Thinx

Marina told me about these period panties and I am blown the fug away. They are incredible and kinda life changing. When she first mentioned ordering period undies my heart sort of crumpled for her. I imagined this mega-hot-hot-hottie cousin of mine who is basically my sister and my other half, feeling reduced to wearing gi-wombous adult diapery underwear because her BC has her cycle all out of whack. But I was supportive and told her that it sounds like a great idea. In truth, the thought of her having to squeak around NYC wearing a friggin' diaper was just s-a-d, sad. Then she sent me a video of what the Thinx panties actually look like, followed by a snapshot of her sexy behind in the cheeky pair. Unbelievable - both how gorgeous her arse is and the fab product she discovered. I have been spreading the word to every female I know (who are currently menstruating - sorry all you post-menopausal and pre-menarch gals) about this revolutionary creation. Marina forwarded a link, which I clicked on to receive ten bucks off my first order and $50.10 later I have two pairs of seriously cute undies heading my way. Late November, get ready, cause I'll be testing out some period panties. Be sure to check back because I will more than likely do a follow up post on 'em after I give them a whirl.

(wait, does that gal actually have thighs like real women have??!)

(holy cannoli - do those ladies have stretch marks?? i am so in love with this company already!)

By the way, just to let you know how totally and completely rad Thinx is, they have super cute boyshort undies for transmen (or ladies that like boyshorts). I love, love, love how inclusive the world is slowly becoming toward the transgender community. It's not perfect and it may get worse if this lovely country of ours elects a hateful, hateful man as our leader. But for now, I am happy that progress is being made because every little bit counts towards equality for all. Oh, and the article they had on period sex was beyond fabulous. Taboo, schmaboo - period sex is bad ass and that's all there is to it.

The Lunchboxes

So after thirteen years I decided to donate my lunchboxes (well, not the Goonies or ABC ones) and change up my kitchen a bit. Fear not, those Pez dispensers have been cleaned and set aside for future use, as well as that skinny San Fran shot glass and good ole Checkmate's Borders cup.

The Gift of Fear

I had put this book in my Amazon cart a few times only to remove it later, thinking, "I'll prolly never read this..." Then I heard/read something Amy Poehler said where she referenced Gavin de Becker's book The Gift of Fear. Specifically when he said, "At core, men are afraid women will laugh at them, while at core, women are afraid men will kill them." I immediately went back to the 'zon and ordered a copy. It arrived two days later and I got as far as page six, closed it, went back to Amazon and ordered three more copies for three nieces. Isabella is seventeen and leaving for college next year, Sydney and Kayla are both sixteen; all three are happy and sweet and kind and I don't want that to change. I want them to be safe and confident and bend to no one's will. I am sitting each of them down and telling them that they must read the book - it is not a choice! - and we will go over it. They are to consider it an Autumnal book report.

I'm not far into the book, but I have been underlining and bracketing and starring something on nearly every page. The thing that stood out and earned an arrow and huge exclamation point was "'No' is a word that must never be negotiated, because the person who chooses not to hear it is trying to control you...If you let someone talk you out of the word 'no,' you might as well wear a sign that reads, 'You are in charge.'...'no' is a complete sentence." These are all things that women inherently know, but reading them and being told by a man that your "no" is valid and should be accepted and respected was just so comforting. I know I'm coming to The Gift of Fear like twenty years late, but it's at the right time for me and I'm so grateful to Gavin de Becker for this remarkable book.

Taking a Spin

Only had a few hours with Ashlee this past Saturday and since Bailey was under the weather we just drove around. It was so nice to talk in person about all the every day things that we think and feel. The bonus was dropping her off and seeing MJ. Twice in the span of a week. Result!

Happiness is...

...a fridge FULL of yum-yum-yumminess in the form of TONS of fab veggies. Plus chocolate coconut milk for dessert...

October Flicks

- Punk Attitude - This started out with potential but good lord was it painfully dull. I did manage to jot down a few bands to check out but crikey, I couldn't wait for it to end.

- Me Earl and the Dying Girl

- The Irish Pub - An interesting doc about, you guessed it, fab Irish Pubs. My fave part was the bar owner that said, "Unfortunately, I can't sing because God takes something away from everyone, other wise I would be perfect." Adorable. I made a note of Mulligan's Pub on Poolbeg in Dublin and will try to go in December, if I'm feeling brave. If not, then definitely with Bella in April!

- Equals - I feel like films depicting the future are all far too alike. The premise for  Equals reminded me of Equilibrium but I went in with an open mind. Made it about fifty minutes in and gave up. I was bored senseless. Just not my kinda movie I guess. 

- Hello My Name Is Doris - This was such a feel good movie until about a half hour before it ended. Why is it that every film that centers around a quirky girl has to have a humiliation scene? Why couldn't Doris get the guy? Or realise he wasn't right for her and get him back together with the girl that was right for him? It just ruined the whole damn film. However, I was left completely awestruck by Sally Field. I mean, yeah, she's always good - exceptionally good, but this was a gorgeous character for her to portray and I was absorbed by her performance.

- 84 Charing Cross Road - I originally saw this film, my god, what? like 2008ish? I believe it was back when everyone referred to Streaming as Netflix Instant (a habit I can't seem to break and will soon place me in the role as old fuddy duddy spinster auntie). It was probably recommended to me after I gave Garbo Talks four stars, since Anne Bancroft stars in both. For those not in the know, it's about a woman's love affair with English literature that hooks her up with a shop in London that sells and sends her impossible-to-get-books. The correspondence between Helene and Frank Doel of Marks and Co. begins in 1949 and continues until 1969. I watched it and rewatched it, then watched it again and again until finally I bought the film and Helene Hanff's book 84, Charing Cross Road along with Duchess of Bloomsbury Street, Q's Legacy, Underfoot in Show Business, Apple of My Eye, Letter from New York and tore through each one of them. I have actually finished reading 84 and then gone back to the first page and read it all over again. The film version is sublime and if I had read the book before seeing the film I don't doubt for a second that I would have been so relieved that they stayed true to the story. It is one of my favourite films and one of my favourite books as well.

- Noises Off! - Jenifer introduced this flick to me years ago and I absolutely love, love, love it. Oh my god, the cast is fantastic and it is fast paced, silly, clever, slapstick, and screwball all rolled into one. One time I texted Jen "You know how stupid I am about doors..." and she told me the next day that she HOWLED (as only Jenny Peoples could) laughing in the middle of Target when she read it. Christopher Reeve was the standout for me because he was SO god damn funny, and so was Denholm Elliott. I had only ever seen him in serious, proper films and he was a delight as the lovable drunken scamp.

- The Final Girls - I'm sorry, but that Alexander Ludwig is simply too cute for words. This film was just as fun the second go around. It was my only spooky movie for the month, although when things got super dull at work, I replayed The Exorcist in my mind just to not fall asleep. Oh, it was the extended cut, by the way.

- A Royal Night Out - Clearly I picked this lil' film for Bel Powley. I love her as though she were a newborn kitten. She is at that level of perfection and cuteness. And I don't even like cats. Anyway, I really enjoyed this! The music put me in mind of Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day and both scores were composed by Paul Englishby. Anytime I thought that the hi-jinx of Elizabeth and Margaret would bring them towards danger, the music reminded me, "this film is for fun! No one is going to ever get hurt, so sit back and soak in the feel-goodery!" I did and thoroughly liked the taking of an actual event - VE Day and the Princesses going out to mingle with the crowds and all the excitement of the end of WWII - but putting a spin on it. It was an ideal platform for mayhem, silliness, and a dash of romance. A truly great idea that was a fine end to my month of so few films.

Baldwin's with Jax!

Yesterday afternoon I picked up my man, Jackson, and off we went to Baldwin's Book Barn. He got to hang out with Steve Burns on the ride there - they totally bonded, by the way - he ate tons of Pez from his Star Wars Death Star Pez dispenser, plus honey crisp apples and yum yum cashews. Then we arrived and wandered around for a while, til it was time to "ske-daddle" as Jackson said. He picked up a book, a little yellow book, just his size and decided it was his favourite and he really, really wanted it. So I got it and we're gonna leave it in Roark so whenever Jackson goes for a ride with me he will have a book to read. See below for the title.

The highlight for me was when Jax got up from a rocking chair on the 4th floor and was slightly perplexed that it was still moving. I convinced him it was a ghost and when he discovered another rocker on another floor that did the same thing he said, "Aunt Lisa, it's totally haunted." Then he had me in stitches when he snuck slowly around a book case and whispered, "my precious" like he was Gollum. Oh my lord, it was so freakin' cute I couldn't help but bust out laughing. After Baldwin's we hit Panera for grub and chit chat and then sadly, I had to drop him off back home. I'm already checking my calendar to see when we can hang out again. He's so easy-breezy and fun to be with that it doesn't feel like a chore to take care of him for the day. It's like hanging out with a super dooper close pal.