The suit

Admittedly, the feedback I received from my Fulbright interview could have been much, much better. It seems that this crew of six male scholars liked nothing about me except that I was attractive, poised, and possessed good social skills. Other than that, they essentially thought that I was stupid, naïve, didn't know what I was talking about, presented poor methodology in my proposal, and was wearing an ugly suit. The first bits I can handle, I mean they are hard-nosed academics after all, but the comments about the suit? Come on! I mean that is just a low blow to criticize the suit that I spent my hard-earned resident director pay to buy. My beautiful, brand new, green tweed suit from Ann Taylor that I was so in love with and had quickly become the most treasured part of my wardrobe. How dare they!

Henry David Thoreau once said to be wary of any undertaking which requires new clothes. I would not wholeheartedly agree with this, as I really enjoy new clothes. However, perhaps what he also meant by this is, "be wary of any endeavor where the people involved would pass judgement on your clothes."

Rather than have my opinion of the suit destroyed by this pompous man (for it actually was only one professor that wrote down such comments, but who knows, maybe the others were thinking it), I have found that I find myself even more enamoured by it. It is as though the suit and I are bound in solidarity against anyone who is stuffy enough as to believe that people should not wear colorful, fashionable clothing but rather should "dress for success" (as he put it) in dark, boring clothes.

In society, one's clothing is a symbol of one's place in life and also one's outlook. As long as there has been fashion, there has been certain status associated with certain fashions. In ancient Rome, for example, patricians dressed in one style, while plebians dressed an entirely different way. Fashion can be used to expressed feminism or masculinity. It can be used to make political or ideological statements. It can be an expression of art or color.

In my life I'm sure I will be many things. But I refuse to be boring! Just as I would not try to change my personality, nor will not change my style of dress to suit the values of someone else.

(And I mean honestly, it's just a green tweed suit. One would think, from this particular professor's reaction to it, that I had strolled in there in fishnets and a leather mini…)

Fulbrighting along

Nerves a-jangle, I apply another coat of mascara as I prepare for my Fulbright interview. My brand-new, obscenely expensive, but urbanely fashionable suit, hangs in the closet, just waiting for me to don it. The other candidates may be smarter than me but they certainly will not be as ridiculously good looking!

Wish me luck!

My next endeavor

I have decided to make a third novel attempt. (The first I completed and it was rejected by the publisher- although I think even I knew it was terrible- perhaps someday if I have the patience I will rework it. And the second I abandoned- more than likely I approached it with far too much furious artistic intensity and I quickly lost interest.) I'm not yet sure what this newest story will be about. I'm almost afraid to even post about it, lest I somehow spook myself and abandon it too, like the second. The Muse can be a fitful and moody creature.

Poems of encouragement, love letters, gorgeous portraits of yours truly, or any other bit of creativity you would like to send my way will all be welcomed graciously.