The Way You Wear Your Hat

“Insist upon yourself. Be original.”-Ralph Waldo Emerson- American Poet

I was shopping at the mall this weekend when I came across a black hat. Not just any hat, a big, floppy, 1930's style that looked like it was made of felt. Now when you see something out of the ordinary like that, how can you just walk by? I couldn't. So I put it on.

I admit that I felt very out of place, detached from reality, standing in the middle of a store with this big hat on, and standing between a tall girl trying on red stilettos and another checking a price tag on lingerie, but the hat was perfect. It reflected my personality, my soul, my being. Old-fashioned, out of style, falling about like it couldn't decide on what to be. Sort of a misfit. Especially being so modest and being between sexy shoes and lingerie.

I left it on, and continued shopping. Right before I checked out, I passed the hat rack. In a sudden change of heart, I threw the hat back on the rack, embarrassed. What was I thinking? The 1930's were over.Where would I ever had worn it? I couldn't believe I'd let myself even try it on. I set the shirt I was buying on the counter, and the boy behind the register stared at me. "You're not getting the hat? It looked great on you. And that style doesn't look good on just anyone." His face was teasing, but in his eyes was something else. Disappointment? Suddenly, I felt the same. Disappointed in myself. And I learned something most people never seem to learn. Not to be afraid to be yourself. Sounds simple. But it's never easy. We're always afraid of being judged. So I ask you all. Be yourself.

Needless to say, I bought the hat.

Love Me, Don't Eat Me

"The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of men."
-Leonardo Da Vinci

PETA's new ad—featuring sexy women who are powerless to resist the temptation of veggie love—was deemed too hot for Super Bowl XLIII. That's right, apparently, NBC has something against girls who love their veggies. They said it"depicts a level of sexuality exceeding our standards." Their least favorite scenes were the following :licking pumpkin, touching breast while eating broccoli, pumpkin from behind between legs, touching pelvic region with pumpkin, aparagus on her lap, licking eggplant, and rubbing asparagus on breast. This is directly from their email.

Um, wow. This is a girl licking a pumpkin. If licking a pumpkin is "exceeding their standards", then, just, wow. Watch it for yourself at ttp://www.peta.org/content/standalone/VeggieLove/Default.aspx . The ad says "studies show vegetarians have better sex. go veg". Which is obvious. Vegetarians are healthier.

We've all heard horror stories about the meat industry, but they're not just horror stories. They're real. Don't believe me? Here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIjanhKqVC4 . *warning* not for people with weak stomachs.

Go Veg.

"The animals share with us the privilege of having a soul."
-Pythagoras

Birthday Gift

“Wish on everything. Pink cars are good, especially old ones. And stars of course, first stars and shooting stars. Planes will do if they are the first light in the sky and look like stars. Wish in tunnels, holding your breath and lifting your feet off the ground. Birthday candles. Baby teeth.”
-Francesca Lia Block - American Author




Perhaps there is still some happiness in the world. Six-year-old Gabriel Hurles found it wrapped in a birthday present. The kindergartner was eating cupcakes his mother had brought to his class on Wednesday so he didn't even notice an enormous wrapped box off to the side.
"That's one big, giant present," a classmate told him. "See what you got, Gabriel."




What did he find inside? His father, an Army mechanic back on leave from his second tour in Iraq. "It's my dad!" he screamed, "Hi daddy!" His father,Casey Hurles, 23, hadn't Gabriel since leaving in June. When he learned he would be back just before his son's birthday, he came up with a plan to hide in the 4-foot-tall present. "It was such a rush of emotion," he said. The teacher, Ms. Dawn VanSickle was glad to be a part of the reunion. ""One of the first things Gabriel shared about himself was that his dad was in Iraq and that he was waiting for his dad to come home," she said. "He talks about his dad all the time."

There is definitely happiness in this world. We just have to find it. So please, don't be afraid to dream. Don't be afraid to wish. And please, please don't be afraid to make a wish come true.

Sexism, Androcentrism, and Feminism

"I hope people realize that there is a brain under neath the hair and a heart underneath the boobs." - Dolly Parton

Sexism. Discrimination based on gender, especially discrimination against women. Androcentrism. Centered on, emphasizing, or dominated by males.

Feminism. Belief in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes.

As a woman living in a androcentric and sexist world, I know how it feels. I know how it feels to be judged by the size of your behind. I know how it feels to talk to someone who remains focused on your chest, no matter how many times you remind them that your face is higher. However, whenever I feel that no more humiliation can come of it, someone invents something like "iBoobs".

iBoobs, an application for the iPhone that consists of a virtual large chested woman. Shake the screen and her breasts jiggle. I didn't believe this when I first heard it. Honestly? Has the image of women been degraded to virtual breasts jiggling all over some one's phone? Is that all we are? Is that all we can be? Thankfully, Apple has said no because of its "objectionable content".

So, there is still some decency left. Right? Wrong. Although "iBoobs" has been rejected, a newer application, dubbed "Wobble", was approved.

Very much the same concept, Wobble creates a "3-D jigglefest". The difference? "Wobble" allows the user to add the jiggle to real photos. On a Kenzins article about the iPhone, the description was ,"Jiggle your way to happiness as Wobble, the latest iPhone app, enables you to make anything..well… wobble." Jiggle your way to happiness?

Of course, in Apple's defense, "Wobble" isn't only for breasts. You can make a puppy tail wobble, or a bunny nose. However, go on YouTube and search "iPhone Wobble app". You tell me how many jiggling females pop up, versus how many wobbling puppy tails pop up.

It's time to end this post, so I leave you with some of the most sexist jokes I've ever heard.

"What would men do without women? They would train another animal."

"Why haven't any women ever gone to the moon? It doesn't need cleaning yet"

"Why don't women wear watches? There's a clock on the stove."

"How do you get a woman dizzy?Put her in a circular room and tell her to go to a corner."

On the other end of the spectrum, here's my favorite.

"You always make a rough draft before a masterpiece. That's why God made man before he made woman."