Monday Zoom call with friends

It is another Monday and I get to spend time with my friends on a zoom call tonight. Now I was looking forward to this as I get a little Susan time for this, the last 2 Monday’s I did host the zoom calls but didn’t dress for them because I got home late. Tonight I was home by 5pm so I had plenty of time which I like as for me there is something almost therapeutic about doing my makeup and transforming myself. I was all ready a little after 6 and of course took a few pictures. Now I had time to relax till the meeting started and used it to finish my blog from Sunday.

I started the meeting at 6:59 and of course there was an update for the zoom program which took a couple minutes so I was just a little late and ladies were waiting. Tonight was a smaller group, only 6 of us, Jan, Lynn, Jennifer, Katy, Danielle, and me of course. Now with smaller groups it is easier for everyone to be involved, which is nice. We talked for a while and just caught up on how everyone was doing and also got to hear about Jennifer’s vacation as she has been visiting family for the last couple weeks. All her family knows about her so she doesn’t have to hide it and actually her family likes Jennifer and some of them wanted to get pictures with her which is awesome. Part of the trip as to see her granddaughter in a recital and her granddaughter actually requested that Jennifer show up to watch so of course Jennifer did. Now even though Jennifer is part time she is very open to pretty much everyone which is awesome but it is still a personal choice who you come out to and if you should. I tell girls all the time how I live my life is right for me and that is it as there is no one way that everyone hast to follow.

Well it was time for Jennifer’s question of the week and it was a good one, what is something you do or place you go that is validating for this side of you or makes you happy. Now I didn’t have to think at all about this and if you follow my blog y probably already know. Well one of the other girls went first ad it really was interesting to hear from everyone tonight. For me I guess you could call it validating of who I am but the better wording would be makes me happy. For me the thing I do that makes me happy is makeup, doing my makeup, trying new looks or just playing with it. My whole life makeup has made me feel good, if something is troubling me or I am unhappy or upset doing my makeup or even just putting on a little mascara or lipstick can brighten the worst days. I can actually improve my mood just by thinking about doing my makeup or looking forward to doing it. Makeup not only improves my outward looks but my inward self.

Now for the place I go the most important would be getting together with friends as Susan but the question was about validating myself or a place I go to and I took it as by myself and for me, yes you guessed it, the nail salon. Now the validating part of this is when I first started going you never really saw men there, it really was like being included into a secret society of women and being included and accepted there. Now a few years later you do see men come in with their wives quiet often but now days you even see men coming in for pedicures by themselves. Spending an hour or two here like my makeup is so relaxing and therapeutic but in a different way as someone else is doing the work and you are just being pampered. I started painting my toenails almost 20 years ago and having red toenails made me feel good and yes validated. Even though I really only saw them when I got up in the morning till I got dressed and then right before bed when I took my socks off but I knew they were painted and looked pretty and that was a great feeling. Going to the nail salon to get them done is the ultimate experience and I have had short acrylic nails mostly pretty neutral in color for almost 2 years now even in my male life. Now I do say short and that is all ones perspective as for the typical male most people would say they are long as I keep them between 2/16 and 1/4 inch long but to me long would be 1/4 to 1/2 inch or more. It was a good question and maybe something we should revisit when we have a bigger group. By the way if you can find something that makes you happy do it as having joy in your life even a simple thing is wonderful.

We talked a little more and it was about 8:30pm when ladies started to sign off and by 8:45 I closed down the meeting. Now I am looking forward to Wednesday nights dinner at Outback Steak House.

Thanks for reading my blog and sharing this part of my life with me