So I was at the gym today. I was having one of the greatest workouts of my life. But the woman on the machine next to me, I felt sorry for her. She looked only slightly larger than this woman pictured above. It really made me think about my nieces and what is considered beautiful. Here is this example of a model, someone who represents beauty in media, and she is sick. It makes my skin crawl that this woman was even allowed to be photographed. Just because God gave us one of Adam’s ribs doesn’t mean we’re meant to show it off.
While searching for this photo, I came across websites that actually tell girls how to become this thin. I’m not talking about dieting websites. I mean actual links that say, “Want to be anorexic?” How disgusting is it that there is someone out there asking young girls and women to take part in this disease. Call it what it is.
I hope that for the sake of the next generation of women, more people become appalled. I was happy to hear that, in Spain, designers and modeling agencies are turning away models who are TOO thin. Which makes sense because Spain has a tendency to produce curvy women. (Check out “Real Women Have Curves” with America Ferera)
When you see a young woman with low self esteem, what do you do? Do you remind her of her beauty? Do you tell her to ignore everybody who has something negative to say? Are you negative? Are you encouraging her to lose weight? Do you help in breaking her down? Remember that anorexia is not only a disease, it can lead girls who are never satisfied to suicide. Be supportive of her beauty, don’t point out her flaws.
As a young girl, I became very curvy and with that came the pounds. I remember having family, friends, teachers, classmates-all of them told me I was fat. How do you think that made a teenager feel? I’m glad I had common sense. I encouraged myself all the time. I had to remind myself that I was me and I was beautiful and healthy. If I hadn’t, if I had let that all go to my head and taint my self image, I would not be were I am today, HAPPY. I have a man and a son that I love so much. And they love me BECAUSE of the way that I am.
There was a time when thin was in and thick was sick. Now thick is it and thin is a sin, baby. Move on. Eat some cornbread and collard greens because if you’re a size zero you’re wasting away and, soon enough, no one will even notice you.
And all you young ladies out there remember not to let anyone bring you down. They can only hurt you if you let them. Be smart and show them that thick doesn’t mean unhealthy. Be confident. Be strong Be beautiful.
As always, our Saturdays are very relaxed. I woke up to feed Beany and worked a little on Netscape, posting stories and killing spam. All at my own pace while watching Beany sleep in his new bassinet/play yard. We took some pictures of Beany once Daddy woke to play with him. Hence the gorgeousness above. (Find more to the right on my flickr album.) Then Beany and I took a nap while Daddy updated our blogs. And, now, here we are enjoying the day with a little Dr. Who and Psych. Oh, how I love Saturdays.
Last night Netscape announced the domain of the location for it’s social news site:
From
Social News Update – The Netscape Blog
The Netscape social news experience that you are currently using today will be migrated and revealed soon at http://www.propeller.com/. We’re working hard behind the scenes to ensure a smooth transition before we officially launch at this new destination.
Though the site is not love just yet, I believe the name Propeller, itself, speaks volumes. As my fellow Scout, Muhammed, commented:
…to propel means to motivate, actuate, move, prompt, incite, impel, or to give incentive for action and cause to move forward with force.
We’ve got gold, people.
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I
have to say that I love Baby Phat and Kimora Lee Simmons for what they
bring to fashion. Now if only she and designers like her could make
their clothes affordable. Even Beyonce called her House of Dereon
discounted line, Dereon, affordable. $70-100 for a pair of jeans is not
affordable to the girls and young women that look up to them. I’m sure
that if you asked them what they were able to afford when they were the
age of their demographic, they would NOT say $70 jeans. Then again,
Beyonce was opening shows at 14 and Kimora was the face of Chanel at
15, so what do I know.
NY fashion runways lack black and Asian models » Netscape.com
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This is a real female role model. Forget all the singers, actresses, and hotel heiresses you see in the media. This is a woman who breaks barriers.
Keiko Tsuyama was the first woman to work in the business department of Kyodo, Japan’s largest newswire, then became thefirst to work in North America. Today, she’s settled in New York as a freelancer and covers the culture gap.
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As you’ve probably read on Tom’s site, he was looking for valid content about being a dad. Not helping mom, but actually being a father. After a long search, he found BeAGoodDad, a blogger whose wife also has a blog, www.BeAGoodMom.com. While on the site I found this entry, Be A Good Mom » Shout-Out- BAGD. I just want everyone to know that this is what a father and a man should be like, and I am lucky to just such in my life.
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He is clocked in and ready to go. I am not trying to make it look like “he is a big help to me.†What I am saying is that is half of everything that goes on around here. He is not my parenting assistant. He is not my household vice president. Sure, we each have our spheres of influence, but those are defined by our capabilities, skills and interests, not antiquated gender roles.
It’s been quite a ride thus far and I have to say that I love every minute of it. Sure, I’m up at 2:47am just to give myself a chance to write and get some other things done but it’s worth it to have Beany in my life. I mean, look at him. What wouldn’t I do for him? What wouldn’t you do for him? Whatever he wants, with those puppydog eyes, I’ll probably give it to him.
Visiting Grammie
Picture provided by Pa
And, yes, it’s a boy. I know he’s cute enough to be a girl but it’s a boy.
On Saturday a few family and friends came out to the Ross Pinetum in Central Park for a Potluck Picnic and to meet Beany. Besides a few people having a hard time finding the spot, we all had a blast. My uncle and a couple college friends came out. Tom’s family was there, including 3 of Beany’s cousins. We even got to meet our Belly Buddies from WhatToExpect.com. We had never met them before but we knew it was them as soon as we saw them. I think Beany may miss my curly hair because he smiled at my friend with curly hair a little too much for my taste. He was held by his big cousins then passed around for everyone to enjoy. After a while, and Pa was back from the store with cutlery, we finally ate. We munched on gourmet and not-so-gourmet cookies, fruit, pasta salad, nachos, chips and salsa, and , for dessert, carrot cake. And Beany had gourmet Enfamil and was then the centerpiece for our dining experience. Anyway, I think everyone had fun. There was good food, games, good conversation, laughter, and a lot of love all on a very nice day. So I’d like to thank everyone for coming out and I hope you’ll all share your pictures because Tom and I only got one.
