Next on the list of things California will never do.

You go New Mexico!

Tax Free Weekend coming up.

From Friday Aug. 1 through Sunday, Aug. 3, no taxes on what you buy. Zero. Zip. Nada. (there is a link in the article for exact items that are tax free…not everything is)

Nice.

Saving 6.75% is worth it. Get out there and stimulate the economy!

Me, this weekend, I’ll still be paying California’s exorbitant 8.25%.

Our state economy is so jacked up, we can’t afford to take that kind of hit. If we had a tax free day, folks would FREAK out. Ah well.

Go Oh Fair New Mexico for figuring it out.

Source: ABQJournal.

All Hail The Crafty Chica!

Big celebrations and fiestas abound as the unstoppable Kathy Cano-Murillo is releasing her new Crafty Chica product line into Michael’s stores beginning tomorrow.

I admitted my crush on The Crafty Chica here and it just continues growing.

I got a sneak peek at some of the products at the local Maker Faire back in May and have been dancing like a caffeinated chihuahua ever since waiting to get my hands on the stuff.

For me, the highlight of the product line is her custom-mixed glitter. I look at the glitter in your average craft store and while it does well in basic colors, when you want that extra oomph, it’s just not there. Kathy is bringing the oomph. Like this one for example, Bollywood Blue. Delicious.

Kathy detailed in her blog about the process she took to hand mix colors to get the depth. Love it! Someone who actually cares about quality!

I got to meet Kathy back in May and was geeked out by her generosity. I get to “stalk” her again next month when she makes an in-store appearance in San Jose. W00t!

BTW, if you were to, say, visit her blog and scroll down a bit, you might find a photo of yours truly and some of my own Crafty Chica inspired creations….(I look SO exhausted in that photo….)

Here’s a photo of one of the first stores to get her stuff on the shelves. I’ve been manically visiting my local stores but they seem to be waiting for the “official” release date of August 1.

I. Can’t. Take. It. Anymore!

Watch where you’re pointin’ that thing, Mister!

Was out running errands at lunch and whippin’ my way back to the office after a successful jaunt.

Was on Highway 280, crusin’, and singing along to, I believe, Nelly, when I came around a blind curve to see a CHP pointing a gun at me.

Disconcerting to say the least.

I took leave of my senses. When I regained them, I realized it was a radar gun. Or actually lidar (uses laser instead of radio waves).

The good news is, that as I was cruisin’ and holding an in-car concert, I was following a mini-van. Meaning when I got clocked I was doing 65 mph, the legal speed limit.

Karen lives to see another day, ticket free.

But it took me a good ten minutes for my heart rate to settle back in.

Image via.

My lunch pal

I have a friend at work who, most days, I go to lunch with. Now, when I say “go to lunch” I should probably clarify.

She and I go together to the cafeteria onsite to grab some food that we take back to our respective desks. There at the desks, we eat and work, thus maximizing our time. You’d be surprised how busy noontime can be, seeing as we have main offices two time zones ahead…two o’clock there seems like a nice time for a meeting. Ugh.

My pal has worked here for a while, like me, and she and I are at the same level, reporting to the same manager.

We use the time on our walks to seek advice from each other. We talk over management problems. Or just to complain, because our employer inspires that in most of its employees.

She was raised in Ohio by a Steel Magnolia-of-a-mom straight out of the deep South. So that’s given her a certain, uh, colorfulness that is often amusing.

Lunch Pal is having some problems on her team, which means she gets pulled into last minute meetings and closed-door discussions in the office of our boss.

So I end up *waiting* on her until she finishes.

I tried going off for food without her a couple times.

It didn’t go over well.

No, I’m expected to WAIT on her to finish so we can walk over together. Who cares how hungry I am? It’s all about her.

Let’s face it, my friend is really kind of a pain in the ass.

So why am I wasting both bandwidth and pixels on her?

Because she’s on vacation this week!

HOW DARE she not be here?

She may be a pain in the ass, but she’s my pain in the ass.

Never thought I’d miss her…