I've Moved (at least for now)

Keep reading at:

Murphysnewlaw.tumblr.com/

And follow me on Twitter at:

twitter.com/@MurphysNewLaw

Cxx.

Food for Thought: Character Assignments

Yesterday I received a message from someone which was written in a seemingly supportive way, but felt incredibly condescending.

Since the flat tone of email allows ample room for projection, I worried I was reading too far into things.
But I realized that with this particular person, I have come to generally assume that her comments will be made in that tone...in a sense, I've assigned condescension to her as one of her principal characteristics.

Which led me to wonder: Are there some adjectives we cannot determine FOR ourselves ABOUT ourselves? Some characteristics that must, instead, be decided by others?

I doubt someone would ever feel that they are purposely condescending, but perhaps it's not something for them to decide; in all likelihood they wouldn't recognize the quality in themselves. Rather, someone who is the direct recipient of the condescension can be the only best judge.

It's disconcerting to think that our self-assessments aren't the only opinions that matter. I was recently told that there are three stories in life: Yours, The Other Guy's, and The Truth. They all matter, and all factor in, but there are so many shades of gray between them.

How much of your opinion versus the other guy's makes the truth of who you are?

What do you think?
Cxx.

Better Book Titles -- A Guaranteed Laugh

I am consistently in awe of book titles as either 1) perfect summaries of their contents, or 2) pitch-perfect marketing ploys.
But sometimes a cover should be judged by its book, and a Tumblr account has been created that does just that.

So, with all due respect to some of the world's greatest authors, here are several of my favorites from the Better Book Titles collection:

As a lactose-intolerant, nearly-vegetarian Celiac, I concur:

Raise your hand if you've been there (if your hand's still down you're only lying to yourself):



Truth.:



A fun, well-crafted read, but, yeah, pretty much:



Let's call a spade a spade:



And, my top 3:



You can check out the full archives HERE.

Cxx.

(P.S. Thanks to my pall JK for posting this on Facebook and bringing it to my attention.)

Even Grinches Like to Trim the Christmas Tree

I'll be the first to cry in outrage at the inhumanity of playing Christmas carols in stores before Halloween has come and gone.
But I defy you to find a more joyful and whimsical ushering in of the holiday season than this stop-motion short film, starring tree ornaments from Anthropologie:

Anthropologie – Trim Video

If dancing mini-mittens don't make you melt, nothing will.
To the next six weeks of insanity!
Cxx.

The Modern Princess

Ricks Owens simultaneously imbues his woman with aloof regality and down-and-dirty edge.

How does he do it?

I'm sure I could dissect the reasons of how, technically, he achieves this...but why spoil the magic?

It's the kind of woman that I, in my best mind's eye vision of myself, imagine I could be.

(All images from Style.com)

Quote du Jour

"A beautiful woman is a beautiful woman,
but a beautiful woman with a brain is an absolutely lethal combination."
-Prabal Gurung

That Girl.

I am frequently attracted to a sparkling bracelet, brave new nail color, exciting hemline, and resplendent tresses.

In New York everyone lives out loud, and the opportunities abound to encounter exceptional sartorial choices.

But amidst this jungle of beautiful animals, sometimes you pass someone and feel the presence of a person fully imbued with that certain je ne sais quoi.
They are more than the sum of their parts.
I call these people--for they are almost always females who catch my attention--"That Girl."
(Note: "That Girl" is not to be confused with an "It Girl." They are almost always polar opposites in their approach.)

Here are a few recent photos taken by The Sartorialist and Tommy Ton of Those Girls traipsing around--showcasing their nonpareil charm--in my own city:







With all the people I see lingering around certain sections of New York just hoping for The Sartorialist or Garance Dore to spot them and shoot them (and honestly, it's so formulaic that Refinery29 created a guide for achieving just that: HERE), it's lovely to see exceptional people simply living their lives...and, by chance, once in awhile a camera fleetingly captures the beauty of their existence.

"When a girl feels that she's perfectly groomed and dressed she can forget that part of her.
That's charm.
The more parts of yourself you can afford to forget, the more charm you have."
(F. Scott Fitzgerald, "Bernice Bobs Her Hair" via Women's Wardrobe)

To the effortless charm of That Girl,
Cxx.