HELLO WORLD!

I have a kind of very eclectic post forming in my brain right now. So forgive me if it goes off campus a tad.

First off, yes Virginia, there will be a podcast this week. Maybe if I get up early enough tomorrow (read: before children are awake but after Mr. Mess leaves for work) I'll get something recorded. I have a WHOLE PAGE OF NOTES just itching to become random stream of conciousness ramblings from me, your resident Whack-a-Do.

I may even get my shit together enough to take a photo or two of some of my WIPs. Be still your beating heart I know...

I have about 6" of the lily of the valley shawl and I cast on tonight a bright red shrug from the Lace Styles book, bite me, I don't have it in front of me and I don't remember the name. But trust me, it's cute.

Today Mini-Me and I went to Woodfield Mall to shop for her upcoming trip to NYC. She leaves uber-early Saturday. The main reason we went to Woodfield is because there is a Torrid store there. Most shopping trips with S and I end in tears and a lot of anger and frustration. Why? Because even though the American population and mainly teens are growing increasingly "Plus-sized" the retailers aren't following the trend. But Torrid rocks. They understand that even the big girls want to look cute/sexy/NORMAL and cater to that reality.

A typical shopping trip with her and I nets one or two pairs of jeans and maybe a half dozen XXL t-shirts that are shapeless and baggy. Today's trip netted two pair of jeans, two mini-skirts that flatter a bigger girl (one is a black, red, and white plaid pleated one that is SOOOOOoooo cute I covet it), over a dozen shirts that pay homage to a girls' curves without looking like she's wearing her dad's shirts or making her look like a fat slut, one pair of long shorts and a swim suit top that covers the "girls" and the muffins. I even found a cute sundress for me.

On the subject of "big girls"; We just watched Dreamgirls. I knew it was a good movie. I knew that for the most part, I'd like this movie. I was a BIG fan of Jennifer Hudson's when she was on American Idol and wanted to shove something down Simon Cowell's gullet whenever he refered to her weight being the reason she couldn't be an American Idol. But I had no idea that I would end up LOVING this movie. I'm a native Michigander but am far from a Detroiter yet the history of Motown, Barry Gordy, and all that is still a part of my history on some cellular level I don't quite understand. After the last credit rolled I was sitting there wanting to stand up and dance, sit there and cry, jump up and cheer for Effie/Florence Ballard, and sing my ever-loving lungs out.

I'll always remember when Camryn Mannheim won an Emmy for her role on Boston Legal. In her acceptance speach she dedicated her award by saying, "this is for all the fat girls out there!" When JHu one her Oscar she dedicated to all the Florence Ballard's of the world. Amen, sister, amen.

With all these thoughts in my head tonight I sat down to write a post and also checked my bloglines. There is a blog that I've been meaning to share with y'all for a while but just never did (sue me!) These bitches are hilarious and I want to adopt them as my own personal gay posse. But lo and behold, today's entry was about another BIG GIRL that engenders a lively debate. Interestingly enough, I've also been debating and considering writing about her and THE SHOW for a little while. I am NOT a fan and I haven't watched this morning talk show for a number of years because of the general direction that the attitude of the show has taken. I liked it alright at the begining and thought it might have an interesting hook. But when it became personality driven it lost me. (Right around the time I became disillusioned with the BIG O. My feeling remains that SHE was added to the panel for ratings and ratings alone. The producers knew they were setting this whole thing up for a major trainwreck. They twisted the tracks and sat back and waited for the carnage to be tossed about. But the boys at Project Gay have an interesting point. She is what she is, and one must give her credit for staying true to that. Shame that the producers and Barbara W. didn't realize what they were getting into when they sold their souls...or did they?