rage & zen

I am still hopping mad about my termination experience yesterday, but I am trying to forget about it & move on. Well, maybe tomorrow. Today was my excursion to Plato's Closet, aka the only consignment store in central Florida. If you can call it that. I took my 4 big bags bursting with clothes that were still wearable, just not by me. While waiting to hear what riches I would be bestowed, I browsed the next-door Old Time Pottery.

After I got lost & found zen in a forest of fake flowers, I found that awesome tiki ceramic-ware that I wish I had a reason to buy. Maybe my consignments will yield so much that I will treat myself to something silly like that, I thought to myself.

I strolled back into P's C., head held high. "So, what's the verdict?"

A whopping $28. They handed back my 4 bags, still quite stuffed to the brim. "this is what we're passing on," they said. "Some of the labels are outdated, and there is some wear evident on some items". Outdated? I guarantee nothing was older than 3 years old, and yet I see, in the store, clothes that were in Hollister when I worked there 7 years ago when they still had 2/4/6 sizing as opposed to 3/5/7? And clothes from Express when I worked there 4 years ago?
Wear is evident? Some of it was brand-new. And please, first how about explain all the ratty/nasty clothes being sold here, and the overwhelming smell of cigarette smoke coming from the clothing racks? But, I digress. I took my 28 bucks and dropped the rest of my clothes off at Goodwill. I tell you what, Goodwill smells better inside than does Plato's Closet. I'd also wear anything in Goodwill before anything in P.C. That place is plain confounding. I won't be back.

In the end, I can't live off of the bounty from my clothing sales for a couple weeks as originally hoped. Back to the world of job-searching. sigh.

fired up!

Today I got fired for the first time in my life, from the worst job I've ever had. I was planning on quitting within the next 2 weeks, but I got fired and now lose my benefits and paid time off. Again I stress to everyone-- do not work retail for a big company! I know this may sounds vindictive, but I was completely set up. It's a long story, but basically I got fired for losing keys (to the store) that were never actually lost...the manager had my keys the whole time and hid them from me (really). To say I am angry would be an understatement.

The lemonade? I now have lots of free time this week to finish law school applications/personal statements. My transcripts are in, letters of recommendation are submitted, and after looking through all of it, you know what? I am smart. My professors said wonderful things about me. I made the dean's list every semester of college and was too smart to work in that crappy job anyway. (self-affirmation is good...right?)

The lemons? my benefits are gone, and I lost all my added up paid time off. I was so railroaded that I didn't even have time or the bearings to defend myself or speak my mind. I am thinking of calling them up soon to give her a piece of my mind...

Another bummer is that I had just spent money on myself in the form of a cozy hooded sweater and a pair of Joe's cigarette jeans from Bluefly. Hooray debt.

hooded cashmere = yum

After putting on my velvet pants and going out for some therapeutic grilled cheese & ice cream, all is fine. Ooh, I just thought of some more "lemonade": I get to throw out all the stupid, ugly shoes that I have been wearing to that job out of necessity! hooray!


everyone should boycott old navy. for life.

hang up the mistletoe

yowza! I have got to pick up the pace if I'm going to make it to 100 entries by 2008. I guess I've been caught up in the craziness of trying to get awesome, unique gifts for everyone I know, and the depression of working everyday at a job that I hate. Yes, it's official, I hate my job. I came to this realization after hours of fantasizing about walking out in dramatic ways, or being fired and getting to act like a martyr.

Little girls, if you are reading this, never, EVER think to yourself, "oh, I'll be perfectly happy going from an honors political science student to a retail worker, at the command of people who have never gone to college. It is, of course, only temporary." Trust me. (This is not an insult to non-college-goers, but I have put my whole life's energy into my education, and it kills me a little bit each day to be at a job that utterly wastes it).

I have been trying to come up with subtle ways to let my headmaster troll boss know that I loathe the ground they walk upon. Maybe I should wear the same outfit every single day?

day 1.

day 2. what, my smile doesn't look sincere?

day 3.

day 4.

day 5.


This is the best I can come up with so far. I know, I know, passive-aggressive is not the way to go. But until I find a new job that also has full health insurance, I don't want to completely burn my bridges by voicing my true feelings. (If anyone else has retail horror stories, we should totally commiserate and share the gory details).

Sorry for the grim posting, but I have some fun ones coming up! It's the end of the year, so everyone knows it's time for YEAR-END COUNTDOWN LISTS!

Also, I have finally given up my desperate attempt to find a semi-formal party to attend, the sole purpose of which was to find a reason to buy a pretty dress. Instead, I have focused on finding a family-appropriate outfit for our gathering-round-the-piano, presents-opening, and Apples-to-Apples-playing festivities. I am thinking this sweater with my new velvet pants:

Yes, I am so predictable. I absolutely adore anything holiday-kitschy, and I am notorious among my friends for having one too many shirts or accessories with animals on them in some shape or form.

I better decide quickly...only 2 weeks til the big day!

panic!

Last night & a little bit of today have been spent panicking. Today is November 5th, meaning in a mere twenty-five days my whole future is decided. Too dramatic? Ok, but December 1st is the day I take the LSAT, and I'm suddenly feeling entirely unprepared. I need to study much more than I have been, so my posting may slow down until December 2nd. Or maybe not- I am a furious procrastinator, and browsing blogs/shopping online are my weapons of choice.


these are THE shoes + THE floor. see how my poor shoes are just collapsing? but they could have been cute once, right?? And these are my supercute dark dark purple jeans (that didn't show up too well) that I'm wearing with just about everything lately.

see y'all soon!

to the dogs.

Do you know what phrase I really hate? "My dogs are barking". Though right now, suddenly I understand what it means. My retail job, the one with the raw concrete cement floor, is fricking killing my feet, not to mention my poor ankles that need about 30 minutes of stretching after each shift in order to feel slightly better. The floor is negatively affecting my running and sadly, my love of/ability to wear heels. Even usually-friendly wedges make my toes shrivel and die. I can currently make it through my 9-hour shifts in only one pair of shoes: patent mary-jane flats with a Dr. Scholl's gel arch support. But alas, they are falling apart after a month of continuous abuse (maybe because they're from payless). I have been on a constant quest for comfy flats with these qualities: round toe, neutral color, substantial sole and some padding/arch support. Well my friends, such a shoe does not exist (in stores near me, at least). Looking online is easy, but you never know exactly how cushiony a shoe will be (since not ever style has customer reviews).

Here are some I'm willing to try:

I want these Jeffrey Campbell ones in yellow, $59 at BarefootTess


DKNY, $135 at shopbop



Charlotte Ronson, $125 at shopbop


French Sole, $99 at Zappos


These Michael Kors flats look cozy, like a cross between a ballet flat & a driving moc, $99 at zappos


Don't know how comfy these Two Lips shoes would be, but they are super cute, $73 at zappos


These are a little pricier than I usually am willing to spend on flats, but my wellbeing is at stake. Good quality really makes the difference in comfort and endurance. For me, the worst comfort brands (in order from worse to WORST are: Payless, Nine West, Steve Madden, Target). You don't need to spend $300 for good flats, but around $100 will usually ensure some good craftsmanship. In the next few days, I need to narrow down these choices and order a couple pairs. Because if I have no success, I will be driven to buy out all the Ugg boots in the Orlando metro. But no matter how bad things get, no matter how much pain my feet endure, I will never look at nor touch a (barf)croc.

At the moment, it is time to celebrate that holiest of holy holidays, one of my favorite nights of the year: fall daylight savings. One glorious extra hour of sleep, and I'm going to celebrate by taking a steamy shower, slathering myself in coconut body butter, and nibbling on my first Christmas Tree Cake of the season. Happy daylight savings everyone.