Recently in my Neurobiology class I’ve been teaching the students about the neural mechanisms underlying learning and memory. The ways we can learn names, faces, and dates and evoke things long forgotten from our childhood. The ways that we form neocortical assemblies behind the things we remember, where a whisper of a perfume or a few notes of a song can trigger recall of the entire memory.
I have a bit of an affinity for anything organic. And I don’t mean the label on our produce that’s become trendy these days; but rather the way nature manifests itself in fashion. A floral print, a leaf embroidery, a fruit-speckled handbag. So when this adorable necklace appeared under my Christmas tree from my best friend in Aus – a wearable planter (!) – I immediately started brimming with styling possibilities.
And just like that, we’re back to our regularly scheduled program of teaching and writing lectures and teaching again. Spring Break was a great opportunity to play a bit of catch up, but as usual, it went by way to quickly and Monday was upon me before I could even put on the brakes. But, I survived my first week back and somehow even survived the brief snowstorm we had that left all of us North Carolinians feeling as if we had just entered the Twilight Zone….
With Valentine’s Day fast approaching next week, my mind naturally goes to all of the loved-up colors in the world: reds and pinks and pastels seem to be bursting out of my closet with glee. I know there are some that see St. Valentine’s as a harbinger of gloom – but remember that February 14th is first and foremost about loving yourself.
Thank you to everyone for your outpouring of love and support after my last post. Anyone who is or has been a pet owner has to experience the pain of losing a furry companion, but it doesn’t make it any easier. Somehow, writing it on the blog is yet another step in the healing process for me – almost as if being forced to put cyber-pen to cyber paper, I’m admitting it’s real. But I felt your collective hug and it meant more to me than I can ever say.
Well that day is nearly here: The First Day of School. Of course, this time I’ll be behind the lecturn instead of sitting in the auditorium waiting to learn. I officially start my new Professorship tomorrow, and then have to impart wisdom on 94 eager (?) and willing (?) students a week later. I have to admit I’m shaking in my red sparkly boots a bit. I’ve been spending so long preparing for this moment – orchestrating the move, getting my lab samples safely to NC, building a home and frantically trying to write lectures in the hopes of being somewhat mentally prepared…
I am a proud aunt to a precocious, brilliant 4-year old (you all met her when we dazzled audiences the world over in our matching dresses). Well, one of the best parts of my day is hands-down when my sister posts the things my niece Brynn says on FB (I’m trying to get her to start a Tumblr. It is hilarious). Bearing in mind that the kid is four, she comes out with some beauties. But there was always a part of me that wondered if she really said these things, or if my sister is just an amazing storyteller with a tendency…
We’ve all heard it before – be it by a well-meaning family member, boyfriend or spouse. The question all women dread: “Just how many handbags do you NEED??” Answer: A lot.
Although I love the outside of a dress – the fabric, the detail, the embellishments – the sewing nerd in me will always love the parts you can’t see. The interior construction, the seam finishes, the thought put into the woman who may want to customize her. I also love when you can tell a dressmaker had a bit of a sense of humor. While I originally fell in love with this Greater Goods Vintage dress for her purply stripes, what truly stole my heart was the label within…
It has been raining nonstop in my corner of the world. And we’re talking all manner of rain. Big, fat saturating rain. Little spitting furious rain. Windswept biting rain. All of the above. Blustering wind, soggy shoes, and hair plastered against my face. It’s not pretty. I have felt waterlogged for weeks and less than impressed. It also makes taking blog photos that much more difficult (I know, I know, first world problems).