every single night, the same old story

[chestnutcurls]

Day 7 without power. I am a refugee, living at my parents' house. Our apartment complex is officially last on MLGW's list. If we have power by next weekend, I'll be pleasantly surprised. In the meantime, it's not bad being back home for a few days. I get to spend time with Bun and do Pilates on a carpeted floor (I had almost come to believe the back pain was necessary to do it right). And I have a lot of free time because I don't have to clean constantly.

We actually did spend Friday night at the apartment. Kathy, MaryElaine, Evan, and I had dinner at McAlister's, hung out at the bookstore for a couple of hours, and then went to Perkins for pie. Chris met us there. Then we all went back to the apartment, because a hot, dark apartment is a novelty to those who never lost power in the first place. :P When they finally went home, it was 12:30 and too late to go back to the homestead. So we stayed. I slept on top of my bed. On Saturday I awoke at 8:30 to the sound of chainsaws. By 11:00, it was unbearably hot and Kathy and I agreed we had had enough. We packed our stuff and the cat and got out of Dodge. Gandalf was especially happy about this decision, since he had been in the heat since the storm. He spent the whole afternoon at Kathy's parents' purring and rolling around happily.

Yesterday I overslept, which I hate. I awoke suddenly at 10:30. Somehow I made it to church only a little late for the 10:55 service, but my head didn't really de-fog until church was over. In the afternoon I went to the mall with my mom, which is usually a mistake because I end up feeling down on myself. It's hard to find things that make me look good. Also, Kathy and I had watched How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days the previous night, so I was already thinking about how sophisticated all those women looked and how style-less I am in comparison. Anyway, I found a shirt that I thought would be great for my birthday/seeing Clay outfit. My mom took me to look at jewelry to see if we could find something that matched. While we were there, a random lady approached me.

Lady: May I ask how old you are?
Me: I'm twenty-three.
Lady: Oh. Well, my daughter is fourteen. I thought you were about her age, so I was going to see what you thought of this bracelet. (Holds up bracelet)
Me: Um. It's nice.
My mom, to lady: She gets that a lot.
Lady: Okay. Thank you. (walks away)

Granted, I was wearing an Old Navy tank top and flip-flops, but still. Fourteen. Give me a break. I tried on the shirt, and of course, it made me look ridiculous. I am beginning to despair of finding a cute Seeing Clay outfit that I can afford. Anything that looks cute on the hanger becomes ridiculous as soon as it is on my body.

Chris and Ryan wanted me to go with them last night to see Ryan's roommate's band, but I didn't want to chance a repeat of the Mud Island concert debacle. So I stayed at home with my parents and watched the Food Network. They were featuring Miami in all of their shows. It was neat. That's all I have to say right now.

Comments

[mszimbolist.livejournal.com]

I have found that to find good buys one must make a career out of shopping -- and that's something I'm not willing to do. or else you have to have LOTS of money, a PERFECT body, and be okay with looking like a copy of the girl next to you.
Good luck finding something! Have you tried thrift/outlet shopping?
Hope your power comes on soon...

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

:) This is true. I'm planning to hit the thrifts on Saturday. Or sooner if I can manage it.

[starloft.livejournal.com]

I agree. Thrift stores are the best!

[moredetails.livejournal.com]

Those sophisticated-looking, well-dressed women don't exist. I mean, really...how many do you actually run into in real life? Even if they dress well, they don't look as good. Everyone has their non-celebrity qualities. You look great as you are. I hate shopping, though, for similar reasons. I see all of these great clothes and nothing looks on me as I imagined. It just brings me down.

You're not alone in the age thing, either. I get that kind of thing (not the exact thing, but people just assuming I'm in my teens) several times a year, I would guess. It's a good thing. :) It's kind of fun, don't you think? I mean, it would bite if someone thought you were 35 and you were really 25, but it's so fun to tell people, "Actually, I've graduated from college," when they ask, "What high school do you go to?" :)

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

:) Thanks for your nice words. I think in New York people really do look like that, though. I like shopping sometimes, it just depends on what I'm looking for. I usually go with a very specific idea of what I need/want. Then sometimes that item looks dumb on me, and I get depressed because it looks so great on everyone else.

Yes, someday I will be grateful to be thought almost ten years younger than I actually am. :) I told Kathy what you said, and she agrees.

[alissamarie.livejournal.com]

In New York City they do. New York state is mostly middle class and boring. Though, business people do tend to look very sharp and dress in a lot of black in this area. (I wear a lot of black to work, too, hehe.) There's a totally different fashion sense in New York than in most of the rest of the country, especially the south.

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

Hey, thanks for your regional knowledge! :)

Yeah, I meant NYC. I could never survive there, fashion-wise. I wear a lot of black to work, too, but it depresses me. I don't have that knack of making black not look boring. :)

[alissamarie.livejournal.com]

Do you get Style channel? They have this show called "The Look for Less", and it's all about finding clothes that look awesome and designerish at slightly lower prices ;). Some of it is really a bit cheaper, and it's good inspiration, anyhow. I don't get cable at home but my grandma does, and I'm at her house one night a week so I try to watch when I can.

I feel incredibly girly, posting something like that. Heehee.

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

Ooo! Well, I don't have cable, but I'm conveniently staying at my parents', and they do. I'll look for it tonight. :) Thanks for the tip!

Girly is good. I love girly discussion.

[chattyfingers.livejournal.com]

What is this? I have people ask me all the time what college I go to!

[tingilya.livejournal.com]

Well, if it helps, I don't have a very cute Seeing Clay outfit, either. Somehow it's got to work around the red sneakers, I guess. If I even end up wearing them.

Are you thinking jeans or more dressy? I never wear jeans to a concert, which is why the red sneakers are causing problems.

Darn you, Aiken. [fists of fury]

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was originally thinking about a summery dress, but then when you got the red sneakers I started thinking more casual. Which is probably for the best. This particular shirt would have looked very classy with jeans. Maybe I can find something else like it.

Yes, darn you, Clay. Making us want to get cute for you, and stuff.

[tingilya.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Well, if you *want* to go the cutesy, dressy route, I'm totally up for that. I'm not really comfortable at concerts in jeans. It's just a weird thing of mine. *g* I don't mind not wearing the red sneaks, since I wear them all the time anyway.

Plus, if I met him, I would be absolutly mortified honking around in red shoes.

Honk, honk.

Just wait'll we get boyfriends and start fussing over our clothes. Heh.

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

Okay! I'll go back to the more cute-dressy idea. You look around and I'll look around, and we can check back with each other when we find something. :)

I know. Seriously. I must not fuss enough over my clothes. I am a total Gap/Old Navy/American Eagle kind of girl. Maybe this is my problem. :P

[tingilya.livejournal.com]

Cool. I'm more comfy looking like a kindergarten teacher, anyway. I might just wear something like capris and a cute shirt. That seems to be my uniform, and I'm comfortable that way, so if we DO meet Clay, I won't feel like a giant teenie fan nerd. :-)

[sp00f.livejournal.com]

She gets that a lot."

I think I can see why ~ pinches your cheek

but seriously.. your refugee situation isn't to be envied, and I hope it ends soon!

:-P

[(Anonymous)]

You should have a the store's personal shopper help you out. (although, I doubt that you are amenable to this idea) but she would be able to tell you what is good for your shape and color....plus she could show you what would make you not look like a pre-teen. and its a free service (from what i understand)
look on the plus side- at least you don't act like a 14 year old..or have the acne of one.
hope you get power back soon!!!!
love the brens
em

[salemgirl.livejournal.com]

Chicky! I think you're way too hard on yourself. You are beautiful as you are! There HAS to be something cute enough for Clay... ;)

My dog is so prissy that she wouldn't have lasted nearly as long as Gandalf has. hehe!

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

:) Thanks, that's nice. I'm going to look some more this weekend.

[admael.livejournal.com]

Okay, Brenda, I've seen you. You do *not* look fourteen. They're all a bunch of stupid-heads. ;-)

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

LOL. Thank you. :)