Feminine Differential – Complexity

Chico’s Carmela Cape Pullover

When getting dressed I am sure that women get used to the complexity of it all.  Maybe it is related to the variety or just plain fashion, however many of the items are complex.  One of the best example is the bra. Have you mastered the back closure?  I admit that i have not.  I use the "hook and spin." method.  I put it on backwards, hook the closure in front then spin it around. There I have admitted to my own feminine incompetence. I guess cheating is the front closure.  

Just in case you were thinking there were only two methods, do read Tomima's Lingerie and Underwear Expertise blog for hints and a third method. Yes, three.  

The reason I though of this is I purchased the Chico’s Carmela Cape Pullover. It is just a adorable as photographed shows.  I love it and it will get used for those cool on the patio South Florida dinners. It looks like there is a wool scarf looping around your neck and going down the back.  The back part is attached and gives the back a layered look.  The scarf you will not leave behind. Sound simple, right?

Out of the shipping bag it came and the back loop part, fell behind.  Now, I am an engineer and try as I might, I could not figure how to put it on.   I could not find the arm holds, of which there are none on the top part. How do you get the back part over your head after you have put shell on?  Where are the instructions?  Looks simple in the photo, right? Not……

Finally, I put it on a hanger, brought the top/scarf over to it's proper place and then kind of backed in from under the hanger. Are you laughing yet?
So do you have anything like that?  Don’t get me started on my pair of bib style jeans. Buttons on both sides to just get access to the zipper. How do you do back zipper dresses or back button tops?  Side zip pant are fun and require twisting and has anyone ever tried the old style "back zip pants".  I remember my mother having those.  

Tell us about your most complicated feminine item?  

Musings from the Mutual Admiration Society

Last week in Montreal, I planned ahead to meet friends. Joanna is beautiful and a fellow blogger/prolific writer that post every day. If you are not already reading Joanna's blog let me introduce you to her blog “Musing from My Everyday Life…”.   The subjects are always relevant and thought-provoking.  Of all the blogs I read, her blog is the one that I read while having my morning tea. I need to be awake and fully conscious. There is no question that Joanna thinks deeply and her research and intelligence is unmistakable.  

She is a self described "relatively content transgender person" like myself.  

Her writings are like a fine meal of several courses. No fast food here and the wow factor typically kicks in at about the second paragraph. If you are not reading Joanna’s blog on a daily basis – do.  You will learn positive point about being transgender and will learn about the world according to Joanna.  You will come away better informed and inspired.  

We had dinner on Valentine's day at a very busy upscale Montreal restaurant and were told that we only had an hour and a half – A busy night. About 10 minutes into the conversation I knew that was not going to be enough time. We ate, talked, laughed, and shared. After dinner and out of our allotted time, we moved to a nearby Starbucks to continue. 


Absolutely amazing as to how much we had in common, especially on coming to accept our transgender nature. Transgender acceptance as we all know has stages starting from denial/rejection,  proceeding to depression/despair and finally ending up with acceptance. Rare few of us come to celebrate the woman within; Joanna is just such the woman. 

Read and learn from Joanna’s writings. She has much to offer and I so valued the time we spend together talking. We actually had another dinner later in the week and our conversation eloquently continued. 

Meeting and talking to like-minded ones in our community is another wonderful form of ESCAPE. "Escape and surround yourself with people who accept you and believe in you.”  The seeking of positive role models helps with self acceptance and self approval. 

Thank you, Joanna, for your time in Montreal, good conversations and for writing such an inspiring/informative blog. There will always be a link on my blog to your blog.  

Sunday Cartoons - 2/25

A Sad Week

Say Yes!

That is exactly what I did for last week and with many rewards.  Stay tuned next week.

Winter Wonderland

I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed my winter wonderland visit last week. Canada for a very good reason is becoming very appealing. Not just politics..... 

The day before I arrived about 18" of new snow had fallen. For this Florida girl it was like I had just stepped into a Christmas card.  OK the wonder wore off a little when the next morning, I had to brush a fresh 3" of snow off my car. What, no snow day?  

The photo above is in my fresh new winter coat and Pikolinos heel boots. It was taken while walking to the Montreal Museum of Fine Art, Saturday morning. I will write more on the museum visit next week and all the other events in Montreal. What a beautiful city and fun trip.    

Happy Friday!     

 

Matching Coats.....  

Trips - with Benefits

As you are reading this, I will be  heading home from a ten day business trip. The work was rewarding and best of all, the Rhonda time was wonderful. I met new friends, connected with old friends and had great conversations. Also plays, ballets, museums, hot chocolate, shopping, snow and dinners.  I have stories to relate and fun times to write about.  

So that is it for today. However stay tuned. There are photos and I hope to relate just how much fun escapes can be.  

What are you waiting for? 

7 Things to Never Ask

                         

7 Things You Should Never Ask a Trans (or Gender Non-Conforming) Person

By Vera Papisova
Photographs by Diane Russo
Makeup by Brit Cochran
Fashion by Sarah Brody
Hair by Blake Erik
Feb 23, 2016

Model Hari Nef visited Teen Vogue to teach us a few things about what you should avoid saying to transgender people. You might be curious about the transgender community and transitioning, and it's great that you want to educate yourself, but there are a few common mistakes cisgender people make that can end up very hurtful. "If you don't know somebody," Hari says, "whether you're inquiring into their sex or their gender, it's invasive." A key rule is to never replace a Google search with candidly asking a transgender person about their personal gender, transition, or surgeries. "Whatever surgery someone wants to get is none of your business," she says. It's also important to note that sexuality (gay, straight, bisexual, pansexual, etc) has nothing to do with gender. "Sexuality is who you want to be with. Gender identity is who you want to be in the world," Hari says.

And if you want to know how someone identifies, simply ask, “what pronoun do you use? I use she/her.” It helps if you think about whether or not someone can ask the same question of a cisgender person. Remember that the point of being thoughtful and correct in your phrasing is to create an environment inclusive of everyone. "We don't have very much evidence around us to allow us to feel affirmed, so this is tough enough already," Hari explains. We think it's about time our transgender friends feel affirmed wherever they are, and thanks to Hari, we're already on our way.

Feminine Differential - Body Language

When we think about communication, we think about interactions. Many times we think all communication is spoken. There is more in play here. Conclusions are drawn and interactions are influenced by our nonverbal cues.  So what is your body language communicating?

Female body language or the body language of women is not all that different from males. However there are a few noticeable differences in female body language that both sexes can make note. This according to "Science of People"

I cannot tell you the number of time I have been at gender conferences or support group meeting with our beautifully dressed girls. They had spent a lot time on their makeup, clothing and hair only to ruin the image with the wrong body language. They communicated that something was amiss - a "tell". You have seen it - The not so subtle and unattractive legs spread. The power stance with legs apart and arms crossed.  This is natural male posture but you want to communicate that you are female.

This video talks a lot about courting non-verbal body language but there are elements that will help us to understand the differences between male and female actions:

 

Vanessa Van Edwards - Decoding Female Body Language

Here are some of the behaviors (female) that are considered likable in both social, business and romantic situations:

• Smiling (My number one)
• Having an expressive face - Friendly not threatning.  
• Keeping your hands below chin level (above chin can be seen as aggressive or over-animated)
• Minimal arm crossing - Closed  attitude 
• Keeping hands outside of pockets 
• Triple head nods to show interest - This works, try it.  
• Intimate eye gazing (from the eyes to the mouth to the body)
• Leaning towards the other person
• Subtle mirroring
• Light touch on the arm or more intimate upper arm.  

Practice – configure you brain to deal with how you want to present. How you want to be perceived. Show people who you are, or better yet who you want to become. 

Be the best you can be!

Where is our Transgender History?

Nina Arsenault 

Being transgender is nothing new.  It did not just appear on the human stage in the last 50 years. Although Christine Jorgensen, who in 1952 became the first widely publicized person to have undergone sex reassignment surgery was certainly not the first person in human history to have wanted it.  Einar Wegene, AKA The Danish Girl, was surely not the first to be sure she was a woman, born into the wrong body. And I am sure Chevalier d'Eon was not the first and only transgender spy.  As an nation is coming to grips with the fact that a Olymbic mega hero, Bruce Jenner is now Caitlyn, many ask how did this happen?
The ill informed will look for causation.   Maybe it is in the chemicals we eat. Maybe society is not requiring men to be men so everything is skewed toward femininity. The feminist and their bra burning has cause a whole generation or men to be poisoned! History unfortunately sometimes can only touch the surface, not revealing the beauty or ugliness underneath.   I feel that transgender or the blending or male and female as we know it today, has always been around in one form or another.  What ever the causation. 

Nina Arsenault is a Canadian performance artist, freelance writer, and former sex trade worker who works in theater, dance, video, photography and visual art. Her works have been called profoundly moving, absolutely unforgettable, brutally honest, a spiritual gift and as stunning as they are ruthless. She realized that she was a trans woman in August 1996 and her transition was in full force around 1998.  Source Wikipedia.

She has an absolutely unforgettable TEDx talk about  “The transgender conversation has just begun”.  Listen to the end where she contends that our history has been forgotten, erased.  We do not know what kings became queens; What conquering warriors secretly identified as feminine or why several ancient mythical gods were depicted as dual gender. 

Listen to her presentation, be moved to study, and understand our history better.  Be proud. Thank you Nina.  

The Transgender Conversation Has Just Begun

Nina Arsenault

TEDx Toronto -  October 22, 2015

You Ask Why?

This is my feeble attempt at re-captioning.  

Song by Nancy Kwan from the Movie Flower Drum Song (1961).
  This should be the our anthem. I just scream femininity, grace and pose.

________________________

I hope everyone is having a wonderful "Super" weekend.  

I have a trips this February 13-22 to Montreal and Milwaukee.

I Want Them

http://www.illustrationweb.fr/artists/JacquelineBissett/view

Check out this illustration site for some beautiful fashion art.

Fashion Girlfreind

I am starting to really get into a casual ankle boot look.  Good advice is found here.  It looks just dressy enough to be wearable out shopping, lunch or a girlfriends get-together.  I have several sleeveless sweaters similar (below) in gray and white. Both of which look great with jeans.  I also have dressy white pants that work when a more polished look is needed. 

The photo below is from The Jo Lynn Shane Fashion blog. It is amazing the advice, and fashion tricks that are just a click away. She is pretty much a regular person with a good fashion sense.  I love the way she describes herself. 

I’m the girlfriend that keeps you in the know with the latest trends, the best sales, and real life outfits ideas for the typical suburban mom… Because friends do not let friends wear mom jeans.  

I like that.  I would love for you to consider me the same type of girlfriend. 

We all want to blend in and live our lives to the full. Being in the moment provides an amazing sense of satisfaction that comes from within.  Knowing that you look good only enhances that feeling. To get a compliment on your fashion sense - There are some things money can't buy....   

If we are going to be noticed let it be for dressing nicely. Tall does not matter. Short does not matter and neither does being a little overweight. 

If we are going to be noticed, let it be for looking our best.   

Guys With a Girly Purse

These Guys Wore Purses For A Week And It Was Hilarious

I love carrying a purse.  It just holds everything.
 How about you?

Feminine Differential - Fun Shopping

This is an outfit I have put together for an upcoming event. It is a little warm most of the year here in South Florida for this outfit, but I love our cooler months. January and February are as close as we get to a cool season and I do have many beautiful sweaters. I enjoy the winter look. In addition, this look is great for my winter and spring travels north.

The outfit consists of the Chico's Sweater that arrived a few weeks back. At first try, I did not like it because it shown as an off-the-shoulder look. On my shoulders, I could not get it to drop over. I was thinking it is too small.  On second try, the excess material around the neck does fall just as the edge of the shoulder. The opening frames the neckline beautifully. and has a hit of sparkle. This likely is better in that it does not accentuate my larger than average shoulders. It was originally $99 and on sale for $24. OK, a keeper. 

The pants are my go to pants that are always available at Talbots. (Raleigh Pant-Double Weave/Ivory) These come in a variety of styles, fits, and colors. A size 10P always fits perfect even down to the length with heels.  This is the one item that I grab when I do not have a lot of time to work at what to wear. Talbots' Red Hanger sale is going on now and the pants were originally priced at $119 are on sale at $32 - A good buy. 

The shoes are Cole Haan and the purse Michel Kors from last season.  Maybe a little too much of a match, if that is possible. However it works. 

Don't you just love this part of femininity? The planning. The going into the stores and trying different looks.  We are not talking mission shopping - We are talking an afternoon at the mall, checking many stores and then a stop at the mall Starbucks to regroup.  Next, a few more stops to check out shoes and jewelry.  

All this for the excitement of getting dressed and knowing that all your planning payed off.  You look good.  Now the excitement of the escape.     

  

Society Event Work

The Palm Beach charity ball/event season is in full swing.  Thursday night I have the wonderful opportunity to work at another Palm Beach Society Event. This one was for a county health organization that provides medical, dental, and physiatric care to all - with no regard to their ability to pay. What a concept. There are private grants, some state funding and donations. That is where the event came in.

We started early the day of the event to set up and decorate. That included arranging flowers, decorations and setting out the silent auction items. The event was held at a private Palm Beach Club that is elegant and accustom to handling events of this type. After decorating we all took a quick break to go home and get changed and return for the reception.  

I loaded all the attendees on to my Android Tablet and was the official greeter / check in person. I was the first person they encountered after valet parking their cars.  I did ask "Are you sure this is where you want me?"  And the answer was yes. I started at 5:15 and we still had people coming at 6:45. The event was just a cocktail reception with speeches and awards. We had a band playing french music and attendees gathered  both in an inside and an outside area. The weather was beautiful - Low 70's. We had well over 200 in attendance. There were some that knew me from my work in Palm Beach and other events.

The auction of donated items went very well and after the auction closed it was my responsibility and my three other co-workers (photo above), to find all the bidders and collect/deliver the won items. After being in 3" heels for almost 3 hours I was super tired. Cleanup was accomplished in flats. 

I love doing these society events and hope that more opportunists come up. I am working with a fantastic non-profit event coordinator, so let's hope. 

All dressed up, somewhere to go and a worthy cause.  It does not get any better than that!   

  

Surgeries for the Soul

From: IN JUPITER MAGAZINE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 BY: JEN KRAMER

Face Time with Dr. Vartan Mardirossian

A career based in compassion – from the trauma of the Boston Bombing to reconstructive procedures in Jupiter, one local doctor doesn’t just practice “plastic surgery,” he specializes in “Surgeries for the Soul.”

“In April of 2013, I was finishing up as a clinical instructor at Boston University Medical Center, specializing in otolaryngology and facial plastic surgery. On the day of the Boston Marathon, we were following the news as we went about our rounds. Suddenly, we were in the midst of a trauma situation and I was on call at Boston Medical Center.” 

In his Jupiter office at Mardirossian Facial Aesthetics, Dr. Vartan Mardirossian, M.D., F.A.C.S. is a long way from that fateful day when terror erupted during the Boston Marathon. It remains, however, as a defining moment in a career combining compassion and cutting-edge techniques. 

Dr. Mardirossian's quick-thinking
 determination saved a Boston bombing
victim from permanent facial dis-figuration.

A graduate of the University of Padua’s School of Medicine and a Research Fellow in head and neck cancer at Boston’s MIT, Madirossian has clinical interests in head and neck plastic surgery, facial plastic surgery, facial injuries, Mohs surgery reconstructions, rhinoplasty, face- and neck-lifts, eye and midface rejuvenations, and minimally invasive techniques for facial rejuvenation. On that terrible day in April, he was finishing his fellowship in Boston, lecturing at Boston University Medical Center and working at Boston Medical Center.

As Dr. Mardirossian sets the scene, he recounts that Boston Medical Center is not unfamiliar with violence. The doctors and nurses there treat gunshot victims and those suffering from violent trauma on a routine basis. But on April 15, 2013, as homemade bombs detonated, spewing nails, bolts, and twisted metal into the Marathon watching crowd, the “regular” violence escalated. The “normal” trauma suddenly more closely resembled actual battlefield wounds and amputations, and every available doctor in the area was called into action.

Read the whole article here including the details of one extraordinary case done that day in Boston. 

Fast-forward three years. Dr. Mardirossian now has his own successful practice in Jupiter, Florida. Here, he practices what he terms, “Surgery for the Soul,” including reconstructive work for cancer survivors, as well as for those who have lost extreme amounts of weight. He also specializes in facial feminization procedures, designed to increase confidence – especially among those in the midst of gender transition. In fact, Mardirossian is one of a handful of plastic surgeons to understand and practice this specialty.

“Facial feminization surgery (FFS) isn’t just for the Transgender Community,” Mardirossian points out. “It also helps women with facial features they are not happy with, or men with too strong features. It allows everyone to find their true identity.” When you find your true self, the rest will follow. The FFS process is newly emerging within the field of plastic surgery, so once again, Dr. Mardirossian is on the cutting-edge of technology and medical science.

Sought after for his skills in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, he has established a devoted clientele not only in Jupiter, he also has patients from out of state seek his services because of his compassion and dedication to innovative techniques. He has remained true to the ideals that he championed in the days following the Boston Marathon Bombing. “Surgeries for the Soul.”

For more information about Dr. Vartan Mardirossian, visit www.palmbeachplastics.com

Call Palm Beach Plastics FFS Surgeon for a Free Consultation SKYPE, Phone Consultation or in office. 

Note: Vartan is my doctor, business associate, and friend. 

Sunday Funnies 2/12

I must apologize to the original artist of this cartoon.  I did change the question that the man was asking.

___________________ 

My up coming trips:

Cornwall (Montreal),ON - February 13-18

Brainerd, MN - February 19-21

Everyone have a good week!

.

For Myself....

Everyone have a good Weekend - Escape!

Guest Post - I LOVE ballet flat

Guest Post By Brian

I'd like to thank Rhonda for reaching out and asking me to say a few words about my "Escape" and something that's a passion of mine.  Rhonda's Escape is about doing what YOU want and not what OTHERS want even though it might be perceived as out of the ordinary or not normal. What is normal these days? Basically just do what makes you happy.

Back in late 2016 Rhonda did a post about those cute and feminine little shoes that most girls or women own a pair or two called ballet flats.  This is how my "Escape" tied in with that post.  I LOVE ballet flats, I LOVE shopping for ballet flats, I LOVE wearing ballet flats and yes, I'm one of the guys that wears ballet flats.  

I LOVE ballet flats;
Other than high heels most shoes can be made to look like they were designed for women, men or are unisex.  One other shoe design that is for women only is ballet flats.  To use Rhonda's words from her post about ballet flats, "they scream girly." OK so I'm a bit girly, this is all about ESCAPES right?

I LOVE shopping for ballet flats;
A guy shopping for ballet flats for himself is not something you'll see everyday but it does happen more than you might think.  It's so easy to find a pair either on-line or in a store.  Some guys don't feel comfortable having a sales clerk help them and I understand that, but from my personal experience having a sales clerk help me while shopping for a cute pair of flats for myself can be fun.  I was surprised how well I was treated in high end boutiques while buy flats for myself.  They treated me like a king...or is that a queen?

I'm one of the (many) guys that wears ballet flats;
We already determined ballet flats scream girly so if you are a guy wanting to wear them you should prepare yourself for peoples reactions to your feminine footwear.  Now days most people are too busy to even notice, some people might spot them and pay you a nice complement or kindly ask you about your choice in shoes.  Lastly there is the never know what to expect reaction.  I could write a book about people reactions to me wearing my ballet flats. Everything from giggles and finger pointing to comments about sexual orientation  I've never felt threaten by these reactions but one day while wearing my pink patent Tory Burch flats at the mall a couple of red neck dads and their rug rat kids decided it would be fun to take cell phone pictures of me wearing my bright pink patent ballet flats. After their Kodak moment they moved along.  I'll admit, my bright pink flats were hard not to notice.  I still wear pink or other bright colored flats when I feel like it but most days I stick to more conservative colors.  

People have called me brave or courageous for wearing ballet flats but it's more of a passion or ESCAPE. 

Rhonda, Thanks for sharing your blog and your posts.

Brian

__________________

My Note:  Brian, thank you so much for sharing. I did a Google search for "Men wearing Ballet Flats" and there you were. I know all my readers will love your article and I do love your courage.  See, Escape can come in many forms.   

County Fair - Then and Now

I have always love the Fair. I remember my mother taking me to the county fair every fall while growing up. The rides, smell of cotton candy and exhibits. My grandmother always had something entered and there was the occasional blue ribbon. In the photo above I was 5 years old.  Thank you mom for taking and saving the photo.  

Fast forward to last week and I attended the South Florida regional fair. What a blast from the past and I took it as an opportunity to take photos. It also sent me looking through the old family album for childhood photos - Success. 

Not exactly an escape but close -  The current photo is with almost no makeup and trust me the hat was just a photo prop - No purchase was made. Below is a photo of one of the rides. The Photo captures the noise, motion and color of what a "Fair" is all about.  Enjoy.

  South Florida Fair 2017 

Stay tuned: I have a special guest post coming up tomorrow.  

Feminine Differential - Necklace

How to Choose Necklaces to Work with Your Neckline

Source:

Different necklines look better with certain necklace styles.

• Turtle necks – best with longer necklaces

• Crew necks – best with short necklaces such as necklace ‘collar’ or bib styles
• Scoop necks – fill in the space with multiple strands of beads or larger scale pendants
  
• Strapless – look great with chokers or short pendants, leaving your lovely decolletage bare
  
• Square necks – look for pendants with an angular finish to harmonize with the angular neckline
  
• Asymmetric necklines – look for necklaces that aren’t symmetrical, instead a necklace that has it’s own asymmetry can work, alternatively a long string of different sized and shaped beads can work well.
  
• Halter necks – these create a narrow V neck – so look for a narrow pendant with a sharper end
  
• V neck – ideally a necklace that matches the shape of the V – depending if it’s a wider or narrower V neck.
  
• Collared shirt (button down) – there isn’t much space for anything too wide, so a choker style works if you have a long neck, if not a slimmer pendant that sits above the last open button.
  
• Boat neck – a long string or two of beads is ideal for this neckline.
  
• Cowl neck – this neckline is already detailed and has volume, so either a short and small pendant or a pair of feature earrings instead of a necklace.
  
• Sweetheart – a curved necklace that has width that will balance the open decolletage of this neckline.
  

Lady Gaga brings message of inclusion to Super Bowl halftime

Sunday's prequel for my birthday was outstanding.  Even if you are not a big football fan the Super Bowl has evolved into an event. Family time, food to munch for hours and then typically a boring sporting event.  

That was not at all the case for Super Bowl LI. There was excitement. A high scoring first half. A comeback of epic portions and even an encore. 

Right in the middle was a an outstanding performance by Lady Gaga - Likely one of the most entertaining I remember.  

CNN Entertainment described it this way: 

Lady Gaga's powerful Super Bowl LI halftime performance didn't have any of the overt political statements that some people were expecting, but it did have a message about inclusion...
Gaga mainly sang the choruses from her hit songs but when it came to her 2011 hit, "Born This Way," she again offered another clear message of acceptance by choosing to sing lyrics from a verse towards the end of the song: "No matter gay, straight, or bi, Lesbian, transgendered life/I'm on the right track baby/I was born to survive."
Gaga has long been outspoken on the issue of LGBTQ rights, and the presence of Vice President Mike Pence in the audience at the game may have played a role in that message. 

Thank you Lady Gaga for that song and message.  We may be entering a political dark period. Your acceptance song rang with truth and power. Something we needed.    It was super......

Birthday 2017

Birthdays have become the “me” day.  Although I am a year older and at my age that is starting to become an accomplishment, it is not all about me. It is about the mother that gave birth to me and those who shaped my early life. The day I was born is just as random as my gender and the color of my eyes. I personally had nothing to do with those. Not arbitrary, was the love, attention and care that was provided me by my mother and grandparents.
  
So today on my birthday, I honor my mother Inez and my grandparents Roberta and Jimmy. I say with a loving heart, thank you for bringing me into this world and giving so much of yourself.  Thank you for the unconditional love, guidance and support. I wish I could tell them how much they meant to me and how important you were to me.
  
If by chance, you are fortunate enough to still have your parents or grandparents, honor them on your birthday. Let your present be telling them much you love them. Your birthday is not about you. It is about honoring those that got you to that day. 

Thank you from the daughter you never knew you had. 

Super Sunday Funnies - Super Bowl Ads

Holiday Inn's 1999 Super Bowl commercial

In honor of Super Bowl today I give you my favorite commercials from the 1999 Super Bowl. This is likely one of my favorite ads ever.  It took on new meaning this past year when I attended my high school reunion.   

I had several reaction very much like the "Bob Johnson" character. Priceless.   

Here is a little history from Time magazine on what transpired (pun intended) after this ad ran. It listed it as the number 3, among the "Most Controversial Super Bowl Ads Ever". 

For some reason Holiday Inn thought a joke about transgender people was the best way to promote $1 billion worth of upgrades at their hotels. In this 1999 ad, a beautiful woman struts across the room at a class reunion as the narrator lists the cost of each of her body parts. A former classmate decides to flirt with her, but his look of excitement turns to shock when he realizes she is actually Bob Johnson. The ad angered enough viewers that Holiday Inn abandoned the Bob Johnson character shortly after the Super Bowl.

I was not angry and thought it was brilliant/inspiring.  Do you have a favorite? Maybe this one from YouTube or this one from YouTube and one more from YouTube.  

Enjoy the Super Bowl and may the commercials be funny.  

    

Playing Dress Up

Personality Test

Most of the online personality test are contrived.  The one above even asked me if if was manly or girly.   I let it pick.  Also it is easy to skew the test results one way or the other.  "Do you like shopping better than sports?" - Where do you think that question is going? 

Still it is fun to get validation even it is self generated.  Most of us know where we stand.  

Just for fun - Is your personality more masculine or feminine in nature? 

Help Wanted

From the The Sachse News (Sachse, Tex.) 2005

You have to love Google where you can search or anything. This classified "Help Wanted" is real and not made up. I especially like the part about "No experience necessary".  

About 20 years ago I saw a sign in front of a local car-wash that was very similar.  "Help Wanted - Part Time Girl". A true laugh out loud moment. 

It was a time before we had cell phone cameras and I quickly went home to get my camera. By the time I had returned the sign had changed. I assume the job had been filled. Oh Darn!

Truth be know; I am not sure if I went home to get my camera or my resume.