by Marty Coleman | Nov 26, 2013 | Annette Funicello, Thanksgiving |
I think it’s a perfectly wonderful week to talk about Thanksgiving
The Mouseketeer
Annette Funicello was a founding member of Disney’s Mouseketeers. She then went on to star in Beach Blanket movies with Frankie Avalon and record chart topping records. She had it all; looks, fame, money and adulation of fans around the world. She also had MS, which caused her to retire well before she would have otherwise. When she made it public she was inundated with messages of sadness and sorrow for her plight. In response she said this,
“Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful.”
Annette Funicello – Mouseketeer & star of Beach Blanket Bingo
The X Factor
One of the past contestants on ‘The X Factor’, Rion Paige, was born with wrists and arms that are bent at wrong angles and can’t move as you would expect. She is up in front of millions and millions of people singing, showing the world all her ‘imperfections’. She is the one on the competition who is the biggest smiler, the sweetest laugher, the most thankful in her responses to the judges. Her body may not be ‘perfect’, but her attitude is. I have no doubt she has this quote on her refrigerator.
Rion Paige
Perfect vs Wonderful
I know for me, when I like look for the perfect in myself, others and the world around me, I see imperfection. But when I look at the wonderful in myself, others and the world around me, I see perfection everywhere.
The Vintage Napkin
I have used this quote before, WAY back in 2002 when I was drawing the napkins for my daughters and putting in their school lunches.
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Drawing by Marty Coleman
Quote by Annette Funicello, 1942-2013, American actress and singer.
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 24, 2013 | Products |
This Manly Gift Buying Guide to Fall Fashion is a sponsored post for Collective Bias and the Social Fabric community.
Part 1 – Shopping For my Daughter and Granddaughter
My oldest daughter, Rebekah, is transitioning this winter from an academic setting, where she is getting her Ph.D. in Neuroscience, to an employment position at a major Neuroscience Institute. Because of that I thought it was time to get her some clothes that will help her feel more at home in her new professional setting. Rebekah is not particularly one style over another but I felt like a look on the preppy side would be on the mark. She likes a simple, classic style and knows how to wear it.
I had liked the searStyle Facebook page a few months ago so I knew Sears would have that preppy look for less so I went there to see what I could find. My wife, Linda and I weren’t in the store more than 5 minutes when we came across a perfect pink turtleneck.
Turtle Neck from Sears – Closeup of Stitching
We then quickly found a classic cream colored cable knit cardigan That we felt fit perfectly with the turtleneck. I was not worried about whether they fit a particular 2013 fashion trend since both of these are evergreen styles and will not go out of fashion soon. If you are over 25, #ThisisStyle.
Cable Knit Cardigan from Sears – Closeup
I was pretty sure I got the right sizes for her but wanted to be sure before I sent them to her in time for the holidays. I have a friend who lives in my same neighborhood who I know to be almost the exact same size as Rebekah. I asked Kristen, who is a fellow runner and a fitness role model extraordinaire if she would mind trying them on to see how they fit. She came over and graciously allowed me to take some photos of her in the ensemble.
Pink Turtleneck from Sears
She started with just the turtleneck and said she loved the color and feel of the piece. She had chosen her lipstick really well as it matched perfectly.
Pink Turtleneck from Sears – Closeup
She then tried on the cable knit cardigan to complete the look.
Cable Knit Cardigan from Sears
It looked to us both as a classic, timeless look with shades of east coast preppy, without being overwhelming.
Cable Knit Cardigan and Pink Turtleneck from Sears
Let’s go back to our shopping trip for a moment. Besides Rebekah getting her Ph.D. another momentous event recently occurred. She had her first child (our first Grandchild). She had a baby girl they named Vivian. Linda and I thought it would be perfect to see if we couldn’t find some complementary outfits for the baby that would fit well with the preppy style. I had recently joined the Sears ‘Shop Your Way‘ program and knew that we would be getting a few discounts and the prices were already so affordable we had no excuse not to.
Once again, it didn’t take us long at all to find exactly what we wanted.
Preppy sweater and dress for 9 months – from Sears
Preppy hoodie and pants for 9 months from Sears
Hoodie closeup from Sears
We are pretty excited with our finds and are looking forward to giving these gifts to Rebekah and Vivian for Christmas.
You can see the SearsStyle Shop Your Way Catalog here.
Follow SoFabConnect’s board ThisisStyle on Pinterest.
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Part 2 – Tips for shopping for women
I pride myself on being more fashion aware than the average guy. I am an artist, photographer and designer and as such see fashion as another extension of creativity and art out in the world. While I am not a shopper who could compete with many women I know, I do know how to shop and can do it effectively when I want to.
Part of the reason I can shop is I have 4 daughters. They are all grown now, ages 23-31. That means I shopped for them during all ages, from baby through teen years into adulthood. I didn’t always get the gifts right, but I felt I had a good batting average overall. Sometimes I would even hit it out of the park.
If you say, as a guy, ‘Well, that’s what women do. Guys don’t do that.’ I say you are missing out. You can do it, and it can be great for your relationship. It’s also not as alien as you think. You buy a specialty wrench for a specific need and you buy a run of the mill wrench for whatever might come up, right? The same is true in fashion. You might buy a special piece of jewelry for your daughter’s graduation, but you might by a pair of earrings for whenever your daughter might like to wear them. You might buy a glittery blouse for your wife’s New Year’s Eve party, but you might buy her a sweater for any occasion. Shopping is like one or the other in most cases.
The key to being a guy and shopping for someone else is paying attention. I don’t mean paying attention while you are shopping, obviously you have to do that. I mean paying attention to what your wives, girlfriends, daughters, etc. are wearing day in, day out. It means asking questions about other outfits you see when you are out with them. Getting them to talk about what they like and don’t like. It means noticing things.
For example, do you see the same colors on your wife again and again? Ask her why. She might tell you that gold color looks great against her skin or that deep blues contrast nice with her brown hair. If you ask, you will find there is a reason. It’s not by accident. Do you see your daughter’s wearing jewelry that a big and bold, bangly and colorful? Ask her why. She will probably say she loves the glittery shine, or maybe they make her feel happy. There is a reason, it’s not by accident.
JUST as important is paying attention to what they don’t wear. You can do this by paying attention to what you see people their age wearing but the object of your gift buying does not. For example, my wife, Linda, is a pretty high powered business woman. Many business women wear suits. My wife however, never wears suits. I need to be paying attention to that so that when I am gift buying I can skip right over all these blazers and suits, knowing they aren’t going to be for her, no matter how interesting they may be to my eye. For my daughters, each one is different. They could and do overlap in what they might wear at times, but they aren’t clones of each other. One might be a bit of a hippie, the other more outdoorsy, a third a bit on the preppie side.
An important note: If you are buying for teens and early 20 somethings? There may be no reason that you can really figure out very easily. It won’t be about color or sparkles. It’s more likely going to be about who wore that pattern at the VMAs or something she saw the other, very cool girl at work, wear. You may not be able to discern this very easily. The only advice here is to pay attention to who your daughters listen to in music, which actresses and singers they like. What do those celebrities wear? Now, it may not be a celebrity in the typical hollywood/MTV sense. It might be a professor she likes, maybe a favorite author. But chances are she doesn’t get her fashion sense in a vacuum. She is finding it out in the world and adapting it to herself. The more you pay attention to what she pays attention to, the better chance you have of getting the gift buying right.
So, in a nutshell it’s about paying attention and asking questions. Because remember, it isn’t about what you like, it’s about what your loved one likes.
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 22, 2013 | All is Vanity - 2013, George Sand |
It’s reasonable to assume today is day #3 of the Napkin’s ‘All is Vanity’ series.
Quicksand of Living
Here’s the thing about vanity; It’s distracted living. It’s can be while driving, or working, or talking, or texting, or studying, or dating, or exercising or having sex or….the list goes on. Vanity means you are consumed with self and how you are seen by others. This is usually accompanied by disregard for reason and logic. You do things that are dangerous, things that are counterproductive, things that are restrictive. You aren’t able to see and take part in the life you might want to take part in because your vanity won’t let you.
Quicksand of Activity
You won’t go swimming in a pool because your makeup might get messed up. You won’t stop putting on your makeup as you drive because you might be seen without it, and that just won’t do. You won’t go hiking because you might get sweaty or, sin of all sins, smelly. You won’t put on a coat when it’s freezing out because it might cover up your cute outfit.
Quicksand of Love
And in the end your consuming preoccupation with self will keep you from caring about others. You won’t be able to give love and even if you are given love, you very likely won’t be able to see it clearly over the full-length mirror you are staring into.
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Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman
Quote by George Sand (aka Amantine Lucile Aurore Dupin) 1804-1876, French novelist and memoirist
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Vanity is the quicksand of reason.
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 21, 2013 | All is Vanity - 2013, Nathaniel Hawthorne |
I am not deficient when I say today is ‘All is Vanity’ day #2
Pet Peeve
I think I have mentioned before that I have a pet peeve, a big one. I really do not like when people brag about their shortcomings. I especially don’t like it when I do it. When I found this quote and it added a new layer to my understanding why this happens.
Bad at Math
Let me give you an example. I did not excel at math in school. I didn’t flunk it, but I didn’t excel at it either. So, if a conversation comes up about math, and I am asked directly if I am any good at it, it’s a simple declarative statement to say, “No, not very.” If I am feeling hopeful and positive I might say, “No, not very…YET.” meaning I might become better at it in the future. That is how I like to think about things I am not very good at at the present moment.
Bad at Math Vanity
But what if instead, when I was asked, or even if I was not asked and I was just a general part of the conversation, I said, “I am REALLY BAD AT MATH! I can’t balance my checkbook, I can’t pay bills very well, I HATE math! I don’t understand my IRA or my 401k and I am terrible at keeping a budget!”
If I said that, would I be stating a simple declarative statement? No, I would be saying to the world, ‘I am proud to be bad at math. I think it makes me pretty cool. It shows me to be a hip artist, or maybe a cool musician. It puts me in the ‘above all that mundane crap’ world of bean counters and bureaucrats and pencil pushers.
Wrong Vanity
And I would be wrong. It doesn’t do that. It just shows me to be vain about a deficiency. I am seeing a shiny gold tooth in the mirror worth bragging about when actually I just have an ugly black tooth that really isn’t worthy of attention. It’s nothing to be proud of, nothing to brag about and certainly nothing to be vain about. What it really is, is something to be better at if you can, just like any other optional deficiency in your life.
Right Vanity
You suck at your marriage? Don’t boast of it, become less sucky at it. You don’t know how to write? Don’t brag about, learn how to write. You are a lazy bum? don’t be vain about it, get the hell off the couch and start contributing somewhere. Turn that deficiency into an available gift. Then if you want to be vain about it, go ahead.
Have you ever been vain about a deficiency? Let’s hear your insight about it.
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Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman
Quote by Nathaniel Hawthorne, from his book – The House of the Seven Gables
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“It is very queer, but no less true, that people are quite as vain, or more so, of their deficiencies than of their available gifts”
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 20, 2013 | All is Vanity - 2013 |
I hope I don’t sound vain, but this is going to be the best series on Vanity I have ever done! Here’s day #1.
Plastic Stupidity
No, I am not against plastic surgery. I know many people who have had very successful changes made to their bodies and faces this way. They are very happy with the changes and I am happy for them. I think they look great and that it was more than likely a great choice.
What I am against is someone being coerced or bullied or otherwise manipulated into getting plastic surgery so someone ELSE can feel good about themselves, make more money, have more status, get more pleasure, etc. That is stupidity talking.
What might that manipulative stupidity look like?
- Maybe it takes the form of money making, like the strip club owner who might ‘persuade’ a dancer to get a boob job she really doesn’t want and can’t afford so the club owner will make more money.
- Maybe it’s a husband who bullies his wife into an eye lift so she will look more ‘western’ and he in turn feels more successful having a more ‘western’ looking wife.
- Maybe it’s a mother who pushes her daughter to have a nose job so she is more likely to get a husband which the mother wants so she can have grandkids.
- Maybe it’s a girlfriend who convinces her boyfriend he can have the chest he’s supposedly always wanted by getting pec implants so she can feel superior to her tribe of girls by virtue of having the BF with the hottest bod.
Plastic Vanity
But a person talking stupid or coercive or bullying doesn’t turn a bad idea into reality, vanity does that. Why does that happen? Somehow their vanity has convinced themselves that;
“if I get my ________ done, then…
…I will be more _________.”
…It will make me _____________.”
…My spouse will then ______________.”
…I will make more ________________.”
…I will feel _____________.”
How would you fill in the blanks for someone acting out of plastic vanity?
Positive Blank
Sounds negative, right? But here’s the rub. Can’t someone fill in those same blanks so they are positives? I mean, men and women have plastic surgery every day and they fill in those blanks with positive words all the time. What words would be positive? Any? Many?
What are your thoughts on this?
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Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman
Quote by Victor Hugo, 1802-1885, French writer
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 18, 2013 | Travel Napkins |
Linda and I went down to Texas this weekend to visit Caitlin and go to the Baylor/Texas Tech game. We stayed at a Courtyard by Marriott and, as usual, I got up early and went downstairs to have breakfast and do some drawing and reading.
I was the only one in the restaurant at first and the woman who helped me was standing alone at the counter after I got my food. She was working on a clipboard, then was at the cash register. I caught her standing still, contemplating some numbers, and took advantage to get a quick sketch of her. She was wearing a Dez Bryant Dallas Cowboys shirt on as the hotel was doing a fall football theme.
One of the other restaurant workers happened to see me doing the drawing and told the woman, Karen, about it. She thought it was pretty cool and graciously allowed me to take her photo with the unfinished drawing. We had a good discussion about eyebrows.
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Drawing by Marty Coleman
Model – Karen of Courtyard
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 16, 2013 | Illustrated Short Stories |
Introduction
She went on vacation by herself.
Chapter One
When she looked at him she wasn’t sure if he was drowning or just goofing around. She decided he was drowning and went into the deep end and saved him. He revived and kissed her on the lips he was so happy. He looked at her lips afterward and asked if she was cold.
Chapter Two
She went down to the bar later that night and the man she saved was there with his wife. The wife didn’t have a bra on. He introduced her as the hero who saved his life. The wife didn’t smile, just shook her hand and said thanks. He asked for her address so he could send her a thank you card and a token of his appreciation. The wife glared at him.
Chapter Three
She watched them from the bar for quite a while. They both got drunk. She didn’t. She had a snack and went back to her room to watch TV.
The End
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 14, 2013 | Marty Coleman |
Lately everyone on Facebook is making a list of ‘things you didn’t know about me’. Someone posts a list and if you ‘like’ the list the list maker messages you and gives you a number. You have to then post that number of things people don’t know about you. This is a take off on that idea. My number is random.
1. You already know I am an artist and have 2 degrees in art.
You don’t know that I had to leave or was kicked out of 2 undergraduate colleges and one graduate college on my way to getting those degrees. One of those events was completely my fault.
2. You already know I was burned on 70% of my body in a boat explosion at age 18.
You don’t know that the resulting legal issues didn’t get resolved for 9 years. I got enough money to pay for most of Grad school.
3. You already know my dad, Skeets Coleman, was a famous aviator.
You don’t know that he paid for me to learn to fly starting at age 13 and I got my pilot’s license right after my 17th birthday. Even though I don’t fly now I always imagine I could land any plane in an emergency.
4. You already know that my Grandfather was a sunday painter and woodworker and taught me all sorts of things about drawing and woodworking when I was very young.
You don’t know that he was President of Encyclopædia Britannica for many years.
5. You already know that I am exhibiting artist.
You don’t know that my first exhibition was of nude figure drawings in the Darien High School library in 1973. I was 18 and a senior. No, I am not joking. It was a different time then.
6. You already know I taught drawing part-time at the college level.
You don’t know that I tried for 8 years to land a full-time teaching job and wasn’t able to. I finally retrained myself on computers, switched career directions and landed a job in Tulsa.
7. You already know I am a running coach.
You don’t know that I didn’t start running seriously until I was 53. I will log just under 1,000 miles this year and will run my 3rd marathon next month. It’s never too late.
8. You already know I love Oreos.
You don’t know that I haven’t eaten one in all of 2013 (so far).
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 13, 2013 | Marcelene Cox, Shop 'Til You Drop - 2013 |
Here is a fashion statement for you: Today is day #5 of my ‘Shop ‘Til You Drop’ series!
Getting To Know You – Camping
I had a girlfriend back in the early 2000’s. We got a long really well until we went camping together. She thought I was weird and picky on the trip. I thought she was weird and loosey goosey on the trip. That trip pretty much sealed our fate as being incompatible in the long run. We broke up shortly thereafter.
Getting To Know You – Cooking
I had a ‘not quite a girlfriend’ girlfriend, also in the early 2000’s. We were pretty focused on each other and it looked like we were about to become GF/BF. That is until we cooked a dinner together with me in the lead. She thought I was too intense in the kitchen. I reminded her of some relative, I think an uncle. She hated him for deep emotional reasons that somehow were triggered by how I was while cooking. We had a good dinner and a fun evening, or so I thought. But the next day she pretty much said we couldn’t go forward because of how much she disliked being reminded of this guy.
Getting to Know You – Shopping
When I was in my early 20s, single and living in San Francisco I had just started to date a woman. It was pretty much still at the friendship stage but it was leading to GF/BF status. That is until we went shopping. She had to go to a very fancy soiree for her Tennis Club, at which she was an up and coming star. We traipsed over to Union Square and headed directly to the top floor of Neiman Marcus. She knew pretty much what she wanted and focused on blue blouses to go with a skirt she already had. She found a blouse that went for $500.00. This was in 1978. That was a LOT of money for a blouse in 1978. She was 20 years old. She bought it and out we went. I expressed surprise that she would spend that much money on a blouse for one event. She waved it off and said, “Oh, I won’t keep it. I will wear it tomorrow night and bring it back. If I mess it up my mother will be mad but she will pay for it.”
I learned a lot about her during that short shopping trip. I didn’t pursue the relationship after that.
Lesson Learned
Now do I think you really can tell everything you need to know by going shopping with a woman? No, of course not. Women aren’t just their shopping habits any more than men are just their ‘tool bench in the garage’ habits. But I am saying you can learn a lot by shopping with someone, male or female. Doing something active is how you find out about people. That includes even those you have been married to for years and years.
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Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman
Quote by Marcelene Cox, American writer
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 12, 2013 | Shop 'Til You Drop - 2013 |
I’d bet money today is day #4 of our ‘Shop ‘Til You Drop’ series!
Sex and the City
This is a famous quote from the TV series ‘Sex and the City’, spoken by Carrie, the Fashionista narrator of the show. I think we all understand what she was saying – her clothes are a visual manifestation of her money. I get it and I think it’s a funny quote.
Money as Clothes, Clothes as Money
But when I imagined a closet where the clothes were replaced by actual money I saw a problem as well. What would happen if her closet (or yours) was suddenly transformed and all that hung up were the various denominational bills. Several 100 dollar bills hung on the hanger instead of the Alexander McQueen dress. A pile of 5-6 50s lay on the floor instead of a pair of Prada boots. A raft of 20s hung instead of the Hermes scarf. Those bills would be pretty useless to you in your closet.
Then again, clothes are pretty useless to you in your wallet or purse. You can’t spend skinny jeans on groceries, a cable knit cardigan on medicine or a pair of kick ass stilettos on rent.
The Aunt
I had an aunt who was obsessed with shopping. She had maybe 30 Coach bags, most of which were still unused. She had hundreds of blouses, skirts, dresses, pants that were in multiple colors…and never worn. She had trinkets and baubles and decorations up the wazoo, most of which were never seen. They had his and her Hummers.
In the meanwhile her family was in debt. The family business was having a hard time. Mortgage was overdue. Foreclosure was coming. Then she got sick and died.
We were worried about her widowed husband’s ability to recover and sustain his life. It looks for sure like he would have walk away from the house, losing it all. But, that’s not what happened. He was able to get back to work. He was able to pay down his debt and keep the house. Why? Because no one was spending anymore.
It’s great to have nice clothes. I love looking at great clothes and admire women or men who pay attention to that, I think it adds confidence to one’s life when you care about how you dress. But money is not really what’s in your closet, it’s the memory of money that’s there. If you need your money, save it in a bank, because it will never turn into money in your closet.
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Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman
Quote from ‘Sex and the City’ script, spoken by Carrie
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 8, 2013 | Pierre Legare, Shop 'Til You Drop - 2013 |
There is more than an itsy bitsy, teeny weenie chance it’s shopping day #3!
A Good Idea
I actually think a Garage Calendar might be a pretty good item to have at the counter at Victoria Secret, don’t you? A great impulse purchase to bring home to hubby.
But Seriously
But seriously, why is this statement true? Why are there no garage calendars in bikini/lingerie stores? What do you think?
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Drawing and commentary (what there is of it) by Marty Coleman
Quote by Pierre Legare, 1949 – not dead yet, French Canadian humorist
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 7, 2013 | Fitness & Health |
Coaching
As many of you know, I have a part-time job as a running coach. I am in charge of a intermediate program at Fleet Feet in Tulsa training runners for the 10k & 15k distances. I have about 14 coaches under me that run with the 8 different pace groups 3 times a week. Many of these coaches are also in training themselves, usually for the 1/2 marathon and full marathon distances.
A Doctor’s Visit
Earlier this season one of my coaches, Angelika (pronounced with a hard G, like ‘guide’), broke a bone in her foot. Her husband had to be out of town on business so I recently accompanied her to the Doctor’s office for a procedure to help get rid of the scar tissue on the bone and hopefully facilitate it healing.
The procedure is called extracorporeal shock wave therapy. Same type of thing used for breaking up kidney stones. It sends very powerful waves into the location with the intent of breaking up the scar tissue that is at the broken ends of the bone, keeping it from reattaching and healing.
The marks on her right leg are due to her having to have it in a boot all day. She had just come from her job as a nurse, where she has to be on her feet sometimes for 12 hours at a time.
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The Numbing
The procedure is very painful so for it to take place she had to have her foot at the spot of the break numbed. One of the reasons Angelika was so nervous about the procedure was she knew it takes a LOT for her to be numbed. She’s had horror stories from her youth about going to the dentist and them not being able to numb her enough to do the work necessary. She made sure to tell the Dr. and his assistant of this. They gave her extra and waited longer for it to take effect, just to make sure. She was still worried it wouldn’t be enough.
The x marks were put on by the doctor to let him know where he needed to numb the foot. I felt bad for the turtle since it looked like it had been shot in the head. At this point we are waiting for the Lidocaine to take effect.
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The Hammer and Chisel
This is how it looked as the procedure happened. The black round thing up against her foot is filled with water. The shockwave is pulsated through it directly to her foot. The machine makes a very loud hammering sound, so loud we were required to wear ear plugs. The goal was to have 2800 pulses hit the foot, which should take about 30 minutes.
The procedure took a while so I spent a bit of time drawing her in my sketchbook as she lay on the table.
It turned out Angelika was right. The Lidocaine dosage was not enough. She was in increasing pain as the pulses went on. She said it felt as if someone was taking a chisel to her bone. The procedure was stopped and a second dosage was given. It helped a little bit but in the end she just had to bear the pain and get through it. She is a very tough woman.
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The Hope
But, after a tear or two, she made it through. She definitely wants people to know that if they want to avoid this sort of travail, listen to your body and stop running (or whatever it is you are doing) when your body says it’s hurting! Get it checked out and find out what is going on before doing further damage.
She (and her running friends) are very hopeful this procedure will be worth the pain and her bone will heal up in the next month or so. We are looking forward to her running with us again.
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Drawing, photos and essay by Marty Coleman
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 6, 2013 | Mignon McLaughlin, Shop 'Til You Drop - 2013 |
I love/hate that today is #2 of my ‘Shop ‘Til You Drop’ series.
Ok, fine. This is not just about women.
Losing It
I recently lost about 25 lbs. As a result some of my clothes don’t fit. Most of my pants I have noticed it all along, except my jeans and some of heavier material, which I do not usually wear during the summer. I started wearing them this fall and in some of them I look like a baggy bag man. I also didn’t wear many long sleeves shirts over the summer and early fall. But now I have had a number of times I tried on my long sleeve shirts only to find they are similar in look to Seinfeld’s Puffy Pirate Shirt. Not the look I am going for. Combine one of those shirts with one of my baggy pants and I am baggy bag man extraordinaire.
Buttoning It
I did find a great shirt in the back of my closet this past weekend, perfect to wear out to a gallery opening and dinner with Linda. I put it on remembering it used to be too tight. I knew it would fit perfectly now and it did. Only one problem. There is a button missing right at the belly button. I remember losing it but didn’t really care because the shirt didn’t fit and I knew I would probably never wear it again. Oops.
Ironing It
So I finally found a shirt that wasn’t a puffy pirate shirt and went searching for a pair of pants. I found what seemed like the only pants I had that fit that weren’t thin summer pants, too dressy or jeans. Hadn’t worn them in a while but maybe I hadn’t worn them in so long they were from when I was thinner, way back when. Or maybe they came from that consignment shopping trip I did in the spring, I had no idea. I tried them on and I wasn’t immediately baggy bag man.
However, they were ridiculously wrinkled and had dust on the fold over the hanger and that meant I had to iron them and use one of those sticky roller things on them. But Linda was taking a nap and I didn’t want to wake her. You know what an ironing board sounds like when you pop it open? They are never silent, they are always squeeky and squeely. I tried, but it made the noise it was destined to make from the beginning of time, and woke Linda up. I think she thought it was a dog making a weird sound, not me. So I let her believe it. I ironed my pants and I looked slightly non-baggy bag man for the day.
I need to go shopping.
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Drawing and story by Marty Coleman
Quote by Mignon McLaughlin, 1913-1983, American Journalist and Author
Mignon McLaughlin
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 4, 2013 | Adrienne Gusoff, Shop 'Til You Drop - 2013 |
Shop around if you want, but here’s where you will find Day #1 of ‘Shop ‘Til You Drop’!
True or False?
Actually, I would say from the level of divorce in recent decades that sex (or at least relationships the sex is part of) is becoming more like shopping. You can return the product, but that doesn’t mean you are going to find anything particularly better.
What do you think, is shopping better than sex?
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Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman
Quote by Adrienne Gusoff, born in the 20th century – not dead yet
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 1, 2013 | Monday in Sunrise - A short story |
Prologue
Sunrise, just like any town, has a population of secrets. Some are trivial, blown out of proportion in a person’s mind. Some are serious and could have dire consequences if they got out in the open. Her’s was in the latter category. The secret was from many years ago, in another city in another state under another name. It was a safe bet the secret would never be known unless it came from her and, over 20 years time, she hadn’t ever come across a scenario compelling her to tell it. As a result, it had faded from her memory. When general stories about that sort of secret had come to the fore, maybe via a news report or a movie dealing with the topic, she didn’t dwell on it long. She had learned how to turn off the thoughts that went in that direction. It was something from long ago and that was all.
Chapter One
It was a Monday in October when she moved in next door. I met her when I came out to get the mail. She had just opened up her small rental moving truck and was starting to unload. My cat, Coffee, was rubbing up against the ramp that went from the truck to the garage and Mary was bending over, petting her. I walked over and introduced Coffee and myself. She responded in kind, saying her name was Mary. I had never seen a truck so tightly and perfectly packed in my entire life.
I joked, “Wow, that is amazingly full, it looks like you vacuum packed your stuff.”
She laughed and said, “No one has ever accused me of not knowing how to pack it up!”
Her eyes crinkled up as she smiled. Her light brown hair was down, about shoulder length, with a sweep towards the inside of her jaw. She had a light set of bangs. I noticed a little bump in her nose and strong eyebrows. She had on a gold and green sweatshirt and a pair of dark blue shorts, with tights underneath. Worn-in running shoes were on her feet. I wasn’t sure of her age but thought about 40 wouldn’t be too far off.
I had just finished my writing for the day and was taking a break until my next task. She didn’t seem to have anyone else around so I asked her if she needed any help. She looked at me and laughed, saying, “This? This is nothing. I have it, thanks.” I got the distinct impression she was the independent sort.
I said goodbye, picked up Coffee and said, ‘Let’s go Coffee, I don’t want you getting in her way.”
She said, ‘Thanks, she wouldn’t but I am already wanting to steal her from you so you better take her.”
I told her she could come knock on my door if she ended up needing help moving something. I went back in to pay bills, send invoices and do the drudge work of having my own business. I am not good at that side of things but I have trained myself to suffer through it so I don’t completely crash and burn as a freelancer. Coffee sat purring on my lap the whole time. After about an hour I heard a knock on the door. Mary was there, glistening a bit from the lifting but still smiling. She had lost the sweatshirt, and was now sporting a light blue short sleeve running shirt. Her hair was now back in a loose ponytail.
She said, “Actually there are a few things I can’t carry by myself, would you be willing to help me?”
I smiled and said, “Ah, turns out to be a little more than nothing, eh?”
She turned back towards her house quickly and said simply, “Yep.” The back of her shirt had a drawing of a woman running and said, ‘Does my ass look fast in these shorts?’ I didn’t say a word but I decided it did.
I followed her to the truck to find only 2 pieces of furniture left. One was an old beat up dresser, the other a small but ornate table. I took the near end of the dresser and walked backwards with it as she told me which direction to turn throughout the house. We made our way to the master bedroom where we put it on the short wall next to the door. The drawers were already piled nearby. I noticed a piece of something glittery laying on top in one of the drawers. She quickly turned out the light and led the way out.
The last piece was the ornate table. It was covered, top to bottom, including the legs, with intricately inlayed pieces of mother of pearl and different colored woods. I hadn’t seen anything like it before. As we carried it I asked her where it came from.
She said, ‘I don’t really know. My father found it in an empty house he was looking at for possible purchase many years ago. It was the only piece in the house and the realtor said the owners hated it and wanted to sell it. My father bought it right then for $500.00. He said it might be Moroccan, or maybe Syrian, but we don’t really know.”
As we set it down in the living room she pointed and said, “It came with these two chairs as well.”
Two equally detailed chairs were sitting off to the side. I definitely was wanting to ask more questions about them but she was already walking back out towards the garage where we came in. We got outside and she firmly pulled the back of the empty truck closed and pushed the ramp back in under the body.
She looked right at me, her smile with the crinkly eyes apparent again, put out her hand to shake mine and said, “Thank you very much. I really appreciate it. I have to run, got to return the truck by noon or I have to pay for another day. Thanks again.” She jumped in the cab and pulled out of the driveway aggressively.
I waved and said “Your welcome.”
Coffee was rubbing up against the corner of her house.
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This is the second in a series about a fictional town in Oklahoma named Sunrise.
You can read the first short story, Sunday in Sunrise, here. It was written in 2011.
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