necessary vanities

"i loathe narcissism but i approve of vanity"

-- diana vreeland

I haven't yet decided whether I think blogging is narcissistic or simply vain. I presume I've decided its merely vanity, hence, my blog. I don't think I'm terrifically interesting, merely outspoken, intelligent enough, certainly articulate, perhaps mildly sociopathic...whether people find my ramblings entertaining is yet to be seen. But in the interest of keeping my vanity from crossing the line into narcissism, let us hit the highlights of my existence.

-I love fashion. I've interned at Vogue, W, and Elle and had some truly unbelievable opportunities (working for Anna Wintour and Camilla Nickerson, fashion shoots with Naomi Campbell and Sarah Jessica Parker, Fashion Week in New York...) Fashion isn't my calling (I'm going law school) but I'll always treasure the experiences. It sounds campy, but its the truth.

-My guilty pleasures include but are not limited to a good martini, handbags, diet coke and gummy bear binges, puffing an occasional gauloise, Perry Mason-type crime shows (particularly when suspects break down in tears on the stand), crossword puzzles, existentialism (especially Sartre and Camus), New York pizza (which I never appreciated until I lived in Chicago and now crave on a daily basis), and fashion magazines.

-My dad used to read me Grimm's Fairy Tales as bedtime stories, which could perhaps explain my fascination with murder and my dislike for/fear of animals (exceptions--rabbits, monkeys, and anything stuffed)

-I consume copious amounts of coffee. Its an addiction I've tried without success to curb and have, quite frankly, given up on for more worthy pursuits. Like visiting all the coffee shops Chicago has to offer. (My fave: The Bourgeois Pig on Fullerton, for both the name and the homemade scones)

-My role models are, in no specific order, Hillary Clinton, Grace Coddington, Diana Vreeland, Anna Wintour, Sandra Day O'Connor, Coco Chanel, Madeleine Albright, Cleopatra (minus the whole fratricide business), and Jane Birkin. If we have to get a few xy chromosomes in there, George Kennan, Bill Clinton, and Ernest Hemingway. I suppose I'm a feminist, though I'm loathe to admit it, and I have never burned a bra.

-I love to learn. Lately, I'm into skeletons (working on memorizing the bones of the body), speed reading, and geography. I'm also learning to cook after 24 years developing expertise in the art of takeout. This is subject to flux at all times.

-I've been told I'm terrifying. This makes me laugh.