Now that my Internship is completed and I’m down to writing papers, I’m beginning to look at my future. . . and while I have NO idea what I will be doing, I do know this: I feel a change coming on.

I’ve decided that the first thing to change is my “look”—yes, I’m a suburban mother… but do I have to look like one? I put this question to my in-laws who were here for Thanksgiving. My brother-in-law, who is delightful and has an opinion on everything, decided to weigh in:

Bill: “Well, you can’t go around looking all goth… you’re going to want a REAL job and who’s going to hire you looking that scary?”

He was asked, after all. And his point is taken, however, as I was not to be dissuaded.

Me: “Ah, Bill, that presupposes I want to be a contributing member of society. My main goal in life is to be as over-educated and underemployed as possible. And have a goth haircut.”

To which my sister-in-law could not help but contributing, “I think Wende is going through a midlife crisis.”

Personally, I think these are clear enough goals. But I know what you are thinking: Why Goth?

Primarily, it’s because I’ve taken to tormenting my Yuppy husband with the notion that once I have my degree I will be free to dress anyway I want to. And then I throw in the word Goth just to see him squirm. He’s such a Republican.

But the truth is, I’m sick of dressing how people expect me to dress. The suburban mom look is clearly not me—and while I’m “crunchy” on the inside, that aesthetic is missing some serious fashion cues. Socks with sandals? That’s a fashion don’t! I don’t care if you do live in Oregon.

Anyhow, we are watching Beetlejuice with Boy Wonder tonight, when Wynona Ryder as Lydia comes on the screen, “THAT’S IT! I want to look kinda like that:”

winonaryderaslydia.jpg_500.jpeg

Seriously, if only writing my papers was this easy.