Welcome back to another edition of this old broad. My spouse says I have broad shoulders and the older I get, the broader I, uh... become? Well, actually my weight has been steady for a couple of years...
Now that I've probably offended someone. No offense intended. I never use the term in that context, like that might be the first time I've ever uttered it either verbally or typingly. (Is that even a real word? If not... It is now! Get Merriam-Webster on the phone, STAT!)
A quick, goofy story about that word from 40+ years ago. I had bought a used Pinto hatchback for $1100 and as much as history doesn't look favorably on the Ford Pinto and the "huge number of deaths" caused by rear impacts. The legal allegation was that there were hundreds or thousands of deaths in rear collisions but the reality was the number was in the dozens. My car was from model year 1977, after the modifications were mandated by federal government. I digress. I bought that car with 77000 miles in winter or spring of 1984. It was a decent and reliable little car. The hatchback meant it could swallow fairly big things and it earned by quite a bit of money doing side jobs moving household goods for strangers. Tie a sofa on the roof and slide loveseat in the closed hatch, drive it 10 miles, tote it into an apartment and snag a quick $20. Gotta be resourceful when you're young!
Spring of 1985 comes and I'm wanting to buy a new car. I was a nineteen year old working at a minimum wage job, hauling furniture and other household goods in my yellow Pinto and needed to go upscale. I go to the dealers looking at the new cars, gee I'd like a Mustang! Oh, look at that Mercury Capri! Wow, a Honda Prelude and that new CRX is great! Back to the Ford dealer, oh I could afford a Ford Escort but that two seat EXP is cool!
image courtesy slashgear.com https://www.slashgear.com/1477079/ford-exp-guide/
My dad says to me, "You don't want a two seat car, what if you go out and a bunch of broads want to go with you?" Yeah, he went there. The reality was that I was never a "player" like that and the likelihood of filling the car with a bunch of random women never actually happened. I look further at the Escort and realize that there was a mid-cycle refreshing of the Escort for spring 1985 including a bigger engine and a more modern front and rear fascias. After reading up on the differences I was sold me on the newer model. In 1985, I bought a new car for under $7000 while working at a minimum wage job... Full disclosure, while minimum wage was $3.35 I probably was up to $3.75 and ridin' high while rollin' in the dough taking home $130 per week. I bought a new 1985.5 Escort L and sold that 1977 Pinto for $1200 after driving it about 17000 miles in a year. I drove the heck out of that Escort for 8 years and put almost 120000 miles on it. Like the Pinto, it was mostly a great ownership experience with few problems and inexpensive to drive.
This same Dad of mine joked that if I were born a few days later, I'd have been named Chris in honor of Indigenous People's Day. I'd asked him a few years ago about this and he said "aww, I was only joking." Friendly reminder to parents out there, BE CAREFUL OF WHAT YOU SAY TO YOUR KIDS! Kids don't always know when something is a joke or satire or just being said as a gag! I've always tried to be aware of the things I'd say to my kids when they were young because I knew they were little sponges, picking up on things like "we were going to name you Chris," or calling women "broads," or overt racism/sexism/homophobia, or using abusive or offensive language. I think I was lucky since my parents were not users of the N word and didn't speak poorly of people who were non-white around me. I do think they were a product of their time and probably had some of the "isms" that they tried to keep suppressed. I know my Mom's stepdad had lots of the "isms." I know he was a sexist, racist and probably closeted.
Yesterday was our annual visit to the Age of Chivalry Renaissance Festival in Las Vegas.
https://lvrenfair.com/
Every year, my goal is to try to look like a woman of ill repute and instead come across appearing to be a robust 15th century woman wearing modern sandals. I remember the first time I went with the kids as adults was the time decided I won't be wearing male clothing here again.
The weather in Southern Nevada has been affected by Hurricane Priscilla
Photo courtesy FB dot com user Tedd Florendo
We've experienced: rain, thunder/lightning, wind and the worst thing for desert dwellers: HUMIDITY! When I was getting dressed I had pulled out one of the silicone breastplates in hopes of wearing it and having a formidable bustline. I pull it on with help of my spouse, the skintone is a bit lighter than my actual color but with the right clothing, it works. I get my skirt and notice a huge tear in the fabric at the front. Not necessarily a bad thing but I wasn't expecting it and put that option aside. All this time, I'm moving about the house, topless in the breastplate. It's probably about 75 degrees with at least 50% humidity and I'm getting warmer and wetter with ever step. I make the executive decision to skip the breastplate idea. We remove the boobs; both the silicone and my skin are completely soaked. Good call! Time to rethink the entire outfit. I dig through my stuff and find a thin brown skirt. It's nearly sheer. It fits! I grab the tattered white blouse I own exclusively for fairs and festivals and try to figure out how to best present the girls. Many postings ago on July 2, I'd shared my buying and trying the long line bra from Exquisite form. I chose to wear the black version yesterday. Review update; The boning on the right flank would poke me when I sat in a vehicle. It wasn't a fatal flaw is I'd guess that it is related to operator error.
Knowing the sheerness of my skirt, I needed something to add a bit of modesty. From the same auction house, I'd recently bought a satin chemise knowing that I wear it as a slip or nightwear.
Also not me!
https://www.amazon.com/lime-flare-babydoll-lingerie-sleepwear/dp/B07WPQCCQ1?th=1&psc=1
Quick review, good call! Comfy and made me feel like a million bucks!
I tried it over my bra, under the blouse & skirt and it was a great combination. I chose to tie the blouse, leaving the black lingerie exposed. Every time I'd look down, I'd see the shape of breasts and feel great and a bit too exposed. Every time I wear a new top that has a deep V cut, I feel like I'm naked and on display. It's weird since I believe in bodily freedom and support the right for men or women to dress as we wish AND I also believe there should be no shame for having whichever body shape or size we have. I guess the ambiguous feelings are just lingering pieces of the puritanical repression prevalent in western society.
We were still experiencing wind when we got to the shuttle parking lot. I get out of my van and the wind pulls a Marilyn on me, lifting my skirt. Good thing I took the advice of my youngest by wearing boyshort panties under the skirt! Overall, I made a good decision in my clothing choice. Looking at the photos from yesterday, I look a bit sloppy but my clothes were okay. Aside from the very long wait for the shuttle to collect us, the whole event was as much fun as every other year. It used to be a good excuse to get out of the house wearing my preferred clothing but now it's about the experience. The experience was great. I didn't interact with many people but there was on that stood out. Walking around, a woman in a lovely dress complimented ME about my outfit! It was totally out of the blue. Dang, that was a huge ego boost!
As we were leaving the event last night, I jokingly said to my youngest that I wasn't slutty enough. I've always wanted to be farther on the naughty scale for one of these events. I guess I have a year to really plan. (Or another year to procrastinate?)
Yes, I turned 60. I think I felt every one of those years with each step I took yesterday. I wore a pair of Clark's sandals yesterday. These sandals never impressed me with their comfort but are generally tolerable. I don't know if it was humidity or footwear choices I've made recently that caused my discomfort or a combination of these and other factors like age... I've been wearing new heels to work. My back has been feeling a bit stressed lately. That also could be a factor. I'm trying to keep a positive attitude about aging. Living openly is possibly the best thing I've done. Going out wearing whatever I like brings me joy.
Are there still jerky people who misgender me? Yup. They're just ignorant twits.
Current events:
According to major world governments:
- I'm someone who should be institutionalized because of my choosing to live openly.
- Because I'm critical of the current administration, the government wants me arrested for being a terrorist.
- I'm also a conservative target because I'm against fascism. I'm glad to align with the anti-fascist movement. All those times George Soros allegedly sent checks to "resisters," I wish I had gotten some of those fresh, sweet dollar bills!
I'm not sitting quietly. I'm not hiding or quivering in the closet. I'm sixty years old. I've played by the rules for my entire life. I treat others with the respect I expect be shown to me. I've worked hard and paid my way through life. We all need to participate to protect our nation's democracy.
Here's your daily reminder to go out and live your life. Stand up for your Constitutionally guaranteed rights to freedom of speech, your freedom of/from religion, your freedom to protest, your freedom of movement and all the other protections laid out in the Bill of Rights and US Constitution.
Here's a quick link to our nation's highest law.
https://ballotpedia.org/United_States_Constitution
We're here today. More people are coming out daily. We have the support of a large percentage of the population; our leaders seem to think that repression is the best path forward. Again, see the paragraph and link above!
Have a great week.
Do something special for yourself. Get an extra cup of coffee at Dunkin Donuts. Have your brows waxed. Get your ears pierced. Buy a new dress! Get your nails done. Mine are black with spider webs drawn on the "ring" fingers! Never had them done in black or had a design and I love it!
Life's too short to not get the most out of it.
Thank you for viewing my page.
Heather
