The O-town Scene

Fashion Dieting Gifts challenge diet resolve When I was a kid, one of my favorite parts of summer was back-to-school shopping. This was partly because I was a huge nerd and actually looked forward to going back to school. But it was mostly because I got to pick out a bunch of new clothes. The shopping trip lasted all day and in- volved visiting at least five or six department stores. Although there were a few battles with my mom (I recall repeated pleas for Guess jeans, which were deemed too expensive), it was mostly an amicable process, and one that I enjoyed hugely. When we got home, my sister and I would sort out our new clothes and dash off into bathrooms or bedrooms to start trying on, modeling and critiquing our new acquisitions. Had it been 2010 and not 1990, we would have been posting haul videos on YouTube (Google that if you don’t know what I’m talking about). Instead, we did the next best thing and called our friends to tell them about our fantastic new wardrobes. I still love shopping today. The cornerstone of any trip I take involves finding the nearest thrift store. My reaction to the first days of fair weather in spring isn’t to or sun- I buy hike, or garden, bathe: instead, clothes. So my commit- ment to Emily Popek (above) is on the Fashion Diet, and has whittled her wardrobe down to a minimal number of pieces while she is living nomadically, waiting to move into her and her husband’s new house. I really can’t go another week without a dif- ferent pair of pants, I have my small plastic security blanket, my get-out-of-jail-free card, that will allow me to cheat on my fashion diet without spending any actual money. The second is an actual garment, which I also got for Christmas: a handkerchief-hem linen blazer from Mod Cloth. I have already mentally worked this blazer into my wardrobe and can think of about 10 outfits I would like to wear with it. “I have been carrying it around ... the way a smoker who’s trying to quit hangs onto a pack of cigarettes.” this fashion diet is being sorely tested by two things. The first is the JC Penney gift card I got for Christmas. I have been carrying it around in my coat pocket the way a smoker who’s trying to quit hangs onto a pack of cigarettes: I just feel better knowing it’s there. If things get too tough, if I decide my car). To keep up my spirits, I have been check- ing in on thegreatamericanappareldiet.com, where other fashion dieters chronicle their ups and downs. On first browse, it was pretty depressing, with lots of women whining about seeing the $19.99 yoga pants they weren’t able to buy. But after digging deeper, I did find some inspiring posts. On Jan. 3, “Jenna” wrote “Thank you, TGAAD, for rallying me to challenge my knee-jerk behaviors and to sit with myself long enough to ask the honest question: what do I need to be happy!” Me? I’m still waiting for that breakthrough moment. _ Emily Popek But this would be wrong, right? It would be a violation of the spirit of this whole exercise. So I have been abstain- ing from shopping, or from even bringing this tantalizing new gar- ment into my house (it’s in Life After College Dance of the bubbly waitress I’ll tell what waitressing is like. You are breath- ing rapidly. Millions of moves are racing through your head. You’re eyes are locked on the next motion. You are in the zone. You move faster and faster and no one can stop you ... except maybe for a customer. Sometimes you feel like you‘ll explode at any moment. Waitressing is like performing in a dance recital _ it’s all about rhythm and timing. To some people who haven’t worked in the food service industry, waitress- ing doesn’t seem too difficult. It’s about your table’s needs and wants. But until you’ve done it, you have no idea what it takes. Not everyone can survive. It’s stressful, both physically and emotionally. Between customers, co-workers and cooking staff, there are so many person- alities colliding. Without rhythm and timing being perfect, you can make a lot of people upset. Times that by five, six or seven different tables at a time, and it can throw you off your balance, sending you spiraling into a state of temporary chaos. However, in spite of onto “the floor,” matter what is going composed, calm and, transform yourself ness, even when Constantly have to notice water losing that train of focus, you have to walk where your customers, tables are. No on in your head, you have to come off most importantly, happy. You have to into a character of grace and bubbli- dealing with unpleasant people. being turned on and focused, you everything, even down to a cup of being empty. The kitchen has a style and elegance of its own. If waitress- ing is the dance, the kitchen is a song _ bells ringing, names being called and trays of food being swung up into the air and flown out of the kitchen with poise, one after another. The kitchen is not only a song, it’s the back-stage crew, preparing you for your solo performance, giving you the backup you need to make your act come to- gether. At the end of the day, even though it’s chal- lenging, it can also be rewarding. You learn what your limits are and how to exceed them, all while calming yourself down in the middle of chaos. I never knew that I would take so much away from a waitressing position. After a busy shift, though, I feel like I’ve landed a three-turn pirouette in front of a full house. _ Shannon Gregory Shannon Gregory is a recent college gradu- ate who is not using her computer science degree as a waitress. Jan. 20, 2011 O-Town Scene 5

• Cover