Get well soon Hillary.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Also, Wishing a Speedy Recovery to...
our favorite secretary of state, Hillary Rodham Clinton. I was sad to receive a "Breaking News" email from The New York Times last night, notifying me that "Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton Is Hospitalized With Blood Clot."
Public Restrooms, Smoked salmon, and "White" New Years Parties
I've just had a notable bathroom experience that I would like to share.
As I wandered over to the bathroom of the coffee shop I'm currently in, I noticed the owners were sitting near the bathroom which I thought might have been to make sure only paying customers used it. I strolled down the short hallway, away from them, through the door to the women's restroom and sat down in my stall of choice. As I was going to the bathroom I realized that I could very clearly hear the owners speaking. Perhaps even more clearly than I could when I walked passed them. It was almost as if they were speaking into a microphone that projected straight into the women's bathroom. They were speaking in a language that I couldn't understand and, as I sat there, I wondered if it would have been more or less uncomfortable if I knew what they were saying. I guess it would have depended on what they were talking about.
Throughout my many years of using the bathroom, as opposed to diapers, I have come to learn a few things about the setting I prefer for using the bathroom:
1. I must be the sole inhabitant of the bathroom. This one's pretty straightforward, I like to go to the bathroom in private.
2. Said restroom must have multiple stalls and locks that make it clear when they are occupied (red or green are exposed on the lock depending on its occupancy). There are few things more awkward than pushing open a stall only to find someone already on the pot, exposed... Multiple stalls prevents the pressure that one may feel in a single bathroom where that particular bathroom may be in high demand.
3. If I am not the sole occupant of the restroom there must be background noise loud enough to cover up or blend the sounds of going to the bathroom. Some examples of acceptable noises are a hairdryer and a shower. I fear judgement of my bodily sounds.
I suppose my experience in this coffee shop didn't violate any of my basic requirements but it was still odd.
That's all for now. Have a wonderful New Year!
P.S. I ate a lot of this my first week home. Can you guess what's on that delicious nutty, wheaty, bread?
from bread up: goat cheese, avocado, onion, and smoked salmon
P.P.S Got invited to a "white" New Year's party. In case you've never heard of "white" parties, they're not racist parties where only "white" people are invited but rather events where one must dress in all white. I'm pretty sure I've heard about Kanye West's white party in the Hamptons on many Bravo reality television shows(or some other celebrity). I have some collared, long-sleeved, button down shirts I could wear, or a cute cami but still brainstorming what to do about bottoms. And I might feel a bit frumpy in the long sleeves, but too exposed in the cami. It seems like there aren't a lot of white clothes during the winter season (though I thrift most of my clothes so I may not have the most accurate perception of this). It's also just not a color I feel like buying in the winter. I'm always cold so I like to wear colors that are warm so even if I'm freezing, perhaps I can give the illusion that I'm not. Unsure how strict this dress code is but I obviously don't want to stick out for completely ignoring it. It's just, I've been waiting all year (okay.. a few months...) to wear this 3/4 length, boat neck, charcoal, jcrew shirt completely covered in sequins...
As I wandered over to the bathroom of the coffee shop I'm currently in, I noticed the owners were sitting near the bathroom which I thought might have been to make sure only paying customers used it. I strolled down the short hallway, away from them, through the door to the women's restroom and sat down in my stall of choice. As I was going to the bathroom I realized that I could very clearly hear the owners speaking. Perhaps even more clearly than I could when I walked passed them. It was almost as if they were speaking into a microphone that projected straight into the women's bathroom. They were speaking in a language that I couldn't understand and, as I sat there, I wondered if it would have been more or less uncomfortable if I knew what they were saying. I guess it would have depended on what they were talking about.
Throughout my many years of using the bathroom, as opposed to diapers, I have come to learn a few things about the setting I prefer for using the bathroom:
1. I must be the sole inhabitant of the bathroom. This one's pretty straightforward, I like to go to the bathroom in private.
2. Said restroom must have multiple stalls and locks that make it clear when they are occupied (red or green are exposed on the lock depending on its occupancy). There are few things more awkward than pushing open a stall only to find someone already on the pot, exposed... Multiple stalls prevents the pressure that one may feel in a single bathroom where that particular bathroom may be in high demand.
3. If I am not the sole occupant of the restroom there must be background noise loud enough to cover up or blend the sounds of going to the bathroom. Some examples of acceptable noises are a hairdryer and a shower. I fear judgement of my bodily sounds.
I suppose my experience in this coffee shop didn't violate any of my basic requirements but it was still odd.
That's all for now. Have a wonderful New Year!
P.S. I ate a lot of this my first week home. Can you guess what's on that delicious nutty, wheaty, bread?
P.P.S Got invited to a "white" New Year's party. In case you've never heard of "white" parties, they're not racist parties where only "white" people are invited but rather events where one must dress in all white. I'm pretty sure I've heard about Kanye West's white party in the Hamptons on many Bravo reality television shows(or some other celebrity). I have some collared, long-sleeved, button down shirts I could wear, or a cute cami but still brainstorming what to do about bottoms. And I might feel a bit frumpy in the long sleeves, but too exposed in the cami. It seems like there aren't a lot of white clothes during the winter season (though I thrift most of my clothes so I may not have the most accurate perception of this). It's also just not a color I feel like buying in the winter. I'm always cold so I like to wear colors that are warm so even if I'm freezing, perhaps I can give the illusion that I'm not. Unsure how strict this dress code is but I obviously don't want to stick out for completely ignoring it. It's just, I've been waiting all year (okay.. a few months...) to wear this 3/4 length, boat neck, charcoal, jcrew shirt completely covered in sequins...
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Partridge Breast Aloe
The other day, after devouring a solid half of my bbq brisket and coleslaw sandwich on an onion roll with fries,
I picked up holiday gifts for 3 family members: shirts from Zaftig's with the following captions:
"Boston Red Lox" <-- in the style of the Red Sox shirts
"Knish Me" get it? like kiss me
and
"Oy to the World" i.e. Joy to the World .
However I still have not purchased a gift for a sister. She's really into hair, makeup, and clothes and seems to like borrowing (without asking) my own products. Last year I bought her an eye-shadow pallet from Sephora and a nice mascara to go with it.
This year I thought I might get her one of those OPI minis sets from Sephora. However, I don't particularly want to pay for shipping on an item under $30 so I turned to Amazon to look for a set with free shipping. I wasn't feeling the colors in the sets I found so I expanded my search and this bottle came up:
ah yes, I knew that color screamed Partridge Breast Aloe... I can honestly write that I've never seen this color before (or rather, this color under that unique name).
Cheers! And happy gift shopping!
"Boston Red Lox" <-- in the style of the Red Sox shirts
"Knish Me" get it? like kiss me
and
"Oy to the World" i.e. Joy to the World .
However I still have not purchased a gift for a sister. She's really into hair, makeup, and clothes and seems to like borrowing (without asking) my own products. Last year I bought her an eye-shadow pallet from Sephora and a nice mascara to go with it.
This year I thought I might get her one of those OPI minis sets from Sephora. However, I don't particularly want to pay for shipping on an item under $30 so I turned to Amazon to look for a set with free shipping. I wasn't feeling the colors in the sets I found so I expanded my search and this bottle came up:
ah yes, I knew that color screamed Partridge Breast Aloe... I can honestly write that I've never seen this color before (or rather, this color under that unique name).Cheers! And happy gift shopping!
Post-Finals Childhood Reversion and Miss Universe Pageant
As the stress of the past two weeks as well as the entire semester lifted, I turned to Hulu and Netflix for appropriate non-academic entertainment. I had already caught up on the Mindy Project on Thursday in between studying and freaking out about physics. I also watched the most recent episodes of Gossip Girl and New Girl earlier in this finals week.
Fortunately I stumbled across a personal childhood favorite, The Aristocats, on Netflix! I've been wanting to watch it for some time now but my only copy is at home and is on VHS.
It was quite as lovely as I remembered though much more vintage quality. I had no idea the film was made in 1970. The animation was nowhere near the quality that it is now. However, I actually found the film style quite charming. I really liked the more raw, sketch-like quality it had. And the little kitties were so adorable.
I can't remember the last time I watched it but I don't think I fully understood the plot. It's a tribute to the quality of the film that even as a young adult I was still able to enjoy it.
http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/classic-disney/images/609168/title/aristocats-wallpaper
I totally recommend checking it out.
Full disclosure: Before I watched the Aristocats, a friend and I watched the Miss Universe pageant on Hulu. It was actually really entertaining and my friend and I found ourselves picking favorites from the start. We loved Miss India, especially because she was a software engineer! Though we were disappointed that she didn't make the top 10, we were quickly distracted by the gorgeous dresses of Miss Australia and Miss Russia who did make the top 10.
http://www.abc15.com/gallery/news/news_photo_gallery/Copy_of_photos-miss-universe-2012-pageant-wptv1356048773463
We were also incredibly impressed with Miss Philippine's response to an awkwardly placed question (see footage) and Miss USA grew on us once we heard her speak.
Not planning on watching any more pageants anytime soon, but I will have to say that those are some pretty awesome women who kick major butt. They're not only gorgeous, but many of them are great citizens of world who volunteer.
Fortunately I stumbled across a personal childhood favorite, The Aristocats, on Netflix! I've been wanting to watch it for some time now but my only copy is at home and is on VHS.
It was quite as lovely as I remembered though much more vintage quality. I had no idea the film was made in 1970. The animation was nowhere near the quality that it is now. However, I actually found the film style quite charming. I really liked the more raw, sketch-like quality it had. And the little kitties were so adorable.
I can't remember the last time I watched it but I don't think I fully understood the plot. It's a tribute to the quality of the film that even as a young adult I was still able to enjoy it.
I totally recommend checking it out.
Full disclosure: Before I watched the Aristocats, a friend and I watched the Miss Universe pageant on Hulu. It was actually really entertaining and my friend and I found ourselves picking favorites from the start. We loved Miss India, especially because she was a software engineer! Though we were disappointed that she didn't make the top 10, we were quickly distracted by the gorgeous dresses of Miss Australia and Miss Russia who did make the top 10.
Miss Australia wore this beautiful white strapless fitted (like, a lingerie top, with cups...) gown with gorgeous detailing along the top part of the skirt. She pulled off a formal white gown without managing to look bridal.
Miss Russia's beaded gown was channeling the ice princesses of her land. The royal blue skirt complemented the metallic grey top very well. Those colors really worked on her. She looked absolutely stunning. I hope one day I will be able to wear a beautiful beaded piece like their gowns. 
http://features.rr.com/photo/0cWM4h6aiPfs7?q=Las+Vegas%2C+NV
We were also incredibly impressed with Miss Philippine's response to an awkwardly placed question (see footage) and Miss USA grew on us once we heard her speak.
Not planning on watching any more pageants anytime soon, but I will have to say that those are some pretty awesome women who kick major butt. They're not only gorgeous, but many of them are great citizens of world who volunteer.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
15 minutes of Sartorial Fame
As I raced to my room after dinner, 20 minutes before The Sartorialist was scheduled to speak, my mind jumped to what I could throw on that wouldn't be completely socially unacceptable to wear to a talk by a well known fashion blogger and photographer. I settled for swapping my layers of polar fleece for my latest vintage thrifted piece; a black silk, sequined and beaded top which I paired with the bottoms I was already wearing, my dark green military pants tucked into black bogs (rain...). In case I felt totally ridiculous, I slipped on my shamrock green pea coat that I could hide under.
Chatting with a friend and fellow Sartorialist fan on the way over to his talk, I remembered his more recent posts about peacoats and day sequins (though, as my friend reminded me, it was no longer daytime) and felt more confident in my fashion choices. And honestly, when am I not thinking about day sequins and peacoats.
I have to say, I really enjoyed his talk. It was so interesting to hear about his process (or sometimes lack of process) of shooting people and what he aims to achieve in his photos. He said he doesn't travel or shoot people to report on upcoming trends, but essentially he tries to capture images of an individual's style. I could appreciate his great attention to detail as he described a recent shot of a student who drew him in at the Art Institute of Chicago, from her energy down to the slight shimmer of her makeup.
The people-watching at the event was almost as great as Scott's talk. It was so wonderful to see the range of people and styles that his blog appeals to, from a nearly shirtless flamboyant man in a white furry vest, to chic women in little black dresses, to that one girl I had talked to a million times and never heard express an interest in clothing who stood in line to get her book signed in cutoff shorts and lime green shutter-shades.
With a great lecture, and nearly equally as fabulous people-watching, how could my experience possibly have gotten better, you ask? Scott Schuman instagrammed me (or rather my beautifully knit mittens by my lovely mother). Holla! 1643 likes and counting.
check it out for yourself: http://instagram.com/p/TG59G-lANi/
-An adorable student at Wellesley
Chatting with a friend and fellow Sartorialist fan on the way over to his talk, I remembered his more recent posts about peacoats and day sequins (though, as my friend reminded me, it was no longer daytime) and felt more confident in my fashion choices. And honestly, when am I not thinking about day sequins and peacoats.
I have to say, I really enjoyed his talk. It was so interesting to hear about his process (or sometimes lack of process) of shooting people and what he aims to achieve in his photos. He said he doesn't travel or shoot people to report on upcoming trends, but essentially he tries to capture images of an individual's style. I could appreciate his great attention to detail as he described a recent shot of a student who drew him in at the Art Institute of Chicago, from her energy down to the slight shimmer of her makeup.
The people-watching at the event was almost as great as Scott's talk. It was so wonderful to see the range of people and styles that his blog appeals to, from a nearly shirtless flamboyant man in a white furry vest, to chic women in little black dresses, to that one girl I had talked to a million times and never heard express an interest in clothing who stood in line to get her book signed in cutoff shorts and lime green shutter-shades.
With a great lecture, and nearly equally as fabulous people-watching, how could my experience possibly have gotten better, you ask? Scott Schuman instagrammed me (or rather my beautifully knit mittens by my lovely mother). Holla! 1643 likes and counting.
check it out for yourself: http://instagram.com/p/TG59G-lANi/
-An adorable student at Wellesley
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Preparing Myself for the Savanna...
that is online dating: http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/web/04/14/online.dating.netiquette/index.html?iref=allsearch
See above article for sassy online dating tips and thoughts on rejection.
See above article for sassy online dating tips and thoughts on rejection.
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Dating (Procrastination) Efforts
As the semester nears its end and the holiday season grows closer many of us find ourselves yearning for companionship, or perhaps looking for new and creative ways to put off our obscene amounts of work for the last two weeks of the semester.
The other night I went speed dating for the first time. I went with zero expectations which was smart because it was a hot mess. While the room where it was being held was full, the general population was severely lacking in Y chromosomes. I ended up going on a few "dates" with close friends and classmates who did not identify with the gender that I was hoping to meet. I also met some really weird guys. There was one guy who I thought was kind of attractive and we had a fairly normal conversation (as normal as two people can have in a loud, cramped space, with a two minute time limit). I would definitely go on a date with him but won't find out if he was also interested until I receive an email with the contact information of people who I approved and approved me (which I know I will get because my friends and I all checked each other).
I also met a pretty cool kid, not interested in dating him, but interested in being his friend. A fellow foodie from the area, into being active, and knowledge of good food in the area.
And tonight I created an online dating profile with a dating website for college students. I actually filled out my profile this time and put a picture where I'm not wearing my sunglasses.
We'll see if either of these actions go anywhere, but for the meantime they have/had a great humor factor. And if anything were to happen it would have to wait until I return to school for the spring semester because I have so much work to do in the next two weeks!!!!!!!!!
Any good speed dating or online dating stories or profiles to share? I'll leave you all with a nerdy pickup line I read on someone's profile: What's your sine? It must be pi/2 because you're the one. <-- math humor
The other night I went speed dating for the first time. I went with zero expectations which was smart because it was a hot mess. While the room where it was being held was full, the general population was severely lacking in Y chromosomes. I ended up going on a few "dates" with close friends and classmates who did not identify with the gender that I was hoping to meet. I also met some really weird guys. There was one guy who I thought was kind of attractive and we had a fairly normal conversation (as normal as two people can have in a loud, cramped space, with a two minute time limit). I would definitely go on a date with him but won't find out if he was also interested until I receive an email with the contact information of people who I approved and approved me (which I know I will get because my friends and I all checked each other).
I also met a pretty cool kid, not interested in dating him, but interested in being his friend. A fellow foodie from the area, into being active, and knowledge of good food in the area.
And tonight I created an online dating profile with a dating website for college students. I actually filled out my profile this time and put a picture where I'm not wearing my sunglasses.
We'll see if either of these actions go anywhere, but for the meantime they have/had a great humor factor. And if anything were to happen it would have to wait until I return to school for the spring semester because I have so much work to do in the next two weeks!!!!!!!!!
Any good speed dating or online dating stories or profiles to share? I'll leave you all with a nerdy pickup line I read on someone's profile: What's your sine? It must be pi/2 because you're the one. <-- math humor
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