Tuesday, November 10, 2009

More Ways I'm Becoming My Mother



Dear Madonna,
Look at this picture. It was taken at the United Salseros (http://www.unitedsalseros.com/ Halloween Party. Of course I'm wearing a boa, and the Phantom of the Opera is totally checking me out, but my eyes are closed! That's like nearly every picture of my mother ever taken!!

I've started to notice little ways in which I'm becoming my mother. Like the size of purse I'm hauling around these days. It's perfect for carrying all sorts of things, like dance shoes and a book to read on the subway - Arjay Santano actually called it my "Mary Poppins Bag" - but it's HUGE. My mother used to always carry these humungous shapeless bags, and then my dad would get annoyed when she would have to rummage around inside it to find something. Yet she was always prepared, and half the time Dad was telling her "Here, throw this in your purse" so he wouldn't have to carry anything.

Then there's my makeup. When did I start wearing eyeliner? My mother ALWAYS wore eyeliner. In fact she'd have her whole face "done" before waking any of us up for breakfast. It was years before I ever saw what she looked like without makeup.
And it's not just the eyeliner use that has me worried. When I was cleaning out her house I must have thrown away 25 tubes of lipstick, all different brands, of pretty much the same colour - the colour I'm wearing now!
She's in my thoughts these days, as are Dad and Mike. I miss them.

Julie


Sunday, November 1, 2009

Not Just for Kids

Dear Madonna,

Thanks so much for filling on on Friday night. It was so great that you could get away from all your charitable deeds in Malawi long enough to teach a West Coast Swing lesson and deejay at the Toronto Swing Dance Society's Halloween Dance.

Don't you love Halloween? There's no other time of the year where you can walk around wearing - quite literally - whatever you want. I can't believe that for so many years I didn't take advantage of this opportunity, especially since playing dress-up was such a favourite game as a child. I vividly remember some of the items in the dress-up box:
  • My mother's pale pink wedding dress and matching pink open-toed sling-backs
  • A blue velvet dress with white maribou collar (which eventually detached and could be used with other outfits)
  • A black off-the-shoulder top that my mother told me was part of a Halloween costume she wore, as a Beatnik
  • Silver and clear plexiglass Cinderella slippers!
What else do I like about Halloween? Dancing with a fireman, a cross dresser, a pirate, a super hero and Satan himself - all in one night :)

Julie