Dinners and Dresses

Last night was the annual board appreciation dinner at work. I appreciate the board, but I wish there were another way I could show them appreciation than going to a dinner. It's the lab partner or bus situation from school all over again--gosh, I hope I have someone to sit by. Not that plenty of my co-workers would mind sitting by me, but I don't have any close friends at the office, so I'm always wondering if they're glad I'm sitting by them or if they're really just being nice.

At least this time my co-worker went to pick up some sushi for from my favorite place so that I didn't have to bring my own dinner, as I've had to do in the past. Wasn't that kind of her? And this time, I didn't bring a pity-party dessert, 'cause I'm on a strict must-fit-bridesmaid's-dress calorie limit. Instead, I had a post-prandial cup of decaf coffee. I love coffee, so I hope this kept me from missing dessert too much. Well...that and the larabar I ate for dessert. I *almost* managed not to have the pity dessert. So close.

Speaking of bridesmaid's dresses, I'm having a difficult time finding something that will work for MJ's wedding. And at this point, we're not even sure I'll be in the wedding, since bridesmaids are not standard fixtures in Korean weddings, and they (M.J., her fiance, her mom, and the wedding planner) are still trying to figure out how to work me in. I offered to stand at the side of the room wearing a sign that says "bridesmaid," but MJ didn't seem keen on that idea. Anyhow, the problem with finding a suitable bridemaid dress is that my shoulders need to be covered, but it needs to not make me look like I'm 55. Believe it or not, there aren't too sleeved bridesmaid dresses out there these days. Even finding a cocktail dress that isn't overly-beaded, sleeveless or strapless, inappropriate for a wedding, or just plain ugly has been difficult. It doesn't help that the stores seem to be between seasons at the moment. All the right dresses are no longer available in my size, and the new dresses haven't come in to replace them yet.

So tomorrow it's back out to the mall for more searching. Wish me luck!

Democrats and Republicans, Please Remove Me from Your Mailing Lists

In the last presidential election cycle, I gave money to the Republican candidate. I wasn’t particularly fond of his political views, but I liked him better than the other options. Because I didn’t know how to give money to the candidate directly, I donated through the Republican Party. I don’t know why I was surprised to wind up on the Republican Party’s mailing list, but surprised I was.

I’m not a Republican (although I once voted in a Republican primary), and that is the only time I have ever donated to the Grand Old Party. Yet for four years now, the GOP has wasted its money sending me surveys asking for money, letters about the alarming state of America asking for money, and just plain requests for money. They ask me if I’ve abandoned the cause, if I’ve just given up, and so forth. And the answer is no, I haven’t given up on what I believe in, but the GOP hasn’t managed to figure out yet that its values don’t overlap much with mine. They haven’t realized it despite my saying so quite plainly on at least one of the surveys I dutifully filled out and sent back to them—I wrote “I DO NOT SUPPORT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY,” yet I still keep getting phone calls and letters from them. It’s as though I’ve broken up with them, and they just can’t believe it’s real because they never listened to me in the first place and have no clue what I think or want. The last time I filled out one of their surveys, I even purposely chose all the answers I thought would get me labeled a crazy Commie leftie by the folks on the right. We’ll see it if works and the letters, surveys, and occasional phone calls will stop (fingers crossed!).

Although I’m not a Republican, I’m not a Democrat, either. But I am a member of an environmentalist group, and I’ve signed a few environmentally-focused petitions that required my mailing address. A month or so ago, I received a letter from the Democrats asking me to help (sign a petition maybe? I don’t know, I shredded the letter without opening it) with recall elections in Wisconsin. And then today in the mail I had a letter from Planned Parenthood about something political. I would really like to know who sold me out.

Both major political parties—yes, both of you!—you’re on my bad list.

The Wrinkles and why I don't wear one of my favorite pairs of pants

I have this pair of pants (or trouser pants, if you're my sister's former classmate) that I love but that spend a lot more time being worn by a hanger than by me. The pants are a cute cut and fit, are flattering, and make me feel confident in having a neat, professional (yet stylish) appearance when I wear them. But there's an obstacle between me and The Wearing. It's The Ironing. Or to be more accurate since I rarely use my iron, The Steaming, due to The Wrinkles.

Every time I wash these pants, they become so wrinkled, it would take me 15 or 20 minutes with the steamer if I were to take the time to get all the wrinkles out. Even removing enough wrinkles to make the pants passable to wear to work takes about 10 minutes. So I wash the pants and then let them hang in the closet for a month. Once I've gone through the trouble of getting The Wrinkles out, I don't want to wash the pants, because that will make the wrinkles come back. So they end up being worn more times than they should without being laundered. It's an ongoing problem.

I know, I know, #firstworldproblems.

So why I am talking about this on my blog? Because I don't have much of interest going on, and this pants thing has been on my mind.

What about you, oh Internets? Anything in your closet that you can't part with but that you won't wear?