I've mentioned before that the Tart is doing the Avon 3-Day Walk.

After the March for Women's Lives, I was beat & sore. Cinnamon & I were both beat and sore at our hips. I pointed right where I was hurting and asked her, "Do you feel that?" she nodded, "That's from giving birth." I said it and she took it as I was hurting there because of Ella. I meant it to mean that the feeling we both had was similar to how I felt after having Ella. She was shocked.

I remarked that when I heard people like the Tart doing training to walk for three days I usually scoffed. Why would you train to walk? Seemed so silly.

Well after Sunday, it ain't silly. I barely walked 2 miles that day. I've walked more in DC before for goodness sake!

But now I have to give bigger props to the Tart & her posse for not only doing it, but training to walk the walk.

So why don't you pull out your credit card or even your checkbook (you can give online with it!) and give a small donation to the Tart & her poor feet?

I'm going to be changing the look around here in the next week or two. I've decided that my work life is too busy to be reading everyone's blog. THEN I discovered Bloglines. They can get me to a million blogs in half as much time. I really love it. I've also decided that since I'm reading some of you that way, that it's only fair that I publish a RSS feed as well. So I added a button to the right sidebar so you can add me to your Bloglines subscription.

I also hate it. I hate that I have to read you in B&W text, without the personality of your designs that so many of you work hard to create. Don't fret, sometimes I do need to pop into your real blog to leave a comment or view a picture. Hopefully I'll be able to catch up with you all.

With that in mind, I might put only non-RSS feed blogs in my blogroll. Just to let you all know in case you see your blog gone, it's not that I don't still love you. *mhaw*

A bit of the commentary about the March has focused on stars. On which A-lister made it to the March. Ms. Musings comments on it and I think April summed it up perfectly: we should never (as the folk over at Ms. pointed out) confuse popularity with leadership. That's for grade school.

The problem is that grade school is where we are going to be pulling some of our suporters from.

We need to remember what it's like to be 13, impressionable, and frankly naive about the world. Teenyboppers aren't dressing like Brit & Christina cause they personally think it's kewl. They are told it. They see it. They believe it. They are it.

I like to say that I'm a collage of all the different people in my life. Family members, teachers, friends, people who I meet once, etc. I'm also not uppity enough to say that I don't owe some of who I am to Hollywood.

* I use to wish that my parents were as kewl as the Keatons. I wanted to be Elyse! I think I even attempted the freakin' guitar and where my love of folk music comes from. I still have nightmares that Ella will be my Alex.

* I worshipped the ground that River Phoenix walked on. Heck, I gave up meat for that man! And what did he do for me? Fucking killed himself. But seriously, he used his status as a poster boy to drum the message home about animal rights and the environment.

* Sting didn't bring me to Amnesty International, but he brought home the message in a way. He validated my work.

For some of us, a star can bring us to the table. It might be the volunteer who sells us on it. Maybe I'm more easily swayed by a famous name & a cute smile. But I can't be the only one. So what's wrong with pushing to find the next big star to carry the feminist banner? If it brings us more bodies to this revolution, so be it. Plus, who wouldn't want to find themselves at the same event as Ani or Sting?

Rachel asks if it's wrong or ironic to purchase a $50 bath bomb & subscribe to Budget Living on the same day.

I say no.

I was thinking a similar thought today as I was driving into work (after dropping off Ella, because that's when I can think). See today I'm wearing a skirt by Target, a cashmere sweater, nylons by Victoria's Secret, a scarf by Target (new look!), and shoes by Parade of Shoes. I almost wore my tank top by Ann Taylor Loft. I was in awe that I can dress myself from so many different places. And why? Why do I say that it's ok to pay $30 for a top at the Loft and then match it with a skirt from Target? It's insane, I tell you!

Especially insane cause when I get time alone in the car lately, I've either got Air America Radio on or Alix Olson on the CD player. The way I dress lately does not exude the feminista that I am.

On the way home from DC I was reading "Red Diaper Baby", a radical mothering zine. In it was a great piece on how no matter how much someone may be agains the crap of Wal-Mart, sometimes you gotta suck it up & shop there. It helped remind me that my ability to even be on that plane going home mere hours after the march was an issue of economics. Kat was on her way home on a bus, as were at least 500,000 other people, I'm sure. Maybe in terms of money I should have done the same, but I splurged. Rachel spurled on a bath bomb.

Some have asked me if everything is a statement and I have to say yes, it is. It's not that I shouldn't ever buy something from the GAP, it's that I should be aware of my ability to and WHY I decided that the GAP had what I had to have. And that type of thinking is what makes me not shop at the GAP that often.

Guilt is a powerful thing. We have to use it wisely. We can't save the world if we're too burdened by it. Yet we also can't save the world if we chuck it out the window.

are coming. If you have put up your march photos, please leave a comment. I want to turn the lefthand sidebar on the choice blog into a directory of photo albums. Big job, yes, but very much needed!

If you went to the march and don't have a website and trust me, I'll open a photo album for you. Just leave your contact info.

Well if Ella had cooperated, I would have partaken in what I'm sure most of my feminist sisters are doing this morning.

So, ready for the low-down? Fasten your seat belts, grab a mocha, and let's dive right in.

Saturday
Cinnamon & I hit Chicago Midway with a vengence. We used the new express check-in at Southwest and headed right to our gate. There we found a few other women on their way to DC for the March, another girfriend of mine was also on our flight with her husband and twin 2-year-old daughters. The twins were FAB on the flight. And they were cute to boot. After a very funny flight into BWI we went in search for Rachel. I've never seen a picture of her & I suddenly realized I didn't have her phone number! I knew I had given her mine, but where was she? I should have trusted my gut cause she was the cute girl in the sandels. The three of us chatted it up like old friends all the way into DC and then over lunch. I was bound & determined to have crab cakes while in town & I knew that Sunday wasn't going to be the day. So I had some yummy crabcakes - fried as I was advised by Miss Rachel.

After we got back to the hotel Jennifer, the media critic, was waiting for us in the lobby. Apparently she checked in and was given the key to the wrong hotel room! The room 2 doors down also had a Cooper in it...because there's only one Cooper in the world, right? *sigh* Anywho Rachel & Jenn got to meet and then Rachel took off.

That left the three of us to find the right room - only thing is that it wasn't ready yet. I guess that's what happens when a million feminists check in at the same time. *shrug* So we headed out to DuPont Circle where Planned Parenthod was having a mini-rally. Families & friends were sitting out enjoying the warm day and checking out the info booths. We all left our mark at the "I'm Marching Because..." exhibit. (pictures soon!) We finally got back to the hotel, where the manager (?) knew us by sight by now. We got in our rooms and wanted to crash. But there was work to be done!

So I took Cinnamon & I headed out the NOW Offices where I had emailed them that I'd be into DC in the pm to volunteer. Well I got lost and when I called to get directions I was told no more volunteering for the day. *phooey* So we called up House9, who we knew was coming in soon. Well what do you know? She was in the car with April! She told us what hotel to meet them at, April's hotel. Cinnamon & I jumped in a cab...no more trying to figure out the wackiness of DC for us! We got to the hotel and who did we see in the veranda drinking a beer? ANI DIFRANCO.

I'll freely admit that while I think she's kewl and I love a few of her songs, I'm not an Ani-phile. Cinnamon is. So we watched with our mouths dropped as she walked by us. Then we sat in the lobby to stalk her wait for April & House9 to arrive. She got up again & was walking right towards us...again. I mustered all my strenght and went up to her and thanked her for being at the March. Can I say that she won me over? She was so sweet to us. I know she saw us looking like dorks earlier, but she sweetly said thanks and moved on. Can I also add that she is freakin' cute! Damn!

So April & House9 arrive a few minutes later. As we're making House9 jealous who walks in? Liza fucking Minelli. With her lil dog. She looks soooo much better in person than on TV. She's also much smaller than I had imagined and less fake. I didn't have the courage to walk up to the diva and say hi. I'm not *that* kewl people.

Anywho, we go up to April's pimped out room to chat before they headed over to the punk show. I'll let Cinnamon explain the pimpness of the room. *lol* The small gaggle of feminists head for the elevator and this beautiful woman walks into it with us. The elevator is silent. The woman's male friend says, "Why is it so quiet?" I chirp up, "Ms. Gless?" Fuck yeah...Sharon Gless is shaking my hand. At least I think I offered my hand...shit! Now I can't recall. So Miss April stayed at the pimp hotel with the A-listers. Damn...I knew she was super kewl, but damn...

Cinnamon & I leave the A-list bloggers to the punk show and head back to the hotel to find Jenn for dinner. We have a great time chatting and those two got to know each other after hearing me rave about them to each other for years. Kat finally got in and found us. The four of us were too much! I won't even try to replicate our conversations but to say we covered red "come fuck me" boots to how we weren't the young feminists anymore. After dinner Kat, Cinnamon & I headed to the Armory to catch that last hour of fun.

By the time we got there is was pretty empty. It was nice thou...I got to see a few friends on the way there cause they were walking towards us. *That's* the secret to finding your friends in a crowd. We got inside and shopped away at the info booths for buttons, t-shirts, and information. We ran into Ms. Musings herself and she kindly offered us a ride back to BWI after the march. Yeah! After getting kicked out of the Armory we headed home. We were tired, but desperate for a martini. What won? The bed. We really aren't the young feminists anymore. *lol*

SUNDAY

See Cinnamon's blog for Sunday's story. She did a great job at recapping everything.

I'll add in that we met Christine at the same Metro stop that Cinnamon & I ended up at the last time we were in DC together. That time we were meeting a shuttle and it was pouring rain. Yesterday we sat on a bench and kept saying, "That Home Depot looks really familiar..."

Don't ever say I'm not flexible.

I've already purchased tickets for the Armory for Cinnamon, my gf Kat, and myself for Saturday night. BUT...some of you more hip bloggers (April, House9) will be at the punk show. Punk is not my style, as much as I may wish, but I'm willing to shell out another $10 to hang with my grrls. Even if we don't pay the cover and we all just hook up, that's fine with me. House9 & April have my cell number. So if you find them and for some reason want to meet me or Cinnamon (who wouldn't?) give me a buzz.

So the plan for the weekend is to share a room with Cinnamon & my gf, Jennifer Pozner. Jenn's a fabu feminist (duh) media critic. In the current issue of Bitch is part two of a great article on product placement in TV & movies. And you know what? She's coming to the march because of me. Not so much cause I asked, but because I'm going to be there. That just makes me feel so loved! I can't wait. My gf Kat will also be there. The hubby asks who else and I mention House9, April, and all the other bloggers I hope to meet up with. So he said a few times, "Here's you bachlorette party & 30th birthday party all in one weekend." LOL!!

"She's going to DC for a protest? Sounds more like a party to me!" said the hubby's best friend. Who was it that said "If this revolution don't dance, I don't want in?" There's going to be some dancing this weekend my friends. And it's the beginning of our revolution.

In case anyone cares to know, I'm a good & fun drunk. *smirk*

I don't have access to blogging from the march, but I'll be taking mental notes. I'm sure that my travel companion, Cinnamon, will be actually writing things down. House9 is already in DC and sending in reports.

But if you can't make it to the March and you need to know the 411, check out Women eNews. They are planning live coverage of the March.

I'm working overtime offline to prep for the March. I also purchased my tickets for the Armory party on Saturday night. Look for me & Cinnamon. I guess that's where the Bloggers for Choice Meetup will be. Leave me a comment if you plan on being there. Maybe I'll make a sign.

I reposted this just in case someone doesn't read the Bloggers for Choice blog.

Thanks to Eric Zorn for the links:

Mosaic of soldiers who have died (yes, some were used more than once)

Our dead getting return home. The photo the Bushies don't want us to see.

Chicago is a big union town, but at the same time there's a lot of backlash against unions. Witness the current struggle to bring two Wal-Marts to town. The media has run with the theme that it's a union deal. Since Wal-mart is anti-union that's why so many people don't want to see a Wal-mart in town.

Well I'm here to tell ya that I could give a flying fuck if the workers are union. This battle is NOT just a pro or anti-union debate. It's a human rights issue.

I've mentioned before that Wal-Mart is a NOW Merchant of Shame and I felt like I knew a lot of the evilness that oozes out of the Walton family business. HELL NO! I found out a few more tidbits for you kiddies:

* Wal-Mart takes out life insurance policies on elderly workers. God Bless Texas!
* Wal-Mart lowers prices until competition is driven out. I guess that this works better in rural America than it could in urban Chicago, but then again we do still have a few mom & pop stores.
* Wal-Mart strong arms manufacturers (since Wal-Mart controls 8% of the market) into lowering & lowering prices. If you wonder why off-shoring is occurring in manufacturing, Wal-Mart has a good chunk of the blame.
* While the commercial of the dad thanking Wal-Mart for the health insurance that assisted the family when the son was sick is a tear-jerker, that's all it is. Wal-Mart's insurance is so expensive that it's only good for catastrophic events.
* A Georgia study of the state's KidCare health insurance found that 1 in 4 of the kids enrolled, one of their parents worked for Wal-Mart. As far as I know, only Georgia & California track employers of parents well enough for a study like this.

The unions here in Chicago aren't holding a zero-tolerance position with Wal-Mart either. It's not union jobs or no jobs. They are attempting to get Wal-Mart to agree to a community benefits agreement where Wal-Mart agrees to 1) not sell produce in the city limits; 2) be union neutral; 3) agree to pay a living wage.

And while the feminist in me says no to Wal-mart (see the Merchant of Shame link above), if the unions can get Wal-Mart to adhere to those three points, I'd be ok with it. I'd still be out there protesting their lack of respect towards female workers and not carrying emergency contraception, but the reality is that we do need jobs on the west and south side of town. But we don't need jobs that will cost us more in the long run. If one Wal-Mart job costs us one manufacturing job, tax-payers subsidize health care, and we lose one small business, it will cost us too much. Wal-Mart can afford to pay decent living wages and still sleep on a bed of money.

The media is giving the public the shaft by focusing the story on union vs. non-union issues. It really comes down to what Wal-Mart will do to our community. And by looking around the country, I'd say they'd only bring trouble.

when you get dissed by an Kadhafi.

What's next? Free-market advice from Castro?

I subscribe to a zillion eNewsletters. I noticed about a year ago that most organizations have gotten into sending graphics inside the newsletters. I always thought it was just for looks.

THEN I found out that there's a new kewl (?) toy that allows the sender to know not only that you opened the email (which is why Yahoo & Hotmail block images in emails as a default) but also if you forward it or clicked on a link inside it.

I say it's kewl because I'd like the people who I subscribe to to know that I'm reading their stuff. But then again the spammers have to ruin the fun. Oh, well.

I'm sure this is old news to most of you all, but I thought I'd share anyways.

In the days following the terrorist attacks, the Bush Administration began to sell the American public a bill of goods that linked drugs to terrorism. Remember the ads that were put out? The ones that linked pot users to the terrorist attacks? Those ads always got under my skin. Now with the hearings, we are learning more & more about the mentality that was happening in the White House & the Dept of Justice (not to mention the CIA & FBI) before the terrorist attacks.

Today we hear that the 9-11 commission states that Ashcroft said that terrorism was not our top priority, that anti-drug trafficking was. That appears to be consistent with how *I* remember pre-terrorist attacks Ashcroft. I quote from one of my fave op-ed pieces:

Enslave your girls and women, harbor anti-U.S. terrorists, destroy every vestige of civilization in your homeland, and the Bush administration will embrace you. All that matters is that you line up as an ally in the drug war, the only international cause that this nation still takes seriously.

In the article just above this piece is this:

The first American narcotics experts to go to Afghanistan under Taliban rule have concluded that the movement's ban on opium-poppy cultivation appears to have wiped out the world's largest crop in less than a year, officials said today...

On Thursday, Secretary of State Colin L. Powell announced a $43 million grant to Afghanistan in additional emergency aid to cope with the effects of a prolonged drought. The United States has become the biggest donor to help Afghanistan in the drought...

Afghanistan is now under United Nations sanctions, imposed at the insistence of the United States because the Islamic movement will not turn over Osama bin Laden for trial in connection with attacks on two American Embassies in Africa in 1998.

So, the Taliban started to outlaw poppy production in 2001. That led us to give them money as a reward. OK, one part of the drugs=terrorism equation chopped off. But we seemed to have ignored the other fucking part of the equation! I can't recall where I heard it, but someone mentioned the idea that the Taliban banned production to help raise the street value of heroin ala OPEC. Hmmmm...

I know all decisions are weighed for good & bad, but how in the world does our government decide to give a faux-government like the Taliban so much fucking money when we know the Taliban had 1) bin Laden; 2) Locked women & girls away; 3) Destroy anything that it didn't like? Was it a ploy to pay off the Taliban (the yellow-coded evil ones) for bin Laden (the red-coded evil one)? If so, let's just fucking say it!

Althou, at this point, if Bush comes on the TV tonight and says it just like that, I won't believe it. He's had plenty of time to explain himself.

And where did I get most of this info before the attacks? The Feminist Majority.

Each time I see Eleanor Smeal I forget to say thanks for sounding the alarm about the Taliban so damn early. It's not her fault that no one listened.

While everyone knows we are looking for a condo, I haven't mentioned that very small chance that if the perfect property is found, we'd be buying a 3-flat with a couple of friends. There was no movement on that front, so I looked online for something that fit the money restrictions, the geographic restrictions, blahblah....and bam! I found one that looked good. Well we went to view it on Saturday and let me tell ya...HOLY FUCK!

The listing said remodeled...perhaps remodeled from shit to really shitty. Wires hanging out of the walls, the porch so unsteady that when the hubby tried to jump on it, the real estate guy shouted "NO!" The only good thing out of it was the 5 of us getting together to at least discuss this possiblity the real estate guy at once.

Saturday night after the hubby & Ella fell asleep, I found "The Clone Wars: Season 2" on Cartoon Network. I was so happy since we haven't been able to catch any of season 1 or 2. I woke the hubby up (I was watching in the bedroom) he didn't want to get up. Slacker. So I watched. Then a half hour later, I watched again. Finally the hubby woke up. He retold this long dream that he was a Jedi. And then when I retold chapters 2-5 ( I missed chapter 1 ) about being on Mon Calamari he laughed. Apparently in his dream he was eating calamari. LOL! The cartoon had invaded his dreams!

Sunday was Easter and we went to a local eatery for Brunch, got Miss Ella dressed up in a nice Easter dress, and generally had a good time.

Now it's Monday and the first pitch happens in mere minutes. Oh, how I wish I was out there in the freezing cold! Seriously. But with no real vacation days to speak of, I'm here stuck listening on the radio. Oh, well.

I tried really hard not to get too worked up over the start of the Cubs season. I tried not to imagine the Cubs running onto the field after winning the World Series. I tried not to imagine Greg Maddux outsmarting every batter.

A 1-2 start will bring ya back to reality.

A lot of things happened to my team over the offseason. Some good, some not so good. As idealistic as I am and as much as I try to live by ethics, when it comes to the Cubs, logic jumps out the window. Jonathon put it best: "I'd rather be a hypocrite than miss out on this season."

So tonight we'll go into Atlanta and try to win this series. I need to do what the guys are doing - focus on each series, game by game. That's the only way we're going all the way this year.

GO CUBS!

Labels: sports

I've changed the layout - D'uh Roni - and I'm only mentioning it because I still have to add in the comments. Don't fret, they'll be back. This now ends the lamest blog post of the day. woot!

there! comments should be back now. :)

Today was the day I finally got off my lazy ass and made a donation to Amy & another girlfriend's 3-Day cure chest. Not a war chest, but a cure chest! I can't give much, but I did give. Amy has a modest goal of $2000 and still isn't half-way there. So if you don't have a friend doing the 3-Day walk, why not give to her? She's walking for a lot of good reasons.

I made a donation in the name of Miss Ella, for her future. I also was spurred on by my new boss who is a survivor of breast cancer. She's only a few years removed and still fighting strong. She's amazing.

.................1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E

Chi Cubs 1 0 3 1 0 0 0 2 0 7 10 1

Cincinnati 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 4 6 1


WP: K. Wood (1-0) S: J. Borowski (1)
LP: C. Lidle (0-1)

Labels: sports

Althou, the title of this post suggests that I have left my first childhood...Hmmm...

This weekend I watched Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets and then the hubby & I took the nephew to see Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. I got the hubby to rent harry Potter because I'm half-way thru The Prisioner Azkaban & desperately was wanting to see Chamber of Secrets after finishing the book last week. I gotta say that while it was a good movie, there was something missing. I can't put my finger on it, but I just know that there was something missing. The funniest thing about reading Harry Potter is my inability to pronounce anyone's name! So you ask, "Why should that matter?" Well I read in the car and I read parts to Miss Ella. How do any parents get thru this baby without a guide? How many parents took their kids to the movies only to have their kids turn to them and say "Mom? That's not how you said Azkaban/Hermione!" Maybe it's just a reflection of my overall inability to pronounce anything.

Sunday was movie day with the nephew. I hadn't seen him in a long time. With going to DC two times in the past 3 months, looking at condos, and general fatigue, I've kinda ignored the lil guy. So we took him to see Scooby-Doo, despite the fact that I didn't see the first one. That handicap didn't actually handicap me. LOL! It was a funny movie, but pretty dumb at the same time. Fart jokes aplenty! But it was very nice to see Seth Green at his nerdiest and of course cutest. I use to think my type were blondes, now I think it's guys in glasses. *giggle*

Ah...now I finally got the Cubs game to come into my office. I'm afraid of moving the dial. I may have to bring in a second radio so I can listen to Air America when the games aren't on. The complexities of AM radio.

Hope everyone's having a happy Opening Day! PLAY BALL!

Labels: sports

Please put on your imagination caps. You have been granted the position of editor for a new feminist magazine. Your budget is not a problem, allowing you to be picky about writers and advertising. What would this magazine look like? Who would be your target audience and why? What types of articles would you have and who would write for them? What would be featured on the cover?

wow...hopefully this wouldn't sound like a co-op, but if I suddenly had the money to put out my own magazine, I'd hire my girlfriend, Jennifer Pozner, and tell give it to her to run. It would be much like Bitch magazine in that it would focus on critiquing pop culture and the mainstream media. I'd give Cinnamon & Rachel columns on how to bring out your inner Martha with that feminist twist (in case you don't think Martha's feminist!). Of course, I'd have the back page so I could rant in a new forum.

Since it would be my magazine, I'd put any celebrity thru a rigorous litmus test on a variety of feminist ideas.

As for who would be on the cover? Why Miss Ella of course! lol...just kidding. Maybe I'd have a photo contest each issue for the cover.

Labels: magazines

It's day three of Air America Radio.

Yesterday I was swooning over Hil's appearance. I was laughing over the Nader interview on Wednesday.

This morning Sue Ellicott was ripping on a group of women ad execs for claiming that a commercial with Pam Anderson was sexist. She told the women to chill out and then deferred to her two male co-hosts for their view if it was sexist or not.

So much for having a totally different media outlet.

I'm still going to listen. It's better than listening to Top 40 and engaging in my love of retro 80s/90s music. Gloria Steinem is going to be on soon as well.

Then again, liberalism isn't a monolith. Feminism isn't a monolith. Randi Rhodes (she's on 3-7 EST) said something yesterday that I have to agree with. Us liberals debate, we fight, we engage - I love it. We don't have a grand Poo-bah who says today we are going to go after Z or C. It might cost us power, but I love that we create space for dissent within the ranks. It might not be comfy, but it's putting our words into action.

This new talk radio station is just freaking heaven to me. While I haven't had a chance to really listen today, I have heard Hilary Rodham Clinton on the radio. *swoooon*