What a Way to Make a Living

First days are tough. Especially if you haven't had a first day experience in four and a half years. And when you know your husband has to leave you on an island in twelve hours.

Okay, so I'm just being dramatic. All in all, it was a pretty good day!

After arriving last night and unpacking every suitcase that has ever existed between mine and Steve's families, I sat there staring at my rolling rack (oh yes, there's a rolling rack. And a small closet. And three dressers. But I digress). I was completely overwhelmed with figuring out what I was going to wear the next day. For those of you who are new around here, in my former job, I was under a strict dress code of:

A.) Black bottoms or a black dress
B.) A solid colored top
C.) A black outer layer (cardigan, blazer, vest, etc.)
D.) Black closed toed shoes

Are we seeing a theme here? 

Even as I went to bed, I had no idea what I was going to show up at my new job in on my first day. I figured that better I get some sleep, and I would just wake up the following day and a gang of singing cartoon birds would select something fabulous for me. 

via

When that didn't happen, I had to figure something out on my own. Thanks again for the unrealistic expectations, Disney. 

I finally had the chance to dress like myself. And they say you only have one chance to make a good first impression. But who was I without the constraints of funeral wear? What outfit represented me and my personality, but was also professional? How does one say, "I'm super fun and you probably want to be friends with me, but I'm also way smart, reliable and completely and utterly perfect for this job that you took kind of a chance on hiring me for?"

I'm sure J.Crew has fourteen pages in an upcoming catalogue devoted to just that. But me? I was on my own. After much deliberation and continuously suppressing my desire to just wear everything I own like Joey did to Chandler that time on Friends, I settled on what I thought was the right amount of details to rock on a first day. Polka dots + Pink + Unique Jewelry + Interesting Details + Resoled Comfortable Heels = First Day on the Job Lindsay. 

working girl... minus the tennis shoes, perm & horrible plastic surgery.

I purchased this skirt at Boutique last July when I visited Stowe, VT for the first time with Steve's family. I bought it with the hope that someday I would have a job where I could actually wear it. As of this morning, it still had the tags on it. However, due to the black polka dots, I figured I would have to work in at least a solid black top to balance out the whimsy of the skirt. Because I couldn't stand the thought of wearing anything boring, I chose this button down from New York & Company with an asymmetrical origami detail on the front and layered a hot pink blazer over it (also from NY&Co, but not intentional). Being that I was headed to a new work environment, I had no clue what to expect on the temperature front, so layering seemed necessary. 

Because it's still March and not almost spring as the calendar is trying to convince me, tights were a must, as were comfortable shoes, because get this people- I am walking to work. I know. The concept boggles my mind. This is something I never imagined I would do in my life. I have never lived somewhere where this was even a hint of a possibility. I bought these Sofft brand shoes from The Walking Company a few years ago during a pretty sweet sale (they're no longer available but I would also wear these). I wore them until they fell apart because I could actually handle standing in a retail environment for eight hours in them. I brought them to a cobbler, who to my horror, told me that they were unfixable. I brought them to another cobbler- a real one, like an old Russian man whose hands were permanently stained with black shoe polish and cried until he told me they could be fixed. He resoled them, and all was right again. They don't photograph great, but they have a fun little cutout design on the top and they remind me of character shoes from my days in musical theatre in my recurring role of Second Girl from the Left. I finished it off with my necklace made from an old typewriter key and a bag from, where else? NY&Co (gimme a break, they had a lot of sales there on "work things"). 

I packed everything necessary to get me through life in a matter of a day, so needless to say, there were some things I forgot. Like an actual lunch bag (which I own three of). Steve got up before I was even awake and bought a pack of brown paper bags. If that weren't bad enough, I made him take my picture when I got to work. I know, I can't help it. 

this photo op was voluntary. for me, not steve. duh.

It gets worse. They gave me a key to the office and I accidentally put it on my keychain. Which I gave to Steve so he could drive my car around. So there I was, standing outside on my first day, locked out, with a brown paper bag lunch. Luckily, I was quickly let in by one of my new coworkers and saved the embarrassment of having to call inside to ask them to come get me, or to run screaming down the street as Steve pulled away. 

Upon entering, I was shown to my new desk. My OWN desk! I've been sharing a desk with 1-2 people my entire professional life. 

they like me! they really like me! ...hopefully.

Everyone was super nice, and aside from a few technical errors (like needing an entirely new monitor), it was a great first day. Definitely a huge adjustment from my last position, where I was basically told what to wear, when to eat, when to sit, where not to stand, etc. I didn't even know what to do when I started to feel hungry. Do I ask if I can go to lunch? It wasn't on my schedule. Does that mean it doesn't exist? No, that's impossible and probably illegal. Do I just say I'm going? How long to I know to go for? And most importantly, who can I ask all these questions of and still convince them to be my friend?!

Luckily, I found this in my brown paper bag and it helped me to calm down a bit:

nautical stationary & mini eggs? now that's a keeper.

I know, I'm sorry. The cuteness is almost nauseating. But I cannot stress to you enough what an amazing support my husband has been through this whole thing. From encouraging me to accept a job that was something I really wanted to do but kind of required rearranging our entire lives, to listening to me cry when I didn't know if I made the right decision, from forcing me to pack no matter how much I resisted, to going to the grocery store FOUR TIMES today just to make sure I would have everything I needed while he was gone, including a delicious dinner of cod and homemade french fries that was ready when I got home at 5:30. 5:30!!! I don't remember the last time I got home from work before 7:00. I mean what do people even do with the rest of their evening before they go to bed?! For me, the answer was hang up more clothes and give myself a mani. But even that only took like an hour. I need some new hobbies.

Taking him back to the boat was crushing, and realizing I would be on my own for over a week (and possibly longer after that, as he is still looking for jobs on the island/packing up our apartment) was scary for me. I held back tears as I drove back from the ferry drop off, telling myself that I was going to be strong and independent, and what's a week and half in the grand scheme of things? We have to spend the rest of our lives together, anyway. NBD, right? 

Until I got back to my room and found this:

heart.stab.

He said he was proud of me, that he loved me, and that he would find a way to make sure we were together again soon. I mean, it was like Nicholas Sparks-worthy. And for me? The girl who doesn't cook, cannot dance, leaves her clothes in piles on the floor and watches hours of bad reality TV. If that's not motivation to succeed, I don't know what is. 

So here's to what is hopefully a successful day #2, which hopefully turns into more days, then months, and so on. And a job for Steve. And an apartment on the island. And world peace, since we're asking. 

~L

PS- I am in no way getting anything from any of these companies that I have mentioned or linked in this post. I just like to share things I like. However, if they want to dress me I wouldn't be offended. I just wanted to share where I scored some of my pieces.