This week was definitely one of THOSE weeks -- and I'm looking forward, both with relief and nervous trepidation, to my 10K race tomorrow to help clear some of the cobwebs of the last several days. Many of my colleagues came to me out of concern for my current job situation, but while the news was, well, news to them, it wasn't to me. Having to hash and rehash and hash and rehash what's going on in NC and, politically, nationally as well, without any solid answers or solutions in sight didn't exactly inspire me to go forth and be my normal awesome teacher-y self.
And yet, I gritted my teeth and decided that this week would be all about a purple pop of color -- and, thanks to a slight coolness at the start of the week, I even got to dust off some tights/boots too!
And yet, I gritted my teeth and decided that this week would be all about a purple pop of color -- and, thanks to a slight coolness at the start of the week, I even got to dust off some tights/boots too!
Want more?
Day One: Tuesday
I woke up on my first teaching day of the week determined to, literally and figuratively, let my hair down. After being, and feeling, so uptight and anxious over finances, etc., I released the hounds -- er, my natural curls and cut back on the makeup routine as well.
Purple and gray is one of my absolute favorite combinations, especially when it's my favorite gray DSW slouch boots, my new gray infinity scarf from a fun (yet nameless because I forget, sorry!) shop in Salem, Mass., gray tights, and one of my fall/winter closet staples: a purple and gray dress from Belk's. I couldn't help having a little more fun with my outfit with a midday photo shoot.
After sitting through 4 classes of student presentations (in groups, luckily), I was ready to tackle a fabulous end-of-day run. And I rocked it too -- rawr!
Side note: I'm actually incredibly impressed with my kids this semester. Rhetorical analysis can be tricky for students to grasp, even if they have ethos, logos, and pathos drilled into them. Revamping a familiar assignment (analysis of ads) by adding in an etymological exploration of the 7 Deadly Sins spiced up my classroom this fall and really drove home concepts that have proven tricky, to say the leas. With popped proverbial collar, I rawr again, friends!
Day Two: Wednesday
It finally happened. It took nearly 3/4 of the semester for it to happen, but it did, alas, happen. As the below photos have captured, I duplicated an outfit... two teaching weeks in a row (with a 1 "off" for break in between the two, but still). I blame it on the fact that I tried to take a break from wearing purple for the week!
Note my sheepish grin as I snap a pic of my Belk's top and jeans. Not even going to give you a full-length shot, sorry, because you've seen this ssssss-tuff before. However, I'll gladly emphasize my jewelry, for I love it so. Nothing quite warms my heart like chunky jewelry -- except for maybe a solid pair of teaching heels, or boots, or tights, or an infinity scarf... But I digress! The bird earrings are something that I've had from years and they inspire me to add more turquoise into my wardrobe so that I can continue to show them off.
On the plus side, the last time I wore this outfit, it was for the "casual day" teaching day right before fall break, and Wednesday was "only" a meetings and office hour day. I try to justify, but it sounds ever so hollow. *hangs head* And I was doing ever so well too...
BTW: The yellow necklace is another new find from that same fun jewelry and clothing shop in Salem. I'm falling more and more in love with wearing yellow, especially sunflower bold yellow pieces. Yellow dresses seem to overwhelm my complexion color and turn me sallow, but I'm golden (pun intended) with jewelry. I'm always on the search for big yellow hoop earrings because I wear the HELL out of mine into the ground and am currently on my 5th pair since I started teaching...
Day Three: Thursday
For my second day of teaching, and second day of presentations, I needed to spruce up my Thursday with energy -- hence back to purple! I also was inspired by Danish's colorful tights-matching-top-with-a-dark-skirt (which she showed off to me while in Boston). Kudos, friend. :)
Purple cardigan with built-in cream shell from Kohls, which is seemingly getting baggier and baggier with each season. My favorite black pencil skirt with silver zippers on the hips (hidden beneath the cardigan), also from Kohls. A "let's see how they hold up" pair of sassy purple tights from Walmart -- which not only were on par with pairs that I get from Target for far more money, but they also happen to match PERFECTLY aforementioned purple cardigan. Not too shabby! My "walking shoes" from DSW, which were replaced (only for teaching) with my favorite heels (close-up below, albeit taken on a different day).
And fun jewelry to break up the matchy-matchy purple/black oreo look so that I didn't look too too too witchy witch...
Side Note: A student tale... When I waltzed into my first class of the day, a student rushed towards me in tears. She had just learned that her mother had been diagnosed with cancer. After a reassuring pep talk, she decided to stay in my class for the morning. Then her eyes dropped to my tights-clad legs and she erupted into sobs.
Turns out that I was wearing the same exact shade of purple that is her mother's favorite color. For the rest of the class period, whenever I would walk/talk near her, her eyes would drop to my legs and she would periodically start crying all over again. Took everything I had to keep my composure (and not develop a complex too)!
Speaking of complexes... I just learned that my 10K, because it's focused on a particular bridge that can't be shut down entirely for TOO too long, has implemented a strict 4-miles-in-the-first-45-minutes of the race. Considering that no race I've yet run has started on time AND my mileage is much slower than I'd like due to my reluctance to push too far too fast after returning from injuries, I'm anxious about tomorrow. Just knowing that I have a time limit for the first stretch only makes things worse. Confession time: I was planning to "take it easy" tomorrow and enjoy the challenge because I hurt myself so badly (hip flexors) the last time I raced and I pulled a calf muscle recently going too fast.
Come to think of it, it's an appropriate analogy for my career/life/myself at the moment. I realize that I thrive on new challenges and get bored easy with being stagnate or in the same routine -- but I really don't do well being blindsided. And I've had little to no warning recently in several areas of my life (my job security, my place to live when not at home, some relationships, my physical wellbeing, and now this race). I feel quite jarred and displaced, rejected and evicted, and thoroughly grumpy!
How do you handle being blindsided? And do you also mentally psyched yourself out? On a lighter note: Do you have any jewelry pieces that you continually seek to replace with near-identical pieces once they start to suffer overwear, tear, broken bits, and too-much-loving?
I'm determined to let the rest of today be a pamper day -- in which I get to pig out on hydration and carb to prep for tomorrow morning. Will be sure to post how the 10K of DOOM will go!
Ever onwards!
~Dirty Diva
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