Friday, November 30, 2012

November Donation - A Is For

I exercised my right to CHOOSE to make my November donation to A Is For, an organization that advocates reproductive rights. People who support A Is For proudly wear scarlet "A" ribbons. On the A Is For website, they explain why it is important to wear the "A" ribbons:

"Every woman, and every man who has ever loved one, must wear the A at some point in their lives: Whether you’re a mother who’s decided she doesn’t want more kids, or a student waiting to start a family until the right time, or a teenager who needs access to Plan B, or a boyfriend who isn’t ready to be a dad, or a husband who supports his wife’s desire to remain childless, or a father who wants his daughter to be able to realize her own dreams before becoming a mom, we all wear the A. And we are standing up for our right to be heard without being shamed. We are taking back our A’s. The A is for Autonomy. It’s for Allegiance. It’s for Action. What does your “A” mean to you?"

My "A" word is appreciative because I truly appreciate all of the wonderful women and men who have worked so hard to fight for women's rights. I also appreciate being married to a man who knows that I am his equal and who respects my opinions. I have a lot to be grateful for, and I am glad that I have a little extra to give back. I'm tightening my purse strings a bit because the holidays are coming up, but I was able to spare $100 for A Is For. If you have time, you should check out their website http://www.aisfor.org/

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Woman of the Week - Martha Plimpton

I love, Love, LOVE Martha Plimpton. She is a fantastic actress and a beautiful person. I saw her the other week on Chelsea Lately, and I watched the interview with Plimpton, transfixed, taking in everything she said. Some of Chelsea Handler's celebrity guests are one-dimensional, and I tend to tune out during a lot of her interviews. But Plimpton grabbed my attention right away. She walked onto the set, proudly wearing a scarlet "A," which she explained is a symbol of support for "A is For," an organization that supports women's reproductive rights. I just love women who are not afraid to voice their opinions on controversial subjects like abortion. This year has been a tough one for women and their reproductive rights. I'm so grateful that there are wonderful women like Martha Plimpton who proudly support a woman's right to choose.

I have always admired Plimpton. Her character in the movie Parenthood really touched me. She played a troubled teen that had a rocky relationship with her family (like most teenage girls). I also liked her character in Beautiful Girls because she dumped her loser boyfriend who treated her like crap. It's better to be alone than with a jerk! Plimpton tends to take on roles of "real women" who have flaws and issues, but her characters usually seem to be resilient.

This year, my husband and I started watching Raising Hope, and it is one of the funniest shows on television. Plimpton's character is hilarious. The whole cast is great, but Plimpton really stands out. Her facial expressions say so much, and it's fun to see her act with her whole self. I'm looking forward to seeing what Martha Plimpton has in store for the future. I will watch any movie/show/play that she is in!

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Woman of the Week - Tara Maller

I just read an interesting article on CNN.com by Tara Maller entitled, 10 Reasons a Woman Should Head the CIA. Maller is a former CIA analyst, and I enjoyed her article because she made some great points about why it's important to have women in positions of power. My favorite reason is number 10: "Once a woman is appointed to a top position, it opens the door to others with immense talent. Since President Clinton appointed Madeleine Albright to serve as the first female U.S. secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice and Hillary Clinton followed."

I know we're behind the times, but my husband and I just started watching the first season of Homeland, and we love it. Carrie Mathison, played by Claire Danes, is a CIA agent who suffers from bipolar disorder. I love watching shows that have female lead characters that aren't defined by the men around them. There are too many shows that just use women as props, so I really appreciate television shows that have complex, three-dimensional female characters. My personal favorites: 30 Rock, Parks & Recreation, and New Girl.

Anyway, I'm getting off topic. I highly recommend Tara Maller's article. It's a good reminder of why it's important for women to hold positions of power.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/21/opinion/maller-appoint-woman-cia/index.html?hpt=hp_bn7

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Woman of the Week - Rachel Maddow

Rachel Maddow is a television host, political commentator, and author. Every week night, she hosts The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC. She was the first anchor on a prime-time news show in the United States to be openly gay. Maddow lives in Manhattan with her partner, artist Susan Mikula.

I saw Rachel Maddow on The Colbert Report last week, and I was very impressed with her wit. I'm definitely going to start watching her show. Earlier this year, Maddow released her book, "Drift: The Unmooring of American Military Power."  In her book, she talks about how, "we've drifted away from America's original ideals and become a nation weirdly at peace with perpetual war." I'm definitely putting her book on my reading list!

PS - I bought my new laptop last week. I chose the least expensive one. Savings!!!

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Woman of the Week - Michelle Obama

I'm so excited that Michelle Obama will be First Lady for four more years!!!

Sorry this is so short. My computer died a slow, painful death last night. It was hard to watch. So I had to post this from work (shhhhhhhhhh!!).