Painting Faces

So the big news around the office this week is that The Sleeve and one of her random Match.com dates are now Facebook official. The reason this is big news is because she has taken approximately 5 hours of each 7.5 hour workday to go to each employee's office telling them everything about their relationship in grave detail. I'm talking such detail she made a point to tell me she had to go home and wash the sheets on her bed so that she's prepared "just in case". Maybe I should have told her that whenever a man comes to your home he will always hope that is a possibility he's just waiting to gage whether or not you are going to shut him down if he casually suggests it. By the way he casually suggested that 2 weeks ago and she took the bait. Did I want to know that? Not at all but unfortunately that is part of my knowledge now and I wish I could forget it.

Anyways, she's been dating this troll for about a month now and this weekend he is taking her out of town to meet his father and step-mother. Yes I am referring to him as a troll simply because it's the first thing that came to mind after she insisted on showing me his Facebook pictures. If you saw him you would probably agree that it's a fairly accurate description for what you see. Besides, he's a troll with a good job, no baby mama drama, and a condo near the nicest park in town. I can only hope to have a troll like that myself someday.

She is very excited about this meeting because it normally means that things are getting serious when family introductions are made. He's 42 and she's 35 with a desire to have children as soon as humanly possible so she has admitted that she's okay with being on the fastrack with all of this. She seems to be in a much happier place and I am happy for her because I am a big supporter of women in the over 30 club finding love especially when society tells you it's nearly impossible (except of course for those OurTime.com commercials that makes finding love over age 50 as simple as a few clicks). My only issue with all of this is that she has finally begun to wear makeup and style her hair but only on the days that she knows she will see him. I've been working with her for about a year and a half now and ever since my first day there she has looked like a hot mess every day. We have meetings with various administrators and executives on a regular basis yet she she still comes to work with uncombed hair and not a stitch of makeup regardless.

She also wears the same 4 outfits every week. This consists of two 3/4 sleeved fitted t-shirts 1 solid color and 1 print and 2 solid color long sleeved sweaters. On Friday's she wears jeans and an oversized t-shirt with a Disney character on it. In the Spring and Summer she switches out the sweaters for an argyle cardigan and a lace camisole. It's not about the amount of clothes that she has because I believe you only need to have a few staple pieces for work but they should be professional. She has worked at Lane Bryant for 10 years and they are known for having fun and chic clothing for plus size women. She actually boasts about all of the cute clothes that she has collected from them over the years with her generous 40%-50% discounts and at this point in her weight loss journey she's wearing the smallest size they have at the store. Have I ever seen them? Unfortunately I have not. However, whenever she knows she's going out to dinner with the troll she runs over to the store to buy a new outfit just to go to Applebee's. Are you freakin' kidding me?

Why do some women save all their best stuff just to impress a man? Shouldn't you care how you present yourself to all human beings? I literally have spent hours listening to her talk about a wide range of nonsense but she never dresses up for me. The troll gets all the goods and I am offended.  I would appreciate seeing a little color on that ghostly face from time to time. The Sleeve has spent the better half of her life commiserating her single status but she walks around looking like sad sack. Now that she's met someone she can't seem to believe her good fortune. It's amazing what can happen when you slap on some concealer and a smile isn't it? Everyday I strive to do my best and that includes looking my best because I want to experience the best that life has to offer in all facets of my life. It doesn't require spending an absurd amount of time or a fortune to look pulled together when you leave your house in the morning but you should do it because you want to present your best self all the time and not just when you think someone will be watching you. Trust me someone is always watching you. It's amazing the opportunities that can present themselves when you choose to put your best out into the universe everyday and it can be something greater than meeting a random guy although that's always fun when a free meal is involved.

Sorry to disappoint you but this week's obsession is not clothing but instead I leave you with the beautiful scene pictured above. A friend of mine recently returned from a vacation to West Palm beach with her mother. They stayed at the Four Seasons there and she cannot stop singing the praises of the staff there. She says they actually cried the morning they checked out of the hotel because they didn't want to leave. It is a place where the answer to any question is "Of course we can do that!" Naturally I believe this is the life I was meant to live. I am now obsessed with my desire to go there and experience all this for myself. If I put my tax return towards the trip instead of towards a few months of student loans (who am I kidding part of it is going to a pair of Tom Ford sunglasses) I should be able to afford a few days in paradise in September. I will be calling the hotel in the morning to inquire about the average cost of a tennis lesson with one of their local pros.