a perfect match?

I hate bridesmaids dresses. I don't care what the David's Bridal catalog says -- there is no cardigan, necklace, or interesting belt in existence that is going to make that royal-blue bubble hem monstrosity into something wearable in the real world.

I started out with the notion of mismatched bridesmaids dresses -- sending each girl a few paint chips in different shades of pink and saying, "Find something as close to one of these as possible." Part of this was laziness. Mostly, though, I just love the eclectic look.


Then I was on the J. Crew clearance website a couple nights ago and found this beauty --

in every size from 0 to 12. What are the odds?

So I called everyone, sent them a link to see if they liked it, and asked them to send me their sizes.

Today, before placing the order, I returned to the mismatched dress photos I loved before. I decided, again, that mismatched is more my style.

Back to square one. My wonderful friends have all agreed to carry the little paint chip index card with them and go out in search of dresses.

Where to work?

I'm hopeful and excited about job possibilities for the first time, and let me tell you -- it feels great!

I'm not sure why this shift occurred, or if it will last.

It could be the compliment on my writing I received this morning. I've realized not everyone can write, and it is one of the most marketable and transferable skills I've got.

I've also realized I don't need to limit myself to newspaper journalism. There are PR opportunities that don't involve promoting massive, soul-sucking corporations. I could work for hospitals, schools, local governments, or nonprofits.

Switching gears completely -- a conversation with one of my former teachers pointed out the need for Spanish teachers. I could teach. It would require some brushing up, sure. And an emergency certification. But teaching Spanish to Americans couldn't be harder than teaching English to Thais, right?

So I'm broadening my search, and hoping the confidence levels stay buoyed.

Picking up where I left off, sort of

I'm returning to my blog, once again -- partly at the urging of my former roommate, partly because I need to get my jumbled and sometimes-frenzied thoughts out of my head and into a place where I can look at them, and partly because I finally feel I have things to write about, namely:

Preparing for marriage
Planning a wedding
Hunting for gainful employment
And, possibly, cooking

I hope to make this blog as entertaining and informative as I like to believe my Thailand blog was. Anyway, enjoy!