It’s no secret that I’m getting old. Okay, I take that back. I am old. I don’t say that in a complaining way; old is really not a bad thing. I mean, would you rather be given a brand spanking new Barbie doll or an original Barbie from 1959? Right. Older is better.

The downside of older is that it takes more time to look “presentable” to the public. I can remember when a little blush and mascara was all I needed. Now I have to prime the skin with moisturizers, firming serums and brightening lotions before I can even begin to camouflage the age spots and fine lines.

What really gripes me is that no matter how meticulous I am about my preparations, once I’m outside in natural daylight, all my flaws just jump out at me. I have really good bathroom lighting over my vanity because I use Reveal bulbs from GE. Those are the best I’ve found so far. As good as they are, though, they still don’t compare to natural daylight.

I’m wondering, are there any better, reasonably priced alternatives to Reveal Bulbs? Or must I persuade my husband to add a window to my bathroom?

When Boomer and I went shopping a few weeks ago, I saw these interesting window shades that “stick” up instead of needing nails or screws and hardware. They were inexpensive so I bought two to try.

First, these would never work in my living room or other common area. They’re made of a heavy paper material, or at least they feel that way. Between the kids and the dog, they’d be down in a day. My bedroom, on the other hand, is a better fit. It’s street level so I have to keep my curtains drawn. But then the room gets no natural sunlight. Quite the dilemma.

The package instructs you to measure the size needed and then trim them with a utility knife. I couldn’t find a utility knife but I did find a box cutter and used that. Couldn’t have been easier.

I hung the shades on my bedroom window and - don’t laugh - I love them! I don’t care that they’re cheap paper shades, they look great. They allow sunlight into my room while still keeping my room private. And did I mention, they look great!

Now the bad news. I went back to pick up a few more since they are paper and I know they won’t last forever. I couldn’t find them. I don’t know if they’re in a different aisle or if someone came and bought them all. Either way, I want more of these. For cheap paper shades, they really do look nice.

Just don’t tell my husband they’re paper. He’d think I was crazy.

Everyone knows I hate winter and love summer. I’d rather sweat than shiver any day. You can have your cuddly blankets and hot cocoa by the fireplace; give me patio furniture and lemonade out by the pool.

Except for one thing. (You knew there’d be an “except,” right?) Wasps. Hornets. In fact, anything that flies, buzzes, and builds its home near me. I hate them. I hate flies, too, but I’m not as scared of them as I am freaked out by them. I mean, they land on dog poop and dead animals then land on my food! Oh, yuck!

Anyway, wasps and/or hornets are flying around my back door. My son pointed out their nest (or hive or whatever it’s called) sticking to the mortar joints between the brick just above my back door.

I am now officially terrified to leave my house.

Well, I did it. I broke down and bought a pound of Sumatra coffee. I was trying to hold out for a while so I could save money for my upcoming trip. Airfare is just so high right now! But I just couldn’t walk past that bag of whole bean Sumatra at the grocery store one more time without having a cup.

My obsession with coffee is getting worse. Or maybe it’s an addiction. Does anyone do drug rehab for caffeine? Seriously, giving up my coffee would be harder than when I gave up cigarettes. I’m that hooked.

I admit I don’t know much about electricity and wiring. I should have studied more in science class, I guess. Anyway, something about my indoor lighting has been bugging me for a while.

It seems that when one of my light bulbs goes out, every other one in the house soon follows suit. I’m not talking about over the course of a week or so but rather in a 48-72 hour period. I’ve even gone so far as to replace the bulbs several days apart, not all at once, to see if that makes a difference. It doesn’t

So today one of the bulbs in my office blew. Within hours, lights in the kitchen and my bathroom went out. By Monday morning, I’ll be lucky to have one light bulb still burning. Crazy.

I can afford only so many home improvement projects at one time. I wish I could do it all but that isn’t going to happen. So I must decide.

I’ve got my eye on a beautiful Grohe faucet for my main bathroom but I also need a new front door. We’ve actually stuffed insulation around the front door and blocked it off, to keep the oustide air outside. That door has taken a beating. It still looks nice but it just doesn’t sit right.

Sigh. Do I go for pretty or function? Yeah, function. I’m tired of walking around the house to get to the front. New door this month; new faucet next month.

You would think that someone who works in the construction field would have a home that is always in tip top shape. Uh, not quite. I remember talking to a friend whose husband is a plumber. She told me that she had to fill up the back of her toilet with a bucket of water to flush it for over 5 months because her husband was too busy fixing everyone else’s plumbing to bother with their own. I can relate!

My kitchen floor is in dire need of replacement. When we built this house, we opted for cheap flooring with the intention of replacing it with tile after a few years. That was 15 years ago and I’m still waiting for tile. Don’t get me wrong, I love that we were able to get the Price Pfister faucet that I loved so much and the oak cabinets that I had my heart set on. I just wish we could finally get a floor that is as nice as the rest of my kitchen.

Maybe this year.

The holiday shopping season is winding down with only eight more days remaining. Still have a few hard to buy-for people on your list? Yeah, we all know at least one. But don’t fret, I’m here to help you out with a unique gift that is sure to please.

There’s this little fellow over at TurtleKiss.com who has a way with paint and canvas. The guy’s name is Koopa and he’s come up with a technique that not only produces some great artwork but is fun to watch, too. The graphic to the left is Koops’a featured work this week. He’s got over 700 painting completed, hanging in every state in the US as well as a few other countries, too.

One of the really cool things about Koopa’s paintings is that the customer sets the price. The paintings are sold on ebay so it’s all about what you’re willing to pay. The prices on Koopa’s paintings have increased substantially over the past year, making this artwork an excellent investment.

In case you haven’t clicked over to Koopa’s website yet, let me give you a nudge. Koopa is not an ordinary artist. Koopa is a turtle and yes, he really does do all the painting on these pieces, unless you see a notation of a collaborative piece with Koopa’s best friend, Kira. (Kira is human, btw.) You can check out the still images of Koopa doing his thing, as he cruises across the canvas and creates interesting designs with vivid colors.

Kira and Koopa are holding a contest right now, so if you have a blog, spread the word about Turtlekiss.com and let Kira know. You might win one of Koopa’s unique pieces of art. Of course, since I’m the one who told you about the contest, it would be only right if you win, that you would offer the painting to me. Because I must have one of Koopa’s painting on my wall in my bedroom. The winners will get to customize the painting, requesting the colors they’d like used. I’d love to just let Koopa use his imagination to create something that reminds me of Hawaii. Yes, I think that would be a perfect New Year’s Gift!

Even if you don’t blog about the contest, do head over to TurtleKiss.com to look around. And if you’re still debating about a gift for that hard-to-please friend or family member, stop by Koopa’s ebay store for some great ideas. Pick up an exclusive Koopa artwork and you’ll be everyone’s favorite gift-giver!

Oh, and tell Koopa that Marisa sent you!

I don’t know why this is, but I’m guessing it has something to do with being a scorpio. We November people are secretive, you know. And yet, I’m going to reveal a secret about myself.

My dream house involves hidden rooms, tunnels and passageways.

I have always been fascinated by the idea of building a house with hidden spaces. Doors that look like part of the wall or steps that lift up to reveal a hidden entryway. OH! I get breathless just thinking about it!

I’m not really into the old farmhouse decor or the coldness of an English castle; I’m more inclinded to choose contemporary bedroom furniture and open spaces with huge windows. Nevertheless, I want that specific decor to hide the mystery that only I know.

If hidden spaces fascinate you, too, then you must check out Hidden Passageways. This has to be my favorite fantasy site. Yeah, my fantasy involves architecture. I’m boring like that. But anyway.

To skip straight to the still photos, check out the projects at the gallery. Even better, be sure to click on the media link and then both animations and video to see some of the really cool hidden doorways and stairs that Hidden Passageways can build. The site is all Flash and I couldn’t find a way to look at it in regular HTML, but the site is worth suffering through the unneccesary Flash. (Can you tell I don’t like Flash?)

How much do I want these features built into my home? Well, I’d probably give up the internet for the rest of my life if I could just have about a dozen of these Hidden Passageways. Put them in a house on a bluff on the north shore of Kauai and I’ll know I’ve died and gone to Heaven.