And the Winner is...

Looking for something good to read? Check out ANYTHING written by Lauren Winner. Check out her website for books and links at: www.laurenwinner.com

Love her.

Weekend Reading

Thanks to some friends who are starving for grace though they are unaware of their hunger, I have started reading a wonderful, interesting and charming collection of short stories by Mark Helprin titled, "The Pacific and Other Stories." While Helprin is a devout Jewish-American, his stories are some of the most Christian I have read in awhile.

Here is one excerpt from the opening story about an accomplished Italian impressario who represents the leading soprano of the world, Rosanna Cadorna, at Italy's most prestigious opera house, La Scala. He is disenchanted with the fame and indulgence that have emptied his life of purpose since he discovered Cadorna several decades ago. I believe this small excerpt gives a hopeful perspective of the post-modernist age we are in today, and provides a winsome argument for how humans are to live holistically, with both heart and mind:


I am not a well educated man except that I have educated myself, and, because I have educated myself, what I say will not stand up, for lack of recognized authority. This in turn leaves me free to say what I will, in the hope that, like those small forces that do not threaten empires and are thus not fully pursued, the things in which I believe can survive in some high and forgotten place until the power of empire subsides.

And although I know that few will listen to or credit this, I think we are in a lost age, in which holiness and charity have been traded for the victory and penetration of knowledge, though all the knowledge in the world has not brought us any further than where we can go without it even in the outermost halls of grace. I believe that more is to be known and apprehended from the beauty of a face than in delving, no matter how deep, simply into how things work, no matter how marvelous that may be. The greatest substance of the world is immaterial, the province of the heart, and its study cannot be forced or reasoned. Merely to touch upon the edge of things in parsing their mechanics is to forswear their fullness, for the entry to this fulness lies not in science but in art. I cannot prove this, for it cannot be proven, but I claim, assert, and have seen it.

Some Tips for the Men

Here is an entertaining (and possibly even pratical?) piece from today's Post advising men to treat their wives as clients and to approach their marriages as they would approach work.

My particular favorite is tip #5 regarding that lost art known as listening: "If it's important, seek clarification. If not, just let her talk." What woman doesn't smile at this reality? :)

His approach is a bit utilitarian, but there are some nuggets of truth here: "View marriage as your most important task, Haltzman urges men, and pursue success as you would anything else that matters. The assumption is it's a lot more pleasant, and the payoffs far greater, to live with a woman who is satisfied, secure and feeling loved compared to one who is none of the above."

Who can argue with that?

Marching on Washington

Today marks the 33rd anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion in America and, as always, there was a March on Washington to mourn and/or celebrate the event, depending on what kind of inevitably insensitive banner you brought with you.

Rather than enter the fray with button and banner in hand, I thought I'd share this good, principled piece by Kate O'Bierne, which I find to be full of hope for women: http://www.nationalreview.com/kob/obeirne200601230842.asp

Worth noting: Kate is a very cool woman (must be the name) who I do not know well at all, however, I do know that she is astoundingly bright, has a great husky voice, and makes me think smoking is sexy and intellectually advantageous. hmmmm......

Sex and the City...

is one of the least redemptive and most addictive shows on television, but I would be lying if I said I have never watched it.

Here is a piece that Lilian Calles Barger wrote when SITC was going off the air back in 2004(another dated article, I know!): http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=magazine.article&issue=soj0408&article=040838

Barger is too generous, I think, when she says, "Through hookups and breakups, Sex and the City explores this fundamental human experience [i.e. that the body is the place where the most profound human desire is exposed]."

In my limited viewing I have not found exploration of deep themes to be a primary concern of the show's writers, and in fact I think the show is profoundly deceptive. I do, however, think Barger is right on in her explanation of the body and its role in our identity.

If you like Lilian as much as I do, you should also check out her excellent book: Eve's Revenge. A good review is here: http://www.ransomfellowship.org/R_Barger.html Rumor has it her second book is going to be released SOON!

Some favorites

Lest you think I am only interested in casual sex, here are a few links to some articles about Natural Family Planning (a.k.a. "NFP") --the antithesis to casual sex. It is regimented. It is unspontaneous. It is anything but casual.

The first is an article by my much beloved friend Claire. I have great respect for Claire because she is the only friend I know who has the courage to practice NFP faithfully and without exception simply because she believes in the principle of it: http://www.touchstonemag.com/archives/article.php?id=18-01-018-v

The second is a review by my most kindred pal Laura. Laura studies great protestant theologians like Oliver O'Donovan and other obscure and brilliant writers from times past. (Whoops, my husband just told me O'Donovan is still alive. What do I know?) She makes me feel smarter just knowing her. Although to be fair, I must say I feel the same way about Claire. Oh, and p.s., Laura sounds like a Catholic in this piece but she isn't. http://www.ctlibrary.com/bc/2004/sepoct/6.28.html

Now for the real stuff

I love Naomi Wolf even though I feel like she and novelist Tom Wolfe (no relation) are alike in that they are both incredibly observant about human nature and tell mostly true stories about people and life, but their stories inevitably lead you nowhere. I like a story that gives me hope--or a coherent explanation about life at least--not just a whole bunch of observations that get me nodding and thinking and then end by telling me it's all just fate.

Anyway, one piece by Naomi that I do love, even though it isn't new, is this article about pornography and the irony of feminism gone awry: http://nymetro.com/nymetro/news/trends/n_9437/ There is another article on that same site titled The New Position on Casual Sex that is worth a read if you are willing to be sadddened by the emptiness of it all.

Speaking of casual sex, if you have not yet read Tom Wolfe's newest novel, I Am Charlotte Simmons go to Amazon and pick up a copy for you and one for a friend: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312424442/sr=1-2/qid=1137946338/ref=pd_bbs_2/104-6363575-7318311?%5Fencoding=UTF8
This is a book that should be talked about. Not because it is so deep you can't understand the metaphor, but because it is so raw and honest about sex in college that you (like me) will likely have some deja-vu moments that remind you of experiences you would much rather forget. Since numbing isn't the same as healing, it's better to re-visit those moments with a friend who can empathize and/or sympathize...

Meet the Family

So, here are my sisters. I am the middle of three and we also have a half sister, Maggie (not pictured) who is the youngest, but we love her like a full-blown sister.

My mom will have her cameo later as the most fantastic women is the world, but for now this is a glimpse of how I became a feminista (in the non-radical sense, of course). It is a little known fact that if you grow up with two great sisters and a single mom you are pre-programmed to cherish having girls in your life.

NOTE: Mom got married when I was 12 and step-dad Gary is much loved, but he still ain't one of the girls.

A few things about me

I like beer, as shown here. I particularly like beer from Eastern Europe which is what (and incidentally also where) I am enjoying this one.

Sadly, I am off beer and caffeine at the moment in a New Year's resolution effort to be healthy. It's going well, thanks. January is not the most tempting season for beer in any case.

I also like red wine a lot (pinot noir is a favorite) but none of these fun facts have much to do with why I care about women. See next post.

Welcome to FemmeFantastic

I have entertained the idea of this blog for some time and now it all begins... my years and months of acquiring silly, and some not-so-silly, opinions and thoughts about the world of women and girls. On my personal resume-of-what-matters I hold the title of daughter, sister, friend, wife and perhaps one day I'll add mother. It may not count for much in my 401K, but these are the roles and the relationships that give me life and open my eyes to see the world as it is and how it should be.

This blog contains the burdens I feel for the unique challenges, fears, hopes and glories of women in the millenium. Some of it will be personal and some universal. We'll see what happens.