As most of you know by now, I’m a planner. But I can’t help it when life (a little more than) occasionally goes awry. A short while back, I was set to give a rather important presentation to my Department. This was but one task on the long winding road to tenure. And I’d planned the day out oh-so-carefully. My talk was polished, but not over-rehearsed. I planned a time buffer to get to the room early to check out the IT setup. I packed adapters, and power cords, and even a backup laser pointer (should the first one fail). My outfit was carefully planned to be jazzy, but professional. And yet, despite my carefully scheduled plan, no sooner did I leave lunch to head out to the room to setup, then the sky opened up and poured buckets on my head. Best laid plans and all…
It was like a scene straight out of a movie. Watching the minutes ticking by, as I ducked into alcove. Wringing out my dress in frustration, knowing this was the one day I couldn’t be late. Seeing my laptop trapped in my office far into the distance, with the building where my presentation was being offered in the complete opposite direction. Eventually succumbing to the situation, dashing and slipping through rain puddles, skidding into the room just in time. Looking for all intents and purposes like a drowned rat. And with all the dignity I could muster, I walked to the front of the room, took a deep breath, and battled sagely on.
One of my closest friends at work took one look at me while I squished to my seat and burst out laughing. She declared, “How do these things happen to you?? You are the only person I know who’s life is an actual romantic comedy…”
I laughed out loud at time – but I mulled it over later that day, and I have to say the idea has merit. Think about your typical romantic comedy plot line: Quirky, yet adorably charming girl (go with me here), looking far more fancy and put together than a normal human (well, that part is true. This beauty from Cheri Vintage is my version of casual…), goes about her daily trials and tribulations. And, in the wings, the witty, dashingly handsome leading man (looking at you Mr. Dressed), who loves her for her spunk and quick comebacks. Of course there’s always some major goal our Leading Lady is trying to reach, yet she somehow finds herself in all manner of predicaments that don’t actually happen to real people.
The day of the Big Presentation, she arrives sodden. Best laid plans laying bedraggled in a puddle. Dress soaked and ruined. Yet, she tosses her damp hair over her shoulder, walks bravely to the front, and gives her speech, mascara miraculously not running down her cheeks. If there has been a montage it would have been impressive. Uphill battle, yet ingenue prevails in the end…
I certainly don’t intend to live my life as a movie set, but I can’t deny many aspects of my life fit the bill. Like how rare it is to see me wearing the same thing twice (so often commented on by my colleagues). The inherent physical comedy as I trip over things and drop coffee into my lap. The fact that skip around with a music playing in my head, giving my life a soundtrack. Now, if only my life came with a makeup and wardrobe team…
Of course, if it had been a REAL romantic comedy, in the final scene Mr Dressed would have dashed in, interrupting the meeting (but everyone would have looked joyous, instead of telling him how unprofessional that was). He would have declared his love after I gave the big presentation, finishing it all with a Hollywood Kiss while all of my colleagues wildly applauded, as if each of them were fully invested in my personal life and had been following every detail of the courtship. He would have brushed a damp lock away from my face, whispering sweet nothing in my ear while everyone in the room throws confetti that they just happened to have in their pockets.
Ahhh maybe we should all live our lives in a romantic comedy. Just once.
Roll Credits. Fin
xoxo
Outfit Details:
Dress: Cheri Vintage (similar modern or vintage here, here, & here)
Necklace: gift, Wearable Planter in white
Belt: Anthropologie, sold out (similar)
Handbag: Vintage (similar here & here)
Shoes: Miu Miu, thrifted (similar here)
Lip Color: Dior Rouge 634
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