At the Tennis Court

Windy day. Its crazy out there. And its crazy in the office. March 31 rush to get all the payables out the door.  I also struggle with the lighting at this time of the day for my photos.. is either sunny or shady and I am playing with how to get the light right.  I got this top for $6.00 on sale, marked down about 4 times. I dont usually wear long v-necks so hence the scarf to fill the space. Otherwise it makes me look like I have a neck that is 7 feet long. REALLY. I dont mean 6ft, I mean SEVEN FEET LONG.  And this skirt is interesting. It has all these sew lines that go diagonally around the skirt. Someone asked me if I I had my skirt on crooked. Yes. I . Always. Wear. My. Skirt. Crooked. Ilikeitthatway.  sheeesh.

Brown net on my legs. Tennis net on the court. I also saw an empty box of Kraft Dinner on the court. Strange.  Both the noodles and Cheese pack were gone.  At least they ate it all.

Over n Out. J

Zebra Dress Green Sweater

Okay, call me lame but I was on a tight time limit today. Was amazed that  I could even squeeze in an outfit photo today. Its like a guilty pleasure, this self photography isn't it? Self absorbed. Maybe. Fun. Yes. Don't mind the look on my face again today. (SORRY).  I was just taking my photos when a big moving truck full of beefy men pulled up and they sat and watched me. I was trying to keep a straight face but was feeling alittle self conscious. This is one thing good to know about myself. I can't hide what I am feeling- its always written all over my face. Not good when you are in  a meeting and someone says something and you are thinking "WTF". It shows on my face.  I have to inform my face to behave sometimes!! LOL

My fav zebra dress and I even had my favorite zebra travel mug today too.  I also have a leopard mug. Of Course I do. I am THE LOVER OF ANYTHING ANIMAL. Rawr.

Toodle doo for today (as my grammy would say). xoxo J

The Lady with the Brown Pants

Never would I think I would complain about pants being too long. Well, with these ones, when I walk, my heel catches on the back and then gets caught in the hem!  Today am looking like a tree, all brown but thought I would pull out both the top and pants that I hardly wear and voila! Put them together.  You will also notice if you are so detail-inclined, that this is a new brown belt. Yes. I broke down and bought a different one.  I had another post, titled, The Lady with the Brown Belt, so this one is the Lady with the Brown Pants. Kindof like The Man with the Yellow Hat.

I will admit another secret to you as well.  Have any of you watched Dexter? Well, a friend told me about it (we don't have cable) so we rented the series.  I watched the first episode of season 1 and was totally grossed out. But, okay, I will give it another go and watched episode 2.  Well, now I am at Season 3 and totally hooked!! I love Dexter, as I did in Six Feet Under.  Yes its mindless entertainment but after coming home from work doing a hard workout and eating dinner all I want to do is veg out for a few minutes.  Okay so if any of you stop following me now I wont take it personally ( I am lying).!!

How's your day going? Do you feel fabulous in what you are wearing?? HOPE SO. And if NOT. Shame on You for wearing anything other!! :P

And just a random wave to my pal Shybiker!! Hope you're havin a good one!!

xoxo Jodi

Green Linen Skirt

I couldn't figure out how to change the time on my self timer this morning so had 2 seconds to set up and run. As you can see, photo #1 I was not so fast!! I thought it would be good to share my dorky-ness with you today for a laugh... and yes, don't  I look like I am in the forest hunting for someone to tie up with my camo scarf? I just need an orange hunters cap with this outfit and all ready to go!!

I can hardly move today. 4 hour hill ride Saturday, 2 hour run Sunday, killer 1.5 hour swim Monday morning. I could hardly lift my arms to put my top on after the swim.  Dog tired.  Back to back meetings and things to do at work- I hardly had time to get out for lunch and photos... ohhhh someone beam me up!!!  

I just got this wide grey belt on sale, of course because spring is coming but who cares, I can wear it abit before we turn all light colors!!

I get to visit you all tonight so will catch you later!!  MWAH xoxo Jodi

Robin Hood

Whoa!! you'd think someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed today or what!!!! I am not looking very smiley today am I??? Well it WAS cold out even though is was sunny so maybe thats why.. hah hah. anyway, I hope I am not scaring away new followers.. I think I am pretty friendly.. right?? Please, someone verify that for me :)

I worked on Sunday so took today off, which really meant I ended up mostly working from home on urgent conference calls and or items... (MAN!!!).  Calgon. Take. Me. Away.  So then I managed to get out for some shopping at the produce market so this is my very casual outfit today. And I feel like Robin Hood in this top. I'm actually sending this one bye bye and putting it in the  "Take to the Thrift Store Bag" since its like a rag I throw on.  I have a few things like that that I will be filling up the bag with and getting rid of this weekend. YAH spring cleaning!

Sorry I didn't do Friend Friday today.. just didn't get myself organized enough to answer the questions. Sometimes this happens!!

Have a super duper fun and relaxing weekend blogger goddesses, I'll be doing another 4 hour ride followed by a 2 hour run this weekend.  Can you say PUMPED??

xoxo Jodi

Lovely Ladies: Wendy

Introducing March's Lovely Lady: Wendy.. Isn't she gorgeous???  We did this photoshoot a few weeks ago!!

I love my leather jacket. Someone picked it out for me, along with the scarf. I tried them on even though they weren’t normally colors I would choose for myself. I was happily surprised at the image that stared back at me in the mirror. The colors worked really well for me and I felt fabulous. The jacket is great for work or play, whether dressed up with a skirt or down with jeans. I feel more confident and put together when I wear it, with a little bit of sassiness mixed in.

The final touch for this particular outfit is my boots. I have a weakness for tall boots and these ones are my current favorites. I bought them only a month ago (on sale), and just love them. They are so comfortable and I feel tall in them despite them not having heels. I feel dressed up and sexy when wearing my tall boots. I want to wear this outfit all the time because I feel so great in it!

Burgundy in Black and White

Hurry. Anyone want to book me to do a photoshoot of you? Quick. Catch me before I become too famous with this HOTEL SERIES.  Can you say Cheese?  Like real Cheese. Not like cheese smile for the camera. More like Cheese in this is cheesey.  Some cheesey photos for you today. The indoor colors aren't working for me so you get black and white. Imagine the tights are burgundy. Well, they really are. You just have to imagine the color of dark red wine.  Not like my mom's homemade red wine that looks and tastes like Kool-Aid. No, the real and expensive kind. Yeah. That color.

So theres this photography book I have wanted for awhile and today I went to Chapters to buy it.  I pulled out the gift card I was given for xmas that I havent used yet and it said "Declined" so I had to pay for the book with my own cash. Came back. Phoned  the company the gift card was purchased from and they said the person who gave it to me must have not gotten it loaded. Now isnt that a kick in the butt or what? Not funny guys.  Next time you give me a gift card, don't steal an empty one and give it to me as gift as a joke. 

So.  I bought myself a gift today. A new photography book.  Weird.

Blue Sweater in a hotel room

Not quite getting the hang of the hotel room photos.. my camera was wonky so the second photo is abit off with color!  Had a great meeting yesterday, a few experts from the UK and Oz so they were interesting.  Had  superb workout on the treadmill this morning-- ran 15km in good time and was all sweaty and fumes coming off me, flames out the back of my shoes.. hah hah.  Am meeting 'mother in law' for dinner tonight so that should be good.  She's  a really nice lady and is excited I am in town.

Fashion-wise, well, I have never much liked blue but apparently is a good color on me.  I flat ironed my hair, do you like it?  And the first photo is in the mirror so is the other side of me (the side I dont like)-- no, not like alter-ego side, I mean the right side.. LOL.. and I dont like the alter-ego side either though... you know, EVIL JODI... bwah hah hah

Off to my session for the day. Later Gaters.. will chat soon!! love ya and hi new followers!! xoxo Jodi

Camel Leather Bomber

Happy Monday Ladies and (Gentlemen :)!   This outfit is from Saturday, but thats okay right?  I did a hilly and hard 4 hour ride on Saturday, we had to do a long warmup and then 4 loops of this hilly section, 1 fast, 1 easy, 1 fast, 1 easy, then ride home.  Let me tell you, my quad muscles were BURNING!! And it felt good.  I burned over 3,000 calories on that ride-- can you say HUNGRY!!  Got home and had to get organized to fly to Ottawa for trip #2 on Sunday.  This was my shopping and running around outfit... you remember this leather jacket? The one I got for $5 and wanted to see if I could get it dyed but the leather man told me I was nuts.  So, even though its not my color I thought a pop of color from the scarf could help me to pull it off.

So I wake up first thing this morning and its snowing here!! Oh boy. So much for going for a long walk outside with the camera.  Catching up on visiting you lovelies with a nice cuppa earl grey tea and then I hit the gym and then off to my meetings for the rest of the day.

Have a super awesome day!!  xoxo Jodi

Friend Friday: In the Beginning

* my black and red outfit for friday!!


In the Beginning
Come join us on Fridays for Friend Friday!  Check out ModlyChic for more details!!

So far, what have been the 5 hardest blogging lessons you’ve learned during this process and have helped make you a better blogger as a result:

1. Have Balance

• The world is not going to end if I don't post 7 days a week! :)
• Late nights posting comments on other blogs means too tired for the pool in the morning
• Take weekends off (is slow in blogger land on weekends anyway)

2.  Be Yourself

• I am not a vogue model, I am Jodi model
• My style is my style. Nuff said. Trying to be good enough, hot enough, colorful enough doesn't work if I am not try to myself.
• Write your blog like you talk to your friends-- bloggers ARE you friends.. they ROCK

3.  Break out the Creativity

• Try new stuff.. new outfit ideas, ways of taking your photos... guest bloggers, giveaways, etc, collaborate with other bloggers on projects
• Stretch outside your box... I find my blog a creative outlet for outfits and photography and I am way more self expressed since starting my blog

4.  Share the Love

• Tell people about your blog, why be embarrassed or shy? You are amazing and inspiring, you can make alot more difference for others if you let them know what you are up to!! 
• Comment regularly on other blogs.. we all love hearing from each other.. its always such a heartfelt feeling when someone takes time to visit you.. share the love

5.  Have Fun

• Goofy photos can let people know you are fun and real
• Do something different.. enjoy what you do

*  I actually AM happy.. just look GROWWWL in this photo.!! LOL

Black Pants ShaZAMMM

ShaZAmm!! KAPOWEE! Yes, who is the dork who realized half way through the photoshoot that I still had my sport watch on from my morning workout!! So, I thought I would have some fun with it. Yes it looks like a big kids plastic watch. Well let me say, this sucker is a high tech mobile that does everything except drive the bat mobile straight out of the garage!  I know what distance, speed, altitude and calories I burn on every workout with this baby. AND I can download all my workouts into a program on my computer to assess and analyze where I didn't work hard enough, or worked too hard.  It's pretty cool I tell ya.  And now maybe you know why I shop in thrift stores?  Yes, I spend copious amount of my hard earned cash on things like this and my new carbon fibre bike that I can't wait to photograph for you!!  No, seriously, thrifting is ultra fun and also a good ol sustainable way to buy clothes.

How are you liking my black and red week so far???  I am loving it actually. Am thinking about what I can do as a challenge for next week when I am back in Ottawa for the week!

Toodle doo for now.. off to a lunch meeting!!!  mwah! xoxo Jodi

Skinny Red Belt

Day 3 of Black and Red outfits... This is easy! I have so much black and red in my closet!! And doing something like this makes getting dressed each morning like a fun game rather than a stressful ordeal :)

BUT today, I walked through the soft grassy ground in my leopard shoes and the heels stuck in the dirt and got all dirty.. then I snapped 3 photos and the battery said " Battery Exhausted".   I had to laugh. Instead of it just going dead, I thought it was being so dramatic... ohhhhh Battery EXHAUSTED. Poor overworked battery, working so hard to take my photos everyday.  So these are all you get. Lucky for you readers they are  good otherwise you might be scared and never come back!!

Stay tuned for another black and red creation tomorrow!!!  hugs xoxo Jodi

Black and White Ruffle Blouse

Okay I declare this week Black and Red week. I had that thing happen this morning where I opened my closet, stared blankly at all my clothes and thought " I have nothing to wear".  Why is that? Especially when doing the 30 for 30 Challenge there are endless possibilities with the 30 items.  So, I thought to myself, okay, I am going to only wear black and red combinations this week.

I bought this blouse a couple of years ago and dont wear it much since I thought it looked like an old lady blouse after I wore it a couple of times, but hopefully I don't look like an old lady today.  As I as was walking to work this morning a physician I know who lives in the neighbourhood stopped and said " Wow Jodi, you are looking so Urban Chic",  " You look amazing"... of course that was nice to hear, and then I quickly hurried along since he is one of those guys who is a lover of all women and is getting on in age and still single, if you know what I mean... LOL

Have my spin class tonight and get to use my new carbon fibre bike on the windtrainer.. can't wait.. and hey, my bike is red, white and black as well... isn't that cool!!

Happy Tuesday, and Hi to New Followers!! hugs and kisses,, mwah xoxo Jodi

ENTER our JULIA STYLIST MAKEOVER GIVEAWAY (open until March 31)

Zebra Print

And Happy Monday to you all!! Back at it! A week out of the office and holy emails batman.. can't believe all the catching up I have to do. I had a very relaxing weekend.. got lots of sleep and had some good solid (hardcore) bike and run workouts. Cleaned out my closet, bags of stuff to go to consignment, cleaned the house, rearranged the living room, read, watched movies...

Now on to the outfit. This is a wraparound dress, I have worn this outfit before but thought red would be a good color for today... a good focused color to help keep me on top of all the tasks to manage at work. Hair is frizzy from the rain today... eyes are baggy from swimming this morning.. otherwise its all good!!

I love this dress and can't wait to wear it in warmer weather with my red slingback shoes!!  And maybe a nice red clutch or large hobo-type bag would be good.  Anyway, you know me, I love animal print. And by the way, I have a travel mug with the same zebra print and just out of chance am using it today too!! funny!!

dont forget local ladies.....ENTER our JULIA STYLIST MAKEOVER GIVEAWAY (open until March 31)

xoxo Jodi

Friend Friday: Finding Balance

Come join Katy (ModlyChic) and the crew at Friend Friday.. its a great way to learn about and meet other bloggers!!

Finding Balance

1. When it comes to prioritizing your life, in what place does blogging fall? 
I work full time and I workout 1 to 2 times everyday as part of my triathlon training (morning swims and evening runs/rides). After all that is done then I eat and get to my blog.. so I would say #3 or 4?  EATING is essential so comes first :P

2. We all wish we had more free time to dedicate to blogging and all it entails. What are your tricks for taking advantage of the time you do have to be as productive as possible?
I have a good folder system to organize different blogs I like and comment on regularly.  I use google reader which  I think is pretty good.  Other than that I go through my daily comments and do my best to reply back to everyone who visited me as well as new followers (okay, well, maybe I am just a little bit behind... :)

3. Have you discovered any short-cuts that makes blogging easier or more time efficient?
I try to keep my posts short and somewhat funny so readers can actually read it as they scan.  I have organized my google reader bookmarks into categories and I try to visit everyone on the list as well as those who comment on my blog daily.  Ohhh I am looking forward to hearing everyones answer to this one!!

4. Do you have an editorial calendar or something similar that helps you plan ahead?
No calendar. No blogger plan. Maybe thats what's missing for me!! LOL I am not quite that organized other than I know that I dont have to take outfit photos regularly on Fridays thanks to Friend Friday (THANKS powers that be :).  I am going to add developing a plan to my task list now!!  Who else has one? Curious to find out more about this!!

5. If time wasn’t an issue what you would be doing on your blog/for your blog that you aren’t doing now?
I would visit people alot more and my blog would probably be more professional-  would have a .com name and better comment forms etc... I would take time to become a really good photographer, as that is one aspect of blogging that I am  really having one with!  But number 1 would be more visits to all my FAV GALS!! 

* Yes, this is my computer- taken this morning in fact :)

Love ya all, have a SUPER weekend!!! xoox Jodi

ENTER our JULIA STYLIST MAKEOVER GIVEAWAY (open until March 31)

Black and Red

Did you know that Marilou gave me a scarf and gloves specifically so I wouldn't be cold in Ottawa?? How HOSTESS- Y is THAT?  I Love them!! AND I used them last night when I went for a little walk outside in the snow in my heels (no I didn't bring proper snow footwear!!).  Ottawa has alot of history (became the capital of Canada in 1857) and the parliament building and all the other historical sites are interesting to visit. The post office in particular was built in 1939 and the lions on all the architecture were meant to guard the entrance of the parliament building. Very regal if you ask me.  Thats what I feel like wearing my new scarf and little glovies!!!  THANKS ML you rock!!

Thanks for all the comments yesterday on that stoopid blue sweater I was wearing. I took it back straight away. Is good to get rid of those frumpy purchases that don't do any justice!!  And I kindof knew when I bought it that it wasn't within my "I know what suits me" guidelines, but pushed the envelope and bought it anyway.  Good reminder that INTUITION never lies!!!

ENTER our JULIA STYLIST MAKEOVER GIVEAWAY (open until March 31)