Undecided.

Laid-off Ladies is getting a facelift

Slowly but surely I'm packing, wrapping and sorting my belongings to move two miles south. Monday night I sat on the floor for two hours sorting through items and re-found keepsakes I only lay my eyes on once a year.

Tucked into these keepsake files and decorative boxes are the biggest pieces of me. I've saved cards from my favorite people: 21st birthday card from my parents, Valentine's Day card from my seester, birthday cards from friends, "just because" notes from my grandparents - little pieces of paper that mean the world to me.

A brightly colored box is filled with writing and design clips, notes from my co-workers, constructive criticism and praise from my editors, and letters of encouragement from my family and friends.

It made me remember the things I'm passionate about and the people that make my foundation. And then it made me think of the point I'm at in my life. I'm in my mid-20s. I think I've made a decent path for myself and feel like the future is bright, and I want to continue learning from and sharing with fabulous women.

Which is why over the next month, you'll see some changes at Laid-off Ladies. Kate has decided to exit the site to pursue other adventures, but I'm here to stay. Graduating college, entering adulthood and taking charge of life is a lot to handle, but there's so much fun that can come with it!

With that in mind, Laid-off Ladies is going to focus on all things women, for women (don't worry, men, you aren't banned - anyone's welcome!), focusing on those in their 20s (or in their 20s at heart!) who are taking on new adventures, loving life, clinging on to their forever friends, going through break-ups, finding new jobs, getting married, loving single life and celebrating it all. Right here we'll have a community where we can laugh, share advice, maybe cry (I'm a little sensitive, not gonna lie) and look toward the future while loving the present. Are you in?

I'm really, really, really (!) excited about the site's re-invention and wish I could get started today, but these boxes aren't going to pack themselves. Over the course of the next month you may see some changes. The blog's name will probably change (my mom highly disliked the Laid-off Ladies name to begin with because we weren't laid-off, we were living the "laid-off lifestyle." We tried to be transparent but the name is a little confusing - plus, there's only one lady now!). The URL will stay the same, however, and the content will be mostly the same but the budget content won't be as strong.

Do you have any thoughts? Hate it? Love it? Any ideas? Please share! I can't wait to start this new adventure ... I'll even print out today's comments and put them in my file to read next year.

xoxo,
Lisa Marie

*photo courtesy of flickr.com

I'm not afraid to admit ...

... I may be participating in a competitive drinking event today. OK, I am competing in a competitive drinking event today. This should actually be titled, "You know you're not an adult when ... ." My close high school friends started this lovely event last year and now it's tradition. I hope we're never too old for it! There are 10 teams of 4 this year, which means I'm one of 40 participants. Nothing like Busch Light and hours of competitive drinking games to keep one feeling young!

Go team Spain!
xoxo,
Lisa Marie

Movin' movin' on up! The search for moving boxes

There are few things I dislike more than moving, and next month I'm doing so. To try and make the process as painless as possible, I started sorting through my items three weeks before the big day. Everything's ready to be packed, there's just one problem: I have two boxes.

I don't want to buy boxes so I headed to the Internet and, alas, there are plenty of resources for free moving boxes. In case you're in the same boat or will be soon, remember these sites and you won't be stuck packing your items in garbage bags.

FreeCardboardBoxes.com - You have to register but it's simple and after you're signed in, you can look through posts of people trying to get rid of boxes and e-mail them through the site's message system. There wasn't a huge amount of people looking to give boxes, but it's worth a shot.

Freecycle - Register, join the Chicago group and start searching!

Craigslist - It's home to ... everything ... and two years ago when I moved, this is where I found all my free boxes. Look under the free stuff section and see what you can find!

Stores - Of course, you can always go to retail stores for packing boxes. Most retailers get shipments every day, and instead of throwing boxes away, you can use them! Stay away from grocery stores, as you probably don't want your possessions in a box that was filled with food.

That's what friends (& family) are for - Send out an e-mail and see if any of your friends or family members have boxes they're looking to get rid of. Maybe they'll even offer to help you move!

I would suggest searching for boxes toward the beginning of the month, when the majority of people who have moved are unpacking their goods. And don't forget to recycle your useable boxes and offer them to people on one of the above sites! Happy packing!

xoxo,
Lisa Marie

I'm not afraid to admit ...

... I love the crisp air fall is bringing because it means I can rock tights again. For me, tights are the ultimate accessory. They make me feel sophisticated  and they cover imperfections - it doesn't get much better than that. Some days, I feel completely confident with myself and the - gasp! - unsightly spider vein that invaded my right leg when I was in eighth, yes eighth, grade (thank you, dear genes). But other times, it's nice to say goodbye to it for a day, put on some chic or funky tights and walk around with hidden stubble on my legs. My tights, my beauty and vanity armor, how I love thee.

xoxo,
Lisa Marie

P.S. The first official day of fall is Tuesday! Celebrate it by going for a walk (keep an eye out for colorful leaves on the ground!), eating a carmel apple, adding a little cinnamon to your coffee or wearing ... tights!

photo of Emma Cook fall/winter 08

A site to see!

Or sites. I've been down with a nasty cold this week, but not long enough to keep me from reading ... a lot. I've been getting home, reading a magazine and watching season 2 of How I Met Your Mother on dvd. It's legendary.

The latest issue of Every Day with Rachael Ray notes some sites that are also legendary. Stilltasty.com will save my mom and dad a lot of phone calls. The site lets you know how long you have before your food is spoiled. You can even enter codes, like the packaging code, to figure out when an item's shelve life is up.

Do you share with your friends a lot? Instead of relying on a text or e-mail to ask them if they can return an item (or a blog - Maur, you still have my I Am Charlotte Simmons book!), visit moochmuch.com, register the item you lent and the site will send reminders to your friends. A little passive aggressive? Yes, but it gets the job done!

And today, six days 'til fall (!!!!!!!!!), sign up to receive a free sampleof Kashi cereal (thanks, Linds!). I'm trying out the Go Lean! Crunch.

Can you believe fall's almost here? It's sweater time! And pumpkins! And leaves! And spice cake! And crisp fall air! And carmel apples! What are you excited for? Fall is fabulous. So are you. Own it, girl!

xoxo,
Lisa Marie

Spoil the ones who coddle us, love us unconditionally

I feigned illness one day in grade school so I could go to my grandparent's house. That's how awesome my grandparents are. I'm lucky to have three sets of grandparents (my dad's parents remarried when my siblings and I were little), and they are the foundation of our family. Overflowing with love, support, hugs and kisses, grandparents have nourished and nurtured their families, and Sunday, it's time to celebrate them on Grandparent's Day.

My grandparents - Grandpa Ray and Grandma Polly (right), Grandma Susie and Grandpa Chuck, Grandpa Ernie and Grandma Phyllis - make me feel blessed. From the moment I was born, I've had a strong, supportive family, and they're at the core of it.

When I read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, I immediately thought of the women in my family - the generations of "invisible steel" - when I read the below quote:

"Those were the Rommely women: Mary, the mother, Evy, Sissy, and Katie, her daughters, and Francie, who would grow up to be a Rommely woman even though her name was Nolan. They were all slender, frail creatures with wondering eyes and soft fluttery voices...But they were made out of thin invisible steel."

My grandpas have equal strength.They've provided for their families, taught their kids and grandkids the fun things in life, like riding bikes and strolls and good stories, and the most important things, like good work ethic and family.

My grandparents provide silent and overzealous support, constant I love yous and faith that makes me proud of my history, and excited for my future.

On Sunday, spend some time with your papa, noonie, gram or gramp, or at the very least, give them a call or say a prayer, and tell them how much they mean to you.

Happy Grandparent's Day, Grandma Polly, Grandpa Ray, Grandma Susie, Grandpa Chuck, Grandpa Ernie and Grandma Phyllis.
I love you,
Lisa Marie

In awe: Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan Ave.

I'm giddy with excitement over a building. Not a pair of shoes, a book or a piece of jewelry, but the gorgeous architecture of the Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan Ave. If you haven't been, you must put it on your to-do list.

I was looking for a used book store today, and headed to the building to pick through the shelves of the store on its second floor. I had heard of the building and knew it held a monthly Open Studio event to allow the public to witness its beauty, but thanks to the book store, I finally saw it up close.

The marble - amazing! The ceilings - sky high! The concept - brilliant! You see, the building is specifically designed and home to the offices of working artists. One of my favorite parts? To get to the second floor, I had to take an elevator and it was manned by an elevator operator!

If you want to take in the building's beauty, it's open to the public from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. this Friday, and the second Friday of every month. You can look around the building, talk to artists and see works of art, theater and music.

The used book store is a gem as well. Used book stores are such unique, magical places, and this one is no exception. It's open from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

What's one of your favorite spots in the city?
xoxo,
Lisa Marie

*photo courtesy of www.chicagoarchitecture.info

Reward yourself: Use programs to your advantage

My Coke Rewards made my day yesterday. I had been saving my bottle caps for months, maybe even a year, letting them pile in my cabinet. I finally got around to visiting the site yesterday, and if you drink Coke products (I go through stages of being a Diet-Coke junkie), you should join!

You'll have to save up points from cases and bottles, and then you can redeem them for Blockbuster rentals, a magazine subscription, restaurant gift certificates, donations to causes and more! There's no fee to join.

Here are some more of my favorite rewards programs:

Blue Points - I participate in wellness and healthy living through my Blue Points account for BCBS of Illinois (my insurance carrier), and it adds up to points that lead to presents! I was kicking myself a couple months ago when they were offering tickets to a Broadway in Chicago show! See if your provider has a similar program. Free to join!

CVS ExtraCare - Seriously. It's the best. Ever. If you watch the ads and only get things you need (make sure this is the case with all of the rewards programs. Don't spend more than you normally would just to get a reward.), you can save big. At one checkout, I got $15 in extra bucks, which is like a gift certificate to the store. Costs zero to join!

The Body Shop's Love Your Body - I've raved about it before and will again. Not only do you accumulate points for purchases, which add up to monetary gifts to spend in the store, but there's also special events, free samples and other perks. It does cost $10, but you get a $10 gift for your birthday.

Bars' reward programs - I belong to the Full Shilling's club and got a coupon when I joined, an entree on my birthday and invitations to special promotions. My beau joined Mystic Celt's program and got a $20 gift certificate on his birthday! Free to join!

Do you use any rewards programs? Which are your favorite?

xoxo,
Lisa Marie

I'm not afraid to admit ...

... I got a new cell phone and it questions me whenever I send a lengthy text message. I can be a bit long-winded, and when I'm texting, sometimes my text is more than one page. "Do you want to send two text messages?," my phone asks. Thank you for pointing out, dear phone, that I fail to send text messages that are the appropriate length. My old phone never questioned my actions, but this new one puts me in my place.

xoxo,
Lisa Marie

P.S. Don't forget to to check out CUB's Cellphone Saver. I reviewed CUB's analysis of my bill, checked my options with my carrier, switched from a Blackberry to a Samsung phone, and am saving $20 a month!

* photo courtesy of ipod-iphone.blogspot.com

Less money, more fun on vacations

The word vacation brings up feelings of excitement and fear. Beaches? YES! Beach-bar prices? NO! As the summer's coming to a very chilly end, here are some ideas and quirky advice to stretch your end-of-summer and fall vacationing buck:

- My girlfriends and I take a trip every Labor Day. The last two years, we've flown to a destination (image above is our infamous NYC trip two years ago). This year, we decided to go recession-chic and opted to vacation in a quaint Michigan town. For two nights, our grand total is $59 a girl and we're buying groceries instead of eating out. Forget popular destinations. Think outside of the box and you can find great deals in cities with amazing charm. If you still want to hit up a well-known destination, see if it's cheaper to stay at a hotel near the destination, not in it.

- I don't like bugs, bugs or bugs, but I do love bonfires, smores and grilling out. Instead of staying in a hotel, enjoy Mother Nature and camp on your trip. You'll save loads of cash ... but bring some bug spray. And close your tent so the spiders don't crawl in. Eek!

- Do your friends or family live in different parts of the country? Take advantage! Some of my best vacations have been visiting friends across the nation. It's nice to see a friendly face ... and to room for free. Bring your best houseguest behavior!

- Results from a recent Best Buy poll show one in five of surveyed adults own a smartphone. Make sure one of those smartphone owners are with you so you have access to Google maps (lifesaver!) and other sites to find activities and deals in your vacationing area. Then, carefully tuck cell phones away and vacation like it's 1989. No cell phones allowed.

-Pink slips didn't scare these women. While I do admire their fearlessness post-layoff, I don't agree with their budgeting. Taking a lavish vacation is a no-no when you have no funds coming into your checking account ... or your savings. Take note of their confidence but instead of heading overseas, go on a themed road trip (only stop in cities that start with the letter M!) or to a state park. Beauty at a budgeted price.

Do you have Labor Day plans? I can't wait for my girls' (recession-chic) getaway!
xoxo,
Lisa Marie