5 Halloween Party Household Item DIY Ideas

Happy Halloween! I got to thinking about the 8.5 million people without power in the Northeast and how they are going to spend their Halloween. I'm sure they have kids who are really tired of being inside and for the kids staying at other people's homes and shelters, Halloween is going to be kind of a bummer. I know that Gov. Chris Christie is going to reschedule Halloween, but here are 5 ideas of things to make and games to play this Halloween with things already in your house! Note: I know that people without power can't read this, since it's online, but please share it around!

1. Make a paper plate Batman mask! This is something I just made up this morning. I got a paper plate and just cut out a mask shape. Then I colored it black with a Sharpie. This takes about 10 minutes, so it'll give the kids something to do. Then I added some ribbon for the tie and, voila! Batman mask it is.

2. Grab a bunch of plastic cups and a decorative ball from the coffee table and go "bowling"!

3. Make a tiara out of a 2-liter bottle! Cut the top and bottom of the bottle off. Then cut a shape into it. Decorate with anything and everything you've got! I used ribbon, beads and stickers.

4. Cut a piece of yarn, tie the ends together, and you've got Cat's Cradle for days!

5. Lunch bag puppet! Get out those Crayolas and get busy drawing a character. If you have yarn or any other fun things, use those to decorate the bag, too.

I made all of these things in about two and a half hours this morning, but you can embellish all of these to stretch it out for a whole afternoon. 

Please keep knitting and sewing Sandy Scarves and Hurricane Hats for the victims of Sandy. I made six scarves yesterday. All donations (scarves and hats as well as clothes, toys, and any other donations) can be sent to:

Hurricane Sandy Relief Foundation

295 Central Ave

Wyckoff, NJ 07481

Stay safe, stay strong. Happy Halloween!

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi

The Sandy Scarves I've made so far.

Sandy Relief: How You Can Help

I've never had a writer's block before, but all of the photos and stories of Superstorm Sandy's devastation have left me without a lot of words. What do you say after millions of people have been displaced, are without power and communication, and don't know if their families are safe?

I was going to write something about how it's "just stuff" that people are losing, but after this morning, seeing entire neighborhoods on fire, whole towns flooded, and the death toll rising, I don't want to be that person. This is absolutely devastating the Northeast. The fact that this is the biggest "first responder" movement since 9/11 kind of brings the gravity of the situation into focus.

Please do whatever you can to stay safe. Once you're safe, help the people around you. Please donate money or supplies. Links for a couple of organizations that are taking disaster assistance funds are below.

My first "Sandy Scarf"!

Red Cross
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
SandyRelief.org

My mom, sister, friends, and I are making "Sandy Scarves" and "Hurricane Hats" to send to the victims of Sandy. Winter is coming and if they've just lost everything, the least we can do is send scarves and hats to them. If you want to join us, please let me know either here or on Twitter (@ChickOpinion). I'm still waiting for an address to send the scarves to, but please start knitting or sewing. I'll update this with an address as soon as possible.

Stay safe, stay strong.

"Be the change you wish to be in the world."

Keeping Perspective: Hurricane Sandy

This morning the biggest story on everyone's televisions is about Superstorm Sandy. This superstorm is slated to make landfall tonight in New Jersey; specifically, very close to Atlantic City. This is The Weather Channel's top 5 things to know about Sandy. Keep an eye out and stay safe.

Cyclone Zoe. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
File:Cyclone_Zoe_27_dec_2002_2255Z.jpg

It's very interesting to hear people talking about this hurricane. I've been through a couple hurricanes, since I lived in Vanuatu for five years. In 2002, my family and I survived the most intense hurricane ever recorded in the Southern Hemisphere: Cyclone Zoe, a Category 5 storm. The winds got up to 150 mph--and then the anemometer was blown off the national weather center after a gust of 220 mph!

We lived about a quarter of a mile away from the ocean. We only had two inches of water on the floor, so we were fine, but the people who lived in coastal villages were devastated. Zoe doesn't make any of the "worst storm" lists because in terms of dollar amounts, Zoe didn't do a lot of damage. The reason for this is that Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands are third-world countries; there aren't a lot of expensive buildings, electricity, or transportation systems there. Also, no one died during Zoe. The local people know exactly how to get through a storm like this. They've been doing it for 4,000 years, so they had to learn to survive.

A day after Zoe skirted Vanuatu, we walked down to Takara, a village on the beach about a mile away. We had friends who lived there. They showed us how there were fish up in their gardens that had been carried in from the storm surges. They took us to their well, the only source of fresh water, and showed us how the sea water had washed into it, so it was contaminated and undrinkable. Their gardens were destroyed. The avocado crop was almost ready to harvest, and there were green, almost ripe avocados just lying on the ground. There were coconuts and mangos everywhere. Also, their houses were gone. The thatched huts didn't stand a chance against this kind of storm.

The Ni-Vanuatu in the villages have this saying: "After the storm comes the sickness." There is always food right after a storm, because all the fruit has fallen from the trees. But their fresh water is contaminated and after all the fresh fruit is gone or starts rotting, there is nothing else to eat. Then people start getting sick.

Sandy is a serious storm; it's already cost around five dozen people their lives. We need to remember, though, that so much of what we are going to lose in this storm is just stuff. We will have food. We will have water. Some people might lose their houses, but entire communities will not be in danger of dying off. I'm listening to people on TV talking about how to keep your food frozen, how to keep your car from getting flooded, how to make sure you go to the store and buy all the food you can, etc. None of this is a problem in third-world countries because they don't have electricity, cars, or money to begin with.

Keep everything in perspective. Tell your family you love them. Ride out this storm by playing cards, reading books aloud to each other, singing songs together, and laughing. I've done it a few times and doing those things helps you realize what really matters.

Please donate to help the possibly 50 million people who could be affected by Sandy. The Red Cross is taking donations. This is going to be incredibly hard for the eastern part of the U.S. to get through. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi

Halloween Costumes: What Scares You The Most?

I got to thinking about Halloween costumes. A lot of people my age have grown out of the princess and superhero costumes (yes, stereotypical sexist costumes; not the point of this piece) and into the scary costumes: skeletons, zombies, dead spirits, etc. But are those "scary" things what people are really scared of?

What if we used Halloween to reveal what really scares us? What if, instead of wearing costumes that show who we fantasize about being, we wore our own fears?

This is my scary "costume": the things that scare me the most.

Wear your fears. You don't have to write them on your face, but find some way to show them. The more we get in touch with our fears, the more of ourselves we will like; which means maybe someday we won't even want to wear a costume, because we are the "fantasy" we want to be!

I hope everyone has a great weekend! I'm hoping to launch my new site later today, so please stay tuned.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi

Should Tackle Football Be Banned?

One of the news stories getting the most attention in the twitter world this morning is a GMA story about a retired doctor who has said that it is "a moral imperitive that we at least begin the process of ending this game" in high schools. The game he was talking about? Football! This doctor, Dr. Paul Butler, says that the research is too obvious that football is a dangerous game for underage kids to be playing.

ESPN says that some of the blows that even high schoolers can take to the head are the equivalent of getting hit in the skull with a sledgehammer.

This is what happens when you marry outside your team...

Even players like Tom Brady are advocating for new rules and safer equipment for players, as seen in this absolutely hilarious NFL Evolution commercial!

Here is the twitter conversation on GMA's status about this. No one, at least in this twitter feed, is interested in banning football! It's fascinating to me that the research obviously says that kids are getting hurt by the tackling, but people love football so much they don't want to stop it. Do these people love the sport more than their kids?

I love football! Any of you who know me know that I am a massive Patriots fan. My fiancé and I are such big football fans that we had our engagement photos done in our jerseys (we love our quarterbacks: Brady and Rodgers)! But when we have kids, if tackle football is still being played in youth leagues and high schools, I'm not sure if we will allow them to play. I played flag football and touch football growing up--I didn't really play tackle until college (full disclosure: I had to quit the team before we played a game). I had an absolute blast playing touch and flag. We had a youth flag football league in my town and it was fun--and safe.

There are also a lot of other sports that are available to kids: track, soccer (heading is under fire, too, though), volleyball, field hockey, basketball, etc. I am very aware that all of these sports have athletes in them who get hurt. The difference to me is that the premise of these sports is not to intentionally run into other players. It happens, sure, but it's not the point of these games.

So, what do you think? Is it worth risking your son or daughter's life or brain function so we can continue to watch tackle football in high schools? Please weigh in!

We want YOU to share your opinion!

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi

All photos by Bailey Richards.

Women: Take the Chip Off Your Shoulder

This morning, I saw a story about Honda making a car called "Honda Fit She's"--marketed exclusively toward women. It's pink. The apostrophe in "She's" is a heart. It's apparently supposed to be "adult cute", according to the designers. The car also comes in brown and white, the "color of eyeshadow". Apparently, it's only being marketed in Japan. So, I went to the Japanese Honda site and this is their ad for the Fit She's. Very pink and very cutesy.

Now, obviously Japanese culture is different than American culture. The "cute" factor is incredibly amped up in Japan; or maybe it's massively down-played in the States. When I saw the story about the Fit She's, my immediate reaction was, "That's terrible! It's so demeaning. Not all women like pink. And the heart?! Come on, I'm not 16." Then I got to thinking about it. Why shouldn't the car market try to appeal to women? Almost all the other markets try to attract a specific set of people, don't they? I looked at the ads during the first hour of "Good Morning America" (68% of GMA's viewers are women) to see which companies were obviously trying to appeal to women.

Out of 55 total ads during the first hour, I felt that 34 of them were geared toward women. There were 14 campaign ads (3 of which were appealing to women), 9 food ads (6 of which included a mom with her kids; 3 of which were coffee ads), 6 beauty product ads, 1 each for "Katie" and "Ellen", and some clothing and appliance ads.

So, if 62% of the ads on GMA were trying to appeal to the female market, why did I feel so weird about the Honda Fit She's being "for women?" Since I had to go back through my DVR to re-watch all the ads to count them, I had some time to think about this.

I think American women have gotten used to the notion that we can hold our own and be as good as, or better, than men. While this may or may not be true in different areas, it does not mean that we are the same as men. I know a bunch of my "feminist" friends are not going to be happy about that statement, but it's true. And why would we want to be the same as men? We get to be women!

I feel like many of the women who complain about not being treated the "same" as men are also the ones who say that "men are sh!t." "Chivalry is dead" is a common saying among "successful" women. Maybe it's dead because super-feminist women have killed it. Half the time a guy holds the door for us, we say "thank you;" but the other half of the time, we get upset that he is treating us like women and being polite to us, instead of letting us "do it ourselves." God forbid a guy be polite.

We have a huge double standard going on here. We want the same treatment as men, but we want our political candidates to cater to the "women's vote." We want the same respect that men get, but the way many women bitch and complain about the lack of respect leaves men (and other women) disgusted. We want to be equal to men, but then we're upset when men don't put us on a pedestal and hold the door for us.

Going back to the Honda Fit She's topic, while I think the main market for a pink car with a heart on it in the States would be 16-year-old girls with rich daddies, I don't think Honda should be faulted for doing what companies' marketing teams are supposed to do best: find their target consumer and do whatever it takes to get that consumer to buy their product. And, obviously, Honda has done that. The Honda Fit She's is selling in Japan, but it's not even on the market here, because American women (over all) wouldn't make it worth Honda's time and money.

So, women, this morning I felt that chip on my shoulder; the chip that I feel I have to have to keep up with men, or prove myself, or whatever silly reason. Take the chip off today. Leave it at home. Enjoy being a woman today. If that includes allowing men to be kind to you, let it happen. If it includes realizing, not resenting, but realizing that you wear makeup for yourself and not the "male dominated society," let it happen. Am I saying "let guys treat you like crap today"? No. I'm saying, embrace your femininity without putting men down or blaming them for the choices you, a liberated woman, make.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi

Debate Rundown: What Undecided Voters Might See

The patriotic cupcakes I made!

Last night was the last presidential debate before the election. I threw a very cool party and, even though only a couple of people came, we had a great time.

In my opinion, the debate was alright. Foreign policy is not a popular topic, and I would venture to say that most people don't know a whole lot about it. I don't like the fact that this was the topic, because I feel like a lot of people were put off by it. I think the moderator could have done a much better job of keeping the candidates from going on tangents, but I think both of the candidates know that Americans are more familiar with domestic policy. I can't fault them for going back to it and trying to keep their audience engaged.

President Obama has a whole lot more experience in foreign policy than Governor Romney, and in my opinion it showed. It looked to me like Romney tried very hard to come to the middle, possibly upsetting some of his constituents, but a great tactic to use. He agreed with the president multiple times, but it just seemed to me that he was saying, "I like what you have done and I would have done the same thing, but I would have done it sooner."

I think Obama's one-liners got out of hand. While the "horses and bayonets" line was funny, I really think him saying, "The 80s called and they want their foreign policy back," was extremely childish. That is what teenage girls say about other girls' outfits (well, not now; the 80s are back!). It just seemed like something far beneath what the Commander-in-Chief should say.

Romney seemed like he was being a little bit like a teenage girl, as well, when he kept saying, "Attacking me is not explaining your policies," and then he turned around and attacked Obama. I mean, I agree with the fact that attacks are petty and childish, but both campaigns are doing it. I think they should both stop. I think it was a great strategic move by Romney to try to make it look like Obama was "attacking" him and he was a victim, but I think it just made Romney look like he was jealous of the prom queen.

I don't know anyone who is an undecided voter, but I want to share what I think I would see if I was an "undecided" and uninformed voter and watched the debates. I am trying to put myself in the undecided voter's shoes and put aside my biases. During my time working in the campaign office, it has become apparent that a lot of voters pick one or two issues and vote based on those issues alone.

I would like to preface this by saying that if you are an undecided voter and you feel that this is a misrepresentation of your views, it is not malicious or intentional.

Romney:

• Strong
• Good speaker
• Doesn't let people walk on him
• Has 5 points in his plan
• I'm still not sure about his math 
• Insincere
• Does he keep changing his views to get more of the vote?

Obama:

• Has 4 years of experience under his belt
• Has 5 points in his plan
• Going to make wealthy people pay more taxes
• Irritable
• Good speaker
• Charismatic
• Stays solid on his views

If I were undecided and uninformed, here is what I would think on certain issues:

Healthcare:

• Obamacare? Isn't that the same as Romneycare from Massachusetts?
• I don't want someone telling me what I can and can't do with my body--either way. I don't want Obamacare telling me what my government-funded healthcare is going to be, but I don't want Romney deciding how women's wellness check-ups and abortions will or will not be covered.
• What's a voucher system?

Economy:

• Romney is a businessman. He would be good at balancing a budget and bringing our country back to where it needs to be financially.
• Did Romney say that we should let the auto industry go bankrupt? Didn't the companies the government bailed out still file Chapter 11 bankruptcy before they got the bailout money?

Jobs:

• The unemployment rate is 7.8% nationally. It was 7.9% when Obama took office. Obama said he would get it to 5.4%. Was that possible? Should I trust his "arithmetic" on other issues, since this didn't work out?
• Obama saved tens of thousands of jobs in the auto industry. That's good.
• Obama wants to hire thousands of math and science teachers. Could be a good thing for teachers. What about other careers?

Gay Marriage:

• Obama supports gay marriage. Romney thinks each state should get to amend their constitutions to either support or deny gay marriage. Does this have anything to do with me at all? 
• Most of the people who don't approve of gay marriage say it's because it goes against their religious beliefs. What about separation of church and state? Shouldn't personal religious beliefs take a back seat to equal rights for all?

Education:

• Romney thinks that there shouldn't be teacher's unions. Does that mean that teachers could just get fired even if they'd been working for a long time? This would make teaching merit based, so maybe our teachers would get better.
• Obama wants to hire new math and science teachers to make sure we get closer to the top in terms of technology development. That's good, because we should stay the #1 country in the world.

Foreign Policy:

• Is Libya by Afghanistan?

Taxes:

• Isn't making wealthy people pay more taxes like socialism?
• I'm in the middle class; I can't afford to pay more taxes.
• Romney says he's going to cut taxes for everyone. How does that work without putting us in more debt?

This is obviously just my opinion on what undecided and uninformed voters might be thinking. But it's interesting, because if you look at it as an "undecided" voter might, it's a close race. I just want to say to the undecided voter, "Please do your homework!" Regardless of who you decide to vote for, know why you're voting for them. This is one of the most important elections of our lifetimes and we need to be informed citizens, using the freedom of democracy to our advantage.

If you need to become more informed, here are the two candidates' websites:

MittRomney.com

BarackObama.com

We have 14 days left until this election. Make it the best 14 days of the campaign. Make up your mind about who you want to vote for and then go campaign for them! Knock on doors, make phone calls, talk to people; and when you get tired, keep going.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi

Sarah Jessica Parker in Cincinnati for President Obama

Sarah Jessica Parker

Over the weekend I had the distinct pleasure of seeing Sarah Jessica Parker, Valerie Jarrett, and Alfre Woodard speak at the downtown Cincinnati Obama for America campaign office! It was so great! Sarah Jessica Parker spoke about how it's important for women to stand together in this election, that this election is the most important election in our lifetimes, and that women always put ourselves last in terms of making sure we're healthy, but now, it's time to vote for President Obama so that we can get the healthcare we need.

SJP

It was absolutely amazing to see SJP talking about the same issues I care about. It was anaintimate setting and I was in the front row after the first couple minutes, so it really felt like we were almost having a conversation. It was great to see that women care about the same issues, no matter where we come from.

SJP listening to Valerie Jarrett

Fired up!

After SJP talked, President Obama's top advisor, Valerie Jarrett spoke. She was so "Fired Up!" She mentioned that she normally travels with the president, but he sent her to go get people voting in the early-vote swing states: Virginia and Ohio. Jarrett got us excited and on board to vote early in Ohio. She ran down President Obama's plan about energy, education, and small businesses. She also used the phrase, "Romney doesn't have a five-point plan, he has a one-point plan." Catchy, and it got the crowd excited, but we've already heard that. I think it's a cheap shot and it's not a good way to get undecided voters on your side. Slamming the other candidate without anything to back it up just makes it look like you don't have anything substantive to say. And I know that the Obama campaign has something substantive to say!

Anyway, getting to hear Valerie Jarrett and Sarah Jessica Parker talk about why President Obama needs to be re-elected was great; then Alfre Woodard took the stage! I'd never heard of her by name, but when I saw her, I immediately recognized her. She's been in a lot of movies. Woodard was such a good speaker! She got the crowd really going. Apparently, most of the crowd knew and loved her even more than SJP! Woodard also gave the reasons that the president is the best man for the job.

SJP and Valerie Jarrett excited by Alfre Woodard's energy!

The rally was great! We had a wonderful time and after it was over, we had a huge group of canvassers hit the streets to knock on some doors. Getting ready for GOTV (Get Out The Vote) is so hectic, but these amazing celebs and VIPs keep us going. They said "thank you" to the volunteers for spending our time on the campaign, but I want to say "thanks" to them. I so appreciate people who have fame using it as an influence for good!

After the rally, I was interviewed by the Cincinnati NBC affiliate, WLWT. They haven't run the story yet, but I'm keeping my eye out. I'm not speaking in these two clips, but you can see me in the reddish-black sweater right in the front! In the first clip from our ABC affiliate, WCPO, I am seen around 1:09 for just a couple of seconds. In the second clip from WKRC, Cincinnati's CBS affiliate, I'm shown about 35 seconds into the clip. I have no idea what I'm doing with my mouth, but that's okay! 

I had brought my Sex and the City DVD with me to get it signed. Since I was right next to the stage, I put the DVD and Sharpie on the stage at one point so I could clap. SJP looked at me and smiled. She knew I wanted to get it signed...and then she left out the back after the rally was over. I was pretty bummed out about that. But I did get to see all three of these amazing women speak about something that I feel extremely passionate about, so I think that constitutes a pretty good day!

Here are some more photos I took at the event! Have a great Monday! Please watch the debate tonight at 9/8c and if you live somewhere you can vote early, please vote!

SJP listening to Valerie Jarrett.

SJP

SJP looking at my camera!

Valerie Jarrett and SJP listening to Alfre Woodard.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi

Mini-Experiment: Swimsuit Photo Retouching

One of my friends sent me this article this morning about retouched Victoria's Secret Swim photos. It shows one side by side photo of the untouched photo and the retouched photo, along with a list of things they touched up on the photo.

Side by side: original vs touched up. Photos courtesy of Victoria's Secret.

This is the original article back in August with all the leaked untouched photos of Victoria's Secret Angel, Doutzen. After I saw all the original photos, I went the Victoria's Secret Swim site and found some of the other retouched photos in their ads. Here are three of them along with a few of the things they changed.

Untouched photo.

This is the retouched photo of the tankini to the left. Here is a list of the things they changed:

• The color of the tankini.
• Made the skirt flat across the front.
• Removed the pooch by her armpit.
• Took away the lines in the bend of her elbow.
• Removed some of the pooching on her left hip.
• Pulled in the tankini top by her left hip to make it look like it fits better.
• Got rid of all the bunching of the top above her right hip.
• Took away the fly-aways in her hair and moved it around a little bit.
• Made her left leg skinnier on the inside.
• Flattened out her right hip below the skirt.
• Something to her chin. It actually looks like they pulled her jaw up in the retouch to make her face look more square.
• Removed some of the shadow on her stomach.
• Obviously: lighting.

Untouched photo.

This is the retouched photo of the tankini at left (yes, it's the same tankini). What they changed:

• Her eyebrow lines between her eyebrows.
• Face shape--in the untouched photo, you can see much more definition on the left side of her face than in the retouched photo.
• Removed hip bone shadow.
• Flattened skirt out.
• Put side skirt strings into a bow.
• Flattened outside of right thigh.
• Removed bunching of top on her left side.
• Erased longest piece of hair peeking out from behind her back.
• Flattened out armpit pooch on her right side.
• Defined the shadow on her boobs to make them look bigger.
• Again, obviously, lighting.

Untouched photo.

Here is the retouched photo from the ad of the bikini pictured left. What they changed:

• She's wearing underwear in the untouched photo.
• Removed the pooching on her right side below the band of the top.
• Made her ribs look less boney.
• Smoothed out her right arm--she has sand or something on it in the untouched photo.
• Filled in her belly button a little bit. These are all silly, but this one really doesn't make any sense!
• Smoothed out her right thigh.
• Got rid of some of the fly-aways.
• Touched up her left elbow area.
• Made her chest look less boney.
• Removed a mole on her neck and right shoulder.
• Lighting!!!

Erin Heatherton, Angel.

Erin Heatherton, another Victoria's Secret Angel, said this to Fashionista about the airbrushing: "Retouching is an essential part of our job, you know. We're not selling reality; we're selling a story. It's all about creating this fantasy. And I don't think people should confuse fantasy and reality because no one is perfect--we all know that, and I think people should embrace themselves and not really focus on where people are depicted as perfect and where they're not."

This is such a matter-of-fact quote! She acts like all of us should just assume that everything is retouched. They don't advertise their edits, though. Even when I worked at Victoria's Secret, we never talked about the models except for when an associate would start the Who-Is-Your-Favorite-Angel? conversation.

All of this editing talk got me wondering about the VS Fashion Show. They tape it almost a month before it airs. This year they're taping on November 7, but it's not airing until December 4. I understand that the point of the show is to do a Christmas preview, but why not do a live fashion show on December 4? I spent about 20 minutes looking around the internet to find out...and found nothing. But why do they need four weeks between taping and airing the show? It makes me wonder if there is more than just audio editing to do of the taping.

So, if all of these Victoria's Secret ads are just "creating this fantasy," then why do so many women work so hard to try to be this fantasy? All this "fantasy" is just making men and women expect perfection, and when we're not, because, as Erin said, "No one is perfect," it becomes a disappointment. Why should we keep buying $50+ bras that will supposedly make us a perfect fantasy, if they really don't? All this does is make women feel incredibly insecure because we will never be what men and other women see. So then a new bra comes out at Victoria's Secret--a "bombshell"--and suddenly we think, "Oh good! This will make me so much sexier because that's what the ad says and shows!" And then we go buy the new bra for $60. And then we're disappointed again.

We are being played by the marketers of the lingerie industry. I refuse to feel insecure. I refuse to allow retouching to deter me from loving myself. Still committing to confidence!

I decided to do a little experiment: take my own photo in my favorite VS bikini and show it unedited, then edited. The bikini I'm wearing is from the 2010 collection I think. I know it's "out of season" but it's still my favorite! Here's the photo as it was taken with the exception of cropping it closer. The only reason I cropped it is that it was a landscape layout and there was a lot of wall that didn't need to be there!

Edited photo.

And then here is the same photo edited. I don't have any airbrushing tools--just basic editing. I played with the exposure, contrast, highlights, temperature, shadow, and of course, kept the previous cropping.

The first one I took is obviously "real." The other one looks "prettier" in terms of the fact that since I changed the exposure, there are more highlights, but it's not what I look like in real life. I think it's a pretty picture, but it's not me. Also, there is a lot that professional editors would need to change: hair, folds on the bottom of the bikini, armpit shadows, eyelashes (I didn't use enough mascara), and cleavage (I don't have any!).

So. Love yourself. Stay confident. Don't allow these "fantasies" to change how you feel about yourself. Even though my second photo is more acceptable or whatever it is, the woman in the first photo is the woman my fiance is in love with and the woman I am in love with. The first girl is me. The second girl is me + special effects, and this is really basic editing; nothing like what they do with the Victoria's Secret photos. Stay confident! You're beautiful!

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi

#committoconfidence

2012 VS Fantasy Bra! Commit to Confidence!

Before I get started with this non-political post, I just want to say: keep working for whatever campaign you're working for! I know you're tired of campaigning and seeing political posts in your feed--I am! I have Facebook friends threatening to "unsubscribe" from anyone who continues to post political statuses. But we only have 2 1/2 weeks left until this election! Keep fighting for the candidate (or candidates, if you're working on senate or local campaigns, as well) you think will help us the most. Also, if you're suddenly interested in politics just because of the election, try staying interested in politics and what's happening in our country after the election! Election-time-only interest does not a politically-minded person make. It's like being a "Creaster"--going to church only on Christmas and Easter. ;)

This year's Victoria's Secret "fantasy bra" was revealed recently*. It cost $2.5 million to make. Here is a  look at some of the "fantasy bras." The first five fantasy bras aren't included in this slideshow, so I looked around and found this fantastic blog that has photos of all the fantasy bras.
The table of the history of the fantasy bras below is copied from Wikipedia.

Year	Name	Model	Value	Appeared in fashion show	refs
1996	Million Dollar Miracle Bra	Claudia Schiffer	$1,000,000	No	[97]
1997	Diamond Dream Bra	Tyra Banks	$3,000,000	No
1998	Dream Angel Fantasy Bra	Daniela Pestova	$5,000,000	No
1999	Millennium Bra	Heidi Klum	$10,000,000	No	[94]
2000	Red Hot Fantasy Bra/Panties	Gisele Bündchen	$15,000,000	No	[95]
2001	Heavenly Star Bra	Heidi Klum	$12,500,000	Yes	[98]
2002	Star of Victoria Fantasy Bra	Karolina Kurkova	$10,000,000	Yes	[99]
2003	Very Sexy Fantasy Bra	Heidi Klum	$11,000,000	Yes	[100]
2004	Heavenly "70" Fantasy Bra	Tyra Banks	$10,000,000	No	[101]
2005	Sexy Splendor Fantasy Bra	Gisele Bündchen	$12,500,000	Yes	[102]
2006	Hearts On Fire Diamond Fantasy Bra	Karolina Kurkova	$6,500,000	Yes	[99]
2007	Holiday Fantasy Bra	Selita Ebanks	$4,500,000	Yes	[103]
2008	Black Diamond Fantasy Miracle Bra	Adriana Lima	$5,000,000	Yes	[104]
2009	Harlequin Fantasy Bra	Marisa Miller	$3,000,000	Yes	[105]
2010	Bombshell Fantasy Bra	Adriana Lima	$2,000,000	Yes	[106]
2011	Fantasy Treasure Bra	Miranda Kerr	$2,500,000	Yes	[107]
2012	Floral Fantasy Bra	Alessandra Ambrosio	$2,500,000	Yes	[108]

Now, if I did the math correctly, making 17 fantasy bras has totaled $116 million. Wow. That is a lot of money. I started freaking out when I saw this. Where do these bras go? Who buys them? Is there a museum where $116M of diamonds, sapphires, and other precious gems is just sitting on busts?

None of the bras have ever been sold. Wikipedia cites this article from the Wall Street Journal saying that the 2004 bra was purchased, but in the WSJ article, it states, "None of the fantasy bras offered by Victoria's Secret each holiday since 1996 has ever sold, though a 42-carat Harry Winston diamond on the 2004 bra found a buyer." Actually, the bras are not even kept after the fashion show, according to this other Wall Street Journal article; they're dismantled! Fashionologie says that it actually took Victoria's Secret until 2010 to admit that they had dismantled the previous bras. I don't know why it took them so long! I think it would actually allow women like me, who think the fashion show is ridiculous, to appreciate it a little more.

So, what does this year's $2.5 million bra represent?

• A $10.7 billion U.S. lingerie industry ($29B global market)
• Victoria's Secret, worth about $4.5 billion
• A $12 million fashion show
• Alessandra Ambriosio only five months after she had her baby!
• Thousands of little girls who hope to someday get their "Angel Wings"

Now, I am not going to sit here and pretend that I don't like Victoria's Secret or I don't wear it or anything like that. I wear Victoria's Secret lingerie almost exclusively. I think I have one or two Calvin Klein things, but other than that, it's all VS. I worked there for a summer job a few years ago. Here are some of the things I learned while working there that stuck with me:

• Feeling good about yourself shouldn't have to come from the outside, but having adorable bras sure helps.
• PINK (the teen part of VS) has some incredibly suggestive sayings on the butts of their underwear and watching middle schoolers buy that underwear is sickening.
• Feeling sexy, regardless of age or size, is attainable. You do not have to shop at VS to achieve this.
• VS bras are pretty much the most comfortable bras I've ever had.

I love lingerie, as you all saw in the yoga photo I posted a while back. I think it's great! It allows you to dress up, it's fun, it's cute, if you pick out it right you get something that fits like a glove, etc. It's not always easy, though. What if you're having a "fat" day? What if you're massively insecure and you put on this amazing lingerie that is supposed to make you feel so good and you just look at yourself in the mirror and see the problem spots that are now exposed (this can happen in any outfit, but lingerie really exposes it)? 

I think that we need to learn to feel sexy because of who we are, not because of what you stuff your body into on any given day. I sometimes feel the sexiest in sweats and a t-shirt, just being me, because it's me. Not me dressing like some model in $75 lingerie, but me being comfortable in my own skin and not needing to dress it up, because I look great and I feel great, even if I'm just in sweats.

Close to 10 million of us are going to watch the hour-long Victoria's Secret Fashion Show this year while feeling envy, admiration, and excitement. What if 10 million of us committed to feeling as good about ourselves as we are jealous of those models for an hour? In my experience, the women I envy most are not the ones with great bodies, legs for days, or giant boobs. The confident women are the ones I envy. So be confident! If it takes a new bra set, a new haircut, or a new shade of lipstick, that's fine! Just take that immediate boost of confidence that you feel when you put on that new popping lipstick with you even after you take it off! It makes all the difference! 

10 million strong! This is my challenge to you, with you. Please share this post with everyone you know, and come up with a way to show that you commit to "10 Million Committed to Confidence" and post it with the hashtag #committoconfidence! The VS Fashion Show is going to air on December 4. I think we can have 10 million people commit to feel confident for one hour by then. Let's do it!

My commitment to confidence!

"Be the change you wish to be in the world." --Gandhi

*Due to possible copyright issues, I am not including a photo of the new bra. 

Women's Reactions to Presidential Debate

This morning, like every morning, I watched "Good Morning America." Not surprisingly, last night's presidential debate was the top story. Interestingly, both Elizabeth Vargas (in for Robin Roberts) and Lara Spencer said that they were a little "taken aback" by both candidates' demeanors. Vargas said, "As a woman...it was a little much. The interrupting and talking over [each other] drove me a little crazy." George Stephanopoulos replied, "A point I've heard a lot. A lot of women turned off by that." Later in the show when Vargas was talking to the political analysts about the debate, she said, "Lara and I were talking, Beanna and I were talking, a lot of other women are agreeing with this assessment...they both seemed a tad aggressive, overly aggressive toward each other." Matthew Dowd, one of the political contributors replied, "You have to be strong and forceful without offending people." Vargas countered, "When they're both trying to get the female vote, I wondered if they alienated a lot of the women out there."

I have been accused of being one-sided in my presentations of political issues, so I immediately turned to Fox News. Fox was not talking about women's reactions to the debate at all. Frank Luntz was talking to "undecided" voters in Nevada and all but one said that Romney was "substantive," "pleasantly surprising," and "believable." The man who didn't say something "nice" about Romney said he was "average." Luntz ignored that man and, with a gesture of an open hand, asked the seven or so voters who said positive things about Romney why they liked what they heard. They gave their reasons and Luntz listened with eye contact and head nodding. Luntz then turned to the man who had said what he had heard was "average," pointed with a finger, not an open face-up palm, at him, and said, "Now you didn't hear that. Why." It was hardly a question. Luntz turned away with his eyes on the floor and didn't respond to the voter's answer, which was, "I didn't hear anything new." Needless to say, Luntz's obvious disregard for a voter who isn't sure if Romney is our country's savior or not really turned me off.

In terms of what I heard on the news, as a woman, I appreciate that ABC actually talked about the women's opinions. I'm not sure if I agree with it, but at least they talked about it. Fox didn't. I actually went to foxnews.com to see if they had any women's reactions that maybe I had missed; they didn't have one story on women in regards to the debate.

In terms of what I saw in the debate last night, as a woman, I didn't see anything wrong with the candidates' demeanors at all. I like the fact that Obama pushed the envelope. He was aggressive. He did interrupt Romney to correct his statements that were blatant lies. I want a President and a Commander-in-Chief who is aggressive. It is hardwired in women to want someone who will protect us, and I think Obama will protect me and my rights.

As a woman, what offended me most last night was Romney still not saying whether he would have signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act or not. The fact that Romney will not say that women deserve to earn the same pay that men earn for doing the same job is extremely offensive to me. Why should I believe in someone who doesn't believe in my rights as a woman? Why should I vote for someone who doesn't necessarily think that men and I should have equal pay for equal work?

Wow--"equal pay for equal work..." That echoes the civil rights movement. We are still having to fight for civil rights even now in the 21st century. To me, this is an incredibly sad reality. How is it possible that the same demographic that runs around thinking that America is the best country in the world is also the same demographic that supports a candidate who will not commit to equal rights for women? We are not the #1 country in the world, if I can't expect the same treatment that men receive. We are not the best country in the world, if I still have to be concerned about my future children having equal rights.

Come on, America. Let's support a candidate who supports our country's women. Women are 51% of this country's vote. How is it possible in the 21st century that a candidate who doesn't support over half of the country's voters, even has a shot at taking the White House? Let's have some pride.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi