Thursday 13 #32!

With it being women's history month and Zandia coming out in paperback I have women on my mind. Here are 13 that I think about in no particular order.

1. Athena. Zeus had a headache and took an ax to it to relieve the pain and out came his daughter [Metis - knowledge or wisdom - was her mother]. She's the Goddess of Warfare and Wisdom [amongst other things] and I think the mixture is intriguing.

2. Mae West. She was sassy and smart, sexy and sweet, strong and successful.

3. Amelia Earhart. She showed there was nothing wrong with being adventurous.

4. Judy Blume. She is an author who ignores the nay-sayers and writes what kids want and need to read.

5. Audrey Hepburn. She is a person who suffered much through life and yet thought how she could use her success to help others.

6. Edith Head. She inspired me to be a designer and while I didn't go on with this she still is in my mind showing me new ways to push boundaries.

7. Helen Keller. She excelled despite it all.

8. Laura Ingalls Wilder. She wrote a series of books that I loved and took away from it that everything was possible.

9. Rosa Parks. She showed such incredible strength in the face of adversity and kept her dignity in a world of hatred.

10. My Grammy. She was a writer and painter who taught me to never stop learning. I loved that she was started doing aquatic aerobics in her late eighties.

11. My Mom. She installed in us confidence in being ourselves and reaching out for our dreams.

12. My sister. She's a mother of four and each one of her kids, 3 girls and 1 boy, and they are all incredible, can't wait to see what happens for them.

13. Sui Erom from Zandia. When faced with a future that didn't suit her, she left but eventually returns to help makes changes for all women.

What woman influenced you or you think about that gives you a good vibe?

Naughty Thought for Monday

Says it all really!

Thursday 13 - #19!

Okay, here is a bit about how my mind sometimes works.

My most recent release, “Zandia”, is about a woman who can’t find a productive life on her home planet so she leaves. Her world is shaken up when she meets the perfect man for her, only he seems to offer everything she hated about her home planet. This week I recieved a fabulous review [JERR gave it a 5 stars and O-grasmic heat :-)] and realized the book was getting some great ones that used such snippets as “a kick ass story” and “alien feminists can enjoy their sexuality”. At the same time, I have just finished the Comment for a Cure challenge, thinking about what to do for October - it being Breast Cancer Awareness month - and my mind was obviously focused on women and the challenges they face - hence this weeks Thursday 13.

In 1985 Nairobi, Kenya hosted a conference to formulate strategies for advancing women’s rights. In 1995, Beijing, China followed this up with a “plan of action”. And in 2000, the United Nations hosted a conference to see what type of progress was being made.

The subjects on the table included, but not limited to, were: reproductive rights, abduction of girls, poverty and economy, education, health, and violence. How did they do? In fifteen years, eight out of 188 member states had made any progress. Seven of the eight were developed nations. In my opinion, that is a pretty piss poor showing. Here are 13 places you can go and do something productive, and some will cost you nothing but time:

1. Susan G. Komen Foundation

2. Click to Give at The Breast Cancer site - personally, I visit this site every morning before I start on my emails.

3. Kiva

4. Women for Women

5. Care

6. Camfed

7. Habitat for Humanity

8. Alpha Project

9. One

10. Family to Family

11. Women Against Abuse

12. Second Harvest

13. Gifts in Kind

Think local! Open your phone book and find the local Women’s Shelter, see what they need, it could be socks, shampoo, movies for the kids they bring with them, or your time. With all the travel we do, the cutie and I keep the bags they give you on airplanes and the little bottles in hotels then give those to our local shelter - there’s a comb, toothbrush and tooth paste, mouthwash, lotion, shampoo, soap, socks, pen and pad of paper in a small bag for when they arrive. Go through your closet and all those things you aren't wearing anymore that are in good condition, donate them to Dress for Success, or another group like it. Don’t forget your local food bank - with the holidays coming, this could make someones day. There’s loads of things to do for someone who, at the moment, needs a little help to get back on their feet.

Please note I’m not giving personal endorsements to any specific charity - always check out GIVE.org before giving.

Go Disney!

Disney has announced the first black princess will star in "The Frog Princess", to be released in 2009. The setting, New Orleans :-)



And, to top it all off, Maddy will also be a part of the animated princess collection at the various theme parks and retail products.

Let's Celebrate!

It's International Women's Day!

First Female as Acting Head of State: from December 1917 through March 1918, Yevheniya Bohdanivna Bosh, was Acting Head of Executive Power, Ukraine

First Female President: 1940-44, Khertek Amyrbitovna, was Head of State Khertek Anchimaa-Toka, People's Republic of Tannu Tuva

As of today, there are four reigning Queens/Empresses, six Governor Generals, five Chiefs of Governments of External Territories, and Moçambique, Germany, Jamaica, Latvia, Finland, The Philippines, Liberia, Chile, Switzerland, Israel, and up to yesterday, South Korea, all have a female President or Prime Minister!

Is the US ready for a female president?