THE TOWN MOUSE AND THE COUNTRY MOUSE
When I was a young girl, one of my favorite stories my mother would read to me was “The Town Mouse and The Country Mouse”, it’s actually one of Aesop’s Fables and so the story goes…
Town mouse goes to country to visit his country mouse cousin.
Country is beautiful. Town mouse is kind of a jerk.
Country mouse comes to visit town mouse and they eat like kings.
Town is invaded and country mouse is all “thanks but not thanks” and heads back to country prefering security to opulence or as the 13-century preacher Odo of Cheriton put it- “I’d rather gnaw a bean than be gnawed by continual fear”.
I never got that metaphor when I was 7. My thoughts ran as deep as wondering if there was any connection to the stripes on Toucan Sam’s nose and his favorite flavors of Fruit Loop rings. That’s deep though… My biggest takeaway from the book was that mice are different, people are different and people come from different places and these places influence who they are and who they will become. That parallel was a striking one to me… country and city. Simple and busy. Quiet and loud. Meager and rich. Or was it the other way around? And in what way? Regardless I saw that both mice had access to different pleasures in life because of geography. I wondered what it would be like to get to experience both?
This month I am departing to the country for a new adventure in my beauty career which I will share more details in another blog at another time. I will be a town mouse and a country mouse for the first time in my life and will be afforded with the opportunity to trasport from one location to the other and experience two very different worlds all while immersing myself in one very specific focus of work. It’s going to be interesting to see how I am inspired and educated by two strikingly different zip codes and cultures. This is a dream come true for me and I’ve spent a considerable amount of time looking into the area and meditating on approaching my next chapter with… let’s just call it… “grace” because while I honor the “town mouse” traits that only city life will give you, I really, really want to channel the student in me and embrace every part of my new surroundings with open arms so I can absorb and learn as much as humanly possible. That’s the great thing about major change, even with know-how, you get to be a student again and if you ask me there is no greater feeling in the city, in the country and in the world!
OK, so aside from the thinking and researching in preparation for my departure next week, I had to give myself a little break from online classes and text books and seek a little visual inspiration to get me excited so I started a “country mouse” inspired pinterest board and am sharing my snips with you below. Please continue to follow my blog for news from me and my pinterest board for what I hope will be filled with actual photos from my instagram account.
“Do you know why I hired you? I always hire the same girl- stylish, slender, of course… worships the magazine. But so often, they turn out to be- I don’t know- disappointing and, um… stupid. So you, with that impressive résumé and the big speech about your so-called work ethic- I, um- I thought you would be different. I said to myself, go ahead. Take a chance. Hire the smart, fat girl.”
My friend Rene would say her blush is probably a little too high up but the circumfrence of it is great and I think it’s perfect. Really love everything about this picture of natural beauty and wish google image matching could tell me what gloss is. That’s the future, right? Also jealous of those freckles.
A tisket a tasket, shoes inspired by a farm basket. I fully intend to embrace the no sock look this Summer and these kicks are going on my wish list. Ventilation just isn’t considered as often as it should be.
That dusty, antique rose lip is going to draw you in here like it did me but don’t overlook the nails which bear a striking resemblence to my fav shade, Yummy Mummy by Butter London. With the closest manicure shop about 45 minutes away as opposed to 45 steps outside my brownstone, I’ll definitely be doing a lot of self manicures which I actually don’t mind. I’m trying to be smarter with how I spend my discretionary income and these mani pedis add up. I’ll have to call my friend Murphy at Butter and see if he can send me a stash. This nude is just easy.
From what I expect there is not going to be a lot of time to put my feet up and chill but when and if I do, I sure hope my moments look like this. Except I want lilacs!
I research the important stuff, like cafe proximity and humidity levels during the summer. Let’s just plan for a lot of frizz serum and thick braids.
Primary mode of transportation…
Primary mode of inspiration… nature & green!!!
Primary mode of fascination… I once read an article in The Harvard Business review about “soft fascination”— something that is described as a begiuling term for quiet contemlation which lends to productivity. Soft fascination is stimulated by exposure to natural settings (clean air, natural light) and it is a time during which attention is called upon and brain activity is reset to recharge overstretched resources. I am going to savor my afternoon walks and any single sun beam that hits my face.
The day-to-day uniform. This it IT!
This is not but I adore the naturally, uncoiffed imperfect hair.
Town mouse/ Country mouse,
Jenna
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