Girl Power

 I am your everyday kind of girl, grew up in the 80's , went to school, had a few boyfriends and eventually settled down with my husband and had two kids.  But you see apparently I am a little different and I don't get why.There is something that has intrigued and confused me for some time now and I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to see if I am alone in my thinking.  Just a heads up... I think I might be, but lets see how we go.  Today I want to throw the gates open for your opinion, particularly on feminism, or what it means to be a woman in 2014. 

Lets go back to where this idea for this discussion came about and you might understand more of what I mean.  The Grammys.    I like most people, had heard a lot about the first performer of the night ( Beyoncé) and her recent album launch and subsequent change to a more raunchy style.  Fine if that is where she is going good for her, whatever floats your boat.  I watched her performance and although I didn't see anything earth shatteringly different to other shows, I did enjoy her new music and performance.  What I didn't enjoy, was reading for days later articles about how Beyoncé changing her style was a sell out to feminism everywhere and how her performance ( with her HUSBAND I might add) was "nothing short of pornographic".   Really?  Pornographic?  Honestly?   Look I have to be truthful; I haven't see a truckload of pornography in my time, but I can honestly say that from what I have seen and what I saw in Beyonces performance, pornography is not the first word that comes to mind.   I wouldn't even call it M rated.  PG at best. 

These articles and their writers in their self appointed wisdom decided that because a performer chose to dress in a "sexy" manner and be a little more suggestive in her style, that she no longer championed women's rights.  That her dancing on stage in a seductive manner with HER HUSBAND seemed to mean that she now somehow feels that women deserve to be nothing more than weak little eye candy, standing around waiting to be objectified by men.  Seriously one writer actually had that in their article.  So I guess this brings me to my question for you.  Do you think it was that bad? 

On a deeper level, why would there be anything wrong with a successful, strong, independent woman deciding to promote her feminine side or display her sexuality?  Why is it that whenever a women focus's on her appearance, or portrays herself in a more feminine or "sexy" manner she is supposedly weakening herself to the male population.  Correct me if I'm wrong here, but I've always felt that in a situation where a woman is comfortable enough in her own skin to promote her "assets" that it is quite an empowering situation for her.  Who hasn't felt pretty awesome, when you finally hit your goal weight after months of hard work, slip into that sexy little dress that has been waiting in your cupboard and head out for a night on the town?  If you are then noticed and appreciated by men during your evening doesn't that make you feel good?

Now before anyone takes it a step further, I am talking about this on a fairly innocent level here.  Yes there are situations where women are objectified and made to feel lesser based purely on their appearance. And yes this is a bad thing, as no one invites this kind of unwelcome attention. But that's not what I am talking about here.  There is this wide sweeping generalisation that a woman who is aware of her body and appreciates the attention she receives when she puts herself on display, is demeaning her entire gender.  I have to say I heartily disagree.  I think it is quite empowering to know that others find you attractive and quite an ego kick, even as a married women.  This is different to dressing in low cut tops and short skirts and perching on a male colleagues desk at work to get out of a task or grab their attention.  I'm just talking about good old fashioned appreciation of the opposite sex. ( or same sex if that's what you are into).  Feeling like even after so many years of marriage or babies or suburbanism you can still be an attractive being. 

Maybe I am alone out on a limb here. I have been told in the past that I don't think like "other" women, so maybe I'm wrong.  Or maybe, just maybe I am part of the new generation of women who aren't afraid to stand up for their feminine rights..... all whilst dressed in their favourite LBD,  red hot lipstick and raunchy lingerie  ;-) 

Something to think about.....

XX



 

Cranky 1950 Wife

WARNING!! WARNING!!!!  You are about to enter the cranky zone.  Now I know I didn't promise sunshine and lollipops in every post, but this is just a little "heads up"  that this post is rather like a 2 year olds tantrum.  Pointless, loud and unnecessary  but be damned if there is anything you can do but hang on and wait for the cranky to stop ; )  Read on at your own peril. 

As you would now be aware this post is all about me being a cranky pants.  Yes its childish and yes every last word of it is undoubtedly "first world problems" and yes we all have our own problems.  But when you have your own blog you can write about your problems, but for now this is my blog and I'm queen cranky pants.  So there.

There's no rhyme or reason for my dark mood really and I'm sure its nothing a good nights sleep and a few adult beverages or special mummy daddy "cuddles" wouldn't fix but nonetheless its here.  It started Friday evening which is just rude, because it was Valentines Day; but Naughty 1950s hubby had just left for work after our lovely Valentines lunch ( gotta love shift work) and I was feeling a little over everything.  Then I picked up the boys which was lovely, but had to sit around at school for an hour waiting for Mr J's karate class to start.  Could have gone home but once they see the Wii my chances of getting either boy back to do sport would be nil and I didn't have the energy for that fight, weak I know.  And that's another thing.... I am so over boys and computer/Wii/Nintendo/PS games.  Particularly Disney Infinity.  I thought minecraft was an insane obsession, but no Infinity is worse and WAAAYYYY more costly.    So all in all a dismal start to the weekend, Valentines night at home on the couch whilst wrangling Mr 5 and 6.   Add to that the fact that it has been raining in Sydney for three days and you can imagine the cabin fever taking place in my house.

On top of that Naughty 1950 hubby is at day 11 of 14 days straight so I have been juggling the bedtime routine solo for a while and that's just crap.  Unfortunately Mr T is exactly the same as me at that age and has a tendency to become wide awake at about 7 and bounce off the walls until about 11.  If I'm lucky.  I learned that as a baby his tired signs were actually hyperactivity, so the more tired he was the less tired he looked.  That was more fun than a barrel of monkeys with a baby let me tell you.  At least now I can grumble and say go to bed even if he doesn't; at least there isn't a screaming cry.  But the unfortunate flip side is that Mr J will go to bed relatively easily, but insists on waking up anywhere from 5.30 -6.30 whilst Mr T sleeps until 8.  So everyone gets the right amount of sleep just a little screwy....  except mummy of course who goes to sleep when the youngest does and gets up when the oldest does.  That's one time I don't hate the Wii I have to be honest.

And that's another thing, I have a love/hate relationship with hubby's shift work.  Sometimes when I just want to sit on the couch and watch trashy tv without any comments from the "cheap seats", or sit playing with Facebook for an hour guilt free without feeling like you should be having meaningful conversation with your beloved, its awesome.  However when you have to do food shopping alone with two small boys, or when you are trying to get the youngest into bed whilst the oldest is bouncing on the bed begging for a story, whilst you are simultaneously trying to prepare the household for the coming school week, a second set of hands would be helpful. 

But look; I am extremely lucky.  I am not a single parent, nor am I the wife of someone who goes away for work weeks at a time, or have to worry that my hubby could be in danger whilst doing  his job like police or army/navy.  I have two beautiful boys who love mummy so much that one of them wants his own special mummy and Mr T time every night.  I don't have to try and work a full time job in the city anymore wondering if my boys are being looked after properly or if I will get to see my hubby this month, if we can coordinate our crazy jobs.  Leaving home at 7 and getting back at 7 on a good day.  Maybe next time I have my cranky mood I should just remember how lucky we really are.   Or think of this song that has been stuck in my head for days......

Xx

It Begins

Well its been a little bit since my last post and my apologies for that.  The mayhem of the first week of school overtook our lives and its taking me a bit to get over the mummy "smackdown" that is getting two boys ready for school.  Mr J started back late January and Mr T started for the first time on the first of February.  If that wasn't crazy enough I have also been helping out a previous employer with a little contracting work, so all in all the mayhem reigns.

 

Can I just say that after my first full week of doing the school drop off  ..... I don't like it!  There I said it... My name is Naughty Housewife and I do not like the school drop off.  I will take a 100 pick ups from school over 1 drop off any day.  The first week was okay ( ish) with a couple of nervous little boys, but after meeting with Mr J's Year 1 teacher ( who I have decided I love) and dutifully signing up to do school reading, I thought we were getting into the swing of it.  Each teacher has a group "meet up" at the beginning of the year for you to meet them, them to meet you and also to see what your little munchkins will be learning about that year.  I will meet Mr T's teacher this Thursday, but he keeps giving her hugs so I'll take that as a good sign.  Gotta feel sorry for Kindy teachers, that would have to be the hardest job ever. 

But back to the drop off.  Mr J has always been slightly nervous at drop off and likes a little extra reassurance, but the older he is getting the quicker he is settling.  Mr T in kindy however has been a little more of a struggle.  The tears are enough to break your heart.  I have been getting the questions of " How long do I have to go to school for?"  and "Why do I have to go to school EVERY day"  and my favourite "But Mummy I MISS you sooooo much at school".  Always good to have that extra bit of mummy guilt with your morning coffee. I have patiently explained that "buddy, school goes for a while so best get used it" and "yes you do have to do it."  "Of course mummy misses you horribly all day and I am miserable in my TOTAL and COMPLETE FREEDOM with no one to hassle me whilst I get those basic daily tasks done. I don't know how I will cope" LOL.

You know... on further thought, I think I can get through the Drop Off after all.   

For those of you with new Kindy kids, enjoy your freedom.  Until 3pm anyway.

Xx