I have labored to produce...

My list of the original 33 pieces of clothing that I will wear for the next 3 months:

1 pair jeans
1 pair black dress pants
1 black skirt
1 black dress
1 brown/aqua/white dress
1 seafoam/aqua/lavender/black dress
1 teal/black dress
1 casual black top
1 casual teal top
2 black shells
1 pink/black top
1 teal/green/black blouse
1 pink/red/black blouse
1 black suit
1 aqua suit
1 white suit
1 black jackets
1 black/white jacket
1 black/off-white swing jacket
1 black handbag
1 aqua handbag
1 teal handbag with brown/black/cream stipes
1 pair blue 4-give sandals
1 pair sand 4-give sandals
1 pair black half-boots
1 pair black slingbacks
1 pair black/white slingbacks
1 seafoam all-weather coat
2 John Atencio bracelets
1 John Atencio ring
1 Lilly Barrack ring

There is a proviso, and I think the rules permit it. If I lose weight, I may start swapping out clothes that no longer fit for clothes that do. I already have an entire wardrobe in a smaller size from which I can select replacement pieces.

Also, I consider a suit to be one item, because I don't break up my suits and use them as separates, nor do generally I wear them with a blouse. So, in my mind, they are the equivalent of three long-sleeved dresses.

Finally, a project for this blog.

It's been so crazy in my real life lately (the Republicans took over my state legislature, and they apparently cannot govern to save their lives) that I haven't had much time to blog. I have also been really stressed for the last two months (I've noticed that my hair is turning gray at a highly accelerated rate), because of what is happening in my state and how it might affect my job, so I have decided to try to remove other stress from my life.

I started with a whole foods approach to eating in February. And it was fabulous for the first month. I felt great, I lost weight. Then I got lazy, and I have to really re-focus and start planning again, so that I keep to the regimen.

Now, I have come up with a brand new project, one that really suits this blog, since it has always had such a fashion emphasis. I am going to do the Project 333 challenge. Never heard of it? Check it out here:

http://www.bemorewithless.com/2010/minimalist-fashion-projects/

The challenge is to identify 33 things in your existing wardrobe and then wear only those 33 things for the next 3 months. The 33 things don't include underwear, sleepwear or exercise wear, so it's mostly day and evening outer wear and accessories that you have to consider. I'm going to do the preliminary work tonight and early next week, which is to take inventory of my closets and cupboards and pull items that I need to get rid of, anyway. Then I'll select my 33 pieces from what remains.

I may end up doing a little bit of a cheat on accessories (hats), but I'm going to try to stick as close to the rules as possible. Wish me luck!

Sigh.

If you should ever decide to attend a House Education Subcommittee meeting at which Rep. Bill Dunn of Knoxville lies like a dog in the road about the teacher tenure law, I don't recommend it.

In other news, the Associated Press took my picture (the photog liked my hat) and my card at the meeting, so I may be appearing in a newspaper near me.

Wow, it's been a long time since I posted.

Unfortunately, the conservative fringe has taken over my state, and I've been engaged on the front lines. Here's a pic or me and a colleague taken at the rally on Legislative Plaza last Saturday:

Happy New Year, everyone!

And to 2010, I say "good riddance".

Ooh, pretty!

This is the cake from the bridal shower that I attended on Saturday.

I almost forgot to post.

I turned 50 yesterday!