For the former can definitely boost the latter. *Billy Crystal

This morning began before 6am. Jet-lagged children were up and playing until they were fighting. One shoved the Other from the raft (bed) which injured Other. Other pinched the thigh off of One who in turn socked Other in the torso. Other, crying and snotting, came to get in bed with me. One attempted to argue that a pinched leg was as bad or possibly even worse than having been shoved off a bed and neck-first into a sturdy basket. I did not agree. One screamed "BUTT FACE" and slammed every door on the way from my room to his.

Suffice it to say that the morning sucked, and I'll be honest in telling you that for the most part, the day did not improve.

Some days are like this.

It was not possible for me to do the whole "back in bed" strategy, and, as you might know or suspect, that's not so much me anyway. Instead, I glanced at my to-do list, got busy, and completed it by 5pm.

This included: checking in at our old house and doing a massive garage clean with the generous help of my friend/our realtor; feeling awfully sad when I saw the yard I've lovingly tended for nearly a decade in full bloom; venturing to CVS twice (enough for any mere mortal); going on an insane, after-school shopping trip to the 'burbs for a sleeping bag and rain boots that are needed for a 4th grade camping trip leaving tomorrow morning (#gratefulformalls); stepping in fresh cat puke; and so forth.

I think I suspected such stuff would eat up my Tuesday, and so after the garage purge, I came home and...

got all dressed up.

Some of you know exactly why I did this, and others think I'm nuts. But here's what I want to share today: At times, it is definitely helpful to look mahvelous when you don't feel mahvelous.

And, as a second-tier addendum, wearing heels can make you feel like you're on top of the world, or should be.

Why? Because it takes some effort to put on make-up, a matching outfit that does not include elastic-waist pants, and a bit of jewelry. Bonus points if you don't pull your hair back with any old rubber band. In doing all this prettifying of self, I believe you are actually honoring your self. Treating it with kid gloves. Acting as if you might have something to celebrate.

Even if that something is dropping your kids off at school and emptying garbage cans by your lonesome. In my book, "by your lonesome" is often worth a g-damn champagne fountain for one.

I applied minimal make-up, and while I did opt for a ponytail, I chose a fluorescent green band to hold it. A bold (for me) necklace fancied up my jeans and tee, and a long-ago leather jacket find both kept me warm and lent a chic vibe to the look. Flats versus Toms or Reefs finished things off nicely.

As it always does, this effort paid off in the way I held and carried myself, in the way I felt about a bad day being slightly less so.

Some days are horrid, but most bad days feel worse than they are. Sunshine helps, as does any bit of perspective that can be found. A chat or eight with a girlfriend (or 8) will often do wonders. So will fresh flowers, an original Looney Tunes that you put on for your kids and then totally sit down to watch, and bourbon.

The point is this: while I advocate honest living completely, I also recognize how valuable a quick shake of the shoulders can be. For me, the simplest means of jolting myself back from the island of yuk is to play dress up. Rarely does this not work wonders!