Two weeks and no posts, yikes! I'm afraid to even check my comments because I'm almost sure there are some mean ones in there (did I ever tell you that I get hate mail?). But anyway, here's the deal: with the exception of the blissful 4-day Thanksgiving weekend, I have been working my little tail off! This happens every year, there's always a rush to finish various major projects before the end of the calendar year. And let's not forget the holiday shopping that's been eating up whatever off hours I can get.

So that's what I've been up to lately. Just didn't want you to think I was hanging out in a spa or anything. It's actually quite the opposite; in fact, the only thing more embarrassing than the lack of posts lately is how my beauty routine has managed to derail itself in the absence of adequate time and resources.

I can't wear anything more substantial than Essie Allure on my fingers because I can't manage chips with a dark or opaque polish. I'm white as a sheet without my gradual tanners. I've broken one of my own cardinal rules of beauty and have been using a Philosophy 3-in-1 on my hair because I ran out of shampoo. I've been SLEEPING IN MY MAKEUP. And to top it all off, my roots are brutal.

The only thing I've been taking care of properly is the damn surgical scar on my arm, which gets daily pampering with silicone and/or polyurethane patches. Other than that, my entire beauty routine has gone to pot!

Please tell me I'm not the only one who falls into this mess on occasion. When your life goes into overdrive, what's the first piece of your beauty routine that falls by the wayside? Commiserate with me here, and post it in the comments!