Category Archives: Bandwagons

Bandwagons

And also some things I didn’t wear because I don’t own them

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As it turns out, I don’t have enough clothes to wear something different every day for more than about 7 days. Unless that something different is a T-shirt, in which case I could. But the point of this exercise was to wear fewer T-shirts, so I don’t think that would work.

So anyway. I did not manage to wear not-a-T-shirt every day. It has been in some ways a difficult week, and there have been days when I haven’t left the house. It’s been a lot of T-shirts and sweatshirts since Saturday. And also I discovered that I’ve already managed to stain one of my new shirts, which is a bummer. I’m continuing to try to get the stain out.

In the meantime, here are a few things I’ve worn lately. One of them is representative of my uniform since Saturday.

Week Two, and already I need to plan another outing for more Sturdy Togs. But instead of going out and trying on clothes and getting all “Uggghhhhhh” and spending money and then taking half of it back after we get it home and are all “Whaaaaaat,” let’s pretend that I have a closet full of lovely things, and that I’m wearing them frequently, shall we?

Here are some things in my imaginary closet:

“Blouse” is one of those words that makes me shudder a little. Nevertheless, I like this very colorful blouse. I shy away from color, though, so I don’t know if or how frequently I’d actually wear it. But I like it. It’s a start.

Source: oldnavy.gap.com via Leah on Pinterest

I also tend not to wear white shirts. Mostly because I spill things on myself all the time. I’m noticing a trend here: I seem to be defining my “style” (ha ha!) by what I don’t wear. Ah, profound insight! Anyway, I like this outfit. I’m not sure about the scarf/snood thing, though. I don’t know how to wear them.

Source: oldnavy.gap.com via Leah on Pinterest

I don’t know why that head is floating around in there. For the hairstyle, maybe? Is that Katie Holmes? I think that’s Katie Holmes. I would not add a floating head to this outfit, but I like the grey cardigan (because it is grey, obviously) and I like the color of the shirt. And I also kind of like the detail around the neckline.

Source: polyvore.com via Leah on Pinterest

Quirky! I like quirky. I don’t like it when my clothes touch me, though, so this is in my imaginary self’s imaginary closet.

And finally! This one is from my friend Robin, who is “the best stylist everrr.” She calls it “I only talk about crockpot recipes & potty training.” I don’t talk about potty training any more, but I do only talk about crockpot recipes. And I have that bag, but with green trim. But I wouldn’t wear those sandals.

Source: polyvore.com via Robin on Pinterest

Family matters, National Blog Posting Month

A NaBloPoMo retrospective

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It’s the end of November! And I managed to post every day, as promised. There were a few slacker posts — “It’s whining time,” for example, and also “I drew you a hedgehog” — but I was pretty pleased to avoid doing many of those. The most widely read post in November was “An interview with a lady I don’t see often enough,” thus proving my hypothesis that everyone loves Amy. The least popular post of the month was “My brother is wise in matters of baseball,” which maybe only proves that Butterscotch Sundae is not the internet’s No. 1 source for sports information. The most frequent search terms this month were “tangled tower,” “how to quiet a cough” and “ikea kura.” There was also one person who searched for the phrase “nichole is a dinosaur,” and I don’t really know what to think about that.

Probably my favorite part of this year’s National Blog Posting Month extravaganza was the series of interviews I posted. Most of them went up on the weekend days, which typically don’t see a lot of traffic. So just in case you missed them, here they are!

National Blog Posting Month, Social Media

An interview with a former co-worker who is also my sister-in-law

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Phoebe
Rockford’s sister Phoebe is intimidating. She’s an artist, a sculptor and an award-winning mixologist. (Her latest cocktail menu is based on a Tom Waits album.) Like the rest of Rockford’s family, she is very tall and has a commanding presence. If you have ever met me in person, you know that I am neither tall nor commanding. I found Phoebe a little (a lot) frightening for a number of years.

I first met Phoebe when I was 15 or so. I am sure she does not remember this, because it was a very brief meeting. She was in a production of “Guys & Dolls,” and I went because I love musical theater. And also because I had a big crush on Rockford, and I knew he would be there. He spotted me after the show, and he introduced me to his sister and his parents. (They might tell you that the first time I met them was at a Chinese restaurant, where I ate nothing but rice and Jell-O. But they would be mistaken. About the First Meeting, but not about the rice & gelatin. I tell you: They scared me.)

A few years later, I worked at our college newspaper with Phoebe, and a few years after that I married her brother. And then a few years after that, she wasn’t quite as terrifying any more.

These days Phoebe lives in Philadelphia with her fiance, Christian, and Pockets the cat.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

That changes on a daily basis.

I haven’t spent a lot of time outside the US, so pretty much anywhere would do. Sometimes anywhere other than here sounds divine. Now that it’s fall, almost Thanksgiving, I’d really like to be in some mountains. NC preferably, but the northern end of the Appalachain range, up around Cooperstown would do nicely. Why? Autumn and spring are my favorite seasons in the mountains. Obviously if I were in the NC mountains there would be the added benefit of being with my family. I have, in the past few years, not been able to get home as much as I would have liked, which is to say almost never.

There’s this tiny little town in NY state, near Cooperstown, called Roseboom. The reasons I was there the first time were sad, but the place itself reminded me a lot of home at a point in time when I was particularly missing it. It also has an amazing name. I’d like to revisit there.

What’s your favorite sandwich?

This is going to turn your stomach Nichole: Tomato, onion, mayo, salt, pepper on some sort of squishy wheat-based bread. One of the best things about summer.
Who would star as you in the movie of your life?

Someone with a lot of patience. Um … I have no idea. Christian says a cross between Ingrid Bergman and Tilda Swinton.
Who would play your significant other?

Jeffrey Wright
What is the worst advice you’ve ever been given?

I can’t publish it. Suffice it to say it was life-alteringly bad advice.
What was your first job? How old were you, and how long did you work there? Did you like it

I started working in my parents’ antiques business when I was 12 years old. I continued to work with/for them until I started college. And then again after I was in college until I moved away for grad school. Yes I liked it. I love my folks and I love antiques. It’s a real gift to be able to work with your partner and your family. I hope someday to run an antiques business with Christian.