September 20, 2011

A lady's best friend may very well be her trusty pair of black, patent leather flats.  Whether embellished with a medallion, a bow, some sequins, or simply plain, the black flat is a wardrobe staple.  Because I walked so much between jobs this summer, my previous pair of black flats had seen much better days.  With a sigh and heavy heart, I threw them away on my last day of work.  Now, almost a month later, I've finally found a suitable replacement pair:  they're simple and elegant, comfortable, and well made.  The best part, however, is the feeling of slipping into a new pair of shoes for the first time.  I suppose this could be said of any new addition to a person's wardrobe, home decor, or similar, but a new accent "piece" always brings a sense of freshness to the day.  Today seemed springier, perhaps even snappier, with my new flats.  In fact, the feeling leaves me inclined to go shoe shopping again in the very near future! 

September 19, 2011

A few years ago, I texted Kate to tell her I didn't have anything to do and wasn't sure how to spend the rest of my evening.  Knowing I was referring to not having anything left on my to-do list, Kate told me I should relax on the couch and watch some television.  Not knowing what this "relax" concept related to, I decided to clean my apartment instead.  It is an incredibly rare day when I can't describe it as a productive one.  Although I didn't have much work for class to take care of today, the rest of my day was full of responding to Journal emails, organizing staffers on various projects, responding to work emails, and getting the rest of my life in order with trips to the gym, the grocery story, and the laundry room.  Sadly, although I suppose it is a "good" thing, I rarely have a lazy day, a day when I ignore my to-do list and just . . . relax.  In fact, to me, a day off often means a day free of other obligations so I can just work in peace.  If I can't describe my day as productive, then the day isn't yet over.