Not lifting my skirt for nobody - don't touch my shoes either.

It was announced that there would be nylon and tights checks conducted from today forward for any lady wearing a skirt.  It does not matter the length of the skirt, your legs will be checked.  WHAT THE WHAT?  Ummmm.  No.  No. and no.  I am a 34 year old woman.  I ain't lifting my skirt for nobody!  Today, this really hit home as I wore a new dress that was the longest of any I have ever owned.  The ridiculousness of the situation washed over me and I came up with an idea.  If I'm ever ask to "raise my skirt" for an instructor, I will then ask that they conduct a random drug screening of my classmates.  Only fair... and I think it puts the issue into perspective.

Well, I was having a particular stressful saturday morning at school.  I wore a little layering jacket that happend to, wait for it, wait for it... have grey in the design on the back.  Instructors talked about "it" and one approached me that they had all consulted (I had no idea I had created such a stir) and it would be ok for me to wear it because they were going to call it "silver" - which made it ok.  The situation was really quite hilarious, but it did stress me out a little.  I had no guests on the books for that day and it was about 10:30 in the morning.  I sat in the break room with some of my classmates and another instructor (that irritates the heck out of me) comes in and asks me about my shoes.  I naively thought she was really interested in the cute pair I was sporting that day.  She  asks me who made my shoe and looks at it, then comes up to me and starts touching my shoes and told me she didn't know if i could officially be wearing them to school.  Ok, if we are not friends... don't invade my body space.  That said.... I freaked out.  Whatever other factors in my head were going on that morning, it all came to a head in that moment.  I stood up and screamed a word I won't repeat here. I continued to yell as I departed the building, slamming the back door and calling my husband once I was outside.

After calling Ryan, I decided that I was going home for the day - needed a day off and didn't know how I was going to go back and save face - so to speak.

I fully expected to be called by the director after my little situation, but that didn't happen.  I was gone the next week doing an externship, so I had a break before I had to be back at school and was grateful.

I think the skirt police died down a bit in the following weeks and I was never asked to lift my skirt.  I've been post school for about a month and am still having a hard time not being judgy of those around me not wearing nylons with their skirts and holy cow - showing bare legs!  I'll file that one under culture adjustment.

It's school time: come drink the juice kids!

There are surprises that have hit me along the path as I've just finished week 10 at school.  One of them crept up on me during our first six weeks in Design.  I saw one or two people taking energy drink shots, a few more tapping their legs like crazy and thought... ok, good for you, you've found something that works... or not.

Well week 7 rolls around and we all graduate into Technical.  Different educators = different game.  "Ok people - go get your *Rock Stars* - your *Five Hour Energy* or *Red Bull* - we've got some work to do!!! Next day: come with your (see above list) and be here on time!  Next break - go get another one people - hurry it up!

I gotta tell ya.  Energy drinks have not appealed to me and they still don't, but these educators are awfully convincing.  However, I have not seen any behavior out of the students (who's numbers have steadily increased) that have decided to drink the juice preform at excellent levels or increased anything other than perhaps irritation and possibly aggressive behavior.  If anything, it's an interesting side note on watching a group of people migrate toward the same behavior - "everybody's doing it..."

http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/the-health-dangers-of-energy-drinks/

By the way:  I've never had an energy drink and I've even decreased my caffeine intake since I've been in school!