Whereupon I Discover I Do Not Thrift

I need summer clothes. Abilene gets hot. Really, really hot. I've been feeling like I'm wearing the same thing over and over now that the weather is warming up, so the other day I separated my closet by...warmth. Jackets together, sweaters together, long sleeves, short sleeves, then vests and the like. I realized I felt like I was wearing the same thing over and over because well, I am. A couple basic short sleeved shirts, a sweater vest, a professional vest, and a couple tanks. Granted, I can still wear long sleeves to my icebox work, but I'm not entirely sure that will last much longer either.

I think the shrinking of wardrobes is inevitable in the spring and summer. All winter long, you've been wearing all your short sleeves, with long sleeves and with sweaters, with jackets and scarves and everything else piled on top. Suddenly, it's just too freaking warm to wear anything but a shirt and some jewelry, so the wardrobe gets cut in half. Or worse.

Mine was worse. Much worse. So I scrounged up a little extra money and gave myself the allotment to spend. I need plenty of clothes, but the budget isn't massive...aaaand I've been hearing a lot about all the great things everyone's finding at thrift stores these days, too! I went thrifting. Two hours and two stores later, I discovered I am not and never will be a thrifter.

Even Ross was just a flat out disappointment. Not only do I get overwhelmed at the endless rows of clothes all sorted by size, I get frustrated at my lack of options. Perhaps for those who shop as a hobby, a thrift store wouldn't be that bad. After all, if you have 6 hours to kill and no particular needs, you can wander up and down those isles to your heart's content! But I shop with purpose. If I need a pair of jeans, I don't want to go into a store to see that they have 2 pairs of jeans in my size and 7581 dresses. Not cool.

I looked through all 7581 dresses and found 1 that I liked. I tried it on and it was pretty decent, even. Then in exasperation, I nearly shouted, I'M NOT LOOKING FOR DRESSES! Frustration.

No, I want to shop somewhere that I like the clothes. Somewhere I know I can walk in and have some of everything to choose from. Somewhere things aren't already used and tossed aside and somewhere things aren't marked down 27 times because no one else wanted them.

I have accepted that I am not a thrifter and never will be.

Next week, I'm going to the mall.

Self Respect

"I fell in love with her for her courage, for her sincerity and her flaming self respect. And it's these things I'd believe in, even if the whole world indulged in wild suspicions that she wasn't all she should be."

-- F. Scott Fitzgerald

love & earth

today i love chats with my family, even short ones. i love steamed asparagus and egg sandwiches. i love a quick run in 70 degree weather and crazy grackles. i love weekly to-do lists, i love finally having a clean fridge (even if i did break it....). i love clean tablecloths. eyeliner. steaming hot showers. i love chirping sparrows who eat the entire feeder's worth of food in a matter of days. i love a clear desk and blank white pages. i love folk gospel music. the empty kitchen sink. folded blankets. i love cardigans, sandals, deep purple nail polish. i love a made bed and lazy clouds in the sky. i love summer blowing in with suddenly-green trees. i love big glasses of water and peanut butter. oh so much peanut butter. i love fresh veggies on the menu and a kitchen full of nourishing food. i love days off and the peace of my laying in my bed for an extra half hour this morning. slow days and time to relax, renew and wake up to live again.

ps. happy earth day! :)