professor's meetings, clothing + tattoos

*** {my college ring} ***

So tonight I have my first meeting over at the college where I will be teaching psychology classes. A meeting?! If you had asked me a year ago if this is what I thought I'd be doing now, I would have laughed and replied, "yeah, in my dreams!" I never dreamed I would be able to find a job where I could follow my passion {as far as my degrees are concerned}, yet still do what a love most, be a stay at home mama to my littles. While I will not be working from home, the amount of time that I am away at the college is small compared to what other jobs would require. It is the perfect situation + at times I still have to pinch myself to make sure it is really happening!

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One might think I would be nervous about teaching infront of 30+ adults, but really, I'm just thinking about what to wear? This teaching postion doesn't require I wear a business suit, but I can't wear everyday clothes either. {Sadly, my selection of everyday clothes was leaving something to be desired, but that is proabably common after + during those baby making years...I just could never stand the idea of buying alot of clothes that wouldn't fit me 3 months later, after putting on or taking off more baby weight!} However, little by little I have been exercising, watching what I eat {a little} + attempting to build a wardrobe. I guess I'm at a place where I feel like it is a good investment since we are done having babies + I'm not planning on developing annorexia or adopting marathon running.

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Another wardrobe quandry is that I like to cover up the majority of my tattoos when I am working; kind of let people ....e a s e into it. I am a realist. I like my tattoos, but I realize that not everyone does. While covering up is not always easily done in the summer months; over the years I have become a connoisseur of finding or making clothing in which I can be completely covered, and not look like a total a** because it is 90 degrees out. I don't think of myself as selling out. On the contrary, I think that my willingness to adapt is what helps me to ultimatley be who I want to be. I am able to float through different social cirlces where people realize sooner than later that my body art is just one little part of who I really am. I've always been one who likes challenging stereotypes + nothing gives me more pleasure than being able to tell someone {especially one who might be prejudice against tattoos} that I am a college professor. The reactions are priceless!

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I never doubted what my life would be; that I would go to school, have a family, friends + great job; with or without tattoos. Would certain aspects of life be easier without tattoos? Sure! However, it seems that it was not my lot in life to blend into the woodwork. I'm not sure exactly what my purpose is or how that might involve my tattoos, but I like to think that I will continue to challenge stereotypes + will contribute to people embracing one another's uniqueness. Body art is more commonplace today; with many people having them + even more people rockin's Ed Hardy clothing. I find that people aren't quite as quick to judge; that they are wondering if perhaps you are a celebrity of some kind that they would want to know? While we, personally, are only on the fringe of coolness {and have friends who are "celebrities" of a sort who ,know Ed Hardy (lol)}, it is my hope that people will meet me and say to other's, "I met the nicest girl today...", or "I know this woman who is just beautiful + pulled together, and she has all of these tattoos!" One can hope... but for now, I have a meeting to get dressed for!

xo.