Recently in my Neurobiology class I’ve been teaching the students about the neural mechanisms underlying learning and memory. The ways we can learn names, faces, and dates and evoke things long forgotten from our childhood. The ways that we form neocortical assemblies behind the things we remember, where a whisper of a perfume or a few notes of a song can trigger recall of the entire memory.
As a longtime lover and collector of vintage, everyone has come to know (and expect) the kind of dresses I favor – namely, a fitted waist and a twirly skirt. The classic 1950’s Dior New Look-inspired silhouette with a perfect sugar spun waist. So, it will come as no surprise that I also have a growing collection of undergarments that can help me achieve the shape and structure I love in many of my dresses.
I have a bit of an affinity for anything organic. And I don’t mean the label on our produce that’s become trendy these days; but rather the way nature manifests itself in fashion. A floral print, a leaf embroidery, a fruit-speckled handbag. So when this adorable necklace appeared under my Christmas tree from my best friend in Aus – a wearable planter (!) – I immediately started brimming with styling possibilities.
And just like that, we’re back to our regularly scheduled program of teaching and writing lectures and teaching again. Spring Break was a great opportunity to play a bit of catch up, but as usual, it went by way to quickly and Monday was upon me before I could even put on the brakes. But, I survived my first week back and somehow even survived the brief snowstorm we had that left all of us North Carolinians feeling as if we had just entered the Twilight Zone….
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…
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.