Fidgeting About the Feminine Mystique (and Musings on My Favorite Things)



I love buying dishes. Micky spoke to me at Target.

 I couldn't sleep last night. I imagine it was due to several reasons not the least of which are my changing hormonal signals. Add to that all of the things I'm having to juggle today plus the anticipated opening and unveiling of my new card line tomorrow and Wednesday. It's enough to give a girl adult acne. --  Ahhhh, it's so fun to be a girl. (?)

But then again, maybe it is? For all the complaining we seem to so easily channel aren't there some pretty exciting reasons to be happy about being a woman no matter what the REM patterns?

First of all, there are the esoteric reasons. I love lipstick, shoes and handbags. And, it is so fun to buy dishes. Really, I absolutely love shopping for dishes. I could feed the YMCA in one, mis-matched sitting, but still. They're all so cute! And then there is this uncontrollable urge to shriek when I see a group of more than 3 girlfriends. I'm not fond of sitting next to those cackling groups of overly excited, estrogen charged parties, but when I'm in the circle? I make noises like a music box on speed.

The real reasons I love being a women are much more varied. I like the fact that both sides of my brain can work together when I'm dealing with an issue. I love how it feels to nurture and care for others in a maternal way. I enjoy the fact that people rely on you to share whatever is in your pocketbook whether it be lip gloss, or change for a 5 dollar bill. But most of all I love that we are so complex and varied. Each of us has a story, a struggle, and that ever present question that bobbles around in our head's 24-7. We play with those same problems forever and yet when a friend comes to us for advice, our concise wisdom spews out in even, measured words that must be heeded.

One of the reasons I created the verses in the Intertwined line is a celebration of those traits, but with a twist. For all our femininity and its similarities with the vine, we must look more closely at how much we resist the change we despise, the aging we dread, and the trials we are surrounded by.

The grape? When faced with these issues it simply adapts and does so happily. And the result is often a wine with more complexity, awe and enjoyment. I like how that sounds.

Yeah, I couldn't sleep last night. But I did see a beautiful moon and watched a deer cross through my yard in the morning light while I was rearranging my sock drawer. Girl-issues? Bring 'em on.