty is a diva alpha kitty who refuses to share the spotlight with other cats (*cough* Tabs *cough*).
- Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting your hair blown out?
I actually prefer them both. 🙂 But I like doing them myself because I’m super picky (I’ve gotten some bad blowouts).Buuuuuut, if I had to choose one over the other, I’d opt for the blowout, because they’re always faster when somebody else does them for me.
Your turn. 🙂 Just copy and paste the following questions into a comment with your answers. I look forward to reading ’em!
1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust?
2. Who does your brows?
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live?
4. Surround yourself with _____.
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout?
Hi there, friend.
I hope you had a great weekend. Mine ended up being downright lovely and super chill. I felt like I had a lot of time to just relax and breathe.
I watched a couple movies, put my toes in the sand at the beach, had lunch with my brother, and spent some quality time with El Hub.
I was also moderately productive in a stress management kind of way and thought of some new things to try in July.
First, I’m going to sign up for a few yoga classes. Yoga always helps me chill out, but I just fell off the yoga wagon for some reason.
A local studio, Front Street Yoga, has a special this month — $5 classes, whoo-hoo!
That’s some affordable relaxation right there.
Second, I’m going to start forecasting and planning around the hormonal craziness in my cycle, because that’s when the sh*t usually hits the fan and writing/functioning/avoiding the urge to stab strangers with blunt objects becomes a struggle.
I’m going to prep more things while I feel sane and good, just in case I have trouble, and I’m also going to consciously avoid my emotional triggers.
No, seriously. I blocked off a section on my calendar that actually says, “Avoid emotional triggers.”
Sounds silly, but whatever works, right? I hope it helps.
Lastly, I’m going to try a few of these free 30-minute meditation podcasts by the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center. (Thank you, April, for sharing that link!)
I hope you’re having a great Monday so far. Talk to you soon.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Kim says
July 7th, 2014 at 10:03 amHey, Sunshine! I’m glad to hear things are looking up and you had a great weekend (and have made a plan – no surprise there – for the future). 🙂 But, holy cow, your jacket in that picture is killing me. It’s been so warm and humid here that I’m sweating just looking at it! HAHA! Now, to the list:
1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust? I’m a Sicilian fan, for sure. Though, truth be told, I’m always down for any kind of pizza!
2. Who does your brows? That would be me. A trusty pair of tweezers is all I need. But it is pretty much a daily job to keep up with those single strays.
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live? Oh, heck yeah. It’s raining right now. We’ve actually had quite a wet summer.
4. Surround yourself with _____. Blankies and snuggly, happy boys. The kitties follow. You’ll notice the disclaimer, though. When the fellas are cranky, I try to avoid them like the plague. 😉
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout? I’d take the blowout, too. It’s always interesting to see how other people think your hair should look.
I hope you’re off to a great week! 🙂
Chelsea says
July 7th, 2014 at 10:22 am1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust? I like deep dish, but I’m gluten-intolerant, all gluten-free pizzas seem to be thin crust!
2. Who does your brows? Me! I have control issues too!
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live? Yup 🙂 It was pouring this morning!
4. Surround yourself with _____. Bunnies! Kitties! Doggies! All of them 🙂 I have Quincy at my feet right now.
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout? Blowout! I never have painted nails.
Let says
July 7th, 2014 at 10:24 am1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust? Thin crust ftw.
2. Who does your brows? No one, not even myself. I did get my brow shaped once every 2-3 years…
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live? Yes, and it’s not raining enough (for me at least).
4. Surround yourself with _books_.
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout? None, really. I’d rather get my toes painted. As for blowouts, I’m avoiding getting them at this point because unless the stylist uses copious amount of hairspray, my hair is guaranteed to return to its original shape/state in less than 30 minutes.
Lydia says
July 7th, 2014 at 10:28 am1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust? It depends on my mood 🙂
2. Who does your brows? The Waxing Room
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live?Yes
4. Surround yourself with _____. Cats
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout? Nails
Carolyn @ The Makeup Writeup says
July 7th, 2014 at 10:33 amThank you for sharing the UCLA Meditation series link, Karen! My mother-in-law who is passionate about meditation and mindfulness mentioned it to me awhile back, but I keep on forgetting to check it out. BTW, I’ve also been to Rodeo Beach — it’s a gorgeous place to take photos!
1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust?
Thin crust all the way! I had authentic deep dish in Chicago and found it too heavy and oily for my tastes…
2. Who does your brows?
Unfortunately, my brows are so sparse at this point that I don’t think it’d be that beneficial to get them professionally done, so I just tweeze them here and there. I so regret being tweezer-happy when I was young!
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live?
Very rarely!
4. Surround yourself with _____.
Surround yourself with love and people who understand and support you no matter what.
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout
I’m very low-maintenance with my hair (wash and go type of girl) so I’d definitely choose getting my nails painted!
Carolyn @ The Makeup Writeup recently posted … Chanel Confident & Viva Rouge Coco Shine Review, Swatches, and Comparisons
Heidi says
July 7th, 2014 at 10:40 am1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust?
Depends on how badly my hormones are needing carbs that day, but I definitely feel better after eating thin crust.
2. Who does your brows?
I do that myself. Don’t like people lingering too close to my face!
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live?
Very, very rarely. Every few years we may have some weird, random June shower, but it’s always a big shocker when it happens.
4. Surround yourself with _____.
People who will accept you for who you are and lift you up rather than drag you down. Oh, and also — KITTENS!
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout?
Again, control issues, so I do both myself, but if I have to choose, I’d have someone do my nails. I can’t stand having my hair touched by strangers.
MM Curator says
July 7th, 2014 at 10:57 am1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust? – Pizza is my favorite food so I would be deliriously happy with either.
2. Who does your brows? – Just me. Don’t want anyone else touching them.
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live? Yes and I hate it, especially the bad thunderstorms we get. If it were up to me it would be gloriously sunny every single day – rain puts me in such a bad mood.
4. Surround yourself with _____. Stuffed animals!
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout? Nails painted. I can do a decent blowout on my own but my nails are a different story…I always end up with polish all over my entire finger instead of just the nail.
Glad you had a relaxing weekend, Karen! You needed it!
MM Curator recently posted … Curator’s Corner, 7/6/2014
Suri says
July 7th, 2014 at 11:14 am1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust?
Thin
2. Who does your brows?
I’ve been doing them for a while but I’m in desperate need of a professional shaping and cleaning.
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live?
Yes and usually we get a lot of thunderstorms too.
4. Surround yourself with _____.
Lots of laughter
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout?
Getting nails done
Hester says
July 7th, 2014 at 11:18 amHello there from sunny Netherlands
1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust? Thin crust for me!
2. Who does your brows? I do my own brows. Sometimes I let someone else do it but I have some very bad experiences in the past.
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live? It rains a lot here in Holland in summer. On the upside, our garden is green all summer long.
4. Surround yourself with people I love, my dogs and flowers.
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout? Blowout! Somehow it’s difficult to do you’re own hair. You should have an extra arm and eyes in the back for these things.
Have a nice day!
Katherine M says
July 7th, 2014 at 11:25 amYoga is great. I haven’t taken a class in a while, but when I have it in my routine, I really do feel more relaxed and strong. I always forget how great of a workout it is and how well it works for managing stress.
1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust?
~I like both, but a good thin crust pizza is easy to whip up. I am a huge fan of making margherita pizza, with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil.
2. Who does your brows?
~Me, myself, and I, also. I like my brows just shaped, since I have thick Italian ones. My mom did them for me when I was younger, but I usually either pluck or use one of those eyebrow razors. Easy, breezy, very low maintenance!
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live?
~It does from time to time. We can get wicked thunderstorms, though lately we’ve gotten severe storm warnings only to have the storms go around us.
4. Surround yourself with _____.
~Good people. As I’ve gotten older, I don’t tolerate anything less. I will be cordial to people I don’t care for, but I won’t go out of my way to be friends with them anymore. It’s not worth it to be around people where you don’t know what will set them off or that aren’t good friends.
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout?
~Hmmmm…actually neither. I’m pretty picky with both, and getting a blowout adds significantly to the cost of getting a haircut for me. I do my own nails because they are very brittle due to my anemia and break off, and I don’t trust anyone else with them. I don’t blow dry my hair and I have such thick hair that it takes my stylist a long time to get it dry and looking good. About the only heat styling I do is using a flat iron to tame the waves.
Allison C says
July 7th, 2014 at 11:27 am1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust? thin crust
2. Who does your brows? me though I could benefit from profl help!
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live? yes, it poured on July 4
4. Surround yourself with _____. sunshine!
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout? both, but if I have to pick, nails coz it’s more relaxing
Allison C recently posted … Maybelline Color Tattoo Cream Eyeshadow: Vintage Plum, Deep Forest
Chris25 says
July 7th, 2014 at 11:29 am1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust?: Tough choice. I would say thin crust. I get to eat more. 🙂
2. Who does your brows?: I go to this little salon for waxing. I am trying to teach myself how to thread, but I still need help for the in-between sessions.
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live?: Yes.
4. Surround yourself with music.
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout?: Blowout. My hair is so thick that I enjoy having someone else deal with it. Lol.
Chris25 recently posted … Current Favorites: Beauty and Life Vol. 10
Lisa says
July 7th, 2014 at 11:34 amThanks for doing this blog. It is fun to receive in the middle of my hectic work day!
Lisa says
July 7th, 2014 at 11:41 am1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust? Thin all the way!
2. Who does your brows? I am embarrassed to say I haven’t had them done in over a year. I used to have someone do them that I loved; however, she is no longer working at the place and I am afraid to go to anyone else.
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live? Yes all of the time!’
4. Surround yourself with _____. Family and Friends!
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout? Blowout! I have curly hair and a blowout saves me time and it will last a couple of days!
Michaela says
July 7th, 2014 at 11:42 am1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust? thin
2. Who does your brows? I also have serious control issues. And I don’t want to be one of those crabby women who yell at the salon workers saying you took half of my eyebrow out!!!
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live? No unfortunately in Sunny San Diego it’s been really dry. We had a big scare back in May:(
4. Surround yourself with _____. Positive people it always helps!
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout: Getting my nails done because I get a foot massage as well. Can’t go wrong with that.
Tracy says
July 7th, 2014 at 11:52 am1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust? I’m from the East Coast so thin crust all the way
2. Who does your brows? Had a woman take off my entire brow so no one is touching these babies but me.
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live? Again, East Coast. If you don’t like the weather just give it a minute.
4. Surround yourself with _____. Funny, goofy people.
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout? Since my hairdresser showed me how to give myself a proper blowout I have opted to get my nails done instead.
Dominique says
July 7th, 2014 at 12:29 pm1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust? Thin crust
2. Who does your brows? Euh well nobody, I leave them live their life 🙂
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live? Oh yes, and it can be stormy too.
4. Surround yourself with __cats___.
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout? Definitely getting a blowout.
Kylie says
July 7th, 2014 at 12:46 pm1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust? Thin crust all the way, baby! I love artisan pizzas and a deep dish now and then, but I’m from New York. Pizza is thin and foldable!
2. Who does your brows? Me. They’re not too unruly and I hate the super thin look people can get from thread or wax jobs.
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live? All the time! We have a thunderstorm watch for tonight.
4. Surround yourself with _____. Positive people!
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout? Blowout for sure! I love my hairstylist and manicures never last long on me.
Linnea says
July 7th, 2014 at 1:11 pm1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust? Thin crust is usually my pick, but every once in awhile I will crave deep dish.
2. Who does your brows? Me. I can`t say I `do` them, but I do maintain them.
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live? Yes. We get alot of thunderstorms, so its usually hot during the day with a nightly thunderstorm. I love it.. it cools everything off, you get a free light show, and is sort of dramatic to see.
4. Surround yourself with _____. People who like you for you.
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout? I`d have to say blowout. It takes FOREVER to blowdry my hair, and no time at all to do my nails. Its always faster @ the salon..
Casey says
July 7th, 2014 at 2:07 pm1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust? Not even close – Thin crust!
2. Who does your brows? Not me, I go to a great threading salon.
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live? Sometimes, but not often. I love LA!
4. Surround yourself with _____. Positive thoughts, positive people.
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout? A blowout. I can always paint my own nails, but a great at-home blow out is tough.
Trude says
July 7th, 2014 at 2:13 pm1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust? Thick crust! If I’m going to have pizza, I’m going big. 🙂
2. Who does your brows? A lovely lady at my local Aveda spa/salon. I’m a natural blonde so I get them tinted and waxed. It’d be impossible to tweeze all the baby hairs anyway!
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live? Rarely. SoCal is truly a desert!
4. Surround yourself with _____. What you really love. People, things, music. It all makes a difference.
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout? I think I prefer a pedicure to a blowout, but just by a hair. 😉
Natalye says
July 7th, 2014 at 2:16 pm1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust? – Thin crust
2. Who does your brows? – a girl named Suzie, she had her own salon for a while but I just go to her house and does it there
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live? – not really
4. Surround yourself with _____. – makeup!
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout? – my nails painted ’cause my hair is really hard to manage
Natalye recently posted … Too Faced: Better Than Sex Mascara Review and Swatches
auxiliary beauty says
July 7th, 2014 at 2:28 pm1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust?
Thin crust! I tried my first deep-dish pizza in Chicago last winter but wasn’t blown away, mostly because I’m not a huge fan of tomato sauce. White pizza all the way.
2. Who does your brows?
Me. I’m fiercely possessive of my brows!
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live?
Yep! We’ve had two huge thunderstorms in the last week.
4. Surround yourself with _____.
Good books, pretty nail polish, and people who give you energy instead of taking it away.
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout?
Blowouts, definitely–I’m no good at styling my own hair. I don’t think I’ve had my nails painted by someone else since I was 13, and I’m 26 now!
I’m glad you’re taking care of yourself, Karen. Yoga really does work wonders; I took a class last semester and it was one of the best things I could have done for my stress levels.
Donna Murray says
July 7th, 2014 at 2:58 pm1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust? – Thin crust
2. Who does your brows? – I do and they look pretty neat
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live? – I’m from London, I think that says it all…
4. Surround yourself with love, laughter and happiness.
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout? Er.. I had to google that. Not a British term me thinks… Has to be nails as I have a Halle Berry type cut
Vanessa says
July 7th, 2014 at 4:25 pm1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust?
Thin.
2. Who does your brows?
Me, only me. They’re too thin to shape, so what I got is what I got.
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live?
Yes, occasionally, and I like it 🙂
4. Surround yourself with _____.
Peace in the present moment.
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout?
Neither.
I like my hair curly and don’t paint. I’d do lunch, though 🙂
Alice Ann says
July 7th, 2014 at 4:38 pm1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust? Thin!!! That deep dish stuff should not be called pizza.
2. Who does your brows? I do, they’re pretty self maintaining, I just remove the strays.
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live? Not so much, Bay Area.
4. Surround yourself with _____. Laughter, love, and animals!
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout? Definitely nails, I always let my hair air dry.
jess says
July 7th, 2014 at 5:38 pm1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust? Deep or stuffed!
2. Who does your brows? My hair stylist and me!
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live? Yes, especially this season!
4. Surround yourself with _____. authentic and supportive people.
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout? Nails done!
Efrain says
July 7th, 2014 at 9:31 pm1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust?
Thin crust, here it’s strange to see deep dish and also I don’t like a lot of sauce in my pizza.
2. Who does your brows?
Me, I don’t trust in people.
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live?
It rains almost everyday, winter is better here, because weather is colder but dryer.
4. Surround yourself with _____.
Friends for make me feel happy.
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout?
I’ll say the blowout because I don’t paint my nails.
Hope you’re getting better Karen and Happy anniversary.
Julie Simpson says
July 7th, 2014 at 10:50 pm1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust?thin
2. Who does your brows?i do
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live? In Michigan all the time
4. Surround yourself with _classical music___.
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout?
I’ve never had either.
Rachel P. says
July 8th, 2014 at 12:08 pmI’m from Michigan, too! It rained a ton today up north. Not fun!
Sylirael says
July 8th, 2014 at 4:57 amWonderful to see you smiling again, Karen! 🙂
1.Pizza: deep dish or thin crust?
Thin crust for sure. Preferably with just a little tomato sauce, olive oil and fresh basil. Preferably in Naples. Kthxbai!
2. Who does your brows?
ME. I have had them waxed in the past though, and the beautician did a lovely job at only taking off what I wanted. Stil, it’s easier (and cheaper!) to just do it myself.
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live?
Of course. In this city, it will rain any time of year if given half a chance (and always at least once on Christmas Day, despite it being Summer at the time),
4. Surround yourself with _____.
People who will tell you the truth, but lift you up while doing so. Ain’t nobody got time for the surprisingly large number of people who want to drag you down or just say yes to everything.
Also, purple lipsticks. 🙂
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout?
Getting my nails done. I hate product of pretty much any kind in my hair, and whenever someone else gets near it they seem to always want to put 50 different types of goo into it…
Sylirael recently posted … A Rogue’s Rations: Schupfnudeln! (German Potato Dumplings/Gnocchi)
Kristen {a Modern Mrs.} says
July 8th, 2014 at 5:40 am1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust?
Neither. I like a regular pan pizza. Deep dish is too much, and thin crust is not enough.
2. Who does your brows?
I do. I have never had my brows done by someone else. I’m too scared they’ll mess them up… and we’ve been through far too much together.
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live?
Sure does! I live in MD, so we’re fortunate enough to receive all kinds of weather. Rain had been lacking the last few summers, but seems to be making up for it this summer.
4. Surround yourself with _____.
Family, and really dear friends.
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout?
I’ve never had a blowout, but I’m pretty sure I’d still prefer getting my nails done.
Kristen {a Modern Mrs.} recently posted … 32 Weeks Update
Nina says
July 8th, 2014 at 8:36 am1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust?
Thin crust with mozzarella, please. And tomatoes. Everything is better with tomatoes.
2. Who does your brows?
My mom threads my brows, no one else are allowed to touch them.
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live?
I live in Norway, and it’s raining right now. But I like rain, so thats really not a problem for me.
4. Surround yourself with _____.
Surround yourself with nice people, books and tea.
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout?
I have very curly and thick hair; getting a blowout is probably the worst idea in the world – so I would have to go with getting my nails painted… Although I’ve never had my nails done by anyone else than myself.
Rachel P. says
July 8th, 2014 at 12:08 pmOh man, I tried to do the Monday poll yesterday but the comments box wouldn’t load for me, for some reason! Better late than never, though 🙂 Also, those $5 yoga classes sound amazing. I hope you take advantage of the deal!
1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust? – Thin crust! I had one of those last night- strawberry pizza with applewood smoked bacon, ricotta, mozzarella, caramelized red onion, and strawberry balsamic… mmmm!
2. Who does your brows? – Me! I’ve had them waxed at salons in the past it was always fine… until last time. When the girl took off not only my brow hairs, but my skin too… makes me a little sick just thinking about it! Been doing them myself ever since. Not sure if I’ll take the plunge back into the salons.
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live? – Oh yes. It is today, even!
4. Surround yourself with _____. – Kittens and strawberry pizza! Lol. That’s all I want surrounding me in this moment, anyhow!
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout? – I haven’t had a proper salon manicure since I was a kid, but I loooove pedicures, so let’s say that! Blowouts are always a bit painful for me, no matter which hairstylist I see- my hair is just very unruly.
Karen Freeman says
July 8th, 2014 at 1:11 pmKaren, I’m glad to hear that you’re taking the bull by the horns and doing the work to help yourself feel better. Smart lady! Sending virtual hugs….
1. Pizza: deep dish or thin crust? Deep Dish if I’m in Chicago; thin if I’m in Italy. If neither applies, than it doesn’t really matter.
2. Who does your brows? Me. I paid for a brow shaping once and it was like money down the drain – I saw no difference.
3. Does it ever rain in the summer where you live? Yup. Major downpour today.
4. Surround yourself with _____. Chocolate. Always chocolate.
5. Which do you prefer: getting your nails painted or getting a blowout? Blowout! Because I can do my own nails. I cannot blow my own hair out at all.