Wednesday, October 10, 2012

I'd Wear That: Fall Uniform

If I could have one, this would be close to it.

A sweater over a dress. Perfect. Blazer. Perfect. Pumps, boots or even my favorite loafers and viola. I'd love to step it up in the work wardrobe department but since I sleep in until the last possible minute every morning, giving myself about 33 minutes from waking to walking the six blocks to work (I know), a daily uniform would be great for me. I might need to add tights though. This is the PNW and it's about to be freezing.


Photo credit.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

5 Things: Fall Update

I love the fall. (So does everybody though, right?) Weather-wise, Seattle has been having an amazing late summer—early fall and I am all the happier for it.

A few things I'd like to share, in no particular order.

1. I quit Facebook for a while last month. It was only like 25 days or something, but it was refreshing and I felt a lot more productive during that time. Sometimes I will become fixated on the page of a friend, looking at their old photos, catching up on their lives. Some of these "friends" however are people I never actually see in real life. Then before I know it an hour has passed but at least I know what "Shannon" from high school has been up to the past 4 years! Who cares, Facebook, you crazy time suck. However, whether I like it or not, Facebook has become a big part of our lives (over 1 bazillion users) and the way we communicate; birthday invitations, other invitations, random bits about what people are doing on the daily. Is it important to know what the girl I may never see again from high school is up to? Probably not. But my friend who's taking a trip for a few weeks and what they did on it? Probably.

2. I've been reading more books lately. It's admittedly taken a very long time for me to recover from all of the reading that was forced upon me in college, effectively killing my desire to read for pleasure. I used to be an avid reader and wrote a few short stories growing up, but I think school really did a number on me and I started to think of reading long books or novels as a chore. A friend's mom recommended I start with some light reads to get back into it. Over the summer I read The Jane Austen Book Club, The Fifty Shades trilogy (don't judge), skimmed Steinbeck A Life in Letters (this book is massive), Paris I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down, Paris in Love (I was on a Paris kick), Is Everyone Hanging out Without Me (a very silly, quick read by Mindy Kaling) and I just started Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. I have Cloud Atlas (there's a movie coming out soon based on this) and What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell in the queue.

3. A few weeks ago I went to an open audition for the casting of supernumeraries for the upcoming production Beethoven's Fidelio at Seattle Opera. Everyone who went to the audition made the cut as they were casting for a large group of "townspeople" for the final scene. I've been to rehearsals a few times a week since, and opening night is this Saturday. I'm maybe onstage for five minutes, but it's fun being a part of the action with the chorus and principals. Here's a little video about what we're doing.

4. A friend is saying goodbye to Seattle in a couple weeks after finishing his Ph.D. (congrats, F!). He had a fun going away party on Saturday night. As much as I thought I was ready for him to leave, I'm really going to miss him.

5. I am planning an extended trip to New Zealand next year. More about that in the coming months.