Magazine Musings

I subscribe to 3 magazines. Half the time they end up piled up in the backseat of my car so I can read them when I have hair appointments. When it's time for vacation I usually have a stack of them saved up.  I'm so distracted by everything else that reading magazines literally takes a back seat.  It may take me a while but I read every one cover to cover.

Here are some random things that caught my eye in the May issue of Marie Claire, which by the way I can't believe I actually got to it in May!  And even posted about it in May.  If you want to read the full article just click each link.

Second Class Soldiers?
If you are part of a same sex marriage and your spouse dies in combat under the current law the surviving spouse is not awarded the spouses Purple Heart or granted the same benefits as the surviving spouse of a straight couple.  The 1996 Federal Defense of Marriage Act defines marriage as a union between a man and woman and therefore does not include same sex couples.  It's another example of the neverending process that is updating laws to our current reality.  Our laws can't keep up.  I think that if the same sex marriage is legally recognized then they should receive those same benefits too.  I hope that gets changed.

Babies in Burkas
Islamic culture doesn't require the wearing of a Burka until puberty but in certain areas they want it to start at infancy.  Why?  Can't they just just let a baby girl be a baby girl?  Her life becomes more and more complicated and difficult the older she gets.  I don't understand what harm the sight of an innocent baby girl could bring.  It sends such a terrible message and and is such an unfair double standard.  That picture is so sad.  I think it teaches them to be ashamed of themselves.  This little girl is hiding under a blanket living in a culture where she learns from infancy that she is so inferior that she is not to be seen or heard and should basically just disappear. 

Splurge vs Steal
These always crack me up because at outrageous as the splurge price is even the steal price is out of control.  The outfit on the left is $15,010.  But if you pinch your pennies and bargain hunt you can get it for the low price of $920 purchasing the items on the right.  I can't help but wonder why are clothes so expensive?  I can buy a car for that much or less so how could something you wear on your body be so costly?  Is anyone buying this stuff?  I guess rich folks are but I wouldn't know a thing about that.  I won't be getting the splurge or the steal.  I'll stick with following my trusty fashion bloggers who shop at Forever 21, Old Navy, splurge at J Crew and could probably put this outfit together for $50 bucks.

Italian for Beginners
John and Ondine were a typical couple living in NYC until they threw caution to the wind along with a lot of money and opened a posh boutique hotel in Tuscany.  Not only was that one a success but they just opened a second one.  I loved Italy when we were there but I did not come home with any kinds of ideas of moving there let a lone starting a business there.  It's one of the few places I'd actually consider living which is probably not a good thing because I'd probably want Pizza every day.  I already want Pizza every day living here.  As cool as it sounds to live in Italy and be your own boss I can't even say I would want to.  I mean, in a faraway fantasy maybe; but in real life....I don't know.  I just wouldn't know where to start.  They felt the same way but they did it anyways.  Major guts.

Scarlett Johansson on Social Media
All of it drives me crazy.  I don't understand this need to 'share.'  We almost exploit ourselves in order to feel seen.  

She makes a good point.  I like it when I post something and it gets liked or commented on.  It means that someone paid attention.  Someone was interested in something I had to say.  Who doesn't like that?  On the other hand, I'm not gonna put out a sex tape just to see how many hits I can get on You Tube.  Not that anyone would be all that interested in my sex tape since I'm not a celebrity and all but you know what I mean.  Some people take their sharing way too far.  I felt like I was getting really caught up in posting everything all the time so I'm really trying to be conscious of it and not be so "into" it.   You start to wonder why you are so interested in what everyone else is doing and spending so much time scrolling through feed after feed on your phone. It can be fun, but when I realize it's sucking up too much time it gets annoying.

Jordana Brewster
I just love this girl!  The first movie I saw her in was The Faculty. She's such a good actress and has such a natural beauty about her.  Olive complexion, dark hair, dark eyes.  Oh, how I wanted her bangs! I wish she were in more movies.  I feel like I don't see her in all that much but she's kept her role in Fast and Furious 6 which I really can't believe took off the way it did.  I don't even know if I've seen them all because there are just too many to keep track.  I'm not the biggest fan.  They are all so phony and kind of the same thing over and over.  The car scenes are so over the top. I'm sure I'll watch it but it's not on my must see movie list.  I'm mainly interested because she's in it.  Oh, and Vin Diesel is fun to look.


Bloglovin' // Twitter // Facebook // Instagram