Just Another Week In Paradise

Last Saturday night, I got a voicemail from my "friend" who I spent New Year's Eve with - you know, the one who brought a stranger back to my place at 5AM. Her message was: "Hi Jess... listen, I'm sorry that, um, you're mad at me."

Of course she's sorry that I'm mad at her - I bet it really fucking sucks that I'm mad at her! She can't get away from her parents, get drunk and crash at my place anymore.

That was not an apology.

Sunday, I went out to dinner with my parents. There was an issue with my mother's meal; a manager came to talk with her and ended up speaking to my mom as if she were a whiny brat, rather than a respectable, regular customer whose ahi tuna had been undercooked.

Let me say here that I have absolutely no tolerance for anyone who mistreats my family. I've written before that I'm a good friend to the point of being a doormat; by contrast, I am fiercely defensive and extremely protective of my parents and sister.  So, I was furious.  I could barely contain myself during their "conversation".

To make a long story short, I went and talked to that manager after our meal. I ended up tearing her a new one, telling her how "inappropriate, rude and utterly unprofessional" she had behaved. I told her she should be ashamed of herself for treating her customers with such disrespect. I watched her staff gather off to the side during this exchange. I don't know if they were watching in pity or awe. But I think may have made her cry.

.... I think I've had some tension and frustration building up in me for a while.

I also joined a gym on Sunday (FINALLY!), so on Monday, I went to exercise after work. For someone who hasn't exercised in months, spending 30 minutes on a combination of the treadmill and elliptical felt exhilarating.... Until I got home. My shins were on fire. My shoulders hurt (how did I hurt my shoulder? I wasn't even using the arm exercisers on the elliptical!) I told a friend that I felt like I'd crippled myself. It's Friday and I still feel sore. I think I'm going to take it easier next time.

Overall, this week has been ridiculously busy -- and, as I've said before, I've loved it. I'm starting to think I might be a workaholic (along with a shopaholic and chocoholic). But I'm glad it's Friday.

I'm also going to share with you my OOTD (that's Outfit Of The Day, kids) because I successfully used a new technique: Putting my camera on the bookshelf and using the timer! And I like the lighting. However, I was caught mid-smirk, so I look a little.... well, you can see for yourself:

No Smoking!

Quote Of The Day

"Waste your money and you're only out of money, but waste your time and you've lost a part of your life."

~Michael Leboeuf

Quote Of The Day

"Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening."

~ Coco Chanel

DVF Volante

One of the many wonderful things about Fashionism.org is that the members of the community are exceedingly generous. This includes the fact that we sell each other gently-used clothing - including DVF's - for generous prices.

Okay, enough dithering - here's my new beauty, with many thanks to the fabulous Marina, a woman who I admire and respect enormously:

(Please excuse the messy hair)

Back to the Grind

~ Family trip to Boston was, overall, wonderful.  My sister now has her MFA, and I cried like the proud big sister that I am at the ceremony. I saw her perform (she plays a mean uke) and heard her read some poems from her thesis. We had some quality time together, as well. She had wonderful thoughts and advice to share, and I still get a thrill to see how she lives the life she has created - I mean, it's like we're really grownups, or something. I also spent an afternoon with my friend D and her beautiful children.

~ The MLK holiday gave me a day to reconnoiter myself before going back to work. And to make sure the cat (who was, of course, perfectly and attentively cared for by my friends) wasn't going to exact some revenge on me. And, hooray, my new boots arrived!

~ The extra day also resulted in my getting food poisoning, which required a(nother) day off from work. I'll spare the details; I'm fine now. Stormy seemed delighted to have me around for another full day, even if I spent most of it asleep. (Or maybe because I spent it asleep?)

~ Back at work today, I've been sifting through a week's worth of email, and scanning notes from meetings that I missed. A week? Really? It wasn't until this morning that I realized: I don't remember when I last went on a vacation that was more than a long weekend.

Quote of The Day

“Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn’t know you left open.”

~ John Barrymore