LTTE Town & Country Magazine: "Lady and the Vamp" and Teaching Tolerance.

Dear Ms. Fiori,
Thank y'all for your article: "The Lady and the Vamp," by Molly Haskell in your February 2009 issue. It was refreshing to read an article about a few 'characters' outside of New York City. The complicated and controversial Scarlett and the sweet, simple yet steely Melanie characters from "Gone with the Wind" are more alike than first glance gives us. They admired, complimented, tolerated, loved and forgave each other. Forgiveness. Not a quality recently seen on Reality TV (or what I call 'mean TV'), in movies, books or other print media.
Speaking of forgiveness, The Margaret Mitchell House and Museum in Atlanta is where the true reality of my revealing and relevant story particular to our time begins. Margaret Mitchell lived in this two story house for seven years while writing her Pulitzer-Prize winning novel, Gone with the Wind. This historic site scrapes by and struggles to survive not only because donors and donations are few, but because some regard Gone with the Wind to be a racist movie and book (I wonder how many people have actually read the book), and repeatedly keep trying to burn down the house.
The tour starts out typically enough with a walk through the house, then her apartment which is furnished with "alike furnishings and a typewriter of the period" from, as we were told by the guide, Goodwill. A bit shocking. The first treat, however, was the mahogany lion head gargoyle adorning the staircase outside of Margaret Mitchell's apartment. Upon entering and exiting her small, ground floor home she rubbed the lion head for good luck.
Down the stairs of the house into the brick basement we were shuffled for the second half of the tour. Immediately upon entering, under glass and on the brick walls were many of Margaret Mitchell's letters to her family and relatives there for our viewing and reading. In perusing this remarkable collection of letters, one can see the natural writer in Margaret Mitchell's soul. A God calling in her life she thankfully answered to. Then, the tour took a most unexpected turn after rounding the corner.
In plain view were approximately 30 very nicely produced photographs of Martin Luther King, Jr., by Bob Adelman. Large, vivid, striking portraits of the men and of the time.
Quietly in the middle of the exhibit hung a black & white photograph of a ten year old Martin Luther King, Jr., standing on the front stairs of what was a Hollywood 'mock up' of Tara, singing 'Negro Spirituals' with the Ebenezer Baptist Church Choir for the 1939 Gone with the Wind movie Premiere Ball. His father was the choir director.
Surrounding the choir, milling about the grounds, was Atlanta's privileged society enjoying their privileges. An all white audience, white men stood in their white tie, top hat and white gloves, white ladies watched in their furs, beautiful ball gowns, white gloves and evening clutches. Some members of this polite society were photographed listing casually to the choir, as others were seemingly there to see and be seen.
Then, the stark reality hit. There stood Martin Luther King, Jr., as a boy, part of the entertainment for the cream of a society that in 1939 he was not allowed to be a participant. Amazingly, as an adult, he rose like cream to the top, emerging in an American society not only as a grand figure of national importance, but as a tolerant, important role model for his generation and future generations to come.
My Father always said: 'The cream rises to the top,' and it does. And it has. Maybe it is time for us all to find a little forgiveness in our hearts, souls and our lives.

LTTE Vogue Magazine - Extremely thin models

Dear Ms. Wintour,
As pleasing as your plea to all designers to: "consider athleticism and vitality as assets in the wearing of great fashion," sounds, we both know the fashion industry better.
My Mother, who worked on Seventh Avenue for 25 years often said: "designers will always want models who look like 'human hangers' because the clothes hang better on them.
After College, my first job in 1983 was working for a popular, well loved designer as an order clerk/receptionist/house model. At 5' 10" tall, I started the job weighing 136 pounds. One year later, I weighed a mere 118 pounds. I was offered an entree into the runway business if I would lose 15 more pounds. I also had an offer in Paris, but knew the unspoken, unwritten rule was "once over the pond, under 100 pounds." I thought seriously about both offers and passed on both having been told by the persons offering me these positions that I was not going to be able to eat anything, ever. Ever. Ever.
Twenty-five years later, this international, "under 100" silent rule has simply traveled across the pond to the USA. There undoubtedly is and will continue to be an unspoken, unwritten pressure within the fashion industry for models to be extremely thin.
Governments, Prada wearers and TV show personalities cannot regulate weight for models. Only we the general public can be definitively responsible for what we will tolerate and what media we will purchase, watch and subscribe to for our enjoyment and escapism.

Sitting on my hands at Bergdorf's.

Today I was content in an upscale, quiet camera shop editing and ordering photos on their computer. A woman entered the shop. She was my age, or older. I am 47 years old. She had three children with her, all under the age of 5. The oldest child whizzed through the door screaming and wheeling a toddler in a stroller. The third child, about 31/2, came into the store twirling and running after the other two children.
The woman, completely unfazed, sat down next to me and began ordering her photos on the computer as well. She also calmly began expressing to the three children how she wanted them to behave.
At this point, the twirling child was falling down dizzy, laying on the floor and screaming. The oldest child was screaming with his voice and screaming that stroller around the displays. All of a sudden, these three children were disrupting everyone and in a way, had taken control of the aura of the entire store. I had the distinct impression that this Mother lives her life in this manner, and behaves like this everywhere she goes, and allows her children to do the same.
What has happened to our polite, puritanical behavior here in America? Have we gone stark, screaming mad? I knew this woman was as old as I, therefore must remember being raised in the 60's. Back in the day when we were raised on a respectful fear of our parents and elders.
Then, I remembered sitting on my hands in the Delmann Shoe Department at the Bergdorf Goodman Department Store in New York City as a child. Yes, quietly sitting, lightly on my hands, patiently watching my Mother try on hard to find size 11 shoes. No hardship lesson here. Bergdorf's is a beautiful store. I had fun looking at all the lovely shoes. I imagined myself one day doing the same. Teaching tolerance and patience. Using one's own imagination during a quiet moment. Nothing wrong with teaching children these lessons.

Friends and Family are Forever

As the self-appointed family historian, in 2005, I published a Forget-Me-Not book complete with poems, lyrics, rhymes and cleaver quips combined with corresponding family photographs from the turn of the last century. The collection celebrates friends and family.
I have sold only 150 copies and have sent 50 copies to local and national media including Oprah, Ellen, FOX, Vogue Magazine, People Magazine and the New York Times. No one was interested.
The pretty trade paper "coffee table" book was not an international best seller. Early last year in 2008, I decided to begin donating the book to local retirement and nursing homes. They were absolutely appreciative and thankful for this thoughtful, soulful, inspirational book. I am so fortunate to be able to give to others.
During this "Retirement Recession" of sorts at best, are Americans less fortunate now than we were in 2005? Do we need the fancy new cars, designer dry goods and huge houses to feel like we have a better life and are closer to our happier family and friends? I say who needs designer goods when you simply appreciate and remember your friends and family, the best kind of vintage.

You are who your friends are on Facebook

Last month we dumped our old dial up and finally got high speed. Last week I found Facebook. This week friends and family found me on Facebook. Wow. Current friends. College friends. High School friends. Childhood friends. My childhood nemesis. Old boyfriends. Oh my! Your good past and bad past does come back to haunt and taunt you. Yikes!
I set up a profile. Name, address, phones, marital status. Current job. Old jobs. Education. Favorite movies. Favorite books.  Favorite photos. Family photos. Profile photos. Favorite places traveled. All places traveled. Facebook even has a section for political views and religious views. Remember however what your mother told you about religion and politics. Hard not to offend someone else eventually.
And just like that, my Facebook profile page now reflects who I am and who my friends and family are. Just think, a few posted pages reflect your entire being. A resume of your life. Fascinating and frightening. A record of everything you type onto some elses Facebook Wall. Permanent public babble posted in writing forever. So, always keep it positive. Colleges and future employers will be checking out your FB page, and Googling your name.
Facebook is also addictive. Time can be wasted. So, keep it quick, informative and interesting. Stay away from what you ate for dinner. Not all thoughts are diamonds.  
The old expression "Birds of a feather flock together," really has come home to roost on Facebook. Just keep it pithy and positive!

Letters to the Editors

Last month,
I had my second LTTE make in into the February 2009 issue of VOGUE Magazine. It was a nothing comment about the November, 2008 issue of VOGUE prematurely predicting the outcome of the November Presidential election. The November issue hit the new stands on October 18th.
Last week, I received a nice letter from the Editor of Town & Country Magazine, saying I had sent in an "amazing" story. Don't know if they will publish it or not.
I have also written a LTTE to Marie Claire Magazine. Have not heard anything yet, but it has only been 2 weeks.
The point is, keep on trying and never give up. Never, never, never. It's not easy, but eventually any task will be worth a steady effort.

A poem from my book Forget-Me-Not, Forget-Me-Never:

Never be flat,
Never be sharp,
And always be natural.

Elsie Verick
December 29, 1905

Enjoy the hope full Sunday snow!

6th Anniversary Poem

From the book: Forget-Me-Not, Forget-Me-Never,
Remember the Fun We Had Together

Doubt the sun is afire,
Doubt that the moon is above,
Doubt that the truth is a liar,
But never doubt my love.

Maude Hays
January 20, 1906

Happy Anniversary to my husband Jimbo.
Love you, Kathy-lu