If you want to see a good show, very electric, by all means go. The fashions are wonderful; the music is wonderful; the strutting is wonderful; the audience is dressed to the hilt…
There was a year, the first year I went…
Now, I don’t remember how I went or who I went with, but it was very last minute. I was exhausted, but decided I’d love to go. After all, my background is in fashion and style…
So I threw a trench coat over my old clothes and went. After all, it was at one of the older auditoriums (at the time)…
Oh man, I was glad I had a coat on! The women looked as good as the models. They were high fashion…it was a show in itself.
One year I was with my neighbor with grown children of her own…she saw one of the young male models come out, strutting in a fur coat, underneath was a mini-kini….and she said, Be still my heart.
Grace singing Imagine One Day American-born folk singer Grace is making her mark in France. Her father is folk singer Jonathan Edwards. Her mother has recorded as Caroline Edwards and Serah. Home has been Kenya, California, Illinois, Ethiopia, India, Senegal,...
More on the MP3 I think one of the best things I did was rip some of my Cmas music to it, the jazz Cmas CDs (Light Jazz Christmas and Light Jazz Christmas Eve), Winter's Journey, Kenny G's Miracles:...
Some perfume stats According to an article by Samantha Critchell: The heaviest users of perfume are 18-24 year old females, according to the market researchers at NPG Group, but fewer than 60% have bought a new bottle during...
When do you know a friendship is over? The loss of some friendships hits at a visceral level. On the other hand some friendships just kind of drift away from lack of contact or interest(s.) When growing up, I had serial best friends....
New Year Celebration - Russian Style photo credit: Gabriel Pevide New Year's Celebration is a big holiday in our family accompanied by lots of champagne drinking. I call it the "New...
Rock Garden Fountains 101 Rock garden fountains are capable of providing your garden space with a focal point as well as visual style for any living space that you...
workplace violence If you spend any time working with a small group of people on intense, timeline-driven projects with limited resources you've experienced some - or maybe...
Recently I was reading one of those newspaper inserts with advertisements, purporting to be articles, with various guru doctors who are guaranteed to make you better, younger, happier, more fulfilled, and you name it…
But first, they have to tear you down to build you up.
All to create the demand for their services.
Do you see anything wrong with this picture?
I have to say the silliest — or most offensive — or downright aggravating one was the one from the plastic surgeon who would fix my (your) (anyone’s) breasts. He used phrases such as ‘out of harmony’ and ‘deformed’ and ‘aging’ — guaranteed to make me (you) (anyone) run right down and sign up for his services. After all, he corrects other doctors mistakes, that might have left one’s breasts mismatched or deformed or, oh dear, out of harmony.
I have this image of them singing out of tune.
He was describing natural breasts — or breasts where the operations were not successful —
There’s something odd about assuming that what is natural is really artificial — or what is actually artificial is somehow natural. And what is really natural is deformed. From having children or breastfeeding.
Okay, then.
Are you confused yet?
I know there are problems best solved by the experts who will fix what couldn’t be fixed a few generations ago. I am not talking about that. Many, many blessings to those who have had to find solutions no one wants to need.
But creating a false need by playing on women’s vulnerabilities, creating a need for one’s services where one doesn’t really exist, tires me out just thinking about it.
And it makes me mad.
How about you?
If it weren’t so sad, it’d really be funny.
And then there are the doctors who will make my teeth whiter or cure issues I don’t even have — but they’ve tried to plant a seed of doubt and worry for my future years.
I’m not going there — and I hope you don’t either.
Trees, part 6 Skyscrapers of nature: 'Wild Trees' I wasn't surprised today when I found, while looking at something else, an email I had saved that linked me to this book and article. The Wild Trees: A Story of Passion and Daring sounds...
Sonoma Scent Studio, part 1 Laurie Erickson of Sonoma Scent Studio is a very talented perfumer. Additionally, she offers fast service (the exception has only been when she was working on her line and had disabled her website) and lovely...
How to create a service environment I'd like to meet this Captain, wouldn't you! "Serve with passion," -- indeed! Here's a story to make your day happier: When I wrote the book, Customer Love, I shared this story about Captain Denny...
A story of remission/healing I was telling a friend about another's diagnosis and how it is known to sometimes go into remission, even permanently. Here's what she wrote in reply: It really struck me what you said on the...
Fast car -Tracy Chapman I really love Tracy Chapman's voice. This is one of her best known songs. Born in 1964, she began writing and playing songs as a child, then as a street performer and in coffee houses...
Osteoporosis Risk Factors for Women There are a number of ailments that women are actually at risk for developing without actually realizing it. For example, osteoporosis risk factors for women...
Feeling Disconnection Many spiritual groups don’t welcome dark feelings or dark sentiments in their functions. We don’t have this prejudice on Reflection Island, and our Spiritual Darkness...
Debt Consolidation Tips If you're swimming in a sea of debt and trying to figure out how to keep your head above the water, one of the easiest...
I enjoyed watching the Oscars last night. Many of the presenters were cleverly funny. Robert Downey, Jr’s, aside about himself was wonderfully drole.
So many of the dresses were beautiful. I didn’t care for the big bow on Nicole Kidman, but the color was radiant.
Helen Mirren looked divine. Such a beautiful dress.
Naomi Watts was spectacular in that shade of yellow.
Reese Witherspoon’s dress looked black on camera, but in the paper’s picture this morning it looked the deep purple that it was.
No big fashion faux pax that I saw like the swan from a few year’s back or the ballerina…but Meryl Streep could take better advantage of herself, and Celine Dion, with her divine voice, needs a fashion consultant.
I’d like to see the jewelry in more detail. Up close and personal would be fun. It would mean that I was there…
Will Smith’s son is too adorable for words.
Some of the men were stunning, as always.
Jack N looked like he was becoming Marlon Brando in his later years. He was good natured, though, which is a little scary coming from Jack.
Peter O’Toole, poor man, I wish he’d won. Meantime, I hope he’s got a couple more powerhouse performances still to give us.
The skit with Jack Black’s was fun. I didn’t know he could belt a song out.
I thought it was funny when Ellen passed her supposed script to Scorsese…and later when Clint Eastwood told her he was expecting a copy of her script too.
There are always some surprises in the awards. It has to be disappointing not to win, but it should not eclipse the fact of being there.
Hmmmmm, come to think of it, I’d like to know what perfumes they were wearing.
Creating a black lippie Wow! this was fun! Thanks to Elena for giving me the idea yesterday. Do you want a little drama and edge in your life? Try a little black lippie, especially since they are moving out...
How many X hundred dollar creams can a woman use? What's a woman to do when the newest high tech face creams are running several hundred dollars each? And how is one to choose one over another, if one is staving off the knife? Honestly,...
Race to Witch Mountain Book Girl and I went to see this movie a couple of weeks ago, and we were both surprised that we liked it as well as we did. A week or so later the rest...
Discussing hope by Joan Borysenko I'm currently reading Fire in the Soul: A New Psychology of Spiritual optimism. Again, I got this from the library until I knew if I would like to own it. (I'm currently reading several of...
What price beauty, cheating in life, or is it? Ellen Goodman has a way with words. Her column [05-25-07] in our area talked about cheating in sports not being cut and dried. She mentions Masazumi Soejima, who she admires, 'running' the Boston Marathon in...
Fashion, internet and our society Today we interview Justin Hoehn. Justin manages LEADapparel.com, providing a broad range of apparel brands at the lowest prices possible. With 27 warehouses covering all...
Dress Your Screens With 53 Breathtaking Typography Wallpapers Very cool collection here of typography wallpapers from LittleBoxofIdeas.com. Take a look at them here, Dress Your Screens With 53 Breathtaking Typography Wallpapers [/caption] "I...
What’s Fashion Blooming for spring? Sheena Osman So it's March and well a little chillier than I would like. At least I have spring to look forward to which is...
Giant Goliath Grouper 500 lb Video I know this is the SFBoater blog, but I grew up in FL. I ran across this YouTube video the other day of a guide...
One thing that is good about getting out of town is that it broadens our perspectives. It is all too easy to think our little (or big) milieu is the final word or full extent of mores or fashion or culture or…
Recently while out of town, I was struck by how many men I saw with pony tails. Nearly all of them had them held back, then clamped across the middle to the ends with other bands. Most of the men were older, but not all.
Personally, I like this look but never see it at home. It must bring back aspects of my youth.
I’m curious where the men were from. The area we traveled has world-wide tourists, so the men were likely from all over. I wonder if the look is prevalent in their area, or if they march to a different drummer.
I saw a number of nose studs (we see a lot here) and a few tattoos. One elderly woman was heavily tattooed, though there was a bit of open skin.
The Vatican's 10 Commandments for drivers Kudos to the Vatican for these, even if the Pope may not have approved of, or even read, the document. It made me wonder why no other religious group, that I know of, had come...
Review Hide and Seek by Cherry Adair (Book 3) Hide and Seek is the third book in the T-FLAC series. This book concerns Kyle Wright, the second of the Wright sibs. He is a medical doctor, but like all the Wright brothers, not what...
The Man who loved Jane Austen by Sally Smith O'Rourke This is a book that Bookgirl liked and recommended to me. I liked the book, but it took me a very, very long time to get through it. I was just doing other things. In...
Review: Sweet Patchouli fragrances Sweet Patchouli is almost a comfort fragrance for me, when it is soft and not in-your-face, lacking that strident note that is in some dry patchoulis. It is warm and sensual, but not abrasive. Here...
Review Flipping Brilliant A Penguin's Guide to a Happy Life Flipping Brilliant is a short little inspirational book based on penguin life, but it is filled with wonderful, wonderful pictures of penguins. It is also available as a Kindle book for $6.39. But I'm not...
Viva La Juicy Perfume Review This is a review of the Viva La Juicy perfume, a perfume by Juicy Couture that is designed to suit women. The Viva La Juicy...
Visit India: The UN-Official Guide [/caption] India Country Guide India is a mystical land that presents the traveller with a bamboozling array of unforgettable experiences. Hinduism, the prominent religion, is...
Stylish and Fashionable Men Man's world is not that different than the woman's world. As the women, there are many men who want to look trendy and good looking...
I saw this on AOL the other day and decided to give it a try.
They said to get perspiration out of white clothes, put white vinegar on the stain, then wash.
I thought, hey, why not try. Both of my older girls have had these stains under the arms.
I figured, it likely wouldn’t work, especially since the stain was old, and when I realized I had washed it without remembering to try it, while it was still wet, I put the vinegar on the stain, and it didn’t appear to do anything, so I put a little soap with it, and maybe it erased it a little. (I had already tried bleach on another occasion.) When it dried, I could hardly see it! So before she wore it again, in the next light load, I put white vinegar on the stain, threw it in the wash, and it came out completely.
Avon Bubble Bath for sensitive skin This product is one I tried on the strength of others' recommendations. I really love it! Not only is it good for my skin, leaving it slightly moisturized but not oily, it leaves no tub...
Review: Signature Club A Signature Club A, Adrien Arpel's line sold on HSN, is hit or miss. She has some great products; some I don't think do much at all. She is a consummate showwoman and fun to watch,...
Aromaleigh Minerals As I wrote in my previous post, Aromaleigh has a wide variety of colors to choose from. If I were starting to look into minerals, I think I would look only here. I don't think...
Talking in general about lips There are a lot of tricks to the trade when you are talking about lips. Lip prep is a big part of it. Lip Prep Remove old lipstick staining from your lips with a gentle...
Review Arbonne Men's skin line NutriMenC RE9 is the 4 step men's line from Arbonne. It is my understanding that the men's line is formulated similar to the RE9 for women, but tweaked for men. Of course, you knew I...
How to Remove Toilet Stains Toilet stains are unattractive and can strike any toilet, especially in a hard water area. Just the water sitting in the bowl can cause these...
How to Clean Blinds There are many different types of window coverings available these days. But, one of the most popular are blinds. This is because they are simple,...
Just when it seems like a bit of good news would be exceedingly welcomed, comes this true story (I’ve checked it with Snopes) about a woman hand feeding hummingbirds.
Isn’t it great that with the Internet we have a way to easily share these experiences that we might never hear about otherwise?!
Thanks to Cathy for sharing with me in the first place!
It’s a reminder to me that “God’s in his heaven; all’s right with the world.”
from “Pippa Passes”
The year’s at the spring
And day’s at the morn;
Morning’s at seven;
The hill-side’s dew-pearled
The lark’s on the wing;
The snail’s on the thorn;
God’s in his Heaven -
All’s right with the world!
Robert Browning (1812-1889)
Is it possible that in these difficult times we could trust more deeply that God will feed and clothe us, as he does the birds and the lilies? Whether we are literally in need of food, shelter, clothing, water, health, employment or any of a myriad of other needs, the most basic need is for the ideas that will lead us in the right direction and out of limitation.
Ideas are always limitless! (This goes along with the short movie I posted earlier.)
Not too long ago while pondering how I should schedule my day, though my first inclination the night before had been to get on down the road and back home, I felt it was all right to meander a bit. In doing so, I had a number of interesting conversations with strangers, some welcome time with a friend, and a bit of fashion enjoyment, including some time with perfumes.
After I’d been back on the highway for a while, an electronic sign informed me of an accident 26 miles down the road. One lane was closed. (I learned later that it had only cleared about an hour before I got there.) If I had hurried my way home, I would have been stuck for hours while they cleared the road. I was able to get past it without any lost time.
Sometimes we do not know what we or others are protected from, but this time it was apparent. And it could have been far worse, but thankfully wasn’t. On this busy stretch of road, many more could have been involved in this accident but were not.
That’s just a small example of how ideas will clear our day for us. Expect ideas today and always that will help you!
Thinkin' about forgiveness and giving up resentment I woke the other morning thinking about forgiveness and asking/praying/thinking about how to give up any resentments that were lurking around...and trying to get a handle on it. I've heard it said that forgiveness is...
Solid rock, Bob Dylan Well, I'm hangin' on to a solid rock Made before the foundation of the world And I won't let go, and I can't let go, won't let go And I can't let go, won't let...
Creative thinking part 1 again Finding a market for an idea -- and not taking no for an answer. I recently read an article about David Rowland and his 40/4 stackable chairs. (40 chairs stack in a 4 foot high...
Discussing hope by Joan Borysenko I'm currently reading Fire in the Soul: A New Psychology of Spiritual optimism. Again, I got this from the library until I knew if I would like to own it. (I'm currently reading several of...
Review Hide and Seek by Cherry Adair (Book 3) Hide and Seek is the third book in the T-FLAC series. This book concerns Kyle Wright, the second of the Wright sibs. He is a medical doctor, but like all the Wright brothers, not what...
Choose a Shredder for All Your Needs There was a time when you could simply throw away old bills and expired credit cards without another thought. With the increasing frequency of identity...
Land and God Zionism is both political and spiritual. It has been going on for a long time, and it even translated into other cultures. In America it became...
Creative Ideas (Part One) Like the power of electricity your Ideas have greater impact when they rapidly flow in concentrated streams of thought. You'll find this and more in...
Ernie Els Wins Doral Ernie Els, commonly known as the Big Easy, took the CA Championship on Sunday at Doral, Florida. Els hasn't won a tournament in two years,...
The Scrolls and the Grail DEAD SEA SCROLLS: - Dr Norman Golb is a top scholar who makes a plea for the de-politicization of the Dead Sea Scrolls. His plea...
How about some more looks from the same young woman! They should make you happy just to look at them.
She says:
A collection of makeup looks done by me. An explanation of some of these…Some are my everyday looks, others are for photoshoots, club nights, events, halloween, or specific challenges (i.e. the drag styles were for a drag queen specific makeup challenge, not something i wear out) Wearable or not I hope I can show that makeup can go beyond just lipgloss & mascara, and that it can be ART. Makeup is not hiding or a cover up like so many small minded people think, it’s EXPRESSION.
Long or short hair? Katie Holmes, whose change from long to short hair made women everywhere want to chop their locks and was the sound of shears heard round the world, has done it again. She's gone to instant...
The time change made it a very early morning This morning came very early, especially since I stayed up way too late last night. Can you say 4 hours of sleep? Luckily for me, I don't need a lot of sleep, but on a...
The 100 Unsexiest men of 2007 This one made me laugh out loud. I didn't read all of them, but I looked through all the pictures and read some of the comments. These guys couldn't turn on a radio. Considering Ellen...
Discuss: Hair styles that make you look older Allure talks about hairstyles that are aging. Let's discuss! A good hair stylist is hard to find One of the hardest things to find is a good hair stylist, one who understands your hair, how...
FOTD Mary Kay eyes + AL lips + Arbonne color Mary Kay Look Book I got the new Look Book which features new shades and so many pretty looks. I'll say this for Mary Kay -- their models and makeup looks are really fashionable. This...
The Benefits of Antiques Insurance If you have a collection of antiques, collectibles or fine art, then you may find yourself wondering about insurance coverage, and how antiques insurance can...
Rare Books Many people who collect rare books have relationships with a number of booksellers who handle these types of books, and have lists of the books...
Twitter Hashtag Introduction If you are looking to increase your awareness on Twitter, one of the best things that you can do is to explore the capabilities of...
PWC Cover Shopping Whether it is almost time to put your pwc on a trailer and get it to the lake, or that time of year where you...
I only recently heard of Irena Sendler, a Polish Catholic 97 year old woman who rescued 2500 children in the Warsaw Ghetto from the gas chambers in 1942-3.
After getting the children out, she arranged ‘adoptions’ by non-Jewish families (I admire them too for the risks they took) to protect them, documenting their names in a jar which she buried, so that one day she could tell the children their real names.
She was captured and tortured, eventually escaping, but she did not betray what she had accomplished.
She was up for a Nobel Prize in 2007 which she did not win, but she won a far more nobler prize.
Kabul Beauty School: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil Deborah Rodriguez has written a must-read book for those interested in other cultures and the fate of women world-wide. She has changed the names and stories, but the stories are true. I've wanted to read...
What it's like to be a teen in China/choosing an English name For those of us who wonder what it might be like if our Chinese child were still in China in their first family, here is an interesting article. I also thought it was interesting that...
Review: Arbonne NutriMinC RE9 body serum and body lotion If you are looking for a miracle product, this might just be it. I first saw the picture of a woman's arms. On one arm, she used these products for 2 weeks, once a day....
A little crochet story from Italy's earthquake Have you read the story of the 98 year old woman rescued under the rubble of her house after Italy's recent terrible earthquake? When asked what she did alone in the dark for 30 hours?...
Chinese adoptive child finds her family in China I was watching one about a young boy. But the one that finds her Chinese family is a 10 yr old girl. The video is in Dutch. Scroll down the left side to: spoorloos. The...
The Project As the season quickly faded from fall to winter last year, my family had an unexpected visitor. She came to our window one afternoon and...
Gulbis First Latvian to Win in ATP Ernests Gulbis defeated Ivo Karlovic on Sunday at the Delray Beach International Championships at Delray Beach, FL, on Sunday, making him the first Latvian to...
I saw this movie today, and it was surprisingly funny. I hadn’t particularly wanted to go, but I was glad I did.
The entire audience laughed a lot. There were only a few really dumb things, and one character I could have written out, but the main character is so delightful and watchable and innocently kind that she is a pleasure to watch. And she holds many lessons.
There are a couple of questionable things for very young children and some bad language, but not a lot. My girls would love it, at 10 and 12. I think they can handle it.
Shelley (Anna Farris is charming in the part and makes the movie) is living the life of her dreams at the Playboy Mansion. She feels the mansion has given her the home she never had before. (The movie begins with a short montage of her early childhood spent in an orphanage, until she finally found acceptance and a sense of family. This is not dwelt upon, but you might need to be aware of it.)
Hugh Hefner plays himself in several cameos in the movie. It’s good to see his health has improved. I hadn’t realized he was in it.
When Hugh goes off for a time, immediately after Shelley’s 27th birthday party, she is presented with a letter from him giving her 2 hours to leave the premises as she is now ‘too old.’ 27 is now evidently 59 in Bunny years.
How she finds herself the housemother of what likely began as Zeta (Zeta Tau Alpha) but morphed into a close cousin in name, is part of the poignancy and fun. The girls in the house need to pledge 30 girls in order not to lose their charter. How she turns them into a viable sorority is a delight.
There is a typical sorority bitch that has shown up in several movies. (And there is a Bunny bitch too.) In a way this movie is like a female version of Sydney White, but we liked it better. (The theater rated it 3 out of 5.)
It’s easy to imagine Elle Woods living this life. (Colin Hanks plays her love interest.)
She’s definitely a likeable bimbo, and you can’t help but root for her. Many scenes touched my heart.
Review Vitus (movie) Vitus is a charming movie, full of love, and I highly recommend it, if you have not seen it already. It is a slice of life I'd like to return to more than once. Beautifully...
Parameters of spacing children Having one child is like having one child. Having two children is like having 3. The two children and the relationship between them. Having three kids is like having 6! The three children and the...
Nancy Drew This was a very cute movie. If you've ever read ND, don't miss it. Emma Roberts is perfect as Nancy. She is beautiful; you just don't want to stop watching her. And she has the...
Sydney White College Girl and I went to see this movie last night. The theater was fairly full. There were a few guys, mostly girls. A few young teens, more were older. There was actually a smattering...
Defining a life Accept no one's definition of your life, but define yourself. Harvey Fierstein The self is not something that one finds. It is something that one creates. Thomas Szasz (1920-) American Psychiatrist Other people's opinion of...
Soundtrack of My Life This may sound strange, but I sometimes like to think about what song would be playing at certain moments if my life had it's own...
Happy Grandparents Day! (a day late) Happy Grandparents Day to all you Grandparents out there! Yes I know Grandparents day was September 13th, but I did not know that till the...
Is It Right To Play The Field? This post on playing the field was originally written and published on 02/03/2008 on my old site, 'The God Is You', and may conflict with...
Does this ad offend your sensibilities or do you find it clever?
A German lingerie firm, Liaisons Dangereuse, has an ad featuring Middle Eastern music, a beautiful, thin, dark haired woman, stepping out of the shower, discretely naked, getting dressed in Liaisons Dangereuse black lingerie including garter belt and high heels, no other clothes, then putting on a niqab, similar to a burka. “Sexiness is for everyone.”
And, of course, the shock factor from sexy lingerie to niqab is carrying this ad around the world. The company is getting a lot of free advertising.
My take
An observant Muslim woman would likely never allow herself to be photographed in such a manner, I wouldn’t think. (I have Muslim friends.)
Sure, we who are not Muslim tend to think wearing a niqab or burka is because of the regulations of men. In some cases, it likely is, but being circumspect or modest in dress is something honored by many, religious or not. I have friends who are equally circumspect who are Mormon and religious Jews.
It just feels disrespectful to me.
What do you think?
Does this make you want to rush right out and buy this lingerie — or the opposite?
Is there another way the lingerie could be marketed to Muslim women? Or do you think this ad is not appealing to Muslim women at all, but rather to others?
In a perfect world, would you like to see more respect of varying beliefs? I wish to honor the spiritual journey of others, not denigrate it, as I feel this ad does. Is nothing sacred?
Review: Chanel lippies Yes, Chanel lippies are expensive -- but in this case I think you get what you pay for. At one time they had them coded for color families, but I don't think they do that...
Review Arbonne Revelage Arbonne's Revelage line targets areas of the skin that are darker to break them up, not only from the top, but from within so they are less likely to come to the surface. This is...
Lauren Luke aka panacea81: youtube phenomenon Lauren Luke aka panacea81 on youtube is an Internet phenomenon. Who is she? Somehow I came across her videos months ago. She has gone from a gawky young woman with a beautiful spirit, to a...
Would you change your past, if you could? One time I said to my son, computer guru extraordinaire, I wish there were a computer that we could plug in alternate realities and see where we'd be in the current moment. He snorted, Ma!(he's...
Using up product -- or not I'm not a minimalist. I learned a long time ago with perfume that I don't have to use up a perfume to get another. In fact it spoils a perfume for me, if I feel...
Black Friday: Why Does It Exist? Has everyone gotten back from the Black Friday sales? I got back from my Black Friday foray a little earlier today. I would have written...
Cash Commons now in open beta! First off, a big thank-you to beta testers Flexo, SuburbanDollar, J from Budgets are Sexy, The Frugal Lawyer, and a number of others who expressed...
Travel Guide:World Cup 2010 [/caption] South Africa is a large, diverse and incredibly beautiful country. The size of France and Spain combined, and roughly twice the size of Texas,...
Viktor and Rolf Antidote Cologne Review The Viktor and Rolf Antidote cologne was originally introduced in the year 2006 and intended to be an Oriental style fragrance for men. The top...
I love spring. I was out bike riding with two of my girls today and thought about how much I love spring — and so, not in any particular order, here are 10 reasons:
1. The temperatures — so much of the year it is terribly hot here. It’s a wonderful respite to have mild weather.
2. The colors — the new greens of the grass and the budding trees, the colors of flowers.
3. Flowers and flowering trees. Some of this reminds me of spring in Michigan and the sweet alysum that my mother used to plant along the walkways — alternating years were either white or purple. Somehow I would be surprised to see them newly planted, then they would take off in profusion.
4. Scents in the air — a plus for someone who loves perfume. A friend has a beautiful purple flowering jacaranda tree — the whole area outside her home smelled of these flowers yesterday. I made her come outside to smell them — and I pulled down one of the branches to smell the flowers up close and personal. Very lush!
5. Bike riding — one of life’s pleasures. Tonight waxy yellow flowers of the plumeria trees scented the bike path.
6. Enjoying my porches. I especially love the front porch during a heavy rain. The porch is tiny, but it provides enough shelter that I am only wet with the spray in the air. I love the sounds and the smells of the rain. In earlier years I would sit on the porch during a storm with my oldest Chinese daughter who was at that time petrified of storms. She would sit on my lap, and we would see how beautiful it was, the lightening, the thunder, the rain — how it couldn’t hurt us, we were perfectly safe.
7. Birds singing.
8. Perfect weather — I know I already wrote this, but it bears repeating twice. It is such a pleasure to get out in it. It’s hard to stay inside. Yesterday we washed three cars and enjoyed doing it.
9. Listening to the frogs at night. They are currently ’singing.’
10. Newness of life reminding me of all the goodness that is on offer if we just get out in it and put ourselves in the middle of it.
When only orange will do I got to thinking about the favorite summer fragrances I recently posted and realized I have a number of sweet orange fragrances which I have talked about in the past. I decided to update it....
Finding birth family (and corruption) (and love) in India Hi all, Several weeks ago Karin posted on my behalf as I'd wanted to post anonymously. My daughter did not want her story shared but she now feels differently. As her birth mother has also...
Ayala Moriel Parfums, part 2 Neither of these perfumes were chosen for me by Ayala. You understand that her choices were made based on emails and my preference test and not my presence in her shop where I could, presumably,...
Falling In Love- Scents And Treats For Fall Credit for photo: Autumn in Sepia by Rick Lundh (via gallery.photo.net) Once again Elena from Perfume Shrine has gathered us together to celebrate fragrance, this time for fall, and Gaia came up with the title....
Silk Flower Designs Yes, take a look again. Is that bunch of lovely pink peonies artfully arranged in the clear vase in water real? Look at those calla...
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People often say that ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder,’ and I say that the most liberating thing about beauty is realizing that you are the beholder. This empowers us to find beauty in places where others have not dared to look, including inside ourselves. Salma Hayek
She says she doesn’t have a formula for long life — no magic to it, other than being blessed to be happy in her home life, happy in her marriage and determined to find beauty of some sort in everyone. [said about Maurine Engel, age 105]
Determined to find and to express beauty, not in any superficial way, which tends to fade…to look beneath the surface to deeper essences…that is a worthy desire. Looking within ourselves may be as daring as it is beautiful.
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Our paper chronicles today a woman who is 105. She looks good! They say she has a spark.
Here’s some highlights:
She began playing the drums at 12.
A neighbor says of her:
She’s an inspiration to me. I enjoy being in her company. I look forward to visiting her; we’re both happy to see each other. She is a very popular woman. People don’t forget her.
She says she doesn’t have a formula for long life…no magic to it…other than being blessed to be happy in her home life, happy in her marriage and determined to find beauty of some sort in everyone.
I just worship the Lord, try to help add positive things to people’s lives and try to find happiness in everyday life. Maurine Engel
Bless her! I want to be her when I grow up. “Determined to find beauty of some sort in everyone…” I hear her. She also says she enjoys being around young/er people.
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Recently I’ve been thinking about the subject of youth and age and what constitutes beauty. Is beauty cookie cutter, the way some plastic surgeons make their patients? Does everyone have to look the same?
Is there a difference between elderly and aged?
A friend’s mother was elderly at age 50, but she wasn’t aged. She was actually younger looking at 60. That’s something to ascribe to!
And others who are clearly aged (in years) are not elderly. I laugh sometimes to see in a newspaper, “elderly woman, 63, in accident,” most likely written by someone a lot younger.
I have a very dear older friend who will never be aged. She keeps too current in her thoughts and attitude.
What constitutes age?
How does one get from thinking they will never age to thinking it has either begun or already happened?
How old is old? How old will old be?
There are claims that someone alive today will live to be 150. I don’t think it’s out of the realm of reality. It might be you; it might be me. Why not! I say I’d like to live to be 150 and look 60 — and I’m working on looking 60.
How old are some of the oldest today?
Yesterday, AOL had picture links to the world’s oldest, ranging in age from 112ish upwards to 140 (not verified, because there’s no birth certificate, but there is a passport.)
What about projections?
Projections of what beauty is are everywhere! Images, images, images, everywhere!
April 2009 Allure Magazine’s cover, which you can see here jumped out at me.
On the left side of a gorgeous picture of Taylor Swift are the words:
Younger
Fresher
Happier
Seriously, do they think younger and fresher equate to happiness? OK, OK, I’ll give you that no one wakes up in the morning thinking that older, haggard, and out-of-date equal happiness, but surely happiness is linked to something a bit deeper.
And seriously! how could she be any younger or fresher. Give me a break.
And while fresher can be achieved with cosmetics, it also refers to a state of mind. All the cosmetics in the world — or surgeries — won’t help an attitude if it is stuck and unwilling to be renewed, fresh, or modern.
Then it goes on to say:
* Anti-Age Creams
That Really Work
*Foods That Fight Wrinkles
*Timeless Ways to Dress
And More
I want to go on record to state that I categorically am sure that Taylor Swift uses them all. Not.
Let’s get real on a cover, shall we? I doubt she is giving a moment’s thought to what she will look like at 40 or 50 or (gasp) 60 or (double-gasp) 70 and beyond.
And she is a seriously beautiful young woman who knows what it is like to look different than her contemporaries when she was in school.
And let’s not forget that she had a stylist for this cover. Who wouldn’t want one!
Not to mention that finding any mention of eye creams is about impossible. How about putting the page on the cover? There was a mention of which eye creams sell the best in different areas of the country (p 60.) That doesn’t count.
And p 170-177 are seriously ugly. Ugly eyeliner. Ugly hair. But the model got the job. I bet she’s really quite lovely. Do we have to uglify ourselves in order to be beautiful?
Here’s a new book — surprise! — with the same subject matter:
Have you read the book? I’d like to!
Beauty Snob called it to my attention with a review that had me laughing. Thanks for reminding her that 40 was around the corner — and she was ‘pissy’ besides!
“I continue on and found my self laughing out loud at the “shout outs” author Charla Krupp (long time Beauty Editor of Glamour magazine) gives at the beginning of each chapter. “Nothing Ages You Like…. Too Long hair that’s parted down the middle, a solid block of hair color, gray or white brow hairs, obvious lip liner, yellow teeth etc etc”. To make a long story short, I ended up staying up half the night giggling over the photos and fast tips Krupp gives throughout the book. There were more than a few instances when I gasped and thought “I MUST STOP DOING THAT!” I went to bed with a smile on my face and excited about waking up to utilize some of the tips.” beautysnob
How about eyeshadow making one look old(er)?
“Some of the most notable tips are eye shadow
application. She shows photos of the “old” way and the “just right way”. For example, bright bands of shadow color and a single strip of false lashes? OLD! Blend nutral shadows and add small clusters of fake lashes are more natural and youthful. Another example is shadowing your eyes: The Old Way: Paint three distinct color blocks on the lid, one atop another, with the top tier a pearly white up to the brow bone. (So many of my friends are guilty of this! They think they’re blending but it looks scary!) The Newer Way: Use two neutral colors and blend them so they look natural. Oh, and there are lots of tips from experts like Chanel’s Chief International Make Up artist Susan Sterling who advises to never match your shadow with the color of your eyes because it’s “TACKY!”. The author and her friends do not mince words and you must read it for yourself! The book is highly addictive and funny to boot.” beautysnob
To tell you the truth, I’m a little tired of all the emphasis.
I’m tired of all the emphasis on the negativity of aging. Consider the alternative!
I’m tired of images of very young women superimposed with words stressing over aging.
How about you?
Several years ago, there was a photo spread in one of the magazines targeted to older women (likely 45 and up, LOL!) of women in their 60’s and 70’s. While each of them was different than the others, each was beautiful in her own right. There was the older woman who looked like my elderly grandmother did. There was the older woman with medium length layered hair who still looked like a coquette. There was a beautiful older black woman…and more. I clipped the photos. This was real life.
We can contribute our own pictures as the time comes.
Wear no makeup. Or conversely, wear the same makeup you wore at 18, unless you are only 22 or hit the right thing for you right off the bat, and it is still in style and modern. Or you are projecting a look.
How about staying fresh?
Be open to new ideas — don’t automatically be critical of or dismiss them.
Get out and about. Mingle with others who think differently than you do.
Get rid of things — and beliefs — that are no longer appropriate, don’t make you happy, or aren’t beautiful.
Learn something new everyday. If you’re not a reader, find someone who loves to share new ideas. Let them do the reading. Encourage them to share.
Make choices that lead to happiness.
Try to surround yourself with positive people. Be that positive person. Don’t be a joy-sucker.
Let by-gones be by-gones. Insofar as possible, forgive others, while being wise.
Be forward looking. Look to the future expecting good things.
Help someone.
Give a compliment.
Smile.
Last, do things because you are healthy, not to make you healthy.
When you are active, be like a child who is active because it is what a child does. And as you are active and receptive, you will be less inclined to think or act differently.
I have a dear friend who is up to 7 miles a week on his bike after a severe biking accident. Not only is he demonstrating increasing health, but he is expressing health every day. You rock!
Here’s a Bible promise I try to take to heart
Job 11: 17 And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.
18 And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.
19 Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid;
And what do you think about all this?
Do you know older men or women whose spirit shines through, and they are beautiful, whether conventionally or not? What makes them beautiful? Is it that you love them?
Who is the most beautiful older person you know?
My Chinese friend tells me that the Chinese believe that you become beautiful if you surround yourself with beauty. That’s not that difficult!
And I want you to know that I always find something of interest in Allure. I am not down on Allure.
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Here’s the update, 10 days into it
The design is pretty much off my hand except for the middle of the back of my hand.
It is still going strong — perfectly — on my foot and leg.
I’m still enjoying my henna. People notice and give me compliments every day.
Today, getting my hair cut, I learned that one of the receptionists is married to an Indian, and for her wedding all the family and bridesmaids had henna done by one of the cousins who does henna where she lives. I need to call her tomorrow and say I’d just love to see pictures!
My stylist has a tattoo on her foot, but she wasn’t able to complete it up her ankle because it was so painful. She said I should get the henna design on my leg and foot tattooed and colored. No way! I love the idea of being able to change it.
She wondered if Natasha (hennagirl) had used a template. She was amazed that she had done it all free hand.
I think one of the prettiest designs that Natasha brought with her to show for possibilities of what could be done was one she had done up the arm and shoulder and down the other arm on a woman who was going to belly dance. The undulations of her arms would have been beautiful with the henna.
Can’t you just see it!
Natasha left some of the henna with us, and when this wears off, my daughter is going to try it on me. Yippee skippee! I can’t wait. I might even try to henna myself. How cool would that be!
Karin
You can find more of her work here and here.
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