Sephoraaaaaaaaah….

We interrupt the usual discussion of hockey, kids, work, and whatever else strikes me as interesting to ooh and ahh over one of my very favorite online stores: Sephora!

If you have never experienced this dizzying heaven of make-up, fragrances, skincare, and absolutely everything imaginable that can be packaged in a bottle or a tube, then I urge you to hightail it to sephora.com and bask in its gargantuan girliness, although nothing compares to the real-life store experience, with testers, testers, everywhere, and a mile-long perfume counter that strikes heart palpitations in perfume addicts such as myself.

I had a gift card to use, and someone asked me what I planned to buy, so here are my choices:

Sephora brand Body Scrub: I’ve never tried it, but it is available in no less than a dozen scent choices (I went with Morning Waterlily). I love body scrubs; they make the skin so soft and satiny smooth.

Too-Faced Lash Injection Mascara: I got the mini-tube to test this baby out. I was curious about the way it supposedly goes onto the lashes. The product description claims it “…actually builds tubes around each lash”. I’m picturing the equivalent of tiny black toilet paper roll holders around each eyelash, which would indeed create oodles of volume! And be rather frightening to look at…the researcher in me simply had to try it out and see what the reactions will be to my massive, lashes-on-steroids look. I’ll let you know!

And what can I say about this amazing, all-purpose find, Smith’s Rosebud Salve? According to the website, don’t be fooled into believing it’s a mere, humble lip balm. Oh, no! It’s also excellent for dry skin, mild burns, to heal irritation, and last but not least, it’s an superb remedy for diaper rash. I ask you, what more do you need in your purse? I’ll be a veritable McIver, able to outsmart any situation with a swipe of this amazing lip balm. I will promptly test its capabilities as an explosive and let you know the results. We all know what a drawback a lack of explosive utility will be for a lip balm.

I needed a fun break this morning, shopping online, after this past week of thinking a lot, remembering a lot, and dealing with a lot at work. I love my new job, don’t get me wrong, but it’s so radically different from anywhere else that I’ve ever worked or even experienced that it will require some time to adjust.

During training class yesterday, a co-worker suffered a heart attack. I haven’t found out how she is doing. It was hard to return to class after the ambulance left, especially with her empty chair, coffee cup still waiting next to her name tag, in front of me.

I found myself thinking of the patients, the kids, Gary, my own death, my father, and so many other things this past week. I welcome it, however, difficult as it may be. I believe in facing things head-on, clashing face-to-face with any demons, and I believe any introspection and self-examination only builds the person and makes one stronger.