I hope that everyone will follow me there. Same honesty about what is going on, same use of art, a little more user friendly and more options.

Anyway, I love you all!

So, before I begin.
I would like to thank all of the people who have been good friends to me over the past year. There are too many of you to count so thank you to everyone!

This year marks when I really got back into the sca and when I began to learn how to sew. Thus far, I’ve truly enjoyed all of the time that I have spent at Monday Night Sewing and at the different events

Thank you for everyone, Tetch, Angelina, and Annie for helping me with the sewing. So far I’ve made 3 different gowns, each of them getting better (well the lined one needs some work) but I was able to clothe myself for an entire weekend. Sewing is such an important part of my life now and I’m so grateful that I am surrounded by Aunts who were willing to help me and to teach me!

So, what am I up to right now? Well, I’ve been reading and sewing and in general relaxing. I’m reading a great book right now that I got for Christmas. Its The House of Medici: Its Rise and Fall by Christopher Hibbert.

The House of Medici: Its Rise and Fall by Christopher Hibbert

I’ve been really interested in the Medici family and this book is not only very factual but very interesting. It is also a quick read. I’m not finished reading it yet but i’m really enjoying it. My mom got this book for me because of my interests in my name. I mentioned in this post that I have been working on a new name and badge for the past year or so. The name has essentially been documented I’m just working on the middle name. It is either going to be Elisabetta Lucretia dei Medici or Elisabetta di Giovanni dei Medici. We have evidence of Given name, father’s name, and then family name in 15th & 16th century Florence with both of those names recorded in there as well and I have been told that we have numerous examples of the name set up of the first as well. At any rate this book works well for all of the research I am doing.

I am really looking forward to going back to school but I have had a fantastic time seeing everyone this break and I loved doing all of this sca stuff. I’m going to take an florentine sleeve back with me and embroider the crap out of it. I’ve decided that I’m not going to do the SCA out on the east coast because its just too much work.

I’ve missed Smith and I am really looking forward to going back and seeing all of my friends and my darling Conservation Lab!!!
I have a couple of goals, I am going to spend more time studying more often, before leaving I am going to submit at least my device if not my name, I am going to go to the gym at least 3 times during the week and during the weekend as well, also I am going to keep track of what is going on in the lab aka I am going to keep track of my journal.

I will miss you all very much and I can’t wait to see everyone back at Smith and then when I get home! I love you all!!!

<3

oooh art…totally forgot

ummm…odd factoid.
I’ve talked about this piece before, its important because it is one of the first side profiles we have…I also discovered that it isn’t just some girl, the Tornabuoni family was a Florentine family in the early 15th century. In 1444 Lucrezia Tornabuoni married into the Medici family, making the Tornabuoni family related to them. They continued to run a branch of the Medici bank for a number of years. So Giovanna was actually distantly related to the medici’s and since the medici’s were supportive of Ghirlandio it makes sense that he would have painted her.

Also…Boticelli’s name was a childhood nickname meaning “Little Barrel” and that his real name was Alessandro di Mariano Filipepi (Pg. 109 The House of Medici)

well that’s all for now…have a good week and weekend. While it is 80 degrees here in Sunny Southern CA and soon I will be in the Snowy 32 degree weather of Noho again!

So what have I been doing with my life. Well, I have been going to school and doing all of the work that accompanies that. Finals went well I think, I actually don’t know because for some reason (that reason being that I forgot to tell Smith to forward my mail) I don’t know my grades. But I feel pretty good about how I did. So 1) I was going to school
2) I was sleeping as much as humanly possible (well not really because I don’t sleep that much anyway but still
3) Writing essays that never seemed to end, towards the end of the semester I had a 15 page paper on a bill in the current congress, I picked what I thought was an easy topic, free trade with the Republic of Georgia, in my defense the text of the bill was short, of course it was not an easy topic and I ended up in way over my head but eventually I defeated the paper, then I had a 5 page paper on Die Walkure for my opera class, and a 5 page french paper for french on how we are supposed to solve the problems in the Banlieues (think inner city usa, except exchange the suburbs for the inner city). Eventually I was able to defeat all of these papers, with a reasonable amount of success. and then finally
4) I was working like 10 hours a week (okay well probably more, but 10 is what I told my mom). Where was I working you ask. Well reader (yes I’m talking to you in my head…its a funny voice too) I am working (well really volunteering because I don’t get paid) in the Smith College Museum of Art Conservation lab. I do lots of fun things there, including but not limited to taking off over-paint, taking off more over-paint, discovering things that have gone wrong (I think I find an unfair share of these problems) taking off more over-paint, taking off stuff that we thought was gesso but turns out to be plaster with fill underneath that is now deteriorating…oh and did I mention taking off over-paint? Sounds like boring work? Its not, its actually really fantastic I love it quite a bit. We also guild stuff, like sculpture rabbits and dried leaves. I have a great time and a really great boss who is hilarious and really amazing at being a mentor. All in all, fantastic doesn’t even begin to describe it.
(I would post pictures but since the frame I’m working on is property of the museum I’m not sure if I’m allowed to, so better safe than sorry…but here is a nice picture of me in my coat)

Taken by the lovely Bill Myers

So what have I learned about myself this semester? I’ve learned a lot. I am getting better at not procrastinating, I still work until the very last minute but I start earlier.
I’ve learned that its okay to be you because people accept you and are friends with you for you…not for who you pretend to be.
I’ve learned that the decisions I will need to make in life do not have to be made right now, thanks to advisors and other people, and that what I thought was my life plan is not necessarily my life plan, that I have lots of other options. I went into college having my entire life planned out, college then law school then law then something else…but now I don’t even know if I want to do that. Maybe I want to go to conservation school or Christie’s Grad school in England or NYC. Who knows what I will do with my life, I for one don’t know.
I’m learning to accept that I can’t have control over everything all the time, although I’m really not okay with that, I’m learning to accept that.
I’ve also learned that I like boys!!! I love going to an all women’s college, the experience is unlike anything I have or will ever experience, and I don’t regret for a second going to a school without guys. (Side bar, we do actually have men at Smith, they just weren’t born that way) I do miss my guy friends, Tim and Albert here is your shout out, and its been really nice being home and getting to see my friends but it makes me miss them even more. Don’t let me scare the poor girls who are thinking about going to Smith….there are def. guys around and you have the ability to meet guys. You have to make an effort, which has its good and bad sides, I just don’t make an effort. But, there are def guys around. Although a hint, stick to the amherst guys, ya, i went there Tim, get over it, I would date Williams boys if you didn’t live 2 hours away.
I’ve learned to be more patient and wait for things, because being impatient either makes them not as well done or you are just frustrated because it doesn’t speed them up.
I’ve really missed everyone at home, especially the household. Its been so great being home. Its also been hard because you see which friendships have stayed or grown stronger and which ones have faded and that sucks when you see it. Trying to salvage some of them is worth a shot but for others, despite how close you may have been, its not worth the time and energy but know that you have friends waiting for you back at home.

Anyway, I’m happy to be home, I don’t go back till the 21st or so. But I’m grateful because I have family on both coasts. I don’t think I would have survived Smith without both of my Aunts and my Grandmother but especially Maggie who’s house and guidance and sometimes just her ear has made everything bearable when I thought the world was crashing down around my head.
Oh I suppose I should mention that I learned the rudiments of foil fencing…hopefully I’m going to join the team next semester…poke…
I’m also looking for work over the summer, so if anyone knows a conservator who needs an intern who lives close to me, you should totally talk to me.

Smith is really the perfect place for me. Let me tell you a story about why.
I have an amazing advisor who literally has kept me sane, who also has been really helpful and supportive over the past semester. She’s also a Smithie. She let me take a 2 credit lecture class (on top of the 17 credits I was already taking) called the History and Critical Issues of Museums. This class was run by the Director of the SCMA, one day I was doing some reading for class and discovered that I was really interested in conservation (I already knew this due to a book, which I will not tell you the name of because it was not worth reading, that I had read that summer). I emailed the professor/director and said essentially that I was in her class and that I was wondering if I could come in and talk to her. She emailed me back the next day saying she was available that wed. and that she would love to talk to me. I got buzzed into the back of the museum and she gave me a magazine and sat down and spent a good 45 minutes talking to me about everything from what I was interested in about art to what classes I should be taking to who I should talk to for an advisor for art history as well as for a museum concentration. Then she said I should email this guy, Bill as it turns out, to see if I could come in and see what was going on in the conservation lab. I emailed him, he emailed me back asking me to come in for an interview…it essentially was hi, cool your a first year, when do you want to start…(I found out later its actually a highly selective program). So, in essentially 3 people I was able to start in a program that is the only one of its kind in the U.S. (probably the world, but I only know the U.S. part for sure)

Everything I have wanted to do at Smith, I have been fully supported in. Everyone is more than happy to talk to you and help you with whatever you need. I wouldn’t trade that for anything and from talking to my friends not many schools are like that. So my parting words before I talk about art are….GO SMITH!

Sooooooooooooo, art piece of the day….I found this while I was searching for German hair, in the right century after the lovely Annie corrected me….

Painting Associated with the Artist or the Worshop of Alessandro Allori (1535-1607) Portrait of Dianora di Toledo de’ Medici c 1571

(Note to self, must find out more about him…really cool paintings…here is a link I found http://bjws.blogspot.com/2010/10/portraits-by-alessandro-allori-1535.html)

Painting Associated with the Artist or the Worshop of Alessandro Allori (1535-1607) Portrait of Dianora di Toledo de' Medici c 1571,

Happy 12th night dear reader…

Sorry about the long haitus. School has been very busy and I haven’t had the time to sit down and actually compose a blog but its 11:00 at night and I’m waiting for my movie to finish loading on Netflix (which by the way is an awesome company and you should get an account). So I love it here, its so amazing and it is truly the right place for me. Everyday I am challenged but at the same time I feel very supported here. Overall, I’m doing fantastic here. So as promised here are 101 interesting facts about Smith.

1. I live in the ugliest but prettiest house on campus and yes everytime I walk up to it I think to myself well here is failed Bauhaus
2. On the other hand, my dorm not only set the standard for college dorms everywhere (the dorms at USC are modeled after it) but it is also the only building to win an architectural prize at Smith. It was built by the world’s foremost architects at the time, and the original drawing was much prettier that was until the alumnae got a hold of it
3. Yes, we are called alumnae not alumns
4. Smith actually has male graduates, we have a graduate program that is coed. Its the school of social work
5. Our alumnae are really very cool! The founder of NOW and Ms. Magazine are both Smithies.
6. The hot chocolate here is amazing even if they shut it off at night (its cool when they forget to)
7. In our charter it states that everytime we build a new building on campus it must be done in the current architectural style which explains why on earth we have so many buildings that don’t match architecturally
8. This being said, the campus melds together very nicely and there is something about it that makes it Smith architecture
9. The word heteronormative, if you don’t know it when you get here you will know it by the first month in. Its kind of like a swear word here
10. We tend to be wayyy into being very inclusive to the point where sometimes its a little insane but hey
11. I watch more t.v. here, on my computer, than I do at home. Yay 30 Rock!
12. The reason that Northampton was originally picked to be the town that Smith was located in was because it had a train station, what don’t we have anymore? Yup, that’s right a train station
13. Smith is really lucky because we have a great relationship with the town and we always try to work on that relationship to make it better
14. That being said, you can always tell a Smithie from someone who actually lives in town because we call it Noho and they don’t
15. We also call the people who live in town townies but they really don’t like it, so say it when your not in town
16. There are shortcuts to get into town take them, or walk up the hill, which is what I normally do
17. You must have rainboots!!!! The more colorful they are the better! You should also be able to walk in them because…
18. You do a lot of walking. If you are like me and are already hard on your shoes you will discover around parents weekend that you are in serious need of some new shoes aka you don’t have any shoes to wear
19. The campus likes macs better than pcs which is unfortunate
20. This also means that sometimes the internet does not work…which is very frustrating
21. The Smith bandwidth also is not the best but ITS does its best to help and they are normally great!
22. The online catalogue is YOUR FRIEND, learn how to use it to your advantage
23. If you need to get a book but it is on reserve go pick it up less than three hours before the library closes and you get to keep it over-night!!! (You do have to turn it in when the library opens which is unfortunate)
24. 8 am classes are no fun especially when it is cold outside
25. 9 am classes are also no fun because that is still early
26. IT IS COLD IN THE MORNINGS and our radiators don’t always work the way we would like them to
27. You can trick your radiator by putting cold water on a something like a napkin/paper towel put it in your fridge then tape it over the thermostat and the radiator will go up
28. Fresh air is a really really nice thing! Even when its a little brisk sometimes it just feels good
29. Make friends with the people who have lived in your house/upperclassmen they know all of the tricks (guess who taught me the trick about the thermostat and also how to turn the radiator on)
30. The free box is your friend
31. Set aside time to be with your house and to hang out, especially on weekends. There is a tendency to get super involved with activities which is great, you can literally be busy every weekend. Then you realize, half way through the semester, that you haven’t spent a weekend at home and you haven’t really hung out with your house
32. PICK ONE OR TWO ACTIVITES AT MOST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
33. Brunch is the best meal of the week, don’t skip it!
34. The squirrels here are evil and aggressive, be afraid be very afraid
35. Most of the lecture classes in the evening are lots of fun, you don’t have to take the class (although I recommend it) but just sitting through the lectures is enjoyable
36. The Smith art museum is great and they have a huge collection. Make time to go down there and just walk around even if you aren’t an art person.
37. We have lots of Picassos and Rodins.
38. The first scuplture Smith purchased was a Rodin.
39. We also have a Seurat. Its a study for his masterpiece Sunday Afternoon at the Island of La Grande Jette, its of a woman with her monkey
40. This monkey is thought to perhaps symbolize that she is a prostitute, but its really cute
41. He also didn’t use dots in his study but dashes instead
42. Our museum ranks number two in the U.S. For college museums, we are behind Oberlin but I prefer our museum (having visited both)
43. Our campus was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted who designed Central Park as well
44. He thought it was important to enjoy the journey as much as the destination so none of the paths to anywhere are straight.
45. I thought this was really cool until I was running late for class one morning and it was raining and cold…then it was not so cool
46. I still really enjoy it and even when I don’t have a lot of time and I am frustrated with the paths I think about that philosophy and its a good reminder to take time to enjoy the day
47. Trying something new can be really beneficial. I tried yoga and its been one of the best decisions ever. Take advantage of the Get Fit Smith programs they are free and you don’t have to go to all of them. You can meet really cool people and sometimes you even get benefits.
48. If you are trying to go to Awesome Abs you need to go early to get a mat, just saying
49. Each house thinks they are the coolest, but they all know that it is Ziskind who is amazing
50. People may say its Cutter-Z (the duplex where we live) but really they call it Cutter because you have to cut through Cutter to get to Ziskind
51. Learn the secret paths that are shortcuts to different places
52. Don’t walk by the lake by yourself at night, its not dangerous and I always feel safe, but sometimes its a little creepy
53. Pub Safety is your friend, they can give you directions when its raining outside and you aren’t sure where you are going
54. Allow at least 15 minutes to walk anywhere from Center Campus, it may take ten but you never know
55. Beware the cross walk from the Campus Center to Ziskind, drivers sometimes don’t look or slow down and I almost get run over everyday!
56. Read a little about the college’s architecture, at least your house’s, they all have really interesting stories and can make you think about it in a different light. For instance who would ever have described Ziskind as having soaring windows…not me but someone did..and its pretty cool
57. Lots of people have bikes. You don’t need one, you can get around just fine without them and you can’t use them like Mid-Nov to like Feb or March, but they are fun the rest of the year
58. Josten has lots and lots of music
59. Learn where all of the libraries are…they all have cool views
60. The chairs in Hillyer Art Library are red and spin around! You also have a really cool view onto college hall which is nice but you still get work done
61. People hold doors open for each other…its just how it works
62. The opera “Hamlet” by Thomas has a really cool drinking song in it!

63. Taking a genre of class that you have never taken before can be really enlightening
64. No, you are not allowed to take more than 19 credits. You are also not allowed to take five academic, 4 credit, classes…don’t ask your advisor won’t sign off on it
65. Advisers are good people who make sure that you stay sane, use them
66. We have a really cool blog on campus, Smith’d…fun stuff
67. The archives have a blog as well and its a cool place to get cool, old photos of smith
68. Smith has ghosts…most of them are really nice some are not, others are tragic lovers
69. Two types of styles are majorities here
70. Lots and lots of people wear pearls
71. Then there are hipsters…but don’t call them that
72. The campus is really really blue….politically
73. Being afraid to reach out to people is understandable but you can make friends
74. The apline milk chocolate at the campus center is insanely good!
75. No body wears clothes at Convocation…just accept it
76. Take pictures
77. Playing in leaf piles is as fun as it looks in the movies
78. Friends are really cool people
79. Stock up on sugar…even if you try to deny it
80. The pears here are really good…usually they aren’t ripe yet but if you take them up to your room and wait for like three days you normally have really yummy pears
81. Don’t kill your ivy…give it to a friend who can take care of it
82. Naming your Ivy is not weird
83. Yes, its freaky when there are male voices on your hall…we know, its okay
84. Upperclassmen have good advice and are normally cool people to hang out with
85. Staying up too late is a given, even when you have no homework to do
86. Diva’s can be lots of fun….
87. Henna is really fun to do with your friends
88. Yes, most if not the entire campus has an obsession with True Blood…but NOT Twilight…keep it quiet if you do…jk
89. People use I think a lot
90. Sketch is a word…according to the North Eastern people
91. The weather here is crazy and I don’t understand it…apparently no one does
92. Pet-a-Pet day is sooo much fun, but it makes you miss your dogs
93. Fetish and Immorality are big deals on campus…get there early to get in
94. Making an effort to go the CDO’s events is worthwhile you can find awesome opportunities or cross things off your list. For instance…no secretive service but Christies grad school…def
95. Smith has a really pretty campus and lots and lots of trees that have lots and lots and lots of leaves
96. Yes, I am aware that its hard to figure out what is the fastest way to Seeley Hall
97. Seeley is pronounced C LEE…and its spelled with an S
98. PDNWOGIFAGA means Please do not walk on grass if you are going across…yes it took me a couple of minutes
99. Quad riot is messy…do not get involved unless you want to throw your clothes away
100. Friends are important and having people who you can go just go jump on their beds and then collapse in exhaustion are important
101. Learn to drink tea! Even if it is water with honey

Andy Warhol once said “Weight isn’t important the way the magazines make you think it is. I know a girl who just looks at her face in the medicine cabinet mirror & never looks below her shoulders, & she’s four or five hundred pounds but she doesn’t see all that, she just sees a beautiful face & therefore she thinks she’s a beauty. & therefore I think she’s a beauty, too, because I usually accept people on the basis of their self-images, because their self-images have more to do with the way they think than their objective-images do. Maybe she’s six hundred pounds, who knows. If she doesn’t care, I don’t.”

“…We sometimes misunderstand what leadership really is. We expect it to come from the outside. And so we wait and listen for the sound of some mighty voice coming out of a loud speaker. But real leadership comes from the quiet nudging of an inner voice. It comes from realizing…that the time has come to move beyond preparing to doing.” – Madeline Albright

Image if the U.S. wasn’t a protestant country…but instead Buddhist and Hindu. Imagine what our girl’s self esteem would be like

“Woman was associated with fertility and thus, in turn, with growth, abundance and prosperity. What might seem a paradox to modern minds was not so to the ancient Indians. After all, in the Buddhist and Hindu context, woman was not associated with sin; there was no Eve responsible for the fall of humanity….a widely prevalent ancient belief that by her very touch, woman could cause a tree to blossom or bear fruit…The ashoka tree responded to the touch of a woman’s foot; the piyala to the sound of her singing; the kesara to wine from her mouth. The mango tree, beneath which the Sanchi figure stands, was believed to blossom at the sound of woman’s laughter. The Sanchi figures are generally described as yakshis, or semi-divine nature spirits; howver they could equally be human.”
-Stories in Stone: The Popular Appeal of Early Buddhist Art by Vidya Dehejia

“A discussion between Buddha and Ananda on women Lord, how should we conduct ourselves with women?
Not see them, Ananda.
But if it is necessary to see the, Lord?
Not speak with them.
But what if it is necessary to speak with them, Lord?
Then, Ananda, keep your thoughts tightly controlled.”
— Mahaparinibbana Su

“If you can’t handle me at my worst, you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my best.”
— Marilyn Monroe

des chouttes sont chouttes!!!! -Me and Margaret!

I moved into my dorm last night and yesterday. Its really cute! My parents where nice enough to help me move everything in, too bad they won’t be here when the last 5 BOXES arrive… but on the bright side I think I can handle them, they actually include the last few things I’m missing…like my stuffed animals!

I have to get more posters and something to put on my wall because its just white kinda like the painting in Vermeer’s The Milkmaid

The Milkmaid by Vermeer

Speaking of my bed I really need to find a better solution other than bean bag shoved up against bookshelf somehow i must wedge myself into a corner to sleep and it is just not working for me. Must brainstorm!

Well….that’s about it. I’m going to go clean up a little bit before my lovely roommmate Kathleen moves in today and then I am going to go get my plant…but we will discuss that later…I leave you with pictures of my slightly disorganized dorm *goes off to clean room slightly before taking pictures for you* *attempts to take pictures with lense cap still on*

The first is freedom of speech and expression -- everywhere in the world.

The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way -- everywhere in the world.

The third is freedom from want -- which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants -- everywhere in the world.

The fourth is freedom from fear -- which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor-- anywhere in the world.

Norman Rockwell’s series for the Saturday Evening Post

“Based on this speech by President Roosevelt essentially setting a new foreign policy

In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms.
The first is freedom of speech and expression — everywhere in the world.

The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way — everywhere in the world.

The third is freedom from want — which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants — everywhere in the world.

The fourth is freedom from fear — which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor– anywhere in the world.

That is no vision of a distant millennium. It is a definite basis for a kind of world attainable in our own time and generation. That kind of world is the very antithesis of the so-called new order of tyranny which the dictators seek to create with the crash of a bomb.

To that new order we oppose the greater conception — the moral order. A good society is able to face schemes of world domination and foreign revolutions alike without fear.

Since the beginning of our American history, we have been engaged in change — in a perpetual peaceful revolution — a revolution which goes on steadily, quietly adjusting itself to changing conditions — without the concentration camp or the quick-lime in the ditch. The world order which we seek is the cooperation of free countries, working together in a friendly, civilized society.

This nation has placed its destiny in the hands and heads and hearts of its millions of free men and women; and its faith in freedom under the guidance of God. Freedom means the supremacy of human rights everywhere. Our support goes to those who struggle to gain those rights or keep them. Our strength is our unity of purpose.

To that high concept there can be no end save victory.”

Some might remember my previous post where I talked about carvaggio, you can see it at my blog entry http://lizwroth.wordpress.com/2010/03/09/a-new-tradition-culture-and-art/ Anywho, apparently it has been sitting in a Jesuit church for the past who knows how long. They only recently got around to cleaning it, and there was a HUGE announcement about it. They saved it till the 400th anniversary of his death, and only recently did they reveal it.

Martyrdom of St. Lawrence

It was a huge announcement and they heralded it as an undiscovered Carvaggio. There have been so few new masterpieces that this was big news. However, when they finally unveiled it on Monday, the Vatican (who has been heading this entire operation) announced that it appears very unlikely that it is actually a Carvaggio. So sorry folks, no new Carvaggio for us. Kinda disappointing. There are going to be more tests run, but it is very unlikely. I’m going on record now and saying that I don’t think it is a Carvaggio. Its gorgeous to be sure but it doesn’t look like him. It looks like someone from his school. But you can read about it here http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100727/ap_on_en_ot/eu_italy_not_a_caravaggio_7
Anywho there was also another piece that was found and I have to admit I’m going to smack my dear friend Christopher Logan! Yale found a Velasquez sitting in the basement of their art museum. Sigh, these poor paintings sitting uncleaned and unprotected. I am very unhappy about this, but I’m glad they found it!

So that is the latest blog news in my world. I’m packing for college lately and that has been lots of fun. I’ve also started a new sewing project but more about that in a later entry.

On some sadder news the cafe at the art museum closed and they are now looking for a new company. They are hoping to have it reopened by early September. But I loved that cafe! This also brings me to another reason I picked Smith, I LOOOOOOOOOOOOVEEEEEEE their art museum, its amazing. It will take another blog. Maybe I will start an art-a-day blog that talks about the different art pieces in the museum. Well that is it for today. Like I said short and light. Have a good week everyone!

So as most of you know, and if you don’t know you haven’t been paying attention, I’ll be attending Smith College in the fall. (Yes, I am very excited) One of the biggest questions I get asked is why I picked an all woman’s school. I have to admit that I never thought that I would be attending one, it always seemed so counter to what I am. I’m pretty tomboyish, one of my best friends is a guy and I like to do guy things. I ended up applying to a lot of all woman’s schools not because they were that way but because I liked the schools. Yet, the more I learn about the benefits of an all woman’s education the more I think that every girl should be forced to do it. It empowers them and gives them self confidence that is not found elsewhere. Don’t get me wrong, there are lots of places that empower woman that are coed but schools like Smith, Barnard, Wellesley and Mount Holyoke (to name just a few) (If you are interested in more look up the seven sisters) have got this down to an art. The schools are tailored to the needs of the modern day woman and well personally I think that it is important for every girl to feel good and confident about herself. As you can guess in the community I am quickly falling in love with there is a lot of talk about woman’s rights and all that jazz and this brings me to another story about myself, well two really.

The Seven Sister Colleges: created at a time when an ivy league education wasn’t open to women. The schools in the order that their picture loaded when I was googling (look spell check says I made up another word…see the rest of the post for the first one) them

Vassar College

Mt. Holyoke College

Barnard College (which is semi-attached to Columbia University)

My darling Smith College, whom I love very much

Wellesley College

Bryn Mawr College

Radcliffe College which has since been absorbed by Harvard University

P.S. If you click on the photos they link you to the school’s websites (or in the case of Radcliffe to Harvard’s site)

When I was little my idol was Queen Elizabeth I in fact for years I used to tell people I was named after her (which I’m not btw, I’m named after my Aunt, Mary Elizabeth Wroth. She’s an amazing woman, a police officer and she used to train drug dogs which is totally awesome. Anywho she’s a big role model for me but back to the point.) Elizabeth always represented a woman ahead of her time who represented a strong, and powerful woman. A lot of girls in the Smith community really love her as well. My mother and father never wanted me to be a weak little girl and they never limited what I did because of my sex (for instance I used to play with bugs as a child…gross I know but hey) so Elizabeth was good role model because she certainly didn’t let her sex stop her. But as a little girl I refused to wear anything but dresses. Just wouldn’t do it, buy me all the clothes and pants you wanted but it wouldn’t happen. Then I entered a new period, a period I am still recovering from. I turned into the ultimate tomboy. I refused to wear dresses (I still don’t like too) and I hated pink (still do) I pushed away (quite forcefully I might add) from everything that was, what I viewed as, forced onto girls because they were girls. You might call it my ummm rebellious stage. Still to this day I idolize strong women who broke barriers. I mean come on, my bonsai trees name is Belva Lockwood (first woman to argue a case before the supreme court) and my sage plant is name Sandra (after Sandra Day O’Connor, if you don’t know who she is shame on you, go look it up). I have never backed down because of my sex and I don’t plan on ever doing that.

A few years ago this company came out with this design called running skirts . I was not a happy camper (well that’s putting it lightly). I remember going into one of my ummm ‘monologues’ and complaining how they were sexualizing (spell check is telling me I just made that word up but I don’t believe it) women and setting back woman’s rights the usual rant. Well, every year Disneyland holds their annual half marathon/5k I was at the expo picking up my registration the day before and I ran across their booth. Well my mother being who she is (love you mom) she convinced me to try one on and because they are a small company (what can I say, I’m a total sucker for those start up companies) I bought one and I wore it the next day. Well, I’ll spare you the details but in the end I came to a realization.

In the feminist movement their were/are two warring factions who do not like each other. The militants reject everything that is feminine feminists and the well they have a couple of names lipstick/stilleto/skirt feminists…i like the first two myself. Both of these groups have their place in the movement, although I sometimes wish they would get along better. This is the realization that I came to and I guess groups me with one of them. Feminism is not about rejecting everything that you feel has been pushed onto you because of your sex but about feeling empowered and confident in your skin. It is about being able to stand up for yourself and against others who discount your opinion because your a female. I like the way the skirt made me look, I liked the swish that it made as I totally whipped past this guy at the finish, and thank you very much I like the way I look in a short skirt/dress and high heels. I’m okay with my sexuality in fact I like it, and when I dress up its not too look good for the guys, its to look good for myself and be confident in the way I look. Same thing goes for makeup, although I do find it frustrating and not worth the time most of the time.

That being said I think today’s media has tainted young girls and over sexualized them. It upsets me. Its not just men that are doing it, its women too. Its companies setting standards that young girls can never achieve because they aren’t actually real, its vanity sizing, its airbrushing, its putting unrealistic weak-assed women on T.V. and calling them beautiful and telling girls that this is ‘hot’. It drives me INSANE!!! Take a look at these two videos put out by Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty (they have their issues but I’m ignoring that right now)

This one first

then this one…don’t blink

It scared the crap out of me the other night when two twelve year old girls who I adore started singing California Gurls by Katy Perry. Now I will admit that I like the song but I understand that it is a) unrealistic and not healthy for girls who don’t understand that what she is saying is not what we want women to be and b) over sexualized just like everything in this world. It greatly disturbs me that they were singing this song, they don’t get the meaning but that’s even worse.

I’ve been doing a lot of reading about Islamic countries lately and women’s roles there. The woman cover themselves, we know this. Head coverings, face coverings, body coverings. A lot of westerners take issue with this and I can see why. Coming from a Western upbringing we see it as men forcing themselves upon women and oppressing them. We want all woman to be ‘liberated’ and free to make their own decisions and what not. This is a good idea, in fact its a great one. Educate everyone, down to the last little girl. (Don’t go off on me about the West saving everyone that’s not what I’m saying at all) Teach people to respect and love each other, to fight against their oppressors and to seek their human rights. Teach every little girl that she is worth just as much as any little boy, and teach the little boy that he is worth just as much as any little girl. Teach every girl that she is truly beautiful and special and deserves an education, plz do this. But when people get up in arms about the woman covering themselves think about this. The Church of Latter Day Saints encourages modesty. My friend is LDS and she doesn’t wear things that don’t cover her shoulders. This isn’t oppression, for her it is modesty. I don’t walk around in a bikini all the time, granted I’ve been known to hang around the house in shorts and a sports bra but I put a shirt on when I go outside and even if I’m running and I take the shirt off I put it back on, its modesty. I don’t advertise myself like a street walker (that’s another blog entry). For these women their coverings are modesty issues and that my friend is a-okay with me. In fact, I think they are truly beautiful. I love to look at the different patterns and the trim and what not, I love them. I’m thinking of buying some just because I like them. Yup, yup.

So I guess my point would be this. Next time you get up in arms about the oppression these women face. Think twice. Some of these women are forced to wear them, but for many of them its their culture and their choice. Instead of getting righteously indignant about that, get mad about nine year olds forced to marry twenty years olds in Yemen or something like that (that story to follow in my next blog entry). My other point is, next time you see a little girl tell her that she is and will always be a beautiful and powerful woman who can accomplish anything she sets her mind to. Tell her that you will always believe in her and push her and help her strive to accomplish her goals. And that my friends, is why I am going to an all woman’s college. I want to make a difference in the world for little girls and help them learn the lessons that I have been so fortunate to learn.

Here are my essays from Smith with their prompts, sums up my feelings.

When Smith College was founded in 1871, there were few educational opportunities for women. Is a women’s college still relevant in 2009? (Limit response to 150 words)

When Madeleine Albright became the first woman Secretary of State, she received a pin containing glass shards: she had broken ‘the glass ceiling.’ In that pin is the reason that a women’s college is still relevant in 2009. Despite many broken ceilings in the past 138 years, men still make more money than women, women are still under-represented in the workplace, and out of 44 U.S. presidents none are women. If a woman is to break that last glass ceiling and become President, if women are to achieve substantial gains in equality in my generation, the proven benefits of an all-women’s education are still relevant this year and for many years to come.

How did you first learn of Smith College and why are you applying? (Limit response to 100 words.)

As a young woman interested in pursuing politics, Smith is the most compelling school on the map, from the cutting edge academics to the education focused on promoting women’s education and success. At Smith, I met women who were passionate, intelligent and strong without exception, who possessed that ‘special
something’ I can only identify as how I want to be. Smith fosters an environment in which diverse, articulate, smart, and competitive women can be themselves without apology.

P.S. Happy Birthday to my Uncle David and to my favorite country on earth and as Mark Twain once said “Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.”

Mooowhahaha Henrytian (sic)

Princess Elizabeth I

So, this is actually art but I’m posting it because I LOVE THE CLOTHING.

Anywho, I have lusted after this dress for yeeeeeeearrrrrrs! When I was little I was completely and utterly obsessed with Elizabeth I. What can I say, I thought I was named after her, and one thing my parents did not do was raise some weak little girl. I liked Princesses but hey my Princesses kicked butt! (Spanish butt that is). Anywho what I love about this piece is her outfit, for as long as I could remember I’ve wanted that dress. So pretty so red, so befitting a future queen.

So back to blogging.

Life is going pretty well. I’ve really been enjoying just relaxing and not having to do anything at all. Since the show ended, which by the way went really well, I’ve been relaxing at home and reading quite a bit. So far I have read 3 books I think. The book that is required reading for Smith students, its called Half the Sky by Kristof and WuDunn. The book was interesting and informative but I had a lot of problems with it. 3) So, a couple of years ago (well last year). I took a course at Brown University’s Summer Leadership Seminar. We focused on mainly U.S. issues but also discussed issues similar to the ones discussed in Kristof’s book. One of the things that really gets me, and it may just be me, was mentioned above. The discussions of the organizations were somewhat one sided and, I felt, failed to discuss the downsides that each of these ‘solutions’ (for lack of a better term) held.

Half the Sky by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn

They fell into their own trap of being very selective about what they tell, picking small portions of the total data and drawing conclusions from this condensed form of data.

I truly enjoyed and took away quite a bit from the discussion of, how did he put it, tree top and root aid projects. Well anyway the grand national aid projects and the individual aid efforts. I thought that this particular section, while a bit convoluted, provided a somewhat more balanced view point but also succeeded in pointing out the good and the bad parts of both approaches. Although, I will note that he glided over the pitfalls of small aid projects.

I also finished rereading Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson. This guy is really amazing he goes around in Pakistan and Afganistan and builds schools for everyone. The people love him and he has done and continues to do a lot of work.

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

The other book I finally finished is Making the Mummies Dance which was really fantastic!!!! I loved it.

Making the Mummies Dance by Thomas Hoving

So anywho, I’ve mostly been getting ready for college. Looking at classes. I’ve got too many picked out…sigh. We are only allowed to take four classes, one of which must be a Freshman Seminar. So i’m thinking the FS, a gov. class, an economics class, and an art history class. But wait…I need to have french and also a stats class…so yes there we go there is a slight problem. At any rate that is my life right now pretty chill and I’m really enjoying just relaxing.

But other than that life is pretty chill. Oh I’ve really become interested in Islam and also I really want to become really good at some form of martial art. Ya well that’s my life right now. Short entry.

Oh interesting tidbit before I go. The book was named Half the Sky. Its named after a quote by Chairman Mao that said “Women hold up the sky.” One of the things that communism had going for it was the fact that it treated men and women fairly equally. So Mao put approx. 80% of the women to work. That’s one of the reasons that China has sped so quickly ahead in terms of economics.