Plus Size Plum

Danielle

Plus Size Plum’s new cover girl, Danielle shares her beauty secrets with us.  She’s a potent combination of laid back L.A.  style-”David Kahn jeans, sandals and a cute tank” with a  wholesome sexiness. Danielle, a wife and mother of a three-year-old son was discovered at a Western Bagel (a personal favorite of mine when I lived in LA) by Fae Simmons who provided plus size modeling resources and invaluable advice.  She met other supportive women along the way-model, Ivory and a photographer, Leslie Delano.  Not only is Danielle gracious, but she is also self-effacing and genuinely sweet. I feel very fortunate that she graces our pages.  The self-professed “beauty product freak” shares her top ten favorite beauty products with me:

1. Kinersase lotion-an amazing mosturizer.

2. Philosophy’s ‘Hope in a tube’ eye and lip creme-just love this stuff!!

3. Arbonne’s ‘About Face’ Concealer-perfect for hiding those not so pleasant pimples that decide to pop the morning of a shoot!!!

4. Mary Kay’s ‘Oil Matifier’ -this is a lifesaver for me at every shoot!!!

5. Anastasia’s ‘Brow gel’ in clear.

6. Mac bronzing powder-love it!

7. Nars lipgloss in ‘Orgasm’-I wear it everyday literally

8. Mac ‘Zoom lash” mascara in ‘Zoomblack’.

9. CHI Silk Fushion for skin and hair-this stuff makes my hair look and feel amazing.

10. Bath and Body Works ‘Warm Vanilla Sugar Body Cream & Body Splash’-I love Anything VANILLA!

I had to ask her about dating of course. “I’ve never been big on dating.  I was the type of girl that was always in a relationship one after another.  So my best advice on dating would be to be yourself, have fun, but always be safe because you only live once.  I met the man of my dreams on a blind date and I almost missed meeting him because I was too chicken to go. I can’t imagine where I would be without him in my life.” (Always go on blind dates-sometimes your friends can make the best matchmakers!)

 Plus Size Plum in the news: Free - News - Woman - UnoDueTrend - Dangerous Curves.  Our little site was discovered by an Italian women’s online magazine and given rave reviews for our selection.  Updated lingerie styles worn by the girls from “The Hills” and celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Shannon Elizabeth and “Forgetting Sarah Marshall’s” and “Heroes” Kristen Bell  are now available at Plus Size Plum in lingerie sets up to 4X and ruffled heart panties up to 3X.  The soft cotton lycra camisoles and lounge shorts/boy shorts finished with lettuce edge trim, stripped binding and polka dot bow embellishments make lounging plus size sexy!

You find the perfect thongs to match your lingerie sets for moonlight dinners on your deck.  Now we have a sugar free dessert of chocolate strawberries in incredible edible body dust.  Our green-friendly chemist has concocted the most delicious edible body dust potion yet.  We have travel-size shakers coming in chocolate and strawberry to be mixed and sprinkled over your curves and on your bedding (with no staining and completely washable).  The May/June 2008 issue of AVN Novelty Magazine wrote,

“Simply put, this is the most delicious body dust we’ve encountered thus far.  We’re not sure what miracle they’ve worked to come up with this tasty formula, but we know that Chocolate Edible Body Dust is talc-free and completely safe to ingest.  Apply to any body part that tickles your fancy, or sprinkle it on bedding.”

Enjoy!  More Summer sexy secrets to come….

Love,

Deborah

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The “Sex and The City” girls are back with their deliciously imaginative ensembles.  I felt myself jonesing with delight for the Manolos and Guccis well before the opening last Friday in Durham.  And, I wasn’t disappointed.  The script faithfully honored each character’s development and although the movie was 2 1/2 hours long, I found myself savoring every minute of girltalk and designer indulgence.  I won’t spoil the movie for you if you haven’t seen it yet, but Sarah Jessica Parker wears a Vivienne Westwood wedding gown that is so luxuriously dramatic.  It calls to mind my own wedding gown, a blush charmeuse low-cut, off the shoulder affair with a shirred waist.  I became inspired and did some peeking around the net and found lovely gowns at Igigi, David’s Bridal and DariusCordell.com where the creative can knock off a Monique Lhuillier or a Vivienne Westwood.  I love blush for wedding lingerie, too and we have the perfect, well-priced babydoll set in blush with white venice lace embroidered cups and a pleated chiffon skirt.

For girly girls and aspiring girls:  We are in the midst of Petticoat Junction.  “Sex and the City” stylist, Patricia Field has revived petticoats, an ultra feminine, ephereal look.  Fanciful ruffles, flounces and tiers are deliciously flirty.  I plan to offer customized monotone and two tone petticoats and tube tops so you can channel your inner Madonna for a night of dancing.  Patricia Field has a line of shoes at Payless now, too.  I fell in love with metallic, roman-inspired turquoise flat sandals.

Although I don’t get Bravo, I went to Belk’s for a Liz Claiborne fashion show featuring their new Creative Director, Tim Gunn of Bravo’s “Fashion Runway” out of curiousity. My friend and I had our picture taken with him.  He was charming and charismatic, but the clothes (which he didn’t design) were mostly frumpy and boxy.  One of the prints was far too large and resembled a loveseat I once saw relegated to a basement corner for kid parties.  I loved Tim Gunn’s size friendly message so I’m hoping he’ll knock some design sense into Liz Claiborne.

My trend-spotting eyes love the black and white floral prints with splashes of orange or green accessories calling forth memories of my childhood in a kelly green carpeted apartment with a black and white floral sofa, ebony bamboo chairs, a chic look not only for the 60s, but also for today.  Sometimes these colors can look harsh when worn alone unless you have a darker complexion.  I heard Tamara Mellon of Jimmy Choo shoes also discuss the complimentary coupling of orange with black and white.

For entertainment I’ll be watching the new season of “Weeds” on Showtime with its wonderful cast of eccentric female characters including two plus size ones.  I’ll be listening to the new Madonna and Justin Timberlake collaboration as well as Donna Summer’s new album, “Crayons” (love “Stamp your Feet”), making salads (like my special tunafish recipe listed below) and reading Jennifer Weiner’s Certain Girls. 

Summer is a great time to catch up with our girlfriends and drink Cosmos (or my own PSP version with light Minutemaid limeaide, a splash of grenadine, Triple Sec and vodka) and dish.  I will be greatly anticipating the yearly visit of my best friend, Algy for three weeks where I’ll probably play hostess to my own girl party.  Algy gets my big booty exercising again and we laugh till we cry.  I fixed her up this past April with a local guy.  Keep your fingers crossed that he’s not just another guy who doesn’t recognize a good woman when he sees one!

Not only did the women of “Sex and the City” dethrone the new Indiana Jones movie, but they kicked box office ass by selling $55.7 million on opening weekend, the best opening ever for an R rated comedy dethroning “American Pie” and “The Wedding Crashers”, a favorite of mine.  This was clear evidence of major girl power.  The real star of the show is friendship though which is a beautiful, complicated relationship fraught with challenges. 

I found a quote by Alice Walker:”No person is your friend who demands your silence or your right to grow”.

We seek those meaningful connections that transcend time.  As we grow older, we search for friendships based on honesty, loyalty and mutual appreciation.  Our girlfriends should wish us well because if they don’t, it may be time to close a door.  I believe in forgiveness, but if your friend doesn’t fight for the friendship, you may have to let it go.  Sometimes the mounting bitterness and unresolved issues make it impossible to navigate further.  Our hearts can brake just like they can with a romance, but you have to open the door to the possibility of new friendships that can satisfy you and support you in ways you’ve never dreamed of.  Our girlfriends can bring out the best in us.

                                                 Deborah’s Tunafish

• Tuna medallions or steaks (I buy these on sale for $4.99 at my local Harris Teeter)
• Douse with fresh lemon and freshly cracked black pepper
• Bake in 350 degree oven until no longer pink inside.  Cool.
• Flake tuna until there aren’t any chunks left.
• Finely chop celery and Vidalia (or sweet, Maui) onions and mix in equal parts light Hellman’s mayonnaise and poppyseed salad dressing.  Add more pepper to taste.

Please let me hear from you regarding possible subjects you’d like me to discuss.

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Plus Size Plum would like to announce that we have a new and improved site with many user friendly options, hot Spring styles and you can pay through authorize.net or PayPal. Express, hassle -free shopping with the same personal experience as our earlier version.  Please visit our new site for the best shopping  and personalized service in an online plus size lingerie store.  Memorial day sale is happening now!

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As customary, I was driving and listening to NPR about a man’s quest for his individuality.  He ultimately transforms himself into a cliche, a demographic for marketers of the 40 something male drifting into ennui, desirable of the cool, quirky car or the small tattoo on his bicep.  I am sure that I am a cliche of sorts because as plus size women, we share a multitude of experiences (as well as similar interests).  For many women, there’s bound to be mothers disapproving of their daughter’s plus size status.  My own weight struggle began at 10 and it caused a breach in my relationship with my mother.  She viewed my weight as an act of defiance, a rejection of all she valued as beautiful and glamorous.  From my perspective, it was a personal issue, but to her my weight showed the world she was a bad mother by allowing her child to look different.  Things went from bad to worst when my mother married a man whose own bar mitzvah suit had to be custom made and whose father weighed him daily.  He was a reformed compulsive overeater bully and he expressed his disdain for me daily.

Fortunately, my mother divorced him, but not the negative rhetoric.  A film came out called Goodbye Columbus with a new actress named Ali Mc Graw who played a beautiful, brainy uber JAP who has a romance with Richard Benjamin as the poor, nerdy librarian as an act of rebellion. Whether it was my resemblance to her (at the time) or movie magic, the film cast a spell over my mother.  I was supposed to be the skinny, tennis playing, high achieving princess and those high standards were impossible for me to meet.  I was a size ten for all of ten minutes!

When I was 15, I went to a boarding school where I met a fellow student, the plus size daughter of a prominent socialite and fashion muse, subsequently well-known for her fat prejudices reported in WWD.  So I knew there were others out there like myself who had survived their mother’s scorn.  How can we feel good about ourselves when our mothers can’t accept us as fat?

As a mother I’ve been trying to adopt the good things my mother gave me and to discard the negative stuff.  One of the single, most difficult things one has to face as a mother is the ability to dream different dreams for your child.  It’s so easy to live vicariously through your children.  Accepting their unique dreams and their rejection of ours shouldn’t alienate us from each other.  We can travel different paths, but find a meeting place where unconditional love exists.

Over the course of the past week I’ve had to deal with my frustration at trying to get my soon to be ten-year-old to read.  He has ADHD and reading is challenging for him.  I found myself getting caught up in my image of myself as the precocious bookworm and wondering why he didn’t love to read like I did.  Last night he told me how badly he wants to share my love for books, but how hard it is for him.

My mother asked me this week if I can fit into my lingerie and I said, “Yes, it’s plus size”.  (I wear a 3X).  “Do you look horrible in it or what?”  In the past, I would’ve met my mother’s disparaging comments with hurt or anger.  Instead I quietly remarked that “yes”, it looks good on me.  Hours later I found myself smiling and thinking how proud I was that my mother didn’t hurt my feelings.  I had finally learned not to expect my mother to make me feel good about myself or the way I look.  At 51 I had finally become my own best mother.  I had set aside my own expectations for my mother because, after all, at 80 she was unlikely to change and the chasm was only going to prevent our love from growing.

While I was talking to my mother this week about my son, a poetry award he’d won and his lack of guile in telling me that he had “goofed off at school”, my mother interrupted, “He’s just like you”.  “What do you mean?”  “He’s sweet like you”, she said.  Some of the best mother’s day gifts are the ones you don’t expect.

I have Harry’s permission to share his poem with you.

                                                            New Love

                                          Light shines from me to you

                                          You make my heart play violin.

                                          I have a question inside me.

                                          Do you like me?

Happy Mother’s Day!

Love,

Deborah

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I’ve had the good fortune of having a mother with a fantastic style sense.  She continues to be my fashion muse.  Friends refer to her as “The Jewish Jackie O”.  My mother’s fashion sensibility is a combination of tailored classics like a crisp white shirt, black wide leg pants and pearls.  She effortlessly blends classics with capelet jackets and ponchos.  She wore grandfather watches on chains long before it was fashionable.  Although she’s 80 now, she still has her eye on the pulse of today’s fashions reminding me to carry lingerie with exposed rears. “It’s all about the booty now, Deborah”.

I think style and beauty is pure alchemy.  It’s a mixture of an ability to translate trends that compliment your figure and good instincts that tell you to discard the ones that don’t work.  Sometimes we need to rely on the honesty of a good girlfriend for an objective perspective.  For example, skinny jeans are unforgiving unless you have perfect legs while a boot cut pant is flattering on everyone.  I love the babydoll look, but I have to be discriminating in my selection because with my large bust, it can look like maternity wear.  I love a monochromatic look in black, purple, navy or brown because it’s slenderizing and elegant.  I just saw Michael Kors plus size line in Nordstrom’s which is my favorite store.  His bright yellow trench could be the perfect topper to a navy sweater and sailor pants.

One trend never to be followed is the re-design of one’s eyebrows.  Get a kit or search for the best waxer in you area.  There is no margin for error here. I suggested to Stephanie, my pretty friend at the local Staples she might consider growing hers in for her contest photos.  “My landlady does mine,” she said.  I said, “What do hers look like?”  She paused and said, “She paints hers on come to think. “  I said, “I rest my case”.  Most eyebrows don’t grow back exactly the way they grew in, especially if you’re older.  I believe fuller, more natural eyebrows withstand the test of time because it’s a youthful look just like a full, glossy mouth is.  I’ve seen the report of a trend towards a flat, red shade on lips, but this is extremely hard to wear.  I am personally fond of Bobbi Brown’s Spring 2008 Pink Raspberry collection “for every complexion-from pink to deep raspberry.”

Breast implants and tattoos require serious consideration and should never be acted on impulsively.  One day we can be a part of an edgy art crowd and years later we can be contemplating entry to a more conservative, corporate atmosphere.  You’ll definitely regret the “bite me” tattoo on your neck.  I read recently that Tori Spelling regrets the size of her breast implants because she had succumbed to a trend of the 90s.

My personal beauty secrets are:  When I was a young girl, my mother bought me a Mason Pearson brush which as far as I’m concerned is worth every penny if you treasure your hair.  I am also a firm believer in buying the best shampoos (Phillip B makes great shampoos-very pricey) and alternating them.  I prefer Purology (more affordable) for its scent, volume and the wonderful squeeky clean feeling.  I love Kiehl’s skin care products and I’ve been using them since I was 12.  The best product for zapping a pimple quick is Origin’s “Spot Remover” which is strong, but highly effective.

Some of the best products out there can be found in your pantry or drug store.  Mayonnaise is a terrific conditioner for dry, split ends.  And, Aquaphor found in your local drug store heals your weathered, parched hands.  Everyone should own an aloe plant to heal scratches, scars or sunburns. (I heard from a Carnie Wilson infomercial that a paste of crushed garbanzo beans and water removes sun spots.  I’ll let you know how that works out.)

 Lately, there’s been a lot of talk about mainstream stores like Walmart selling sexual lubricants, but according to my very hip Gyn, the best product out there is olive oil.  It won’t irritate or cause PH problems.  Just be careful about staining the sheets.

As a busty woman, I have to use cornstarch under my breasts to prevent chafing.  I began to carry the incredible edible body dust because I thought I might as well taste good, too.

We are entering an era of the sexy, ethnic beauty.  Thirty years ago plus size models had to be blue-eyed blondes to get work.  Due to the popularity of celebrities like Beyonce and Jennifer Lopez, we are re-defining beauty to incorporate curves, colors and ethnicity.  Natalie Portman recently joked that she and Scarlett Johansson should be known as “The Hot Knishes” with reference to Penelope Cruz and Salma Hayak who were called “The Hot Tamales“.  Expanding society’s perception of beauty promotes self-esteem and success among all the little, big girls of the world.

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Shirley of Hollywood, the leader in sexy lingerie for 60 years is searching for the next top sexy plus size model. Entrants must be sponsored by a retailer (like Plus Size Plum).  Applicants can send their pictures to:  info@plussizeplum.com or call 919-471-1110.  Winners will be voted for online.  This is an incredible opportunity for anyone interested in becoming a plus size model.  You’ll win a modeling contract with Shirley of Hollywood, a trip to Los Angeles where you’ll be photographed by a Playboy photographer and a lingerie wardobe. 

For more details on this exciting contest, please visit: http://shirleyofhollywood.com/modelsearch/

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In honor of Valentine’s Day, I am revising a role I played many years ago dispensing advice on sex and love for BBW magazine as the “Friendship Lady”.  If you are easily offended, you may want to stop reading here.  I am not apologizing for my bluntness-it’s a  byproduct of menopause.

The best way to understand men is to become friends with them.  They use fewer words and they’re inclined to be more tentative and fearful of heartbreak.  As women we endlessly process and analyze every gesture.  Men operate more simply and logically.  They need time to go into their caves.  Wait until they are well-rested and well-fed before you even attempt to talk about your relationship.  And, pay attention to what a man does, not what he says.

Not every man is going to be “the one”.  If you recognize this then you may be the beneficiary of “friends with benefits” or “sexual friends”.  This is a relationship based on mutual respect and realistic expectations.  You can test the waters, but always protect yourself at the beginning by following the rule-Ladies come first. This will weed out any prospective men looking to be serviced by you.  A sexual friendship only works when the boundaries are set and you are an equitable recipient.  Any man expecting oral sex who is not willing to reciprocate is not a good prospect.  Be mindful of the emotional limits because great sex, as you know, is highly addictive.

The game of seduction can be thrilling, but it’s like fine wine, something to be sipped slowly and savored.  The longer you draw it out, the more intense the excitement.  Making a man wait allows you time to determine just how interested he is in you, too and thus gives you the security by operating from a position of strength.  Once you really feel the attraction, test the waters with a little phone sex or a kiss.  The heady, hot phone sex or the annoying kiss that screams “Snakes on a Plane” send clear signals whether it will be a hit or a miss.

Many years ago I dated a man who told me how incredibly insecure women are about their bodies.  He described how most of them hide under the covers.  Men long to drink up the visual feast of your presence.  Lingerie is perfect for boosting your confidence in the bedroom because it transforms you.  Seeing yourself looking sexy re-charges your sexual battery.

There are some variations on a sexual theme I’d like to address.  One is “menage a trois” or threesomes.  I don’t think any woman should sacrifice her principles or even that every fantasy needs to be fulfilled.  If you are willing to explore this for yourself and/or your lover, set the limits.  I can’t tell you how foolish it is for men to consider you including your best friend in this fantasy.  These women are like sisters to us.  Women open to this adventure might experiment with a stranger on a vacation.

B and D/Role Playing:  Finding a man who’s desirous of cleaning your house and rubbing your feet is very tempting indeed.  I hope I don’t offend those living an alternative lifestyle, but there’s also a strong amusement factor here, too.  Don’t be fooled.  My gay friend once told me, “There’s a lot of work to being a mistress”.  The novelty will wear off and tedium will set in unless you’re really into it.

Sexual awakenings happen when we truly understand what turns us on and masturbation is essential in achieving this self-knowledge.  One of my close personal friends is the Hitachi magic wand.  I don’t sell or promote toys on my site, but I highly recommend this product.

When you’re married or living together, it’s vital to nurture the romance by making time for it.  Making your lover feel special with a compliment by letting him/her know/she is appreciated.  Treat each other gently and with kind words.  We fall in love with the way we’re seen by our lovers.  Simple gestures of consideration go a long way.  Turning on an electric blanket or bringing your wife a cup of coffee can lead to a great lovemaking session.

 Thank you for allowing me to play cupid by bringing sexy, beautiful lingerie into your little corner of the world.

                                                                      Happy Valentine’s Day,

                                                                      Deborah

                                                                  �

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Numerous articles in January emphasize diet and lifestyle change and while I agree with the basic premise pf eating more fruits and vegetables and incorporating exercise in your daily routine, I’ve noticed very little information about inner transformation or personal growth, the basis for effecting meaningful change through working on one’s psyche.  For example, weight loss surgery is not the magic bullet many had hoped for because surgery can change the size of your stomach, but not the way you think.  If one still manages life’s stressors in the same manner, the pounds will eventually creep back on.

I was listening to a poet’s interview on NPR and I became convinced that all of us need to quell our anger and pain with an artistic outlet.  Art makes sense of a chaotic world. There is tremendous satisfaction in finding a passion that soothes your soul and harnesses you creativity in a satisfying way.  So I am encouraging everyone to find something that personally fulfills you the way no other person can.  I invite you to discover an exciting interior life where you are the featured attraction.  My re-discovery of writing has filled me with a sense of purpose and at 51; I am nourishing my hungry soul.  When I receive letters from readers who connect with my words, I experience a joy I haven’t felt in years.  My hope is that I’ll inspire you to be all that you can be, too.

A new year should involve new challenges. At Plus Size Plum, I wrote “realize your dreams” because growing up I passively cruised through life allowing opportunities to fall into place or boyfriends/friends to choose me.  With each successive year, I become less of a Seurat and more of a Van Gogh with my bold brushstrokes, creating a fearless life by turning dreams into reality.  I am a work in progress, continually challenging myself by learning new things, searching for ways to express myself.  It’s been a long circuitous road of missteps and minor successes, but I truly love what I do and I firmly believe this will lead to eventual success.

I highly recommend introspection and to Tom Cruise’s chagrin-therapy, a highly useful tool in one’s personal journey toward self-improvement.  Journal writing, (a recommendation of Hairspray’s Nikki Blonsky) is an excellent cathartic exercise.  Journal writing is also beneficial for setting down your goals and developing strategies for achieving them.  I am a big believer in writing the letter you may never send, but must write in order to flush out the anger or hurt and to crystallize one’s thoughts, but I also believe in waiting a full 48 hours should you decide to mail your missive.

Recently I read a story about a young girl who stole Girl Scout cookies from another child and I couldn’t help but think, “What is the world coming to when children steal Girl Scout cookies?”  I would like to introduce my readers to a Yiddish word, mensch.  According to author Leo Rosten in Joys of Yiddish, “A mensch is someone to admire and emulate, someone of noble character, rectitude, dignity, a sense of what is right, responsible, decorous.”  A mensch is a stand-up person, decent, loyal, honest, a person with integrity.  These are qualities that I value more and more in the people I meet.  Smart and funny used to fascinate me, but I now value graciousness, loyalty and kindness.

So I don’t embrace the philosophy of a “no holds barred, all is fair in love and war” and “the end justifies the means”.  Just because we’re lonely, doesn’t mean we betray a friendship or marriage.  Just because we’re confronted with bad behavior, doesn’t mean we let a relationship deteriorate into nastiness.  Just because we can say something, doesn’t mean we should allow ourselves to become blatantly cruel whenever confronted by our misdeeds.  Own up to the bad behavior, apologize with sincerity and seek to find a way to improve oneself without risking a valued relationship.  Live an honorable life.  Value yourself and you will find others of value.  Be a mensch in 2008.

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Everybody knows we’ve become a celebrity obsessed  society.  For the past 30 plus years I’ve watched  People Magazine grow in its popularity fed by our voyeuristic lust for gossip and controversy.  Our desire to live vicariously through celebrities twisted, privileged, red carpet rides has fueled the obsession.  I’ve found myself glued to Court TV during the Anna Nicole court circus proceedings and read online about Britney Spears’ dysfunctional antics.  I watched intently as my favorite anchor, CNN’s Anderson Cooper begrudgingly reported on Paris Hilton’s prison stay.  So disgusted and frustrated by the insanity of it all, he refused to utter her name and then acquiesced later by stating he “didn’t hate her”.  Most of the serious news anchors found the reporting distasteful, but the demand for the information on Her Simpleness must have been great.

Well, I think I’ve had my fill of the following:

• Celebutantes and bad girls with no claim to fame.  It’s a scary phenomena.
• Celebrities announcing their ridiculous personal philosophy ultimately ruining the film watching experience.
• People Magazine’s “Body Watch” column
• Beautiful actresses in their 40s getting major plastic surgery.  (My dear Mother says, “Only one face lift per customer”.) Too much work done too early makes their faces lose the ability to show emotion.  And, they have a second one in their 60s.
• Janice Dickinson

People Magazine had Jennifer Love Hewitt defending herself against being referred to as fat because of unflattering bikini photos taken of her on a Hawaiian vacation.  “A size 2 is not fat”, she said.  I give credit to People Magazine for giving Hewitt a forum in which to defend herself against the absurdity of it all, but at the same time I am troubled by the inclusion of this “Body Watch” column and the message it sends.  It’s as if People were judging who was good and who was bad according to their diet success.  Any plus size woman who’s struggled with her weight doesn’t wish weight gain on her worst enemy.  It’s so mean-spirited and downright cruel to have your weight analyzed by the media.  I actually feel sorry for these celebrities who are being scrutinized by the fat police.  And, what about those horrible “Guess who has cellulite?” photo spreads?  It’s as if it was a crime to be caught at the beach with it!

I watched an episode of the Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency which sent chills down my spine.  I saw her humiliate a lovely looking, shapely model telling her that she was fat if she couldn’t fit into her (Dickinson’s) size 4 skirt.  While I lived in Los Angeles, I had the misfortune of waiting on Ms. Dickinson.  The salespeople scattered when they saw her at the front door, making crosses with their fingers to ward off her presence.  She was demanding, difficult and inconsiderate.  Her unverified claim of being the first “Supermodel“ is probably impossible to substantiate since she came in with a wave of others (like the sweet Renee Russo) just like I did when I entered the plus size modeling world in 1980.  Who even knows who was first? She’s the first supermodel I know with a frozen scowl that’s becoming more like “The Picture of Dorian Gray” everyday.

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The election year’s opportunity for change could potentially restore America to its greatness.

As a woman I feel a responsibility toward womankind.  The assasination of former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto has moved me to express my hope for the world and for America.  Generally woman posess great interpersonal skills  and a sense of compassion, humanity and justice, something the world needs desperately now.

 The U.S. lost a fierce ally in the battle to combat religious extemism when Bhutto was murdered by terrorists whether it’s Al-Qaeda, Musharraf or the Taliban.  She represented democracy and inspired courage in a volatile region of the world infamous for its apalling treatment of women.  I can’t comprehend the strength and bravery this woman had despite the fact that most of her immediate family had been assassinated.  She still pressed on in her fight for democracy regardless of the threat to her personal safety.

 I believe women of the world should condemn terrorism and the murder of innocent, civilian lives. We need to cry out from every rooftop (like Peter Finch in “Network”) that we’re “mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore”. No longer are we going to tolerate mothers of suicide bombers sacrificing their children and their enemies’ children.  No longer should we remain silent about the genocide in Darfur.  Burning, killing, and destruction should have its consequences.

Every person deserves to observe one’s faith in one’s own personal manner.  Leaders of the world can learn alot from a woman’s sense of fair play and diplomacy.  Every mother knows that if children can’t play nice, they need to be separated.  It’s clear that huge walls and fortresses have to be built to separate groups like the Israelis from the Palestinians, the Shiites from the Sunis, etc.  If we can’t coexist peacefully, then why not separate these groups until we can wage a global public relations campaign promoting love, peace and tolerance?  I, too, am concerned about global warming, but what if there are no people to populate our beleaguered earth?

I am not suggesting such a radical concept.  What if we started promoting peace and harmony by uniting as a country with shared goals?  What if we looked at each other and decided what we have in common  far outweighs our differences.  Emphasizing the differences only polarizes us more.

We have allowed religion to play too prominently in politics, a very dangerous tact.  All we have to do is look to the East for the disastrous results.

I propose a novel concept.  Let’s not begin the year by debating social issues like abortion and gay marriage.  In the scheme of things, we have bigger problems to contend with like terrorism, global warming, a recession, a health care crisis and a debilitated real estate market.  Let’s practice tolerance and observe faith in our homes, churches, mosques and synagogues as well as among family and friends. Let’s respect one another’s personal choices.  Denying civil rights and imposing religious views leads us down a very dangerous path.

I saw my friend, Nasia, a Moslem from Afghanistan who works at my local Harris Teeter market and she came from behind the counter to hug me and wish me a “Happy Hanukkah”.  We laughed and we said, “If only women were running the world”.

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