Tonight's Show - Current Events Mash-up

Tonight's show will be a general overview of some current happenings on the feminist circuit. I'll be talking a little bit about the situation surrounding the young girl who was recently raped and impregnated by her stepfather. I'll also be touching on Campus Pro Life Club's Genocide Awareness Project display that went up last week on the U of C campus. You can read an article about it from the U of C's news magazine, The Gauntlet. Finally, I'll be updating you on several events happening around town that are totally worth checking out.

Here are some helpful links related to some of the topics and events that will be featured on tonight's show.


Events Listings

Story Circle Woman Song presented with Sexual Health Access Alberta

Upcoming Events at the Women's Resource Centre

WAM! Women, Action and The Media
*This event took place over the weekend in the States but you can register for next year by visiting the site.


On another note, The Yeah, What She Said dynamic is about to change! Jennie Thunder and I will have a special show planned for April 20th to inaugurate the changes, so mark your calendars and be sure to tune in for more details!

Tune in tonight at 8:30pm MST to hear the full run-down on CJSW 90.9 FM or stream it live from CJSW.com.

Shopping Sprees Linked to Menstural Cycle

The BBC reports that in the 10 days before a woman's period begins, she is more likely to go on a spending spree.

"Psychologists believe shopping could be a way for premenstrual women to deal with the negative emotions created by their hormonal changes."

Almost two-thirds of the women studied said they are more likely to buy things on impulse or overspend during the later stage of their menstrual cycle (also known as the luteal phase).

Maybe this explains why I haven't been able to stop thinking about new jeans over the past week, and "Aunt Flo" is due in town any day now...

Should "Childlike" and "Sexy" Go Together?

This is the current cover image of Rolling Stone magazine. From a feminist perspective, I have two problems with the way the women are pictured here.

#1 Infantilization – This is a common technique used in advertising/fashion photography. Women are photographed in child-like poses that are meant to convey a sense of innocence. I find it creepy that as a society we are so outraged by pedophilia, yet we continually portray grown women in child-like poses and think it’s sexy. There is something deeply disturbing about sexualizing childhood.

#2 Lesbian Reference – Again, this is commonly used in the media. We seem to have no problem showing two beautiful young women in a sexual pose together – yet we never see two butch women, two regular-looking women, a butch with a femme... etc. We only see beautiful models together. And don’t even get me started on that fact that we never see male homosexuality in our media. You know our society is fucked up when we feel more comfortable seeing two men holding guns than two men holding hands.

Anyhow, I digress.
My point is that this image is completely lacking in creativity (it’s been done a million times before) and it also continues the North American media legacy of degrading and over-sexualizing women. Final verdict: two thumbs down.

elementary assignment

this is a diorama i made for a photography project. makes me laugh pretty hard. used items like magazines, shot glass, plants, coaster and a few other random pieces.

more from the capital

our hotel for the weekend: the fairmont chateau laurier... classic.

byward market from the front view. wool sweaters galore!

after a long day of walking around, what better way to unwind than pop open some white wine, indulge in some crackers and some herb&garlic brie cheese. scrumptious.

friends to keep me busy during the 5 hour drive: robert pattinson, reese witherspoon and some arizona tea. Al kept getting annoyed because i wasn't talking to him...the articles in these 2 magazines were written so well i couldn't stop! check out the article in the GQ about the American guy that somehow ended up with the Taliban. AMAZING story. from a Canadian perspective it really makes me empathize with the young man.

checkin out ottawa

one of the few canadian parliament buildings on parliament hill.
home to not my favorite person at the moment. just an opinion!

byward market, downtown ottawa. home to montreal style bagels, vintage clothing, fresh flowers, and a funky t-shirt store

these, my friends, are montreal-style bagels. i dont even know how to describe why they are SOO much better than regular bagels but they are just trust me. get the sesame seed ones. they my fave. i bought 6 to bring home with me and ate one on the ride home hehe.
did you know that people in australia don't know what bagels are? they dont sell them there.......they are clearly missing out! they also sell eggs on regular shelves in their grocery stores. not in the fridges like us over here...comment that!

enjoying some sauvoign blanc in my bed at the fairmont with my friend elle (magazine is her last name) ......truthfully this is bliss.

my saturday walking outfit.
leatherjacket:zara; shirt: americanapparel; skirt: joefresh; tights: americanapparel: shoes: topshop; sunglasses: boyfriends

Story Circle Woman Song at the Spoken Word Fest

The Calgary International Spoken Word Festival is coming soon! I was just checking out the events listing and found one that looks awesome for all those Calgary feminists out there!

Story Circle Woman Song is a celebration of the dynamic voices of women of all cultures and ages. It is presented in part by our friends at Sexual Health Access Alberta, and it features some amazing women including Vancouver's favorite feminist indie darling, Kinnie Starr!

Event Details:
Sunday, April 05, 2009 – 11:00 AM – $10
Central Library – John Dutton Theatre – 616 Macleod Trail SE
Visit the website for more information.

Women Deserve Better - Women Deserve Choice

I discovered this talented slam poet a couple of years ago. In this spine-chilling performance she outlines the reasons why women desperately need reproductive choice. This video is truly inspiring - if it doesn't make you feel empowered at the same it almost makes you cry, I don't know what will.

Her name is Sonya Renee and you can check out her MySpace page for more info.

Miss Teen USA Contestant Confirms Our Suspicions

I mentioned this on-air last night during our show on child beauty pageants, and it's just so darn funny I had to post the video on our blog.

Lauren Caitlin Upton was a contestant in Miss Teen USA 2007, representing the state of South Carolina. She was asked why one in five Americans can't locate the USA on a world map, and here is her reply.



It's sad when you realize (a) just how bad the education system must be in some (or most?) parts of America, and (b) that girls like Lauren could come *this close* to being a so-called "role model" for America's young women.
Thank goodness Lauren did not win the competition. The title of Miss Teen USA 2007 was awarded to Hilary Cruz of Colorado, whom I dearly hope was brighter and more eloquent.

reese's pieces..todays obsession

i am LOVING reese witherspoon lately. her cover for elle april 09 is amazing. she reminds me of an older olsen twin. gorgeous. she just looks so fresh and happy. these photos really show how great she is looking, check out that killer body! amazing she had 2 kids and can pull off that figure.
i want her bangs.
i want her blonde hair.
i want her legs.
AND i want that dress!!!!!!!!!!!


source JJ

source hollywoodT

so hot. im thinking this is either Alexander Wang, Philip Lim, or Balmain? Didn't have time to find out for sure. Let me know who it is and what you think. She definitely has the killer body to fill it out in all the right places.

Will post more this week regarding my past weekend in Ottawa!

Monday's Show - Child Beauty Pageants

Tune in on Monday March 23rd to hear our half-hour discussion on the topic of child beauty pageants. You can catch it on CJSW 90.9 fm from 8:30 to 9:00 pm (MST).

We will be discussing the history of beauty pageants, details about the competition including how the children are judged, how pageants affect the mental health and self-image of girls, and much more.

Ellen and Portia Sitting in a Tree

Oh, how sweet is love! Here is a delightful video of Ellen and her wife Portia, who have now been married for over seven months.



And some insight on same-sex marriage from Bill Maher:

"Let's face it. When people talk about homosexuality being unnatural, and abomination, they're not talking about the women. No, no, they're talking about the men. Nobody seems to find anything so abominable about Britney Spears tonguing Madonna. Or Gina Gershon in bed with Jennifer Tilly. Or anything else on the third shelf of my 'library.' No, in America, when a man puts something in another man, it had better be a bullet."

Since When is THIS a "Fuller Figure"?

Britney Spears recently had a "comeback show" in New Orleans, and the Daily Mail reported that she has a "rather fuller figure these days." They also used the phrase "Bulky Spears" in the headline - how charming.

I'd like you to take a look at this photo and tell me this: How, in any way shape or form, can this be considered a "fuller figure"? And how can they refer to her as "bulky?" Her body looks healthy and great to me.

No wonder the girl shaved her head and went crazy.

TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT

source heydoyou

tonight me and charms will be attending a fashion showdown at the 5th @ 225 Richmond Street DOWNTOWN Toronto!!!!
Looking forward to stealing some good pictures of some hot clothes and hot people!
Thanks Yvonne for this opportunity and looking forward to seeing you there tonight

Oh god...what am I going to wear???? HELP!

Gardasil, Religion and Scare Tactics

Did the Calgary Catholic School board have the right idea when it refused to participate in the nation-wide vaccination said to prevent cervical cancer in young women? Last September, members of the board voted not to make the vaccine called Gardasil available free of charge to Grade 5 girls in its school system. Across Canada, girls between the ages of 9 and 15 were being targeted for vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) which has the ability to cause cervical cancer in women.

Gardasil has been under scrutiny from health officials and the public alike since its inception. Among topics within the debate of cross-country immunization is the issue of whether or not enough comprehensive research has been done on the vaccine to call for nation-wide action. One representative of Merck Frosst (Gardasil's manufacturer) suggests that concerns regarding the safety of the drug are small in scale, stating that the drugs' effectiveness is a scientifically proven fact. Another claim made in favor of Gardasil is that it has been approved for use in 110 countries. Some Canadian health professionals, however, are worried that the approval was pushed through too quickly; that there has not been enough time to enforce education about the vaccine along with alternative measures for preventing infection. Other concerns are that there has not been nearly enough research done to calculate the long term effects of vaccination against HPV.

Perhaps the Catholic School Board did make a smart decision by opting out of this one. Yes, the school board's motive for doing so was primarily rooted in the soil of religious morale, but I'm beginning to understand the social responsibility involved in the decision as well. Not only has the school board decided -somewhat intelligently- to keep its hands off of this touchy issue, but it has also apparently pledged that it will freely direct parents toward information on the vaccine outside of its doors.

Even as a non-Catholic woman, I appreciate that the school board has chosen to leave it up to the parents to decide what's best. I think the decision alleviates the pressure to get the vaccination while it's free and allows parents to do as much of their own research as they want to before deciding. On the other hand, it can't be denied that the fearful society we live in encourages the "better safe than sorry" method of action; the method that leaves many of us paranoid about what will happen if we don't snap up any chances we're given to avoid health complications. With huge marketing campaigns telling us that we are doomed if we do not conform, or participate, or vaccinate, or comply with the suggestions they make, it's difficult to take the alternative stance on pressing matters like this one.

For those wanting to know more about ongoing HPV research in Canada, an interesting article in Calgary's local FFWD magazine was published in last week's issue with commentary from Sexual Health Access Alberta's Laura Wershler.

Tonight's Show - Violence Against Women

On tonight's show we'll be discussing recent events that are related to a global problem: violence against women.

A couple of the news items we will discuss have already been posted on our blog, including a recent survey of folks in England and Wales that found one in five believe there is an excuse for domestic violence, and the disturbing trend of "corrective" rape of lesbians in South Africa.
We will also discuss the incident between Chris Brown and Rihanna, especially in light of a new survey of 200 Boston teenagers, which found that nearly half of the teens questioned (aged 12 to 19) believed that Rihanna was responsible for the beating from Chris Brown.

A common thread that we find in many of these stories is "victim blaming." Women, as victims of domestic and sexual abuse, are often blamed or seen as responsible for what happened. And as we know, when violence isn't taken seriously, the perpetrators walk away without consequences and the cycle of violence continues.

Tune in to CJSW 90.9 fm on Monday March 16th from 8:30 to 9:00 pm to hear this discussion.

a date with my camera

had a wonderful day with my lover (lover = camera & al)
here's some photos of myself to show the fun. ha.

champagne in the car with a box of pizza before the movies. awesome.
saw the movie One Week with Joshua Jackson...really great film! and I definitely loved the Canadian-ness of it...including my home Sask. a touching story with a different-than-typical plot.



you could call this "a date with my aviators".

charmin my cupcake

to celebrate charm's birthday this weekend i made some yellow cupcakes, added some balloons and incorporated some vodka to the mix. to start the night off with food we added in some nice house beats and fake eyelashes galore.


happy birthday babe! hope i helped make it one to remember!

I'm Sorry, Did Someone Just Say 'Corrective'?

The disheartening news of an increased trend in the rape of South African queer and lesbian women did three things to me: it caught my attention, made me want to throw up, and forced me to re-evaluate my stance on a few things.

Reuters reports that a number of South African gangs are targeting lesbians in what is being called "corrective" rape attempting to make them straight. The ideology behind this tactic is that lesbian women will know what it feels like to be a 'real' woman once they've been raped by a man. Such notions leave me pondering the possibility that at least a small portion of lesbian women may have encountered sexual abuse by a man early enough in life to cause excruciating trauma so that, in adulthood, heterosexuality becomes simply undesirable.
In such a case, why would anyone want to know what it feels like to be a real woman if it means being subject to traditional, patriarchal and simply inhumane bullshit?

On top of all of this, despite the fact that South Africa is one of the vast continents' most progressive countries, the South African justice system fails to acknowledge crime on the basis of sexual orientation. This means, even if a victim survives an attack and reports it, which is rare in itself, convictions are even more rare and professional support is often nowhere to be found.

Inevitably, reactions to this news have varied from outrage to impartiality. Some are quick to point fingers from across ponds without stopping to recognize that much of the same activity happens right here in our very own backyards.

What's most bothersome to me about this type of rape is the term, "corrective". Whether or not it was coined by those hoping to bring light to the issue or by the criminals themselves doesn't matter; there's nothing to correct. Unless we're going to strip one another of our identities and until we're all machines, there won't be anything to fix - that needs to be made clear.
It's still rape, it's still crime and it's still heinous. "Corrective" is false, disgusting and genocidal, to say the least.



Watch: South Africa's Sinister Claim to Fame

Call Yourself A Feminist : BBC Radio 4

How rad is this...
BBC Radio 4 is producing a three-part series titled "Call Yourself A Feminist" where women discuss and trace the development of feminist ideas from the 1960s onwards. The best part is these radio programs are available online!
Click here to listen!

The first episode is 30 minutes long as is available online until Tuesday March 17th. Here is the description of the show:

A panel of guests explore the issues which motivated women to join together under the banner of feminism. While activists pursued campaigns involving street protests and fighting through the courts, other women were alienated by their arguments. Both feminists and non-feminists join Bettany [the host] to recall key events.

Part two will be available at the above link on March 17th, and I'm guessing part three will be ready on the 24th. Happy listening!

vex

Our Father...

If abortion is murder but risking a nine-year-old's life so that she may deliver twins (conceived when she's raped by her step-father, nonetheless) is not only okay but also expected, then murder and, evidently, a young sexual abuse victim's right to live are in the trusty and authoritative hands of the orthodox Catholic church. Now, don't we all feel safe? A special thanks to the Archdiocese of Olinda for teaching us what morality is all about.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports.

Why Rihanna, Why?

Check out this video about the whole Rihanna/Chris Brown situation. Personally, I am shocked that Rihanna is getting back together with Chris, and that she has asked the judge not to press charges against him. After hearing that he bit her ear and smashed her head against the side of a car, I can't help but ask, "why Rihanna, why?

Oprah has been so disturbed by this whole Rihanna/Chris Brown case that she has decided to do a show about domestic violence on Thursday March 12 - it would probably be worth checking out.

As Oprah says, "Love doesn't hurt. If a man hits you once, he will hit you again."

Shocking Stats from Across the Pond

The UK's feminist blog The F-Word has posted some shocking statistics on the attitudes of men and women in England and Wales on issues of domestic violence.

See their post for more details, but here are a few quick stats:

• 1 in 5 believe there is an excuse for domestic violence.
  
  
• 6% believe it's acceptable for a man to hit or slap his girlfriend or wife if she is dressed in sexy/revealing clothing in public. 14% believe it's sometimes acceptable to hit/slap her in that situation.
  
  
• 15% believe the woman should be held responsible for rape or sexual assault if she was using drugs at the time. 11% believe the women should be held responsible if she was drunk.
  

• 47% believe the woman should be held responsible or part-responsible for rape or sexual assault if she works as a prostitute.

• 52% believe the woman is responsible or part-responsible for rape or sexual assault if she does not clearly say NO to the man.
  

22

leather-jacket: TRF zara
sweater: H&M
leggings: AA
boots: aldo
bag: Zara

my hair wants to be beatle-shaped. let it be, let it be, let it be. RIP john lennon

sunny#stripes

hat: sportsgirl australia
plaid shirt: urbanoutfitters
black cardigan/shirt: some store in Aus
jeans: H&M
sunglasses: urbanoutfitters

my problem

should my mother be proud that i organized my footwear; or should she have a stroke because of the amount i own?

This Week's Show - Purity Balls

Join us on Monday March 9th for an hour-long discussion on Purity Balls: a growing yet controversial movement among Evangelical Christians.

(8:00 - 9:00 pm on CJSW 90.9 fm in Calgary, or online at www.cjsw.com)



Essentially, Purity Balls are attended by fathers and their teenage daughters. Fathers pledge to protect their young daughters' purity in mind, body and soul. Daughters are expected to remain virgins, abstaining from pre-marital sex. A stronger father-daughter relationship is promoted as a means to affirm spiritual and physical purity.



We will be discussing the history of Purity Balls, what supporters and opponents say about them, and naturally, we will discuss feminist viewpoints on the topic.



Below are links to some videos and articles that we have used as references. Check them out for more information on this fascinating topic.



Articles

Would You Pledge Your Virginity to Your Father? - Glamour Magazine

Dancing the Night Away, With a Higher Purpose - The New York Times

Premarital Abstinence Pledges Ineffective, Study Finds - Washington Post



Videos

Comedian Bill Maher on Purity Balls

Randy Wilson (creator of Purity Balls) on the Today Show

Purity Dances on Good Morning America



Websites

Generations of Light - Website of the Wilson Family (creators of the Purity Ball)

What do "Normal Breasts" Look Like?

Ok, so I admit this is kind of weird, but I guarantee that it will make you feel good. While I was randomly surfing the net, I found a website that has a photo gallery of natural breasts. Women of all ages, shapes and sizes can submit images of their breasts to this gallery. The purpose of the gallery is to let women (and men) see what NORMAL, natural breasts look like.

"A huge proportion of American women are not happy with their breasts. The media images make them believe the ideal is big and perky breasts with a small nipple and areola. But, in reality female breasts come in all kinds of sizes and shapes. These breast pictures are here to let you see normal breasts - big, small, sagging, asymmetrical; big areolas or nipples. Many young people growing up never see what normal natural breasts look like, and influenced by the media, think that pert big breasts are ideal."

I looked through a few of the gallery pages and thought it was really neat. It definitetly shows you that most women's breasts look nothing like the ones we see on TV, in pornos and such. And if looking at this gallery doesn't make you feel better about your own ta-tas, then take comfort in knowing that 89% of men perfer real breasts over fake ones!

Janssen-Ortho Settles Lawsuit over Evra Patch

From Canadian Women's Health Network:

Lawsuit over Evra contraception patch settled
February 27 2009
CTV.ca News Staff

Janssen-Ortho Inc. has agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit started by Canadian women who claimed they were injured by the Evra contraceptive skin patch.

The women alleged that Janssen-Ortho failed to adequately warn them and their doctors about Evra's association with an increased risk of developing blood clots, pulmonary embolisms, strokes, heart attacks and deep vein thrombosis.

On Friday, Janssen-Ortho agreed to settle the claims on an individual basis, without admitting liability. They are also prepared to settle any other valid claims that are brought forward.


I wasn't even aware that this lawsuit had taken place until now. It just goes to show that no matter how much research is done on hormonal contraceptives, there will virtually always be unforeseen risks. Feel free to check out the full article from CTV for more details.

a trek down the Queen

me and my friend charmaine from goldie-oldie went on a trek down queen street west in Toronto yesterday.... we started where queen west meets the queensway around the 1700 block. a delicious smell caught our attention and we had to stop inside yummy stuff. this delicious smell consisted of cupcakes and biscotti in a variety of flavors. we each got a mini cupcake (we weren't that hungry yet) - charms had the raspberry cupcake and i had the chocolate one. soooo delicious! definitely will be back there again despite its far distance from me.


there were so many neat vintage shops including clothing stores and antique shops. we didn't stop in many antique shops though because i knew i would want to buy something and didn't have a car to bring it home with me.

i ended up scoring a long gold necklace and a burgundy long-strapped vintage clutch purse from the salvation army. (pictures coming soon!)...the necklace was 2 dollars and the purse was 5. can't complain about those prices!!

the really good stores were vintage69 and the public butter...both had exceptional pieces but they came at higher price points. we weren't sure exactly what we wanted so without a thought in mind about a distinct piece, we walked out empty handed. charms picked up a long metallic looking shirt with cross-woven stitching. she also bought an amazing Alexander Wang shirt from Holt's.

after a longggg trek down queen we finally made it back to queen & yonge where we picked up some liquor and headed back to my place to induldge in some drinks and put up our feet ... and wash our hands...EWW! is it just me or does vintage shopping sometimes leave you with the feeling that your hands are covered in dirt & bacteria from touching used items? as much as I love vintage clothes it still grosses me out while I'm shopping for it! ha!

check you all later :)

Yeah, What She Said in BeatRoute Magazine

Lady Bee and Jennie Thunder, the hosts of Yeah What She Said (and creators of this blog) were featured in BeatRoute Magazine this month (March '09).
If you get a chance, pick up a copy - they're widely available along 17th ave and other "hot spots" in the city.
Photo by PJ Lavergne

Yarnbombing: Guerrilla Knitters in Vancouver!

From the Vancouver Sun:

Vancouver’s urban landscape has become the target of a worldwide craze that is taking knitting and crocheting out of granny’s kitchen and onto the street in the stitching version of graffiti.

From doorknob cosies to knitted tree wraps, the yarn graffiti is showing up in all sorts of public spaces — and in a soon-to-be-released book by Vancouver yarn bombers Leanne Prain and Mandy Moore.

While the term might carry some negative connotations and ‘guerrilla knitters’ may sound like a contradiction in terms, these stitch wizards mostly aim to bring smiles to the faces of passersby or to offer a gentle social or political statement.

What a beautiful and crafty way to make our streets a little prettier! I know I always smile when I see "found art" on the streets. Check out the Yarnbombing blog for more info.

diaz'n the cold weather properly

i love love love cameron diaz's outfit here

i wish i had the long legs to accompany the long coat and have it still pieced together proportionately

ahhh well

this picture is from http://www.popsugar.com/

the irony of feeling good

as i finished working out today at the gym downtown i stopped for a quick pee and to my discovery....the advertisement sitting in front of my face on the back of the stall's door was selling plastic surgery to me from a new office in yorkville.

why is it that when you're trying to work out and feel good about yourself something literally slaps you in the face to remind you of imperfections.
i'd much rather see an ad telling me to get my ass out in that tight dress and hit up the newest lounge in Toronto.

style genius

anyone who has a chance to grab the GQ for March 09 please do so. Men: take note. I'm not a huge fan of JT I mean I love his music but I'm not overly thrilled with his looks......until I saw this issue that is. My manlover kept telling me that he couldn't pull off JT's looks w/out being assumed to be less than straight but I disagree. I'm more turned on by JT's tight pants and top hats than the average straight joe. This type of style does not even cost a ton...slimmer jeans and vintage tee's can be picked up anywhere and as for the running shoes and top hats... those are easily affordable accessories as well. Dressing men just got funner!!!

she went up the hill...and down the hill...and around the bend...to make it to school.

so i get to school. grab my coffee, ready to take in the notes and drown my brain in forensic psych. im sitting in the lecture hall enjoying the french vanilla coffee and reading up on some travel europe info when this man comes in and asks me if i have class today. its 2:26...class starts at 2:30 i tell him. "you know school doesn't start back until tomorrow right?" .... "OHHHHH so that's why no one else is here!" ......

me getting ready for (non) school. all that effort wasted. ended up sweating off the makeup and greasing up the hair at the gym instead oh well.

coat & scarf: H&M

glasses: Gucci

grey sweater: Zara

tights: Zara

boots: Aldo

up the subway she goes....back down the subway she goes. all in a days work to get to (non)school.

10 Year Old Graffiti Girl in London

Don't you love it when young girls defy gender stereotypes and do amazing and awesome things? I just discovered a 10-year old girl in London, England whose colourful and kick-ass graffiti is gaining some serious respect.

The girl's name is Solveig and she frequently incorporates the first three letters of her name into her designs. All her works are signed and indicate her age at time of completion.

Apart from her talent for painting, Solveig is like any other schoolgirl and lists her interests as playing with Barbies and collecting Doctor Who cards. She has even tattooed someone (see links below for pics!)

Check out her story in the UK's Telegraph (including a photo gallery with 12 pieces of her work).
You can also see Solveig's Flickr Page to view more of her work.

Tonight's Show - Women & Travel Adventure

Tonight we're interviewing local entrepreneur, Carol Patterson. Carol owns an ecotourism consulting firm in Calgary and is an author, lecturer and traveller. Her book, Reinventure: How Travel Can Change Your Life is about how travel allows us to reinvent ourselves over and over again. Travel helps us grow in ways we could never imagine and discover strengths within us we never knew we had.

I think this is particularly interesting for women because as a woman who has traveled alone before, I can honestly say it was the best thing I've ever done. It forced me to constantly meet new people and to rely on my own instincts and judgment. It gave me a confidence that nothing else could.

To hear our interview with Carol, tune in to CJSW 90.9 fm (or www.cjsw.com) from 8:30 to 9:00 pm on Monday, March 2.

out on the town...err city.

shirt & skirt: zara

shoes: aldo

wore this one out for lover's bday.

happy birthday to my lova!!

my sexy man turns 24 at midnight.

h.b.d. love!

x's