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 in my pajamas writing lectures – but I’m approaching some semblance of normal. To steal a phrase from one of my favorite musicals, I’m hanging out somewhere next to normal.
It’s funny how slowly things become the norm – places and people and schedules. Moving from the frightening newness of knowing nothing, to suddenly finding yourself on autopilot as you drive down the streets, wearing a well-worn path into certain coffee shops and building inside jokes with new colleagues. I still feel a sharp pang for the things we’ve had to leave behind, but perhaps we are all just a culmination of many many different phases of normalcy. Never done traveling or discovering or pivoting to a new normal as required (though hopefully done moving. I’m really over that).
Although today is not technically Valentine’s Day, the Husband and I rejected yesterday’s predetermined date and have decided to celebrate our Valentine’s tonight. We are all about zigging when we’re supposed to zag! As Thursday is the only day of the week I don’t teach, I wanted to have a night where I could celebrate with my beloved and then roll home in a cheese-induced stupor knowing I didn’t have a lecture to prep for the next day. So, as you read this, I am very likely elbow deep in fondue (or dreaming of being elbow deep in fondue).
So, while floating in my sea of newness here in our new city, adjusting to our new normal, I am grateful for the things that I can always count on: (1) that a perfect vintage paisley dress will always counterbalance the crazy, (2) that a yellow crinoline peeking out from a billowing skirt will always make at least 3 strangers smile, and (3) that I am endlessly lucky to be sharing another Valentine’s night with this guy.
Now, bring on the cheese!
xoxo
Outfit Details:
Vintage paisley dress: Capsule Vintage (similar modern or vintage here, here & here)
Cardigan: The Wonder Shop (similar here & here)
Necklace: Magnolia (similar)
Belt: Anthropologie (similar)
Crinoline: c/o Modern Millie
Handbag: Gift, Basya Berkman Vintage (similar here & here)
Shoes: Gift, Irregular Choice
Lip Color: Ruby Woo
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