WELCOME TO DIVAVILLE - DIVA IS A STATE OF MIND
"We should always reach for the stars...they look so good in our eyes" - PopArtDiva

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

A LITTLE NOSTALGIC HOLIDAY GIFT FOR YOU

As A Special Holiday Treat for all you Baby Boomers
and Children Who Will Never Grow Up

I am presenting:
THE ENTIRE BROADCAST OF
PETER PAN
Starring MARY MARTIN
at The PopArtDiva Retro Baby Boomer Blog

YESTERDAY: PARTS ONE THROUGH SEVEN
TODAY: PARTS EIGHT TO END
SPECIAL SONGS from Peter Pan

ENJOY THE NOSTALGIA AND
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE
from The BRAT in the HAT!

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

THE LOSS OF A DIVA, Goodbye Betty Mae, I shall miss you

Today I am saying goodbye to the most unique Diva I've ever known.

I lost my very dear friend, Betty, yesterday and in her honor I am simply posting a link to my honorarium to her and our friendship:

In Loving Memory of My Friend, Betty Mae Turner

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

THE VALUE OF WOMEN OVER 40

AND THE DIVA TIARA OF DISTINCTION GOES TO - ????????

Below is a wonderful essay on the value of women over 40 which has been attributed to Andy Rooney via an internet rumor that has been circling around. According to Snopes.com this was not written by Andy Rooney, but by Frank Keiser in 2000. The Snopes page and Keiser's article also have the "Old Mistresses Apologue" written by Benjamin Franklin in the year 1745.
No matter who wrote it, it is a great ode to women over 40 and should be read by every male once a year starting at the age of 12 and by every woman approaching or at the age of 40, don't you agree?
As I grow in age, I value women over 40 most of all. Here are just a few reasons why:

A woman over 40 will never wake you in the middle of the night and ask, 'What are you thinking?' She doesn't care what you think. If a woman over 40 doesn't want to watch the game, she doesn't sit around whining about it. She does something she wants to do, and it's usually more interesting. Women over 40 are dignified. They seldom have a screaming match with you at the opera or in the middle of an expensive restaurant. Of course, if you deserve it, they won't hesitate to shoot you if they think they can get away with it. Older women are generous with praise, often undeserved. They know what it's like to be unappreciated. Women get psychic as they age. You never have to confess your sins to a woman over 40. Once you get past a wrinkle or two, a woman over 40 is far sexier than her younger counterpart. Older women are forthright and honest. They'll tell you right off if you are a jerk if you are acting like one . You don't ever have to wonder where you stand with her. Yes, we praise women over 40 for a multitude of reasons Unfortunately, it's not reciprocal. For every stunning, smart, well-coiffed, hot woman over 40, there is a bald, paunchy relic in yellow pants making a fool of himself with some 22-year old waitress. Ladies, I apologize.
For all those men who say, 'Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?', here's an up date for you. Nowadays 80% of women are against marriage Why? Because women realize it's not worth buying an entire pig just to get a little sausage!

Divas, always be proud of who you are at every age - you are woman, you are Diva and you are wonderful!

Stop by the PopArtDiva Boutique for some great DIVA INSPIRED gifts and goodies!

Monday, October 27, 2008

JOIN ME FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31st FOR MY RETRO HALLOWEEN PAJAMA PARTY RADIO SHOW LIVE!

ONLY 4 MORE DAYS TO HALLOWEEN and my RETRO HALLOWEEN PAJAMA PARTY RADIO SHOW - Call in (347-326-9293) to join the fun on Friday, October 31st at 4 pm (pacific), 6 pm (central) or 7 pm (eastern)!

We're going to have some spooky retro fun going down Haunted House Memory Lane and talking about the Halloweens of our past - and what our favorite costumes were, how big a candy haul we used to get, the tricks and the treats of Halloweens past!

Come in costume and bring your scariest stories!

Stop by the PopArtDiva Boutique for some great DIVA INSPIRED gifts and goodies!

Friday, October 24, 2008

My Third Knee is not Diva -My Blog Posts for the Week

Okay Divas, here is something I want you to know - don't use a chair for a ladder! It can create a whole new "knee" one of your legs which is very unattractive and very un-Diva like!

Oh, and make sure your razor battery is charged - you never know when you'll have to go see a doctor and hairy legs are not what you want to present to your doctor!

For the Boomer Divas, here are the links to all my updated blogs this week:

The PopArtDiva Retro Pop Culture Blog - 3 updates
The Martini Diva - 3 new Halloween Martinis
The Diva of Tiny Foods - 3 new Halloween Treats!
Life Is Like Art - It's All in How You Look At It
The Brat in the Hat

Now, pardon me while I limp back to my chair to elevate my leg!

Stop by the PopArtDiva Boutique for some great DIVA INSPIRED gifts and goodies!

Friday, October 17, 2008

OLD SCHOOL FRIDAYS: Duets & MY BLOG LINKS for The Boomer Divas!

HELLO MY FELLOW TTers! If you clicked my first (and erroneous link) and landed here for my Oct. 22 TT, my apologies and here's the right link: Thirteen Reasons Not To Stand On a Chair To Reach Things. I must have hit my head as well as my leg!!! Sorry!

I participate in a meme called "Old School Fridays" - usually on The PopArtDiva Retro Pop Culture Blog - but today I'm posting here because I'm featuring The Righteous Brothers. Why here? Because these two guys sang the best DIVA music in the world! Romantic, sexy and rockin' good music from the days of my youth!

And let's face it girls - Bill Medley's voice was such a turn on! Here's my boys singing "Burn On Love" , written by Jackie DeShannon!: (Baby Boomer Divas: My blog post links are below the video - enjoy this video!)

Divas, Here's my blog links this week:

PopArtDiva's RETRO POP CULTURE BLOG:
A Retro Halloween Costume Commercial from Woolworths!
Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet, Give Me Something Good to Eat - A Halloween Bunny Tale

The Martini Diva - Halloween Martinis all this month:
The Jack O'Lantern Martini
The Count's Blood-Tini
The Monster Mash-A-Tini

The Diva of Tiny Foods - Halloween Treats 'N Eats all this month:
Mummified Pizza Heads
Spooky Slimy Slaw
Fearsome Finger Sandwiches

Enjoy and if you're looking for some fun Halloween Apparel, home decor and gifts you have just enough time to get them at My Halloween Store!******************
This meme was developed by Marvalus View and Ms. Grapevine. The rules are simple:
1. Anyone can participate; any music genre
2. Old School is defined as music created before 1999
3. No offensive words allowed, please use edited radio version
4. Post a video of your favorite Old School song to take us back down memory lane
5. Add your name to the meme list so that others can check you out
6. Have fun & don't forget to leave comments for other participants
If you want to join in on the fun, click here.

Friday, October 10, 2008

TOO BUSY FOR SMOOTH LEGS? OMG!

Okay, just a few short blurts about being Diva:

I've been so busy the last month on a new ad campaign that I have not kept up my personal grooming level - yes, of course I'm clean! - I'm talking pedicures, hair cuts and doing my Sunday mud mask type of grooming. I want my mud mask and my hair out of my eyes!

Though I did manage to do my toes up a few weeks ago in a cute French manicure, I was waylaid while shaving my legs (a client called with an emergency on a Sunday!), so I've been walking around with one shaved leg and one hairy leg this week! Is that sad? I am officially too busy to shave my legs?

Now, for my Boomer Diva Sisters: Here are my links to my updated blogs:

THE POP ART DIVA RETRO POP CULTURE BLOG:
How to throw an authentic 60s Hippie Party
Why I love paper plates and mod cons

THE MARTINI DIVA'S HALLOWEEN MARTINIS:
The Blood and Guts Martini - Not as eeuuww as it sounds!
The Brain Pickle Martini -Yes, a pickle martini is good!
The Devil's In The Details Martini - A Cinnamon Apple Martini

THE DIVA OF TINY FOODS HALLOWEEN TREATS 'N EATS:
Bat & Pumpkin Chips
Cheezy Finger Food - Cheese that looks like fingers? Uh-huh!
Spider Horrors D'oeuvres

Stop by the PopArtDiva Boutique for some great DIVA INSPIRED gifts and goodies!

Friday, October 3, 2008

HELLO MY DIVA SISTERS!

As I promised on my twitter and in the forum here are all the links for my blogs this week below for your convenience!

I've started posting my Halloween Martini Recipes and My Halloween Treats and Eats for the upcoming Spooky Season so drop by and grab the free recipe cards for your files!

Here's the links:

The PopArtDiva RETRO BLOG: Crayons and Paints were my friends in School

THE MARTINI DIVA IS GETTING SPOOKY! Get Ready for HALLOWEEN MARTINIS:

The Berry Scary Martini

The Beetlejuice Martini

THE TINY FOOD DIVA IS SERVING UP SOME GHOULISH GRUEL:

Eerie Eyeball Eats

Oh, Dem bones, dem Bones!

LIFE IS LIKE ART: Creativity Grows With Possibilities

BRAT IN THE HAT: When Work is Work It's Not Really Fun!

I am now going to turn off both computers and stop work and have a martini myself!!!
Happy Weekend!

Stop by the PopArtDiva Boutique for some great DIVA INSPIRED gifts and goodies!

Friday, July 25, 2008

D-DAY: HOW TO WASTE A DAY SPENDING MONEY AND PAMPERING YOURSELF

Something every DIVA should know how to do is how to make a total vacation out of a one day shopping trip.

I think most women are born with the shopping gene, but for those of you who have had it stomped on - put your stilettos on and do some stomping back! There's nothing that calms the emotions, soothes the ego and unruffles feathers more than a full day of throwing caution to the wind and spending a ton of money on yourself!

I don't know why, but ordering your own limo, getting something frivolous for yourself, having a couple of martinis, filling shopping bags with stuff you don't need and maybe even taking in a romantic comedy along the way all combine to put a smile on any true Diva's face!

So here's my list - in order and with tongue firmly in cheek - of how to waste a day spending money and pampering yourself:
  • Order up your own limo and driver for the day. Parking is a pain and alcohol is in the itinerary! One day of a limo rental is a lot less expensive than a DUI!
  • First, pick out your clothes the night before. You'll want something that makes you look mah-vee-lous, dahling, but it has to be comfortable too - take the stilettos in a bag (for cocktail hour at the end of the day) but wear some more sensible shoes! Running from one boutique to another is not high-heeled activity!
  • Then, get a good night's sleep prior to D-Day (that's Diva Day here in Divaville!). You'll need the rest!
  • Is your limo here with your very young and attractive wannabe actor/chauffeur yet? Good. Let's start our D-Day Shopathon!
  • You'll want to look good for your D-Day so, after a lovely stop for a nice mocha latte, head right to the spa for a hair styling, some war paint and a mani-pedi. Now, you're looking good and no witch shopgirl at any chi-chi boutique would dare snub you!
  • It's probably around lunchtime now so head off to your favorite bistro for a wonderful gourmet salad and a nice glass of chardonnay.
  • Now that you're refreshed and properly warm and fuzzy from your wine it's time to shop!
  • The shopping must buys for a D-Day are: One article of clothing that is not practical, One pair of divine shoes that make your legs look stupendous, a box of very expensive chocolates, something goofy that makes you laugh and a little gift for your BFF. These are mandatory purchases - everything else is gratis!
  • You are a DIVA, you do not shop in malls! Go to the ritzy part of town and hit the snooty, upscale boutiques! Remember to keep your nose highly elevated and drawl this often, "oh, that's just too Paris Hilton for me!" then put it back like it's smelly trash - this will put the witchy shopgirls in their place!
  • Do not pay cash. Cash is the money of the poor, unhip class. You use only platinum plastic!
  • Are your shopping bags full yet? Okay, then now it's time to take a little break and see a movie or enjoy a nice twelve dollar fruit smoothie. Ah, wasn't that a good break?
  • Oh, look! It's time to pretend shop for cars! Get yourself right over to the foreign car dealer and (now's the time for those stilettos!) saunter around the Ferraris and Aston Martins like you just can't make up your mind. If you've sauntered right and your stilettos look like Jimmy Choos you'll hook a salesman and maybe score a test drive! At the end of the test drive, when the salesman starts getting pushy tell him to give you a card and your business manager will call him, then saunter back on out of the dealership to your waiting limo.
  • You are now into the solid Cocktail Hour so head yourself right over to the hippest little martini bar in town and order up a designer martini - my favorite lately has been the Lemon Drop Martin. A nice plate of appetizers would be a perfect way to deal with that peckish feeling in your tummy and let you have just one more little 'tini before heading home.
  • Back in the limo? Great, now relax, kick off your shoes and enjoy the quiet of the limo on the way home.
Stop by the PopArtDiva Boutique for some great DIVA INSPIRED gifts and goodies!

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Boomer Woman’s Group Celebrates One Year Anniversary

There's a group I'm a member of, they’re known as Baby Boomer Divas---women over 40 who are on the move and making a difference in their personal and professional lives. This month the group celebrates its one year anniversary.

The idea to create a Baby Boomer Diva Web of Fame came from baby boomer author and expert Beverly Mahone who says, “This was my way to pay tribute to baby boomer women who were doing great things at midlife but weren’t getting their deserved recognition.

So what is a DIVA? According to Mahone, she’s a baby boomer woman who’s Divinely, Inspired, Vivacious and Anointed.

Mahone says the Divas are all very talented women who come from very diverse backgrounds around the globe. “We come from all walks of life and different races and are eager to share our knowledge and resources. We’ve had a few bumps in the road and some detours but we continue to persevere. Mahone adds that in addition to a global presence, they are also honored to have celebrities like actresses Debbie Zipp and Bern Nadette Stanis who are active members and want to offer their assistance in helping them grow.

The official anniversary date is July 22, 2007. Since its inception, the Baby Boomer Diva Web of Fame has continued to grow by leaps and bounds. Mahone says the Web of Fame is now officially known as Boomer Diva Nation—a nonprofit organization that provides a variety of resources to assist fellow boomer women in their endeavors. It’s also a place where women can network

Mahone anticipates the groups continued growth over the coming year. “Who would’ve ever thought last year that something called the Baby Boomer Diva Web of Fame would turn into what it is today?”

Are you a Baby Boomer Diva? Then you need to join us - get in on the fun, make some friends and make a difference!

Contact Information
Beverly Mahone
Founder/President
Boomer Diva Nation, LL
beverly@boomerdivanation.org


Stop by the PopArtDiva Boutique for some great DIVA INSPIRED gifts and goodies!

Thursday, July 17, 2008

DIAMONDS ARE A GIRLS BEST FRIEND - Marilyn Monroe is Pretty in Pink!

A friend blogged recently about how every woman should have a diamond and my reply was a song quote: "a kiss on the hand may be quite continental but diamonds are a girl's best friend". Which got me to thinking about that singularly spectacular hot pink satin dress Marilyn wore for the musical number "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend" from How To Marry A Millionaire.

I LOVED THAT DRESS. I STILL LOVE THAT DRESS! To this day glamour to me is Marilyn in that hot pink satin gown draped in diamonds and up to her elbows in sparkle on those matching pink satin gloves. There is something so very "girl" about that color - a hot pink that is so sultry and sexy in a truly innocent way.

I think I've seen that movie at least twenty times, all as reruns on television. I was born in 1951 and the movie premiered in 1953 so I never got to see that movie in a theater, only on television. But every time it came on I watched it, often with my Mom.

Mom and I would always treat it like a "date" whenever we saw it listed in the TV Guide. We would plan an afternoon or very late evening of divas, popcorn, fifties glam and a few hours of serious mother/daughter bonding. It is one of my fondest memories of my times with my mother and it was so DIVA an entertainment.

I also learned that "men don't make passes at girls who wear glasses" to quote Pola in the movie - something that cast a bit of a cloud over my aspirations to popularity in those days. Ah, well, had I been popular I doubt I would be the Diva I am today - and for that I will always be grateful! Better a Diva for the rest of your life than a prom queen for one night!

So, I owe my Diva to Marilyn Monroe and that hot pink dress and the movie "Gentlemen Prefer Blonds" (another thing I am not!) Thanks MM and thanks Mom for spending countless hours watching the movie with me - tell Marilyn hello for me!



BTW, if you're into retro fashion and fads - stop by and listen to my latest radio show on the Retro Fashions, Fads and Trends of the Fifties, Sixties and Seventies.

IMAGE: Marilyn Monroe as Pola Debevoise singing DIAMONDS ARE A GIRLS BEST FRIEND in HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE, 1953. Image is in the public domain per wikipedia.


Stop by the PopArtDiva Boutique for some great DIVA INSPIRED gifts and goodies!

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Let's talk RETRO FASHIONS & TRENDS on my new Radio Talk Show!

TRIPPIN' DOWN MEMORY LANE
A Pop Culture Talk Show that will
Blast you to the Past

Take a nostalgic journey back to in time
WE'RE TALKING
FASHION, FADS & TRENDS
THIS WEEK!

WHEN: July 17th
10:00
a.m. (MST)
1 p.m. (EST)


Call in to share your memories
(347)
326-9293

or simply log on to listen and enjoy the nostalgia: www.blogtalkradio.com/popartdiva

Chat available - Online talk available

Be There or Be Square!

Friday, July 11, 2008

BABY BOOMER DIVAS TALK RETRO POP CULTURE ON MY BLOG TALK RADIO SHOW

From their mid 40's to their mid 60's - WOMEN TALK NOSTALGIA AND YAK UP SOME DIVA DISH on the "TRIPPIN' DOWN MEMORY LANE" radio show premiere!

I premiered my Blog Talk Radio Show, ''TRIPPIN' DOWN MEMORY LANE" today with a short half hour test show. To help me out and give me some moral support I asked 3 of my friends to call in and be part of the show. The show theme is the retro pop culture of the baby boom generation.

It was half an hour of memories and laughter as we all took a blast to our pasts and discussed the fashions, fads, trends and nostalgia from our tens and teens in the fifties, sixties and seventies.

Give a listen here - it will jog a few past memories of your own!



Stop by the PopArtDiva Boutique for some great DIVA INSPIRED gifts and goodies!

If you would like to call in live and participate or just listen for your own stroll down memory lane here's the time slot and details for the next show. Be sure to sign up for a Blog Talk Radio account so you can join the live chat too:

TRIPPIN' DOWN MEMORY LANE with your host POP ART DIVA


Stop by the PopArtDiva Boutique for some great DIVA INSPIRED gifts and goodies!

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

A little comedy break with Mrs. Hughes

I've been so busy revamping PopArtDiva.com I haven't had time to breath - but tonight I took a break to watch some comedy on YouTube. Here's one that cracked me up, considering I'm right there with the hot flashes:



Stop by the PopArtDiva Boutique for some great DIVA INSPIRED gifts and goodies!

Thursday, June 19, 2008

POP ART DIVA LIVE FRIDAY at the BOOMER DIVA DAY EVENT!

I am excited to be a part of this wonderful online event hosted by Beverly Mahone, founder of Boomer Diva Nation.

The event is the 2nd Annual Boomer Diva Day celebration in honor of Baby Boomer Day and will be on June 20th from 10amEDT-3pmEDT in the WECAI web conference room at:

http://www.wecai.org/ewednesdaychat.exe

This link above opens the chat software to enable you to listen and participate in this exciting event and maybe a chance to ask PopArtDiva some questions!

This is a time of celebration and fun for boomers all over the world who are (as the motto of Boomer Diva Nation) "On the Move and Making a Difference".

I hope that you will join me for the wonderful event and join in on the fun, community and support for Boomer Divas everywhere!

Here is my time slot:

POP ART DIVA, the artist formerly known as Terri:

12-12:15pm (EST) 9 - 9:15 (Arizona, PST)

Please join me and let's celebrate our generation and it's unique way of viewing the world!

Pop Art Diva

Also, we are so excited and honored to have Heidi Richards, founder of WECAI, to be the speaker of the day to talk about Blogging for Business.

Here is the updated schedule (times and vendors may change):

THE FULL SCHEDULE OF INSPIRED BOOMER DIVAS:
10:00-10:15 Welcome/Greeting
10:15-10:30 Kathy Porter – Mia Bella Candles
10:30-11:00 SPEAKER: Heidi Richards – Blogging for Business
11-11:15am Passion Parties rep, Donna Bourque
11:15-11:30am Dortha Hise - Avon
11:30-11:45 Break/Networking
11:45-12pm Rosie Horner - The Blog Management System Organize Your Blogging Today!
12-12:15pm Terri – Pop Art Diva
12:15-12:30pm Debbie Mormino - The Breast Cancer Diva
12:30-12:45pm Lisa Fredette –BeautiControl Rep
12:45-1pm Sharon Williams- The 24 hour Secretary
1-1:15pm Barb Ireland The Sample Cake
1:15-1:30pm Heidi Caswell (http://www.connectsimply.com)
1:30-1:45 Stephanie Fish, Buckeye VA http://www.buckeyeva.com
1:45-2pm pending vendor
2pm-2:15pm Dr Sally Witt (http://www.drsallywitt.com)
2:15pm-2:30pm Michelle Waters , Product Sellers Seminar
2:30pm-3pm Networking/Giveaways

Stop by the PopArtDiva Boutique for some great DIVA INSPIRED gifts and goodies!

Sunday, June 15, 2008

PLASTIC SURGERY CANNOT CHANGE THE WORLD

We are inundated from childhood with commercials, ads and film that reinforce the value of the "young and beautiful". Do we ever see or hear any media that promotes the value of wisdom, experience and the beauty of a face that has earned the right to a wrinkle or two?

As we march into the twenty first century age discrimination still abounds, as well as discrimination against those who are not what our society considers "good looking." This attitude is even more severe for females. Is it any wonder that women will spend small fortunes on beauty regimes that promise to turn back the clock, practice extreme diets in order to be fashionably thin and submit to the dangerous knife of a plastic surgeon in hopes of conforming to societies concepts of "beautiful" or in a vain attempt to gain back youth?

Take a look at celebrities who have surgically altered their looks so drastically that the results are tragically worse than having a few wrinkles or a turkey neck! Many look as though they are permanently being affected by G-forces strong enough to flatten a boulder. Those silly swollen lips that many actresses are sporting just look like an allergic reaction that localized near the mouth.

Are these women more beautiful now? Are they funnier, better actresses, better people?

In these times, when the world has some very serious problems, when war spreads around the globe, when people are starving and humanity everywhere face the threats of global warming, depleted resources and even possible extinction, wouldn't we all be better served by turning our desires and hopes towards a more beautiful planet than a more beautiful face?

Stop by the PopArtDiva Boutique for some great DIVA INSPIRED gifts and goodies!

Friday, June 6, 2008

WHY IT'S GOOD TO BE A WOMAN!

I was doing my "spring" cleaning in one of my computers and came across this e-mail I'd saved about why it's good to be a woman.

This had been forwarded to me by one of my friends ages ago and I don't know where it originated but I saved it for some reason. I guess today is the day I saved it for - it's just a perfect bunch of happy little thoughts about why being a woman is a good and DIVA thing to be:
  • We got off the Titanic first.
  • We can scare male bosses with the mysterious gynecological disorder excuses.
  • Taxis stop for us.
  • We don't look like a frog in a blender when dancing.
  • No fashion faux pas we make could ever rival the Speedo.
  • We don't have to pass gas to amuse ourselves.
  • If we forget to shave, no one has to know.
  • We can congratulate our teammate without ever touching her rear end.
  • We never have to reach down every so often to make sure our privates are still there.
  • We have the ability to dress ourselves.
  • We can talk to the opposite sex without having to picture them naked
  • If we marry someone 20 years younger, we are aware that we will look like an idiot.
  • We will never regret piercing our ears
  • There are times when chocolate really can solve all your problems.
  • We can make comments about how silly men are in their presence because they aren't listening anyway.
So there you have it my sisters - fifteen reasons why it's good to be a woman!

Check out the fun graphic, Pop Art Kiss, on some fun gifts, apparel and products at my new PopArtDiva Boutique!

Sunday, June 1, 2008

AND THE LION SHALL LAY DOWN WITH THE LAMB - The cat and the crow friendship

There is nothing more DIVA than friendship - especially friendship between what most would call natural enemies. This video about an unlikely friendship between a kitten and a crow shows that any obstacle to friendship can be surmounted and triumphed over! VIVA this DIVA bond!



GET YOUR DIVA ON! Stop by the PopArtDiva Boutique for some great DIVA INSPIRED apparel, gifts and goodies!

Thursday, May 29, 2008

MY INTERVIEW ON GROWING BOLDER RADIO

I've been trés busy completing my PopArtDiva Boutique this last month and have been a little remiss in posting good DIVA stuff - mea culpa! But a DIVA's gotta eat so the store completion took priority! Check out some of my JUST 4 DIVAS department for some fun Diva inspired graphics on great apparel, gifts and goodies!

But I'm almost done and shall be back with great dish for DIVAS and fab female fodder for you all soon!

Here's some news! I was interviewed by Growing Bolder Radio on my Baby Boomer inspired web enterprises recently! Stop by and read the profile and listen to the interview!


Psst! Visit the PopArtDiva Boutique for some great DIVA INSPIRED gifts and goodies!

Friday, May 23, 2008

Woman Versus Man - A Study in Stereotypes

Here's a little video animation I found at YouTube on Women versus Men. It was made by an Italian man so keep that in mind.

What I found interesting about the whole thing was this - the stereotypes of what a man is and what a woman is don't seem to have changed all that much. I'm just wondering how this cartoon might have been different if created by a woman, Italian or otherwise?

The section on "Seduction" was pretty accurate though, lol. Check it out and let me know what you all think - have we really "come a long way, baby" or are we kidding ourselves?


Stop by the PopArtDiva Boutique for some great DIVA INSPIRED gifts and goodies!

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Are You a "SEX" Maniac? I'm talking "Sex in the City"!

I admit it. I am a "Sex" maniac. I loved the "Sex and the City" series on HBO. It was so refreshing to see four women, not girls, in the prime of their life and getting the most out of New York, men and their world in general!

These were real women, they cursed (sometimes shockingly so), they slept around, they suffered and they celebrated with each other. It was a wonderful testament to sisterhood, DIVAdom and friendship.

These were women of the modern world, they had thrown out the "truths" told to them by the previous generation and they were taking on life on their own terms. I loved them all because they complemented each other and gave each other what no man ever could - total support and understanding.

Based on Candace Bushnell's book of the same title, it was centered around Carrie Bradshaw (the narrator and central DIVA, Sarah Jessica Parker) and her three DIVA friends, Samantha Jones (the sexy one played by Kim Cattrall), Charlotte York (the sweet one played by Kristin Davis) and Miranda Hobbes (the career minded one, Cynthia Nixon).

I cannot wait for the Memorial Day weekend because the "Sex in the City" movie premieres May 30th! I've already made plans to go and see the movie with my DIVA friends and fellow "Sex" maniacs - I wonder if I could manage to sneak in a few Cosmopolitans to go with my popcorn?

A LADY DOESN'T THINK ABOUT SEX, SEX, SEX, SEX. . . .
available as a poster at the PopArtDiva Boutique - where you can get all my great pop culture art on cool products!

C
oming soon as fine art giclees on PopArtDiva.com - look for the JUST 4 DIVAS icons and links!! Copyright 2008 by PopArtDiva.com. All rights reserved. No permission is given to copy, distribute or reproduce without written permission from PopArtDiva.com.

Friday, May 9, 2008

WE NEED MENOPAUSE PARKING AND WE NEED IT NOW!

Since I seem to be on a menopause kick lately, here's a little comedy routine from a very funny DIVA of a "certain age", Chonda Pierce.

Ms. Pierce has a little suggestion to make the world easier for those of us over 40 which would also make the world a safer place for all, because we all know that a happier menopausal woman is less likely to commit an act of hot flash induced violence!

Saturday, May 3, 2008

SOME FREE TELESEMINARS YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN

There are some really good FREE TELESEMINARS coming up this month that are great for empowering and informing women. Click here to register at the Your Time To Shine Telesminar series:

Thursday, May 8 at noon Breast Cancer Advocate Debbie Mormino on BlogTalk Radio: The Breast Diva Talks about Toxicity, Obesity and Breast Cancer.

Thursday evening May 8, at 8pm Author Karen O Bannon: The Relationships Between Mothers and Daughters.

Thursday, May 15 at noon Author Vicki M. Taylor on BlogTalk Radio: Fighting the Battle of Living with Mental Illness. Encore Presentation Thursday evening at 8pm

Thursday, May 22 at noon Fearless Fifties Advocate/Author Jacqueline Wales on BlogTalk Radio: Ten Secrets to Taking Fear Out of Your Life

Thursday evening, May 22 at 8pm Author/Virtual Assistant Kathie Thomas: The Value of being a Work-at-Home-Mom

Thursday, May 29 at noon Entrepreneur Heidi Richards at noon on Blog Talk Radio: How to get the Most Out of Social Networking

Thursday, May 29 at 8pm Wedding Planner Pam Archer on BlogTalk Radio: Top Ten Mistakes when Planning a Wedding or Event-

Thursday, June 12 at noon Life Coach Eileen Williams BlogTalk Radio: Reinventing Yourself at Midlife

Thursday evening, June 12 at 8pm: Boomer Blogger Rosie Horner: Making the Most of Your Online Presence

Thursday, June 19 at noon Best Selling Author Linda Alexander on BlogTalk Radio: Telling Your Life Story or Anyone Else’s

Thursday evening, June 19 at 8pm PTSD Counselor/Author Lady Cerelli : Why We Take Things Personal

Thursday evening, June 26 at 8pm Cookbook Author Betty Lynch Eat to Live

AND I will be presenting a FREE TELESEMINAR - Part Two of ARTISTS WHO WANT TO SELL THEIR ART on May 15th!
Listen to Part One at:
"The Tried and True Techniques to Selling Your Art"

Sign up details for upcoming teleseminars posted at
The NORMAL CHALLENGED ARTIST blog.

Friday, May 2, 2008

HOT v. COLD - THE TEMPERATURE DANCE BETWEEN THE SEXES

My friend and writer, Elizabeth, wrote this in an email to me about the temperature wars in her house with her husband:
"It's super cloudy, almost foggy today and we've been having hot weather, how strange. My husband is holed up in his office with the heat blowing. I swear it's ninety degrees in there. I'm hot all the time, and he's cold all the time. Things used to be the other way around. It's not THAT cold this morning, he could put on a sweater!"
After posting about menopause this made me laugh. For some reason couples seem to have this temperature dance throughout their domestic years. Have you ever noticed? If you want the windows open at night your partner wants them closed. While you go about freezing and piling on sweaters your partner is running around naked or close to it.

And then, sometime, after you hit 40 or so, you hit menopause and all hell breaks loose! And what does your partner do? They flip too and start having cold flashes!

It made me wonder, is this a medical phenomenon or is it just that couples seem to like the temperature dance? Which made me laugh again and remember the old saying "Dildo's don't dance."

They don't care if you're having a hot flash either!

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

MENOPAUSE - ARE WE THERE YET?

Whoever told you that being a woman can't be fun was wrong!

I just got through watching an interview of my friend and fellow Diva Boomer, Eileen Williams (on the local ABC affiliate in San Francisco) about celebrating menopause - the symptoms, the signs and embracing the "change".

It was a great interview and funny! Eileen mentioned our bodies "flopping and dropping" and I had to laugh because I have named my "girls" (that's boobs to you men) Thelma and Louise. Not because they are cute and perky but because they have gone over the cliff!

Both women spoke to the advantages of growing older as a woman. Because of the testosterone levels we begin to be more outspoken, more assertive and even more creative! As pointed out in the video we no longer have to worry about having feminine hygiene products in our medicine cabinets or our handbags! Even our headaches can go away!

I have found that menopause has been a doorway to freedom for me. As a younger woman I was always struggling to be like every one else. For me that was almost an insurmountable goal because, as an artist, I am "Normal Challenged"! I am, and have always been, a little different from other people. This caused me many years of confusion and discomfort. I just wanted to fit in and be like other women my age.

Now that I am older I recognize my "normal challenged" personality as a benefit and not as a detriment. I no longer care to fit in and I have embraced my unique voice and style. This is the DIVA way! I love my life as a Normal Challenged Artist and unique person and I am doing things now that I would never have thought possible nor even had the courage to try when I was younger!

Though I do not enjoy hot flashes and mood swings, I am not afraid to have them. I never took hormones because I did not want to fill my body with artificial chemicals. If that makes me more assertive, more demanding and less malleable than some would prefer - well, phooey on them! I'm happier and, frankly, that's what counts to me!

I've even started a rant blog where I get to complain about the things that bug, irritate and annoy me called The BRAT in the HAT! I highly recommend a rant blog for all women over 40 - you get to post your irritation for the world to see and get it out of your system. It's better medicine than a few hormone treatments by far - and it's cheaper!

So, if you're on the far side of 40, sliding into menopause and worried that your life is over - don't! Your life is really just beginning and it's going to be a wild ride into the second and best part of your life!

Some great sites to network with other dynamic women on the far side of 40:

The Feisty Side of 50

Enjoy Your Menopause

Boomer Diva Nation

Rosie's Boomer Review

New Jersey Baby Boomer

The Crazy Rancher's Wife

Life After 50

Friday, April 25, 2008

THE ULTIMATE DIVA - Norma Jean aka Marilyn Monroe

While I was attempting to wake up this morning, I was watching the mini-series "Blond" - a biography on Marilyn Monroe. I enjoy this movie a lot because it devoted a good amount of time on Marilyn Monroe as a very young girl. I suspect it was not entirely accurate, however it was still interesting and made you think about what Marilyn would have been like as a little girl.

Marilyn Monroe aka Norma Jean Mortensen/Baker was an intelligent and highly underrated woman of talent. Sadly for us, and the beautiful women of those days, gorgeous women were only seen as sex kittens in Hollywood. Marilyn's acting talent and her intelligence were ignored and her body and face were seen as her only values. I often wonder how she would have grown as an actress had she lived to see today's world.

Marilyn was never won nor was nominated for an Oscar. I think Oscar missed a trick, don't you? That is why the title of my artistic tribute to Marilyn above is entitled "HEAVEN TRUMPS OSCAR" because Heaven is always a better reward than a statue any day and I figure the angels might just have had enough sense to cast her in something that was equal to her talents and intelligence.

There is one little thing I would like to point out to all the women of today's world who strive so hard to fit into a dress size that wouldn't fit a Barbie Doll - Marilyn Monroe wore a size 14 dress. You heard me right. A size 14 dress. And she was considered to be the most beautiful, sexiest woman of her time - maybe the sexiest woman of all time.

Norma Jean Leaves The Scene in a Lilac Cadillac is available as archival prints and giclees on canvas in various sizes at my website. Copyright 2008 by Pop Art Diva. All rights reserved. No permission is given to copy, distribute or reproduce without written permission from PopArtDiva.com.

Heaven Trumps Oscar is a tribute to Marilyn Monroe and not for sale. Copyright 2008 by Pop Art Diva. All rights reserved. No permission is given to copy, distribute or reproduce without written permission from PopArtDiva.com.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Roller Girls - How DIVA can you get?

I was recently wondering what had happened to Roller Derby in a post on my Pop Culture Blog and I got a comment from Ruby Khan telling me about the resurgence of Roller Derby and that she was a Roller Girl herself! Wow, a real Roller Derby Queen found my blog post! I was thrilled!

Ruby gave me some great links to her team's website - The Boston Derby Dames and I checked her blogger profile and found she had a blog entitled "Pigeons playing roller derby" so I just had to check that out and post a comment - I loved the blog name!

Now, I ask you just how much more DIVA can you get than being a Roller Derby DIVA? They get to wear really fun (though Ruby says "often ridiculous") costumes, get great exercise, really compete (Ruby says these games aren't staged) and then create really fun names for themselves! The featured player on her team's website was "Queen Kamayhemmayhem" - I loved it!

Even though I am not a Roller Girl - though I do still have a pair of skates tucked away gathering dust somewhere - I thought it would be fun to come up with a Roller Derby name for myself and have decided that my Roller Girl name should be "The DIVA of DOOM".

Ladies and Gentlemen, skating for the baby boomer women of Divaville - The DIVA of DOOM! She's not fast, she's not coordinated, but she's sneaky so watch your backs and keep your helmets and knee pads fastened tight! Can I get a fanfare here?

Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Friday, April 11, 2008

BABY BOOMER DIVAS GETTIN' JIGGY IN DAYTONA BEACH!

Are you over 40, female and loving your life?
Are you taking charge and moving in new directions?
Do you believe women are like wine - better with some age and maturity?
Are you a DIVINE BABY BOOMER DIVA?

If you are you need to read more about a sisterhood of other women DIVAS who believe like you, who are "on the move", who are making a difference and who have come together under the leadership of The Queen of Hearts of Boomer Divas, Ms. Beverly Mahone.

Visit The BOOMER DIVA NATION online or join in the festivities at their Girlfriends Weekend Getaway in Daytona Beach, Florida being held April 18th - 20th. Women from all professions and backgrounds are getting together, networking and sharing their power, bringing DIVA to the world with grace, elegance and style.

Read more on Judy Davids, The Rock Star Mommy! - Click BLOG at the top of the page. And be sure to peruse the rest of Judy's fun site - it's a must visit for any Rockin' DIVA!

Listen to Beverly talk about this great event:

Saturday, April 5, 2008

I MAY BE A FLIP-FLOP SNOB - BUT I'M A THONG DIVA!

I have to admit I'm not one for fashion fads anymore - I've stated this before in a post where I wanted to go naked, but I have gotten into the new flip-flop trend with a vengeance.

When I was a kid, we called flip-flops thongs, but I am making a concerted effort to retrain myself to call them flip-flops. Tragic misunderstandings have ensued from my bad habit of calling flip-flops thongs, but I won't go there.

This new batch of flip-flops is far superior to those white trash versions I had as a kid. The original flip-flop was simply a rubber sole with a strap plugged through the soul and around your toes. Much like the ones pictured above in my Pop Art "Flip Flops Aren't Thongs?", except we didn't even get pretty flowers on the tops of the soles like the ones pictured here. (I got these cute thongs as a gift for a trip!)

Now you can get flip-flops with some great DIVA frills. I have some that have been treated to a knitting project using really fun fuzzy yarns and even torn fabrics that flutter around my toes. My favorite pair at the moment are a pair of metallic, hot pink flip-flops with a sexy little 1-1/2 inch spike heel. I also favor a pair of turquoise flip-flops that are silk with a similar kicky little heel. And I have a pair of black silk ones that go great with a black caftan I bought for my martini hour outside in this great Spring weather.

I will admit I am a bit of a flip-flop snob. When I'm doing an art show I watch to see how many of the white trash versions of flip flops are flapping on the ground - too many and I know I'm dealing with a Walmart poster crowd and I stick my nose back in my book. Cheap flip flop wearers are not big on buying original art! But if those flip flops are sporting some bling I'm in the money!

Whatever the economic version of flip-flops, one thing can be said for all - they are a great way to show off your new pedicure and they're the fastest shoe to kick off at the end of a long day! Now, that's DIVA!

Flip Flops Aren't Thongs? is available as archival prints and giclees on canvas in various sizes at PopArtDiva.com. Copyright 2008 by PopArtDiva.com. All rights reserved. No permission is given to copy, distribute or reproduce without written permission from PopArtDiva.com.

Thursday, April 3, 2008

SOME JAZZY DIVA DISCO EARRINGS FOR PETUNIA

I finally had to break down and get a new (to me) van for my art shows. Now vans by their very nature are not DIVA! They are utilitarian vehicles that get you and your assorted passengers and cargo to a destination. They are not sexy but they are a necessary evil for an artist who has to transport a portable store to a new location each weekend.

My new (to me) van is a dark green Ford of "a certain age", much like me. Well, I'm not green but I do have a few miles on me. I have named her "Petunia".

Now, I have found that if you treat your cars with respect by giving them a name and petting them for a job well done they will respond much like most men. In other words, they will be reliable, comfortable, easier on the pocketbook and more inclined to be responsive. A little gift now and then is also beneficial.

So I gave Petunia a pair of earrings. They are small mirror covered replicas of disco balls that were in style in the 1970s. These are very DIVA car earrings - they sparkle and dance around as Petunia and I go down the road.

I think Petunia likes her new earrings. Petunia is now a DIVA car and I think Petunia gets better gas mileage since she's gone DIVA.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

SPRING HAS ARRIVED - TIME FOR A MANI-PEDI!

The weather has warmed and Spring has arrived and now we get to wear all our cute, kicky little sandals and fancy flip-flops.

I was excited to pull out my summer clothes and my cute sandals until I looked at my feet. OMG! Chipped toenail polish, cracked and dry skin had hidden all winter under socks and boots and fuzzy slippers! Let's not even talk about how I managed to ignore my shaving and waxing schedule!

So out came my clipping, snipping, sanding and buffing tools, my special creams, lotions and potions that promise to make my feet pretty for the "Season of the Naked Foot".

Since I'm an artist who sculpts as well as paints a manicure is kind of a lost cause for me - no matter what I do my fingernails will forever be short and unpainted. Manicures are simply not an option for those who work with paint, water, solvents, chemicals and most art mediums. It's sort of a waste of money and time.

BUT, I can have painted toes and cute shoes to show them off. So I will be soaking, grinding, creaming, filing and french-manicuring my feet to DIVA perfection this whole next week. It will take that long to get the "winter" off of them!

Thursday, March 27, 2008

I HAVE A HAT FOR EVERY MOOD

Thank God for Hats! I have a hat for every mood. I love hats. Probably because I hate getting haircuts. Besides, I look good in hats and putting on a hat takes a lot less time than futzing with my hair!

I have baseball caps, cowboy hats, straw hats, fedoras, sexy hats, vintage hats and goofy hats - hey, I even have a hat that makes me into the Statue of Liberty! I have a top hat and a matching top hat for Pixel, my Yorkiepoo, for New Years! I'm a hat freak - I think I have more hats than shoes!

Hats are a boon to DIVAS. Aside from protecting your face from the ravages of ultraviolet damage, a hat can define your look and proclaim your personality. They can make you glamorous, mysterious or mischievous. They can be as simple as a baseball cap borrowed from a boyfriend or as elaborate as a Las Vegas showgirl's headdress.

Every DIVA should have at least one special hat, if only to save them on a bad hair day!

I HAVE A HAT FOR EVERY MOOD is available in various sizes as archival prints and giclees on canvas at PopArtDiva.com. Copyright 2008 by PopArtDiva.com. All rights reserved. No permission is given to copy, distribute or reproduce without written permission from PopArtDiva.com.

Monday, March 24, 2008

WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH - Famous Women

I was researching famous women and it occurred to me that one of the most famous women is The Statue of Liberty. Yes, she's not a real woman but isn't it interesting that a it's a woman that stands at the entrance to our shores to welcome the "masses yearning to be free"?

It's also a woman who represents justice as Lady Justice or Blind Justice! Freedom and Justice. Yes, indeed. Proper descriptions for DIVAS, wouldn't you agree?

Throughout history women have made tremendous contributions to their countries, the world and their people. Women have written books that changed the world (Harriet Beecher Stowe), they have pioneered flight (Amelia Earhart), they have ruled countries and kings (Cleopatra) and they have saved countless lives (Florence Nightengale) and souls (Mother Teresa).

Some are famous, like those mentioned here, some not so well known. Read up on some of the women who have a claim to fame and be proud you are a woman:

A Timeline of Famous Women

Distinguised Women of Past and Present

National Women's Hall of Fame

LADY LIBERTY is available in various sizes as archival prints and giclees on canvas at PopArtDiva.com. Post images Copyright 2008 by PopArtDiva.com. All rights reserved. No permission is given to copy, distribute or reproduce without written permission from PopArtDiva.com.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

POP ART DIVA GOES BLOND!?

I always wondered what I'd look like as a blond and I got a chance to find out!!!

My fellow Diva Boomer, Bev Mahone, has a link on her site that allows you to do a do a FREE MAKE-OVER!

I was curious so I tried it out and this was the result. I'm not bad as a blond, huh? I might just have to get a blond wig!

I think I could pull off being a blond. What do you think?

SOME NEWS!
I have always wanted a venue to air my grievances, so I have created a new blog, The BRAT in the HAT, where I will be posting frequent rants, pet peeves and blogging about things that really bug me. But in keeping with my new philosophy of positive thinking I will end each rant in a positive tone with On The Upside comments!

Stop by and share some of your pet peeves with me!

Sunday, March 16, 2008

SOME QUOTES FROM NOTABLE WOMEN

"A lady should not tattle.....unless she gets a book deal" is part of my Fabulous Fifties Females series and is available as archival prints and giclees on canvas at my website. Post images Copyright 2008 by PopArtDiva.com. All rights reserved. No permission is given to copy, distribute or reproduce without written permission from PopArtDiva.com.

NEVER EAT MORE THAN YOU CAN LIFT - MISS PIGGY

WHEN WOMEN ARE DEPRESSED THEY EITHER EAT OR GO SHOPPING. MEN INVADE ANOTHER COUNTRY - MARIE CORELLI

WHEN CHOOSING BETWEEN TWO EVILS, I ALWAYS LIKE TO TRY ONE I'VE NEVER TRIED BEFORE - MAE WEST

EVERY ONE'S ENTITLED TO MY OPINION - MADONNA

I'VE BEEN ON A CALENDAR, BUT I'VE NEVER BEEN ON TIME. - MARILYN MONROE

THE TROUBLE WITH BEING IN THE RAT RACE IS THAT EVEN IF YOU WIN...YOU'RE STILL A RAT - LILY TOMLIN

HOUSE WORK CAN'T KILL YOU, BUT WHY TAKE A CHANCE - PHYLIS DILLER

I'M NOT GOING TO VACUUM UNTIL SEARS MAKES ONE YOU CAN RIDE ON - ROSEANNE BARR

I AM A MARVELOUS HOUSEKEEPER. EVERY TIME I LEAVE A MAN I KEEP HIS HOUSE - ZSA ZSA GABOR

THE PROBLEM WITH WOMEN IS THAT THEY GET ALL WORRIED AND CRAZY ABOUT NOTHING AND THEN THEY MARRY HIM. - CHER

REMEMBER, GINGER ROGERS DID EVERYTHING FRED ASTAIRE DID, BUT SHE DID IT BACKWARDS AND IN HIGH HEELS - FAITH WHITTLESEY

NORMAL IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER. - WHOOPI GOLDBERG

I NEVER MARRIED BECAUSE THERE WAS NO NEED. I HAVE THREE PETS AT HOME WHICH ANSWER THE SAME PURPOSE AS A HUSBAND. I HAVE A DOG WHICH GROWLS EVERY MORNING, A PARROT WHICH SWEARS ALL AFTERNOON AND A CAT THAT COMES HOME LATE AT NIGHT - MARIE CORELLI

IN PASSING, ALSO I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THE FIRST TIME ADAM HAD A CHANCE HE LAID THE BLAME ON A WOMAN - NANCY ASTOR

THE BEST WAY TO GET MOST HUSBANDS TO DO SOMETHING IS TO SUGGEST THAT PERHAPS THEY'RE TOO OLD TO DO IT - ANN BANCROFT

MEN ARE LIKE A FINE WINE. THEY ALL START OUT LIKE GRAPES, AND IT'S OUR JOB TO STOMP ON THEM AND KEEP THEM IN THE DARK UNTIL THEY MATURE INTO SOMETHING YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE DINNER WITH. - ANONYMOUS

PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS ASKING COUPLES WHOSE MARRIAGES HAVE ENDURED AT LEAST A QUARTER OF A CENTURY FOR THEIR SECRET FOR SUCCESS. ACTUALLY, IT IS NO SECRET AT ALL. I AM A FORGIVING WOMAN. LONG AGO, I FORGAVE MY HUSBAND FOR NOT BEING PAUL NEWMAN - ERMA BOMBECK

I'M NOT OFFENDED BY ALL THE DUMB BLOND JOKES BECAUSE I KNOW I'M NOT DUMB..AND I ALSO KNOW THAT I'M NOT BLOND - DOLLY PARTON

OLD AGE AIN'T NO PLACE FOR SISSIES - BETTE DAVIS

IN POLITICS, IF YOU WANT ANYTHING SAID, ASK A MAN. IF YOU WANT ANYTHING DONE, ASK A WOMEN - MARGARET THATCHER

NOBODY CAN MAKE YOU FEEL INFERIOR WITHOUT YOUR PERMISSION - ELEANOR ROOSEVELT

I HAVE EVERYTHING I HAD 20 YEARS AGO EXCEPT NOW IT'S LOWER - GYPSY ROSE LEE

Monday, March 10, 2008

WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH - Women in Politics, It's DIVA to run for office!

Fifteen years ago today Janet Reno became the first, and so far the only, female Attorney General of the United States. She was nominated by President Clinton on February 11th, 1993 and was confirmed one month later to become the second longest serving Attorney General in the U.S. Her term in office ran from March 11th, 1993 to January 20th, 2001.

Here's a time line of other women in politics - maybe we are finally gettin' somewhere?

1872: Susan B. Anthony is the first U.S. woman to register to vote. As a result she becomes the first to make a ballot, for which she is arrested.

1917: Jeanette Rankin of Montana is the first woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

1930: Alexandra Kollontai is appointed Ambassador from the Soviet Union to Sweden, becoming the first woman Ambassador in modern history.

1960: Siramavo Bandaranaike of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) becomes the world's first female Prime Minister.

1966: Indira Gandhi becomes the first Prime Minister of India.

1969: Golda Meir becomes the first female Prime Minister of Israel.

1979: Margaret Thatcher becomes the first woman Prime Mnister of the United Kingdom. She served in that position -- winning re-election in 1983 and in 1987 -- until resigning in 1990.

1984: Geraldine Ferraro is the first woman nominated for Vice-President by either major political party in the United States.

1986: Corazon Aquino is the first woman elected president of the Philippines.

1988: Benazir Bhutto is the first woman elected Prime Minister of Pakistan and becomes the first woman elected to head a Muslim country.

1990: Carmen Lawrence is Australia's first female premier.

1991: Edith Cresson is the first woman elected Prime Minister of France.

1991: Rita Johnston is Canada's first female Premier.

1992: California elects two women, Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, to the U.S. Senate.

1992: Betty Boothroyd is the first woman chosen to be Speaker of the House of Commons in Great Britain.

2002: Nancy Pelosi is sworn in as the House Democratic Whip - the highest-ranking leadership position ever held by a women in the United States Congress at that time. She was later named Minority Leader.

2006: Democrats take control of the United States Congress and Nancy Pelosi is elevated to the position of Speaker of the House. She is the third highest ranking official in the United States government and the highest ranking female in US political history.

2007: Senator Hillary Clinton is the first woman to ever be considered as a serious candidate for the US Presidency.

And don't forget Shirley Temple Black! - She was appointed a delegate to the United Nations by President Richard M. Nixon in 1969. She was United States Ambassador to Ghana (1974–76). In 1976, she became the first female Chief of Protocol of the United States. She was United States Ambassador to Czechoslovakia (1989–92).

As of this date, twenty-nine women have been or are currently serving as the governor of an American state. currently there are 16 women serving in the 100 member Senate, 73 women serving in the U.S. House of Representatives of the 110th Congress, and one woman running for President of the United States.

I wonder, if Hillary wins, would her Secret Service codename be MsPOTUS?

The image at the top of the post "FIRST HUSBAND?" was adapted from my political parody, WASHINGTON DISSES WASHINGTON. The original image is available as archival giclees in various sizes on my website, PopArtDiva.com. Copyright 2008 by PopArtDiva.com. All rights reserved. No permission is given to copy, distribute or reproduce without written permission from PopArtDiva.com.

Friday, March 7, 2008

MARCH IS WOMAN'S HISTORY MONTH - Today: Famous Women Inventors and Hedy Lamarr is one of them!

March is National Women’s History Month and today I am focusing on Women Inventors. These are the DIVAS who have made our lives easier, more comfortable and more secure and we should all kick up our high heels in thanks and celebration.

The DIVA for today is Hedy Lamarr. You may think of her as "the most beautiful woman in the world", as a film actress and a movie star, but this DIVA was far more than that. She was a woman of intelligence, humanity, creativity and invention!

Thanks to Hedy Lamar you can have a secure conversation on your cell phone. As a result of events in her personal life, Lamar invented the spread spectrum communication, an anti-rocket frequency hopping device, as a way to guide torpedoes to their target without being intercepted by the enemy.Wanting to help the war effort, Hedy Lamarr and a musician friend, George Antheil, developed a technology based on the player piano that would change the radio frequency of a signal, thus blocking an enemy from intercepting and jamming the signal.

Though never used in World War II this device is now at the core of modern cell phone technology. CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) uses spread spectrum technology because the encryption allows for better security and privacy for cell phone users. Additionally, spread spectrum allows for simultaneous communication over the same bands without noticable interference, allowing for shared frequencies and more bandwidth for increasing demand.

So, my dear DIVAS, you can thank this amazingly beautiful and talented DIVA of invention, Ms. Hedy Lamarr, the next time you pick up your cell phone to make a call or surf the internet!

Other inventions by women that have changed the world we live in for the better:

1812 - Tabitha Babbitt invented the circular saw.

1864 - Sarah P. Mather invented the submarine telescope.

1867 - Elizabeth Hawk invented the cooking stove.

1871 - Margaret Colvin invented the washing machine.

1886 - Josephine Cochrane invented the dishwasher.

1887 - Anna Connelly invented the fire escape.

1903 - Mary Anderson - invented a window cleaning device for street cars that eventually became the forefunner to the windshield wiper.

1914 - Florence Parpart invented the refrigerator.

1917 - Ida Forbes invented the electric hot water heater.

1930 - Ruth Wakefield invented the chocolate chip cookie (ok, technically a recipe not an invention, but where would DIVAs be without Chocolate Chip Cookies?

1946 - Marion Donovan invented the disposable diaper.

1956 - Patsy O. Sherman invented Scotchgard.

1956 - Bette Nesmith Graham (mother of Michael Nesmith,member of The Monkees!) invented "Mistake Out" later named Liquid Paper

1965 - Stephanie Kwolek invented Kevlar, the material used in the making of bullet proof vests.

To learn more about your DIVA sisters who paved the way for you:


National Women's History Project

Women Nobel Prize Winners

Women Pulitzer Prize Winners

The National Parks Historic Places, Womens History Month

New Jersey Women - History: Clara Barton

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Commons.

Thursday, March 6, 2008

How to Take a DIVA DAY OFF

Sometimes it's healthy to take a day off from your life. It's a day where you give yourself a reprive from all the things you think you "have" to do. Sometimes you can let "stuff" go for at least one day and instead you can:

  • Have a leisurely breakfast while you watch "The View"
  • Take a hot bubble bath where you pour in the entire bottle of bubbles!
  • Watch DVDs all day
  • Read a whole book
  • Order in great take-out instead of cooking and washing dishes
  • Eat the WHOLE box of cookies
  • Call your friends and have a good long chat
  • Take out your photo albums while you drink a glass of wine
  • Have a massage, a mani-pedi and skip your work out
  • Write some great letters to people you love - on real stationery - and dab on some perfume!
  • Play Fetch with your dog or wiggle a feather for your cat
  • Have ice cream for lunch
  • Have a nap
  • Spend the whole day in your pjs
  • Put on some music and dance naked
  • Check out the price of yachts on the internet
  • Get in the car and have a day road trip with your best friend - take a picnic basket

Whatever gives you a sense of "to hell with it" or makes you feel all comfy and "tucked in", however it makes you feel or however you approach it, a DIVA Day off is good for the heart and soul. And you'll go back to your normal schedule with a little Cheshire Cat smile and a little more rested.

Monday, March 3, 2008

THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND - A Diva Royal!

I watched Barbara Walter's special tonight on the Royal Family and fell in love with Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. If you ever want to see the epitome of Diva just take a look at this amazing woman who, at almost 82 years old reigns over the United Kingdom with grace, intelligence, style and a wee bit of humor.

When Elizabeth was crowned Queen on June 2nd, 1953 at Westminster Abbey, she was 27 years old. She has spent 55 years in service to the Crown, her country and her subjects and she has done it always with elegance and graciousness. Her rule has lasted through 10 Presidents, countless wars, personal tragedies and over 50 years of world events and through all this she always been a lady.

Every woman who has a desire to be a Diva need only look across the pond and peek into Buckingham Palace for the best example of what a true woman and a real Diva can be.

Yes, I kind of developed a crush on "Lilibet" - I think it was that little twinkle of humor in her eyes that got me, a dyed in the wool Yankee from Kansas, in the end. She's kind of a cutie!

The Official Website of the British Monarchy