Southwest Fashion

First things first--even our little grocery store that doesn't usually have any fresh produce did have little containers of cut up fruit. I bought one of grapes. Then I bought all the other fruit whole and cut it up all by myself. I'm pretty proud of myself :)

I'm supposed to be sleeping because I'm supposed to have just gotten off work. However, my body had better ideas, and that's a good thing in the whole scheme of things because I need to be packing. I'm headed to Georgia tomorrow for training...and that's a whole 'nother source of tension in the work place ("how come SHE gets to go to out of state training?" One swears there's a secret agenda for me--I think it's called I ask and harass until I get something I really want). Here's the problem with the packing thing: I live in the Southwest and the training is in the East.

Not a big deal, I'm sure you're thinking. And while I am a bit neurotic, I have confirmation from others that it IS a big deal. See, when I attend classes and trainings out here, most people wear jeans. A few wear sweats. Almost all wear t-shirts. During the summer, you might even see shorts. And for some bizarre reason, this is okay, and acceptable. I NEVER wear sweats or t-shirts or jeans to a training...I blame it on my mother. She instilled in me that you dress for success and that you represent something wherever you go. I take a huge amount of pride in representing my department, and therefore, I don't disrespect other agencies by not dressing nicely.

The other dress issue between the East and the Southwest is that what you see on the streets of the Eastern states is what you'll see in New Mexico in like 3 years. We're a bit behind. And then Los Alamos is even further behind...maybe because most cone heads don't really care what they look like (socks with sandals? Seriously, you see that everywhere in town...I did that during the winters in high school...maybe that's why I'm a failure of fashion...and it's a good thing there are still "Family Matters" reruns since a lot of fashion advice apparently comes from Steve Urkel) since it's all about the science.

What I'm freaked over now is that I'm not certain that what I have is dressy enough for the East. For example--I bought these beautiful linen pants with the intention of wearing them to this class in Georgia. I know that they'd be dressed up more than enough for New Mexico. Is linen acceptable in Georgia? I have suits, but let's face it--July is not the best time to be in Georgia. It's going to be a terrible muggy hot when I'm used to a dry hot, and my hair and makeup will already be a nightmare, so to add sweaty nasty marks into my suit jackets (I don't believe that all women glow--I sweat like a man, and the powers that be in the deodorant world allow me not to smell like a man, but I still SWEAT) would be the end of the line. I don't want to be the freak from "Mexico" that speaks English well but can't dress appropriately.

GRR.

So keep your fingers crossed that I don't create some sort of catastrophe this week. There will be a big enough mess at work awaiting my return.