#Lexington is just going through it rn

[reviseyourclover]

dming god whenever smth happens like

[misterscarlet]

Ch 1

It was a dark and stormy night

"What went wrong?"

         "I duno sometimes girls just loose interest"

He hated these kinds of things, people were so complicated. why humans couldn't be ones and zeros would be a mystery to him. He thought he was in, he thought they clicked.

"god dammit"

Mary was always great at these kinds of things, she got people. had this personality that could pull you into a hug. 

          "hay, if she's not looking for a relationship rn, then don't"

"?"

          "Just say hay 'wanna fuck tn?' worst comes to worst, you get a 'no' and thats it. ur overthinking things, if she says 'no' then you can just say cool ill see someone else' she'll be the one overthinking things"

The irony of solving his own overthinking by giving it to someone else was much sweeter then an ethical wall he had placed between his identity and mind games of this sort.

so he sent it. 

It was the sheer audacity of it all that surprised him. Impulses like these never worked out. These same passions and spirit of the moment thinking had their place in more passionate acts. Communication though should be orderly and respectful. Good communication in any relationship, platonic, social, or otherwise was more valuable then anything. Even Tinder, sure it was a dating app and people were expecting trashy conversations on it, but that it shouldn't mean that he should continue with that trend. He would be better than this, he would be the port in a storm of crappy fish picks and sexual harassment. When he looked down at his phone, he recalled what he had done. It was shame, shame that washed over him and his soul. Could it be that he was no better then the frat boys and the uncultured emotionally stunted boys who passed as college guys. As he stared into those three 'words' he knew in his soul that, he was better than this, relationships were built, nurtured, enjoyed. Relations were to be connections that you formed with someone, something that lasted as a foundation to build your life on.

Then a text arrived

           "do you have place n can u wear condom" his world had suddenly gotten much smaller. Then he sent "yes and yes". What was once a solid wall in his mind and that was never an option, suddenly had a door; and he was through it already.

           "can u pick me up"

He looked at the keys on the end table, and his response was sent. He had only gone a hair down this rabbit hole and he was

                                                                                                                already

                                                                                                                 falling.

You see, he had to play it cool. "sure, where"

Oh god it was one too may words. he had shit the bed, up shitt's creek without a paddle, killed the goose.

           "where r u by

            im by Lexington Campus"

maybe the goose could be re-alived after all.

"I'm in Lex appts" 

            "oh wtf we're so close".

he was a new man, this might just work?

              "can you give me like 30 min"

What you would do to get ready to get fucked besides take a shower didn't make very much sense to him. He didn't expect it to but, why would you freshen up to get ready for a hot and objectively gross activity? he said none of this...

"sure"

when she sent over her address, "1 Glen Eagle Dr, Piscataway"

Tinder does magical things.

Honestly, why would she do her hair, a brush and a bit of conditioner would do the trick. He was just going to pull i-

          "do u care if im in my pjs [loudly crying face emoji]"

again, these pointless questions

"I'm just going to take them off,

so no"

            "o-"

yep he was in. sure, he had social anxiety and talking to a woman on the street was harder then a brick. He did have one thing though he had a feeling for when he was in a girl's head.

           "LOL ur cute"

*mental Hi-five*

why not lean into it

"Although if you could do your hair, I would like to mess that up"

              "it's done"

where he smiled to the camera (yes he does this in real life, I am sorry) and with a grin that could only say 'if it works, it works, don't question it'

The walk in the rain wasn't terrible, a drizzle fell gave everything a hazy look. Those nights as summer aren't cold, they simply feel so as you think about the season that just moved on without you.

That night he felt warm, because sex.

simply saying 'here' would be too clinical, too strait forward, to average, sex was something special, so the last thing he wanted to text should reflect that. "your carriage has arrived"

[basmndsa]

「 alvaro rico. cismale. he/him. 」i hope that #lexsquad member「 SEBASTIAN MENDOSA 」adds me to the squad ! the 「 TWENTY-TWO 」year old 「 BUSINESS 」 major has been apart of the squad since 「 AUGUST 2018 」and seems to be the 「 CYNIC 」of the group.「 BAS 」is a「 JUNIOR 」 and seems to enjoy 「 TAKING LONE WALKS IN THE DARK 」but you can always find them at a squad party , too !

hello . . . i have nothing to say for myself. genuinely. here’s bas , he sucks and i’m not sorry about it !! 

STATISTICS.

FULL NAME : sebastian alejandro mendosa

MAJOR : business

ORIENTATION : bisexual 

HOMETOWN : santee , ca.

HEIGHT : 6′1

BUILD : tall & slender. 

BACKGROUND. * triggers include : death  &  abandonment  &  drug abuse.

if u don’t really any of this just know its inspired by the gallaghers from shameless

sebastian is the product of a one night stand between two young teenagers who weren’t ready to be parents , but were convinced they could do it. prepared to welcome their baby into the world, his mother died in childbirth and it sent his dad into a spiral. too young and not ready to raise his baby alone.

however , he still tried and had a hard time maintaining anything for his son. however , their family kept growing welcoming four new children all within a few years of each other ( give or take ) , all from different mothers who wanted nothing to do with the babies , so they fell on the mendosa’s. four siblings are angelo ( 19 ) , mariana ( 17 )  , teresa ( 12 ) , & samuel ( 7 ). 

sebastian being the oldest quickly fell into the only proper father figure his siblings had. his father was around , but as soon as bas started taking over , he was around way less. too wrapped up in being fucked up on drugs to stay home and raise his kids. that said , he practically raised all his siblings and had no time to do anything for himself. dropped out of high school at 17 and got his ged and started working multiple jobs to support how he could.

after a huge argument one night , bas finally got his dad to realize he needed to shape up or he was going to lose the kids. all bas got out of his was some financial assistance , but he had never gotten an ounce of love from his father , so he knew it was too late to get that. his father isn’t exactly a bad guy , he just never recovered from losing bas’ mom. 

tired of basically being a father of four at 19 years old , bas finally did something for himself for once ; with the help of grants & hope , he got into an associates program at a local community college and got his associates in business there. then , through a transfer program with more grants & hope , he was accepted into lexington university. 

just got to lexu in august to finish his business degree. isn’t really sure why he picked business , but it seemed like something he could do something with to support his family. lives locally , about 20 min. drive and commutes because there’s no way he’d leave this family to his father. 

PERSONALITY.

i honestly don’t even know how to explain his personality other than the fact that he’s . . . . generally just not very nice. wasn’t really raised with ideals of compassion or love & simply doesn’t know how to express those emotions. isn’t necessarily that he can’t , he just genuinely doesn’t know how. 

will say literally whatever is on his mind at any given moment. not a single filter in sight.

cares for & cares about his siblings and makes sure they know that he does. it’s hard for him to express his love , but they’re just about the only four who have an actual place in his heart. not his dad , his dad can choke. 

isn’t exactly an asshole for the sake of being one , just literally doesn’t care about most things & is generally perceived as rude. 

doesn’t have a lot of passion for things bc he was never really given the chance but he does really enjoy writing. has always kept a journal and it’s really the only form of emotion he can properly express. 

easiest way for him to express any type of emotion is through physical fights. is quick to get angered ( physically )  & to start fights. 

probably just hates everything but its fine.

HEADCANONS.

speaks english & spanish.

has family in barcelona that he’s never met. 

has one tattoo for each of his siblings that he saved up money to get. they’re small but important to him. 

has never been in a real relationship. never really had time growing up & his personality doesn’t exactly scream bf material.

is fine w/ no strings kinda sleeping with people but tends to not sleep w the same person twice if he feels like they’ll get attached. 

literally has not clue why he was invited to the squad or why he accepted but .... here he is , u know.

still works two jobs & pours his life into making sure his siblings are cared for. for a man with 0 emotions he cares a lot about them

CONNECTIONS.

literally anything angsty ..... please ......

ex friends / fwb / ex fwb .... w/e

he’s lived in the san diego area all his life so like any connections to that

someone who thinks they can fix him or make him Love and only hurts themselves in the process

the closest thing that bas might have to a best friend. doesn’t know how to express his love for them , but he tries. 

would love the person who let him into the squad ... maybe someone annoying who kinda just latches onto him for no reason.

cut from the same cloth ? they both don’t rly express emotions but it kinda just works. u know like the friend u just sit in silence with but its nice silence .

basically just piss him off please

that’s all i got rn , but here’s his pinterest !

[mybookplacenet]

Featured Post: The Perils of Autumn by Rusty Blackwood

About The Perils of Autumn: Steam Level: From the author of the riveting romantic fiction drama, Passions in Paris: Revelations of a Lost Diary, and the celebrated, 5-star-award-winning romantic fiction drama, Willow's Walk, comes the intense romantic drama, The Perils of Autumn. This page turner, set primarily in the early 1970's, centers on a young Kentucky woman, Autumn Leeves, born to Abigail Leeves, an unwed mother who struggles to make ends meet. By 1970, Autumn graduates nursing school and is sent on assignment by the local hospital to care for the terminally-ill wife of middle-aged English equestrian master, Cyril Landon, owner of Landon Lawns Stables, a most successful thoroughbred racing stable located just outside Lexington, Kentucky in a posh community known as The Meadows. Duff Taylor, world renown jockey who is tops in his field, lives full-time above the tack room at Landon Lawns and enjoys the many benefits it brings, but he also has a dark secret surrounding an unsolved racing incident from his past that he will go to any length to protect. Autumn arrives to Landon manor in time to be thrown into the fray, and finds herself caught in the ongoing disruption that ensues. Buy the ebook: Buy the Book On Amazon Buy the Book On Barnes & Noble/Nook Buy the Book On Kobo Buy the Print book: Buy the Book On Amazon Buy the Book On Barnes & Noble/Nook Author Bio: Top ranking romantic fiction author Rusty Blackwood believes the flair for fantasy is anything the mind wishes it to be, and she is a master at this. Within her expressive mind is found an endless array of romance, passion, textures and colors to sweep the reader to exotic, faraway places where anything is possible, proving that her words really do leave you breathless. Canadian born Blackwood, who chose her 'pen-name' by combining both the color of her russet hair with her estranged husband's great, great, Scottish grandmother’s maiden name, grew up on her paternal grandfather’s farm in southwestern Ontario, Canada where she developed her love of writing while still in grade school, entering numerous competitions and writing exhibitions throughout her area, and attributes her love of writing to her late father James, and to the late Gladys Carroll, her elementary teacher. Although unprofessionally trained in the field, Rusty has always had an affinity for the written word, a gift to express it, and has demonstrated this talent many times since becoming a serious writer in 2001. Miss Blackwood is a bronze medalist winner in the 2006 Annual International Library of Poetry for her 2005 poem, Desire. She has written an eclectic array of contemporary and traditional poetry, publishing her first collection in October of 2009 titled, “Feelings: A Rhythmic Journey in Thought,” which was later re-released in a second collection with additional content in 2011 under the title, “Impressions: A Poetic Rhythm in Emotion”. Feelings was followed in April of 2010 by a collection of assorted short stories for children, as well as the young at heart, titled, “Young Minds,” which was later re-released as a second collection with additional content in 2012 under the title, “Through the Eyes of Innocence.” In March of 2012 Rusty released the first installment in her ongoing 'Derwood Comedy Series', “The Misadventures of Derwood Tugbottom,” an adult comedy series centering on and around an eccentric, retired London City Hall Official who comes to Canada looking for 'the perfect retirement' - that of which eludes his ongoing search. Following a previously hard fought, misguided, and misleading publishing road into the competitive world of main-stream fiction with her first two-part romance/drama, "Passion in Paris’"– Connections to the Past and Directions of the Heart respectively – Rusty was finally given the chance to accomplish what she had originally set out to do, and this exciting reprieve can be found within the pages of her grand-scale, 4-star Amazon-rated, heart-touching romance/drama, “Passions In Paris: Revelations of a Lost Diary,” released in 2013, and available in paperback and Kindle on Amazon. *The 2-part Passion in Paris series is no longer available. Passions in Paris is followed in 2015 by the official release of the riveting 5-star award-winning romantic fiction drama, "Willow’s Walk." This page-turner has been given a 5 star rating by Readers’ Favorite while still in pre-release, so be sure to check it out in Paperback & Kindle at Amazon. In July 2017, Miss Blackwood released her second installment in the Derwood comedy series, titled, "Derwood Returns". In this hysterical follow-up to The Misadventures of Derwood Tugbottom, the bubbling and pretentious Englishman, known for his staunch outlook and demanding ways, decides to return to the picturesque village of Vinehaven on the Lake, where he takes up residence in the swinging Sunset Villa Retirement center, located directly across the road from the infamous Anchors Away, of which he hastily departed two years earlier. Now he is back, with a hard-learned lesson beneath his belt, and hopes of finding the life that escaped him on his initial try. Rusty currently released the third installment of the Derwood Tugbottom comedy series, titled, Derwood Goes Caribbean, on January 27, 2019. Travel with Derwood, and his best friend, Robbie, as they board The Travelling Minstrel on a swinging single’s cruise to the Caribbean. Christmas 2014 is fast approaching and an intrepid Derwood talks Robert into taking a single’s cruise to the Caribbean with him, which sends them on another eccentric adventure. Will they find what they hope to aboard ship? Will happiness present itself in one the ports of call, or will it avoid them altogether? Find out, in this third Derwood adventure, certain to make you laugh as you cruise right along with him. Rusty’s third novel, The Perils of Autumn by Tellwell Talent and release late January 2019, is a 5-star award-winning romantic fiction drama set in the early 1970’s at Landon Lawns Stables, a fictional thoroughbred racing stable in the posh community known as The Meadows located just outside Lexington Kentucky. This enthralling story centers around heroine Autumn Leeves, a twenty four year old newly graduated RN, who is sent on assignment to Landon Lawns to care for the terminally ill wife of English equestrian master, Cyril Landon. However, once there, Autumn encounters a world filled with intrigue, wonderment, and a well kept secret. The Perils of Autumn was released on January 17, 2019 and is available in paperback, hardback, and Kindle editions at all Amazons, and in Kobo at Chapters. Paperback, and Hardback editions may also be ordered at all Chapters, Coles and Indigo. The Perils of Autumn is now a 2019 Finalist in Romance in both the International Book Awards and the American Fest Best Book Awards! Rusty is currently writing the follow-up novel to the 5-star awarded, The Perils of Autumn, entitled, Return to Autumn, and is expected to release in late 2020. Miss Blackwood is also a tree-time Nominee for Top Female Author sponsored by The Authors Show for the years 2017, 2018, and 2019. The 5’1″(154.94 cm) spunky redhead is often asked how much of herself is found in her heroines, and she has been noted to say a fair amount, adding that most writers inspiration comes from many different aspects of life experience and reaping from them all that one can to use to one’s best advantage, so in that respect she would have to say that many sides, aspects, and flavors of her heroines derive from her own personality and life. Rusty has always loved the Arts in their many unique forms and this is demonstrated in the two Interior Decorating and Design diplomas she holds, as well as her many years spent on the south-western Ontario stage performing with her family’s country music band, The Midnight Ramblers, and the country – rock – blues band, MIRAGE respectively as an accomplished vocalist, bassist, and rhythm guitarist. Rusty firmly believes in going after what she wants, doing whatever is required to make it happen, and turning a deaf ear to anyone who says it cannot be done. She has faced many challenges throughout her life, emerging more determined with each, but make no mistake about her methods, for she is a firm believer in Karma and the adage that whatever you put out in life revisits you, so be sure your intentions are proper. Miss Blackwood now resides in the cultural city of St. Catharines, Ontario and when not at her keyboard, enjoys art, music, nature, gardening, and spending quality time with family, friends, and her loyal cat, Tipper. She also invites you to contact her regarding your views, questions, or to simply say hello. Follow the author on social media: Learn more about the writer. Visit the Author's Website Facebook Fan Page Twitter Linked In Pinterest YouTube Read the full article

[wlulex]

WLU-EXes: Where Are @wlulex Alums Now?

Introducing the new team during #wlulexweek was a total blast! But now, we can’t help but wonder what the @wlulex alums are up to these days.  We decided to track down some old team members and find out what life is like as a “wlu-ex.”

Elliot

Name: Elliot Emadian Graduation year: 2017 Degree: BS in Mathematics, Minor in Dance

Favorite social media platform?

A: Snapchat

What do you miss most about Lexington?

A: All of it? I miss the aesthetics of Lexington. There's a distinct feel and atmosphere of these architectures frozen in time with people moving through them. I feel connected to the Lexington community even from 500 miles away. 

What did you want to be when you were 5?

A: Firefighter

What are you doing now?

A: Graduate school: pursuing an MFA in Dance

What’s next?

A: For me or for the world? For me...2 more years of Grad school then probably a ton of work in the dance field, teaching, choreographing, researching, etc. Oh, and I have a new song coming out on 11/10/17. For the world...there's a children's book series...Pendragon? In one of the books, all the people live in this virtual world and they survive off of nutrient jello and no one ever comes out because the virtual world is utopia and the world outside is crumbling. I'm feeling like that's where we're headed. Maybe our Bitmojis will take our place in the real world. What if they become sentient...

Words of Wisdom?

A: Pronto is closed on Tuesdays. Don't use Facebook stories. Follow me on Insta and Spotify @ElliotReza.

Natalie

Name: Natalie Brendsel Graduation year: 2017 Degree: B.S. Accounting & Business Administration

Favorite social media platform

A: Instagram

What do you miss most about Lexington? 

A: I miss the comforts of a small town. The local family-run businesses, running into people you know all the time, and being able to walk everywhere. 

What did you want to be when you were 5?

A: A teacher

What are you doing now?

A: I'm working in Risk Advisory...sounds fancy, but it really just means I'm doing IT consulting for an accounting firm

What's next? 

A: No idea as of now. Although I miss Lexington and only working/going to class a few hours a day, I'm loving Richmond and getting to experience another part of Virginia.

Words of wisdom? 

A: Nope.

Taylor

Name: Taylor Gulotta Graduation Year: 2017 Degree(s): Theater; Strategic Communication

Favorite social media platform?

A: Twitter, but before they started expanding the character limit beyond 140.

What do you miss most about Lexington?

A: That’s a tie between Pronto’s iced toffee nut latte, the top-notch resources in the theater department, and the greatest local landmark in the Lexington area: Sheetz. Also, pretty much all my friends and professors.

What did you want to be when you were 5?

A:  I probably just wanted to own a lot of dogs. I love making art, but I would still be down to own a lot of dogs for a living.

What are you doing now?

A: I started working as the Stage Management Apprentice at the Gateway Playhouse for the 2017 season two days after graduation. Since May, I’ve worked on 6 musicals, stage managed a children’s production of the Lion King Jr., and helped run a nationally renowned haunted house. Gateway Playhouse is located in a small town on the eastern edge of Long Island, NY, so I spend my days off alternatively taking a train into the big city or driving 20 minutes to the nearest Starbucks.  

What's next?

A: Hopefully a break. My current contract ends in late December and I’m hoping to have some time off before I start looking for my next theater job in a new place. Maybe Chicago, maybe D.C., maybe neither. Ideally, somewhere with good theater, great coffee shops, and a half-decent paycheck.

Words of Wisdom?

A: Don’t forget to thank your professors. Take classes outside of your major. Have fun. W&L is a treasure and it’s never too late to realize that. I miss it more than I thought I would.

Blair

Name: Blair Dewing Graduation year: 2017 Degree: Biology and French

Favorite social media platform?:

A: Twitter, all day every day

What do you miss most about Lexington?:

A: Coffees that are both delicious and normal sized! LexCo and Pronto come to mind, but yeah I would take a Sheetz coffee rn (i.e. large)

What did you want to be when you were 5?

A: A veterinarian, but I had a friend who wanted to be a vacuum cleaner!

What are you doing now?

A: I am teaching English at a K-6 school in France.

What’s next?

A: I hope to eventually move back stateside. I worked in Idaho last summer and subsequently fell in love with the West Coast.

Words of Wisdom?

A: Every town has amazing spots.  I live in a small town in France now. At first glance, you might think it’s boring, but you might think that about Lex as well (if you don’t know about places like JJ’s Meat Shak). If someone didn’t tell you about the hidden gems (like JJ’s Meat Shak), you might never find them.  I am thankful that @wlulex helped me to explore new places (like JJ’s Meat Shak)!

[hvllis-blog]

hey guys ! i’m el & it’s mcfrickin amazing to be here ! i’m a little late ig & i haven’t finished setting up this blog yet, but i’m still looking forward to plotting with everyone ! 

╰ ☆ yikes ! did i really just see HARRY STYLES ? nah, that’s just LOWELL WEST, you can tell by the CROSS that THEY were wearing. according to the papers, THEY are TWENTY-THREE years old & tend to be DEBONAIR & INSIGHTFUL, but on the other hand can be MACHIAVELLIAN & VITRIOLIC but i suppose that’s to be expected from OLD MONEY. ( el, 19, pst, she/her triggers; none ) ☆ ╮

UH SO SHOUTOUT TO LEIGH FOR THIS CHARACTER IDEA

alright so, a la parent trap, lowell & hollis are twins that were separated during infancy when their parents got divorced due to differences in lifestyle. lowell was raised by their mother, daughter of the west patriarch, and hollis was raised by their father on his vineyard in california! i will be playing hollis reed who’s pretending to be lowell.

lowell was raised in lexington, recently returned after attending yale and graduating last year with a degree in economics. he’s been shadowing at the west’s main headquarters as he’s interested in investments & trading, although the family rose to prominence through land development & real estate. the west’s are very conservative & all of that, religious, etc. and they value diligence and privacy.

hollis went to stanford & got their degree in computer science. they’re very much your stereotypical southern californian & will have no problem taking on the debonair & insightful traits of lowell, but machiavellian & vitriolic? that’s going to be tough because they’re candid & facetious.

so, hollis met lowell through a shared acquaintance that got the two of them confused and actually linked them up. they’ve spent the past month chatting and getting to know each other, piecing the story together, and have finally decided to parent trap... or not exactly. they just want the chance to meet the other parent without blowing shit up, more something that lowell was concerned about.

regarding their daily duties, lowell’s not really expected to do much & hollis has the capability to complete them. as for hollis’ job, they’ve just requested to work from home for a while. so, the both of them are able to live with their parents. 

hollis is a demi-boy, so they/he pronouns work, but i guess everyone’ll be addressing him as he because they’re ... lowell who is a he... i’ll be using they! 

so basically everyone should know lowell as this pretty bitter guy despite his charm ?

this is all i have rn... watch me try not to get confused while playing someone acting as someone else! 

ALSO when we plot uh we’ll be plotting connections between lowell & your character but we should also? plot how hollis might get along with them because hollis isn’t an actor n they may slip in and out of character or just completely suck @ being lowell we’ll see 

possible connections:

lowell’s close friend? maybe childhood friends

someone he’s been hooking up w/ on the dl? better if it’s scandalous !

someone he doesn’t get along w/ at all

someone that hates him

ex-girlfriend

honestly ! i should just look @ a masterlist nvm jksdfshdjfzc

[coffeewithmrthornton]

An Open Letter to Ms. Shelley G. Broader President and Chief Executive Officer, Chico’s FAS Inc., parent company of Soma Intimates

Dear Ms. Broader:

 I approached a new part-time job at Soma Intimates in Lexington, KY, with enthusiasm. I’ve been a huge fan of the Soma product, particularly dresses that have been flattering and kind to me as I age. After doing some research about your corporation on Glassdoor and Indeed – and discovering a corporate commitment to helping women with breast cancer and also domestic violence victims – I was optimistic that this would be a caring company with a positive work environment.

 I have worked at Soma Intimates in the Fayette Mall in Lexington for a total of seven days.

 Tonight, I parted ways with the company.

 While I would normally make such a decision private, I feel that you and my reading followers should know what I experienced in that very brief period. I do not know if my story will create positive change, but my hope is that it might help women who do not possess my self-confidence to receive your kind attention:

 The best way to outline what happened is to start at the beginning – with my job interview. I’d worked in retail 25 years ago, when I needed a side job to make ends meet. So I was unprepared when my store manager told me that I was expected to plan parties for customers. These parties were to take place monthly, and I was to come up with ways to reach out to my network to bring people in. She wanted to know how I was going to do that. While taken aback, after considering it for a few moments, I actually became very excited about this idea. I shared with her that I had a wide social network with Twitter. Currently, I am at about 9,900 followers. My plan would be to come up with a list of party ideas and then launch a second Twitter account solely dedicated to promoting these parties and the store’s other sales and events. I would then circulate this among my network, and as I am widely connected locally, I looked forward to this greatly. I also was extremely excited about parties that would benefit women who had mastectomies, as well as young mothers and anyone else in need of a great Soma bra.

 After I received my job offer, I immediately sat down for about two hours and crafted a list of party ideas. For your purposes, they are listed below. You can read through them now or skip down to the rest of my narrative and come back to them later … but here they are, as they were emailed to my hiring manager on May 31, 2017:

PARTY IDEAS:

1.       Bring Your BFF Party: Invite women to come in for a girls' night out, where they bring their best friends. The aim of the party is that the best friend shops for an item for you, and vice versa. Best friends will often see that our wardrobes "lack" an essential item -- something that we would never shop for ourselves. Or they might see that we should "let loose" in certain areas (i.e., a best friend can tell a woman that she needs prettier bras -- something no one else could tell her). Sales associates would help best friends find the perfect items. We would wrap up each purchase with beautiful bows like a gift for each woman to present to her best friend.

2.       Divorce Party: As someone who went through a divorce seven years ago, I know the emotional pain of feeling like you are no longer feminine or sexy. You go through a period of feeling rejected, even when you are putting on a good face for the rest of the world. If you're a mom, you're also only focusing on the needs of your children. Pretty soon, your lingerie drawer is neglected -- and you don't even care. Most women also associate lingerie boutiques with brides and romance -- less thinking about themselves and their need to feel beautiful. We could reach out to divorce attorneys and also support groups for the newly divorced to get the word out about divorce parties. When shoppers arrive, sales associates would give one-on-one attention, asking each woman what would help them to feel beautiful.

3.       Mommy's Day Out: Moms with toddlers and babies are in the same boat as the divorcees. Many are trying to get back in shape and also are neglecting themselves. (Not easy to feel sexy when your top is soaked with souring breast milk.) We would hand out invites to day care centers around town. Also, we can target the moms who congregate in the toddler play area near the store. Sales associates would play with babies and toddlers in the store while their mommies shop. I'm not averse to changing diapers, if needed. 

4.       Men-Only Party: Most men walk into a lingerie boutique looking like deer in the headlights. This is less than a "party," and more like an effort to offer men one-on-one shopping experiences. During a special block of time when we have shopping "just for men," each sales associate is assigned one man to guide through the shop and help him find items for the special woman in his life.

5.       Pajama Party: Just like PJ parties at elementary schools, sales associates would wear their favorite Soma PJs and robes. We would have popcorn available and play films like "13 Going on 30" on a large screen. Soma associates would discuss with shoppers why they love certain PJs to sell them.

6.       Jane Austen "Tea" Party: The Regency Era of Jane Austen was a very "forgiving" fashion period, with its high-waisted dresses. It's also one reason I love many of the dresses offered by Soma. As my body has changed in middle age, these dresses take attention from my abdomen, are slenderizing and are very flattering. My proposal is to do a party for "Janeites" (i.e., Austen nerds). We could offer tea sandwiches and hot tea, show "Pride and Prejudice" (1995 BBC version) on a screen and discuss how the Soma dresses reflect the fashion-forward dresses of that period in history. We might collaborate with Joseph-Beth Booksellers and get them to bring in a speaker, along with a stack of Austen books that women could co-purchase with their dresses.

7.       Back to College Party: Although a lot of girls in their 20s still go for Victoria's Secret, Soma can push itself to this target demographic as the "sophisticated lingerie" option for "real women," not "girls." We can promote this party with sorority houses at the University of Kentucky and also circulate information at nearby schools like Asbury University and Transylvania University.

8.       Hot Flash Party: I had a hysterectomy at age 44, and overnight, the hot flashes started. One of my tools to get through them, ironically, are the Soma "cool nights" pajamas. Soma fabric is wonderful for hot flashes, because it is soft and comforting when you are experiencing a real physical meltdown. We could ask a gynecologist or RN from an OB-GYN practice to be a guest speaker about how to cope with changing hormones and hot flashes. Soma associates could offer suggestions about the best fabrics to get women through this difficult life-changing period.

9.       Back to Work for New Mommies Party: When women have to return to work after maternity leave, sometimes they are still trying to get back into shape post-pregnancy. Hence, their office wardrobe is sparse. They don't want to go back to maternity clothes, either. Soma dresses are a great option for women who are in that "in between" phase. We could partner with OB-GYNs again to discuss how your body changes after having a baby. Soma associates would help new mommies shop for back-to-work dresses to get them ready for their grand entrance at the office.

10.     Lingerie Bridal Shower Party: We could market this option on a constant basis with a partnership with bridal dress boutiques. Rather than have a traditional bridal shower where people bring gifts, they can book the shower in the boutique. During the shower while they eat and play games, they shop for the bride's gift. We have sales associates on hand to ring and wrap on the spot. The bride leaves with a box of wrapped gifts, to unwrap at home. We sell it as a win-win, because she can share her measurements while in the store (one "game"), and then they shop for her on the spot. We get bridal boutiques to market this option for us by cross-marketing their offerings (i.e. providing their business cards, having a photo near the cash register with one of their bridal gowns). We might have one of their associates in as a guest at each shower to consult with brides who have not yet shopped for their gowns.

11.     Mammogram Party: We partner with Kentucky One or Baptist Health to provide someone to teach our party participants about self breast checks. Participants can sign up for mammogram appointments, and we can also discuss with them how to work with their insurance companies to make sure the cost is covered. We then will sell bras at a discount if they sign up for mammograms

12.     Wine and Cheese Party: There is a wine shop in Fayette Mall. We partner with them to offer wine tastings and teach shoppers about best wine pairings with certain food. We offer a cheese and fruit spread while women shop.

13.     Binge-show-worthy lounging clothes party: I love binge-watching my favorite shows, like "House of Cards," "Outlander," and "Berlin Station." And Soma's lounge clothes are perfect for a day when you want to do nothing but crash -- but you don't necessarily want to stay in pajamas, either. We would have three screens around the store showing some of these shows, to promote the "Binge Day" lounging clothes. We might be able to partner with Netflix, Hulu or Dish to offer coupons for memberships.

 The manager was very excited and said that her district manager wanted to put me on a speaker phone call during a staff meeting to discuss how I came up with my ideas. I approached my first day of work with happiness.

 I launched the Twitter account that was devoted to my Soma work. I put a beautiful photo of pink peonies as my banner, and I tweeted out images of Jacqueline Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” and other salient quotes. I retweeted the Soma corporate account on sales. And I included tweets about a fitness party that one of the other sales associates was hosting in the upcoming Sunday. I cross-pollinated the tweets onto my main Twitter account that has 9,900 followers, to generate interest, which it did. I named this Twitter account, “SomaMaven,” because I discovered there were MULTIPLE other Soma accounts by other sales associates that all used the Soma name.

 Meanwhile, back at the store, I soon discovered that I was not welcome. A second manager at the store was consistently rude and condescending during my first week of work. And I also had to push for training on the cash register and training on HR videos. A promised training on the proper way to do bra fittings was never provided.

 And my hiring manager told me that Soma Corporate was “upset” that I had used “Soma” in my Twitter handle. When I came home from work, I immediately changed the name of the account to “Bra_Whisperer.” I sent out a tweet to my 9,900 followers that I had changed the name to comply with Soma HR policy. I tagged the “SomaIntimates” Twitter account in the tweet so that they would know that I was trying my best to comply with corporate policy. I thought they would be pleased and happy to see that I was giving them wonderful and free publicity and that I was following their directives.

 But then I encountered another issue. I was chagrined to find that other sales associates and the two managers were taking credit repeatedly for sales that I had been generating on the floor. I am the same age as many of the Soma customers and relate well to them. I engaged them in conversation easily and helped them find things that they would enjoy. Even though I had not been trained on bra fittings, I tried my best to help them in the fitting room. However, on my very first day, I was shocked when a sales associate put her number into the cash register on my first sale – for $436. Later that afternoon, a store manager took credit for another sale I had generated for about $120. I was told by the hiring manager that because I was in “training mode,” I could not take credit for sales, because it would “throw off” my sales ratio.

 I decided to stay quiet about people taking credit for my sales. I thought that maybe I should be a team player and allow these other associates to take credit until I was fully trained.

 The next day, I asked the hiring manager when I would be speaking to the district manager about my party ideas. She said she had been too busy to email them to her.

 That same day, I was finally trained on the register. But again, I was shocked when the second store manager – in front of a customer – made a point of reaching over me at the register to key in HER name on the sale, after I had been helping the customer for more than 20 minutes. During the rest of the night, so that I would not ruffle feathers, I asked her if I was to put in her number and the other manager’s number for my sales, and she indicated that I was supposed to do that. At one point, a customer whose sales totaled about $150 whispered to me, “Do you get a sales commission? She just took credit for you helping me!” I shrugged my shoulders and whispered back that I was not even sure anymore.

 When I got home, I decided to DELETE the Twitter account devoted to Soma. I was concerned that it might get me in trouble in the future and that things would be misinterpreted. I deleted it and made an announcement to my 9,900 followers that it was gone.

 I kept working for the next five shifts on which I was on the calendar. But they were extremely difficult shifts, because now I was working with the other store manager, who obviously did not want me there. I believe this was because I was doing very well with sales, and she was unhappy that I was cutting into her commission. I do not know this for a fact, but I have no other explanation for her rude and condescending attitude. More than once, customers commented to me under their breath that they thought I was being mistreated and should say something. As it was my first week on the job, I decided to hold my thoughts to myself.

 On Tuesday, June 13, I had a very difficult day at work. I was instructed to hang mountains of bras that had been left in fitting rooms. I did so while two other associates goofed off around a register. I know you have cameras in the store and will be able to verify that while I was working the floor and hanging bras, they were not working. Nevertheless, I persisted with my work. I also decided that because associates were stealing my sales, I would ring up my own sales. By this time, I picked up that there was a strong dislike from the other associates. But I wanted to do a good job and persisted in helping customers while I was hanging the bras. The store manager regularly spoke sharply to me in front of customers. There was one incident in particular when a mother and daughter who were shopping looked at me with so much pity that I almost walked out on the spot.

 That night when I came home, I stayed up all night trying to decide whether to quit the job. I have never been so bothered by unkindness and mistreatment, but this really got to me. I decided to give it one more chance, and tonight, I showed up for my shift at 5:30 p.m.

 My hiring manager came into the back room as I was clocking in.

 She told me that Soma Corporate had flagged my tweet where I had announced that I was changing my Twitter handle to “Bra_Whisperer.” She said the District Manager had printed out the tweet and brought it to the store in person to confront me. I advised her that I had already deleted the Twitter account and that the matter was closed. But she kept going. I guess she wanted to have the satisfaction of putting me in my place. I told her that I did not understand why we had to keep discussing it. I had deleted the Twitter account, and I could not understand why any offense had been taken, anyway. The only reason I flagged Soma Corporate in the tweet was so that they would see that I understood the corporate policy and was complying with it. She said, “You threw them under the bus.” I answered that was not my intention. She told me I was being condescending to her. I answered that I apologized if that was her perception, but it was not my intention to be condescending. Finally, when the discussion kept going in circles, I decided to tell her that I was not the right fit for the company. I left and advised her that I would expect my pay check next week for the time I had worked.

 Ms. Broader, maybe you will never see this letter. But it is important to me for people to see it and know that in the corporate world, everyone should be treated with respect and kindness. I came into this job with an excitement and enthusiasm. I have been a journalist for 27 years and decided this year to change gears and go into special education teaching. I will be going back to school. I am a single parent with an autistic teenager. I am also a survivor of domestic violence. I thought that this company would be a great place for me to reach out to other women and create fun and exciting shopping experiences for them. Instead, I found a great deal of mismanagement, jealousy, confusion, rudeness – and frankly, dishonesty, when my commissions were stolen in front of my eyes.

 I hope you will take this letter seriously and that someday, Soma, Chico’s and White House Black Market will be a place where I feel comfortable shopping again.

 Oh. By the way. The lamp post on the right side of the door of the Soma Intimates shop in Fayette Mall is out. Maybe you can have someone fix that. It looks awful.

 Sincerely,

 Heidi Lynn Russell

Employee Number 067831.