Wordy Wednesday with Jo Eismont

After a rather hiccuppy few weeks were I have either lazily posted no Wordy Wednesday due to holidays or left Wednesday gaps due to just total inefficiency, here we are! Back with a vengeance..or at least a glass of something fizzy (more of that later) and a book to settle down with.

Who have a tricked into chatting to us today in my cunningly pleasant yet probing interrogative style? Well I've only gone and bagged Jo Eismont! (shush at the back, stop pushing, room for all..are you sitting comfortably? then let us begin)

We'll start with the basics , Jo tell my readers about yourself and your books, what genre do you write?
I write a mixture of fiction (still unseen by anyone but me) and corporate content, plus I moan about various things on my blog. No books as yet, unless you count learning and development e-books, which clearly I do! I also write some career advice columns for www.themuse.com which is a good challenge, and have had a couple of pieces about being a Mum published, which I’m DEAD proud of.

Do you have another job or are you a full time author? If you do something else (international spy?) what is it and do you like it?
I’m Creative Content Manager for Insights, a global people development company. I’m responsible for our great content – from blogs to web content to e-books to social media content. I love it! I also have a 6 year old daughter and a son who is 4 this week, so it’s all go round my way. I do some random writing in my own time – various pieces that have been published in random places, like this one: A Letter to my daughter aged 5 who told me her legs look fat

When did you start writing?
I remember sitting in my bedroom making books, stapling the pages together, when I was about 6. And now my daughter does the same – although she is doubly ambitious and wants to be ‘the author AND the illustrator, Mummy.’ It’s genetic, I guess, as my sister and my cousin are amazing writers too. When I was about 9 I wrote a story about an alien and took it into school. My teacher said it was too good and was obviously written by my Mum, who promptly turned up at the classroom door to have words with her! So right about then I decided that a) I must be a not-bad writer and b) to prove that bitter old misanthrope wrong. {{ fabulous

What 3 things are guaranteed to make you smile?
Anything Toby Ziegler says on The West Wing, early morning cuddles with the kids and running – slowly, but still running.

Do you have any pets?
No, although we’re thinking of getting a cat. I have this idea of me sitting writing with a cat purring around my feet. There may be more to this writing lark than that though – hmmmm. But a furry muse can’t hurt, right?

Who is your favourite author? Do they influence your writing or are they a total break from the sort of thing you write? 
Right now, Maggie O’Farrell. Two of her books – After You’d Gone and The Hand That First Held Mine – I return to again and again. She writes these great men – very sexy, swaggering, ultimately insecure, eloquent men. And the latter book is the reason my son is named Innes – Innes Kent is one of my favourite characters of all time. I read an interview with Maggie recently where I discovered she also has small children, which made me feel deeply inadequate. I always think I’ll be able to devote more time to writing when the kids are older, but clearly some people can manage it! That’s a talent in itself - just shutting out the world to get it done.

Which book(s) are you reading at the moment? 
Where My Heart Used to Beat by Sebastian Faulks. I’m struggling through it. The protagonist isn’t really doing much for me, but I’m willing to forgive Faulks almost anything for Birdsong. That’s a book I return to again and again, along with Captain Correlli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres.

Where do you do most of your writing? In my dining room, at my desk, facing my Penguin book wallpaper which I’m utterly in love with. {{ I so feel the need for pictures here!

What is your favourite biscuit?
Oh god, I don’t really do biscuits. I’m addicted to cherry tomatoes and Diet Coke, if that helps. {{ an author that doesn't like biscuits?! I'm in shock, but I did promise a glass of something fizzy and so here it is, never one to disappoint my readers...

Tea or Coffee?
Coffee, black, one sweetener, in the same mug I’ve used every day for 9 years – it’s green and flowery and perfect. Even the smell of tea turns my stomach – that tannin smell, yuck!

In the film of your life who would play you?
Katherine Hepburn, if being alive plays no factor! She was definitely the cooler of the two Hepburns. My daughter is named Kate, because I think it’s a kick-ass, no-nonsense, smart, take no shit kind of name.

If you could genetically cross an animal and a vegetable, what would you pick and why? I like the idea of a frilled lizard with rhubarb, excellent frills, nice pink colour, good in crumbles. A neep and an octopus – a neeptopus! It would have the body of a neep and 8 octopussy legs. Would be good in soup with some legs left over for mezze in the sunshine.{{ brilliant

Wowser Jo - excellent answers, I really enjoyed reading your secrets..though not sure I can trust a person that shuns biscuits, maybe your neeptopus can win me over though! 

If you enjoyed reading about Jo you can find her, not blogging nearly often enough,(her words not mine)  at https://foxyrevenger.wordpress.com/

Jo would love to natter to you on Twitter – come and talk to me about any old nonsense, but specifically if you have any ideas on how to make this Neeptopus thing a reality. https://twitter.com/JoEismont

And Jo's Muse stuff can be found here if you’re looking for a career boot up the bum! Muse

As always I'd love you to 'Like' my Facebook page, and chat with me and follow me over on twitter.

What do women REALLY want for Valentines day - a tongue in cheek post

Copyright: pretoperola / 123RF Stock Photo

Valentine's Day is fast approaching like a looming red fog on the horizon. Terrifying the average man who is soon to discover he cannot win on this of all days.

On Valentine's Day, a man in a relationship with a lady has several choices.
He can ignore the entire thing, dismiss it as comercialised and claim he doesn't need a day to tell her he loves her. She will assume he is an uncaring heel or that he forgot and this is a feeble way of weaseling out of the whole thing.
He can buy a card, something cute or funny and that's that. She will think he is cheap, assume he grabbed it without thinking in the supermarket or petrol station and she will tell all her friends how uncaring he is.
He can buy an elaborate gift such as a huge bunch of red roses or a massive box of chocolates, and she will tell him what a waste of money flowers are, especially on Valentine's day, she will also exclaim she is dieting and the chocolates are cruel. She will tell her friends he is predictable and boring.

So what do women actually want? Well I asked a few women that were in relationships what their perfect Valentine's Day gift would be. Instantly and top of the list was time by themselves! I can understand the desire to escape the busy everyday life but I was hoping for something a teensy bit more romantic (chaps, save this information for a birthday gift!). Next most popular was sleep, yes I know, still not terribly romantic, though combined with a man that takes charge of the kids when they wake, gives them breakfast, settles them in front of a 3 hour movie and then takes his snoozing wife breakfast in bed might count...

But the suggestions that seemed most useful were:

• Unmarried ladies in relationships (such as Emma) seem to hope for diamonds, if you like it, she correctly assumes, you should have put a ring on it.
• Another popular choice is a spa day, for true romance I guess you'd have to go too, his and hers towels by the pool, joint massages and a cosy canoodle in the hot tub. Several ladies liked that idea.
• Chocolates were not totally out of favour, but they needed to be quality over quantity, the day of the large padded heart shape box are over it seems.
• Many ladies feel that having everything done for them is the way to go, baby sitter sorted, table booked and then whisked off in a taxi so you can both have a tipple at a restaurant where the night is spent eating and gazing into each others eyes....just as you did before your life was full of toddlers and snot.
• Another lovely idea was being told to treat yourself to a new pair of shoes or a new handbag, so many ladies would like this so much more than flowers or chocolates! Even a new dress, why not pluck up the courage to go shopping with her, telling her how sexy she looks in the things she chooses (not looking  at your watch and telling her you are missing the rugby)
• On the 'time alone together' theme, it wasn't only restaurants and spas that were mentioned, afternoon tea, or even a wander around a town or a walk in the country were suggested. Even a whole night in a hotel - oh to have the freedom for loud sex without the kids hearing.....
• The idea of a surprise was high on the list too - unusual gifts but ones that might be appreciated, cheese, a new purse, earrings, perfume....but not 'sexy underwear' (the crime of buying what you, the chap, deem sexy, but what is, in reality, cheap, tacky and uncomfortable and really for you anyway...just no) Going with her to buy some Agent Provocateur does not come into the 'no' category obviously...
• And one odd request was mooted. "I'd really like if he hired a backing group and made up a barbershop style song about me and then performed it on the doorstep. The kind of thing that takes a bit of effort!" ... I'll just leave that there....no one said us women were low maintenance...

Copyright: ventura69 / 123RF Stock Photo

The top result, in all it's varieties, (if we exclude time alone!) was time with you, the man in her life. For you to organise it all so she can be swept off her feet, away from her normal life to an afternoon, evening, or weekend of romantic together time....chaps...you heard it here first..now go get her.Your time, it's what she wants and it's almost (assuming no baby sitting fees) free. No excuse, have fun together. 

Huge thanks to the following bloggers for their candid input. Why not check out their blogs on Valentine's Day to see if all their dreams come true.

Geraldine at Jog On Mum

Nat at Handful of Halfpennies

Angela at Days in Bed

Emily at Emily and Indiana

Mum of Five Staying Sane

Emma at The Mini Mes and Me

Mary at Over 40 and Mum to One
Emma at The Cheshire Wife
Mother Under Measure
Amy at The Smallest of Things
Chantelle at Mama Mummy Mum
Zoe at A Beautiful Abode
Vanessa at A Happy Healthy Mummy
Carly at Mummy and the Chunks

Top 10 things women find attractive in men

1. Beards – woman love manly bearded men, so masculine, proper man of the wild, able to protect and support a family, all that displayed in a face. Lovely. Also added benefit of tickles.
2. Smooth shaven men – women love a man with a shaved, smooth face. Demonstrating a commitment to regular grooming, clean and smart. A man that can think and make decisions, while in touch with his emotions. Added benefits, no stubble rash when kissing.
3. Muscular men – a man that has power, rippling muscles beneath the skin, at ease with himself because he can feel his own strength. A man to hold you in manly arms…Added benefit of winning cuddly toys at the test your strength machines at the fair.
4. Thin men – ah the joy of the geek, he is pale and looks like maybe he doesn’t get out much but he has a glint in his eye, a bright intelligence, a quick wit, honed form years reading or studying, or just being alone thinking. Added benefit of being able to talk about things, may cry at sad films..actually lots of men do that – don’t say I told you
5. Chubby men – something to snuggle into. A warm and cuddly bulk of a man, someone not afraid to order a starter and a dessert so you can do the same! No one likes to feel bad about what they eat. Give this man some cake. Added benefit of cake.
6. Tall men – someone to make you feel all feminine and girly, a man to tower over you, to reach high shelves, to lift you onto his shoulders at festivals. A useful man, see him tall in a crowd, looking over the heads of everyone, reporting back to tell you what’s going on. Added benefit of saving on step ladders.
7. Short men – no one likes neck ache, how fine to have a man your own height, or maybe even slightly shorter, rock those heels and make him feel like a millionaire with a hot babe on his arm. Mother him, or pretend he’s an Italian gangster (unless he is an Italian gangster, then just revel in being his ‘moll’) Added benefit of eye contact and romantic gazes.
8. Hairy men – manly to a fault, gorilla like chest hair, prefect to snuzzle on a cold evening, or to run your fingers through on a sunny day at the beach. Added benefit of warmth.
9. Smooth bodied men – naturally smooth or shaven, showing off the shape on the body beneath, no hair to get stuck in your teeth. A nice smooth skin under a white shirt, perfect to tan or to keep pale. Added benefit of lickability.
10. Being a man – women that find men attractive often find men attractive, due to them being men. Sometimes you can’t say what it is that made you look twice, or made you realise he was the one, sometimes you can’t say if it was his eye colour, his funny taste in shirts or his loud laugh. Maybe it was the way he held a tea cup or the way he flexed a bicep. Sometimes a man is just attractive and women don’t know why.

I think by now you ‘ve got the point…men (and people in general) are all different and amazingly we all like different things too, one person loves a joker, always laughing, pulling pranks; another likes a serious type, someone to be thoughtful in difficult circumstances. Where one person loves a redhead, another prefers the distinguished look of grey hair.

Shush Mr Tumble, that's a whole other post!

When I see lists on the internet of ‘Top 10 things men hate in a woman’ or ‘Top 10 things men love in a woman’ (and I’ve seen a few lately, hence this post) I want to scream!! I have rarely seen a ‘What women love in a man’ type post or even a ‘What men find attractive in men’ post but I’m sure they are out there. I’m putting this post up to remind us all that different is good and with all the amazing people in the world I’m pretty sure that if you want to find one who is perfect for you, you will.

And yes this is horribly hetero centric, because I’m straight , but it applies to all people really, I’m fairly sure straight, gay, undecided, bi, whatever, people like all sorts of other people…go forth, be single, or find a friend (or friends) have fun. Be most excellent to each other.

A guide to etiquette when you find a stranger attractive

It's complicated

So here is a guide to what is the etiquette when you see a person that you find attractive.

We shall assume this person is a stranger to you, they may even be in a public place. It is fine to find someone you see as attractive, it is fine to fancy them, however here are a few things that you should not do as a consequence of you fancying them.

Do not assume they fancy you. This is very important, you should have learned this at about 3 years of age, things you experience are not necessarily experienced by others.

Remember, you are not obliged to do anything. It is perfectly acceptable to see an attractive person and then go about your day. Seeing them, like seeing great art, might cheer you up and make the day better. This is a major benefit of seeing someone you find attractive.

Do not yell "Oy Oy!!" or "Blimey love I could give you one!" or "Sexy lady, give us a smile!" or "Hey stud, I like what's in your jeans!" or "I would ride that beard like a rodeo bull" or any similar comments. In fact do not yell at someone, it's pretty tacky at best and can be frightening at worst. Just don't.

If you are wearing an amusing T shirt suggesting you are a 'sex instructor', 'tit squeezer', or 'beard fondler' you may want to wait until another day, but certainly do not reference the T shirt as a witty chat up. Chances are they will not find it witty.

Do not whistle at them, some ladies do like a whistle but the vast majority do not, I don't know about men but I would err on the side of caution, don't whistle. People are not dogs to be summoned.

If you decide speak to this attractive person do so politely, maybe try "Hello" or "It's a lovely day" (unless it's raining then you will look like an idiot, if you are going with weather related chat be sure to know what the actual weather is like). You could be more direct and launch straight into "Sorry to bother you but you are very pretty/handsome and I had to say hello" but it's a riskier approach. Always smile, but not like a serial killer if you can help it.(I do not know what a serial killer smile looks like...but you get the idea)
If the person looks scared, or ignores you. Apologise and walk away.
Do not block their path so they have to stop, do not demand they speak to you, do not badger them to be nice, do not tell them to cheer up, do not insult them or call them frigid. Be nice.

If they smile and chat back, do not assume 'you are in' and suddenly revert to telling them you fancy them rotten and do they want a shag. Keep being nice. Maybe arrange to have a coffee, or offer them your mobile number so you could stay in touch.
If they chat back but make it clear they are already in a relationship or not interested in a new one, see advice re what to do if they ignore you above.

Well done! You have politely spoken to a person you fancy. You have not scared them or been rude. Who knows what will happen next...

If you have any tips do add them in the comments below.

Shark Week! Lets talk blood! - Pink Parcel Review

That time of the month, Aunt Flo from Redcar is visiting, the painters are in, you've fallen to the communists, it's the red tide, you're cursed, on the rag, on the blob, surfing the crimson wave...basically it's shark week...yes ladies let's talk periods! (but gentlemen, do not stop reading, you can score awesome caring points later in this post, from the lady in your life!)

Poor Mr TM lives in a house with two ladies. (I use the term loosely) there is me of course, but there is also the adorable DD and of course being female and living together we not only experience shark week we synchronise it!

All that baggage that Aunt Flo brings with her when she comes to visit! Having the painters in would be bad enough but there's the delightful hormone swings, the cramps, the the THE JUST FEELING BLOODY ANNOYED ABOUT EVERYTHING OK!?

So it was with delight that DD and I agreed to review the Pink Parcel and the Teen Parcel.

The idea is fairly simple, they choose nice things for you each month and send them to your house along with your chosen sanitary protection. Thus both delighting you and saving you the sudden rush to Tesco Express on a Friday night in your worst pants and a dressing gown, clutching a hot water bottle.

The website allows you to choose your sanitary protection choice from tampons and towels and make a choice within that about flow etc (sorry to be graphic chaps, bear with me) You set up your dates (which you can change at any time if Aunt Flo is late etc) and then you just wait for the goodies!

There are sweet things for that carb craving, fancy teas because , well we are British we do tea at times of national crisis so on a day we've fallen to the communists sounds like a good excuse! There are beauty things to make us feel lovely (we still are lovely obviously but we don't always feel it)

DD was very excited with them both, but being a fairly grown up 15 year old she was equally happy with the contents of the Pink Parcel as the teen one, though she has found use for the spot cream!(and eaten my chocolate!)

If I had one criticism  it's that they don't cater to hippy ladies like me that don't need disposable sanitary protection each month, maybe they could look at an extra option maybe with a pair of nice panties or something? Just an idea.
The boxes are beautifully designed and unpacking them is a fun joy - DD even squealed about the cute little tampon bag.

Your first Pink Parcel is £5.95 and after that they cost £9.99 a month, that includes postage. They are filled with really nice branded goodies and I would say that they are worth the money.

I would think that they would make a super gift to yourself to remind you each month to love yourself, make your visit from Mother Nature more of a celebration than a curse. They would also be a lovely present for your daughter to welcome her to the world of womanhood.

And now chaps - you still reading? Good -Here is where you gain maximum kudos, buy a subscription for the lady in your life, show her that you appreciate the discomfort of a period, that you know she has a hard time of it once a month, and that you want to let her know it's OK to treat herself. Make her feel special at a time when she doesn't feel very special at all.  And after shark week maybe she'll remember how nice you were....WHEN YOU ARE NOT ANNOYING THE CRAP OUT OF HER! sorry where was I ? Oh yes, so there we are, a gorgeous gift box to make surfing the crimson wave a little more lovely.

Pink Parcel is specifically looking to create more open conversations around periods, so that women and teens no longer feel embarrassed or afraid. They encourage women to join the conversation via Twitter using the hashtag #AMonthlyThing. Pink Parcel also hosts a blog on their website with tips and information to debunk period myths. Why not follow them on Twitter and Facebook?

Teen Parcel &  Pink Parcel on Twitter

Disclosure - I was sent one of each Teen and Pink Parcel for the purposes of the review

News Round up - this week - Women in the News

I love to surf the web reading odd news from around the world each morning before I get up - so I thought I'd gather some of the best (may not be the correct description) news stories in a blog post to spare you the hunting. To keep it somewhat organised I've decided to go with a theme, so here are my favourite (again may be an inaccurate description) news stories from around the web. Not all are nice, not all are happy, not all are funny, but they are all about women. Enjoy (or at least - read)

Let's begin with a particularly horrible tale of a missing actress. Her family worry she has been kidnapped and maybe forced into the sex trade, but then residents in her apartment block notice the water in the taps starts to taste bad...

Police said the body of aspiring actress Carmen Yarira Noriega Esparza, 27, was found in the tank by council workers responding to reports of foul tasting water.

 Moving right along to a horrific account of a beheading of a woman in Saudi. Found guilty of the abuse and murder of a child a woman is publicly executed. Don't click if you are easily upset, contains graphic description.

There are two ways to behead people according to Mohammed al-Saeedi, a human rights activist: “One way is to inject the prisoner with painkillers to numb the pain and the other is without the painkiller,”

 Meanwhile in Philadelphia a woman is killed while taking a photo,from the ledge of an eigth floor window, as you do

On Thursday evening during rush hour, a young woman fell from an apartment building

  OK enough with the unpleasant, the tragic and the sad, next on news round up a more light hearted affair, a woman sues a tights manufacturer over her lack of pantyhose inspired orgasms.

Wang’s suit argues that the company didn’t follow through on its ‘tension relief and massage claims’ and says the ads used misleading language.

 In BBC News the Lords say there are just not enough women in current affairs programs. Maybe they should give me a call...

  Lord Best said: "Although on the surface it appears that women are well represented, the facts tell a different story.

  The telegraph wants to know if white wine makes women 'loopy' (spoiler - The evidence for the "crazy white wine effect" is entirely anecdotal.)

  women interviewed variously blame white wine (but only white wine, not any other sort of alcohol) for sending them into such a crazy rage that they smash furniture and break windows

And on both web and TV a campaign has both lovers and haters. How do women really feel about exercise? Do you exercise? does being fat and jiggly and sweaty impact on what you choose to do? or where you choose to do it? I have to confess that the slow girl on the bike muttering 'I'm lapping everyone on the couch' did make me think that I could do maybe just a bit of exercise...

 a national campaign developed by Sport England—is inspiring women to feel confident and get active, whatever their size, shape, age, or fitness level.

  And last but not least an opinion piece in the Guardian about boobs. Should we stop policing breasts? Who is complaining about them (I have a hint it's more likely to be women than men) and if women are right to bare breasts should we complain if men look at them?

So, to recap, breasts imagined through a man’s eyes and painted by his brush are high art, but women choosing to use these parts of their own bodies to feed their children is potentially offensive

Becoming a woman

Yesterday's somewhat harrowing post about Female genital Cutting made me think. It seems unfair to just condemn a practice and culture totally without taking into account the importance of ritual in people's lives.

For many cultures, becoming a woman is a huge part of their life. A momentous occasion celebrated or marked with secret rituals or public parties. There can be all kinds of reasons, becoming a woman may be a time that your life changes in so many ways, maybe you are now ready to marry, or to have a say in group meetings. Maybe as a woman you can now cook and share stories, becoming part of a larger clan, leaving your childish ways behind.

It's not something we talk about much, but I really think if we want to end FGM we should look at other ways to mark an important time in a girl's life. No one wants to lose an important part of their culture, but they can change it. (I realise not all FGM happens after girls reach womanhood, it's just an example) Maybe a ritual washing of new babies? A secret woman only party for young girls? 

Read about how some Maasai women are changing things here.

In the west we seem to have left the importance of 'becoming a woman' far behind. We no longer put any emphasis on the first menstruation of a young woman, caring more about actual ages, 16 to get married, 17 to drive, 18 to drink...

Do you have a daughter? Will her first period be a time of celebration? Or will you ignore it? I like the idea of a female celebration, to represent the entry to adulthood.

There are even Period Packs, so I'm not alone in thinking it's an event to be marked!

Personally I favour a huge cake, a sad movie and a girlie mum and daughter evening snuggled on the sofa. (actually I favour this every month!)

What would you do? Or do you think I'm weird?

Mr and Mrs, what's in a name?

I listened to radio 4 on the way to work. This is always a bad idea and always annoys me, but like a car crash I seem draw to it..moth to a flame etc

This morning' topic was that in France they plan to stop using a married woman's husband's surname by default on official correspondence, using instead her 'maiden name' as this is more in keeping with equality.

The rationale behind this is that she does not become her husband's property, she is still a woman in her own right, marriage doesn't change that. All sounds perfectly logical ...

Except .. your 'maiden name' is so called due to your remaining a 'maid' (ie virgin) until marriage. A concept rarely kept nowadays. Your 'maiden name' is your father's name. It is not 'your' name any more than your husband's is. As a woman you do not have a name of your own!

So while initially this all sounds very proper and politically correct it serves no purpose at all. In fact, as one guest said, it detracts for the new unit you have formed with your husband and maybe your children, a new team where you all share a name.

Apparently the French have no title of Ms. and I have no idea if they plan to use Madame or Mademoiselle with the 'maiden name' .. either would surely confuse.

When I got married I was proud to become #teamCanelloni (not my real name though it is Italian!) But if I hadn't wanted to take my husband's name I guess I could have ask him to take mine, or we could have chosen a new one entirely, I certainly wouldn't want us all to have different names.


What do you think? Storm in a tea cup? Much ado about nothing? Or an important rung on the feminist ladder?

Father's name, Husband's name...does it make a difference? Should we all consider a new name for a new (married) life or is marriage itself outdated? Do you like people to know your marital status or is it secret? (I made a public declaration when I got married so I'm happy to keep it very public that I am married!)

Love to read your thoughts.

Image credit: isaxar / 123RF Stock Photo

So This is a Mooncup

I bang on about the Mooncup quite a bit on Twitter, and on the blog. People ask what I'm on about, why do I love it, how easy is it to use?

This video is great - it shows very simply how the Mooncup works, what it looks  like, how soft it is, and how it gets in and out!

I'll add that it works out MUCH cheaper than buying sanitary protection each month and it's MUCH greener. Buy one and never run out of sanitary protection again.

Click to go to the Mooncup Website to order a mooncup or for more info.

Disclaimer - I am part of an affiliate program and receive 20% commission on any sales via this link

Sexy Female Super Heroes

Image credit: neftali77 / 123RF Stock Photo

I get it, no really I do. I understand why female super heroes are all 'sexy'.

'Super heroes' for decades have been a mix of aliens(eg Superman) , people with 'special powers' (born of accidents or lab experiments etc, eg Spiderman) and of costumed/masked vigilantes with a myriad of clever gadgets and a special set of skills (eg Batman)

Image credit: neftali77 / 123RF Stock Photo

And before all the comic book nerds pile into me, I'm not an expert, not by a mile, but bear with me...

Many were created long long ago and most were created as a dream of 'goodness' (for want of a better word) They were perfect in looks, in skills, in morals. They were 'the good guys' and they fought crime and evil and they won.

Female counterparts were (especially in the early days) added as eye candy. Most readers were male, they wanted a feisty (but not too effective) woman to be a companion, maybe to be a love interest (though many of our masked heroes have normal human girlfriends) and so they were equally perfect.

These women were perfect in looks, in shape, in morals etc etc

They were sexy because we like sexy (at least, I do!) and so they wore skimpy outfits, they had legs like Barbie's and bosoms to match. They were great because 'gentlemen don't hit women' so their violence could be less and still be effective, and if a man did cross them, well then often they had a male super hero to help.

Image credit: rook76 / 123RF Stock Photo

They reflected what women were at the time. They were pretty, often resourceful, useful, companions. As attitudes to showing pictures of sexy women relaxed the super hero ladies got sexier, their costumes got skimpier...

So I do get it, I do understand why all female super heroes are sexy and have sexy costumes....

at least

I get why they DID

But why do they still? Have super heroes stayed in their heyday of the 50s? Are they stuck in a rut? In today's world women do all the things men do. So why have female super heroes not caught up? Why are we not seeing some women in similar costumes to men? Covered from head to toe, not with a short skirt and bare legs. With the sort of bosom (and other body parts) that a fit young athlete would have?

Why do we not have slightly less than perfect super heroes (male or female)? Someone who is 50, going grey, has a slight tum, BUT because they have super powers are still able to fight crime.

I understand that like many jobs that require strength and speed, a masked vigilante may one day have to hang up his or her cape, but a true super hero should surely be able to 'Flame on' (etc) well into their 60s.

I'd love your thoughts as long as they are not a litany of comic book errors I've made :-)

Image credit: ddgrigg / 123RF Stock Photo

This blog post brought to you be my inability to find a suitable super hero costume online for a fit 47 year old to wear without looking like mutton dressed as super lamb. (feel free to suggest costumes!)

You might also like to read Whore-leween By Big fashionista....

Oh and don't get me started on why bad is still portrayed as disfigured/mentally ill/deformed etc, that's a WHOLE other post

Mooncup

It's going to get all TMI for many of you from this point in....you have been warned

Camping in the Spring or Summer

We had a chat on twitter (which rapidly got out of control as these things do!) about a few of us getting together for a camping trip. Maybe in the spring or the summer holidays for a weekend or even longer. As my daughter is at school it needs to be holiday time. I suggested The Camping and Caravanning Club site at Norman's Bay, Pevensey and this idea met with approval from the people I hoped it would. While the idea of a 'twentup' took off across twitter I held firm to my ideals of a few of us having a wee get together with kids, beer and wine, and maybe a sausage or two.

If you need more info contact me via my contact page. (Contactify Link here)  Would be nice to actually make this happen.

And if you can't come to this event but see folk near you on the '#twentup' tag - let them know you are keen and organise more camping trips, you can't have too many tenting trips!

 

National Camping & Caravanning Week (#NCCW)

May 30 to June 5 this year The Big Pitch!!

Meet up at Norman's Bay - anytime during this Big Pitch Week!!

Who is the boss of me?

BBC Website Article

Image courtesy of Graeme Weatherston / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

So France has decided to tell women what they cannot wear. They cannot wear the full face veil in public. Men that force women to wear a veil are also punished. (with a prison term, while the women are ‘only’ fined)

At what point is a government wrong when it tells people how to dress, is telling a woman she cannot wear revealing clothes wrong? Is telling her she cannot cover up wrong? Where is the line? Is there a line or a long shadow of grey.

I am tempted to wear a veil in public purely to spite governments that say I can’t. Much as I enjoy supporting the Naked Rambler in his attempts to prove nudity is a personal choice, and not illegal, much as I sunbathe topless where it is ‘forbidden’.

Who controls our bodies? Who should decide what we wear.(or don't wear)?

Can a government ever proscribe our dress while claiming to be on our side?

Comments actively welcomed, but not stupid racist ones (which will be deleted) thank you

PS My lovely twinny VBinCatalunya blogged beautifully on this subject here