A couple of things that ticked me off today...

So, I was watching tv this morning, and a commercial came on for a baby Elmo that you can feed, burp, ease it to sleep, etc. Of course, a little girl was holding the baby Elmo, nurturing it like a real human baby. I wish we could get past this whole thing of driving home the socially acceptable roles for girls and boys. If a boy picked up that baby Elmo, and wanted to play with it, would that really be a bad thing? Or, should he instead pick up the toy gun or truck and play with it instead?

Also, my husband and I are opening up a savings account at a credit union. The credit union wants a copy of our marriage license. Now, we don't know if this is normal, but we have to show proof we are married. I'm guessing the reason for that is I didn't (and won't) take my husband's last name. Why should I? It's just an outdated tradition that has no legal foothold anywhere. I like my name just the way it is, and to be quite frank, it would be a hassle to change it. Some people say that it isn't showing my level of commitment to the marriage, so why doesn't my husband change his last name to mine? "Oh, that just isn't done!" WTF? Give me a break. Even my husband said I didn't marry you just so you would take my name.... You know, I get odd looks still after telling people that I'm not going to take his name, like I offended their beliefs or ideals.

Ah life....it is a strange journey, eh?

Yeah, it's been a while...

But, I've not totally gone away. Life sure can get in the way sometimes...

I was just thinking how truly hard it is to be an individual these days. I'm thinking this because we see so many people doing so many things to express their individuality, that we feel we are copying them, so we try and come up with other ways of expressing who we are. I often wonder what the world would be like if we were left to figure out things for ourselves, without outside influences (like advertisements, magazines, celebrity-watching websites). How different would we be?

I heard a great phrase on the way home from work today... "Be the calvary you want to see coming over the hill". Nice, huh?

Now I'm confused....

So I'm sitting here, surfing the net, listening to the tv in the other room and a Botox commercial came on. Generally, I tune this out. But the last line in the commercial caught my attention... "Botox, it's all about freedom of expression". WTF? What that does that mean? Yes, we all have a right to do what we wish to our bodies, but to use that line on women whose self image is generally dictated by the fashion world and media for a product that deadens nerves so you don't show wrinkles is pushing it a tad. My mother is proud of every single wrinkle she has. It's a battle scar, so to speak of raising two children, recovering twice from cancer, maintaining a beautiful marriage, realizing who she is..... It's bullshit! All bullshit!!

Thank goodness

Thank goodness that 2007 is over. It's been a ride, let me tell ya, but I'm looking forward to 2008.

I've not blogged in a while...started a new job, signed up for classes again... all sorts of things are going on.

I hope everyone has a groovy new year!

Selfworth

So, I was with my husband and a friend yesterday, and both needed haircuts. No worries, I didn't mind being along for the ride. But what aggravated me was what my friend kept saying.

"Don't go to short or crazy because my boyfriend won't like it!" Does it matter? It's your hair. Shave it, cut it, color it, do what you want to it, I told her....she said she knows she could do whatever she wanted to because it's her hair, but she was worried her boyfriend wouldn't like it, plus she had to keep it professional.

When did hair become a women's symbol of worthiness to the world? I can remember watching a program on the History Channel, that talked about women back in the 20's going to a man's barber shop to get their "crowning glor(ies)" cut off. How did this come to be? It's hair, that's all.

Just a thought...

Dreading the worst

So yesterday, my husband and I went with my parents to my brother's mother-in-law's house for Thanksgiving. We had a really nice time...lots of food...laughing...playing with my brother's three daughters (all about 7 and under in age) and my older nephew.

We started talking about movies we have just seen and one of my nieces, who is about 6, came up to me with a DVD....of the Bratz! I don't know what the title of the DVD was, all I could see were the Bratz characters on the front cover, scantly dressed....with big pouty lips, sultry eye make up, with a figure that is basically unattainable in real life. A feeling of dread, and of heart break, over took me.

My little niece took my finger and rubbed it on the cover, which had some fuzzy fabric on it, and she went on and on about the dog in the movie that talks. But, I honestly didn't hear her because all I could do was wonder if the images of these characters are already starting to make her feel inadequate about her figure...about her self worth. I didn't say anything to my sister-in-law, but maybe I should have. But I seriously doubt she would have understood my position on why I think the Bratz shouldn't be allowed in the house.

I really hope that when all my nieces reaches my age, that they'll be smart, confident young women who can see past the marketing stereotyping of their younger years and realize that they don't have to model themselves after these types of images.... I hope they try to be the best that they can be, what ever that is.

Brainwashing

So, I was watching the television last night, which was probably my first mistake, and a toy commercial came on for a talking play kitchen for little girls. It had a sink, a stove, even a trash can. Plus, it had plastic food that talked to you when you put the right ingredients together. One of the lines for the product "Now you can cook just like mommy!" Then, directly after that commercial was one for a talking play work bench with all sorts of plastic tools for little boys.

Am I wrong in thinking this is brainwashing our young children into thinking that the woman cooks and the man works with the tools? Is this not socializing the girls to be the mommies and to be cooks and the boys to the bread winners? It just really saddens me that the toy companies are doing this. Why are we doing this? I understand that most little girls want to be like their mommies, but, why not let them pick toys out also that interest them, rather than being subconsciously coerced into thinking they need a play kitchen, and let's not forget the baby dolls that need their diapers changed and fed and how they are also marketed to little girls so they can learn at about age five that they will need to know this when they grow up.

It really makes me wonder if the CEO's of these companies really know what they are doing to the future leaders of the world.