Career dresses barely cover your bum.

I was shopping for dresses online at Forever21 (rare, trust me) and I click on the “career” category. These are the dresses that Forever21 categorizes as career:

A screenshot of dresses at Forever21.com

For what career are these appropriate?

Leggings are too casual to wear to work so how are you supposed to cover up the rest of your thigh?

In my opinion, these are nice shirts. Nice shirts you’d probably also put a sweater over for any career world. Well, not any career but, you know, the careers where your pay isn’t crumbled $1 bills.

My favorite has to be Ms. Retro Geometric Shirtdress in the bottom row, center. Not only is this dress barely skimming the bottom of her tush, but it’s a nude color. Just in case the being mostly naked isn’t enough, let’s look actually naked from a distance.

Nothing says “respect me” at the office like accidentally showing the bottom of your butt cheeks.

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Also- Deepest apologies for my long-term abandonment of you wonderful followers out there. Please forgive me, please.

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My deepest apologies to readers

Dear Readers,

I am sincerely sorry about neglecting this blog over the past week. I am even sorrier that I will be neglecting it for yet another week.

Please look for a new post around May 17. Links will be sent to Twitter and Facebook so you’ll see them.

I’ll miss you until then,

Cari

Ryan O’Doherty, thank you for your interview on Baltimore’s vacant properties

I had an opportunity to meet with Ryan O’Doherty, Mayor’s Director of Policy and Communications in Baltimore City April 20. O’Doherty answered questions about the mayoral initiative, Vacants to Value, that I’m researching.

He surprised me and impressed me.

Granted, my expectations were low. I thought that O’Doherty would have two or three public relations-type quotes for me. I only went on the field trip because I wanted to provide a ride to a car-less classmate of mine.

I’m very glad that I went.

I recognize that O’Doherty sees Baltimore’s vacants from the governmental side of the issue. His perspective has to be positive and persuasive because the city government needs public support for the plan. Of course people are going to be displaced and displeased. There are going to be victims. But he can’t admit that.

Vending machines: healthy and responsible?

(Photo courtesy of healthyvending.com)

Yes! Vending machines that aren’t evil diet-ruiners.

H.U.M.A.N. Healthy Vending distributes tasty, healthy and natural snack options.

Healthy Vending sells popchips (low sodium, fat in 100-calorie bags), LUNA bars, Clif bars, Raw food snack bars, organic Horizon milk, coconut water, all-natural sodas without sugars, all-natural energy drinks, healthy cracker and cookie snacks, Honest Teas, Muscle Milk, pro-biotic drinks, organic yogurts and bottled water.

I hear the snack and drink options from Healthy Vending are more expensive than traditional ones, but I applaud the company’s efforts.

H.U.M.A.N. stands for “helping unite man and nutrition.”

I can’t wait until I see one of these machines. I’ll buy a product just to support their cause.

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Romantic relationships based on idealization and fairy tales are doomed to fail

I’ve reached the “adult dating” stage of my life. It’s strange.

I’ve met a few men that have not yet been ruled out as potential romantic partners, but I find increasingly that these men build up idealistic ideas of me and what my idea of a successful romantic relationship is.

Idealization leads directly to disillusionment and disappointment:

I’m told that I seem friendly, intelligent, interesting, passionate, etc. during initial conversations (if you can take those compliments as trustworthy when a man is trying to flatter you). I would love to meet someone to share my life with, and you never know who that could be, so I try to be receptive, respectful and polite when someone approaches me (respectfully, of course).

But what’s frustrating is that after 17 minutes of friendly “getting-to-know-you” conversation, it seems a man has already decided who I am and what I’m about.

That’s not fair.