Archive for Month: July, 2009
With Gratitude in a Hat
My trip to BlogHer09 was enhanced by a few companies that reached out and put an ambassador hat on me. I don’t know if you know it, but I wear hats really well.
First and foremost, Lane Bryant, one of my favorite plus size clothing stores for my plus size body, came through with a $100.00 gift card that was used in conjunction with a $50.00 off coupon. They also sent me a great bra that make ‘the girls’ look like they never even suckled one baby, let alone FOUR!
Not only was LB good to me in the way of sponsoring a supplement to my wardrobe, I was treated very well at both store locations that I visited. As a matter of fact, I am always treated very well by the associates of that store. They are almost always plus sized women, too, and that really makes me feel welcomed, accepted, and understood.
I got the most compliments on this outfit, and I even wore the skirt twice. I know, I know, mortal sin, eh, but it’s comfortable and I love it so. Lane Bryant, I consider us kin. After all my last name is…Lane.
The next ambassador hat that I donned was from Yummie Tummie. At first I didn’t know how I felt about Yummie Tummie. I’m glad that I measured myself before choosing the size that was right for me. But, yeah, at first I was a little ambivalent about the shape wear. After wearing it for a week, though, I do like how versatile it is. I like how pulled together it makes me feel, and it’s a whole lot easier to put on compared to my Spanx. I’ve been a shape wear fan for many years. I’ve always loved to wear body suits under my clothes because I just don’t like to feel the flabbiness. No denying I am plus sized, but–dammit–if I feel pulled in, I feel awesome.
Out of no where I got this email from one of my sister-friends, Angie. She put me in touch with Lily Oswald from Sorrelli Jewelery. I had the hardest time deciding what to pick to wear because everything is just so beautiful. I ended up with this set:
Thank you to all three of these companies for letting me represent them. They contributed to making me feel even more beautiful at my first BlogHer experience.
You can relive that experience by visiting my Flickr set: BlogHer09 by Mishelle Lane
“You blog; I do luggage.”
Meet Mario. He does luggage. And he’s damn good at it.
My flight didn’t leave until 4:47pm on Sunday. Because of this I had the pleasure of walking around Chi-town with Tara and Heather. *Lou was taking both Tara and I to the airport, so it was only natural that we hang. I was thrilled because I didn’t have a chance to do that with either. It was special and I look forward to getting to know these two friends more.
Back to Mario:
I had my bags with me, as I was checked out, Sunday morning. Luckily the Sheraton offers a service where they will hold your bags. I had three…my big suitcase, the swag [that I just got and didn't get in fights for] duffle bag, and my laptop. Mario proceeded to attach a tag to my main suitcase.
“Ummm shouldn’t we put one on each bag? I mean, what if they get lost?”
“No; one will do.”
“Are you sure?”
“Look. You blog; I do luggage. I’m sure!”
And sure enough when I came back my bags were intact. None were lost. After all, I had Mario to handle things.
*Lou — He who will have one whole post dedicated to his kindness!
*Bulaffo
We drove down to the lake stopping for coffee along the way. From the back seat my sweet little boy sang the Macedonian version of “Ring Around the Rosy”, which is a lot less doom and gloom, but still kinda dark. I find it amazing that a child can sing such a song with a history of being about the Bubonic Plaugue yet it still sounds so innocent.
Earlier in the day, I drove down to the lake with all the kids. I took them to the old Go-Kart place that I used to frequent as a child. The wind was rough in the afernoon, but–by the time that my father, David, and I returned– it had calmed down considerably. The clouds in the sky were incredibly white and puffy. The smell of the lake one of those smells I cannot help but recognize. The sound of the waves lapping on the shore were familiar and memory jarring.
I looked down the shore, to the left of the landing that I was on, to see a beach that I’d frequented as a teenager. It was also one that I’d made love on in the middle of a humid July night in 1994. My lover (now husband) and I, that night, had a great laugh at my expense (which they usually are, anyway, as my life seems to be a constant mix of laughter and emotion, but I digress.) Pleasure took over as it should when [you] are experiencing such a paramount sexual moment and then I realized there were people coming toward us.
“We’ve got people walking over here,” I blurted as I hid under the blanket.
Oddly this memory came back to me as I photographed the water just a few hundred yards from where it had taken place. The sounds and the smells–again–had the power to catapult me back to a night that I won’t ever forget, even while in the company of my father and youngest son.
We drove into the city toward the marina. The sunset was obscured by the huge clouds so I drove down and around for a few miles. As we made our way over the Sky Way my father told me stories from his childhood. Maybe it was a mix of the water, the sunset, the songs from little David, or just the need to tell? He’d ask me, what else do you want to know? Whatever you want to tell me, I answered. And he’d tell me something more.
This is why I blog. Sometimes I do it through my words. Oftentimes I do it through my photographs. I blog to tell my stories. For my memories. To not forget.
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*Bulaffo: This is the way David says “Buffalo”. The whole ride from GA to NY he would say, “I go to Bulaffo and Baba give me da **bagoon!”
**bagoon: This is the way David says “balloon”, which he is totally obsessed with. I am pretty convinced that his infatuation with receiving an orange balloon, on the way up here, is the reason we had such a stress free trek. He’d get all fidgety and I’d start talking about the various colors and shapes of ones that he’s seen and remembered. Thank you bagoons. I love you.
Weekly Winners {MAKfest09 Edition, Part II)
Some of the best memories I have are of being a Macedonian folk dancer. I danced from the ages of 5-18, and it’s an experience I will always treasure. Watching these “older” groups really made me wax nostalgic.
Then last night I had the pleasure of being at a “Girl’s Night Out” with some old friends from our church. We sat around telling stories of our old hall and the times that have passed us by which have led us to now. It was wonderful. There was laughter. There was great food. There was wine. There was a sense of calm, as well. I was honored to be a part of it. I felt aged, but in a good way.
Looking at these pictures of the dancers just makes me wish for those feelings of butterflies in the belly just before the music started. The glances that would be passed to the other dancers are etched in my brain and carried in my heart. Though time changes us, makes us part, or brings us back together, I will always have those special moments.
MAKfest 2009 Photo Set on Flicker
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