What I Love Wednesday: The Buried-in-Reports Edition

The end of the year is never easy, especially if you work in Res-Life. There’s many tearful goodbyes, the scrambling for final staff bonding opportunities and, of course, the avalanche of reports that come with closing down halls. So this whole lack of posting? Blame my job. I know I am. On the bright side, I have most of the smaller reports done at this point, so I’m feeling pretty accomplished. I derive a huge amount of pleasure out of checking things off of to-do lists, so my Epic To-Do Closing List of Awesome-ness is looking pretty checked right now. Sweet! Beyond that, here are some other things I’m digging at the moment.

• My weekend getaway! I’m road tripping to Wisconsin to meet up with two very good friends I worked with in Res-Life at NMU. It promises to be a weekend of reminiscing, lots of laughter and more than a few girly drinks. I cannot wait!
• The past couple of episodes of Glee. First off, Tuesday had two episodes, which equals bliss for me. But beyond that they were two of the best episodes of the season! Minor character plot-lines, major developments, sentimental moments and fantastic performances totally made the two hours incredible. And I want to own every song they did! Also, Unique? Could be the best addition to the show since Blaine doo-wopped his way into my heart last year. I love her! (Sidenote: writers, the group always does better when they’re not performing songs from this decade. They shine with songs from the 70s, 80s and 90s. Take note!)
• Text dates. My boyfriend and I text religiously during Thursday night NBC comedies, The Voice and SNL. It’s a fun way to stay connected. I also text my friends during the aforementioned Glee. It helps me feel closer to the ones I love who live hundreds of miles away. I’m so appreciative of that!
• Big Lots. A friend tipped me off that they had Philosophy cosmetics there for super-cheap. I ended up finding highlighter and smokey eyeshadow for $2! Woohoo! They also have a lot of cute home decor there, so if you’re looking to redecorate head there for some fun, cheap finds.
• Family recipes. I made an old Finnish family recipe for my staff over the weekend and they loved it. I love cooking recipes handed down from my mom. I feel so connected to her and the generations before me. Once I move I’ll need to try a lot more of them.
• My staff. They’ve challenged me so much this year and I’m a better professional because of each of them. I miss them, but I’m so glad for this year and how much we’ve learned from each other.

What I Love Wednesday: The One About Gay Marriage and Shopping

Oh, final week of school. You? Are not my friend. You have the tendency to turn rational, proactive, intelligent students into glassy-eyed zombies who may or may not be driving me crazy. My patience may or may not be running out…and it’s only halfway through Closing Week. I will get through this…I will get through this…

I need to focus on, um, not being driven crazy. And so, here are the things I’m loving this week:

• President Obama. More specifically the fact that he publicly announced his belief in gay marriage today. This makes my heart happy on so many levels. There’s far too much hatred and bigotry in the world–I’ve seen how it can hurt and destroy people. It devastates me. To know that our President supports something that I so deeply believe in is a beautiful and profound thing. His bravery inspires me and gives me hope in this time of Tea Party craziness, legalized bigotry and the crazy-ass War on Women. (Plus, the unicorn picture makes me giggle.)
• The Colbert Report. Oh, how it makes me happy with it’s giddy send-up of the crazy conservative right. Stephen Colbert never fails to make me smile.
• Flea markets. (It needs to be noted that I just spelled flea as f-l-e-e. I need a vacation.) I adventured to one this past weekend and found several pairs of gorgeous vintage earrings as well as a vintage pendant–all for under $10! I am loving this! I can’t wait to head to Florida and check out the finds at second hand stores and markets there!
• Wine. Oh holy hell how I love thee this week. Thou art Krissy’s Happy Juice.
• Bejeweled. I’m kicking ass at Bejeweled Blitz (high score of 269,000 what whaaat!!) and now I’m all about Bejeweled. It’s a good distraction and a mindless game, which is all I really need right now. (Hmm…maybe the vibe in the halls is getting to me…)
• Sister Wives. It’s back on this Sunday! Yay!!!
• Spring rolls. I blame one of my BFFs for getting me hooked on these. They’re so yummy! I could easily nosh on these a few times a week and not get sick of them.
• The Shops at Target. I love the idea of bringing high-quality, boutique-style items to the masses. The Shops are wonderful and have a lot of fun finds. My favorite shop is Privet House, which has many whimsical, vintage-esque, East Coast-style home decor. I was thrilled to find a couple of small planters that I’ll use to grow herbs once I move. They’re so charming! I hope The Shops concept keeps up at Target for a while!

And This Is Why I Love My Job

“Krissy, you have made this past year our own version of a small Disney World. We have been on multiple rides constantly going up and down throughout the semester. It has been surrounded by plenty noise, chaos, and laughter. There have been days where it seems like the villain is chasing after us. But then, our princess in sequins and leopard print steps in to save the day. Like our very own live-in fairy godmother, you have taken care of us when we need it the most. We were all so excited to meet your Prince Charming and know that he will give you the happily ever after you deserve in Florida. It has been an absolutely magical year working with you and we know that this is not the end of the story of our halls and Krissy.”

During the department’s closing banquet, there was a moment where a member of each staff gave an address to their RD. The above quote is what one of my students wrote for me. To say that this is one of the sweetest, most authentic and amazing moments of my career is an understatement.

This is why I went into Student Affairs. In this moment I knew that I’d made a positive impact on people. And I knew my hard work had not gone unnoticed.

It’s going to be really hard to say good-bye.

What I Love Wednesday: The Girly Girl Edition

What I Love Wednesdays is a series of blog posts chronicling what I adore at the moment. Feel free to add the things you’re currently loving in the comments section!

Life is fabulous! I have a 3.5 day weekend starting tomorrow evening and I am so! Flipping! Excited! Exclamation points!!! Gleeful does not begin to describe how I’m feeling right now. So this blog post is full of win about the things I’m loving at the moment!

• I’ll be in my boyfriend’s arms tomorrow night. He’s leaving on a jet plane from Florida to come and see me and I cannot wait. We haven’t seen each other in three and a half months and let me tell you–that is a long-ass time to be away from the person you love. Much cuddling will be done this weekend. Oh yes.
• Jason Segel. His interview on The Daily Show tonight is ridiculous and adorable. He’s ridiculous and adorable. I’m so excited to see him in The Five Year Engagement (which will be a part of Epic Reunion Weekend, for sure)!
• Sinful Colors nail polish. They have an amazing array of rich, gorgeous colors–and they’re $2 each at most! Plus I was able to snag a bunch of sparkly polishes this past weekend for $1 each thanks to a heads-up from my manicure-obsessed friend. (That enabler, her!)
• Pillow Pets. My staff mascot is a fluffy, mushy panda Pillow Pet and it’s amazingly cuddly. I’ve been hugging it a lot this week since I as the recipient of the trophy. Hurray! I don’t want to give him up…
• JewelMint. I got deal on an amazing, vintage-esque necklace  and I can’t stop wearing it! It’s so beautiful and romantic! Sigh. Speaking of jewelry…
• Long necklaces. As I begin to pack for the Big Move of 2012, I’m taking stock of what I own so I can downsize. One thing I apparently can’t downsize because I’m far too attached? My long necklaces. I counted them tonight and I have at least 26 of them. While innately I recognize how ridiculous this is, the Accessory Diva/Drag Queen/Glamazon Goddess in me is glowing because I love accessories. They make me happy! And I need a variety because otherwise I’ll get bored. One good piece of jewelry can transform a wardrobe. So if I have 26 of them, think of all the amazing possibilities! Wheee! Jewelry!!!
• The fact that it’s National Princess Week. Yes, I know this is a made-up thing (likely by the Disney Corporation). Yes, I realize I should probably find this vile on some level. Yes, I actually do agree with this article. And highly recommend this book. But the very girly Disney lover in me is loving that there IS a Princess Week. Let’s see how many sparkly things I can wear to celebrate!!!
• My favorite author EVER has a new book coming out in less than a week! Jen Lancaster originally talked about the concept for this book when I went to her book signing three years ago. I LOVE the idea for it and while it irked me that it took her a while to write about these experiences, I’m grateful that she truly put in the time and effort so that she could come out with a quality book about this project. That’s the mark of a quality writer! Jeneration X promises to be hilarious, engaging and creative. I cannot wait to rush to Barnes & Noble on Tuesday to purchase my copy!
• This website. Because if you’re a child of the 90s like me, every other click will have you going “AHH!”, “EEE!’ or “oh HEYYY I LOVED THAT!!” Just click it.

Sunday School: the Treasures Found Edition

After a short hiatus, Sunday School is officially back in session! Let’s get right down to the lessons I’ve learned over the past few weeks, shall we?

• Moving soon = packing = cleaning = interesting things found. And by “interesting things found” I mean that I’ve found things I forgot I had. Nothing big, but I’ve definitely happened upon some awesome things, like the pair of vintage earrings I’d purchased from Portabello Road in London during my first excursion abroad in 2005. I seriously thought I’d lost those after I moved from Marquette. And yet, I found them hiding in a tiny bag in the corner of a storage box under my bed. SQUEE!!! I also have found a lot of relics from my college years, like some fantastic pictures of friends that I’d forgotten I’d snapped and my pin from my Mortar Board ceremony my senior year. These are all souvenirs from important moments in my life and as I’m preparing to write a new chapter of my life, I’m also revisiting moments from my past. It’s a lovely and profound thing.
• Moving soon = cleaning out the closet hardcore. Even better, it means selling clothes to upscale second hand stores. Since my style is always evolving and I’m OK with spending money on style, I had some great things that can be passed on to other fashion lovers. And in turn I get cash. I’m more than fine with this. Yay extra money!
• Super-gluing tiny things onto tiny things will never endwell.So I found out when I tried to glue a tiny pink gem back into a small, intricate stud earring today. If I didn’t care so much about the earring (it’s a souvenir from Russia–anyone sensing a theme yet?), I’d have just said “screw it” but it’s such a gorgeous piece of jewelry that I nearly glued my thumb and forefinger together not once, not twice but three freaking times in an attempt to repair the earring. Eventually I won the battle, but the glue is still on the tips of my fingers. I fear I may have lost the war here.
• Job searching SUCKS. Looking for a job in a new area of the country is not easy when the field isn’t that large and there aren’t many jobs that you qualify for. Every day brings a little more anxiety as my move date creeps closer and closer. No uplifting message here–I just want anyone wondering about my life to know that I’m trying to find a meaningful job as hard as I can and I feel like a failure since nothing seems to be panning out yet. On a related note…
• It’s really fucking hard to stay positive when you’re majorly stressed. Even for this silver-lining-sunny-side-up-life-is-faaabulous!! girl. I fear it may get harder as I box up my life and prep to move to one of the most humid places in America.
• Planning for fun keeps me sane. I’m trying my damned-est not to stress too much about everything. One of the ways I’m doing that is by thinking about all the fabulous things that await me in Florida. The top one, of course, is my patient, wonderful boyfriend–I’m excited to take this next step with him. I’m also excited to reconnect with my friends who live around the state. I haven’t seen some of them in years, so epic reunions will be soothing to my soul. Additionally I want to explore a lot of different areas around my new home: where the good restaurants are, what sunset is like at the nearby Japanese Garden, what South Beach is really like (don’t get me started on the Art Deco architecture–SO EXCITED to see all of that), how long it really takes to get to Disney World… Living in a new state and area of the country means many new adventures–I couldn’t be more geeked for them!
• Ice Loves Coco is a great show. Don’t judge! It’s true–the dynamic between these two dynamic yet incredibly different people is so interesting to watch.  They have a strong, loving marriage and it’s clear they genuinely value each other and put their partners’ needs first–we could learn a lot from Ice-T and Coco-T.

That’s what I got for now. My life is all about being proactive and trying to make this transition as smooth as possible. It’s not easy (nor fun) but it’s necessary. May this next week bring more life lessons and positive moments!

What I Love Wednesday: The Three Days Late Edition

 

Like I wouldn't do this if I had a pet.

What I Love Wednesdays is a series of blog posts chronicling what I adore at the moment. Feel free to add the things you’re currently loving in the comments section!

Life as a live-in professional, in case you didn’t know, can be quite busy. Especially if you’re the professional on duty for the campus. Which is me this week. Hence this edition being three days late. Instead of grumbling about how annoying that is (check my Tweets for those moments), I instead choose to focus on the good. Here are the things I’m loving right now.

• Essie nail colors. I swoon every time I see the displays in Target, but I can’t bring myself to spend $8 on a bottle of polish. For a hall-wide spa night program I decided to buy a few (because my students deserve great things!). I decided that if I was impressed with the colors and quality it could be worth a splurge. Two days after applying “In Stitches” I can’t stop gazing at the deep pink color because it’s so lovely. I shall indulge in Essie once my budget allows for it!
• Purging crap. With a move coming up in about five weeks, I’ve gone into Minimalist Beast Mode (MBM) and have begun clearing drawers, closets, nooks, crannies, boxes and containers to get rid of anything that no longer has any use or that I haven’t utilized in a while. About 65% of my earrings were divvied up between my students, there are several bags of clothes waiting to go to Goodwill and the bookshelves are quaking because they know their contents are next. It feels good to be shedding the stuff I no longer need in my life.
• Getting cash. A great big “duh” for sure, but some of my nicer clothes were able to be sold to a local upscale consignment shop. WOOHOO! I love me some cash for the clothes that no longer fit my style!
• Draw Something. This app is so. Much. Fun! Plus I get to see which of my friends are artists and which ones have skills that rival kindergarteners. Either way, it’s fun as hell.
• Birch Box. Yay for upscale samples! I’m in beauty supply heaven!
• The Voice. I’ve loved it from the start this season, but it’s definitely my show of the week since Blake decided to use his (very whiskey’d up) brain and kick RaeLynn off the show. Thank GOD. Her voice was terrible–I can’t believe she made it so far, but the show is most assuredly better without her immaturity and “country” style.
• CORGIS!!! Dear Universe: I want a Corgi so so badly. If you find a way to give me one, I will be the happiest person in the world and share the cuteness with so many.

What I Love Wednesday: The Inaugural Edition

I’ve decided that I spend far too much time focusing on the things I can’t control (mainly: no job come June due to an epic upcoming move) and stressing out incessantly. Instead of looking at the negative, I’m going to have a weekly entry about the things I adore at the moment. And this is the Inaugural Installment. Welcome to What I Love Wednesday!

What’s rocking my world this week?

• Glee! It’s back and last night episode was very promising. And so SO full of Darren Criss goodness. His version of Gotye’s “Somebody that I Used to Know” was amazing.
• Sushi. Really Japanese food in general. I love it. After a tummy full of Hollywood and Spicy Tuna rolls, I decided that Japanese food is in my list of Top Five Foods EVER. I could eat sushi and/or hibachi several times a week and not get tired of it. Florida better have some good Japanese and Asian restaurants for me to frequent!
• The 50 Shades of Grey series. I devoured the first installment (after being a tad nervous to buy it) and timed it so that I’d finish right before book 2 came out, only to find out the 2nd and 3rd books weren’t going to be released until next week. Waiting is agony. The writing is so much better than critics are saying it is and, while quite erotic (don’t read it if you’re squeamish about sex or don’t want to learn about the world of BDSM), the story of Christain and Ana is engaging and engrossing. April 17th come fast because I want to read the rest of this series, dammit.
• Manicures. I blame my lovely friend, Melissa, for getting me into them. Her nail blog inspired me to do a bit more self care and now I can’t stop painting my nails and drooling over the gorgeous Essie and OPI colors in Target. I love feeling a little more puled together with a well polished manicure. It’s a cheap luxury, which I sorely need in my stressful life.
• Hearing my residents say “you’re my favorite RD ever.” It makes me feel like I’m doing something right at a time when I feel like I’m getting little validation professionally. My students make my life. Seriously.
• The Texts from Hillary Clinton Tumblr. It makes me laugh so much. Viva la Hillary!

Secret (Not So) Single Behavior

I’m bracing myself for quite a few transitions in my life in the next couple of months: saying farewell to the place I’ve worked for three years, moving from the Midwest to Florida and–most importantly–moving in with my boyfriend. I’m slowly getting over my freak-outs about all of these things, but they do take time. Part of the moving on (and moving) process involves taking time to mourn the things I’ll no longer have. One of those big things is having my own space. For the past five years I’ve lived alone (though one could argue I’m not really alone since I share a hall with at least two hundred students) and quite honestly? I’ve enjoyed it. I love stocking the fridge with the things I love to eat and having total control of the remote. It’s good to just have a space that’s all mine. And come June I won’t have that anymore. I’m completely thrilled to be taking that next step with my love. But I’ll admit–I’m really nervous, too. This is the first time I’ll be shacking up with a partner, so I’m not really sure what to expect. I’m also afraid that I’m going to scare him away with some of my Secret Single Behaviors (aptly named by Carrie on Sex and the City about the things that women do alone, in the comfort of their apartment, away from critical eyes).

What may scare him away? Just a couple of things:

• I sleep in. Way in. This past weekend I rolled out of bed at noon each day. It was glorious. I don’t know why I sleep so much, but I know I love it. It’s not a good weekend if I don’t get to sleep in.
• I dance around my apartment to Glee and bad pop tunes. OK, so most women probably do this. But it’s a weekly ritual for me to blast the Glee version of “Valerie” and bust out some bad Broadway choreography. I also sing loudly and off key to the songs I love on my iPod and have a tendency to overplay them. Which explains why “Love You Like a Love Song” by Selyna Gomez and “How Can We Be Lovers” by Michael Bolton are both at the top of my 25 Most Played Songs list. (Thanks for keeping track of that, iPod.)
• I consider cold cereal a perfectly acceptable dinner. I also sometimes eat candy for breakfast. So I’m not the healthiest eater–this only happens when I’m stressed and/or really tired. So that’s a redeeming quality…right?
• I can spend a whole afternoon watching bad reality TV and call it time well spent.  I’ve seen those episodes of Khloe & Lamar four times already? That episode of What Not to Wear has repeated twice in the past month? Doesn’t matter–I WILL WATCH IT. Now hand me my favorite blanket and that bowl of popcorn, please.
• I can take up the whoooooole bed and revel in that luxury. I can be good about staying on my side, but there are times when I love the whole bed. There’s just something about face-planting in the middle of the bed and flopping your limbs all over because you can. Also? I steal blankets. I can’t help it, it just happens. Hopefully my adorable bedhead in the morning makes up for breaking these bedroom commandments.
• I have obscene amounts of jewelry and makeup that eat up more space than a man might think. There’s a reason why my necklaces are draped around my bedroom–I have nowhere else to put them so they’re not tangled. And I love trying new makeup brands and I think I need every color available to make a smokey eye or retro look. These are my indulgences and I am unapologetic about them because they make me happy. And it’s not like I go into debt buying the stuff. I’m fairly frugal and buy on sale a lot. Also, they’re pretty.
• I HATE grocery shopping and put it off as long as possible. It’s only when I’m eating freezer burned chicken strips or oatmeal for the third consecutive dinner that it occurs to me that I should shop for food more than once every three weeks. I hate going, I hate spending the money, I hate the stupid layouts and the bad lighting and I simply do not like doing it. Ugh.

Some of these things are quirky. Some are minor. Some are annoying. My hope is that lumped all together, it doesn’t make for a boyfriend who gets frustrated and mad and runs screaming out the door of our cute little love nest. I know that I can be a lot to handle in small doses, so I’m nervous about what it’s going to be like when we’re living in sin and the things he once found charming are now negated by my incessant Glee song and dance moments, blanket stealing and bad eating habits. This is brand new territory for me, so I don’t know what to expect with this new chapter in my life. I just hope that moving forward, he can accept my quirks and I his. After all–isn’t that what love is all about? And isn’t this the reason I’m moving–so that I can explore our relationship and what I can become as a part of it? Perhaps some of these behaviors will fade. If not, I know that there are far worse ones I could pick up on. Let’s just hope that doesn’t happen–I’m fond of who I am, Secret Single Behaviors and all.

Friday Five: Things I Want to Tell Women of All Ages (especially Teenagers)

The other day I was reading this article, about advice that this woman wants to give to teenagers. While I feel like the spirit of it comes from a place of caring and goodness, parts of it sounded hostile, judgmental and passive-aggressive  (which is ironic since she talks about passive-aggressive behavior in her article). It did give me cause to pause for a long while to think about what she was saying and why I was left feeling a bit frustrated. It’s because although the message says “you are worthy”, leading up to that great message it sounds very cynical and judge-y–which is just what teenagers need to see role modeled in their formative years.

I appreciate the article, however, because it did help me to think about the advice I’d give, not just to teens but to women of all ages. I have a unique perspective since I’ve worked strictly with college women for the past three years and during that time I’ve become both more compassionate and more questioning about a lot of things because I’ve come into my own as a feminist. All of these things shape the advice I’d give to anyone, but especially to those females who are experiencing vulnerability in their lives. I may never have the chance to tell daughters this, but I wanted the world to know how I’d advise women of all ages.

1. Societal standards suck and should not be the lens through which you view yourself and others. They are the reason why you feel like you hate your body and your hair and your curves. They are the reason you rarely see women who wear something other than a size 2 on television or in magazines. Don’t buy into these suffocating standards; recognize that beauty can come in any shade, size and sex. Don’t focus on what some may see as “hot” or “beautiful”; outer beauty fades. We live in a society that values youth and skinniness but you have to find it within yourself to rise above those oppressive standards and accept and love yourself no matter what. Please know, too, that because of these standards, society also is extremely judgmental of females and tries to tear women down, which leads to derogatory name calling and people who feel entitled to judge you. People may say you’re a “whore” or “slut” because you’ll want to explore your sexuality or call you a “bitch” if you decide use your voice or ask questions. Don’t let this stop you from doing those things. Focus on exploring who you are and let the negative influences flow over you. This will be hard to do, but know that every day women fight to do this and the planet is better off because of it.
2. You have choices, you have a voice–choose wisely. Wear what you want but know that you have more choices than what may be initially presented. Be aware of why you feel like you need a pair of $200 jeans or a shirt that hugs your chest. Is it because you really want it or because you feel like you need to fit in? You have a choice and it doesn’t need to be the skirt every other girl in your class has if you don’t want it to be. Also recognize that society expects you to wear skin-tight clothes and makeup for a reason. You don’t need to do buy into that, but if you choose to wear those things because it makes you happy, then do so with pride and don’t let anyone get you down for the choices you make.
3. Know where you’re spending your time. Try not to waste your time worrying about if you need to lose three pounds or if your hair is shiny enough. Most of your insecurity comes from external forces that bank on you buying products to make yourself feel better. Instead of wasting your time worrying about superficial things, do something that makes you happy, whether that’s running cross country, designing jewelry, playing the drums, writing poetry, reading Jane Austin or doing physics equations. Cultivate your passions and spend time devoted to your hobbies. Also spend time making memories with your friends. Doing these things are so much better than wasting time looking in the mirror wishing you fit into a smaller size.
4. Follow your heart–but take inventory of what your body, soul and mind are telling you as well. Know yourself well enough to know if your gut is twisting for a reason. Know the reasons why your heart is telling you to take Path A over Path B. Know what makes you happy. Cultivate a relationship with yourself and trust that your senses and intuition will help you make the right choices. Because they will.
5. Don’t tear other women down–it only erodes the sisterhood. We need to stop judging one another. We need to stop calling each other soul-sucking names like “whore”, “bitch” and “skank”. We need to stop tearing each other down and instead recognize that we can build a supportive sisterhood together. We need to work to build each other up. Life is hard enough as it is. The world doesn’t need more cynicism, judgement and negativity. What it needs is women who are happy with themselves as they are and women who want to extend their hands to help one another. Be a positive force in your own life and in the lives of others. Do good. Feel good. And rock the world, woman.
6. (Bonus advice) Surround yourself with support. It’s not easy being a woman, in case you couldn’t tell. We can’t do this alone, so find a sounding board where you feel safe venting, emoting and processing. Find friends you can let loose with, mentors you can turn to for advice and people who can be a support system through the good and the bad. There’s a lot of love in the world, you just have to be open to finding it. So many people care about you and so many are feeling exactly like you. Find those people, hang on to them, thank them often and then be that person for another. Like they say in High School Musical “we’re all in this together.”

Grey Area

“So you’re going to find out what all the hype is about, hey?”

I felt my cheeks get warm. I was hoping that the Barnes and Noble salesperson wouldn’t ask about my book choice, simply because adult erotica wasn’t exactly the normal thing that I buy at a bookstore in a conservative Catholic town (very close to the conservative Catholic college at which I work). But I couldn’t resist. I needed to know what all the hype about 50 Shades of Grey was about. So I simply shrugged. “I’ve heard so much about it! I can’t resist anything that causes an online scandal.”

The 6o-something year old woman chuckled. “I don’t blame you. I downloaded it myself.”

Oh? This was not how I was anticipating this conversation going. No longer was I a bit embarrassed. Now I was intrigued. There has to be something about this book if this grandmother-looking lady openly admitted to reading it.

“What do you think?” I was dying to know what this woman thought.

She shrugged as she scanned my purchase. “It’s not as bad as I thought it’d be. BUT. It is quite…quite…” She waved her hand looking for the right word.

“Racy?” Because that’s what I’ve heard about this new novel, exploring sexual themes of domination and submission.

The woman giggled. “Yes. It is quite racy. But I liked it.” She smiled, clearly pleased with her review and the book I was about to dive into. “You’ll have to let me know what you think. I’m sure you’ll be back to get the second installment next week–I know I’ll be reading it.” She grinned as I exited the store.

That short encounter was refreshing–and really telling about the kind of book 50 Shades may be. If I’m being honest I’ve been waiting to read this for over a month, ever since I read an NPR report about it and how it’s being heralded as “mommy porn” with women raving about and devouring it. While it’s not the normal kind of book I’d read, there’s a reason why I’m intrigued by the premise (the plot line of which, I read in an article, began as a re-imagining of Twilight with Bella as a young college graduate and Edward as an executive who have a kinky relationship since there’s a severe lack of action in those damn books). I’m very honest about my own sexuality and exploring things that make me feel good. I want to learn as much as I can about the many layers and subsets of sex/making love/fucking in order to better understand myself and how I can relate to others. I love sex. I love learning about sex. And I have a feeling I’m going to love reading about a woman exploring her submissive self. There’s a reason this book has gotten a lot of buzz. If it’s making women of all ages intrigued and/or excited, there may be something to it. I’ll report back once I resurface from the pages.