Pops of Pink and Nice Surprises

The dress code for One Billion Rising (see the previous post) was black, pink, and/or red, so this is what I wore. All black, with some major pops of pink. Pink coat, pink earrings, pink bag, and of course... a pink pout! I thought about washing my hair, since tomorrow will make a WEEK w/o a shampoo, but I figured that I'd be pissed if I spent the time washing and blow drying and then sweat all my natural curl back out while dancing. I should have taken more pictures of the gathering of women, of the dancing, of the experience, but I just took it all in. Sometimes when you are taking photographs you are more concerned with capturing the moment as opposed to really being in it. It was a really powerful experience though, made that much better by the fact that riiiiiight after the last practice dance I looked across the crowd to see, Whitley (go check out her amazing blog, the Queen City Style). We ran up to each other (only having met in real life, twice... but we have blog crushes on each other) and she said..."I'm here because of you. I read about this on your blog, so I am here. I am here because of you." BEST.PART.OF.MY.MORNING (thank YOU Whitley). 

• This is Whitley... with her cute t-shirt and bad ass red leather jacket. LOVE.
• The girl behind the sweater and the pink Nike's is my good friend, Tisha. Tish planned on being at OBR, but the real world got in the way and she was stuck at work. Boo. She texted me a picture of her pink sweater and shoes though and said that she was going to dance in the privacy of her own home in support. I'd love to be there to see that... or even better, see what her boyfriend's reaction would be when he walks in on her doing a box step and pivot turn by herself in their bedroom. Awkward.
• The picture in the top right was taken... dare I say... 12 years ago!!! WHAAAAT???? Yup... in 2001. That is my friend, Sue. We were "besties" in college (still hang out every week in my mind). We were in the Women's Student Union together and both in the Vagina Monologues. This photo was taken in NYC. We were there for a Global V-Day conference. We saw a star-studded performance of the Vagina Monologues while we were there. IT.WAS.AWESOME. (I'm talking staaaaar studded: Oprah Winfrey · Jane Fonda · Glenn Close · Gloria Steinem · Queen Latifah · Rosie Perez · Marlo Thomas · Calista Flockhart · Ricki Lake · Brooke Shields  · Teri Hatcher · Viola Davis · Rita Wilson · Eve Ensler · Claire Danes · Cynthia Nixon · Julia Stiles... to name a few.)

And... because yesterday was Valentine's Day... here's a little montage I put together to celebrate the love in my life. I am extremely blessed to be with a man who is does not need a holiday; he is a ROCK*STAR every day and I appreciate the hell out of him!!!!! 

*Although, sometimes on blogs and on social media it can look like things are PUUURFECT in other people's lives. I assure you that is not the case; but two very imperfect people can love each other and just do the best they can, right? And in my opinion, that is definitely worth celebrating.