Okay, in the travel vein, here is part two of the confessions of a traveler who thinks a lot about “just in case” scenarios. I have a orange mesh pouch that is the shape of a business sized envelope but about 20% larger, purchased at one of my favorite places of all time, the Container Store (she says while viewing one of the most gorgeous sites ever in the Canadian Rockies!). This pouch is ready to go for any trip and contains the things that I need (or might need — you know, just in case) while in-flight only. When I get on the plane, I pull it out of my purse and stuff it into the seat pocket in front of me and pull from it the things I need as I need them. Inside the pouch are the following: a handkerchief (that belonged to my grandmother); a compression sleeve (that I have to wear on my left arm during flights); a pair of reading glasses; a pen; ear plugs; eyeshades; a blowup neck pillow; a pair of thin wool socks; “No Jet-Lag Homeopathic” tablets; mini toothbrush and toothpaste (essential for long flights); a few cough lozenges; a tiny Advil packet; iPod. There you have it. What else could a girl need?

I know, we’ve talked about traveling before–and talking about it and doing it are two different things. I certainly am happy to help clients pack for a trip with outfits that will all fit into a carry on bag. That doesn’t work for me. I try to fit all my books and magazines in my carry on bag. This time, my suitcase, which was checked, even held some overflow books. I can’t help myself. (Wait until I tell you about the one I bought at the airport! More on that next time.)

I’ve been meeting a deadline–big writing project–and now I’m coming up for air and letting my neck and shoulders do things other than sit in front of a computer screen. Okay, what do you do to rejuvenate? I think it’s hard when you’ve been full steam ahead on something and then, after turning in the project, you face a different speed altogether. I almost want to create a mastermind group just focused on rejuvenation. I think it must be a muscle that can be strengthened and developed. Any ideas?

I am very sad that the fashion magazines  are so thin these days. I feel badly for the publishers of my “visual candy” who are not getting their advertising dollars and are many, many pages less than normal. But, the consequence of those thin publications is that I find myself reading them more! Before when they were so fat, I would start a magazine, put it down, and maybe it would get buried by the daily newspapers that I read first. But now, I pick up the magazine and might read it through, start to finish, and love it. It’s a weird outcome, I know, and I’m not suggesting I hope it stays this way. Just now and until the economy recovers more robustly, maybe I’ll get more reading done!

This Australian Harper’s Bazaar magazine is still entertaining me, folks. I keep it in my tote bag and, as I am right now, I pull it out when I sneak off for an end-of-the-day latte before my drive home. So today’s installment is still from the May issue’s cover headlines. This part of the cover says: BE UNIQUE, don’t be afraid to stand out.

Michael Jackson has always been such a lightening rod for opinions. I’m fascinated by all the media coverage of his untimely death and all the flashbacks of his career through the ages. If ever there was someone who was allergic to “ordinary” it was him. He had such style, Michael Jackson style (never mind the non-fashion things about him that were unique). Having worked in fashion for over 25 years, it is easy for me to appreciate the details of his non-conformity. I have had clients that also have been allergic to “ordinary” and then I have clients who really strive to NOT be different, to fit in, to look like everyone else, in the best way for them. I don’t know who was behind MJ’s look, but I’d love to know more about the fashion angle. Has anybody heard more about that aspect of his life? To have been part of the Jackson 5 which had its own uniform look and then to break away so distinctly like he did–well, that’s a lot of intent! The only time I saw him in something that looked ordinary was when he wore a red corduroy shirt that was oversized on him as he faced the cameras and denied his involvement with young boys. It seemed strategic that he wore that shirt as it was so different from everything else he wore.

I have a client who works in the fitness field. She told me that people who write down what they eat everyday will consume 25% fewer calories than people who don’t. Makes sense to me. So this week as I think about three clients that are traveling outside the country, I bet I could make a similar claim. With all three clients, I helped them plan and pack for their trips. I used my Travel Wardrobe Workout Sheets to document every outfit we planned for, both day time and night time, writing all the details down on the grid, including accessories. By figuring it out ahead of time, you bring so much less with you. It’s amazing. We’ll look at the trip wardrobe on my portable rack and it looks so efficient, yet very satisfying. And best of all, it keeps you from packing all those “just in case” items. I do insist that every traveling client pack some just in case items — just in case it’s much hotter or much colder than anticipated. But she’s not throwing in lots of things at the end. She doesn’t have to. We planned it all.

So, back to the cover of my Australian Harper’s Bazaar and the “be” list. Here’s one of the cover headlines, “BE SEXY, channel your inner diva.”

So, when I read the list on the Australian Bazaar magazine cover to ‘be sexy, be unique, be cool, be proud, be bright’ I thought first about the words, be proud. Americans get a lot of press about how casual we are. Now casual is one thing, but sloppy is another. Many times people are making an I-don’t-really-care-how-I-look statement with their clothes. I see that as a missed opportunity. In my imagination, if everyone had the sign “Be Proud” on their bathroom mirror to remind themselves to put some care into how they look both at home and in public wouldn’t they come out of their closet looking differently than if they didn’t think about it at all? If I’m dressing to ‘be proud’ I think I’m looking sharp, put together, like I’m proud to be me, the one and only original Brenda K. I’ll add that mascara; I’ll be sure my white shirt is pressed; I’ll take care of a scuffed up shoe before wearing it again.