I wrote this post a few years ago when I was just starting out on my blog. I’ve been looking down at my hands these past few days and I realize, for the hundredth time, that I still have the same problem I had then. Trying and failing to be a lady. So instead of rewriting, I’m reposting to show this old girl a little love.
***
I’m a sporadic sort. Flighty, inconsistent, unreliable. I’m a free-spirit damn it! I’m not ashamed of it, but I am often ashamed of the consequences of it. When it comes to my failures at being a lady, the thing that shows my inconsistency more than anything else is probably the condition of my nails. They bounce from bad-ass cool to I’ll be pointing with my knuckles for a while. How can one woman get dozens of compliments on the look of her nails one month and be totally embarrassed to point the next?
How long does it really take to remove nail polish and reapply? How long does it take to just simply remove nail polish so that at least I won’t walk around with more fingernails showing than actual specks of color from last month’s polish?
Once I finally do get the residual polish off, I spend the next two months terrified that I’ll end up in the same I’m-going-to-point-with-my-knuckles nightmare. Stress over nail polish. Is this for real? Don’t I have many other pressing and stress-inducing things to fret about? Uh, yeah. But dammit every time some woman points with beautiful nails, or every time I simply cannot point, I’m reminded that being a lady is a full-time job. I tell you, it doesn’t matter how well you’ve succeeded at everything– hair, skin, clothes, makeup– if you hand that clerk or client over your money or document with a set of jacked up nails, it was all for naught. None of the other stuff means a thing. Not a thang.
To those of you who suffer from the same affliction, I tell you this not to drive you into a state of hopelessness, not to speak down to you, and not to belittle your efforts. Unless I become rich and have no job and possibly no life, I don’t think I’ll ever always have my nails done. All I’m saying is that if you can do it, congrats. If you can’t, here are your options:
Difficult: Always leave the house with nail polish remover pads (I think those exist. If not, someone should get on it.) and polish in your purse/abyss made of leather or canvas.
Intermediate: Always keep a dark-colored polish in your purse to paint over the other bits of color still clinging to your nails from a month ago. (I’ve used this technique with decent results. It’ll get you though quick transactions.)
Easy: Realize you aren’t one of “those girls”. Keep your nails very short and only use clear polish.
Very easy: Keep your nails short, apply lotion and forget about it.
***
Back to today. This is what my nails currently look like as I type this.
You’ll recall I had this same nail polish on during our recent camping trip… So yeah, they’ve been pretty ratchet for some time now lol.
I wanna be a lady.
Might there possibly be a fifth option up there? Say…
Learn to do things, point at things, hand things over, etc, with your mouth!? I mean, a “Lady” could certainly do those sorts of things with class, style, and STUNNING posture!!! 😛 😉
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When that happens, our world will be officially on its last leg. It’s wobbling on two legs currently. It was a nice try though. I can just picture me at the bank signing the back of a check with my pen in my mouth. Crazy man 🙄
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Hah! I can “picture that” too! Imagine that! 😉
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Loved this post, haha. You have a wonderful writing style. Just stumbled upon your blog today and I’m in love. Liked and subscribed. Check out my blog sometime?
Have a good day! Mena from noirerewritten 🌷
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Mena, thank you so much for the beautiful compliment. You’ve made me so happy. I’ll definitely check you out. 😊
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Oh my, I’ve had this issue so many times. I get home and think “I need to remove my nail polish” and then wake up the next morning with it still on. It just slips my mind. Thankfully, there’s another option which is even further from being a lady, but I’m rocking it now: Bite your nails so you don’t have to paint them. It takes a true lady to admit their flaws. You’re a lady, milady.
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Aww thanks Cheila. It’s good to know I’m not the only one out here getting distracted!
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I just hoard on pretty little bottles of nail polish. Then I forget about them. Do scatty ones make for ladies, Lady Lyz?
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You do exactly what I do. Keep buying nail polishes that I rarely ever use. I should just sell them all, but they are so pretty!
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Exactly. I mean I had colours I would wear only once in a blue moon. Shades of orange and green. But I had favourites that I would hardly wear! 😛 Blue and yellow.
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You sound exactly like me. I just keep buying more pretty nail polishes but rarely actually use them. Maybe I should have a nail polish sale at my house.
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That is better than throwing an entire bunch before moving. My heart bled different colours xx
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I would’ve done the same thing or given them away. But most of my friends get their nails done at the salon and never buy polish at all. Sigh.
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I would’ve done the same thing or given them away. My friends don’t really own polish; they all go to nail salons… sigh. I’m sorry for your loss!
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It has been a jolt that I have to learn to survive. Thank you for empathising. I knew only guys nearby. I doubt they would embrace the other side quite so openly.
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If you left it in a basket on their doorstep, I bet they’d sneak some on in private just to try it out 🙂
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Jeez. I don’t know what to say to that 😀
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Hahaha good tips but I paint my toe nails and that I maintain… Hand nails are left only with a lotion on days I remember…
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I supposed it’s better to err on the side of caution than walk around looking like a mess, right.
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