Are thumb holes in sleeves functional or just a fashion statement? Or both?

The sleeve in question
The shadows an
unintentional bonus

Dave returned from his PIAA convention earlier this month with a long sleeved half zipper pullover for me. It's quite comfortable. It's not too heavy so it will come in handy for fall hiking when it's not quite jacket weather. It should also work well on days like today when I anticipate needing protection from climate controlled environments.

I just don't know what to do with the thumb holes. Do they serve a purpose or are they simply a funky fashion thingy**?

If they are a fashion thingy, then I feel like an impostor using them. I don't deliberately try to be out of sync in matters of style but it should be obvious to most that I don't have much sense in that department.

Another dilemma (for me, anyway) is that as a statement of style, I have a vague sense that thumb holes belong to the younger generation. My social anxiety voice tells me that using them will subject me to scrutiny for trying to be something I am not. On the other hand, they've been around long enough that perhaps they are not considered trendy anymore which makes them perfect for me. 😵

As I type this with thumbs through thumb holes, I can see a real advantage to something like this in my office where the air is arctic 24/7/365. It's difficult to use a keyboard or a mouse with gloves on. Yes, I've tried. I've tried finger-less gloves as well and find them uncomfortable. Perhaps a zip up hoodie with thumb holes in the sleeves is the answer! Something to think about.

I welcome your thoughts on function vs fashion. ** And bonus high fives for anyone who can come up with a suitable synonym for THINGY that begins with "F".

Keep Smiling Keep Moving
-Paula

Anxiety and the Perfectionist

I lost my phone yesterday.

If you know me, you know that my phone and I are not in a serious relationship. I use it to phone, text and take photos. The latter being it's main function for me.

I do not do social media or email with it. I rarely connect to the Internet with it. When I do, it's because someone texted me a link and it's too long to copy (by hand) to my iPad or computer browser. And then there was the time I missed a trail marker and got lost on a hike and needed the GPS to find my way back and (it turned out) off someone's private property. 😨 Even then I connected with reluctance.

All that to say that being without it isn't a hardship.

Except for the knot inside that just won't go away.

Since I determined the phone was truly lost I can't stop thinking about how stupid it was to lose it and how losing it will impact others and our budget. The knot inside me is a reminder that my carelessness has caused a problem(s). The list of  'should haves' is endless. You can try to tell me that's it's going to be ok and deep down if I think really hard I might believe you -- for a little while -- and then I'll be back to feeling crummy about it.

I am a perfectionist. It sounds like a good thing but I've come to realize that perfectionism is just a coping mechanism for anxiety. By DSM standards, my anxiety probably doesn't register. However, it is real enough to have an effect on me and I'm willing to bet I am not the only one who deals with this. Which is why I'm sharing this post.

I'm not writing this looking for hugs or support. In fact, that's one of the reasons I almost deleted this post. It's part of the anxiety - worrying what others will think.

I'm writing this and sharing it because "saying" it out loud does help. And I've come to realize that sharing our weaknesses is just as important as sharing our strengths. Not because we want people to tell us "everything will be alright" but because there is strength in being vulnerable.

On the upside, the paralysis that comes from my anxiety about 'screwing up' only lasted an hour or two. The knot is still there reminding me but I did not crawl into a ball and keep myself from enjoying other things. I disabled the service through my provider's website and went out to enjoy a wonderful evening watching Lancaster Youth Productions presentation of  "The Prince and the Pauper" at Garden Spot Village.

Keep Smiling Keep Moving
-Paula