Getting back into it

I was going through old photos the other day and some of them were from this blog. Wow, I can hardly believe its been so long that I have posted. I think I mentioned in a previous post that work got so busy that the last thing I wanted to do at the end of the day was be on the computer downloading photos and writing on a blog. 

The benefit of having this blog is that is is SUCH a good catalogue of ideas of what to wear, and more importantly, what NOT to wear. OUCH.  Some bad outfits back in the past thats for sure :)  All for learning though.

I have finally admitted (to myself as a start) that a bit of reading assist would be great--hence the reading glasses I am experimenting with (in the safety and privacy of my own home for now :).

I look forward to catching up with those of you I used to connect with on a regular basis, and getting ongoing outfit ideas and all out inspiration from you!!

1 Year MIA

Hello there....I am so surprised to realize its been a year since I last posted! This does not mean I haven't been thinking of you lovelies!  Wow, where has the time gone???

This past year has been a good learning year. Not that it was easy but it was incredibly rewarding.  Long story short we completely restructured our organization at work and that entailed alot of work on top of all the trail races I was training for and the 3-week trip we took to England to visit family.

With all that was going on, the last thing I wanted to do was spend more time on the computer posting photos (especially of outfits) after leaving the office.  As you may have remembered from my last posts, I was toying around with more of a uniform approach to work.  This was primarily so I would have less to think about first thing in the morning and reduce stress.  That doesn't mean one still can't have creative outfits. It just means I stuck to many of the same basics.

In the meantime I did receive a couple of great cards in the mail from Shybiker who is still going strong on here AND I went shopping with Sheila and got some fantastic outfits (yet again).

Anyway, my time out of the office has been spent in our new campervan (new to us) and running westcoast trails. I LOVE adventuring and as much as its cliche I am loving the new hashtag #vanlife.

Will be by again soon to say hi and maybe even post some updates.
Jodi

Recap Overview Uniform Experiment

Well Hello!  Where did the month go?  So I continued with my uniform experiment with a few variations for the month of September.  I mainly wore black and white or black with a basic type of top. I kept it very simple.  I was amazed at how much easier this felt. I just got up and put on the basics. There were no piles of clothes left on the floor from multiple changes of outfits or thoughts back and forth "should I wear this or that".  It felt much less stressful.  More peace of mind.

My outfits are kindof boring but at the same time I felt much lighter by not being so worried about what to wear.  I'm continuing on with this experiment to see what else I can discover.

I've also been doing a very intensive productivity course this past month and its all about cleaning out the clutter from your mind and your life overall so that you have priorities set and less time to have to think about things that are really not all that important.  I've been working on simplifying my life as much as possible, especially at work.  Its been great in some ways and very challenging in others.

Highly recommended is this book I've recently read: The Life- Changing Magic of Tidying Up . I started with my clothes a few weeks ago and what a huge relief. My closets and drawers all look so beautiful now since I've organized them all so neatly.  I've donated bags and bags of stuff to the thrift stores.

One of my bonus weekends this month was going shopping with Sheila again.  She is a luck magnet thats for sure. We saw so many great things, stuff I would never find on my own.  And, as always, I'm always inspired by her awesome flare for fashion :) and thankful to spend time shopping and hanging out with her.   Shybiker... we are still waiting for you to book your trip up to visit us :)

Thats all for now. I hope you are all enjoying your weekends.

Uniform Week 1 Experiment

Alright. Week 1 of the "Uniform" which is basically black and white basics.  It was actually fun-- I did not have to think.  I even wore the same pair of pants 2 days in a row.  I would NEVER do that otherwise and I would NEVER even wear the same piece of clothing 2 times in 1 week.

I've been doing alot of reading about productivity since its something I've always had a passion for and even train staff at work in.  One of the things I keep coming across is how taxing it is to have to make so many decisions in each day.  That one should reserve great thinking and decision-making for important things and minimize taxing your brain on small things (ie. what to wear today, what to eat for breakfast, etc).  

I'm not saying I want to be like a robot and automate everything or take away choice. I'm just playing around with things right now to see how it impacts my thinking and ability to focus.

My plan for Week 2 is to plan out my 5 outfits in advance to I have them ready and also can put together some combo's that are abit different.  We'll see how it goes.

My favorites from this week were the outfit with the scarf (it has bikes on it :)  and the all black with the pointy flats.

What are your thoughts on the connection between productivity and decision-making and how it all connects?

Uniform Experiment Day 1

I actually felt really good in this outfit. The photos are bad quality. Thats what happens when you ask someone else who does not know how to use a camera all that well to take your photos :(

Onward!

Work Uniform Experiement

Its been a crazy busy month. For unforeseen reasons, we had to move out of the building where our work office is. That is 10 staff and 10 years of stuff we had to sort, purge, shred, pack up.  Not much got done this month other than all the preparations for a move that had to take place in less than 1 month.  Between that and the rest of busy life, I've not even thought about outfits or fashion- its all been about whats comfortable for being in the basement sorting archives.

Anyway, our big first day at the new place is September 1.  We'll be sharing the space with about 25 other people doing similar work.  I must admit I've been feeling a bit of stress around having to dress better given I will be around alot more people on a daily basis. Don't you know its all about looking good? :)

I came across an article about Matilda Kahl, an art director in New York who got tired of focusing on
how to dress each day and chose to create her own work uniform so it took the thinking out of what to wear each day. She said that she was way more productive out of doing it and felt alot less stressed. You can read all about her story here.

I'm going to take this on for the month of September and see how it goes. My plan is to keep it simple and basically wear black and white as basics and can add accessories for color.  I'm planning on posting regularly so lets see how this goes!

Has anyone else tried something like this?

Blue Sleeveless

One photo turned out today. For some reason the rest were blurry.  I had to drive today so could wear a pencil skirt.  Lots going on lately, very busy at work, we are moving into a new building with a very short timeline for the move so we suddenly have to go through all our old documents and purge a bunch of stuff. All this on top of the regular workload.  Then at home we are replacing all the gutters on the house and studio as well as repainting the whole outside.  The garden is growing like a monster and we have so many cabbages even the neighbors are turning down the offer of free cabbage (they've already all gotten some once before :)

I LOVE this time of year, the hot weather, having sun makes me feel so alive and healthy. LOVE LOVE LOVE IT.  Off for a nice hike this weekend with a friend I haven't caught up with for ages so am really looking forward to that.

I also went to see a nutritionist today and was very excited about seeing her and what will come out of that. I'm always interested in learning more about how to be even more healthy and changing things up abit.  Will share more with you as I go.  Hope you are all well!!

Golf Dress?

Hello lovelies! It's been awhile.  I can't believe its almost the end of July already. I've been away alot with work and then was away doing a couple of trail races in the US and Interior of BC, then a trip to visit family. Lots going on at work, garden growing like crazy... you know... life stuff!

We're busy spending the rest of the summer painting the exterior of our house and also landscaping the front yard. That project is taking forever :(  ( I wont go into the reasons why).

I'm taking friday off since monday is a holiday so am looking forward to a 4 day weekend. Woot woot.

Will be back soon. Miss you all.

Grandma Dress

 I bought this dress back when I went shopping with Sheila.  I got lots of compliments on it today too so thats nice. I would never have picked it out myself. Is nice and flowy and was fun riding my bike to work in it with the skirt flapping in the wind :)   I had a great weekend. Did my big ultra race.  I feel really good too, not even limping around or anything.  All that hill training certainly paid off. Next big race is one in the interior of BC at a ski hill, alpine and very very steep, 7 peaks we have to climb.  I have about 6 weeks to do tons of squats, lunges, hill repeats to get in top shape for that killer race.

I hope you all had a great weekend, wow, its already almost the weekend again. Gotta love THAT!

Ship Ahoy

 Last day at work and we are packing the last bits of run stuff and nutrition, clean the house, dump the compost and then head out on our trip for our big ultra adventure.  My in-laws get to stay with the fuzzy white granddaughters this weekend (its a long weekend here in Canada this weekend), and I mean they are here with the cats of course :)

Forecast is for rain where we are doing our run.  Running 100km in the rain. Please let it NOT rain.  Good karma come to me now. PUL LEASE.

Have a super weekend and I'll report back next week.  I love this outfit by the way.  I love fitted clothes and I love these pointy red shoes and I love pencil skirts.  I need to find the equivalent of this outfit in terms of how I feel wearing it so I feel this way every single day (at work at least :)

Over n out.