Old School Blogging, 5 Random Things…

I have seen this going around in the last few weeks so Nicole from Moments That Define Life and I figured we would make this the OSB topic this month.  That way, if you have already done it you can link up too!  If you have not done it, it is really a good one.  I mean 5 totally random things about yourself, how fun is that?  Mine sort of have a theme of fashion and jobs I used to have a LONG time ago.  Not sure how that worked out but I just wrote what random things came to mind about myself and my past.

As an aside:  I had to explain to a non-blogger last week what “Old School Blogging” is.  It made me really reflect on how much blogging has changed in the last several years.  This was before we did so much on Facebook, etc.  And yes, every time I do this I am reminded how much I miss “the old days” of blogging…

1. I have a collection of old antique hats, probably about 50 of them.  My parents used to love to go to antique stores during our travels when I was a girl, or just for fun, and I started collecting hats when I was about 12 or 13.  My Aunt Alice also gave me some of hers before she passed away.  I love antique/vintage hats and think they are so neat with the netting and flowers and design, however I do not do anything with them.  They are in a big plastic bag, just sitting on the top shelf in our closet and a few special ones are in hat boxes in my bedroom.  Sometimes I think about just selling them but I like each one for different reasons and I’m not sure I would get very much for them anyway… But my poor hats are just there, collecting dust…

 

2. When I was in college I took my first trip to New York City as a class for my Fashion Merchandising degree (yes, that was my major).  It was a summer course where we prepared for the trip and projects in the classroom and then took a week-long trip with a few of our professors.  During the trip we went to a fur fashion show and afterward in the lobby I brushed up against Oscar de la Renta’s back, right arm.  I remember saying “excuse me” and him turning and slightly smiling to me.  I may have almost fainted.  He was wearing a fantastically crafted grey suit and that is the only time I have ever brushed up against true fashion greatness. (On the same trip I was waiting for a friend who was shopping at the huge Crate & Barrel in Manhattan and I was sitting down on some steps because I was tired of walking.  I saw these lace-up sandals go by and as I panned up, my jaw dropped.  Rushing around the store and bossing some sales girl around was Shirley McClain.  I asked the sales girl if she was nice and she said, “No.”  That was the end of that conversation. But my eyes followed them as they went around that area of the store and I soon got a sense of why she said no.)

 

3. My roommate in college, Corrie, and I made a collage on a huge piece of cardboard that came with a poster frame one of us bought.  We passed the collage back and forth for several years after we moved away from each other and I think I still have it but if so, I am not sure where it is.  Here it is in all it’s greatness. Take a good look at it and laugh. Also notice that we signed and dated it.  This really IS a piece of art.  And memories, OH, so many memories…   I used to love to make collages but it has been a long time since I have done one. I think it would be fun to do one with the kids… hmmm…  p.s. see if you can find the picture of Helen Hunt – a few people used to tell me in college that I looked like her. 😉

 

 

4. I was a “nanny” the summer between my junior and senior years in high school.  During the day I watched a brother and a sister, she was 6, he was 8.  They were spoiled and not the nicest kids but the son was brilliant.  I would get there at 7 in the morning and he would be taking apart some small appliance just for fun and then putting it back together shortly thereafter.  But he was extremely rude to me most days and hard to control at times.  I would go home crying and I think I quit before summer was completely over.  The only thing that really made that time bearable was the fact that they had a pool in their backyard.

 

5. I was the assistant manager at a Hallmark store when the Beanie Baby craze was alive and well.  The store I managed was in a mall and we used to have a line that started at our locked screen at the front of the store, and continued past several other stores, when a new one was about to be released.  People would call the store before-hand to see if they could put them on “hold” and they would sometimes get into small skirmishes in the store as well.  When the “Princess Diana” beanie baby came out it was NOT pretty.  People can be SO rude just over things. However, they can also be lovely, as I saw one woman hand hers off to another lady when she decided she would rather give it to her than fight.  Also, people use to be CRAZY for Hallmark Christmas ornaments as well… I’m not sure they are so much anymore…

 

Do you like fashion? If so, who is one of your favorite designers?

Were you ever a nanny?

Do you have any Beanie Babies?

 

You can answer these questions or come up with your own random things about you and link up.  Actually, I recommend doing both! 😉

Join me and Nicole and tell us 5 random things about you, link up and then visit some (or all!) of the other linkers!  Looking forward to reading ALL the random things.  Also, don’t forget to tweet with us, @elainea and @MTDLBlog and hashtag #OSBlog!

 

P.S. In 5 days Precipice Volume III comes out and I will be published in a book! This is just so very exciting for me, a dream realized! You can pre-order here and the print copy comes out December 1. I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy! Thanks to all my supporters, who encouraged me to push on and helped me in any way.  You know who you are!!