This Is the Solution on Friend Friday

Blouse

It's Casual Friday (or for me, Even More Casual Than Normal Friday), so I decided to put the Power of the Blazer to the test and see how much it could dress up light-wash jeans and Converse All-Stars. I wasn't sure it was working, and then I had this conversation with a Middle Eastern male student about my age (name changed):

Abdullah: Emily, I have question. Maybe it's stupid, but I want to ask.
Me (anticipating serious grammar question): Sure.
Abdullah: Every day I want to look nice. Then I am late to school because I can't decide which clothes.
Me: Ooookaaaay...
Abdullah: And then I think, Emily always look nice. So how you do this every day and not late to work?
Me (quickly shifting gears from grammar): Decide what to wear the night before. Then you won't be late.
Abdullah: Okay. I decide before one night. This is the solution.
Me: Yes. This is the solution.

So, big shout-out to Abdullah for affirming my fashion choices today, and here's hoping he won't be late to class on Monday.

Now for some Friend Friday questions about gratitude:


1. When it comes to me personally, I owe a lot of who I am to: My parents and my husband. Obviously, my beliefs, my faith, my outlook on life, and many of my interests have to do with who raised me. I'm very blessed to have parents who are emotionally and spiritually healthy people, and who have encouraged me to be and independent and healthy person myself. I owe a lot of loosening up to my husband. When we met, I was pretty tightly wound, and while I'm still not the most relaxed person on earth, I'm much better at laughing instead of crying at what life brings me now because he is good at it too.


2. When it comes to me professionally, I owe a lot of who I am to: My 4th-6th grade teacher, Mr. Mason. I loved to read when I came into his class, but when I left, I had a huge appetite for language and literature. We did everything from diagramming sentences (the beginning of my love of grammar) to performing abridged Shakespeare plays (I was Ophelia in my 5th grade production of Hamlet). I also got to see what a teacher who is truly talented and passionate about teaching looks like. I give a lot of credit for my being an English teacher today to Mr. Mason.


3. When it comes to the art of blogging, I'm grateful to these people for helping me through some rough spots: Well, I haven't been blogging that long, so I haven't had many rough spots. I am grateful to my husband for getting excited about my blog. He reads it every day and always has comments about what I'm wearing or what I wrote, so I can never say, "No one is reading this!" He's an awesome advertising force too - when the women he works with talk about fashion, he says, "Well, my wife has a fashion blog, and here's what she wore. You should check it out!" I'm also grateful to Brian Moody for lending me jewelry to wear because I feel like a "real" blogger with a sponsor, even though no money was exchanged and I might end up stealing some of the jewelry.


4. One blogging challenge I'm grateful happened because it made me stronger was: All of the EBEW challenges I've participated in, for pushing outside of my sartorial comfort zone and making me like clothes I had given up on.


5. To my readers, I'd like to say: You are few, but mighty. Interacting with y'all is so much fun, and I really appreciate the feedback you give me. I find a lot of inspiration in your own blogs. Please keep reading (and tell your friends)!