Friday, 4:30pm
I'm celebrating Happy Hour all on my own at the empty Skylounge Bar. Well, there's two barkeepers and me. They're not working too hard. They claim the kitchen won't open till 6pm, meaning I have to drink my Prosecco on an empty stomach.
This serves as a disclaimer for anything I might say or do in this post.
The girl must feel a little sorry cause she offered me peanuts and - more importantly - the WIFI password.
So what I'm writing about is my light blue and white Vichy checkered button-down shirt.
Bear with me, it'll eventually make sense. I think.
I bought it just about this time of year 17 years ago back when I was living in the Zug area - the same city we're commuting to for Colin's hockey practice these days.
My then boyfriend had dumped me in favor of another woman, and I was on the verge of losing it on multiple levels:
When I got out the Shiatsu studio, I stopped at the outdoor rack of the clothes shop on the ground floor. Embrace spring, the display said.
The shop is on the left hand side of the picture. Sorry, I got distracted by the train (upper right corner), I never realized this viaduct actually served as railroad tracks right across the city!
So back to the clothes rack. Yeah, I could probably try and do that. Embracing spring.
And if a piece of clothing could support that process, then obviously I needed that shirt.
Why didn't I think of retail therapy in the first place? The only effective treatment, and still health insurance companies all over the world completely ignore this fact and refuse to cover purses, jewellery and scarves.
I'm googling fashion trends of the early 2000s, but Vichy checkered shirts don't come up, even though I distinctly remember having seen them all over the place back then.
Anyway, I ended up purchasing and wearing it a lot back then. It fit because - see above - I didn't eat and therefore lost weight that in the meantime I put back on multiple times, so the shirt disappeared in the back of my closet, but I never had the heart to dispose of it.
It used to be my loyal companion in San Diego.
I didn't bring many clothes from Switzerland.
First of all in SoCal, I had no use for my winter stuff, and second of all, a new life required new clothes. Obviously, right? One of my favorite items I purchased at the Disney Store at San Diego Fashion Valley Mall was a white T-Shirt with Tweety on it. I don't know what happened to it, I can't find it anymore. Too bad, it was cute.
So for some reason today I decided to wear my old light blue and white Vichy checkered button-down shirt. I don't know if it is for the same reason I went to a bar on the 18th floor in broad daylight. So broad they didn't even make their tacos yet.
I'm celebrating Happy Hour all on my own at the empty Skylounge Bar. Well, there's two barkeepers and me. They're not working too hard. They claim the kitchen won't open till 6pm, meaning I have to drink my Prosecco on an empty stomach.
This serves as a disclaimer for anything I might say or do in this post.
The girl must feel a little sorry cause she offered me peanuts and - more importantly - the WIFI password.
So what I'm writing about is my light blue and white Vichy checkered button-down shirt.
Bear with me, it'll eventually make sense. I think.
I bought it just about this time of year 17 years ago back when I was living in the Zug area - the same city we're commuting to for Colin's hockey practice these days.
My then boyfriend had dumped me in favor of another woman, and I was on the verge of losing it on multiple levels:
- I had lost trust in mankind and relationships.
- I hated the new job I just started, but I was too busy to think and / or do anything about it.
- I couldn't sleep.
- I wasn't hungry, which is really bad. Those who know me, know, I'm always hungry, and even if I'm not, I'm craving something.
- I didn't mind calling people to cry on their shoulders. Those who know me, know, I am not big at asking for help.
- I went to see a shrink. One time only, though, I felt he didn't get me.
- I went to see my coaching coach - is this what you call the person who instructs at (business related) coaching classes?
- I went to a see a Shiatsu therapist, who, after a handful of sessions, claimed "your heart feels a little lighter today. Something was weighing hard on you?"
When I got out the Shiatsu studio, I stopped at the outdoor rack of the clothes shop on the ground floor. Embrace spring, the display said.
The shop is on the left hand side of the picture. Sorry, I got distracted by the train (upper right corner), I never realized this viaduct actually served as railroad tracks right across the city!
So back to the clothes rack. Yeah, I could probably try and do that. Embracing spring.
And if a piece of clothing could support that process, then obviously I needed that shirt.
Why didn't I think of retail therapy in the first place? The only effective treatment, and still health insurance companies all over the world completely ignore this fact and refuse to cover purses, jewellery and scarves.
I'm googling fashion trends of the early 2000s, but Vichy checkered shirts don't come up, even though I distinctly remember having seen them all over the place back then.
Anyway, I ended up purchasing and wearing it a lot back then. It fit because - see above - I didn't eat and therefore lost weight that in the meantime I put back on multiple times, so the shirt disappeared in the back of my closet, but I never had the heart to dispose of it.
It used to be my loyal companion in San Diego.
I didn't bring many clothes from Switzerland.
First of all in SoCal, I had no use for my winter stuff, and second of all, a new life required new clothes. Obviously, right? One of my favorite items I purchased at the Disney Store at San Diego Fashion Valley Mall was a white T-Shirt with Tweety on it. I don't know what happened to it, I can't find it anymore. Too bad, it was cute.
So for some reason today I decided to wear my old light blue and white Vichy checkered button-down shirt. I don't know if it is for the same reason I went to a bar on the 18th floor in broad daylight. So broad they didn't even make their tacos yet.
What I'm trying to do with this post is to share a couple of truths I learned from my experience back then:
- Life is short.
- Life has no remote, so you have to get up and change it yourself.
- You can't regret having done something, you can only regret not having done something.
- You may surround yourself with family and friends for any length of time, but at the end of the day it's just you, and you have to get yourself through everything, so acquire those skills that'll help you.
PS: and because life is short, do those things you've been wanting to do. I got this candle from a special friend and wanted to keep it for a special occasion. No idea how special it has to be. Is a regular work day acceptable? I decided it is.
Those skills include (in no particular order):
- Taking matters into your own hands.
- Knowing your value.
- Maintaining and expanding your go-to wardrobe.
- Being able to live alone - financially and emotionally.
Living alone includes doing the following alone:
- Going to the movies
- Eating at a full service restaurant
- Having a drink at a bar
- Attending a party
- Taking it to the next level and going on vacation
Actually those are life skills, no matter if you live alone or not.
So I challenge you: Dare to do one of them within the next weeks! Let me know how it went, I want pictures, stories, the whole nine yards!
Now please check out my fellow bloggers' contributions:
Karen of Baking In A Tornado made yummy onion poppy bagels.
Dawn of Spatulas On Parade came up with Chocolate Chip Pound Cake with Fresh Strawberry Sauce and Homemade chocolate whipped cream.
Lydia of Cluttered Genius knows ways to survive the beach with kids!
Rabia of The Lieber Family challenges you to dare to wear... her special design!
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