This month on Running In Heels…

…I interview a young and fabulous Greek designer.

…I enlighten the non-blog reading masses on the joys of RSS.

…I gush about PostSecret

and finally, I sneak in a typical Hope Dies Last kind of post. It’s all about horoscopes and boys and life and love and destiny and stuff. Consider that my post for today!

Please, if you could be so kind,  check them out. Last month my articles made it to the most read list. And I am pretty certain I have all of you to thank for that. So thank you. Really.

Now, go!

Reachable

A couple of months ago, I was hopping across the internet when I landed on a website. This website, which I can no longer find, had the body measurements of most celebrities. According to this ever trusting source, Jennifer Aniston and I share the exact same weight, height and breast size.

Only difference is that my body looks nothing like hers.

For one, I look terrible in shorts. For two, my legs are nowhere killer status. I have great hair though.

But, as always, this got me thinking of potential. I could–if I tried–have one of the most sought after bodies on the planet. I imagine that Jennifer has been on a regimented diet and workout schedule for over a decade. I hear the words regimented, diet and workout schedule and I begin to wheeze and pant as if I have already run a marathon. The point is that if I wanted to, I could have her body. This is not some absurd, lofty dream. Its an actual possibility. Same height, weight and breast size? Check. Same curves? Check.  Similar Greek genes? Check.

It could happen.

Going after an A-list body is not my goal though.  But, the idea that with consistently hard work what appears to be unreachable can be achieved is hard to un-realize. For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a published story teller.  And for as long as I can remember that seemed impossible; an absurd naive dream of a girl. See,  life gets in the way. You learn that its not easy; that there are millions of writers. You don’t stand out. Then, life actually gets in the way.  Bills need to be paid. Success is measured by the amount of money you can flaunt; the amount of names you can drop; the number of zeros at the end of a paycheck. So, even though you’re a writer, you write other people’s ideas. The ones that pay.

It’s depressing.

So, when it occurred to me that–with some effort–I could actually have Jennifer Aniston’s body; then it occurred to me that I could–with some effort–actually be a published novelist.

And that?

That’s fucking exciting.

What do you think you could do or be if you put in the effort that is required?

Interlude

I am in dire need of a break from thinking about my most recent romantic entanglement.

Enter Peter.

Peter, who I ‘adore’, (and who has also written a novel that you should have already read, but if you haven’t, you MUST) is holding a drabble competition over at his blog. A drabble, as I have learned, is a fictional story told in exactly 100 words. This is my entry. You should enter too.

Enjoy my attempts at literary greatness!

***

I fell in love with her fourth sentence.

The second sentence I uttered was, “Awkward. What would happen if you caught me?” (I had just unintentionally admitted to her–the host–that I wanted to covertly steal her jukebox.). “Uh, I think I just did.”

I looked at my ring finger and back up at her. “Nope.” She laughed, “Slow down, mister.”

I pressed on. “What would happen if you caught me?” She gave it some thought.

“I don’t know”. Third sentence.

My gaze dropped. A conversation killer. I looked back up. Her eyes flashed with certainty.

“Isn’t that exciting?”

Easy/Hard

Easy: Finding evidence that always confirms that there is something wrong with me

Hard: Taking that evidence and interpreting it differently to conclude that I am just normal

 

Easy: To think  ”I don’t blog for the comments, I blog for myself”

Hard: Accepting that comments aren’t the alpha and omega of my existence

 

Easy: Letting my life pass me by 

Hard: Grabbing it by the (as my mother says) balls and living it

 

Easy:   Writing

Hard: Writing well

 

Easy:  Talking to my friends

Hard: Talking to my friends about feeling left behind as they get engaged, live with their boyfriends and make plans for their combined futures

 

Easy: First dates

Hard: Finding someone who I would actually want to have a first date with

 

Easy: Coming up with the idea for this post

Hard: Coming up with the actual content for this post

 

Easy: To say “I forgive you”

Hard: To mean it

 

Easy: To have good intentions

Hard: To put them in practice

 

Easy: To love

Hard: To be loved in return

 

What are you finding easy/hard?

It’s only money, I guess

Dear Readers, 

Imagine, for a moment, that you hired me as a freelance writer to complete a project for you. 

Imagine that you had approached me in August 2008 in fact. Now imagine that I told you that due to time constraints I would probably begin working on that project by November but I might also be able to start in a couple of weeks. Imagine that you pay me $222.50  as a retainer. 

Imagine that the weeks come and go and you find yourself in January 2009 without a single word from me. Imagine you write a strongly worded letter requesting for a refund because “Hello? Dude, its January!”

Imagine that I convince you to stick with me and imagine that I promise to finish your project immediately?

Great, right?

Now imagine that you don’t hear from me for another EIGHT WEEKS? Imagine that I do not reply to any of your emails.

What would you do? Would you name and shame me on your blog? Or  would you give up? Would you say goodbye to that initial deposit of $222.50  and find another writer to do your project for you? 

At my wit’s end, 

Hope