Today as I raced from the parking garage to my doctor appointment, I realize I had done my whole car-routine of putting on make up and taming my wig, but had yet to put any gloss or coating on my lips. This was essential before I turned the corner on to the main runway of 1st Ave. because otherwise my beat face looked like a freshly inbombed corpse, ready for a funeral with all of death covered except the lips…and I did not want to show up to my appointment with ‘the death lips’. You know…grey, pasty, dry and dotted with a little dry white toothpaste juice. Uuuugh!

I blindly fished around in my purse and instead of the latest trial of barely tinted gloss that I was used to, I rediscovered a new lipstick that I had only worn once….RUBY WOO! Its not an everyday color for me because a red so bright has to be done with just the right balance of make-up, wardrobe, hair, accessories, purpose, etc. Otherwise I could eeeeeasily be mistaken for a clown or a drag queen. And not that I don’t love both, but those were not the alter egos I was looking to showcase in today’s entertainment line-up.

So even though I had not planned, assessed, or coordinated wearing this color, I popped the top and got to slathering. I juggled my purse and tote and pulled out a small mirror. Big enough to see my 2 lips and the so-so job I had done of coloring inside the lines. As I turned onto 1st Ave, I finished my paint-by-number lip job. I tossed the tube back in my bag and added shades to my now lively face. I tried to proceed with speed for the last few strides but today, energy was not my strong suit. Oh well, at least if I was a few minutes late, I would be well put together. Right?

I entered the building and started my check-in process. Of course among the required tasks was the old ‘pee-in-a-cup, trick. As I ducked into a restroom, I hung up my bags and just as I was about to dash to the throne, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. Oh dear! The lips were on FIRE!!! I mean 5 alarm blaze! And the hair was on voluminous flow! I looked crazy. Lol. Maybe not to the outside world but by my own standard. I was shocked by the pop of color on my face! I forgot that this lipstick was soooo red! Was it too much?!?

Too much….hhhmmm, now that seems to be a recurring theme in my being. I constantly come up on my own radar as TOO MUCH!!! In fact my self proclaimed moniker (in my mind) is ‘NICKNAME: TOO MUCH.’ I have recognized over time that I like things done in excess to the point of ‘too much.’ Too much mayonaise on my sandwhich, too much eyeliner, earrings with too much sparkle, too many blankets on the bed, too many things on the list, too much money spent, too much rum in the punch, currently eating too much chocolate ice cream as I type this, and the list goes on.

But because I have wrestled this monster before, I knew just how to win! ACCEPT IT! That’s my answer, just accept that I am one who likes things done …. too much! So I smoothed my hair, put on even more RUBY WOO to perfect the inner and outer lip lining, and decided to own it! Today I will be the girl with red lips that are a little too much.  I finished my business in the restroom and walked back out onto the catwalk that was Thursday.

And then it started…the compliments and the double takes. First the physician’s assistant…Are you a model? You look so nice. Then the guy on the street who couldn’t look away as I pranced back down 1st Ave, this time with my ‘on purpose’, ‘too much’ red lips. The snobby girl at Dunkin Donuts who was judging and thinking ‘Her lipstick is a little too much for this time of the day, with that outfit.’ She was right and that was fine. They now knew what I knew. This is who I am and I like it…unapologetically. And it made my day!

Is there something about yourself that you have decided to embrace, no matter how quirky or off beat? No matter how much it puts others off or drives you crazy about yourself? Are you struggling to embrace something? About yourself or others? What’s your perspective????