Manic Monday: My Favorite Things

The necklace I'm coveting to wear for #UVA games. 

I like pretty things. A lot. Like, really a lot. I'll always be a child of the 80's. Big hair, crazy makeup, bright colors, SO MANY LEGGINGS, and tons of jewelry were my earliest style influences after Disney.  (My wedding dress and hair was very Cinderella-at-the-ball.). The first time I got into costume storage at UVA, I was ready to prostrate myself before the giant, rotating, dry-cleaning-style rack, filled with costumes from every period.

Costume shops are also filled with baubles and hats and bags and things—even though there’s confusion about what is a PROP and what is a COSTUME. What it all is, however, is awesome. Actors love dress-up, and transitioning to behind the the stage, instead of on it was a natural progression for someone who had been drawing costume renderings on the sides of her notebooks since elementary school. 

Nowadays, the only people I get to dress up are my family. I adore shopping for them and trying to find just the right things, at just the right price, to fit their individual tastes and personalities. With Stella & Dot, I get to do that and get PAID for it. WIN-WIN! (Shhh--the store is HERE).

Also, jewelry, y’all. JEWELRY. Never underestimate the power of the luxurious bauble, my friends.

It’s a tale as old as time. 

But, seriously.

Dressing up and taking time to fully express myself through my choices in hair, makeup, and fashion, is one way I battle against depression, and the pain of my Fibromyalgia. A day where my hair is done, my makeup is perfect, my clothes feel fresh and fun, and my earrings are swinging away--well--that's a day I have a much better chance of finishing happy. 

Some days, I'm playing dress-up to act the part of a capable, healthy, vibrant woman. And it works. For me.

I can't do that every day. That's the reality of living with a chronic illness. But every day I do do it, feels like a punch in the face to the ever-present specter of depression and pain.

I have to be my own Fairy Godmother. My current writing project is so important to me. It's a labor of love. And I'm doing everything I can to make sure I am able to keep at it, moving to a cheaper house, selling a car, and starting a part-time business that I can manage at my own pace, while paying attention to my physical and emotional needs. 

I hope you'll tune in to hear more about my favorite things, and tell me about yours. What sparks joy in you? What lights you up? What keeps you going when the days are dark?