I flew from JFK to Hell or Heathrow and my bag didn’t end up with me.  Its stuck in London!!! I sat on the runway at JFK for two hours extra.  I had a three hour layover which is the minimum you need to deal with the labyrinth that is Hell or Heathrow.  Instead I got an hour!  Wooo! Of course the airline I was on only has one plane a day to my destination, so I get it tomorrow by like 2 pm.

LESSON LEARNED! When traveling internationally (or anywhere) by plane, carry a change of clothes with you!

This from a girl who carries her toothbrush, toothpaste (less than 2.0 oz please I know my stuff!), a change of shirt and underwear but no pants or anything else that can constitute a whole new outfit.  Because after flying for 12 hours, who wants to hang out in their travel grub (black stretch pants or “lounge pants” and a shirt that looks like a nightgown)??? Also I looked like a lunatic running across Heathrow, bag in hand, laptop in hand, passport and ticket under my arm, and oh yeah my sweater in the other. I was so frazzled by the time I got to my gate, after being screened for security twice, being told I could only have one carry on bag on the plane meaning I had to squeeze my purse into my tote bag, that I wans’t so concerned about my appearance.

But now I am.  I went out and bought some French clothes in a mall that had Gucci, Burberry etc but I went for the way cheaper option…Etam! Thank God for that store…seriously.  I’d either be sitting in my room in a robe or wandering around in a weird leopard print Gucci outfit with no money because I spent it all.

OK I’m rambling and tired!

Call me an ole tv watching sap, but I’m sad the Gilmore Girls is over. It was one of my favorite tv shows ever. And considering my tv watching consists on a diet of CNN, some Sex and the City reruns, and Grey’s Anatomy that means a lot.

I thought this season was sucky compared to the last few mostly because the awesome writers left. But the last show was an appropriate way to tie up both Rory and Loralei’s futures and I’m glad it all came together. I was definitely choked up whenever Richard and Emily were on. I’m a sap!

So just for kicks here’s a video…

Oh and I’ll be gone for a week, so expect less posts. I don’t know who I’m writing to or for exactly beside my awesome friends.

love, ms. rose

Clearly they’re trying to soften her image but the video does remind me of her earlier work.

This is an awesome guide by Christine Stansell (who wrote one of my favorite books, City of Women) to books about the history of abortion in the US, a subject I’ve written and presented on.

This past Sunday’s Modern Love (NYTimes) was particularly touching.

Suddenly Spock has a soft spot for the social acceptance of obese women.

And unfortunately fewer women are getting mammograms.

Is It the Woman Thing, or Is It Katie Couric? Oh no her ratings are down!

After Substitute shows “Brokeback in class,” Family of girl, 12, sues

The girl, Jessica Turner, and her grandparents Kenneth and LaVerne Richardson, are seeking more than $400,000 in damages under the suit filed Friday against the Chicago Board of Education and others.The suit claims Jessica continues to suffer from emotional distress caused by watching the film and is currently undergoing psychological treatment and counseling.

Oh dear. I have two thoughts here. The teacher should have realized the possible consequences of showing a film like this in school. Or the parents of the girl should chill out and chalk it up to a mistake, settle for the dismissal of the substitute teacher etc.

BUT I am liberal and I know they are trying to set a precedent.

Will Ferrell doing Jeopardy on SNL.

I LOVE these!

I love, love keep tracking of books I read, so I decided to keep track of it here as well.

Books I’m reading now…I must admit I’m on a religion kick.

Fire From Heaven: The Rise of Pentecostal Spirituality and the Reshaping of Religion in the 21st Century

AND

Isn’t One Wife Enough?

What’s up next…

The Story of American Methodism: A History of the United Methodists and Their Relations

Maybe I’ll figure out why this…

is their logo….!

This is–oh–a month late but what can you do…

Our trip to Paris

April 14

MY husband and I arrive in the city of lights and promptly collapse in our Montmarte hotel after wondering the Tulleries for a few hours.

That night we went out for dinner and split this amazing creme brulee.

YUMMY! 

Then we went by Notre Dame

and took a trip to the famous Shakespeare & Company bookstore 

April 15

We took a stroll to the Eiffel Tower and took some pictures from a bridge.

We also went to the  Musee d’Art moderne de la ville de Paris which I highly recommend not only because I’m a huge modern art fan but it was free. We didn’t know that until we got there.

April 16

We found ourselves at the Musee Picasso but the best part of the day was finding the perfect little cafe hidden away on a small street.

April 17

We found our way to the Musee Marmottan Monet which has the largest collections of Monet paintings.  I’m surprised I had never heard of this museum before considering I’ve been to Paris several times and it has the works of such a famous painter.

I also learned about two famous impressionist female painters, Berthe Marisot.  I don’t know much about this period of art or female artists, so I was pleasantly surprised to learn so much.
April 18 

We took  a day trip to the beautiful medieval city of Chartres.  Having been to several cathedrals from the middles ages, I have to admit this was one of the most well-preserved ones.  In addition, I also felt as though I was in a very spiritual place not a feeling I’ve gotten when i have visited other famous cathedrals.

Inside the Cathedral

Later I went to the stained glass museum there which was absolutely breathtaking.  I was the only one in the museum for a long time.

Stain glass from the cathedral

April 19

The husband went to the Musee d’Orsay and I went shopping!

We also went to see the film Shooter in french.  That movie deserves a whole other post.

We found ourselves back around the Eiffel Tower that night.

April 20

We spent our last day at the Musee Rodin….THINKING! Muhahahah.

April 21 

We returned home to New York.

Punishing the woman for her abortion. Television helps determine how gender roles are portrayed in culture and vice verse. It’s a subject I’m particularly interested in regarding women and feminism. Abortion is a controversial issue that sparks debate and strong feelings. When it’s depicted on TV, all sorts of feelings fly. These feelings usually don’t sit along the seemingly rigid lines of pro-choice and pro-life.

Unfortunately storylines that feature abortions are portrayed in black and white ways. One storyline that is recycled concerning abortion is that women who have them are continually punished for having the procedure. Women who have abortions often find out they are sterile after having the procedure.

This pattern was revisited on last week’s Grey’s Anatomy when the character Addison discovered she couldn’t have children after a trip to a fertility clinic. It was revealed earlier this season that she aborted a pregnancy that the result of her relationship with an unreliable womanizer.

When another character on the same show, Christina, considered an abortion, she ended up having a tubal pregnancy that cost her one of her fallopian tubes and her chance to become pregnant in the future. Grey’s Anatomy is sending a mixed message to its viewers. It seems to unapologetically feature women who are not afraid to show their sexual sides yet when the consequences of sex are brought up, characters are permanently scarred.

Exploring a woman’s decision to choose is a realistic scenario, yet by not showing that a woman is unable to become pregnant after an abortion is medically unrealistic. Funny for a show about medicine but then again Grey’s Anatomy is known for its sex and drama NOT its accurate portrayal of the medical world.

from the pro-abstinence crowd aptly titled Saying I love you without having sex.
Here are some of their suggestions:

• Go for a walk or a jog
• Visit parks, museums, zoos, historical sites
• Limit physical signs of affection
• Have a debate about something you don’t see eye to eye on
• Discuss each other’s values

I think these ideas will be very, very helpful for kids to try and avoid sex.

I’m NOT being sarcastic at ALL.

NO NOT AT ALL.