Leading Ladies in Pop Music

The female pop music artists are competing for our affections nowadays by putting out new exciting music and powerful music videos.  I am amazed at how fierce, brave, and free these women appear and how they have to go the extra mile to get our attention.  Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, and Katy Perry are three leading ladies in the world of pop music that stands out for me right now. I like their music, and I see them as role models for our younger generation.  Some may say they are not good role models, however.  What these ladies are doing is showing society that women can be strong and independent.  Sometimes I wonder what happened to the classy, feminine role models.  Madonna was the leading lady of my generation, and she had no competition.  Now the competition to get noticed in music is tougher I see none of them standing out above the other.  They are all amazing entertainers, and yes, sometimes they cross the line.  But isn't that what gets attention?

The other thing I noticed that was common for all these three ladies is that they have a tattoo on the inside of their arm.  It was applied to that very sensitive spot on the other side of the bicep.  I can only imagine how that feels to get a tattoo there.  These are some tough cookies.

Here are the three leading ladies and their music videos.  Some scenes are explicit.  Don't say I didn't warn you:

Lady Gaga - I Live for the Applause

Katy Perry - Roar

Miley Cyrus - Wrecking Ball


Have an awesome day and stay strong!

Angela G. Gentile

EDIT:  Just found this new song by Britney Spears - "Work Bitch" - Another leading lady in pop, with a strong and fierce song.  Check it out, here: http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/britney-spears-legendary-new-single-work-bitch-leaks?bffb

A New Diet (well, not really) - WWYED

WWYED - Pronounced "Wide"
Watch What You Eat and Drink

I was talking with a good friend, and we both struggle with our weight.  We are married, middle-aged moms who work, and have hectic lives.  Putting ourselves first is sometimes difficult, and we find sometimes the weight creeps up on us.  Losing weight (or maintaining where we are) can be hard, so we wanted to find an easy way to keep on top of things.

We know all the right things to do (we've read all the books, been to all the meetings, tried all the different diet fads).  There's no magical pill or a diet that is easy that works for everyone, unfortunately.  So we figured, all we need is a little encouragement and support to remind us to watch what we eat and drink.

We came up with a new way of approaching it when someone says, "I want to lose some weight" or, "I really need to lose some weight".  Who doesn't want to be healthier and feel and look their best? We all know how to do it (most of us have been successful in the past), so here's how we're going to do it.

It's simply the WWYED (pronounced "Wide") plan - Watch What You Eat and Drink.  Everyone can do it.  All we have to do is encourage each other to remember, WWYED.  We find that supporting each other and giving each other reminders and encouragement really helps.  It also compliments any diet regime or program you are in to help you watch your weight.  If you need a little encouragement, email me and I can include you in our WWYED group.

Cheers!

Angela G. Gentile

Key words:  weight loss, diet, lose weight

Once a Mother, Always a Mother

When I was 12, I learned about how grueling and painful childbirth can be.  I remember saying to my mom, "I don't want kids".  It was because of the fear of childbirth.  As I got older, I started to realize how important it was to me to have children of my own one day.  I started fantasizing about the ideal family - a boy and a girl.  I wanted them at the same time.  Twins.  How perfect would that be.

I got a puppy when I was about 16.  It was my trial run at being a mother.  I had enjoyed babysitting, but I had never really taken it that seriously.  Kids were cute, but I really didn't know what to do with them when they were crying.  Raising that little puppy was fun.  I learned about responsibility.

I moved away from home, to attend university.  It was about a 4 hour drive from home.  Soon after, I fell in love with a man who I could see being my husband and father of my children one day.  We married in 1990, and started planning our future together.

Unfortunately, I couldn't get pregnant.  It took visits to the specialists to find out what was wrong.  I started to come to the conclusion that I was not going to have children of my own.  I applied to go back to Graduate school.  Although I was devastated, I had considered other options such as adoption.  I still felt it was in my future to have children one day.

Once I had relaxed about trying to get pregnant, and changed my focus onto other things, I became pregnant!  My 2 and a half year journey of infertility was ended when we did a home pregnancy test.  Oh, the joy!

My pregnancy was uneventful, but the labour was very difficult.  It ended in a Cesarean section, and a beautiful baby boy.  Motherhood was all that I had dreamed of.  I was very happy.

My second baby came sooner than we had expected.  With the difficulty of conceiving the first time, I thought for sure it may take another 4 years or so.  2 years and 4 months later, our beautiful baby girl was born.  Again, an uneventful pregnancy, but a difficult delivery.  This time it was a forceps delivery.  I had said that I didn't want any more children, because for sure, the third one would kill me.

Raising two children has taught me so much about how tough it is to be a mom.  I have also learned that if you put forth a lot of time and effort in the beginning, it really pays off in the end.  I have two amazing children (now teenagers), and I love them both so dearly.  The intensity of looking after little children is now gone.  Watching my children mature and plan for their own futures is such a joy to watch.  These two special people have been given to me (and my husband) for only a short time, to help nurture them and raise them into responsible, wonderful adults.  Then they will move on to build lives and families of their own.

Almost 18 years later, after my first child was born, I am preparing for my son's grade 12 graduation.  It is amazing how the time flies.  Before you know it, your precious little baby is a man.  He will start university in the fall.

One thing I know for sure, is that once you are a mother, you are always a mother.  I work with older adults and I see 80 and 90-year-old women who still speak highly and fondly of their adult children.  Family is so important, and keeping those relationship and ties strong as we age is even more important.  Being a mother is one of the most important, sometimes difficult, and rewarding jobs that I know of.  I hope you, too, are able to enjoy all that motherhood has to offer.

Wishing all of the mothers out there a Happy Mother's Day, today and always.  And let us not forget all those who have come before us.

And thanks, Mom.  You are the greatest!

~ Angela G. Gentile

The Sky's the Limit - Even When You're 80

I have no desire to skydive at this stage in my life, but I wonder if I might change my mind when I am 80?  Check out this awesome video of a woman who went skydiving with her son for her 80th birthday.  It was on her "bucket list".  She is a true "SuperAger".



Click on the arrow above or go to this YouTube link:  http://youtu.be/3FUXlYC5MyM

Have a great day!

Angela G. Gentile

Beauty and Aging by Audrey Hepburn

Audrey Hepburn ,1929-1993

Beauty Tips

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run his/her fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.
People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone.
Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms.
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands; one for helping yourself, and the other for helping others.

-- Audrey Hepburn

Beauty of a Woman

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides. The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, But true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, The passion that she shows. The beauty of a woman with passing years -- only grows.

-- Audrey Hepburn

A Woman Should Have (A Poem)

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....

enough money within her control to move out and rent a place of her own even if she never wants to or needs to...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....
something perfect to wear if the employer or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
a youth she's content to leave behind....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....
a past juicy enough that she's looking forward to retelling it in her old age....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .....
a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....
one friend who always makes her laugh... and one who lets her cry...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....
a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....
eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a meal that will make her guests feel honored...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....
a feeling of control over her destiny...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to fall in love without losing herself..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

HOW TO QUIT A JOB, 

BREAK UP WITH A LOVER, 

AND CONFRONT A FRIEND WITHOUT RUINING THE FRIENDSHIP...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

when to try harder... and WHEN TO WALK AWAY...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

that she can't change the length of her calves, the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that her childhood may not have been perfect...but it's over...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
what she would and wouldn't do for love or more...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to live alone... even if she doesn't like it...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

whom she can trust, whom she can't, and why she shouldn't take it personally...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
where to go...
     be it to her best friend's kitchen table...
          or a charming inn in the woods...
               when her soul needs soothing...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
what she can and can't accomplish in a day...
     a month...and a year...” 

― Pamela Redmond Satran

(Source:  http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=age&commit=Search)

One Small Voice (Book Review)

If each of us uses our one small voice...

"One Small Voice" (2012) is a book written by a dear friend, Marcia Barhydt from Ontario.  It's a book written by a "woman of a certain age", and there are references to Ageism, Sexism, Women of a Certain Age, Sex, Mothering, Cougars, Body Acceptance and so much more.  There are references to websites and videos (such as the Beauty of Aging documentary and The Beautiful Women Project) that I had never heard of, and immensely enjoyed perusing.  I will be sending this book to my Mom to have a read, as I am sure any woman would enjoy this (and it's a great gift idea!).  Such an easy read. Was able to finish it in a few days.

Makes me feel good about being a woman, and I am looking forward to getting older and all the joys (and challenges) that come along with that.   I want to be one of those people using my one small voice, to help combat ageism.

"Because this is where I'm going, and I'm just getting started".

You can get your copy of One Small Voice: A Collection of Articles on Ageism and the Value of Older Women at:  http://willowtree.ca/marciasbooks.html

Cheers!

Angela G. Gentile

Pregnant and I Know It

A brilliantly done parody about pregnancy, done to the song, "I'm Sexy and I Know It". Although it's been many years since my last pregnancy, I can totally relate!



Click on the arrow above, or go to this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THAaNPIxEek&feature=player_embedded

Enjoy!
Angela Gentile

Keeping Chivalry Alive

Photo by Angela Gentile

Something happened to me in a matter of 24 hours that left such an impression on me and made me think a lot about chivalry and how things have changed over the years.

One day, I received a message on my phone from a 77-year-old client of mine.  In his message, he told me that he wanted to cancel the request for a meeting with the psychologist.  He explained that, “Having talked to you was a great help to me and I think you’re terrific, Angela”.  I was impressed by his kind, polite words.  The very same day, I assessed another client who was 84-years-old.  He had Alzheimer’s type dementia, and his speech was unintelligle.  I sensed his gentle nature, and as I was leaving, I held out my hand to shake his, and he gently took my hand in his, and brought it up to his mouth and gave me a light kiss on the back of my hand.  I was touched by his kindness.  Although he was unable to say thank you, he used this time-honoured gesture to say thanks.  As I was leaving the building an elderly man (in his 80’s I guess), was also leaving at the same time.  I struck up a light conversation about the weather with him as we were walking out together to the parking lot.  As I opened my trunk to put my briefcase into it, I wished him a nice day.  He replied, “Nice car”. 

What I learned from these three older men, that chivalry is not dead.  Chivalry may have been beaten down a bit but the older generation is still going strong. 

That very same day, as I was driving home, I was stopped at an intersection, and my window was open slightly.  There were two white vans in line to my right, both ready to turn right onto the busy highway.  All of a sudden, I heard a gruff male voice, shouting, “What are you waiting for, Asshole?”  I looked back to see who was shouting such angry vulgarities, and it was a very unhappy looking middle-aged man.  This set me back a bit.  After having such positive experiences with the three other men that same day, it made me wonder why is there such a big difference in the way the older men are versus the middle-aged man. 

Is it that the older men have lived in a time when women appreciated being treated nicely?  When men lived with grace and tolerance?  Are the mature men of today that angry?  Will these mid-lifers remain angry and intolerant as they age?  Where are the social graces?  He had no clue who was driving that van.  Maybe it was a woman?

What about our sons?  Are we raising our sons to be polite?  Are we encouraging them to hold doors open for women?  Are we having these discussions with our daughters?  I think all the rules are changing.  Women want equality, but they also want to be treated with respect.  I think most of us women secretly like and appreciate chivalrous behaviour from our men.  I know I really appreciate it when I make a home visit and the man of the house takes my coat, hangs it up and when I am leaving, actually helps me put it on.  That is so sweet.  I don’t expect my husband to open the car door for me, but it would be nice.  Helping me with my heavy bags is also a very chivalrous kind of gesture, and it’s much appreciated.

Ladies, the next time a man opens a door for you and lets you go first, smile, say “Thank you” and remember that chivalry is not dead, yet.  These men may learn to age gracefully and keep chivalry alive, for it is very charming and makes women feel treasured. 

Have a great day!

~ Angela Gentile

Fifty and Fabulous! Book Review

“Aging in not a choice. It comes uninvited, and as with many

 of our body’s tricks and turns, we cannot opt out.”

In her book, “Fifty & Fabulous!  The Best Years of a Woman’s Life”, Jacki Scarcello explores the concept, “Women of the Harvest”.  She interviewed women with a “light in their eyes” aged 45 to 102 from five countries and found that there were two types of women.  There is the type of women who are horrified by aging, and there is the group of women who celebrate each milestone in life, such as menopause.  

She calls the second group, Women of the Harvest. “Harvest, as a season, is not an ending but a time to celebrate the yield brought forth from work and care and the simple passage of time”.  The Women of the Harvest have a harvest wisdom that they share. This harvest wisdom is a positive, special outlook on life and all the transitions it brings.  Scarcello encourages the reader to become a Woman of the Harvest, to embrace and adopt the harvest wisdom way of aging and living.  She says the passing of the years brings it’s challenges as well, and the Women of the Harvest can support others with their traits such as compassion, forgiveness, leadership and completeness. 

Well worth the read if you are at or approaching 50.  Would make a great gift, too.

Available here: http://www.amazon.ca/Fifty-Fabulous-Best-Years-Womans/dp/1906787573/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1321133637&sr=1-1

Have a great day!

Angela Gentile