Saturday, November 15, 2008

retro is the new cool

My baby girl teenager has to dress up as a hippie for tonight's big sorority club social and we've been running around getting stuff to make this happen. Thinking that this was going to be a major pain and ultimately an exercise in futility, I was shocked to find so many 60's options in the regular retail world.

I had no idea that peace paraphernalia was still a happening thing! As well as flare cords. And love beads. I mean, it's crazy!

I grew up in the early seventies where we still wore remnants of the period (funky colors and patterns, exaggerated pant legs and ridiculous shirt collars) before an even more frightening period--disco--took the fashion world by storm.

Yikes!

I can't even bring myself to delve into the fashion atrocities associated with Valley Girl ... it makes me cringe to recall those venerable and vulnerable adolescent years. I can barely recall puffed up hair, flipped colors, and five hundred bangle accessories without dry heaving just a bit. I'm also sure I'm in a conveniently amnesiac state with regards to the power suit look of the Working Girl era--big hair, even bigger shoulder pads and horribly unflattering pencil skirts. Who ever thought that was attractive!

Well, today I got to revisit my Sesame Street youth ... and all was good. I found myself on the lookout for the kind of things that Maria, Gordon, Susan and Bob would have worn while having an engaging conversation with a large yellow bird or trying to teach me my ABC's.

















It was a good field trip and it felt successful on so many levels. And my baby girl is going to knock everyone's socks off!

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

good things

Right now, instead of complaining (nice change, huh!) there are quite a few good things in my life that I feel compelled to list:
  • I have healthy, happy kids - grateful!
  • the Steelers beat the Redskins - incredible!
  • I have the bestest friends in the whole wide world - thankful!
  • the Phillies won the World Series - a miracle!
  • autumn in the Northeast - beautiful
  • I lived to see a black man become President - joyful!













And most important of all ...
  • I'm not irritated any more -peaceful.