It is THE summer of Gross Anatomy. Every morning was a four hour lecture. Every afternoon was a 4 hour cadaver lab. It was intense. It was stressful. It was fascinating. I soon found that I loved the art of dissection. I loved the lab. The following summer I enthusiastically accepted a position as a Gross Anatomy Lab Instructor for the incoming class. Every day was an 8+ hour day in the cadaver lab.
The lab had it’s own environment. The smell of preservation chemicals permeated any item that was in the building. There was no removing the stench from clothing. After being there I got used to it. I had a set of clothes that was lab attire ONLY. I showered and washed my hair AFTER the day. Each morning I got up, put my hair in a pony tail, put on the designated stinky clothes and headed out the door.
At the end of the summer, the lab instructors joined the students for an end of anatomy class celebration. I showered, applied make-up, wore my hair down and put on normal clothing. I was NOT recognized by my own students. The students I had spent 4+ hours a day with the entire summer. After I re-introduced myself, one of them said with shock, “wow, your hair is actually kinda pretty!”
“I have this refrain about the monkey house at the zoo. When you first enter into the monkey house at the zoo, you think, ˜Oh my god this place stinks! ™ And then after you're there for 20 minutes you think, ˜it's not so bad ™ and after you're there for an hour it doesn't smell at all. And anyone entering the monkey house freshly thinks, ˜this stinks! ™ You’ve been living in the monkey house.” -Tim Gunn on Project Runway as advice to a contestant who was trimming his fashion line with human hair.
Have we as mommies lived in the monkey house of our appearance too long? Have we become unrecognizable as ourselves once we leave our home lab?
How are you to know if you are in the monkey house?
Good question! I have the answer for you (you are shocked, aren’t you?).
You need to take the Holly’s O.I.A.B.I.G.C.A.T.T. (Oh! I Accidentally Bumped Into George Clooney At Target Test). It is simple. It is effective. It is genius. Just pretend that whatever you are assessing (your hairstyle, purse, outfit, PJ’s, sweat pants) will be seen tomorrow when you accidentally bump into George Clooney at Target. It is Target so no Oscar attire is necessary. It makes you think twice about that decision doesn’t it? Would you have changed anything if you had advance notice that he would be there?
If we all used the OIABIGCATT system then we could officially call ourselves frump free, released from the monkey house and ready to join the living. Please visit Fussy and friends for more fight the frump.
Oh, and when you DO bump into George Clooney at Target, try to act surprised…The first summer of physical therapy school is a big deal.
It is THE summer of Gross Anatomy. Every morning was a four hour lecture. Every afternoon was a 4 hour cadaver lab. It was intense. It was stressful. It was fascinating. I soon found that I loved the art of dissection. I loved the lab. The following summer I enthusiastically accepted a position as a Gross Anatomy Lab Instructor for the incoming class. Every day was an 8+ hour day in the cadaver lab.
The lab had it’s own environment. The smell of preservation chemicals permeated any item that was in the building. There was no removing the stench from clothing. After being there I got used to it. I had a set of clothes that was lab attire ONLY. I showered and washed my hair AFTER the day. Each morning I got up, put my hair in a pony tail, put on the designated stinky clothes and headed out the door.
At the end of the summer, the lab instructors joined the students for an end of anatomy class celebration. I showered, applied make-up, wore my hair down and put on normal clothing. I was NOT recognized by my own students. The students I had spent 4+ hours a day with the entire summer. After I re-introduced myself, one of them said with shock, “wow, your hair is actually kinda pretty!”
“I have this refrain about the monkey house at the zoo. When you first enter into the monkey house at the zoo, you think, ˜Oh my god this place stinks! ™ And then after you're there for 20 minutes you think, ˜it's not so bad ™ and after you're there for an hour it doesn't smell at all. And anyone entering the monkey house freshly thinks, ˜this stinks! ™ You’ve been living in the monkey house.” -Tim Gunn on Project Runway as advice to a contestant who was trimming his fashion line with human hair.
Have we as mommies lived in the monkey house of our appearance too long? Have we become unrecognizable as ourselves once we leave our home lab?
How are you to know if you are in the monkey house?
Good question! I have the answer for you (you are shocked, aren’t you?).
You need to take the Holly’s O.I.A.B.I.G.C.A.T.T. (Oh! I Accidentally Bumped Into George Clooney At Target Test). It is simple. It is effective. It is genius. Just pretend that whatever you are assessing (your hairstyle, purse, outfit, PJ’s, sweat pants) will be seen tomorrow when you accidentally bump into George Clooney at Target. It is Target so no Oscar attire is necessary. It makes you think twice about that decision doesn’t it? Would you have changed anything if you had advance notice that he would be there?
If we all used the OIABIGCATT system then we could officially call ourselves frump free, released from the monkey house and ready to join the living. Please visit Fussy and friends for more fight the frump.
Oh, and when you DO bump into George Clooney at Target, try to act surprised…
It is THE summer of Gross Anatomy. Every morning was a four hour lecture. Every afternoon was a 4 hour cadaver lab. It was intense. It was stressful. It was fascinating. I soon found that I loved the art of dissection. I loved the lab. The following summer I enthusiastically accepted a position as a Gross Anatomy Lab Instructor for the incoming class. Every day was an 8+ hour day in the cadaver lab.
The lab had it’s own environment. The smell of preservation chemicals permeated any item that was in the building. There was no removing the stench from clothing. After being there I got used to it. I had a set of clothes that was lab attire ONLY. I showered and washed my hair AFTER the day. Each morning I got up, put my hair in a pony tail, put on the designated stinky clothes and headed out the door.
At the end of the summer, the lab instructors joined the students for an end of anatomy class celebration. I showered, applied make-up, wore my hair down and put on normal clothing. I was NOT recognized by my own students. The students I had spent 4+ hours a day with the entire summer. After I re-introduced myself, one of them said with shock, “wow, your hair is actually kinda pretty!”
“I have this refrain about the monkey house at the zoo. When you first enter into the monkey house at the zoo, you think, ˜Oh my god this place stinks! ™ And then after you're there for 20 minutes you think, ˜it's not so bad ™ and after you're there for an hour it doesn't smell at all. And anyone entering the monkey house freshly thinks, ˜this stinks! ™ You’ve been living in the monkey house.” -Tim Gunn on Project Runway as advice to a contestant who was trimming his fashion line with human hair.
Have we as mommies lived in the monkey house of our appearance too long? Have we become unrecognizable as ourselves once we leave our home lab?
How are you to know if you are in the monkey house?
Good question! I have the answer for you (you are shocked, aren’t you?).
You need to take the Holly’s O.I.A.B.I.G.C.A.T.T. (Oh! I Accidentally Bumped Into George Clooney At Target Test). It is simple. It is effective. It is genius. Just pretend that whatever you are assessing (your hairstyle, purse, outfit, PJ’s, sweat pants) will be seen tomorrow when you accidentally bump into George Clooney at Target. It is Target so no Oscar attire is necessary. It makes you think twice about that decision doesn’t it? Would you have changed anything if you had advance notice that he would be there?
If we all used the OIABIGCATT system then we could officially call ourselves frump free, released from the monkey house and ready to join the living. Please visit Fussy and friends for more fight the frump.
Oh, and when you DO bump into George Clooney at Target, try to act surprised…
ROFL! I love it! It’s a great tip and to add George Clooney in the mix, you got me girl!
You’re right tho!!! 100000000% right!
I’m pretty sure that you would find me hiding in the racks of clothes if I bumped into George. I don’t own anything nice enough for a chance meeting! At Target or anywhere!
Plus…I would crap my pants and that wouldn’t be attractive anyway.
Your title caught my attention! Great idea–sometimes I’m guilty of going to the store in workout clothes…and then staying in them all day, just because it’s easier.
Do you think if I lick him when I see him, he’ll be the one that’s surprised?
And the winner of the TMI Fight the Frump post this week is…you! And that’s why I love it. The suspense. And you are absolutely right. I will take heart tomorrow, because right now I’m about to take Peanut to the zoo and haven’t showered since Wednesday. Or maybe Tuesday. I forgot.
I am very guilty of pony tail syndrome!
It is funny how we fuss over our kids’ attire and then dress like we are in a ‘monkey house’ lol!
This was a great post. It was informative and entertaining.
I love the Monkey House quote. Very cool.
Definitely true. Every time I wear my old baggies out and about I find that I actually avoid meeting myself in the mirrors – much less good old George! I feel much better at least looking a little nice – just the basics even. I can look in the long column store mirrors and smile rather than cringe and run.
Good post! Thanks.
You said George Clooney and I came running…
Great idea, although for me, it wouldn’t be the OIABIGCATT it would be (and because your blog is much more censored than mine I’ll leave it up to everyone’s imagination):
HSIJFBIGFCATT