Back, and Further Back

I get it. I get it now. Why small, ancient women from the Mediterranean dress in black to sweep their stoops (is that where the posture adjective comes from?) and haunt the streets in angular anguish. They are mourning the loss of a pain-free back. It's odd being the one to move slowly, moan inadvertently while turning to take in traffic, pause to think long and hard before picking up or placing anything on or near the floor. That's supposed to be the role of other, older members of my family, but today I'm the leading player in the drama of "The Incapacitated." Enough whining. But you do know that redheads can take pain more than other hair colors, right? And do you know why I'm really suffering? I don't know what the hell I did to throw my back out. I hope this won't affect my sewing class, which debuts tomorrow, but I don't think I'll be able to haul my Singer Stylist into class on my own unless something miraculous happens in the next 24 hours. Oh great FSM…

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Speaking of sewing class, I checked out McCalls Sewing Book from 1967 from the library (see, Katch, I utilize that fine institution!) and would like to share some 40-year-old wisdom with you:

Because it is difficult to see oneself as one really is, don't rely on a mirror. A snapshot or two (one full-face, the other side view), preferable in a bathing suit, will give you a better answer. Flaws never seem quite so realistic in a mirror as they do in a picture. And don't be disheartened. Once you know what's wrong, there's a great deal you can do to correct it.

Because the appearance of clothes is improved when placed on a well-proportioned figure, now's the time to begin correcting any irregularities. But whether you try to change your proportions or not, measurements have a disconcerting habit of changing…

The ideal facial shape is oval.

The flat, angular look may be right on the pages of fashion magazines, but in real life you're apt to look scrawny. A rounded feminine figure is more pleasing to the eye.

The homemaker often makes the big mistake of thinking she does not have to look her best when doing her daily chores. Actually, ill-fitting clothes lower her morale and make her less able to cope with everyday trials.

For shopping: By this, we mean shopping in a city department store. Slacks and shorts are taboo. Again, simple dresses and suits are best.


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Nancy tagged me on a meme, so here she blows. (Rebecca and
Julia, you're It!)

4 Things Meme

Four jobs I’ve had:
Gas station/car wash cashier
Pre-school snack -n- playdoh prepper
Life model
Stained glass studio apprentice

Five movies I can watch over and over:
It's a Wonderful Life
The Quiet Man
Say Anything
My Fair Lady
Guys and Dolls

Four places I’ve lived:
Bradenton, FL
San Bernardino, CA
New York, NY
Minot, ND

Five TV shows I love:
Cooking with Jacques and Julia
Sex and the City
Six Feet Under
Felicity
The Daily Show/Colbert Report (OK, Six shows)

Four places I’ve vacationed:
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Florence, Italy
Island of Lesbos, Greece (well, it was supposedly a class, not vacation)
Lake Ontario, New York

Four of my favorite dishes:
Yukon gold potatoes, onions, and garlic roasted in olive oil til smushy
Gelato
Thai green curry
Chile relleno burrito from El Mariachi (when oh when will they make a chile relleno chimichanga?)

Four sites I visit daily (every day I'm online, that is):
Gmail
Blogger
Flickr
MySpace

Four places I would rather be right now:
Bed with fresh sheets and a little dog (hm, that sounds funny)
The beach on a sunny day
Cuddling with my hubby by a fire
Thirty-three years old on a Saturday night in Manhattan

These meme things smack of the many questionnaires on MySpace. Sort of an introvert's self-interview, or passive communique. Perfect for moi!