Wantable Style November 2015

On a whim, since I've enjoyed Wantable Intimates, I decided to give Wantable Style Edit a try. The concept is similar to other style boxes. For a $20 styling fee, the stylists pick five items to send you to try on at home. Keep what you want. Or return what you don't in the included prepaid return envelope. I answered the questions about my size and preferences, and general style. I think I made a note that I do NOT need blue denim jeans ... I have enough.

Anyway, when the box arrived, I jumped into it. I admit, seeing the items at first, I was a little "meh." I mean, I have 2 denim jackets. I should have specified. And a plain T-shirt? But, wait ... I tried them on and LOVED everything. Dammit, I really didn't want to spend extra money this month. But, the style was really amazing. I'll show you.

KLD High-Low Tee with Pocket in Olive. I thought the color was bland and the shape was huge. Then I put it on. The color was amazing with my hair and skin tone. The flow of the shirt was incredible. It was a perfect fit. Great with skinny jeans. And really cool for layering. Retail $49

Kut Classic Denim Jacket Serpa Wash. Remember, I have 2 denim jackets. But, this is super soft and has an amazing cut, slightly cropped to hit just at my waist. It's great as a layering piece over something long (see above) and can look great open or closed Retail $89

Olive & Oak Heather Grey Open Front Jacket. I am a fan of layering and I'm a fan of mixed fabric and I'm a fan of assymetric cuts. So ... this jacket hit all the highlights. The grey has nice blue undertones and is really quire pretty. A fun surprise feature ... most open front cardigans and jackets, don't have pockets ... this one did. Retail $75

BB Dakota Beretta Sweater Oatmeal: At first, I thought it was a little bland. But, it has a nice fit and I really like the change-up of the knitting patterns. It's a little shear, so I'll definitely wear at least a tank or cami under it. The oatmeal color is a little shimmery and almost golden. Retail $90

Morgan Pant Black: I have eyed faux leather leggings and wasn't sure I could pull it off. When these arrived, I was kind of curious/excited to try. They are stretchy in the back and the vegan leather front is lined, so it's soft inside. Pockets and belt loops, so more like pants than leggings. The only thing legging-like is that they pull on. Super comfortable and may be my favorite pants for the winter. Great with boots. My husband thinks these pants "rock" ... his word. I agree. My only complaint is that they are dry clean only and I hate dry cleaning. But, then again, for vegan leather, how else would you wash them. Retail $138.

So, what do I think? I wouldn't have picked out any of these items on my own. I wouldn't have combined them this way, either. But, after trying them on and seeing how they work together, I couldn't send anything back. I absolutely love it. The only thing I may have considered returning was the jacket, but it's so darn cute, too ... and different from my others. Total retail was $441, but with a 20% discount for keeping everything, it came to $310.75. See ... I saved money by keeping the jacket. Will I do it again ... absolutely.

Wantable Intimates November 2015

Wantable has 5 subscriptions: an Accessory box (I am not a good accessorizor), their Intimate box, Make-up box and their Fitness wear and Style box (try on at home and keep what you want). For the Accessory, Intimate, and Make-up, the cost is $50 the first month and then a $4 discount subsequent months if you keep everything. You can return individual items, though, so it's not a keep all or none sort of thing. When you sign up, you set up a style profile an select things you love, like, and dislike. They will never send something you dislike. Each box is selected for you, so my box will be different from everyone else's box. And, you can return if you want. That's a bonus most boxes don't allow. Aaaannnddd .... you always have the option to skip a month when you just need to take some time off. I chose the Intimates box. Assortment of undergarments, socks, loungewear, etc. 

The Intimates box now has "themes" of loungewear or lingerie. I'm a loungewear person, so I said I prefer that. I didn't "dislike" lingerie, so I may also receive that on occasion. You can expect three items each month. 

One of the things that impresses me most about Wantable is how quickly they ship. My style profile says that I love Loungewear, Leggings, and Socks. I have reviewed on their site each item I've received and they seem to do a better job selecting my items each time.

Once again, my box arrived exactly on time and I had selected loungewear as a theme I love, more than Lingerie.



I received a Long Sleeve Sweatshirt Dress. This is actually a really comfortable tunic with a hood in a soft brushed fabric. I will be able to wear it easily with leggings, like the one's I received last month. I might even wear it out of the house, but it will definitely be great for kicking back after work when I change out of my uniform and want to veg out on the couch with a martini. Retail $36. My price to keep $19.20


Over the Knee Bootsocks: Yes, please. I love long socks and it's boot weather. These are nice basic black so go with everything, but with a little sparkle to add a little interest. Retail $18. My price to keep $9.60

Pajama Drama Racerback Tank Teal: I have a cute pair of cropped pajama pants from a previous box that match this. And, it has a nice flow. It will go well for pajamas or under a sweater. Retail $21. My price to keep $11.20

So, what do I think. I like it, but it's not the same homerun from previous boxes. I really liked when the box had a few more items, but it seems that along with the price increase, they have also reduced to 3 items per box. Maybe a higher value for each item. Total retail $75, so not bad for $50 and even better for $36 since they are not changing the price for past subscribers who keep active accounts.  I am keeping everything and it will find use, so overall, I can't complain.

Kansas Half 2015

My brother, the Comedian is amazing. He embodies everything that was great about my father. He loves his family. He volunteers his time and energy for all sorts of community projects. He is kind and thoughtful. But, he is humble and he always puts himself last.

The Comedian used to be a fast runner. He was a runner decades before it became everybody's sport, decades before it was a social sport. He ran a 3:40 marathon with his wife in 1984. He had stress fractures in both feet. He rested to recover. He never ran another step. This year, he decided to change that. After years of putting himself last, he decided to do something for himself. Instead of volunteering to be a course marshal for a 5K, he decided to do a 5K. And then another one. And he focused on healthy eating. At the second 5K, he won a door prize entry into the Kansas Half Marathon. That's a big step. I promised him that if he signed up and trained and did the race, I would do it with him. Every step of the way. So, he did. With amazing support from Ad Astra running, he trained using the Galloway method of run/walk. He discovered the social sport of running.

So, after finishing the Masq on Saturday, I hopped a plane to Kansas. It was a fun family weekend. My oldest brother, the Protector, picked me up at the airport. We had a few hours together in the car. After getting to the Comedian's house, a few hours of conversation, then to bed. It was late. Thank goodness for Daylight Savings Time and that extra hour. Also grateful the Comedian had already picked up our race packets. I sent him a shirt from INKnBURN, but he says he's using it for inspiration. Today, he was showing his loyalty and support to the guys at Ad Astra who got him here.

It was still Halloween weekend, and I was dog tired from rushing around, so INKnBURN zombie sure felt like an appropriate attire for the day. We got up early because the Comedian had made signs for friends on the course. See .... super thoughtful. We got to the race start and I met a fellow INKnBURN ambassador who was pacing the 2:45 group. I knew we would be behind them. We stopped by Ad Astra tent and talked to several of the Comedian's new running friends. Everyone knows the Comedian. We eventually met up with his training partner who was also running her first half marathon. I'm inspired by these two.

As the race started, we started at the back. The Comedian and his partner were excited, almost giddy. As we paced 10 second walk/30 second run, they planned their nutrition strategy and their pace strategy and talked about following the plan laid out by their coach. Seriously, does anyone really follow their coach's instructions? These two were focused. The timers were set.

As we came across volunteers, course marshalls, aid stations, anyone just cheering the crowd ... the Comedian took time to thank each and every one of them with real gratitude and enthusiasm. It's a college town, so many of the folks out there were young college kids and he thanked them for not sleeping in that morning. Last year he was a course marshall. This year he is a runner.

Mile 3: The Kids. Amazing community support for this race. Last night, children got candy. This morning, they were on the course offering it to runners. The Comedian accepted with true gratitude and put it in his pocket. "Even if you don't want it, if a child offers you candy, you accept it." It's important to remind the children that they are important, appreciated, and it's important to show gratitude for their acts of kindness.

Mile 4: The Fall. This would catch up to us. Running Partner landed in a super deep pot-hole and did a circus move type of roll. The fall was hard. She wouldn't let that stop her. Her ankle was sore, but she was moving forward. Same intervals, she wasn't going to be stopped.

Mile 5: The surprise: We had seen the signs put out by the Comedian. But, here, there were people walking into the street holding signs. They had our names on them. My sister, the Fighter and Superwife, had come down to surprise the Comedian. I knew they were coming. No one else knew. The Comedian was moved ... maybe, a tear or two. Later, my sisters admitted that they were getting worried because there weren't a lot of people still on the course. They weren't sure if they had missed us or if we had dropped out.



Mile 6: Feeling good, so changed the pace to 15 second run/30 second walk. That's the plan and everything was going right.

Mile 7-9: The Levee: Straight out and straight back. The landmarks never seem closer. And running partner was feeling the fall on her ankle. Mental mental mental. We passed INKnBURN Melissa, the Jumping Runner on her way back in with her pace group. I lost my INKnBURN Skeleton tech tube and thought I might cry. I couldn't wait for the portapottie because I didn't know when it was coming and found a nice private place under the bridge. You're welcome for that. On the way back, I found my INKnBURN skeleton tech tube and felt a boost of energy. Woohoo!!!

Mile 10-13: Running Partner's ankle was hurting. Calf was cramping. We were back to a walk. Run intervals were attempted, but just not possible. Lots of stretching was needed. But, forward progress was still being made. And, there was a sign with all three of our names on it. He had made one for us, too. There was a child on the course cheering on the straggling runners and the Comedian dug in his pocket and found that candy from earlier. The smile on that kid's face was amazing. By accepting the candy, he made one child happy. By giving it away, he made another child happy. That's my brother!!! Before I stop finish up, I should mention just how beautiful the course was. Across the bridge, through some cute neighborhoods, historic downtown, and through parks.

Mile 13.1: We found the sign the Comedian made for his coaches. He and running partner picked it up and decided we could run it in to the finish. I admit, I started to cry. I've never cried at a race. Not when I finished my first marathon, not ever. But, I'm so dang proud at this moment. My sisters were alongside the chute with my nephew. And, one of my best friends from high school met us at the finish. Haven't seen her in 30 years, but it was like old times. An ultrarunner friend of the Comedian stuck around so she could have the honor of putting the medal on his neck. There were lots of women of all ages and sizes who wanted to see him finish ... my brother, the ladies man. So, 31 years ago, he did a 3:40 marathon and today he did a similar time in a half. He's on his way back. He said he never got into the groove of his "floaty" feeling he gets at the end of a long run, but he was sticking with his running partner when she needed support even though he felt like he could have run. Secret? I didn't mind walking either.

And then, you know what he did? He went back out on the course. There was one other person still out there. The Comedian went back and ran in with him, but dropped off just before the chute to let the final runner cross on his own to celebrate his victory.

After medals, and juice (thanks, Sis), and some conversation, we headed to lunch. Then back home for a quick shower and my Sister drove me to the airport in time for work on Monday. Wheh, what a weekend. So, final thoughts ...

1.  I am so grateful that my father's legacy lives on .... and my brother would make him so very proud.
2.  I should start calling my brother my Hero or the Inspiration, because he is so much more than the Comedian
3. I am grateful that the Inspiration is taking care of himself now. Did I mention, in his training, he lost 60 pounds?
4. I'm grateful for all of the support from Ad Astra running to get him to this starting line. I call it a starting line because he signed up for another half 2 weeks later. Woot!! Now, to get them to carry INKnBURN. 

Masq Half 2015

This year has been a tough motivational year for me. I seem to have lost my MOJO and replaced it with NOJO. Seriously. So, I have not been doing much in the way of running or walking or run/walking. And, I'm getting older. It is harder to just go out there and do it without training and it takes longer to recover. Everything hurts. Sadly, I have been more along my old self of only "training on race days" lately and haven't signed up for a lot of races. But, without a race, I might not exercise.

I really like local races and I really like races with a fun theme. It gives me an excuse to put on a costume. I do not like running. YEAP, I said it. So, races give me an excuse to get out there and force myself to exercise. It's so much more fun with a crowd and with course support. And, I really do like the folks at Purpose.Race.Events. Small, local, fun. Good support. Friendly races. Friendly people. So, I signed up for the first (hopefully annual) Masq Half at the JW Marriott. This race also had a 5K and a 10K. Past years they have had a Pajama Pancake Run in October, but couldn't do it this year, so they also combined a Pancake 5K with this race. Both 5K followed the same route. The race was also coordinated with a Masquerade Ball at night, but I was flying to Kansas that afternoon, so no ball for me.

Packet pick-up this year had 2 options. Thursday night at Fleet Feet at the Rim or Saturday morning before the race. Because I like them and I think volunteering is important for any race organization, I volunteered to help with packet pick-up on Thursday night. I donned my INKnBURN mummy costume for the occasion. Any excuse to dress up, you know? It was small, mostly folks who work for Purpose and their children. A few other loyal volunteers. All very nice. I think it went smoothly. People gave their name and were looked up on an app (not my job) and I found their bib and someone in the back found their bag and shirt. A few folks changed races. A few folks signed up. There was some sort of number issue with relay races, so they had someone to help make sure those bibs were appropriately assigned. One person complained about the lack of information on the website. They wanted more information on parking. Only about 25% of racers picked up packets on Thursday, so I was worried about Saturday morning.


When I arrived on Saturday, the packet pick-up line was LOOOONNNGGGG. I didn't have to stand in it, but it seems like it moved quickly and it was cleared out before the race start at 0730. Sorority Girl and I met up with a few other INKnBURN ambassadors and took the obligatory pre-race pictures. I have so many INKnBURN outfits, but chose Nerd for this day. It seemed appropriate.  Sorority Girl wore Pirate. We also had Monarch and Calavera and MayTheFourth in our little groupings.

 There was quite the storm the night before and even the JW lost power and was running on generators. So, bathrooms were out of order and we had to find bathrooms in the staff areas. That was OK, too. Staff guiding us was very friendly. But, the rain stopped and the weather was great for running. All the races lined up together at the start. We had a brief announcement, and a prayer, and we sang the national anthem. Then we were off. I was signed up for the half, but had a flight to catch and was worried about time. I asked about switching to the half and was told they were sold out, but I could run that distance and just let the timers know I didn't do the half so I didn't get put into the wrong category for prizes (ha ... would have been closest to podium finish for me), but that I would receive the half medal. OK, that's cool by me.

Since I have NOT been training, I decided on 1 minute run/1 minute walk intervals. Sorority Girl was on board with that also as her training has been only slightly better than mine. We passed the turn-off for the 5K and somewhere about mile 2, my knees hurt. Since the next day was pretty important to me, I decided I needed to just walk it in. Sorority Girl decided to just walk with me. By about mile 3, the race was back on the golf cart paths of the resort for the rest of the route. We reached our turnaround point and I was actually relieved not to be continuing on for the half distance. Volunteers were cheerful and friendly and the company was great. We saw photographers during the last mile and decided to pick up some running again ... at least for the pictures and the finish line. The announcer saw us coming and said "who will come in first?" Well, when it's the two of us, we come in side by side. There is no sprint past one another.

We picked up our medals. Got a bite to eat. And took a few "thank goodness I'm done" pictures. Had to rush home, shower, put on compression socks and catch a plane.

As usual, I like Purpose events. Very nice people. Great course. Great support on the course. The shirts are always nice and I like the bags (but I do have a lot). I like the shirts because they have cute designs and don't have a lot of sponsor logos all over it. And the food is generally pretty good. The medals are well thought out. Check this out. Look close and it's a pair of running shoes that also are a mask. Super cute.

So, I'll be signing up for next year. It's really discounted right now. But, before then, I'm signed up for Illuminations, Missions, and Alamo 13.1. I would do Cocoa, but I'll be out of town that weekend. Hate to miss it. They have a few more races coming, too. Illuminations in March in Austin? And SpaGirl is in 4 locations in 2016. I wonder if I should do them all.  Maybe ...