Ms Genevieve’s Neighbors

Last night I settled in and watched the season two premiere of How To Look Good Naked. I've never seen the show, but I've always been curious as to what takes place. The show features women who have insecurities about their body image and with the help of host Carson Kressley the featured woman's outlook of herself is transformed through a mini inner and outer beauty makeover.

As I watched last night's show I felt myself shedding a tear or two with the featured woman. Kelly, a mother and wife from Philly, had buried her true spirit with layers of clothing and a negative outlook of herself. She described her 20s has a time when she was thinner, the body was tighter and her inner being was just free. She had spunk and oozed with confidence. Over time she began to let go of herself, more so after she had her daughter. She felt like a failure for not being able to loose her "baby weight." What was even sadder, was the fact that Kelly and her husband slept in separate rooms, because she wasn't comfortable with her body anymore.

During the second segment, Carson asked Kelly to remove her clothing (of course leaving on her under garments) and he placed her in front of a mirror. It was here where Kelly was also asked to describe what she saw.

"fat."

"ugly."

Kelly just about breaks down.

Of course what she saw or thought of herself was truly far from the truth. Yes, she was thicker than what she was in her twenties. However, Kelly is beautiful. Based on what her family and co-workers had to say about her, she has a beautiful spirit. When people can speak highly of you freely and with such a giddiness and joy that says a lot about you. This is how I felt about Kelly and felt sad for her that she couldn't see past her phsyical changes.

Then came a kicker. Carson lined up other women who were stripped down to their underwear. He asked Kelly to choose the body type she thought represented her. After a few moments of hesitation she chose a woman whose tummy was slightly thicker than hers; a waist line of two inches more than her own to be exact. Kelly's own stomach, though thick, still shows definition of her abs. Overall, Kelly really and honestly wasn't the bad image that she saw of herself.

For the full hour I watched as Kelly's defeatist attitude was transformed. Through pep talks, a proper bra fitting, new hair style, chic clothing, a nude photo shoot, and even confronting her exposed self Kelly became the goddess she had long ago forgotten and buried. By the end of the show Kelly was walking in stride at a fashion show. I silently cheered her on and wished her well in embracing the "her" she had lost.

I love shows like this, especially The Biggest Loser. I love to see a person transform from their broken state into something beautiful. Much of it is because I'm always reminded of my own flaws and my own transformations. Though I never was one to feel bad about my looks, I still have those days or moments when nothing about me seems right.

Maybe I shouldn't go sleeveless today.....

Maybe that halter isn't the one...........

Shorts? Forget about it!

Pulling my hair away from my face my show off acne or outlines of my facial hair...................

My stomach is showing through these jeans......

Lipstick is off balance with everything else.................

ARGH! Stretch Marks!

My thighs are stuck together again!

I've been a plus size or average size chic for much of my life. I was a size 12 by 7th grade and I leveled off to a 14/16 by sophomore year in high school and pretty much stayed that way. Once, when I thought I was a gym nut, I joined Bally Total Fitness and told my personal trainer I would like to loose a few pounds but I didn't want to go below a healthy size 12 ..give or take a size 10. I just cringed at the the though of being anything below a double digit size. I didn't want to loose my hips, my curves, my BOOBS! Nevertheless, I was a Bally gym drop out. Life got hectic and all that jazz.

Like Kelly, I too was worried about shedding off my "baby weight," but the little I had faded away and then some. Then I gained. Then I lost. Now I'm just maintaining again at a solid 16. For the most part I still feel like me before baby; sexy, sensual, confident, beautiful. Then there are times when I am standing in front of a mirror completely naked. I sigh as I look at the stretch marks and down to the slightly rounder post pregnancy tummy. Then I stare hopelessly at the spots on my skin that carry uneven tones. Then I frown at my arch enemy that has been around since my birth; facial hair.

Then I get close to the mirror and stare into my own brown eyes. I actually try to see if I can see past them. Sometimes I burst out laughing. Sometimes tears fall. Either way, in the end I love what I see because it is me and there are people who wish they had some of me; my thick hair, my buxom, my eyes, my legs, my calves, my complexion, my thickness.

When I throw on that dress, pair of jeans or skirt that hug my curves right and a top that flirts with the eyes without revealing too much an inner swagger comes through. When I apply my M.A.C. makeup and sprouce up the hair, my girl-next-door starts to show. When I add the the last touch, my heels, I'm the lady that can be a show stopper of a femme fatale (if I wanted to). My confident stride kicks in.

I only hope that as my daughter grows older she too will see her inner and outer beauty. She too will have confidence and even on her bad days her confidence will outshine those insecurities. I can only hope that I am setting an example of how and what a woman should be when she presents herself to the world.

A lady who is not afraid of herself as she matures.

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The worst building in NYC

nobody@vox.com(8gurl) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:45:54 -0400

I was surfing around and came across this article about the worst building (architecturally speaking) in NYC. And I saw a building that looked familiar. I actually saw this building when I was there and took a picture of it because I thought it was weird that it had no windows.

Here's the article with some stock photos of the building

Here's my (blurry) photo of the windowless building on Church Street!

Weirdbuilding

I always figured it was some kind of government building, but still, how weird would it be to work in a building that tall without being able to see outside? It's actually called the AT &T Long Lines building and the windowless architecture is a matter of security. Wow!

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GrannyDebDesigns

nobody@vox.com(Little Odd Me) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:42:49 -0400

The Deb Bag - www.grannydebdesigns.etsy.com

Well, I kind of hit a low point a few days ago. Some of my friends on here know I have been having a bit of a tough time lately with a whole lot of poop going on with my family back in "the old country".

Tooth Fairy Pillow - www.grannydebdesigns.etsy

I got onto etsy chat the other night feeling pretty shite. I walked right in on a conversation about the very issues I am having with my family. I actually felt worse for a moment. But only for a moment. I stuck around instead of leaving and sinking deeper into my situational depression of the evening. I'm glad I did.

Embroidered toilet paper - www.grannydebdesigns.etsy

Neighborhood, meet GrannyDebDesigns. Lemme tell you she is as sweet as they come, and she totally pulled me out of my funk. Not only that, but we had a lovely conversation a couple of days later that really left me feeling good and somehow just a little less alone than I have been feeling.

Mini Bag for quick trips or traveling - www.grannydebdesigns.etsy

So - here's my GrannyDebDesigns promotion. All the photos in this entry are from her store. Go check her out. She's lovely, and has some lovely and quirky items at great prices!

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sTrictly fOr laugHs

nobody@vox.com(kiLian) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:31:18 -0400

surely a fowl...

Soccer

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clouds beyond the shadows of doubt

nobody@vox.com(jeffington) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:08:09 -0400

clouds beyond the shadows of doubt
Originally uploaded by geozila.

the clouds today were so beautiful above the wall mart across the city street from my apartment

most of my best cloud pictures come from above walmart today i included the roof

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Rain Water Drop Series...

nobody@vox.com(Pat) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:22:19 -0400

Leaves with Rain Drops (4)

Leaves with Rain Drops (5)

Leaves with Rain Drops (6)

Sometimes, I shed tears for others....

Lately I have been getting inspired to write my Poetry again...
Click PatsPublicPoetry for my latest Poem!
Also located in My Links

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