One Angry Girly Girl

I spent part of the day in the emergency room with my son yesterday. A set of stairs leading to our second floor condominium collapsed with my son on them. It was easily one of the most terrifying moments of my life. I still feel like crying every time I think of him falling with the stairs seven or eight feet and landing hard. Although the doctor at the emergency room initially diagnosed my son with just a strain, upon review of x-rays by the radiologist, it was revealed that he had fractured two vertebra. We'll be seeing a specialist on Wednesday.
The fact that this was the result of negligence on the part of the association responsible for the upkeep of common areas, one of which was this shared staircase, is causing a slow burn of my temper. As I took photos of the broken staircase, even I could see that the stairs had been held together by simple nails, not the normal bolts. My neighbor had brought a crack in the board to her landlord's attention at Christmas time. At that time he examined the board and declared it 'fine' until spring. Well, it wasn't fine. It wasn't fine at all. The simple act of walking up the stairs to his home has left my son with broken vertebra and in a great deal of pain. And as of yet...not so much as an "I'm sorry" from the association.

Sig Hansen is the Man

No I haven't lost my little pink marbles. Yes, I'm still anxiously awaiting the release of the Sex and the City movie. But somehow, somewhere along the line I've become a 'guy' show junkie. My latest addiction? Deadliest Catch on Discovery. It wasn't a sudden love affair. It began innocently enough. On the weekends the Discovery Channel would play back episodes of the show and I'd have it on in the background while doing other things. Every once in a while something would catch my attention. Then I found myself actually watching episodes. Halfway through their regular season last year I started watching during prime time. Now, well, now me and the boys from the crab boats are on a first name basis. Jon, Andy and Neal, Phil, Jake and Josh, Edgar, Greenhorn Jake and of course....Sig. Look, I've never been drawn to the blond Norwegian type but there is something about Sig Hansen, the captain of the Northwestern, that I find attractive. It's certainly not his propensity for cigarettes, or his obsession with crab counts, but there is something I can't quite put my finger on that makes him 'hot'. Of course his brother Edgar, desk boss and engineer is pretty sexy too...except for that whole 'biting the head off from bait for good luck ' thing. Look, this crab fishing thing is far from glamorous. These boys are a bit rough around the edges. So maybe that's what makes them so attractive? Or the fact that the job is so dangerous. Regardless of what it is, the start of the new season makes it feel like friends have come back to visit. So welcome back boys!! This girlie girl is glad to see you.
Oh and by the way...I also watch Mythbusters, Dirty Jobs and Man vs Wild...yes I have a crush on Bear Grylls too. You've got to love when he does those naked push ups to stay alive...right?

The Glamour Trap

In case you hadn't noticed the name of my blog, I'm a girly girl. The official definition of a girly girl is that it is a term for a girl or woman who chooses to dress and behave in a traditionally feminine style. I admit that I really love being a woman and embrace not only my gender, but my curves. So when an issue of Harper's Bazaar somehow showed up in our mail, I set it aside for a quiet time to drink it in. I thought I'd enjoy all of the fashion and girly stuff inside. But as I flipped through the glossy pages I was surprised to find that I wasn't enthralled with all of the so-called beauty adorning the magazine pages. Instead of wishing I were a wealthy socialite able to afford what was being showcased, I felt sad.
This magazine was not about being a girly girl, it was about being a cookie cutter socialite. It was about wasteful spending on items that cost way too much for what they are. (Some of those fashions are downright horrible, yet because they have a designer name they are considered 'beautiful' and 'stylish'. ) It was about making women believe they all need to look like a willowy model. I ended up feeling sorry for the women in the magazine and those who eagerly devour its pages and spend their money on the items advertised within. For all their posturing and feeling superior, their fat bank accounts and glamorous status, they are trapped in world that tells them what looks good and what doesn't, what's in and what's out, who's cool and who's not. A grown up, expensive version of the 'popular' kids in high school.
True beauty and 'girly girl' style is all about individuality. Of being yourself and expressing that. You can be girly girl in a pair of Faded Glory jeans from Wal-mart or a little black dress from your local Goodwill store. It has nothing to do with how much money you spend or how thin you are, but everything to do with inner beauty and attitude. It's having confidence in yourself and recognizing not just the beauty in others, but in yourself as well.
There's nothing wrong with getting fashion tips and trends from magazines, but learn to use them as 'idea starters' that help you take the things that work for you, in your price range and sizes, and incorporate them into your own version that suits you just the way you are.
So this girly girl is sending a message... stop measuring yourself by those so-called beauty and fashion magazines and break out of the glamour trap.

Social Life...What's a Social Life?

Wow, my last post here was in March? Time flies when you're ...well, not exactly having fun. On one hand, things are getting a little easier, but things are changing rapidly too. My 22 yr. old is leaving the nest, so we are in the midst of 'can I take this' and 'I need this' mode. And of course my 17 yr. old has a huge case of 'senior-itis'.
I think I may just have managed to get my work situation into a more managable place. Oh there is still the craziness of owning my own business, filing quarterly taxes, marketing, etc., but my client hours are at a better level. No more working from bed at 12 am on files. Of course, it's taking a while for these changes to take effect. Yesterday was the first day that I didn't feel rushed, pulled and pushed.
Of course, if you know me, my brighter outlook probably is influenced by the fact that it is finally spring here. I am loving the bright sunshine streaming through my windows, it alone has lightened my mood and made me feel more capable of handling the tough stuff. I still haven't managed to touch base with all of my friends, who probably think I've fallen off the face of the earth. But I'll get there too. Right now I'm re-adjusting, and starting to feel like we've made it through the worst.