Doll Clothes

I am long overdue for purging closets. So, I've begun sorting and piling. I'm trying to abide by the rule that if I have not worn it in more than a year, out it goes. It's embarrassing how many items I have hung onto for so many years. Many of my business clothes are left over from my corporate days. Hmmm .... I left that position in 1997.

Some donations are only worthy of the Goodwill box but many of the suits and jackets would work for someone who is interviewing or starting to establish a work wardrobe. I take those to a local women's shelter. I dropped several beautiful (and expensive) things off the other day and the volunteer made a snide crack about the sizes.

I didn't like the comment or her tone. It hurt my feelings and it made me second guess my choice of donation destinations. I could have made a crack right back but I'm trying to work on my passive-aggressive tendencies.

But I probably won't take more donations there for a while.

Pamming

Years ago I worked in the corporate world and I had a very eclectic staff over the years. At one point, I was managing creative people (always interesting,) a print shop and bindery (very blue-collar mentality -- not that there's anything wrong with that) and several executives on the career path. I learned to change gears very quickly.

One woman who worked for me was slow and methodical. She clearly did not like her job but she did it. Every assignment or request involved taking a huge breath and letting it out as a humongous and audible sigh. My friend Abby (who does a great impression) coined this "Pamming."

I'm Pamming a lot today.

Smart People

I was one of those geeky students. College was my heyday. Name a topic and you could probably find a class about it. It's a good thing my parents were adamant about the four-year plan or I would probably still be in college.

Some people are afraid of hiring or hanging out with smart people. I do not understand this, even a little bit.

I am surrounded (and sometimes overwhelmed) by smart people. I was raised by smart people who continue to advise me. I am married to an extremely smart man. Even when we disagree, I'm learning.

When I worked in the corporate world, my goal was to hire the smartest and most creative people. I may have trained them but they also taught me. Many have gone on to successful and lucrative careers.

Now that the baby has moved on to college, the occasional political/religious debates in this house are more interesting. His opinion comes from a completely different perspective and I pay attention.

My extended family is filled with talented and creative people. I do not hesitate to ask for their advice. My circle of friends includes opinionated, educated and warm-hearted people. The oldies are a wealth of information. Even when I'm frustrated, I get it that they have something to say. They're not dummies and their life experiences are history lessons living in my home.

I know some stupid people but not very many.

One of my favorite things to say is, "I don't understand that. Please explain it to me." My first father-in-law (one of the smartest people I know) is my "go to" person on a number of topics. He gives me books and magazines. He "dumbs it down" with complicated issues to help me understand. I'm not calling myself dumb; just acknowledging that really complicated things like the Middle East take me a while to comprehend. Plus, he doesn't push his opinions on me. He lets me figure out my own opinion.

I'm never afraid to say, "I don't understand." I'm terribly afraid of people who think they know it all and can't admit they don't get it.