Things My Mom is Right About (abbreviated list)

You should ask if they have your size in the back.

Break in your new high heels.

Do you have at least one other thing that goes with?


People I Know

My dreams of making Style's Top 40 Under 40 were dashed in '06 when I, ah -- turned 40 never having received the call. As a grown up, I shouldn't hold that disappointment against the fine folks I know who made the list this year, so: Way to go, y'all!! Bravo to Christina! She and our mutual friend and I have done things together a few times, including going to the grand opening of the Forest Hill Target a while back. Elaine just rocks! I guess she technically married into my crowd, but, whatever. And congrats to John, who I've met a couple of times -- he's a more distant friend-of-friend.

Speaking of Target, while getting the Teen an appropriate outfit for a fancy field trip to D.C., I ran into Jeanne B., who I run into in Carytown or at Target about every year or year-and-a-half. Which was cool, because Richmond Magazine (article available online only to subscribers) did a nice profile of her earlier this summer, and I hadn't made time to e-mail her congrats.

And then there was this morning, when I was going to be about 5 minutes early for my doctor's appointment, only -- what's this? They aren't on the directory anymore?? So I come home, call, find they moved about 6 blocks away from the old place. I arrived 5 minutes late, and even more stressed and annoyed than the doctor's usually makes me. I had tunnel vision when I burst into the large house-turned-office and grabbed the sign-in clipboard. I sized up what the questions were by looking at the name and time and whatnot above the first blank line: Hey! I know someone with that unusual last name! And look! There she is across the room, smiling and waving.

I'm no Top 40, but I do know some cool people, and I am pleased to run into them at local events of various levels of glamor.