By now, most of you have read the story of Brittany Maynard. At 29 years old, Brittany was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer only a year after getting married. After brain surgery, she was told she had six months to live and decided to move to Oregon to take advantage of that state's Death with Dignity Law. After receiving a prescription for medication that will end her life, Brittany has chosen her last few weeks to advocate for the right to die.
5 Things That Make Me Smile
Best and Worst Dressed at the 2014 Emmys
From left, Christina Hendricks in Marchesa; Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting in Monique Lhuillier; January Jones in Prabal Gurung; and Claire Danes in Givenchy couture.
From left: Jordan Strauss/Invision, via Associate dPress; Frazer Harrison/Getty Images; Jason Merritt/Getty Images; Frazer Harrison/ Getty Images
So. Much. Red. It got to be a little overwhelming by the end.
At least it was exciting. Sometimes everyone plays it so safe watching the red carpet can be a little boring but you can't say last night's fashion at the Emmy Awards wasn't interesting.
(Say a word about Lena Dunham and I'll cut you. She can do no wrong.)
I found myself drawn to the more understated pieces however. I loved Lucy Lui's beautiful draping and Michelle Dockery was flawless as ever. She did however sport the dominant middle part that I found wildly unflattering on most of the stars. (I'm looking at you Christina Hendricks).
Lucy Lui in Zac Posen. Image via Just Jared.
Michelle Dockery in Rosie Assoulin. Image via Tom + Lorenzo.
I also really loved Anna Gunn in Jenny Packham.
Now, who got it wrong? A couple who also went for understated and fell flat. I did NOT like Kate Mara's dress which looked like a Project Runway experiment in draping gone wrong. I also thought Katherine Heigl (who unlike most of America I do not hate) looked WAY too mature in her satin dressing coat.
Katherine Heigl. Image via GossipReporter.com
Kate Mara. Image via Daily Herald..
What did y'all think? Who was your best and worst dressed?
Hobby Lobby: Contraception and Corporations
First, based on my own personal history, I have a passion for the specific methods of contraception being discussed in this case and the persistent myths surrounding them. After graduating from college, I spent a year running an emergency contraception (EC) hotline. At the time, EC was available only by prescription. When a woman would call, I would collect her information, ask her several medical questions, and have a prescription called in. I dealt exclusively with the hormonal EC levonorgestrel.
I like to tell people I prevented more abortions in that year than most people do in their entire life.
It's not really about the boobs
My response to the viral post "My Husband Doesn't Need To See Your Boobs" and why it's not REALLY about the boobs at all.
Last week, my cousin Taylor texted me a link to a blog post. Written by Lauren from Apples & Band-Aids blog, the post was entitled “My husband doesn’t need to see your boobs.”
In the post, Lauren goes out of her way to say she is not judging any woman who posts her bikini-clad self on social media but does ask if any and all bikini-clad women could just NOT. The photos were a “stumbling block” in her marriage and everything would be so much better if the photos weren’t there.
Taylor’s commentary was simple. “This bothers me.”
It bothers me, too.
It bothers a lot of you if this Facebook conversation is any indication. It also CLEARLY bothered a lot of other people too because Lauren shut down the comments section because it had come a place of attack and “hatred.”
Guest Post: A response to #BanBossy
I am a huge Sheryl Sandberg fan. I’ve watched her TED Talks multiple times. In certain settings, I have quoted Lean In like the Bible. I follow Lean In groups on social media, and I think Sandberg is provoking some of the healthiest discussion taking place about women and work.
So, I was surprised by my viscerally negative reaction to the “Ban Bossy” campaign. I have liked (and probably pinned somewhere) the quote about telling little girls they have leadership characteristics, but the idea of banning the word “bossy” didn’t resonate with me.
What you need to know about pancreatic cancer
My friend Donna died this morning. I met Donna at a Halloween party. She had bright red cheeks and kept cracking jokes about hot flashes. Her vivacity and energy absolutely filled the room and I spent the rest of the evening glued to her side.
We talked about husbands and children and travel and food. We bonded instantly over our shared passion for all things party. By the end of the evening, we were planning a zombie prom for the next year. We roped the cohost of the current party we were attending in joining our zombie prom efforts and were already discussing venues and invitation ideas as people began heading for home.
Over the course of the next year, I got to know Donna better. We joined a book club together. She welcomed me into her home for holiday parties and baby showers and book club dinners always with barrels full of laughter and generosity.
A year after our first meeting, a few weeks before our Zombie Prom, Donna was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. All I knew about pancreatic cancer was what I had gleaned from Randy Pausch and his last lecture. All I knew was that it was a death sentence. I was terrified that she would be gone by Christmas.
Dylan Farrow and Questioning the Victim
Kristen Howerton, a blogger I very much respect, recently wrote a post on her blog Rage Against the Minivan addressing Dylan Farrow’s open letter on NYTimes.com and the subsequent reaction. Dylan Farrow, the adopted daughter of Mia Farrow and Woody Allen, broke her silence and publicly shared her story of abuse at the hands of Allen. Her letter has reopened the debate surrounding not only Allen’s guilt but our treatment of sexual abuse victims.
For her part, Kristen makes her point very clear.
