As far as “who” I’d like to see as a cranial billboard, I’d have to pick who Clint Eastwood recently referred to as a woman possessing “the most gorgeous face on the planet,” going on to praise her work methods as evocative of Meryl Streep’s–Angelina Jolie.

Would you consider being an www.airnewzealand.com Cranial Billboard?

Air New Zealand is holding a casting call to select 30 adults to be shaved followed by your head getting a tattoo in late October. You will work at a job to be always remembered for it’s uniqueness as a cranial billboard in The City Of Angels!– Los Angeles as part of the Air New Zealand’s campaign showcasing the many life-changing journeys to be had in New Zealand.

I’ve been on a number of life changing and never-forgotten journeys. I consider each day a small journey so I’d be ready at the drop of a hat to fly off to NZ, shave my head and enjoy my stay. It’s a beautiful country and there’s much to do–and yes, it is very far away from here–far enough to forget about the current brouhaha, “the long national nightmare.” (Wait. Was that what Jerry Ford said when he pardoned Richard Nixon?)

If you are lucky enough to be selected you will be shaved and the back of your head will be coloured  (”branded”) with a temporary, two-week henna tattoo that will read “Need a Change? Head Down to New Zealand www.airnewzealand(dot)com.”

From the Air NZ site: “Each cranial billboard winner can choose a cash prize or an economy roundtrip ticket to New Zealand. Cranial billboards will be asked to go about their bald lives hat-free carrying the message and, when asked, communicating about individuals’ needs for change and the transformation that a journey to New Zealand offers. Cranial billboards will encourage readers to enter a sweepstakes at www.airnewzealand(dot).com to win a life-changing journey for two to New Zealand.”

The conclusion I’ve drawn after reading the directives of a number of fashion- advice sources is that pantyhose are ugly and old-fashioned and should only be worn under duress. OK. Maybe that’s a slight exaggeration about the duress part but stay with me. The experts say that pantyhose are out of fashion–even in the working world. A woman is to go bare-legged when she wears both daytime and evening wear. But there is a giant caveat and that is you must not let any blemishes, nicks, discolorations, or scars show when you go bare-legged.

One way to help hide discolourations and other reminders that you are not a department store manikin is to go to a tanning spa and let the orangey goodness of a fake tan serve to cover you up.

That’s great but what about those of us that have a scar or two accumulated from <gasp> being somewhat active in our lifetime? Looking down at my stems I immediately notice the round dime-size scar on my left knee that I acquired when racing my 10-speed bike down a hill on our street–then promptly wiping out upon getting to the bottom and hitting patch of loose gravel. Dad made the choice that I needed no stitches. Looking at it as I sit here I have to think that the scar would be slightly less “offensive” if we’d gotten sewn it up. Also, after years of outdoor activity I have bug bites that turned to scabs and then in the process of shaving had the scabs knocked off too many times and now are permanent.  I also bear the scars of a really bad case of poison sumac that I acquired whilst clearing brush at my parent’s home.

Need I go on?  My legs show the evidence of a life lived and of my unwillingness to sport orange legs.

The only way I could come close to the criteria of what the fashionistas demand of bare-leggedness is to use a heavy duty cover-stick. Why would I go to that kind of trouble not to mention expense just to measure up to what the current dictators of fashion say I should?

I can’t think of a reason, either.

Michelle Obama subjected herself to The View this week. Apparently the show is painful to watch. Has Michelle been on Ellen DeGeneres’ (sp) show yet? I’d imagine that would be slightly less horrible for her in that she wouldn’t’ have to talk about pantyhose. (Have you ever seen Ellen in anything but pants?)

That picture of Michelle in the red with Barack in Ebony is very flattering. They made her swap her ever-present pearls to beads styled in a similar fashion to the great bunches and strands of pearls that Michelle wears. I suppose it would be too elitist for her to hire a stylist? (That’s a joke.) I’m sure Michelle can get a free fashion consult as a “friend of Oprah,” if she hasn’t already. lol

I’ve noticed, when looking at where my search traffic comes from and what they are searching for that a post I did a bit ago for “Double D” swimsuits often appears in the search results. It’s rather heartening because it’s good to know that there are lots of “sisters” out there who are of voluptuous proportions.

Getting down to the serious business of finding the right swimsuit that flatters, fits, and is fashionable for a Double D size can be quite a challenge. Luckily for me I stumbled upon a brand that suits me (no pun intended) is really cute, and it fits!!!

A swimsuit is unique as I’m sure you realize, due to the component of swimming. The swimsuits I chose need to hold up to swimming and more, be comfortable, and continuously provide coverage in the places that I need them to. Too tall an order?

I don’t think so.

I’ve used Just My Size online or JMS.com as I believe they are now known, in securing undergarments but until this season I’d not bought any swimwear from them. I had been using Speedo but sadly, the quality of Speedo seems to be on the decline, with fading especially being a real problem with the mid-range price “active-type” swimsuits that I bought. Also, Speedo hasn’t really caught up with the notion that bigger-busted women like to swim as much as anyone else and so they have not provided the swimsuit support that a girl needs.

Anyway, I just bought the first bathing suit that I’ve been thrilled with in very a long time–this one:

It’s fits me true to size on top. I am fully a Double D and in getting a size 22 I was able to get the upper support I need.

Previously, I’d bought a size 18 in Speedo and in most (non- Speedo) cases I’d probably get a size 20 but the fit in the bust is critical and this suit fits about as perfectly as if it were custom-made. It’s made in the USA and it’s seems very sturdy–and it’s looks really nice on! I am more “apple shaped” so the “tummy trimmers” aspect of this suit is perfect for me as well.

The link above will take you to the JMS swimsuit landing page. Good luck!

(This is unsolicited/unpaid, in others words-just my opinion about my new swimsuit.)

It seems we’ve seen the last of Angelina Jolie pregnant in 2008. I don’t blame her for setting in with the kids for the summer while she awaits the birth of two more children.

It’s funny ‘cos in her younger incarnation Angelina Jolie was such a sex symbol to both men and women and wouldn’t you know it– she’s still crazy-sexy while she’s heavy with children. Which is great because I documented Angelina throughout her pregnancy including when she was (not-so-convincingly) hiding it. I think I have the last couple of snaps that I believe are from Cannes in May and she looked stupendous.

I will put them up in thumbnail form.

This is strictly a fanwank to Angelina and to the great stylist that has guided her in choosing some smashingly glam prego evening wear and really smart-looking day wear. Both she and her partner, Brad Pitt repeatedly stated that they wanted a large family but having them two at a time like this they ought to be done by the next one or so.

Mouse over and click the icons to make them a bit bigger.

So cute!

This is my *new* laptop’s bag.

I got it for one reason but it seems to be working for me in two three ways.

First, when I realized that the so-called laptop case that the computer came in was too flimsy, I went in search of another but I wasn’t in the mood to really look. OK, I hate to shop. It turned out however, that I needed to be “in the mood” as I couldn’t find a laptop bag that both fit the laptop and that would carry stuff like the cord, mouse (which it turns out I don’t need), and thumb drive.

So *this* is where I quit looking. Inside it has a fitted, pink padded zip bag for the laptop itself, and a roomy extra compartment, plus it’s got a large, zippered pocket on it’s outside back area. Would it surprise you that I carry a large handbag, too? No? Hey, I’m the person with the Kleenex, the gum, the pain reliever…I always go prepared.

Anyway. The really cool thing is–nobody–and this is a first–none of the three boys I live with has asked to use it! Score!

When I think of designer handbags, I immediately think “Italian leather” and Bolzano Handbags are indeed a brand of luxury handbags and leather accessories that reflect the charm and elegance rooted in tradition that has made Italy one of the fashion capitals of the world.

Bolzano Handbags and leather accessories are now available in the United States. Though the variety of Bolzano handbags and leather goods is extensive, the superior quality, with each design’s combination of unique stitching and unique shapes never changes.

When I visited the Bolzano website it was really hard for me to narrow down my choices to a single favorite handbag, however when forced to chose–for today at least–I think this Limited Edition “Berry Lovely” handbag with it’s comfortable and casual look and charming strawberry pendant, made of twinkling genuine Swarovski Crystals in pink and green, would be my choice.

I’d also really love to get the matching wallet also featuring the twinkling pink and green Swarovski Crystals strawberry adornment.

Michelle, Viewed– in this blog~ 06.26.08
Though we receive both Newsweek and Time magazines in the mail as well as the Chicago Tribune, I rarely read any of them. Instead, I get my news and feature stories from an eclectic mix of sources on the Internet.

Today though I noticed a cover story on Michelle Obama in Newsweek.

It was as expected a look at her current life with a long segment of how she got to this point.

She grew up on the South Side of Chicago in a “loving” 2-parent family with one older superstar-athlete-scholar brother and all of them crammed into a one bedroom home in a bungalow. She went on to Princeton and Harvard on scholarships and loans and met Barack not too long after being in the legal profession successfully, though not fulfillingly.

Michelle is currently in the news after having made a verbal gaffe whilst giving a speach in which it seemed she was saying that “now” was the first time she’s ever been proud of her country. The opponents have pounced on this with the conservative pundits and Billary and now John McCain, clawing away at her every word and second-guessing her meaning. Shame on them as this woman is not running for anything.

I’d just viewed a taped interview with Michelle Obama yesterday and it was the first time I’d ever seen her interviewed or heard her speak for that matter. She comes across as articulate, direct, maybe a bit “sharp,” which the angularity in her face accentuates.

I think she has her priorities straight and like most people, I base this on my own beliefs. She ’s highly committed to her two young daughters which I’ve witnessed through the press from their infancy, since Obama is a senator from my state of residence. She a staunch supporter of her husband but doesn’t mollycoddle, giving him the story straight instead of filtered through the gauzy or cracked lenses of those that surround him for good or ill.

I hope her verbal gaffe is something that we can get past because the election is not about her in any way. It’s about her husband and I can only hope that there will come a day when the majority of people tune out the pundits and spinmeisters and focus on the realities of the election. Until then, keep your chin up Michelle, and keep plugging along. It seems to have served you well thus far.

Does anyone still wear pantyhose in the winter? And if they do, why?

Not only do pantyhose not keep your legs warm but they do little to nothing to enhance your style.

I’ve been wearing Tights for most of my life. I’ve got loads of photos with me in tights and cute skirts and dresses–all through my childhood. Then I went through a unfortunate fashion period during my high school years where I wore <shudder> pantyhose but after a move to warm climes then another move–this time to the frigid winter Midwest I rediscovered the joys and simplicity of wearing tights.

Tights are longer-wearing and much more cozy than pantyhose. They are fun and fashionable, giving an extra kick to your outfit. Tights, with their seemingly endless textures and colours can pull together and complete your look so you can make exactly the statement you wish to, all the while showing off your spirited lifestyle–at any age.