(no subject)

[chelseagirl]

Buffy/Angel castmembers appearing together in other things make me very happy: Anthony Stewart Head and James Marsters square off on Warehouse 13, Alyson Hannigan and Charisma Carpenter sniping at each other in my rewatch of Veronica Mars season two . . . not to mention, of course, Amy Acker and Alexis Denisof in Much Ado.

Oh, that job? They had a good news/bad news situation -- funding has been pulled, but I was their first choice, and they're hoping to offer it to me in the spring . . . but meanwhile I will now be adjuncting at THREE schools this fall. At this point, it's just funny.

Plus because I now have a Mitchell-Lama apartment, I can actually afford my life. Well, as soon as we catch up from the moving expenses. There's still stuff we need to buy for the apartment (a floor lamp, shelving for the bathroom, another bookcase, another chest of drawers, and table/chairs/plants for the terrace, not to mention rugs, rugs, rugs), but that will come in time -- my income's down in the summer, so it will happen slowly.

Of course this means I am suddenly craving new clothes. There are a number of indie designer/locally made shops on E. 9th street I want to check out, and there are a few things at Eileen Fisher that I suddenly desire madly -- a gorgeous heavy silk black skirt, as well as some black jeans --although I'm not sure if that just confirms that I'm over 50, because I never used to want to wear Eileen Fisher. And there are a pair of pale blue oxfords at a shoe store on the corner of St. Marks that I am totally buying as soon as I get a check that's not earmarked for bill-catch-up. If they still have them in my size. They're just sort of feminine and manly at the same time in a way that is adorable.

I will be teaching a course at an Orthodox Jewish school in the fall. One of my colleagues, who is Israeli but not Orthodox, interviewed me in a sleeveless dress, and I was advised that they don't expect the non-Orthodox to conform entirely to their dress standards -- so I'm hoping I don't have to cover my elbows, knees, and clavicle, and that no minis, no sleeveless, and no cleavage is sufficient. I want to show the respect that you show when you are a guest in someone else's home, but . . . I'm 5'8" and standard women's clothing sizes are made for a women who is 5'5" or 5'6" -- therefore, none of my pencil skirts (except from my loved and sadly gone DL Cerney, because they're vintage inspired) cover my knees. On the up side, my desire to dress like a character from the first two seasons of Downton Abbey -- the daytime clothes, anyway -- should be right on point.

Comments

[executrix.livejournal.com]

All those furniture items sound readily available via freecycle! And I'm sure you have a couple of nice blazers--when thrown over a top, they provide elbow-and-clavicle coverage.

[chelseagirl.livejournal.com]

Let's hope they're sufficiently airconditioned, because September's not *really* blazer weather. (Although they are closed for three weeks for the holidays so it'll practically be October by the time we really get underway.) I wore the same vintage-styled suit to two of my three interviews there, but it's the only lightweight one I have. Also . . . blazers not really going to cover the front of my clavicle . . . may need to exercise some creativity. (Scarves!) That's not so difficult -- it's more the knees that could be a problem, so hopefully my outsider status allows me a kneecap or two.

So that's probably a clue about where my possible future job offer is . . .

[executrix.livejournal.com]

I'm hearing the distant thundering hoofs of an 80s revival...power suits often had very short skirts, but there were lots of knee and midi lentgths if you'll have to spend a lot of time rocking a covered-up look, a couple of knock-off DVF wrap dresses (with a scarf or cammie if the front is too low) should help.

[chelseagirl.livejournal.com]

My 80s power suits came in just-below-the-knee and mid-calf -- the above-the-knee style came in just before I left the firm and didn't need to buy new suits anymore. A friend offered me some of her stuff from the 90s (and maybe late 80s?) a few years ago and there were *lots* of business suits with miniskirts -- I ended up taking a couple of long silk and rayon skirts, rather than any of the suits . . .

[joysilence.livejournal.com]

Well done on being first choice! And I'm really glad to hear you are able to actually live on your salary now - something everyone who works hard should be able to do, especially people who educate others.

[chelseagirl.livejournal.com]

You would think, right?

The Mitchell-Lama affordable housing program is kind of like council housing for the middle class, dating back to a time when the middle class were fleeing NYC for the suburbs, after WWII. Of course, now it's the other way around -- the working class and poor are getting pushed out, as the city gets pricier and pricier, and the middle class take over traditionally working class, immigrant neighborhoods. I guess that's the story of London these days, too.

So a: it feels like the universe is telling us our do-gooder jobs are actually worth doing, as it has rewarded us with affordable *nice* housing in a fantastic neighborhood, and b: I get to tease M and tell him he was always doomed to end up in council housing.