Apart from being the blog's one-year birthday yesterday (weird. It wasn't a national holiday), my husband and I had a rather daunting social engagement. An older neighbor of ours, a trustee in our building (whom we invited over for tea and snacks last June), invited us to dine with some other older academics of her acquaintance. It was fun to hang out with old (um, my husband is two years older than me. The next youngest person was FORTY YEARS older than my husband) academics and be able to name-drop some hard-core Sanskritists - although the majority of these people were musicians (with one political scientist), they knew everything about everything. To make a good impression, I decided to dress in an outfit that would offend nobody, not even my former bosses last year:
In fact, apart from the shoes, I'm pretty sure I wore this exact same outfit to work at some point last year. Anyway, I was comfy and just dressed up enough to impress old intellectuals: one professor emeritus offered to look into helping me find a Spanish position at a university. Dazzling prospects, people!
As for the shoes, these are the ones I ordered from CSN Stores many moons ago. Last night, one of the shoes' ankle straps was missing, so I pulled off the other one's and wore them as plain flats (which I liked a lot, actually). Of course, this morning I mysteriously found the "lost" ankle strap in plain sight on my bedroom floor next to the bed. I'm convinced that either elves or Amalía took it to play with it for the night...
I'm rooting for the elves.
In other news, apart from a maybe-drunk professor's offer to help me find a job, things are going well. I'm proofreading my dissertation intro like crazy and have sent various "final" versions to my husband (he's also helping me proofread) before filling in some missing bits during my research trip to Philly (FOUR DAYS TILL I LEAVE OH. MY. GOD.). I also had a very phone conversation with the dean of a big-deal private school over the weekend and I look forward to continuing that process during the next few days, as a current language teacher from there is supposed to call me this week. Of course, I've been checking my e-mail like crazy and driving myself insane, but it's good to remember that I'll have options come September.
Isn't life glamorous?!
Black sweater: Gap, remixed
Checked skirt: Ann Taylor Loft, remixed
Grey stockings: Gap, remixed
Grey shoes: Adi, by way of CSN Stores, bought with a gift certificate from the store in exchange for a review, remixed
That sounds like such a lovely, albeit somehwat intimidating, dinner. Sometimes it's so fun to be in an environment where you have to step it up a bit. I feel like older generations, especially educated ones, are especially like that, and I love being in those situations. Not all the time, though.
ReplyDeleteAlso, you look lovely. Congrats on year one!
Very modest outfit, but spot on for the situation I think.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you have some big plans in your future lady, I hope thing s start to pan out for you.
Thanks, guys! (Clare, is it appropriate to gush that you just posted on my blog?!) It was a fun evening and I hope that my husband and I sparkled enough to be invited to more...
ReplyDeleteMiss B, I'm starting to get cautiously optimistic...
Chalkdust--I like your look in the skirt and job prospects are always wonderful!
ReplyDeleteGreat outfit, great prospects! What is with those closet elves, anyway? Wherever they are, I think they have my pink belt.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great time. I love that I'm to the point in my life where I no longer roll my eyes at older people and instead am genuinely interested in what they have to say. Seriously: I was that kid growing up!
ReplyDeleteI like your plaid skirt, too!
Thanks, ladies!
ReplyDeleteAllison, I'll let the elves (or my cat?) know that they have your belt.
And Vanessa, I know what you mean. I've always gotten along well with older folks because of my own interests, but I did have a bit of an eye-rolly moment when one of the professors turned to my husband and me and asked sweetly, "Do you know who Ella Fitzgerald is?" and my husband (a composer) and I (semi-serious ex-singer) just smiled and nodded politely. Eh, I guess they're not too used to the youth knowing about one of the LEGENDARY SINGERS OF THE AGES...
I really dig this skirt. It has a slight 1970s vibe. Is it made of wool?
ReplyDeleteMany congrats on good vibe on the job leads. That's very exciting. I also enjoy hanging out socially with old academics (although I once possibly embarrassed an ex boyfriend at a dinner party when the old, sweet prof started to lecture me about "Western civilization." oops). Isn't it cute when older people don't realize what younger people know? Then again, I'm always shocked at the things my 20 year olds know (like they know Anita Hill, most don't know anything about the NATO bombings of Kosovo).
Thanks, Rad! It IS made of wool and super-cozy.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to get shocked, teach in a (mediocre) high school, the way I did last year. What my students didn't know (about everything, including Spanish grammar) almost made me weep daily. Then again, I did win their respect by quoting 'Superbad' when they didn't expect it, so... I'm not really part of the solution.