Deja vu all over again

Today the strangest thing happened. My daughter and I were in Syms, a local high-end discount clothing store. I didn't really need anything, per se, but then again it's rarely about need, right? I just had that tingly sort of feeling that something was waiting for me to come buy it and that I just had to go today and bring it home with me.

We combed through many racks, my daughter laughing in that oh so funny way that 14-year-olds have whenever I showed her a prospect. According to my daughter, my fashion sense is nonexistent. She pulled out babydoll tops, I put them back on the rack. Anything I showed her was instantly panned. For instance, a pretty purple sweater I liked was shot down with, "It looks like Barney on crack." We weren't getting very far.

Suddenly she and I reached for the same item. "Hey Mom," she said. "Didn't you have a shirt just like this?" Indeed I did, which is why I zeroed right in on it. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. You see, many years ago, my husband had surprised me on our anniversary and actually went to Macy's and bought me clothes that (a) actually fit and (b) I would actually wear. It was a once in a lifetime epic event that gave him bragging rights for a long time.

The top that I loved the most was a wine-colored long-sleeved pullover. It had something called soutache all over the neckline. Soutache is an embellishment, in this case in black ribbon-like embroidery that looped gracefully around the neckline and out to the shoulders. The design was unique, the fit ultra-flattering, and it quickly became my favorite shirt. I washed it numerous times and it began to pill and show some signs of wear, but it was still my favorite. My husband referred to it as my "succotash" shirt because he could never remember soutache.

Alas, a couple of years ago we suffered a washing machine mishap where the agitator got so agitated it wouldn't spin and all the clothes sat in the water like soup for hours, with colors bleeding and blending all over the place. I was absolutely horrified to see that black dye had seeped all over my favorite shirt! I washed it separately several times but the stains were set in by that point. I was heartbroken. I couldn't part with it, and it's been hanging in my closet, stained and unwearable, ever since. I feel sick to my stomach whenever I look at it.

Fast forward to today, and there is a virtual duplicate of my favorite shirt. Not only was it the only one in the store, it was in my size, and only $9.99! Plus, it was a little more modern and updated than the first, with three-quarter sleeves and a nice vee neck. But the soutache and embroidery were nearly identical, and the color was the rich, warm wine that the first one had once been.

I grabbed the shirt and made it mine in an instant. What were the chances of finding another shirt just like that? Slim to none, probably. In Yiddish there is an expression "bashert," which means "meant to be." I think this was bashert, or maybe it should be bashirt?

Anyway, I brought the blouse home and my husband, bless him, said, "Isn't that the shirt I bought you?" (Come on, could he possibly think I bought my own shirt? But I held my tongue.) I was touched that he could remember buying me the top some 15 years ago, and what it looked like. I pulled Old Faithful out of the closet and compared it side by side with the new shirt. The black stains were even worse than I remembered. "I guess I'll throw it out," I sighed, heading for the trash can. "Wait!" my husband said, "can't you wear it when you cook?" (I keep old stained shirts around and change into them when I cook anything messy). I instantly brightened: "What a great idea!" So Old Faithful went back into the closet and its doppelganger got a nice new Huggable Hanger.

I am a little in shock that I found this blouse, or maybe this blouse found me? It's a little eerie that it was the only one and that it was in my size and so affordable. Our 23rd anniversary happens to be next week, so maybe it was karma. Who knows? I'm just glad I listened to the little voice that told me to go to Sym's!

I should be sleeping right now...

Oh my god, I don't know quite how I stumbled upon this site, but I think I must be dreaming! It's 1:40 am on Monday, October 13, 2008. I should be in bed, but I was idly looking through job postings and I came upon my fantasy job - writing a blog for this unbelievable website, pnn! I am so tired my eyes are crossing right now, but I can't wait to come back and play with all the logos, typestyles, and letterheads. I am exactly who you are looking for - I live to shop and I shop to live! I am an expert at bargain-hunting, and I will spend hours combing through stores or online until I find just what I was looking for!

I devour all the current magazines like chocolates - People, OK, US, even Star (guilty pleasure!) I don't believe everything I read, but I love checking out all the latest styles and gossip, who doesn't? Yeah, it's a bunch of fluff, but it's fascinating to read how the other half lives, and to enjoy their bounty vicariously (if not enviously at times!)

I am a lover of shoes, of purses, of Coach, of jewels...my kids know that my answer to "what is your favorite color?" is 14 karat yellow gold! I watch the trends and styles closely, and know my designers, but I tend to shop for classics that will still be in style next year, especially in these tough economic times.

I am a copy editor who is about to be outsourced to the Philippines! I am so sad to be losing this job after 10 wonderful years. Although I  know it's nothing personal, purely economic, it still hurts! But, everything happens for a reason, and maybe the reason this happened was so I could be a contributor to this supercool website! I write on helium.com sometimes, just because I love to write, I think I write well, and I think I am funny, and I want to get my work out there and make people smile. I'm a really good editor, but writing is what I love and what I do best.

I would so love to share my shopping experiences with you! Check out an article I had published on helium.com called "Two Left Shoes." This is the type of article that I love to write, based on a true shoe-hunting experience. I try to find the humor in everyday situations because otherwise I'd  cry!

Thanks for reading this. I so hope you will try me out to blog for you!

Welcome to PNN!

This is your site, and what your are looking at is called an article box.  In fact everything on this page are in boxes like this one.  And, everything  can be moved, edited or deleted.

To move any box:
Put the cursor in the blue menu bar at the top of the box, click and  hold the mouse button, and drag it.  Let go of the mouse button to drop it where ever you want.

To edit something in a box:
To Edit this article box (or any item) just click the 'edit' link in the blue menu bar.  Edit the content, click 'save' and you're done.

To delete a box:
 Just click on 'delete' or the trash can icon to delete any box.

To change how the page looks:
If you look on the left you'll see a vertical tool bar.  Just click on 'Page Design' to change the style or layout.

Change your personal preferences:
Click on the 'My Broadcast' button.

Need a bit More Help?

Visit http://help.pnn.com or click on the question mark at the top of the page.