“I feel pretty, oh so pretty…”

#goodashell #susanstrasser #susanstrasserblog #amwriting

(Do you hear Maria from West Side Story singing that to you? No? Well, here’s a clip for you!)

Hey Maria! I painted my nails.

I am so, so, so busy this Spring with job training and what have you, but I have learned to get more creative when it comes to self-care. A modern, early-millennium woman has to be! It’s the little things that make us feel pretty.

Afterall, when I’m stressed and feel like I can’t squeeze in a little something nice for myself, that’s when I need it the most.

Here’s a hack I’ve learned…

I used to paint my nails on a weekend night after I was done eating and maybe around 10pm or so, so I knew they’d have a good hour or so to dry before I got ready for bed, and they should be good and dry. But this was in the early 2000s! Life was simpler then. Sigh.

After all, if I go through all the trouble to file and shape my nails— always to “active length”— did I say how I’m always busy lol? And I go through the trouble to paint them, boy I don’t want any smudges or chips anytime soon!

But at 51 years old, with two kids and a full life, I’m often ready to go to bed at 10pm on a Friday or Saturday night!!! So when I’m at my desk during the week, it occurred to me that I could polish my nails in coats as I’m sitting here… particularly if it’s real paperwork, not typing on a keyboard, and doing a couple of coats, with drying time in between.

I buy only good nail polish, like Sally Hansen, and always do two coats.

Once, a guy I was dating paid for me to get a manicure. I don’t do manicures or pedicures, but what the hell. A gift’s a gift! The woman doing my nails at that time put a clear coat on top of my colored nails- I got a ruby red!– this was over 20 years ago, before these radical dark purples, black, browns, and strange nail colors of the 21st century took strong hold!

She said that the clear coat would protect it.

So now, I always wear a clear coat, too.

And I have found that with 2 coats of color, and a clear coat, my at-home manicures easily last me about 2 weeks! I’m pretty pleased with that. When my nails are painted, I feel pretty. I look down and notice them all day off and on as I drive, eat, clean, straighten, drive some more, type, text, close doors, lock doors, open them again, and drive some more.

And occasionally, someone compliments me on my nail color! That’s bonus.

I feel pretty, oh so pretty…