Fall, Gourmet Magazine, and general grumpiness

There is a chill in the air, I'm eating oatmeal in the mornings, and lusting after cozy cowl-necks.  I sported jeans, said cowl-neck, and boots Friday night.  It felt good- even though it feels early this year, I am ready for fall.

However, I am not ready to give up my summer produce.  Winter tomatoes just make me want to cry.  I am trying to consume as much okra as humanly possible before it disappears.  My new fave is "okra fries"- roasted okra with a touch of kosher salt.  Yum- they taste just like fried okra, except they are good for you!  Just heat up your oven to 400-415 degrees.  Spray a cookie sheet with some Pam, throw your okra on there in a single layer, spray again with cooking spray, sprinkle some salt on top, and wait patiently for about 30-odd minutes.  Start checking them at 20 minutes or so, because everyone likes a different degree of crunchiness. 

It is also starting to feel like real football season- clear mornings without a cloud in the sky.  The day was gorgeous, but neither of my teams prevailed.  It was a sad day for the SEC East, and for me.  However, my outfit for the game was cute!  Only took one pic, as I was extremely occupied cheering on the Dawgs in their nail-biter against LSU.  My dress is a wrap dress, paired with slouchy brown suede boots.  I am also sporting the earrings which Gracie Beth gave me in the football swap- match my dress perfectly!

To compound my sadness over the football losses, the Tennessee Georgia game time was announced.  12:21.  That is practically morning.  How are we going to tailgate!

Then even more bad news this morning- Gourmet is being shut down.  Why doesn't Conde Nast just trim Anna Wintour's fur budget instead?   I mean, really- Domino then this!  I can't take it.

So to counteract my doom and gloom, I think I need a pumpkin spice latte.  (Friday, after visiting a meth lab inadvertently, I had to buy a cashmere sweater- at least I am economizing today with my buying things to buoy my mood).

So what fun happy things are happening?  Get me out of this doom and gloom!

INAPPROPRIATE!!

So last night at my seminar/networking extravaganza, I was distracted several times by these two "girls", one of which is in her early to mid twenties, and the other who is in her thirties.

CHOMPING THEIR GUM!

Aaarrrrrgghhh.  Yesterday, some of our nation's top scientists were speaking to us, followed by senior people in Oak Ridge National Lab, TVA and the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.  People who deserve respect and attention (or at least feigned attention).  NOT texting and gum smacking.  I was so annoyed.  However, I restrained myself from going over to the main offender (the one in her 20's) with a napkin in my hand for her gum, while stealing her cell with my other hand.  Most of the people in this program are in their late 30's to early 50's.  It's an honor and a privilege to participate now, at the beginning of my career.

Don't get my wrong- I love to chomp gum.  However, I do it in the privacy of my car or home. 

Then don't even get me started on main offender's outfit.  Since the program starts in the afternoon, and we are visiting prominent corporations, the majority of us are wearing suits.  She was wearing a tight black dress which barely passed the fingertip test.  Paired with tall pleather boots which lace up.  She works in the county mayor's office for goodness sake (as does her gum-chomping co-hort).  Ugh.

And if you are going to text- please do it discreetly under the table.  Not completely involved in your texting without a pretense of the slightest attention being paid to the esteemed speaker.

More Anna "Nuclear" Wintour Reflections

Still skinny as all get out but a little less polished back in the day, hmmmm, Anna?  Although your allegience to fur and the bob has remained a constant in the ever-changing sea of fashion, no?

This looks like a Donna Martin castoff, my dear.  Although I'm sure it was quite chic at some point in the 1990's.

Heidi Klum would be excessively concerned with the lack of support in this gold lame top (bodysuit??).  However, her clothing has remained the same in its proportions- fitted tops, flowing skirt, or sheath. 

Until you get to this lovely number-

Ya'll, in my hometown there is a drugstore with a soda fountain, that all of us have been patrons of since we were wee tots.  They have the best grilled cheese, chocolate shakes, and pimento cheese burgers around.  Mmmmm.  However, all the waitresses hate their lives, jobs and by default their customers (until you get to know them of course).  Also, as a result of the yummy food described previously, the majority of them weigh about 500 lbs. each. 

Their preferred waitress outfit-

Substitute a Tasmanian Devil for those flowers on the sweatshirt, stick a Virginia Slim in Anna's mouth, and she's ready to sling some tater tots!

Seeing these totally make up for the fact she called the nice camera-man fat in The September Issue.

These pictures were found courtesy of the Huffington Post