All of the Things

Whoa. I've been busy. I know, I know...you're busy, too so let's all be busy together. It's that end of the election (THANK THE LORD) sprint to November 6th. GOTV is headed into full swing and there are walks and rallies and debates and choices to be made and Big Bird. Everything you could possibly want out of an election this one has. And I cannot wait for it to end.

What else? Oh. So, my birthday is coming up (much, MUCH, more on that later) and after debating for all of 36 hours what I would like to get myself for this kinda big birthday (29) I have opted for an iPad. Here's where you all come in: tips, advice? Anything? I'm excited for the productivity front and with a bunch of projects I have coming up, the device will come in handy so anything you got by way of expertise, send it on over.

Then there's the writing: Well, today I posted for the first time on Babble Voices. You know Babble, the site for parents? I'm not pregnant, still not planning on aquiring a child anytime in the near future but, hey! They like me, they really like me (the folks who run the blog side of things). Hopefully the reader will as well. Fingers crossed. My blog is called Change in Action. It should be fun. I hope. Maybe?

And finally, I posted over on Women & Co about the no good, terrible, very bad time I was up to my eyeballs in debt and had Mastercard blowing up my cell. It was joyous and a learning experience and fun fact: Now I don't use credit cards. Not at all. It's freeing.

I think that's all. How are you? What's shaking? Your hair looks pretty today and you can totally rock the chambray like nobody's business.

A Reminder

"If you believe in me, I'll still believe" - Mumford & Sons

In January Amanda suggested acupuncture. It’s amazing and will change your life were the claims. “Heather, I sat there at one point and started to cry”. She smiled. You’ll love it. So, I tried it. She made sure to give me a gift card to a place in downtown Glens Falls. Given my propensity to tell you exactly how I’m feeling with a single flutter of an eyelash, I can assure you that my skepticism came through. I kept telling myself that Amanda had cried and what I needed at that moment was anything to get the waterworks started. I felt that I had been walking around like a soaking wet washcloth for days on end and I was impatient while waiting for someone to come along and ring me out. The acupuncture would surely get things started.

I didn’t cry. Of course not. But there was pleasantness in sitting in a dark room with my eyes closed and, I wonder now, if when I got back to Amanda’s house where I told her that I loved it (I did!) that some of it was purely psychosomatic. I shrug now but at the time I felt, I don’t know....something. I told my acupuncturist (is that what they’re called?) about my anxiety and how I had spent the last week with a knot in my stomach. I’d sit in my car or lay in bed rubbing a spot on my belly massaging a ball of worry away. Hence the acupuncture and anything to make things - everything - better. Amanda had wine waiting for me after my appointment. Her girls went night skiing and we chatted.

I think that a talk over wine is the single greatest form of therapy. The simplicity of conversation between two friends. Even if one is speaking more than the other, can be, just the key. A quick swirl of wine between sips. Not to check out the density of the product but because some sort of movement seems like the right thing to do.

A few weeks ago Amanda told me that we were going on her boat. In September when the lake would be quiet and still and, the silence. Sometimes I need silence or to speak out loud knowing that no one will hear me. I accepted her offer. “I have Malbec for you”. She doesn’t drink red wine but she made sure to have my favorite because that’s the type of person she is. She let me speak for an hour though it was less speaking and more rambling because plans needed to be made. I had to get through Big Thing and focus on other things. It was me at my best hypomanic state. I thought I was making sense while trailing off and confusing my tenses. The latter, I am an expert on. But she sat there, wine glass in hand, assuring me that I was right. Things would be good. I would be OK. Never in a condescending tone, nary an eye roll. Just me, on the water with the hum of the boat in the background telling her anything and everything.

In these moments of absolute uncertainty, sprinkled with fear she manages to make things good and perfect. The point of this story is that when I’m feeling less than lucky it’s good to know that there are people like her around.

So, you're wearing yellow pants

I'm that girl in my office. The one who will gladly wear fluorescent pink shoes in a sea of khaki and navy blue. The good news is that I work with my mother and you know how mothers are: While I gladly wear blindingly bright pink, she'll gladly let you know when that you look like an idiot. Mothers are nice that way. I'm also that girl that wears salmon jeans, lilac khakis and, most recently, I wore yellow chinos. With stripes of course. Because nothing says, "I once read a style blog" like wearing stripes. The chinos are from Lands' End and they were the most perfect fitting pants my ass has ever had the pleasure of rocking. I bent over a few times just to enjoy the moment of not having to hike my pants back up over my crack because they got too stretchy. They're capris so they'll go well from summer (farewell, my friend! You've been lovely) into fall (I'll match the trees!). I think for my first apple picking adventure, I will be wearing yellow pants, that gray tee and sneakers that are meant for show, not running a marathon. It's important to look good while climbing a tree.

So, You're Wearing Yellow Pants by nopasanada

J.Crew slim fit t shirt / Old Navy vintage tee / GAP knit cardigan / Lands' End slim pants / Onitsuka Tiger shoes / KORS Michael Kors michael kors shoes / Stella & Dot chain necklace / BP. circle scarve

Pants provided by Lands' End. Opinions provided by me.