about

My name is Ginger. I'm a college graduate, holed up in a small beach town in Southern California that is inhabited primarily by peacocks and senior citizens. I watch a LOT of TV and movies, play a LOT of video games, read way too many books, and use up a LOT of acetone. I have a wonderful boyfriend, 3 ridiculously silly dogs, and a cat that never fails to trip me up when I'm walking to my front door. I wrote a BA thesis on American Sideshow culture, and am an opera enthusiast. I also knit. Badly.

The quest started out as a distraction. Being somewhat asocial, and nervous in most social situations, I’d bite my nails. For most of my adult life, they've been little more than ragged nubs.

I probably would have continued, but a serious tooth mishap (i.e. mega chip caused by nail nibbling) caused me to stop. After my dentist fixed the tooth, one of the ladies in the office suggested manicures-if my nails looked nice, maybe I’d have less incentive to gnaw them off. So I sort of took it and ran with it. And I've learned that I have a love for color-what I’m too timid to have in my wardrobe, I can slap on my nails no problem. However, I am at a slight disadvantage sometimes because a couple of years ago I was diagnosed as being colorblind (Protan type). I have trouble with purples and browns mostly. 

This is my little corner of the internet to expand my hobby in and try to capture some of it in a more tangible way. It's a kind of therapy, if you will. So badly taken pictures, and amateur nails galore can be found here. All of the polish featured on this blog has either been purchased by me or been privately gifted, and my opinions are my own.

THE PETS:

I am an equal opportunity animal lover. This means that if you show me an animal, chances are I will love it. Given the chance, I would cuddle and squeal over anything from a tiger to a platypus with the same enthusiasm that I cuddle and squeal over my own animals. I would probably lose some limbs in the process, but I'd have a hell of a time. 

Each furbaby is a rescue, and completely awesome in every way.

Tobias Wolf (Toby) is an Alaskan Malamute that I rescued while I was attending junior college. He was tied with a piece of rope to a chain-link fence and the campus police had already called animal control, so I told them that I was going to take him home. He must have been on the street quite a while because when we took him to our vet, he informed us that he developed Irritable Bowel Syndrome from all the trash and junk he ate. Despite his occasional bouts of tummy trouble, we love him very much. He is my handsome, fluffy gentleman, and adores sprinting on his leash with my boyfriend. He loves any and all other dogs. He may be the fiercest-looking, but he is undoubtedly the friendliest.

Heidi is (we think) a Black Springer Spaniel, rescued by my sister from the same junior college. She's bursting with character. I used to call her 'Heidi Hooligan" because of all the mischief she'd get into, but it was too long so I just shortened it to 'Hoodle'. She is an excellent judge of character and when she doesn't like a person, I take her very seriously. When we found her she was emaciated, underbelly scratched up very badly from sleeping on asphalt, and her eyes were barely open. She was less than a year, and had already had a litter of puppies. She enjoys swiping beef roasts off kitchen counters, lounging on sofas 16 hours a day having her belly rubbed, and chasing squirrels. 

Bowie (after David himself) is our resident Chihuahua and was rescued from an overcrowding situation. Though he is technically my sister's dog, he will cuddle with just about any member of the family. He is yappy and annoying, but very endearing.  He enjoys showing off his chewy bones, and will make any and all attempts to pick people's noses with his tongue. He's a destroyer of underwear and a little punk, but makes an excellent and willing hot water bottle on cold nights when the sheets are chilly. He also seems to know when I'm upset and will sit on my chest until he is sure I'm all right.

Jilly Bean is my kitty cat, and I love her so much. She originally belonged to our neighbors who, one week after getting a pair of kittens, decided to go on vacation, trusting a neighbor's kid to feed them (bad idea). After three days, they pawed at my window to come inside, and became so attached to us that the neighbors told us to keep them. She's skittish with people she doesn't know, and wonderfully affectionate with those that she does. She loves to sit in the front planter and watch the neighborhood, and is always ready to greet you on the front walk with scratchy little meows and a head butt or two. This cat has been my little companion for 12 years and has always been there to rub her little head against my cheek when I need it most. She relishes her Fancy Feast and will sit on your lap for an indefinite length of time.