Subject: Library Day

The weeks just keep getting busier and busier, and I keep putting on outfits that are simpler and simpler. And pardon the squint, it was really glary outside. Yes, glary is a word.

• Tie-front blazer, thrifted
• Short-sleeve turtleneck, Old Navy (I love this one because it is a really soft, thin material, and it has rouching around the neck for just a little extra something. It’s not so great on it’s own, but it’s a wonderful layering piece, and I wish I had more)
• Black slacks, Wal*Mart
• Boots, stolen from Mom, who probably thrifted them (I’ve stolen a lot of shoes from my Mom, I just realized)
• Typewriter Key Bracelet, made by me.

Subject: Crazy Cat Lady

I’m a cat person. And I have a thing for stray animals. There’s been a stray that’s been mooching off the neighborhood for about a year now, and so I took him in to be vaccinated and neutered. Spay and neuter your pets, people. Seriously. Make the appointment now. You have no excuse to be a bad pet owner, and cats that aren’t fixed add the feral population, which is dangerous to both you and your pets. I made the appointment for 7:30 in the morning, thinking I had to teach, but I was off a day. So I had to get up early on my day off, so this was a no make-up, last night’s jeans kind of day.

• Sig Phi Ep Sweatshirt, Dad’s from around 1980
• T-shirt, Dustin’s (You’re missing some undershirts, babe)
• Jeans, Old Navy (The Flirt, flare)
• Green Chuck Taylors, some random mall store
• Grumpy the Stray, free from a negligent asshole who didn’t make the effort to take him to a shelter or humane society

And Grumpy the Stray? Seriously, the cuddliest, most spoiled cat EVER. All he wants to do is be petted, ALL THE TIME. I called him Grumpy because he’s got the meanest-looking scrunched up face, but he is seriously the biggest sweetheart. I’ve got to keep him until Sunday to finish out his antibiotics regimen, but then I’m going to try to find a good home. I’d take him to the humane society, but they’re not a no-kill shelter, and with him being an adult male cat, he’s not likely to be adopted before they have to put him down. I’d keep him if I could, but I just don’t have room in my small apartment for three adult cats.

I told you he was the most adorable thing ever, didn’t I? I don’t know if it’s the antibiotics, or the shock of suddenly having his man-parts removed, or if he’s just enjoying not having to scrounge for food and water, but all this baby does is sleep and cuddle. It’s wonderful.

Subject: Monochromatic

More rain this week. I kind of love it.

I’d originally planned to wear a fuschia top with this dress for some color, but wasn’t feeling it. Who says matching the rainy weather is a bad thing?

• Dress, Dillards (I should probably take this one out of rotation for a few weeks)
• Cardigan, Target
• Tights, George (Wal*Mart)
• Granny Bag, Vintage, Thrifted by Mom
• Shoes, Vintage, Thrifted by Mom
• Typewriter Key Bracelet and Necklace, Made by me!
• Umbrella, Left behind by a Delta Gamma–it’s got the DG monogram somewhere (I have  a really bad habit of keeping lost umbrellas ever since someone kept my vintage plaid umbrella I left behind… Of course none of the ones I pick up can even begin to compare to the vintage plaid umbrella I had. It tears me up just thinking about it…)

Subject: Weekend Work

I had a bunch of work to do over the weekend, so I packed up my stuff and went to my office on campus. It was cold and rainy all weekend, so I just threw on some tights and my rainboots and called it a day.

• Dress, New York and Co.
• Military Jacket, Old Navy
• Tights, Dillards
• Rain Boots, Campus Bookstore
• Granny Purse, Vintage, Thrifted by Mom, Stolen by Me
• Necklace, Wal*Mart

Subject: Blues Poetry

Today was a super awesome day. Seriously. Let me give you the breakdown.

• I slept a full 8 hours, which NEVER happens.
• I got ready really quickly, which also never happens, so I got on campus a full two hours earlier than I’d intended.
• While walking across the quad, I crossed paths with a professor who said I looked nice (this sounds creepy, but she’s female and married, so it actually wasn’t).
• While dropping off my lunch, the office administrator for the Comp department asked me if I’d seen my new computer. When she told me I’d gotten both a new computer and new printer, I was pretty excited and hugged her in gratitude.
• Her daughter then said “You’re really pretty!”
• I went upstairs and discovered that not only had I gotten a new computer and printer, I’d gotten a new iMac and pretty awesome HP deskjet.

Just for comparison’s sake, let’s take a look:

Meet my old PC. My family had this same computer when I was in FIFTH GRADE. I couldn’t do any work on this PC, so I did all my school work at home or in the library.

Now meet my new setup. I nearly cried.

And this is what I was wearing while almost crying over my fabulous new computer:

• Cardigan, Thrifted
• Secretary Blouse, Old Navy
• Jeans, Old Navy (The Flirt Bootcut)
• Black Flats, Stolen from Mom

Subject: Getting Into Peer Review

Class has been so bad lately. I’m definitely ready for my students to turn in their final drafts so we can move on to a new project. I’ve been in such a funk this week, too–I’m tired, cranky, and generally uninspired. I need some R&R, but there isn’t a break in sight until Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving. Seriously.

So, because we might all need something adorable, I’ll give you this before my outfit:

Blondie on the left, Brownie on the right, wishing they were adventurous outdoor kitties instead of sheltered, pampered, spoiled indoor ones.

• Dress, Sangria (Dillards)
• Cardigan, Wal*Mart
• Belt (backwards, cause I’m cool like Kris Kross), Target
• Shoes, Maurices

On the way out the door this morning, I realized that today would probably be the last day I venture wearing these shoes until next summer. Turns out, it’s the last day I’ll wear them ever. On the way back to my car after teaching, the side strap pulled out from the sole, and it doesn’t look like I’ll be able to do a home repair (and they didn’t cost enough to warrant a cobbler). But still. I really liked these shoes.

Subject: The Aesthetics of Hunger, Famine, and Resistance

My postcolonial class is melting my face off. So hard. So rich. So amazing. This is what I wore while discussing the Brazilian film movement of Cinema Nova and crazy French theorists.

• Shirt dress, GAP
• Earrings, Maurices
• Leather Boots, Thrifted (These are the same boots I wore a couple days ago, only this time I’ve flipped down the calf to reveal brass grommets. LOVE this. Haven’t seen it anywhere else. I’m really wishing there was a brand marking on these boots so I know where to go when these finally fall apart.)

Subject: Revision Exercises

My students are finishing up their review essays this week, and we’re all tired. I can’t believe we don’t get a break until Thanksgiving. I mean, really, who goes from Labor Day (2nd week of class) until Thanksgiving (14th week of class) with not even a 3-day weekend? Ridiculous. The English department is full of zombies.

Apologies for the weird poses–I was running really late, as always. Every time I wear this dress, I think I should have it hemmed to just below knee-length, but by the end of the day, I think I like it longer. I think it definitely makes me look shorter than I am, but I can’t decide if making it a shorter dress would make the whole thing look weird.

• Dress, on sale at a Dillard’s closing
• Shoes, Vintage
• Necklace, Target

Subject: Weekend Errands…

…are so much more fun when your fiance is in town. December can’t get here fast enough.

I swear, this shirt is purple. Why it always photographs as blue, I don’t know. I wore this while running around town with Dustin while he was here on a visit. It was our first day of sun in about 10 days (Atlanta isn’t the only place that’s flooded!), so it was humid and muggy and generally uncomfortable, even though the actual temperature was just in the low 90s. And how is it possible to have ABOVE 100% humidity and it NOT be raining? Only in the deep South.

• Tank, New York and Co.
• Bermudas, Old Navy
• T-Straps, Payless
• Sunglasses, Vintage, Stolen from Mom
• Rose Bolo, Thrifted from Goodwill

This man drove right around 1000 miles just to spend a day and a half with me. I’m the luckiest woman in the entire world.

Subject: Functional Expenditure and Conspicuous Consumption

I changed into this after I taught on Wednesday for my Postcolonial class. Wednesdays are always a long day for me, and I wanted to be comfortable as I finished up my reading, went to class, and read some more.

• Purple Tee: Wal*Mart
• Teal Cardi: Wal*Mart
• Jeans: Old Navy (Sweetheart Bootcut)
• Necklace: Wal*Mart
• Boots: Thrifted. I actually have no idea who makes these boots. The only branding I can find marks who made the sole, but nothing about the actual boot. They hit mid-calf, and can be folded down into booties. So cute.

P.S. It’s time I do something with my hair, don’t you think? I can’t decide if I want to grow it out, or cut it all off again.