tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90430699419384915182023-11-16T02:56:38.825-08:00Definition of a LadyA blog about how to be a lady in this crazy modern world, and how to do it your own way to boot.Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01571825702692492636noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9043069941938491518.post-90121468237056221042013-03-05T19:10:00.000-08:002013-03-05T19:12:05.070-08:00The Ladies of Mad Men<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yours truly in her vintage/Mad Men best with <br />
the obligatory and delicious martini</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
With the new season of Mad Men right around the corner, I feel it's the perfect time to explore the fabulous ladies of this spectacular show and what we, as ladies ourselves, can take away from them and their struggle, as well as from the show and its themes in general. Perhaps the most obvious thing to be learned from both the men and the women of SCDP is the importance of knowing who you are. The enigmatic Don Draper is perpetually in flux over who he really is, sometimes reverting to his Dick Whitman self at all too inopportune moments. Other characters similarly fluctuate between personas, such as Pete Campbell, who oscillates between being a self entitled jackass some of the time and a sensitive but world weary soul the rest of it. Being uncertain of your footing as a person will result in nothing but mid-life crises and/or pleasing others at the expense of yourself. Hammer your true self out in stone, however, and no one will shift you or bend you to fit their will. <br />
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As for the ladies themselves, let us start with Peggy. She's a woman who has changed in the most visible and drastic ways throughout the series, and is in a prime place to change more in the new season (confirmation that she will be in the next season: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/26/mad-men-peggy-is-trying-on-new-things-elisabeth-moss_n_2558152.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/26/mad-men-peggy-is-trying-on-new-things-elisabeth-moss_n_2558152.html</a>). She has learned the careful art of breaking out of the role that others have defined for her without alienating those around her, and her skillful handling of this new position of power in her life has allowed her to excel and eventually move beyond the gilded cage of Sterling, Cooper, Draper, Pryce. In watching her it's excellent to remember that when (and/or as) we, as ladies, rise through the world we are not beholden to play nice or humor those who would disrespect us or those around us, and when we have a position of power we are free to exert it at our will, as Peggy did when she fired one of her sexist artists. Being a stern boss does not make us less feminine. It simply makes us less willing to put up with viciousness when we have the power to stop it, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. <br />
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Betty, by contrast, serves more as a warning than a hero for ladies of the world. Her personal difficulties have come to a head with her losing control of herself completely, though this ultimately is only the swing of the pedulum of self-loathing in her case. It is not that Betty's gaining weight is inherently a problem - it is that such a drastic gain in such a short period of time implies that something bigger is at play in Betty's mind. Most likely, she began with enjoying her freedom from the restriction she felt married to Don, but by carrying that too far she has begun to hate herself all over again in a different way and eats as a response to this stress, resulting in a snowball effect of self hate and her abrupt ballooning. If there is one thing to take away from Betty, it is simply that excessive fixation on your body rather than your self as a whole will only result in pain and sorrow. <br />
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Joan is, of course, is in many ways the darling of the Mad Men female cast. She is certainly my favorite, and if there is one thing that Joan can pass on to us ladies it is a simple lesson that one can be beautiful, strong, and intelligent all in one package, all bound up with a will of pure steel. Joan has shown some of the most striking turn arounds in the show's history, proving herself willing to go it on her own when she threw her abusive husband out the door. Unlike Betty, she did not make sure she had another safe haven to fall back on with the ejection of Dr. Rape; she simply pitched him out on his ear because she knew, intrinsically, that he was only going to cause more pain in her life. Her personal happiness and self confidence were more important than appeasing the ideals of her time. As such, despite the often difficult (and sometimes outright miserable) circumstances she has had to face, Joan still pushes forward harder and climbs ever higher every time the world tries to drag her down. Also, like Joan, it is always important to present your best self to the world, no matter the circumstances. You may be miserable, but holding fast and standing tall and beautiful will bolster even the most battered resolve, no matter the squall you face. <br />
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Meghan is still a newcomer to the ranks of Mad Men in contrst to Peggy, Betty, and Joan, but she in turn has her own strong will and persona to contribute to the mix. Simply put, she does NOT allow Don to get away with the same deceptions he pulled over Betty's eyes, or at least Meghan has in season 5 (what occurs in season 6 is yet to be seen, given the ambiguous ending to last season: <a href="http://www.idigitaltimes.com/articles/15750/20130305/mad-men-season-6-spoilers-don-betty.htm">http://www.idigitaltimes.com/articles/15750/20130305/mad-men-season-6-spoilers-don-betty.htm</a>). Where she will go from here is uncertain, but we can absorb some of her refusal to have the wool pulled over our eyes or settle for anything in our romantic lives. There is no benefit to be gained from smiling and letting things that our lover does go, only to have them get under our skin. Better to get it out in the open (whether gently or roughly is up to you) than let it fester into an explosion of frustration at the one you love. We are worth too much to let someone else make us suffer for no good reason other than keeping a peace that is not be worth it. <br />
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There are many other women and ladies throughout Mad Men, who I may dicuss more as season 6 premiers, but for now enjoy these four and their growth, struggles, and strengths. We all can learn and emulate the good and learn to recognize the bad in ourselves through fictional characters, and Mad Men's depth and charisma is wonderful at letting us view the benevolent and malevolent traits in ourselves. Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01571825702692492636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9043069941938491518.post-26970795273955162062013-03-04T14:48:00.000-08:002013-03-04T15:53:51.504-08:00A lady's guide to choosing a perfume.Perfume, ultimately, is the most significant calling card of a lady. More than expensive clothes, more than diamonds, more than the parties we attend or people we know, the odor we announce ourselves with reveals so much about us and inspires such responses in others that it behooves any lady worth her salt to choose wisely in the way she scents herself. As such, here's a small guide on how to find the best scent for you as well as a list of the perfume houses and makers I find to be the best in the business.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My perfume collection</td></tr>
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1. The first, biggest thing you must consider when picking a scent is, simply, what kind of scents do you like in the first place? Are you fond of certain flowers or spices? Do you like smells just for themselves or do they conjure up specific images for you? To explore your nose if you haven't previously, find your way to a shop like Sephora and just work your way through the perfumes, sniffing and sampling. Note which ones you like most and try to identify what similar elements, if any, exist between them. <br />
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2. The second thing that comes into play with picking a perfume is body chemistry. This tends to be more applicable for essential oils, which are more volatile and capricious in how they manifest, but it crops up in perfume with an alcohol base as well: certain scents may react badly on your skin. It may smell delicious in the bottle, but, for whatever reason, it doesn't smell good at ALL on you. If this is the case and you still really love the perfume and just must have it, you can always apply it to handkerchiefs or other odor neutral things for your own pleasure, just don't wear the perfume in public.<br />
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3. Scent is not a place to skimp as far as expense goes, ladies, and cheap perfume is easily the greatest sin a we can commit. Plastic, artificial smelling perfumes you buy at your drugstore are not going to give you the scent that you want. Neither is a dime a dozen eau de toilette from Victoria's Secret. You are trying to pick a scent or scents that will define you, and if that scent is so unremarkable as to be available virtually everywhere then it begs the question of why, exactly, you consider yourself a lady if you're so willing to blend in with the masses.<br />
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4. Feel free to create quite a collection of perfumes, with different functions applied to each. I have certain scents I wear to exude a businesslike attitude, some to turn up the sensuous and seductive side of myself, some just for when I feel happy, and even a few worn specifically to indicate anger or combativeness. Having a wide, ever growing range of perfumes means never feeling at a loss for a scent to suit your mood.<br />
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5. At the same time, however, have a deffinitive 'YOU' scent. This is your Chanel no. 5, your iconic odor, the one that describes you best. Wear it often and build up the association between you and the perfume. Let this be the ribbon of scent that allows people to know that you have just walked past them. This is particularly useful in a romantic setting, as building a strong scent association between you and the perfume in the mind of your lover will cause them to become weak in the knees at the very hint of the scent. (My own iconic scent is Lubin's Gin Fizz perfume.)<br />
<br />
6. Speaking of Chanel no. 5, however, beware of using perfumes that have become too classic or generally well known, regardless of price. Chanel no. 5 is a perfect example of this, as while it is a beautiful scent, it is so iconic and, to a degree, dated that it will be associated more with a certain era than with you. In simpler terms, you may love your grandmother, but you don't want to smell like her. <br />
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7. Respect other people's sense of smell. If you are going to be on a plane or in some other tightly enclosed area for a long period of time, don't wear your strongest perfume. Do not douse yourself in scent; one spritz on the neck and one of the wrists is sufficient. Do not wear overpowering or overly sensuous perfumes to work. Avoid having your scent rub off on those around you (this can be avoided by not dousing yourself in it). <br />
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8. Always wear perfume. Even if you have no other makeup on, even if you aren't sporting fancy attire, perfume gives a touch of class that brightens everything about a lady. <br />
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And now, some of my favorite perfume houses:<br />
<br />
Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab: This is a good place to start your perfume collection, as the small bottles of essential oil are not in the least pricey while still being masterfully blended. I recommend ordering imps (scent samples) first, however, so you can decide whether the scent is to your liking and works on your skin. (See point #2). Also go to the BPAL Madness forum for added information and reviews of the different scents. Victoria's personal favorites: Manhattan, The Last Unicorn, Ozymandias, and Peacock Queen.<br />
<a href="http://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/neverwhere.html">http://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/neverwhere.html</a><br />
<br />
Jo Malone: These scents are wonderful to play with and layer, while also being classy and excellent on an individual basis. Some perfumes are blends of scents, such as their signature '154' or the popular 'Lime Basil Mandarin', while other are single note in nature, as are their rose and grapefruit colognes. Victoria's personal favorites: 154, Rose, and Grapefruit layered over Orange Blossom.<br />
<a href="http://www.jomalone.com/home.tmpl?ngextredir=1">http://www.jomalone.com/home.tmpl?ngextredir=1</a><br />
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Lubin: The most expensive of my favorite brands, Lubin is a French perfume house with one hell of a pedigree, having started in 1798. Their perfumes are wonderful, multi-faceted olfactory experiences, with hosts of notes interplaying with each other to create a scent that is so much more than the sum of its parts. Victoria's personal favorites: Gin Fizz (my iconic scent, see point # 5) and Black Jade. <br />
<a href="http://www.lubin-parfum.fr/index.html">http://www.lubin-parfum.fr/index.html</a>Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01571825702692492636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9043069941938491518.post-6434010834761697322012-08-04T12:07:00.001-07:002012-08-05T08:26:53.510-07:00A Lady Reviews: Brave<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I recognize that I may be coming to this party a bit
late.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nevertheless, it behooves me to
write a review of what very well may be the most ‘lady-oriented’ movie of this
summer.<o:p></o:p></span>
<br />
<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lady is a lady regardless of whether she <br />
acts as a diplomat...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For anyone who hasn’t seen it yet, the story of Brave is set
in the wilds of Scotland, and focuses on the turbulent relationship between a
local king’s daughter, Merida, and her mother, the Queen Elinor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Elinor wants Merida to be the stereotypical ‘proper’
lady (or so it seems on the surface), while Merida wants to be free to live her
own life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When their desires clash in
the middle of a tournament for Merida’s hand in marriage, things get thoroughly
out of control and, through one thing and another (spoiler alert!) Elinor is
transformed into a bear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rest of the
film focuses on Merida and Elinor rebuilding their mother-daughter bond and
returning Elinor to her rightful shape, which involves a fair bit of humor (and
even some horror) along the way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I suspect anyone who has seen even the trailers for this
film can tease out the lady related conflict that crops up in Brave:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Merida is wild and independent, while Elinor
is ‘proper’ and dignified.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each
initially views the other as misguided and either uncivilized (in the case of
Merida) or stuck up (in the case of Elinor).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Over the course of the film, however, one comes to realize that both
sides of this coin are necessary for a woman to be successful in her life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Merida’s physical prowess with a bow and on horseback
allow her to live comfortably regardless of location and take care of herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Elinor’s social skills, however, prove to be
just as important, as she is able to bring a group of brawling Scottish
clansmen to a standstill with one cold look or talk them back from open warfare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Both women discover that the other’s point of view is still valid over
the course of the film, even as they grow closer as mother and daughter.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">....or wields a weapon.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Any woman hoping to call herself a lady should take heed
from their lesson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A lady should be skilled
in any number of ways, so as to give her the advantage regardless of the
situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And no skill should be viewed
as somehow off-limits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Combative or athletic
pursuits do not diminish one’s womanhood, and being polite and well-spoken does
not prevent a lady from wielding great power of her own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, one should seek to find and cultivate
a balance of mind and body, action and diplomacy, the exuberance of youth and
the wisdom of old age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All will serve
you well in your life as a lady.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, in the final assessment, go see Brave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s my favorite movie of the summer, hands
down, and a great example of all the virtues a lady should hope to have for
herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><o:p>P.S. Brave also has awesome, awesome music. I dare you not to feel happy after listening to it. </o:p></span></div>Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01571825702692492636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9043069941938491518.post-26215081721019383322012-06-27T19:57:00.002-07:002012-06-27T23:24:36.138-07:00A Lady Reviews: Snow White and the Huntsman<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, what does ‘How to Live Like a Lady’ think about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Snow White and the Huntsman</i>?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quite frankly, I, for one, like it (reviews
from other writers of the blog may differ).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I feel that while there are definitely issues with aspects of it (yes, I
will address the Kristen Stewart aspect), the inherent premise, the look of the
film, and the ultimate execution are all more than satisfying if you are
willing to accept the basic tenants of fairy tales and their un-ironic use in a
film.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">First and foremost, let’s deal with the downsides (i.e.,
Kristen Stewart).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, in my opinion,
Kristen Stewart is not necessarily one of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now, please do not misunderstand – I have a hatred of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Twilight Saga</i> that burns as bright as a
supernova.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That however does not extend
to my inherently hating the actors (though Robert Pattinson still looks like a
foot in my opinion).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were hired to
do a job and I will not allow my dislike of a film to ruin my opinion of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As such, Kristen Stewart, in my opinion, while
not the world’s greatest actress, is well suited to play Snow White.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kristen’s flat facial effect serves well as
the naïve yet noble Snow White, much as Keanu Reeves’ flat effect works in his
portrayal of cold hard badasses and/or stoners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There is one moment on film where her performance is genuinely painful
(the coronation scene, look for it), but that hinges on bad script writing that
leaves both actress and audience hanging as to the appropriate facial
expression.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Aside from her (and she is a
highly polarizing aspect of this film, with some praising and some damning her
performance), there honestly isn’t much to pick at for flaws.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As such, once one gets past Kristen’s (debatable) performance,
one finds a film that, ultimately, is a well rounded retelling of a fairy tale
that holds to its roots while simultaneously delivering a fresh new tone to the
story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The inherent plot is exactly the
same as virtually every version of the Snow White tale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Snow White’s mother wishes for a daughter,
Snow White’s mother dies after said daughter is born, her father remarries, the
Queen becomes rampantly jealous of Snow White’s beauty, Snow White is forced to
run for the hills where she meets up with a bunch of dwarves, almost winds up
poisoned by her stepmother’s apple, is revived by a kiss, and returns to seek
revenge on said stepmother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What makes <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Snow White and the Huntsman</i> differ from
the usual tale is the extensive character building received by all the
characters (but especially the evil queen, Ravenna,) as well as the fleshing
out of the bare bones of the story from a basic fairy tale to an epic
film.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thus, while the acting of Kristen Stewart may be up for
question, Charlize Theron’s performance as Ravenna is beyond reproach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rather than functioning as the average, vain
evil queen, Ravenna is a near primal force, crazed with a need for immortality,
control, revenge on men, and maintaining her beauty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She conquers and kills with chilling
impunity, a woman on the warpath who is still human even as she is never
presented as anything less than outright deadly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To maintain her beauty and power she devours
the youth of young women (how Elizabeth Bathory of you, Ravenna), and
discovers, upon consultation with her magic mirror, that she can gain unfading strength
in both areas by ingesting the heart of Snow White, which she proceeds to go
about doing so by any means necessary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Her madness and sorrow are palpable things, and her power as queen is enough
to make you get down on your knees and swear fealty in the movie theater.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Besides Ravenna, one has the titular Huntsman, (whose name
is Eric though I don’t think that it’s ever mentioned), who, as portrayed by
Chris Hemsworth, is by turns gruff and sweet, and, for the ladies of the
audience, most certainly attractive even when covered in mud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the ladies who prefer more clean cut men,
however, do not despair:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is also
Snow White’s childhood sweetheart, the prince, who doesn’t serve much purpose
other than to be a foil to the huntsman and jump around shooting a bow and
being cute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dwarves, meanwhile, are
amusing to a man, and the rest of the cast does their job quite well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s an all-around win.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-W76ufcEk_g0GhIxpsBmyDhtZfSnrX2cL5-Oc4fAr875sNTPMzZ7u1mmobXGCV8MFy4roo8AEVRAP336jJIveow0MKJmu8-S604IPWI-L0S1ZZ-AmRYqINDxQ7Z1xGv0vv9zhC_PTH90/s1600/Fanny+Dance+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-W76ufcEk_g0GhIxpsBmyDhtZfSnrX2cL5-Oc4fAr875sNTPMzZ7u1mmobXGCV8MFy4roo8AEVRAP336jJIveow0MKJmu8-S604IPWI-L0S1ZZ-AmRYqINDxQ7Z1xGv0vv9zhC_PTH90/s320/Fanny+Dance+009.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ladies going to war in full plate armor. <br />
HELL YES.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The unabashed strength of the women is perhaps one of the
most surprising and surprisingly well handled aspects of the whole film.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ravenna and Snow White are never relegated to
the position of damsel in distress, and on the rare occasion where that may
seem the case (such as when Ravenna is first introduced), they turn the tables
on their would-be rescuers in seconds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
when the last fight scene rolls around, Snow White and Ravenna rally their
troupes and lead their soldiers into battle, culminating in one-on-one combat
between both women.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without needing to
scream their independence to the rafters both women are leaders and, Ravenna’s
madness aside, well worth tipping one’s hat to as ladies of a high order.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Finally, there is the appearance of the film, which is
drop-dead gorgeous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sweeping landscape
shots of Germanic looking mountains are punctuated with lush enchanted forests,
spooky marshes, and Ravenna’s palace, located on the coast and surrounded by an
ever roiling ocean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The costumes are
equally lovely, with Ravenna’s outfits being some of the most jaw dropping
pieces of work I’ve ever personally seen (one, which wasn’t used in the film
unfortunately, was trimmed with umpteen iridescent beetle wings).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If nothing else, this is by far the most
aesthetically pleasing film I’ve seen this summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, to go see it or not to go see it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That depends on whether or not one is fond of
fairy tales that take themselves seriously (and whether you do or do not mind
Kristen Stewart).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a common trope
that films based on legends or folk stories tend to take a more sarcastic or
excessively gritty tack on the plot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Snow White and the Huntsman</i>, however,
skirts the line of gritty without ever crossing over it excessively and
completely ignores the cynical aspect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As
such, if you don’t like the idea of fairy tales where a woman is referred to un-ironically
as ‘the one who will bring balance’ (and no, she is not bringing balance to the
Force), then look elsewhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If that
doesn’t bother you, (and neither does Kristen Stewart), then you should love the
film.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">P.S. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Florence &
The Machine</i>’s song ‘Breath of Life’ is used in the credits, thus making
this lady a very happy panda.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01571825702692492636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9043069941938491518.post-70204465245517964042012-05-31T15:41:00.002-07:002012-06-09T13:04:35.712-07:00A lady’s guide to basic house keeping<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Alright, I know very few people actually enjoy cleaning, but
it’s still a necessary part of life, and, if you get good at it, it can work in
your favor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve always kept my college
dorm spotless and organized, and the result was that my friends loved coming
over for tea or dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite the fact
that I occupied a room roughly the size of a broom cupboard with a refrigerator
box sized bathroom, I still managed to make it an elegant little abode.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, here are my basic tips and tricks, as
well as the benefits, of having a well-kept room:<o:p></o:p></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A general
rule of thumb is keep clutter to a minimum everywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are certain exceptions to this (old
libraries in Victorian houses are, by default, allowed to be cluttered and
mysterious, the better to hide arcane books that will become the focus of
horror films.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>College professors, meanwhile, are
also permitted to accrue in their offices piles of paper so large that they
begin to resemble leaf piles), but other than that an effort should be made to
prevent or disperse heaps or messes of any kind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clothes belong in a hamper or a drawer/hung
up in a closet, not scattered all over the floor like an ersatz carpet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Books belong on shelves, not stacked in
piles, and for the love of god don’t leave them open and face down – that breaks
the spine and damages the book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Papers
are harder to corral, but I’ve found that astute use of alligator clips to keep
them all together usually reduces the chaos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Bulletin boards also help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
could go ad nauseam in the vein, but I’ll summarize by saying that if it’s in a
pile/all over the floor, it shouldn’t be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So
your job is to figure out where it should be and arrange it as such.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yes it takes time to clean, but that doesn’t
excuse not doing it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you find
yourself bored by the task, put on music or an audiobook and, for lack of a
better term, get over it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Chaotic rooms
are unpleasant to live in, whether you realize it or not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You wind up tripping over/breaking your
possessions, losing stuff, and generally not making good use of your things,
with the added detriment of needing to replace lost/broken items.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, the brutal reality is that no one likes
a slob.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People will not want to visit
you if your dorm room/apartment/house/residence of an unspecified nature looks
like ground zero for a nuclear war.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Furthermore, there are few things less lady-like than having to dig your
lost panties out from behind your desk or greeting your guests with a heap of
dishes festering in the sink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Keeping your room organized will cut down on
time you spend looking for things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
you make a small effort to put your items back where they belong you will save ages
digging around in search of a missing shoe or your AWOL car keys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Am I starting to sound like your mother, dear
reader?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As much as we all may hate to admit that
childhood admonishment to clean our rooms served any purpose other than to annoy, the reality is that our parental
units were right in insisting that a clean room is, in every way, superior to a
messy one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only is it more
aesthetically attractive, but it will help make you more efficient in every
way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Making sure your room clean has the added
benefit of minimizing allergies (if you have them), and will keep the creepy
crawlers away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And while not everyone
here has a dust/mildew allergy (I do), no human being thrills to the idea of
cockroaches, spiders, and other creepy crawlers taking up residence in one’s
abode.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Regular dusting, vacuuming, and
general scrutiny and care, however, will prevent or at least greatly limit all
of the above.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The way your room smells is important.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This may seem trivial, but scent is one of
the most primal aspects of the human brain, and if a room doesn’t smell good it
will drive people away and may serve to depress/annoy you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can fix the problem with incense (I
strongly suggest you invest in good Japanese incense, so your room doesn’t
smell like a head shop), scented candles (make sure the scent in question won’t
be too overpowering or artificial in execution), sachets (store these in
drawers with your clothes to keep moths away and keep your garments smelling fresh), or atmospheric perfumes (again, make sure they don’t smell too
artificial).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Avoid cheap, synthetic air
fresheners like the black plague.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">6.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Make your room interesting!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Allow it to express yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dull, bland rooms are not the goal of
housekeeping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clean, interesting rooms
are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, even more importantly, make
sure you decorate to please yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After all, if you don’t like living there, why should anyone else enjoy
it either?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Notably, I find a great way
to spruce up dull rooms (especially ones with hideous wallpaper/drabs walls) is
the strategic use of art prints or posters, and as for the ugly sofa you
rescued from the alley, you can cover its sagging self with colorful throws and
cushions (and pesticide, in case of lurking insect life) and turn it into a couch
fit for a queen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Expect future articles
to include more information on how to decorate less than lovely abodes).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">7.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">You don’t have to do all your housekeeping every
single day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few things should always
get done (putting laundry in the hamper/washing the dishes/making the bed), but
other things (vacuuming, mopping, doing the laundry) can be spaced out to
weekly or even monthly occurrences, depending on what your individual living
quarters require.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The end result is a
balanced workload so you, dear lady, do not burn yourself out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFFwDuB20j05m1nYra_kZaMHluI4ktoev7-Wr2MsgFxkJM9Wo4Tu34f16YE_n2-PphXtyAfHVcVgzEtTpAjErt8IDkhJwHQsXr4O9CHd9dFRlQytVBetoPkIHJHjwtODLVA83RCMMvSgE/s1600/IMG_20101203_110733.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFFwDuB20j05m1nYra_kZaMHluI4ktoev7-Wr2MsgFxkJM9Wo4Tu34f16YE_n2-PphXtyAfHVcVgzEtTpAjErt8IDkhJwHQsXr4O9CHd9dFRlQytVBetoPkIHJHjwtODLVA83RCMMvSgE/s320/IMG_20101203_110733.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This chaos occurred during my finals. <br />
Yes, dear reader, I did at one point have a messy room. Mea culpa.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">8.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lastly, don’t let your housekeeping build
up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you do, you will inevitably give
up on trying to tackle the mess and simply allow it to grow out of
control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At that point matters usually
progress until someone stages an intervention or the Hoarders team
shows up on your doorstep, whichever comes first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, just grit your teeth, get the broom,
and do your part for the day, so it doesn’t become an added burden for
tomorrow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yes, it may seem tiresome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yes, you may be busy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, the
fight against entropy is never ending.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The fact remains, however, that keeping one’s home tidy, though
sometimes boring and unpleasant, is a necessary aspect of being a lady.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well-kept living quarters will aid in your
efficiency, health, and social life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Your things will last longer, you’ll spend less money, and you’ll
generally feel better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So put on some
enjoyable music or make a game out of your work (a spoon full of sugar and all
that, hat tip to you, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mary Poppins), and
get out the dustbuster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01571825702692492636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9043069941938491518.post-10390732954166881152012-05-27T12:50:00.001-07:002012-05-31T14:17:28.697-07:00Ladies of Fiction: Lisbeth Salander<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-zPNSP7Vsaq0YsdL3kyU8cp73T6dr1i-NaMRfarheN6dHdNx6-TxBh811VzO9KD2rVGmVhAOVD6QHnWNz_6Zm_JMECcSyP-nbmUrgFNy3ZVLmURO8IOw1FCbYsaTxYrc-0zJcTkEeGUI/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-zPNSP7Vsaq0YsdL3kyU8cp73T6dr1i-NaMRfarheN6dHdNx6-TxBh811VzO9KD2rVGmVhAOVD6QHnWNz_6Zm_JMECcSyP-nbmUrgFNy3ZVLmURO8IOw1FCbYsaTxYrc-0zJcTkEeGUI/s320/photo.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lisbeth (and Mikael) surrounded <br />
by adoring fans</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lisbeth Salander, a
lady? </i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hear you cry in confusion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">How
does a surly, piercing studded hacker chick deserve to be called a lady?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Simple</i>, I reply, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lisbeth possesses the raw power and
determination that any lady should be proud to call her own.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">One of the most vital points of being a lady is learning not
to judge simply by appearances.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lisbeth
may not wear the elegant gowns or comport herself in the manner we tend to associate with a lady, but what she
lacks in overt appearance she makes up for in her internal fortitude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lisbeth’s life, from the start in the novels,
is a harsh one, in which she is branded insane and thrust into the uncaring maw
of asylums and foster homes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
regularly is mistreated and/or outright abused, and generally has her life made
a living hell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has damaged her,
without a doubt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her withdrawn
personality and spike riddled appearance serve as armor against a world that
has proven itself utterly untrustworthy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">That being said, however, Lisbeth does not lie down and
die.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She does not give up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every time someone tries to destroy her, she
rises again with a vengeance worthy of the Furies themselves (notably, my
friends and I have recently introduced the term ‘Lisbeth’ as a unit of
measurement for female rage).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Given all
the suffering she has been through, Lisbeth could be forgiven for shutting
herself off completely from the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Instead she takes her gifts and fire-forged determination and uses them
to fight against those who would hurt her or others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In spite of everything, she overcomes her
obstacles and, in her own, asocial way, manages to develop friendships and even
romantic relationships.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It isn’t easy,
and at the end of the novels it is clear that Lisbeth is still in many ways her
ever prickly self, but Lisbeth’s determination never wavers through it
all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Every life is touched by suffering to some degree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes that suffering is great, sometimes
small, but the exact size or degree aside, it can make us want to shut down,
curling in on ourselves against the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What we can learn from Lisbeth is how not to do that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Obviously, we can’t (and in most cases
shouldn’t) lash out at the source of our suffering as Lisbeth does, but we
equally cannot allow whatever tragedies occur in our lives to bind us,
blind us, and shut us off from the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It may seem impossible, and in some cases perhaps the trauma really
cannot be overcome, but if a person does not try, how can one ever find
out?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Better to take a note from Lisbeth
and fight against that which seeks to damage us, rather than meekly lying down
and allowing it to rule us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01571825702692492636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9043069941938491518.post-78171197676363054452012-05-17T13:39:00.000-07:002012-06-27T20:04:24.541-07:00A Lady Reviews: Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn?<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJvp4zXodWrJUoq8E4r2xOWhPSjbckFJJ9kOe05SpZYzefAjt3ovGqF9xsJgcu01km7BPn_cW8ydjFtzG7Dy-zWGlx8gfmycuYkY7K4SEvMwlShQpcwNs6XrwmO1yo3TJMbxtazjSGMtU/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJvp4zXodWrJUoq8E4r2xOWhPSjbckFJJ9kOe05SpZYzefAjt3ovGqF9xsJgcu01km7BPn_cW8ydjFtzG7Dy-zWGlx8gfmycuYkY7K4SEvMwlShQpcwNs6XrwmO1yo3TJMbxtazjSGMtU/s320/photo.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My copy of this lovely book</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Of all the books I read as I developed this blog, arguably
none proved quite as influential as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Are
You a Jackie or a Marilyn?</i>, by Pamela Keogh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s rare to find a book that purports to help one achieve something
that still manages to be fun, down to earth, and never hold anything over the
head of its readers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From page one it is
established that the reader is, in fact, a Jackie, a Marilyn, or some hybrid
thereof, and aims to help you play on your natural abilities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Your humble writer, in point of fact, is a
perfect split right down the middle between these two amazing ladies.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This off the bat affirmation that the reader has the traits of
Jackie or Marilyn is a huge lift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All
too often, in reading books designed to make one a lady, one finds that the
author assumes an obnoxiously condescending tone that does nothing but turn one
off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The implication is that one would
have to do eons of work to even become slightly attractive, and even then one
would merely be a pale knockoff (I’m looking at you, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">How to Live Like a Lady</i>, which I’ll be reviewing all too soon…). Are<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> You a Jackie or a Marilyn?</i>, however,
never slips into this rut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It maintains,
instead, a voice that is reminiscent of a sassy girlfriend, telling you exactly
what you need to know and never talking down or demeaning you while she’s at
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On top of all this, the book is loaded with information on
the two ladies featured in its title.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
handles how they comported themselves throughout life, how both cultivated
their respective images of First Lady and Hollywood starlet, as well as
providing a peek at the women behind the archetypes they formed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One is treated to well written mini-biographies
of these two, from Marilyn’s rags to riches story to Jackie’s savvy political
maneuvering both within and without the Whitehouse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were the leading ladies of the age, and
their lives of drama, glamour, and all too often tragedy make for a fascinating
read.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And lastly, besides being honest and a good jumping off
point for those interested in the two ladies discussed therein, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn?</i> affirms a
simple truth for its readers:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are
worth it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who can say what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">it</i> is – perhaps love, wealth, fame, or
some combo thereof – but you are worth it, and while it may be a hard road to
travel to get what you desire, to settle for less would be a crying shame if
not an outright crime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Settling does
nothing but leave one with regrets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Better
instead to strive to be one’s own woman, using the wisdom of two women who
lived their spectacular, by turns glittery and grimy, lives with panache beyond
telling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01571825702692492636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9043069941938491518.post-50943677238441842432012-03-31T14:51:00.000-07:002012-03-31T14:51:04.522-07:00Ladies of History: The women of the Minoan Empire<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ladies have existed, in one form or another, since time immemorial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That being said, however, one must wonder as to who the first real ladies were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When did elegance and artistry become the goal, rather than the more basic concepts of fertility, which gave rise to such images as the Venus of Willendorf?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As for myself, I personally hand this accolade to the mysterious women of ancient Crete.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t know much about their world or what function these beautiful women played, but the fact stands that they mark a change in the prerogatives of people, when beauty became the goal, rather than simple fecundity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIpdzWYbApZTolv5tGNEZSqJpHahy0hcfG4cuHhSHUZF4lAwRIQaxeaEf62opQrCGl-Rr3y1RsqRjaQc-MoRw0vFU11_-kTSVjEXAWhY369L2JYh49u_8wdcwa50wiYBK3Roa4VsTDXCc/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIpdzWYbApZTolv5tGNEZSqJpHahy0hcfG4cuHhSHUZF4lAwRIQaxeaEf62opQrCGl-Rr3y1RsqRjaQc-MoRw0vFU11_-kTSVjEXAWhY369L2JYh49u_8wdcwa50wiYBK3Roa4VsTDXCc/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Minoan empire came into being circa 3650 BCE and remained that way for many centuries, before finally crumbling upon itself in the 1100s and being invaded by the neighboring Mycenaeans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From what we can gather, the Minoans were quite powerful and, by virtue of their island home, found it possible to rely on their navy and the ocean to keep out invaders, thus allowing them to build beautiful, unguarded ‘palaces’ (whether these were in fact palaces or temple complexes or something else entirely is still up for debate).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These buildings were many stories high and beguilingly complex, with endless stairways and beautifully painted walls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Indeed, some palaces were even equipped with running water and a prototype of the flush toilet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somehow, the Minoans managed to create a ‘state of the art’ world while most other people were still living in one story abodes made out of anything that would stay standing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2UujOL5YK8TJgPrEh91MHbZvKK8YBGrjqWtAd3K15M2k_0P5OEX9sCNu6JEhyLRJZMzE30qcokpsJ0Ulfwo4s6roeR1YJ72ADaQ2sQgb8gcbrdRjBeLiYDxSmhl5IJUOBs6yae7xHXQc/s1600/photo+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2UujOL5YK8TJgPrEh91MHbZvKK8YBGrjqWtAd3K15M2k_0P5OEX9sCNu6JEhyLRJZMzE30qcokpsJ0Ulfwo4s6roeR1YJ72ADaQ2sQgb8gcbrdRjBeLiYDxSmhl5IJUOBs6yae7xHXQc/s320/photo+(2).JPG" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sadly, however, we truly know precious little about the Minoans besides what little we can dig up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their language, a strange, spiraling pictographic dialect known as Linear A, has proven untranslatable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What modern historians and archaeologists have deduced comes largely from the art and artifacts left behind, in particular the gorgeous Minoan frescoes that decorate the palaces at Knossos and Phaistos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Said frescoes focus on any number of themes, ranging from nature scenes to religious festivals, and it is in these frescoes that one can find images of the ladies of Crete.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dressed in elaborate skirts and bodices, hair decked in pearls, the women depicted in frescoes and statuettes are strikingly modern in aspect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Looking at their lively, natural appearance, it seems hard to believe that these ladies lived during the Bronze Age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Indeed, a French archaeologist, upon discovering a shard of fresco depicting a woman with rouged lips and kohl lined eyes, commented wonderingly that ‘she wouldn’t look out of place in Paris’, thus earning the image the title of ‘La Parisienne’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As to who these women truly were and what function they played in Minoan society, the general consensus has oscillated between the depiction of goddesses (or priestesses dressed as goddesses for religious festivals) to the women being the nobility of Crete.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Certainly, these were women of very high standing, and depictions of such women often place them at the center and/or larger than any men in the frame, thus leading certain historians to suggest that the Minoan empire was matriarchal in nature, though definitive proof on that front remains lacking.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDH3ntyH7mUHJz0VXa6KqAK5-M0GuvoCPNBldv0sFrC2VKyZkqQSGCnlsk5rj5PbnyDaNfa1CyyZSrpMghCkRJ368z6gH_6vGEBtGQbXQfEbiuaV8JCUKWCYFa8VNfyC9aqDJpq5ykSTg/s1600/photo+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDH3ntyH7mUHJz0VXa6KqAK5-M0GuvoCPNBldv0sFrC2VKyZkqQSGCnlsk5rj5PbnyDaNfa1CyyZSrpMghCkRJ368z6gH_6vGEBtGQbXQfEbiuaV8JCUKWCYFa8VNfyC9aqDJpq5ykSTg/s320/photo+(1).JPG" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Regardless, however, the women of Minoan Crete set an early standard for beauty that is recognizable even to this day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are the first women we see wearing fitted garments (specifically the bodice and bolero jacket common to so many of the statues and frescoes).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other images these women are often depicted in groups, heads inclined towards each other, looking for all the world like a modern clique of ladies sharing the latest gossip and news.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ladies of Minoan Crete dance, officiate religious rituals, help bring in the harvest, and through it all they exude a natural and sometimes nearly supernatural elegance that we modern ladies should keep in mind as we go through our day to day lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, these women managed to be paragons of beauty without recourse to Botox or plastic surgery, and if they were able to achieve that in the Bronze Age then it shouldn’t be nearly so hard for us in the age of iPod.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Source: Fitton, J. Lesley. <em>The Minoans</em>. London: The Folio Society, 2002. </span></span></div>Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01571825702692492636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9043069941938491518.post-11080847675004378692012-02-28T19:32:00.006-08:002012-03-06T15:26:32.532-08:00A lady's guide to basic cooking<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjse-3p2uC__53sMp9Pbt9ErKgf_DzfiDcq-mNgHLMkUvnrFEr8baJ4YarX1mwkRGg-OqWlwX35ovAthFe3MlHx5rO2VbT6BxNGkGnpwfFYgUMHvvQnK6Tc30bQhTyI6rSHlBBT727JBc/s1600/photo+(125).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjse-3p2uC__53sMp9Pbt9ErKgf_DzfiDcq-mNgHLMkUvnrFEr8baJ4YarX1mwkRGg-OqWlwX35ovAthFe3MlHx5rO2VbT6BxNGkGnpwfFYgUMHvvQnK6Tc30bQhTyI6rSHlBBT727JBc/s320/photo+(125).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My mother and I making grilled cheese and bacon sandwiches</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Alright.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since when did cooking become such an impossible, insurmountable task?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do most of my own cooking at school (primarily because I’m convinced the cafeteria is doing a social experiment as to how much slop they can feed us before we protest), and for me cooking, to use popular jargon, ‘ain’t no big thing.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whenever someone finds out that I do 90% of my own cooking, however, they’re quite often stunned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes they’re baffled as to where I’m getting my supplies, but more often than not such people are confused as to how I found the time and where I got my skills.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And I know that this reaction is not limited to my isolated, stuck-in-the-armpit-of-nowhere college.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More and more people seem to have gotten the impression that cooking for oneself or others will only end in frustration and food that never looks as good as it does in the cookbook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One can argue as to where this perspective developed, though I would say it probably stemmed from the twin evils of Martha Stewart and fast food, with the former setting unreasonably high standards for cooking (and table setting, and floral arrangements…) and the latter making it possible to get food that tastes good (but will one day contribute to your coronary embolism) easily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Blame aside, however, I would like to enlighten the world at large:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is perfectly possible to make good, reasonably complex food without attending chef school, setting oneself on fire, spending a fortune on supplies, or taking forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Indeed, in some cases one may need nothing but a hotpot or a toaster to get the job done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, allow me to impart a few basic things about cooking:</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before you go out and buy a bunch of pricey ingredients, consider what you’re getting and how often it will be used, and measure that against how long it will last.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As per example, rice, eggs, and milk are all good staples that will either last quite awhile, can be cooked in many ways, or will likely be consumed promptly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Waste not, want not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also note that with the help of spices (which rarely, if ever, go bad) one can put a multitude of spins on a single dish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When cooking it is alright to improvise. Unless one is attempting to make a soufflé or some other temperamental pastry dish, the odds are good that you can screw around with the recipe and make it fit your tastes without destroying it completely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For myself I’m very fond of doing this with packaged food, where I toss out flavor packets and ignore directions with impunity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And the reason I can do the above is practice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In one’s first forays into cooking, one may very well wreck it or turn out a less than perfect dish, even if you follow directions to the letter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This, however, is not a reason to give up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the reason to try again and figure out where things went wrong, and correct for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> M</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">ake sure to do your research and play to your own tastes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Watch cooking tutorials online, ask your friends and relatives for tips/recipes, read up on techniques, and make sure you’re learning how to cook things that interest you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t force yourself to learn a recipe because you feel everyone should know it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, cook what you want, no matter how supposedly weird or difficult it appears to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Notably, to help you in this endeavor, I will be recording and uploading a series of my own cooking tutorials, covering ‘simple but delicious’ foods that are easily made on the fly.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Finally, feel free to make up your own recipes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take what you learn from all your experiments (successful and otherwise) and cobble it together to do something totally new.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the essential fun of cooking; making something that is entirely one’s own. <o:p></o:p></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnAFoDra_01bJoYvkaC87b8yxtlluT3q1nmj3_0Ygk98xw8wkXT_t7tpTF8LQs72C2IUC4ILbvckYpKj0iQPrByDVXa4UM8msjhUF2GnbEaClIgKyd5DslpBg6DuWE1ZlDmNN8fqRg1io/s1600/photo+(131).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnAFoDra_01bJoYvkaC87b8yxtlluT3q1nmj3_0Ygk98xw8wkXT_t7tpTF8LQs72C2IUC4ILbvckYpKj0iQPrByDVXa4UM8msjhUF2GnbEaClIgKyd5DslpBg6DuWE1ZlDmNN8fqRg1io/s320/photo+(131).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sandwich that was the result of the above cooking session</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01571825702692492636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9043069941938491518.post-12464608860501616672012-02-20T21:37:00.000-08:002012-02-20T21:42:37.805-08:00The Ladies of Boardwalk Empire<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhetA1zQhxN1DrMkAt_eDeNt_DiWPSg0Cmt8EuLmVimqz8B_UDWypUxhQCMpqdkF7xq5c6wxUBCwd0jmv6vI_a2LgbOM_eW6AC_0ayFcJeqMxXoZ-M-8QslPxGoExZyIOVBTDymH1hm0Qc/s1600/399954_2790739205477_1168265361_32339363_741451325_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhetA1zQhxN1DrMkAt_eDeNt_DiWPSg0Cmt8EuLmVimqz8B_UDWypUxhQCMpqdkF7xq5c6wxUBCwd0jmv6vI_a2LgbOM_eW6AC_0ayFcJeqMxXoZ-M-8QslPxGoExZyIOVBTDymH1hm0Qc/s320/399954_2790739205477_1168265361_32339363_741451325_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lauren, today's writer and a gal of great class and wit</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><em>I present to you our first guest article, written by my good friend Lauren!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Enjoy!<o:p></o:p></em></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><em> </em></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><em><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>~ Victoria<o:p></o:p></em></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Long before the acclaim of baggy pants and backwards caps, criminals wore casual wear that would make your boyfriend’s prom tuxedo look like a suit from Target. The characters of HBO’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Boardwalk Empire</i> recreate the feel of the Roaring Twenties, in both its classy and perilous nature. The plot follows crooked Atlantic County treasurer Eunuch “Nucky” Thompson, played brilliantly by Steve Buscemi, in his rocky personal life and his corrupt political life. His interactions with several characters, included non-fictional criminals such as Arnold Rothstein (Michael Stuhlbarg), Lucky Luciano (Vincent Piazza), and Al Capone (Stephen Graham), along with the sub plots that revolve around fictional characters like Margaret Schroeder (Kelly Macdonald), Nelson Van Alden (Michael Shannon), and James Darmody (Michael Pitt) weave together a wonderful story that brings fact and fiction to a nice balance. Here at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Definition of a Lady</i>, I hope to provide you with personal inspiration, for both your couture and your character, through this wonderful show’s first season.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Let’s take a look at the fashion of our female characters, to start with. First, we will check out possibly the most fashionable of our choices: Lucy Danziger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Played by the stunning Paz de la Huerta, she is Nucky Thompson’s former mistress and former dancer, with an eye for money and fame. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Though she certainly is not a prude, Lucy always manages to pull off tastefully flirty (and high-fashion) outfits, complete with eye-catching fur and a hat. She may expose her shoulders or play up her cleavage, but her dress still leaves something to the imagination.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In another scene, Lucy pulls off minimal jewelry, favoring her natural beauty over overdressing. Ladies, I know we are always tempted to wear dozens of bracelets and find the wackiest, chunkiest necklaces we can imagine, but sometimes less is more. Though we certainly don’t want to emulate Lucy’s empty-headed, gold-digging attitude, we can still appreciate how she doesn’t dress like one. You do not want someone to look at you and assume the worst.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Another powerful feminine presence in the series is Margaret Schroeder, a woman whose abusive husband was murdered at Nucky’s request, and who ends up falling for her husband’s killer. Margaret is a hard-working, lower-class Irish immigrant who finds herself suddenly in the lap of luxury. Her style evolves from simple to elegant over the course of the season.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Margaret always knows how to wear a hat, and though statement hats have fallen out of fashion in the recent years, icons such as Kate Middleton (now known as Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge) have been bringing the style back. Margaret is also known for wearing more conservative, but stylish clothes, once again proving that baring it all isn’t the best way to convince someone of your merits.<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">More importantly than Margaret’s wardrobe, however, is her strong will. In an era where women’s rights were beginning to blossom, Margaret represents the woman beside the great man, struggling to make her voice heard also. Though she clashes with Nucky in several aspects—her contraceptive methods being one—he seems to treat her with respect not seen given to most other women in the show. Furthermore, Margaret must deal with the timeless problem of losing faith once introduced to the high life. As the show illustrates, many people are corrupted by greed—but it always seems to especially effect the people who had nothing. You do not want to forget your roots once that big check lands in your lap, but sometimes it can hard to. Gratitude and kindness are virtues that should be kept and you’ll just have to watch Season 2 to see if Margaret succumbs to greed, or keeps her motherly sweetness.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The bottom line is, ladies, dress like every day is important, and don’t dress like you’re a piece of meat. The key to being a lady is respect in yourself and from others, and how you act and what you wear should reflect that belief.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p>Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01571825702692492636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9043069941938491518.post-78754272141984964472012-02-12T21:28:00.001-08:002012-03-31T22:29:33.518-07:00Building a support system<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So you have your ideal ladies and a real lady to show you the ropes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s the next step?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Funny you should ask, because the next step is establishing a good old fashioned bunch of girl friends who will stand you in good stead no matter what happens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These girls are your support system, there to help you through whatever gets thrown your way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are the gals you call when you have to figure out if you should date a fellow, and they’re the ones you confer with over tea when you decide to dump him and move on to greener pastures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have lunch together (and dinner, and possibly a slumber party, followed by breakfast, followed by lunch AGAIN…) as often as you can, and no matter how much time you spend together, you never get sick of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are your girls, your compadres, sisters from another mister, and all other such terms that denote a coterie of the best friends imaginable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwY1n0NtibOa-3Mx5sA4fCXZ92xtoFjw8mQTzpHBs0Qg5vKBeSDpGevVnzHxHRjNFhpbZElz_jVAHJLPlbdCLWIMvL45pMZLJCnW7EaX7eODeXf9ksprsJRRnXrLFS4G-hzY8PWbH4Wyw/s1600/photo+(75).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwY1n0NtibOa-3Mx5sA4fCXZ92xtoFjw8mQTzpHBs0Qg5vKBeSDpGevVnzHxHRjNFhpbZElz_jVAHJLPlbdCLWIMvL45pMZLJCnW7EaX7eODeXf9ksprsJRRnXrLFS4G-hzY8PWbH4Wyw/s320/photo+(75).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My support system in action :D</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">To some degree, dear reader, you probably already have a support system in place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rare is the girl who has absolutely no friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The key to creating a support system is making sure you have friends who are friends with each other, thus providing mutual support.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember, these are the girls who are willing to protect you and help you no matter what, and for some events it remains a fact that you need more than one person to deal with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it comes to celebrating birthdays or chasing off unwelcome male attention, groups are always better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Satellite friends are also important (individuals who don’t belong to your core group), but having that central base is vital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As you go about assessing your support system and how you will manage it, it’s also a prime time to remove the toxic friends from your life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And trust me, you probably have one or two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all know these people, the unpleasant individuals who you can’t seem to get rid of even though they contribute nothing but misery and/or petty cruelty to your life. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These people sow nothing but discord and trouble, and as such need to be evicted from your life pronto.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is also the time to get rid of one’s frenemies (which differ from toxic friends in that toxic friends still pretend they’re your friend, while frenemies are decidedly unpleasant and antagonistic, but you just can’t get rid of them), and if there are any girls hanging around you who are a less than respected companions, it’s probably better to send them on their way to find better suited friends of their own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">At long last, you’ve completed the four most crucial steps of becoming a lady.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ve built a strong foundation of friends, advisors, and have gained insight into yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> N</span>ow that you have the ‘skeleton’ of being a lady in place, it’s time to flesh it out with skills, manners, intelligence, and style.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So stay tuned for ensuing articles on the many and varied ways that will help you become a lady.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Humbly yours, Victoria</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">P.S.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you have any specific questions about being a lady, feel free to email me at </span><a href="mailto:countesscrow@gmail.com"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">countesscrow@gmail.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">, at which point I will answer your question and post both question and answer (your name will be omitted) to the blog as part of Definition of a Lady’s advice column.</span></div>Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01571825702692492636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9043069941938491518.post-10263698180459709632012-01-31T10:44:00.000-08:002012-01-31T22:47:47.081-08:00Finding Your Onee-San<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What is an ‘onee-san’ you ask?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, as those with a fondness for Japan in one regard or another can tell you, the term literally means ‘older sister’ with additional respectful connotations attached via the formal ‘-san’ suffix.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The term is notable in that it can be applied to someone who is not necessarily one’s biological sister, and it crops up throughout Japanese culture, from freshman addressing seniors in highschool to being the term for an apprentice geisha’s mentor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is in this last form that we are most interested in the word, because, my dears, the next step to become a lady is to find a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">real</i> lady who will help you achieve your goal.<o:p></o:p></span> <br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">How do you identify your onee-san?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Simple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look for the woman you admire most in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now at this point some you may be thinking of your mothers, and while everyone’s mother is (usually) the walking definition of ‘the greatest woman ever’, it’s best not to make her your onee-san.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because she’s too invested in you and your relationship with her is already one of mother and daughter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your onee-san must be able to speak candidly to you, and she should connect with you on a more personal level than the one afforded by the maternal bond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember, you are looking for pseudo-older sister, and unless your mother is of a very different sort, (I’m looking at you, Gillian Darmody and Atia of the Julii) she’s not the one to fill this role.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Instead, seek out that non-maternal older woman of fabulous style and powerful personality (aunt, friend, actual older sibling), and respectfully inform them of your admiration for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then ask if they’d be willing to help you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The odds are pretty damned good that unless the potential onee-san is a bitch of spectacular proportions, the response will be a yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can think of very few people who would not like to know that they are admired and looked up to, and, in tandem, very few people who would balk at helping someone improve themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all crave a trusted mentor, and on some level we all want to mentor someone else, or at least that has always been my experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And what happens if you cannot find an onee-san at all?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do not despair, my dears, for you still have two more options.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Option the first:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Find an onii-san (big brother).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether he’s elbow deep in engine grease or the original sassy gay friend, a man is more than able to help a woman along her path to becoming a lady.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dynamic inevitably will be different (and if he’s the engine grease type he’s most likely not the one to go shopping for cocktail dresses with), but an onii-san can teach as much as an onee-san.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Indeed, some lucky ladies out there might have the good fortune to have one of each gender, for an extra balanced perspective.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And if there’s absolutely no one there to help you out?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well then it’s time to hit the books and the movies again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my earliest stages of becoming a lady, when I still had little real understanding of just what it was I wanted, I taught myself through observing and researching. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As per example, I figured out how to put my hair up and keep it immaculate and sleek from watching Memoirs of a Geisha, and handy information can come from any number of sources.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Other influences for me were Paradise Kiss, which inspired me to make my own clothes, and Atlantis the Lost Empire, which sparked my interest in dead languages).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now, once you have an onee-san, you may wonder how to use her advice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A simple place to start is always just getting together for a chat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Outline your interests more clearly and ask your onee-san for her opinion on them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She may approve, she may disapprove, but if you’ve chosen well (and the choosing of your onee-san, my dears, is on your own heads) your onee-san will definitely help you in some way, either by pointing you in the right direct or by getting things straightened out for you to progress towards your goal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Regardless, you have only one job at this point:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Listen to your onee-san, and learn from her example.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01571825702692492636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9043069941938491518.post-27606924243705425492012-01-19T16:33:00.000-08:002012-01-19T16:50:54.977-08:00Defining Your Ideal Ladies<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Part of the first stage of becoming a lady is locating those ladies who one looks up to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These women may be real or fictional, and as such one may or may not know them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Regardless, they should embody the traits that one desires to possess in one’s day to day life as a lady.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, kindly note that these women need not be ones with ‘spotless records’ as it were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the saying goes, ‘well behaved women rarely make history’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes to get the job done a lady must take off her velvet gloves to reveal the iron hands they cover, and there’s nothing wrong with a lady who knows how to have a really grand (and sometimes raucous) time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As one arranges the list of one’s idols, take note of the traits that begins to appear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What does it say about you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What kind of woman do you get from the conglomeration of all these other women’s personal quirks and attributes?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What does she value?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How does she present herself?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What are her goals, and are these in fact <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">your</i> goals?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And finally, how might you make these traits and goals manifest in your own life?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kindly note, however, that even as you build off these women you must make sure to not become completely absorbed in actually <em>pretending to be </em>them wholesale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is unproductive on two levels, the first being that you’re attempting to subsume and destroy your own personality in the name of becoming another person, which will not work unless you have some serious mental problems, and the second, related reason of that just being way too creepy, if you’ll pardon my vernacular.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember, by identifying your goals through your idols you are seeking to understand yourself and give yourself a boost of both confidence and determination, not crawl into the skin of someone else.<o:p></o:p></span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmJFEbUH6PvrWkvcJH27k8bkSrREY6hEASX5rpXoBl_6NxMVc7JX1CXyLl8NKjeQvw6kjpva3Y-TstzRRNQrEMjglDTMQP9shfkVaXUawtyTQeSAL34YisvsUVQR-zdXTzSphVBzwV7oE/s1600/photo+%2528134%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmJFEbUH6PvrWkvcJH27k8bkSrREY6hEASX5rpXoBl_6NxMVc7JX1CXyLl8NKjeQvw6kjpva3Y-TstzRRNQrEMjglDTMQP9shfkVaXUawtyTQeSAL34YisvsUVQR-zdXTzSphVBzwV7oE/s320/photo+%2528134%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I also keep various inspiring quotes with pics of <br />
my ideal ladies</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now, with your ideal ladies identified, I strongly suggest you get some photos of them and post them in a significant place where you will see them on a regular basis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By doing this you are providing yourself with a constant reminder of what you are striving for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For myself, I have my ladies’ images near my mirror (they include, amongst others, Joan Holloway, Irene Adler, Lisbeth Salander, Integra Fairbanks Wingate Hellsing, Bridget von Hammersmark, and Atia of the Julii), where I can look while I’m doing my beauty work or experimenting with a new outfit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Other options might be to post them over a desk, in a diary, or decoupaged onto a jewelry/makeup box.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wherever you put the images of your favorite ladies, make sure you are sure to see them every day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, it is under their watchful gaze that you will seek to become a lady, and their images will serve as a reminder of the sort of woman you seek to become.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01571825702692492636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9043069941938491518.post-26089165123503645232012-01-11T11:34:00.000-08:002012-01-11T18:03:45.898-08:00What does it mean to be a lady?<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lady: La-dy [ley-dee] noun, plural -dies, </span></i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPz9G9LwSSTPFayawgDbwuPuA5H_7jExERzWii9EcPX0iqe-heV4aArn2pHrOZkb49nf5hoCwNwcSLZJeS1sVQAHgWIp9bzu7Z6pyFtKp0PI6Mh99l_PwQvcyY-Z3HINF2nFHx9KCMnhE/s1600/photo+%252832%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPz9G9LwSSTPFayawgDbwuPuA5H_7jExERzWii9EcPX0iqe-heV4aArn2pHrOZkb49nf5hoCwNwcSLZJeS1sVQAHgWIp9bzu7Z6pyFtKp0PI6Mh99l_PwQvcyY-Z3HINF2nFHx9KCMnhE/s320/photo+%252832%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yours truly, dressing the part <br />
of my definition of a lady</td></tr>
</tbody></table><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Adjective</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Noun</span></i></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A woman who is refined, polite, and well-spoken</span></i></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A woman of high social and economic class</span></i></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Any woman; female</span></i></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That, my good readers, is the dictionary entry for what it means to be a lady.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems almost banal, with such bare bones explanations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For our purposes, however, such a skeletal foundation is ideal, as it allows a woman to flesh out her own understanding of what it means to be a lady, and in this day and age that definition is very, very broad indeed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, to help would-be ladies along, I and several friends have opted to create this blog, to provide advice, information, and tips on what it means to be a lady. And, while we’re at it, note the last definition of a lady:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘any woman’. When it comes down to brass tacks, any woman can be a lady.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not a matter of money or breeding, but one of intellect and fortitude, as well as a willingness to improve upon one’s natural interests and inherent personality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">From the first, however, I feel it cannot be stressed enough is that each person must find their own definition of what it is to be a lady.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are many roads to the same destination, each with its own benefits and troubles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Generally, however, these roads have similar signage, which is why this blog can exist – whether haughty or humble, every lady must experience certain successes and disasters, and learn how to navigate similar potholes in their thoroughfare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">At the very start of this path, however, is a very simple crossroads with an equally simple signpost that reads as follows: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who are you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And like something from Alice in Wonderland, this sign has the potential to point in every which way if you are not sure of your answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, to use myself as an example, I look at that sign and see ‘I am a would-be aristocrat’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want the absolute top of the line in life, but I’m also delighted to go casual when the occasion calls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am supremely confident in myself, and even when I’m not I pretend to be and pretending makes it so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can be haughty and snobbish on occasion, but I am indelibly loyal to those who befriend and love me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">These are all just minor facets of a much larger picture, one that would require several encyclopedias to fully discuss, but it outlines some of the main points:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know who I am, I know what I want, I know my own worth, and I know who I care about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Understanding these things is the most important element of becoming a lady, the foundation upon which you can build the rest of your attitude and appearance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And make sure your foundation in strong, my apprentice ladies – if it isn’t, no amount of Home Ec skills, witty retorts, expensive clothes, or martial arts will make you the capable woman you long to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That starts in the heart and in the head, and to act without them is to be only half there – a philosophical zombie, all flash and appearance with nothing going on inside.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I hope you enjoy this blog and visit us again soon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>New articles – hopefully from an ever-growing bevy of writers – will be debuting in the near future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01571825702692492636noreply@blogger.com0