Back in skinny jeans

Keira Knightly hates her legs

Actress Keira Knightly who is the latest hot A-list movie star hates her legs. She's been quoted in some British mags. She is envious of any woman who has fantastic legs. Keira is probably a size 0 or 2 at the most. Her closet is probably filled with skinny jeans she can wear NOW. Keira has appeared in movies like The Pirates of Caribbean with Johnny Depp, King Arthur, Love Actually, and as Elizabeth Bennet in the recent remake of Pride & Prejudice.

Even more ghastly, she thinks that when she turns 25, in 5 years, that she will be an old bag and need some nip/tuck to keep her youthful and pretty. Have you seen Keira Knightly? Even Howard Stern thinks that she is one of the most beautiful women in the world. He raves about her beauty. And mind you, Howard is extremely picky about beauty. He thinks Beyonce is too fat. On one of Howard's shows, he had Donald Trump as a guest, and the both of them ranked her as their top 5 picks for beauty in the world. Most of the times, I think both Howard and the Donald are pigs, but I agreed with them that Keira has a very special beauty about her.

Honestly, I think that when women like her start talking in public, to the press, about what they hate about their bodies, they are just fishing for compliments to boost their insecurity. The girl is only 20. She's got years of self body loathing ahead of her, if she doesn't nip this in the bud. It pains me to see beautiful, and highly talented young women beat themselves about their looks so young. She is obviously learning that her looks will make or break her, which is not true. At least we all know this, and hopefully one day she will too.

Keira go put on a pair of your favorite skinny jeans, and just feel good that you can. Most of us are still chasing the dream.

Carmen Electra will not have flat abs

Today, I'm feeling feisty. I was reading some celebrity gossip blog, and there was a brief article with Carmen Electra talking about that she has finally accepted the fact that no matter what she does with diet and exercise, her stomach will just never be flat as a board. I had to read the sentence again, to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. What the fuck is she complaining about. Why is this information news. This would be a different story if it were Rosanne Barr or Star Jones. No, we're talking about Carmen Electra, former Baywatch booby babe who has a body that is as close to perfect as any human can get, and yet she is resolved that she cannot have flat abs. Someone show her the hand.

I know I'm sounding like some mean old ugly lady, but this is exactly the kind of thing that tells teenage girls and young woman, that you can never be happy with your body even if you look like something the Greek gods created. Yes, there is a great deal of power in beauty, and that is why ladies just cannot let go of trying everything in our power to attain as much beauty as possible. This deep desire again is one of the main reasons, we cannot give our skinny jeans to Goodwill. Whether we like it or not, women in our culture are judged by their level of beauty. Yes, it's good to have brains, and a great heart, and good morals, but at the end of the day, the pretty ones come on top.

The sad thing for the pretty ones though is that one day they will be a Crone just like the rest of us, and if they don't do anything to build upon their life besides their beauty, they will be in a world of hurt by the time they can now qualify for senior discounts. Carmen Electra is one of those pretty girls whose life is built all around her looks. I wonder what she will be doing when she turns 60. Perhaps, she'll be modeling products for the senior set, or maybe she'll just enjoy retirement like the rest of us. It wouldn't surprise me at all though, if she is still able to wear her skinny jeans into her golden years.

Some things men just don't see

My boyfriend and I live together in sin. Fortunately for us, it's the 21st century and not the 19th. If it was, I'd be the unforsaken slutty whore, and he'd be a slutty whore owner...Okay, I digressed and now I'm back.

I moved into his apartment. My stuff is all in a 10'x20' room at Public Storage. To save money while trying to start a company, I moved in with my parents for a year. It was really awesome because my Mom always had food made, and my Dad would still give me fun money like he used to do when I was in college. Then I met Matt, and I moved in with him after 3 months of dating.

First thing I wanted to do was get rid of his dishes. They are beautiful dishes I will say that. The problem though is that they are dishes that were a wedding gift from his marriage. Matt was married for 10 years, and got divorced a year before we met. When I look at the dishes, I see "her and their marriage." Matt sees plates, something of good quality to eat on. I see symbolism, and he sees practicality.

My girlfriends right away are like"Oohhh gurl! You need to toss them dishes." My guy friends don't see the big deal. They are plates, and you don't have the money right now to buy a new set. Money now needs to go to rent, food, and gas. My mind understands the practical point of view, but my heart struggles. In the grand scheme of things, I would much rather put my money into my business than into a new set of dishes. I did however, buy a set of 4 dinner plates at Crate & Barrel that were on double sale because it was end of season, and one of the plates was chipped. So, at least now, I have my place in the cupboard.

The importance of giving back

I mentioned in my About page that I always wanted to have a job where I get to do something meaningful and help others. I started working on my blog network as a means to fulfill that desire. I get to talk about all the things that matter to me, that bring me joy, and most importantly allows me to be a corporate citizen in a way that makes some kind of difference in the world. Today, I put up banners on all of my blogs showing support for the ONE Campaign who's goal is to end AIDS and world poverty. The ONE campaign is the U.S. partner in the Global Call to Action Against Poverty. This is a movement that is a collaboration of many people around the wrold pulling together to make AIDS and poverty a thing of the past. Please visit the ONE Campaign site...

I have a particular desire to do what I can to help children. I volunteer with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and one of my blogs, "The Great Munchkin" is dedicated to computers & electronics for kids. I have spent over 12 years in the technology industry, and spent a lot of that time honestly focused on personal gain. Getting older and gaining life experience has taught me that we have to think outside of ourselves, and that corporations have a responsibility as citizens of this planet to help care for the world and the people that help to make them (the companies) successful. My personal belief is that we as a society cannot soley rely on non-profits, the churches, and the governments to shoulder all the burden for helping those in need. Corporations make enormous amounts of money, and giving back to the communities should not be a nice thing to do to look good but rather a requirement.

As an individual, I see the importance of giving back as a requirement of the heart. If you have always been thinking about doing something, take the next step, and take action. It doesn't have to be anything large or grandious, just something that moves you in the direction of helping others make the world a better place.

Jack and the holiday ball

Once a year, I eat at Jack in the Box just so I can get my grubby hands on one of those adorable antenna car balls. It's the one time I give up my habit of eating healthy whole foods. There's no thinking about the skinny jeans. It's all about getting the ball and enjoying my combo meal.

My boyfriend, bless his heart, remembered this fact today, and surprised me with a trip to Jack in the Box where he bought one Large combo meal #6 The double cheeseburger with fries and a Diet Coke. We split the meal, but I got the antenna ball. This year there is a choice of three balls, and I chose the Snowman in top hat. Go get your Jack in the Box ball...

Yes, I admit to getting completely sucked into this marketing ploy to buy Jack's  fast food delicacies. I eat at chain fast food MAYBE 3 times a year. Watching the movie "Supersize Me" was the last nail in the coffin for me when it comes to fast food. Now being realistic though, I can't give up fast food all together because let's face it, this is America where we live hectic lives with little time, so there will be the times when the only food in sight when you're famished is from the golden arches or south of the border. Then every holiday season there are Jack's holiday balls.

The best part of today though was not getting the snowman antenna ball, it was the fact that Mattie remembered this yearly treat of mine all on his own. We took our meal and ate it at a picnic table at the marina where he launches his kayak when he goes for a ride around the San Francisco bay. It was a very intimate time together. It was one of those happy moments you remember when you come to place where you question why you are together or when you simply remind yourself why you love your man. Today was a beautiful day with my sweetie.

Festive jeans: Calvin Klein Jeans Sash-Tie Boot-Cut Jean

These are some cute skinny jeans for the holidays. I love the sash.

Macys.com
Calvin Klein Jeans Sash-Tie Boot-Cut Jean
$59.00

Comfy jeans: Lucky Brand Boyfriend Jean

Check out this cute pair of comfy skinny jeans

Macys.com
Lucky Brand Boyfriend Jean
$88.00

Letting go of the skinny jeans

Year after year, my pair of size 8 slim cut Gap jeans sit in my closet. I can't seem to let them go. I still dream that one day I will wear them again. My butt looked really good in these jeans, not to mention that I also looked like I had legs that went from here to eternity.

I was running a lot back in the days when I wore those jeans. In fact, one night I was out with a group of friends and happened to be wearing a skirt. The girlfriend of one of my pals told that my legs looked like those of a race horse, long, lean, and muscular. This woman was really into horses, so coming from her I took that as a REALLY big compliment.

Focusing on the things I do like about my body, I have always liked to things: my legs and my hair. I have one of those bodies where I gain almost no weight in my thighs and butt. All the fat deposits right in my waist and gut. So, even when I'm on the heavier side for me, I can still wear short-ish skirts and still look hot. A tight skirt and a big baggy sweater looks awesome on me.

As for my hair, I have long, thick, shiny model looking hair. I do nothing but shampoo and condition from stuff at the Drugstore, and use hot rollers to get some curl. Most times, I also cut my own hair. Before I went 9 years, cutting my own hair. I just learned how on my own. I spend about 1/2 hour getting ready in the morning which includes, showering, doing the hair, makeup, and getting dressed. My boyfriend didn't believe me when we first started dating, but once we started living together, he was amazed.

Ode to skinny jeans. How I wish to be wearing you once again.

Cuddling in the winter time

One of the things I love about winter coming is all the cuddling. When it's starting to get really cold, the best way to stay warm at night is to cuddle with your honey. I'm fortunate in that my sweetie, Matt, radiates a lot of heat. He's one of those people who is naturally warm all the time, so cuddling with him is like snuggling with an electric blanket only better and safer.

The other great thing about winter time is the change in clothing. Now is the time where big sweaters come into play. In a big sweater, everyone looks slimmer, especially those who tend to carry their fat in the upper body areas like myself. Again, I have small hips and thighs relative to my waist, so I can appear less heavier than I really am. In the winter, my favorite things to wear are baggy jeans and big sweaters or sweatshirts with a long sleeve t-shirt underneath. There is so much comfort in loose clothing.

The downside of winter though is all the eating and less activity. Because it is so cold, most people tend to stay inside. Now in California, we don't have to worry about sleet or snow, thank goodness, but it does get really wet and rainy in the winter months. It's more reason to stay snuggled in warm jammies on the couch. Bad thing though is that with being mostly sedentary, the calories have no where to be burned, which is why gyms do so well this time of year. Besides all that New Year's resolution stuff, we go to the gym more when it's cold so we can keep burning calories, build muscle, and stay skinny.

Co-bedding preemies works for adults

I have just become an auntie/godmother of triplet girls, and it is truly amazing. What's even more amazing is that these girls were born at week 26 which is about 3 months premature. As of today, they are full term. Initially when born they weighed between 1lb 6oz and 1lb. 11oz. It was scary for awhile, but all are healthy and doing well. They are still in the hospital but they are all sleeping in one crib together. This is called co-bedding.

When babies come as multiples, as soon as they are strong enough, they start putting them together in one crib so that they are not alone any more. All the bonding helps them stay alive and healthy. Makes perfect sense. The world is always a better place when you have someone, and you're not alone. This is why we as adults crave so much for a special someone, so that we can have that sense that someone is there just for us. My favorite way to sleep is spooning with my boyfriend. Just laying there in his arms and feeling his heartbeat and warm breathe, makes me feel incredibly safe and loved. I've slept in a bed alone for many years, and after spending more than a year sleeping with Matt, I can see why people jump quickly into relationships. Sleeping by yourself can be very lonely.

I visit my nieces in the hospital, and I watch them sleep in their crib. They are all swaddled and laying right next to each other. They look so warm and cuddly. There is so much peace and tranquility around them, and their job is simply to eat, breathe, and grow. These beautiful children have their whole lives ahead of them, and it's really exciting to know that they will have this special bond with each other. Being part of a triplet is a very special thing because there aren't that many around. A part of me wishes that I could jump in that crib with them, and be one of them. I'd have a chance to start over and this time not be alone.