Not So Profound

I don't know how other, much more prolific, bloggers manage to write anything meaningful after 5 PM. I've been thinking about the budget all day and cannot say much more than "Fire bad, tree pretty."

After all of those pastels earlier in the week, I went a bit more neutral on Wednesday. Red necklace, beige sweater, red skirt, beige sandals. The big gray lump, lower right, is Riley.

And we're BRIGHT again on Thursday! Orange Ann Taylor dress, cream linen Ann Taylor jacket, gold Aquatalia pumps and a couple of gold necklaces of uncertain provenance. Isn't that a groovy color? I debated for a few weeks, because the dress is sleeveless, and a bit too open to wear without a jacket or sweater. Black seemed kind of harsh, and any other color detracted from the lovely orange-y goodness of the dress. Then I tried it with the linen jacket and was pleased with the result.

The bracelet is basically three cheapie bracelets wound together: rhinestones, ribbon, orange beads. Which is why I only paid five bucks for it. Orange! Sparkly! The ring is a lot classier: an Australian opal that Barry gave me many years ago. See the cute stripes that line the jacket sleeves? I'm always cuffing jackets because of my short little T-Rex arms.

And the really exciting news?!

A dream realized! I am going home to sit on it. But no food or drink, no sir.

Buckwheat and Red

Only slightly more colorful on Tuesday, still feeling less like putting myself "out there", so I donned a couple of reassuring favorites. This red Talbot's skirt has been with me through divorce, a move, a job change, plus the gain and loss of 20 pounds. THAT'S a reliable piece of clothing. And that, frankly, is how I feel about the store.

The cotton sweater is also Talbot's. It's never been the most flattering thing I own, but I love the feel and cut so much that I give it points for sincerity if not for toadyism. Most of my clothes are total suckups, but this sweater has a bit of spine.

I'm also happy to show off the necklace and other bits. I've been wanting a leather necklace that wasn't too 70s (no peace signs, please) and had a nice soft cord. I figured I'd find one at the Bucktown Arts Fest this past weekend, but instead it called my name at Lord and Taylor! It's Lucky Brand and has a wee charm on the end of the cord. Also visible are older L & T earrings and a Lia Sophia ring (via eBay).

I had a charmed visit to Lord and Taylor last Friday. I went to Northbrook Court, where I haven't been in at least two years. It is so lovely and peaceful there, especially on a Friday afternoon. I found a pair of leopard print haircalf smoking slippers, the above necklace, a purple stone bracelet (I have almost no purple jewelry) and Jockey underwear ALL ON SALE. The necklace was fifteen bucks.

Aerosoles Betunia

The karmic balance for all of this retail joy was finding the next morning that I had left the parking lights on overnight and my battery was completely dead - leading to this:

Thank you, Tyler for being so polite and helpful. I'm so glad I bought the shoes BEFORE this happened.

Blue and Taupe and Another Action Shot!

Wow, so glad this week is over! To see the week out, I wore one of my favorite color combinations: blue and taupe. Or marine and ivory, navy and cream, etc. I rarely wear deep navy and stark white together - it makes me feel like a flight attendant - though I do have that J. Crew striped tee that sees a lot of action. Since I was a teenager I wanted to be that girl in the perfectly faded jeans and her boyfriend's white oxford, but that silhouette just didn't fly on me. I have a photograph from years ago, when I was at my thinnest, in jeans and a cream silk shirt, and I look like that mental picture I had for ages. What the picture doesn't show is that I was thin because I was profoundly depressed and not eating. My brother once commented years ago on having the same visual disconnect: "I feel like sh*t, but I look GREAT!" (We're all better now, thanks for asking)

Here, I feel pretty darn good (still counting my many blessings), and I am happy with how I look as well. Though, hmmm, maybe the boots are a little bulky with a midi hemline.

Here's the stuff; wooden bracelet from who knows where, a Talbot's necklace and earring set that might be older than Ben (who is 23, as it happens).

And here is another poetry in motion shot of a furry blur and a couple of feet.

He sticks the landing!! The East German judge gives him a 9.8!! The crowd goes wild!!

Tweed and Metaphor

I took part in a market research conversation Tuesday morning, about how libraries purchase industry-specific supplies: book carts, spine labels, display materials, shelftalkers. Wait, wait, don't run off, I'm still talking!

It was a one-on-one conversation, and a flattering experience, to have someone ask you thoughtful questions and hang on your every word for an hour. the most amusing part was doing a creative visualization exercise, with my eyes shut, which sent me off to my personal happy place (a hotel balcony in Cocoa Beach, as it happens). "Now visualize leaving that place for a hallway, and at the end of that hallway, there is a door. And over the door is a sign that reads . . . DEMCO." Did you think he was going to say Heaven? I burst out laughing. And then I described my perfect DEMCO experience. So funny.

This is what I wore.

Talbots Audrey sweater, J. Jill olive tweed skirt (pretty ancient), Miz Mooz Domino boots. As Sheila says, here are the shiny bits (also from Talbots):

And a closeup of the embroidery on the boots:

I love those boots so much. 

The interviewer noticed my bee tattoo at one point (even asked to photograph it), and asked me to tell him about it and why I chose it. "Oh, I love bees; so pretty, industrious, responsible for lots of fabulous things (flowers, honey, candles, fruit, honey), they dance to communicate, the lovely mathematical structure of the comb and the hive, la la la la." He told me he thought that was an excellent metaphor for librarians. What do you think?