Month: March 2016

Senseless Part II

Aside GraceLeave a comment

I knew something had happened when my friends’ Facebook profile pictures changed color.

The black, yellow, and red were unfamiliar to me.  We don’t spend much time on geography in school these days.

We should probably change that.

I clicked on ATTN:, a news source I follow on Facebook, to read about the attacks.  The state of emergency.  The outpouring of support on social media.  The cartoon someone made of a French flag hugging a Belgian flag.

At the bottom of the article, ATTN: had one of its usual poll questions.

“Are you shocked by this act of violence?”

The options for answering were “Yes” or “No.”  But all I could think was, “I wish I was.”

This seems to be how the world is now.  I am far from blase about it, but no, I was not shocked.

Instead, I will be shocked, happily so, as in the wake of the Paris attacks last year, by humanity’s best responding to this demonstration of its worst. The volunteers.  The blood donors.  The people across faiths praying for peace.  As Mr. Rogers said, I will look for the helpers.

How to Help Victims of the Brussels Attacks Whether You’re in Europe or Across the Globe (Bustle)

Donate to Belgian Red Cross

 

 

 

Dressing for Success

GraceLeave a comment

I think I might be addicted to high heels.

I’ve developed occasional shooting pains in my legs, which most people tell me is probably something to do with a nerve in my back or something.  Whatever it is, it’s not helped by my habit of wearing heels, boots, and flats with little sole or support.  So, after a particularly bad occurrence of this nerve pain one night, I decided to be responsible and take care of myself and wear supportive tennis shoes to campus the next day.

I hated them.

With every step, I felt horribly underdressed.  Never mind that every other girl I passed wore yoga pants and a hoodie, or socks with sandals.  My personal style does not involve tennis shoes and a t-shirt anymore, but I felt like I couldn’t wear my normal clothes with my tennies.  Tennis shoes go with gym clothes, not a nice blouse and skinny jeans.

It didn’t help that I didn’t sleep well the previous night, so that day was already off to a sluggish start.  Whenever those days happen, I Dress for Success, tricking myself into thinking I’m on top of things by wearing heels and a blazer.

d702e2e20cd110d7cb6c421b58cbd422Dressing up wakes me up.  Wearing heels or heeled boots makes me feel more powerful, walk a little taller, and generally feel like I can Do More Things (plus people in crowded hallways get out of my way faster when they hear me coming).  It’s one of those fake-it-till-you-make-it things, I think.  So, conversely, dressing casually makes me feel unmotivated and lazy.  Lacking nice shoes affected my mood for the whole day.

But at the same time, I want to take care of my body.  So the next day, I pulled out my ankle boots with the thick, supportive soles (no heels, either!), and wore those instead.

Compromises are wonderful.