To be blatantly honest, I struggled to come up with a topic for this blog. After nearly nine hours on my feet at work, creative writing isn't really high on my numbed mind's list of priorities. I sat down, stared at the blank page before me and voila! It was like the proverbial light bulb being switched on. I'll write about work. Or rather, shopping.
As we zero in on the holidays, getting closer and closer to Christmas--or perhaps more pressing, the day after Thanksgiving--shopping for the perfect gifts for our loved ones is a primary thought. Sure, most guys plead to not understanding women's fascination and borderline addiction to shopping. So let me lend a little insight. Shopping to a woman is somewhat similar to getting behind the wheel of a muscle car--let's use my favorite, the 1969 Mustang Shelby GT 500. As clicky heels meet shiny, tiled floor or as worn shoe tread meets worn rubber covering the gas pedal, a shot of adrenaline is injected into the bloodstream. Searching for the perfect gift at a bargain price, getting to it before the lady next to you is similar to edging the gas pedal ever further to the floorboards, bolts rattling and engine roaring, pulling away from the poor guy behind you, stuck eating your pony dust.
That said, let me get to the heart of this particular entry. As one who works in retail, I've seen firsthand the shopping madness in a different light. It's not so much fun when you're the one folding shirt after shirt after a day of being pilfered through by who knows how many shoppers. Or forcing a smile as one snappy, crabby person after another goes through your line, upset that the lines are so long and demanding to know why we haven't done something about it. So, as you all enter into this holiday season, all I ask is that you go into it with a little consideration for the poor saps who are their waiting on you. They're doing the best they can with the resources available to them. Return policies, declined credit applications, clothes not available in the size you need, its out of us lowly employees' hands. So, be patient. We're their to help, not hinder.
Happy holidays! And I mean that.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Friday, November 7, 2008
Michelle-esque Style
Late Tuesday night, the United States made history as it acknowledged its first African-American president. Barack Obama entered the beginning of the rewriting of history books. And by his side, his wife Michelle and two lovely daughters, Malia and Sasha.
Magazines and newspapers are already looking at the possibility of the Obama women becoming fashion trend-setters, and with good reason. Let's look at Michelle's dress on Tuesday night. The original is unique, both in its color scheme and design. Red melds with black in an interesting mottled effect, with a satiny material crossing the middle. However, the material becomes sheer as it moves towards the knees, giving it a daring edge. The neckline is also daringly low, but on a stick-thin model, who can tell, right? Michelle, however, by means unbeknownst to us, took that same dress, raised the neckline and got rid of the sheer material at the bottom, replacing, or perhaps backing, it with a solid black material, shown here and here. The effect is still daring, and I think she pulled it off famously.
Now, you may not be able to judge the entirity of a book by its cover, but you can certainly get a feel for the contents. In Michelle's case, her style manifests an inner strength, a quiet confidence that clearly shines through in her countenance. Not just in Tuesday's dress, but in many others, such as her NAACP Image Awards gown, and the blue boatneck dress she wore during her interview with Stephen Colbert on his late night talk show.Colbert likened Michelle's strong fashion sense to that of Jackie Kennedy Onassis. From all appearences, Mrs. Obama will stand up to that likeness not only in a fashion sense, but also in her apparent passion for the people of this great nation. Future, here we come. And we're going in style.
Magazines and newspapers are already looking at the possibility of the Obama women becoming fashion trend-setters, and with good reason. Let's look at Michelle's dress on Tuesday night. The original is unique, both in its color scheme and design. Red melds with black in an interesting mottled effect, with a satiny material crossing the middle. However, the material becomes sheer as it moves towards the knees, giving it a daring edge. The neckline is also daringly low, but on a stick-thin model, who can tell, right? Michelle, however, by means unbeknownst to us, took that same dress, raised the neckline and got rid of the sheer material at the bottom, replacing, or perhaps backing, it with a solid black material, shown here and here. The effect is still daring, and I think she pulled it off famously.
Now, you may not be able to judge the entirity of a book by its cover, but you can certainly get a feel for the contents. In Michelle's case, her style manifests an inner strength, a quiet confidence that clearly shines through in her countenance. Not just in Tuesday's dress, but in many others, such as her NAACP Image Awards gown, and the blue boatneck dress she wore during her interview with Stephen Colbert on his late night talk show.Colbert likened Michelle's strong fashion sense to that of Jackie Kennedy Onassis. From all appearences, Mrs. Obama will stand up to that likeness not only in a fashion sense, but also in her apparent passion for the people of this great nation. Future, here we come. And we're going in style.
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