And here we are. On the day that comes but once a year: My Birthday! I’m always somewhat surprised when March 15 appears before me, but moreso this year than any other time. I think life has been so busy that I completely forgot about it until the Mr. asked me last week how I wanted to celebrate. It’s such a stark contrast to how I felt as a kid – waiting feverishly for the days to tick by so I could get one year closer to adulthood.
This past weekend I boarded multiple planes for the first time since The Big Move. I sort of forgot what it was like to travel in a manner that only took a day and under 36 hours of flying. When I mentioned to my colleagues that I was Canada-Bound, the primary response I got was, “Wow – that’s far.” I’d smile and nod, but in my head I’d be thinking, “ohhhh honey, you don’t know from far.” With my Australia yardstick firmly intact, anything that doesn’t include a 17-hour leg is considered a short trip in my book…
Like most little girls, I had a massive collection of Barbie dolls when I was young. And despite the issues of body dysmorphia and other negative connotations they can create at a young age, some of my favorite memories involved Adventures in Barbieland. They were my opportunity to imagine the world of grownups, which seemed light years away at the time. And they were always having adventures in their Barbie Camper (which naturally required them to change their clothes at least 8 million times).
I’ve been getting into the swing of things in my new job. And word has started to get around about me and my dresses. From students to colleagues, the lovely words and glances, inevitably followed by some kind of self-deprecating comment about how they wished they too could wear dresses like these.
It’s that very magical time of year (for me at least) – my birthday is coming up! So naturally I start cultivating list after list of all of the pretties around the interwebs that seem fitting of a birthday girl (completely separate from my normal wish lists, of course). I’m not sure why, but items take on a certain special glow when they’re for my birthday…
While January seemed to drag in a flurry of lecture-giving and lecture writing and trying to appear as if I know what I’m talking about (all the while wondering how I was going to keep up that pace for four whole months), suddenly I feel as if I’m nearing the halfway mark of the semester. And I’m proud to say I’ve hit my groove a bit. This is not to say that life has magically returned to normal – we are still living in a sea of unpacked boxes and most weekends I am camped out at the dining room table…
With Valentine’s Day fast approaching next week, my mind naturally goes to all of the loved-up colors in the world: reds and pinks and pastels seem to be bursting out of my closet with glee. I know there are some that see St. Valentine’s as a harbinger of gloom – but remember that February 14th is first and foremost about loving yourself.
The toughest part about moving around the world (besides the whole moving around the world bit) is the packing. The dismantling of existing organizational systems and ways of doing things, only to have to re-mantle it all again on the other side. On the positive side, you get to start fresh. You get to view a space like a clean slate and create a new home.
Well 2017, we are NOT off to the best start. What. A. Month. I know we’re all still reeling from the events of the new year, not the least of which is the chaos surrounding our new “leadership” (and I use those words very, very loosely). This has been a trying month for us all. The only hope I feel is in the upwelling of unity and support – not just around the country but around the globe.
On the weekend Mr. Dressed and a lovely friend and I skipped off to the theatre to see La La Land (Ummm, Ryan Gosling AND a movie musical? Point me to the popcorn). I fell completely in love with the story, the music, and the splashes of primary colors in every which direction (including one rather unforgettable yellow dress). Needless to say, I was inspired to pull a few primary colors out of my own wardrobe today…