Busy Week

Friday is here, which means we have survived another week.  It seemed really busy, but as I look back, I can't really tell you why.  Probably because I get all stressed out about getting a flu shot.  And my arm still hurts.  Ridiculous

This outfit is from a few weeks ago when John and I went on an impromptu Saturday evening dinner date.  It's gotten chilly enough in the evenings that I'm happy to wear my jeans again.  And this top really has stars on it, but they just look like polka dots from far away.  I probably say that every time I wear it. 

Cardigan: Old Navy (similar)
Top: Alfani
Jeans: Old Navy (similar)
Shoes: Target (same without patent captoe)

Southpaw Problems

Day 16, Thursday: Something difficult about your "lot in life" and how you're working to overcome it

I'm left-handed (very, very, very left-handed).  Honestly, I'm sort of proud to be a lefty, but there are some major obstacles.  Most right-handed people don't even realize how many things are specifically designed with handedness in mind.  Just a small list of my many troubles over the years:

• Scissors - using right-handed scissors is THE WORST!  The thumb-hole angle is all wrong and is pretty painful to use for very long.  I have a pair of lefty scissors that I got when I was in elementary school and I am very protective of them.  

• Sports - maybe I'm just uncoordinated (probably the case), but it was very difficult to learn sports when pretty much all of the coaches were right-handed.  In PE class, we all had to perfect a right-handed lay-up, even the lefties!  Not fair at all.  Equipment is also harder to find and usually more expensive.  A few years ago, I was interested in learning how to golf, and I had to buy a set of lefty clubs online, because I couldn't find any in stores (and I couldn't borrow any from all my righty friends).  In college, I played intramural softball, and I didn't have my old lefty mitt at school.  They said they had extra equipment available, but they didn't mention that the only lefty glove was no longer laced together (and also smelled funky).  I couldn't catch anything! 

• Writing - even if you find a lefty notebook (which I used all through school), writing is still a mess.  I don't hook my hand over the page like some lefties, so I almost always had ink stains on my hand and smeared writing on the paper.  In high school, my English teacher decided that we needed to hand-write our papers for a few months, instead of typing.  I still don't know the purpose of this other than to make my life miserable.  I frequently got points docked for sloppiness because the ink was smeared.  I wonder if life is easier for left-handed people who live in "right-to-left language" countries.  And don't even get me started about trying to write in a 3-ring binder! 

• Eating - at sit-down meals, I try to sit on the left end of the table, but it doesn't always work out.  When my neighbor and I inevitably bump elbows, everyone always blames the lefty.  

• Basic items - again, you've probably never noticed this, but several basic household items are made for right-handed people.  Can-openers, measuring cups, pencil sharpeners, tape measures. Even a plain old sauce pan is designed to pour out of the left side, meaning I have to use my weaker arm, or twist my left arm awkwardly to pour anything.  

• Desks - those stupid desks that pretty much make up every classroom from middle school through college.  There was usually 1 lefty desk in each classroom, but more than 1 lefty student.  True story, during my accounting final in college, I was sitting at a righty desk, and twisted sideways in the chair to write my answers.  In a moment of frustration (and back pain) I sat back regularly and propped my right elbow up on the desk, not realizing the catapult situation that would happen.  My calculator and pencil flew across the room.  So embarrassing.  I should have told that story the other day.  

• SAT/ACT discrimination - I hope this isn't a common occurrence.  When I went to take these big important tests, they corralled all the left-handed kids into a group.  I assumed they would take us to a magical room filled with left-handed desks.  No.  They took us to a dark, creepy room in the basement that still had long table desks.  It was pretty unnerving.  I maintain I would have scored higher if I had been in a normal room!  

So there's my big sob-story.  I try to make the best of it, and most of the time, it's not a big deal, but I like buying lefty-specific products when I see them!  Rumor has it that left-handed people have a life expectancy 9 years shorter than right-handed people, so that's sort of unpleasant.  It's probably because we have higher stress levels trying to work around this crazy right-handed world!  I also read somewhere that lefties have smarter kids, which I completely believe (my mom is left-handed, too!).  

close-up to prove the polka dots are stars

It's also Third Thursday Threads time!  The theme for this month is WORKWEAR, which is super easy, because most of my outfits are worn to work.  My office is pretty casual, so I decided to pick one of my dressier recent outfits.  I also learned that I shouldn't stand in front of red brick when I am wearing a coral cardigan, because it will look very orange.


Blouse: Alfani via Macy's
Cardigan and Skirt: Old Navy
Belt: Chinese Laundry via TJ Maxx
Shoes: Born via Dillard's

P as in Phone

Take One, Pass It On Item: black sweater from Wednesday's post

You know how when you are on the phone, and you are spelling a name or something, how a lot of letters can sound the same.  B could be D, etc.  And people say things like "B as in Boy" to clarify.  I am terrible at thinking of example words.   I either say something embarrassing, like "P as in Puppy", or I say something phonetically confusing, like "P as in Phone", or I really confuse the issue by picking a word that could also start with the other letter in question, like "P as in Pair" and they are like "T as in Tear, great!" and then we are all messed up.  This has happened a few times at work recently, so I figured I need to get my act together.   I should probably post this on my wall. 

I also have to note that this blouse has stars on it, but they just look like polka dots in pictures.  I kind of wish they were polka dots, but stars are okay, too. 

I think that's random enough to link up with Shanna! 


Sweater & Jeans: Gap
Bow Blouse: Alfani via Macy's
Boots: BareTraps via DSW 

Staying Positive

You guys, having the flu is super lame!  I'm on day 3 at home, and I have some serious cabin fever (and some regular fever, but that's getting better).  I was really hoping to get into work today, but my fever was still holding strong last night, so it's home for me.

On a more positive note, being stuck at home with no energy is giving me plenty of time to read!  A Dance with Dragons was due back at the library on Monday, but I really wanted to finish it, so I'm being that terrible person who keeps a book past the due date.  If not for this illness, I probably would have given up and returned the book, and then bought it!  So, I just saved about $20.  Let's ignore all the hours I haven't been working, ok?

This outfit is from happier times - New Year's Day to be exact, when I met up with friends for one last hurrah before Anne went back to Arizona.  Then we decided to have another last hurrah, but dinner was still fun.

I hope you all have a wonderful, flu-free weekend.  Here's hoping I feel like a human again soon!

Shirt: Alfani via Macy's
Cardigan: Marisa Kristina via Marshall's
Jeans: Old Navy
Boots: BareTraps via DSW

Secretary

I felt very 1960's secretary-ish in this outfit.  I mean, a bow blouse and a pencil skirt kind of made me feel like I belonged on the set of Mad Men.  I was kind of a secretary for one summer in college, but I think it's more PC to say Administrative Assistant or something.  I was not a great secretary, mostly because I hated answering the phones (and I never got to wear a bow blouse!).  I just wanted to sort the files and be left alone.  It's kind of funny I ended up in a job where I talk on the phone all day.  At least I can wear ridiculous outfits at my current office!

Bow Blouse: Alfani via Macy's
Sweater: Gap
Skirt: Target
Boots: BareTraps via DSW

Seeing Stars

This outfit is almost entirely new.  I tend to shop quite a bit when we got to Indy, since they have several stores that we don't have.  Shopping is also a fun activity for my nieces and sister.  We had a sisters shopping date on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving - which is when I got these jeans. The girls were very excited about how I could wear the jeans with my pink cardigan, and I should buy a pink shirt to wear under the cardigan and then I would look soooo good. They are very into matching these days.

The top is from Macy's.  I ventured over there on Wednesday morning when everyone else was working or at school.  I always find a few great things at Macy's, so I really wish we had one in Omaha.  Maybe someday.  Here's a close-up, to prove the dots are really stars.

The cardigan is the craziest story.  My sister had to be at work on Black Friday at 3:30am, so I offered to drive her, since we figured it might be busy and hard to find a parking spot, or not busy at all and creepy in the parking lot all alone.  We decided to go a little early to see if there were any good deals.  It turns out the mall was totally dead, but a few stores were open.  Urban Outfitters had 50% off all clearance, so I got this cardigan and a little purse.  Then I dropped Jill off and went home to sleep.  I have no idea how she survived the day!

Top: Alfani via Macy's
Cardigan: Urban Outfitters
Jeans: Gap
Belt: Old Navy
Boots: Bare Traps via DSW