peskypippi.comBecause I have a lot to say…

Oh, Demi Moore. I liked you with chubbier cheeks. You are now a skeleton and did you know that Halloween is over?

Here’s one word for ya: EAT.

The media targets women with headlines that scream “she’s too fat,” with Kirstie Alley and Jessica Simpson getting the majority of these grocery store-line headlines. Kirstie has been the butt of a lot of jokes; as in check-out-her-big-butt. And while I secretly utter a mean little “ha ha,” I actually feel bad for these women. They are getting singled out for their size. Yo-yo dieting sucks. Thickening around the middle sucks. And to have your cellulite photographed in the most unflattering way? Or to have yourself photographed shoveling down Costco cake? I imagine that that also sucks. (More on Costco cake soon. I have an addiction.)

But the media also hits with the “wasting away: too skinny” headlines. I even saw one about “pin-thin Kate Middleton.” Pin-thin? I have never been described as a pin, nor would ever want to. These too-skinny Hollywood actresses have made this list in recent months: Katie Holmes, Kate Bosworth, LeAnn Rimes, Kate Middleton (OK, not from Hollywood, but she steals headlines), Nicole Richie.

Seems to me–or it is my experience anyway–that men do not want non-eating skeletons as girlfriends or wives. That most men prefer a partner who can partake in a heaping pile of nachos and throw back some beers. Instead of “no thanks, I’m on the cotton ball diet.” Have you heard of that one? Scary. See here for crazy-ass fad diets. But please don’t try them at home.

In Hollywood, as a woman, you’re screwed if you’re too fat. Or if you’re too skinny.

Women and mothers: Don’t wither away. Nourish yourselves. Eat.

My kids–who have a pretty good sense of healthy eating and exercise, but who also have been exposed to ideal body image in our American culture–say that I’m just right. And that’s OK for me.

Nachos and beer anyone?

November 1 marks el Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, a holiday celebrated in Mexico and beyond. It’s a time to remember, honor, and celebrate friends and family members who have died. The skeleton is likely the most recognized symbol for death. And in Mexican traditional culture, people make skulls out of white sugar. These are considered thoughtful offerings to the returning spirits.

But around my house, sugar skulls might get dissolved into the morning tea.

A safer–and more permanent–way for me to honor el Día de los Muertos, is to display my Mexican folk art paintings. These portray the joy and the sadness associated with the dead. I purchased these paintings in Oaxaca, Mexico…  Nah, psych, I bought these paintings on canvas on eBay. They are still hand-painted, one-of-a-kind pieces that celebrate the richness and color of traditional Mexican culture and artwork.

I, for one, have an appreciation for skeletons and their symbolism. Do you?