Fashion Intervention

OK, for those of you who know me well, brace yourself.  Today I took a day off from work along with my two good friends, Christi and Jessica to go shopping! 

I hate to shop.  Period, end of story.  I don't have a flare for fashion and apparently my body just isn't proportional according to garment manufacturers.  The end result is that I don't buy new clothes until it is an absolute necessity, which basically means that I have an upcoming event for which I have no appropriate attire.  At that point, I usually begrudgingly head off to a mall and walk through several stores and walk right out because I don't see anything I'd actually wear.  On the rare occasion that something catches my eye, I may try it on only to be disgusted with the fact that whomever designers have in mind when they make women's clothes, it's obviously not a woman with a build or taste like me.

After rummaging through my closet in an attempt to get ready for dinner with friends or to pack for a trip unsuccessfully one too many times lately, I emailed Christi and Jess a week or so ago and requested some shopping assistance.  What I got was a fashion intervention! 

My only previous experience with requesting shopping assistance was not a pleasant one.   The week before defending a thesis years ago during college, I set out to a local mall in search of a business suit.  There I stood in the middle of an upscale women's clothing store in Teva sandals, Gramicchi climbing shorts and battered tank top sporting a buzz-cut hairdo, broken and chipped finger and toenails from a recent rock climbing trip and looking a bit uncomfortable.  A well dressed sales woman walked up to me and politely, yet reluctantly, asked me if she could be of assistance.  I surely looked out of place in that store and I'm sure she figured I'd be a huge waste of her time.  I kind of let out a sigh, opened my arms to my sides to reveal my disheveled appearance and asked helplessly "Can you make me a girl?"  At this point, the sales woman's face lit up and she exclaimed "I've been waiting for this day!  Come with me!!"  I can only describe what happened next as painful yet successful.  I tried on endless outfits that obviously did not suit my body type or personality, but I did finally manage to leave the store quite some time later with a professional-looking business suit in which to defend my thesis and present my results at a national conference. 

So when the phone call came last night establishing the time and place that this shopping adventure was to start, I started to get a little nervous.  Both of these friends are quite fashionable.  Christi is off the chart when it comes to girlishness and shoe collections.  Jess isn't quite as far down the fashionista spectrum as Christi, but she is usually put together very well, especially when the occasion calls for it.  And then there's me.  I had visions of that sales woman all those years ago torturing me with changes of misguided outfits.  But man was I in for a surprise today!

Full combat shopping!  No other way to describe it.  Three women spread out between 1 or 2 dressing rooms all in various stages of undress and dress trying on clothes, exchanging clothes and critiquing as we went (they were both shopping for themselves as well as me).  Christi and Jess know me well enough to identify my style (or lack of actually) and only presented me with items they knew fit with my personality and body type.  I'd get handed a garment, get it half way on and be told, "take it off, it's not right".  Another item would come flying my way, I'd put it on, get scrutinized for a couple of seconds and then one of them would be out heading for a different size or color.  Now this is the way to shop!  These two women knew exactly what I wanted, even when I didn't!  They took me just far enough outside my comfort zone to help me see that I don't always have to leave the house in a dri-fit shirt, jeans and running shoes.  After almost 6 hours at the mall and a significant dent in my banking account, I have a whole new wardrobe.  Both Jess and Christi emerged from the adventure with some pretty sweet outfits also!  It was a fun day spent with two great friends, and I won't have to shop for clothes again for many years!!  Thank you ladies, I had a blast :-)     

Out West

Garden of the Gods

After a four year absence from Colorado Springs, work brought me back to the place I owned my first home.  I still remembered my way around for the most part, a lot of sights looked and felt familiar.  I had a bitter-sweet relationship with Colorado Springs when I lived there, but I truly do look on that experience with appreciation.

I took some vacation time and flew in the weekend before meetings were to start to catch up with some friends in the area.  There's never enough time to see everyone you would like to when you only have a few days so I apologize to anyone I didn't get to touch base with on this trip.  That just means I'll have to plan a return visit before too long.

David, Parker and Suzanne making smores

My first night in town was spent with Suzanne & David and the kids.  Suzanne was my Harley-riding partner and we shared a lot of stress-relieving miles together while I claimed Colorado as my state of residence.  We met during a Riders Edge motorcycle safety course at Pikes Peak Harley Davidson and purchased our own bikes within weeks of each other.  We experienced the thrills and hazards of bike riding while becoming "biker chicks" over the years.  You would think that it would be hard to grow as friends when we're each on our own bikes and unable to communicate while actually riding, but it's surprising how much can be shared between two women while stopped at red-lights, resting at coffee shops and hanging out together during weekend motorcycle getaways!  My first night in Colorado Springs was spent hanging out on the deck of their home making smores with Suzanne and her family.

Sydney, Deb, Bryce, Scott and Westies galore!

Next stop on the Colorado Springs friends tour was a night with Deb & Scott and family.  Deb and I worked together at Fort Bragg until she and her family made the move out West.  I have the amazing job that I have now because Deb saw some potential in me and pushed to get me liberated from the position I was originally assigned on Fort Bragg.  Our program is the success that it is now because of Deb's vision and leadership early on in the process.  It felt good to bring her up to speed on the advances and successes of what she started.  Their family had just welcomed five Westies puppies to the household so there wasn't a dull moment during my stay!  It was great to see her enjoying "retirement" and spending time with her family.

The final personal hangout before getting down to the work agenda that brought me to Colorado Springs in the first place was lunch and a leisurely afternoon visiting with Lance & Jen and the girls.  The visit was marked by scrumptious food, talented entertainment and endless laughs while catching up on each others' lives. Lance and I were part of Sport Sciences/Sport Performance at the USOC during fun, but sometimes volatile, years.  It was great to see him and his family so successful and happy post five-ring career.

Spiced pumpkin seed Nilgai antelope dinner at Craftwood Inn

The next few days included very productive meetings.  Since this isn't a work blog, there's no need to go into details, but suffice it to say that I had the distinct pleasure of bringing together two sets of motivated, high-speed professionals from my various careers; very constructive and fulfilling! 

With many of the colleagues accompanying me on this trip never having been to Colorado Springs, I felt the need to play tour guide.  I led them on a drive overlooking and then through the Garden of the Gods on our way to the Craftwood Inn in Manitou Springs.  Almost a dozen of us savored an exquisite dinner of Colorado cuisine and each other's company at what amounted to a culinary event!  The samplers of grilled Colorado elk, spiced pumpkin seed antelope, pepper grilled red deer, and prime grade New York strip helped us to narrow down our carnivore meal selections.  All of it was delicious, but I chose the antelope accompanied by an Australian Shiraz and finished with a shared Ecuadorian Ariba dark chocolate mousse.  Very tasty!!!

Getting stung at the Golden Bee!

The next night a few of us spent our last night in Colorado Springs partaking of pub fare, adult beverages and sing-alongs at the Golden Bee!  The Broadmoor Hotel had this 19th century pub shipped from England and reassembled at it's current location in Colorado Springs.  A ragtime piano player performs popular sing-along tunes for the crowd to accompany him.  It's great fun to eat, sing and drink as the wait staff randomly comes by the table and slings bee stickers at you.

It was gratifying to catch up with friends and colleagues on this trip; I absolutely enjoyed being out from behind my desk for a few days!  Although Colorado is beautiful and fun to visit, the trip reminded me of the reasons I chose to no longer live there.  The dry, arid environment left me with a daily nose bleed and feeling like a shrivled up prune!  The mountains are beautiful, but the instant necessity for a jacket as soon as the sun slips behind Pikes Peak and the dry brown landscape renewed my appreciation for lush green, humid, sea-level locations.  As my dad always says, good thing different folks like different surroundings or else we'd all be clumped up in one part of the world.  Something for everyone!!