Assignments and Updates in Open Diary 2001-2018 (Pre-Prosebox)

There were a couple of assignments requested of me regarding the loft entry. [AM] asked about golden-yellow color of the paint on the walls, and [Trellis] asked for a closer picture of The Dress.

So I’ve searched and searched for the original paint chips from the walls. I’ve found everything BUT the actual color. I remember I was carrying around the golden-yellow and the green (bedroom) chips forever so I could find things that would coordinate, and somehow I’ve lost those originals. All I know is that it’s Sherwin Williams paint. And that the color came out a lot more yellow-yellow than I’d imagined. Still, I like it a lot. It really warms up the place. Sorry. I’ve failed at assignment #1. As a consolation, look and see what a difference a coat of paint makes (also observe my beautiful green bag from last year):

Please excuse the clarity of those photos. I’m playing around with an old crap program that I used to use for work until it became obscure.

Okay. Onward.

Here’s a better photo of my most prized possession in the world: the vintage dress that my dad gave to my mom when they were dating (circa 1962).

Isn’t she a beaut?! Like I’ve said before, that poor dress has seen it all. I was NOT careful with it when I was little. In fact, I remember playing dress-up in that dress when it would drag the floor as I was wearing it! I also remember wadding the poor thing up and stuffing it into the back of my closet.

It wasn’t until high school that I realized that it was a very special piece of frockery. Though much too sophisticated for me at the time, I wore it to a talent show (I sang something, can’t remember), and a girl offered to buy the dress. No way, I told her (even though it was about to fall apart).

After many, many events and even more loving repairs (side seams, new zipper, lace darning, etc), I decided to showcase the dress on the form I’d used in my college draping classes (fashion design major), and there it’s been ever since. I still take it off and try it on every now and then, but you sure do have to be in shape to wear the damn thing.

Assignment #2 complete.

I’m still working on it (the ‘in shape’ thing, I mean). I’ll be forever working on it. There are no shortcuts, and I know this. I’ve know it for years. Yet I still do the yo-yo thing with the diet and then the sloth and then the exercise and then the sloth and then both and then sloth. Ugh. The travel schedule doesn’t help. But then the travel also helps me find things like this (from Tokyo):

“Slims” beer??!! Why do we not have this in the US? Why??

[note: I know, I’m a dork for standing next to a human-sized beer can and acting like my belly’s full from drinking the whole can of “Slims”. So sue me. Also, the bulge in my pocket it actually a fistful of change…the kind with holes in the middle, so stop snickering]

And in case you’re wondering, yes, I have finally lost 5 lbs since that photo was taken. I’m still doing the running thing, but I’m back to working out at the gym at the office. It’s a long story, most of which I don’t feel like getting into right now, but the gist is that there are too many freaks living/creeping around the wooded area over by the walkway. See the walkway and then the surrounding trees?

The other day I started my fast-walk/jog/run down through that area and came upon a little clearing where some of the electrical buildings are. There were two guys in a truck that looked official, so I wasn’t too creeped out. But then they turned around and drove toward me and one of them asked, “Aren’t you afraid to run down here?”

And then went on to tell me about all the shit that they know about since they work in the area. They told me that people live along the train tracks and have pit bulls for protection that will chase after you and on and on and on they went, and by the time they were done I decided that even with pepper spray, getting some exercise by running through a deadly riverside forest is not really worth getting killed and ending up in the trunk of somebody’s car.

So I stopped doing it. And since I haven’t decided on buying a treadmill yet, I’m continuing to run at the office. Ugh.

I don’t really want to talk about work, so I won’t get too in depth. Let’s just say I’m antsy. Very antsy. We’ll leave it at that for now.

And the love life?

Um. I’m getting a haircut today. I’m thinking just below shoulder length. Any thoughts?