Female Friday

I first saw Katherine Hepburn in Philadelphia Story decades ago when TV had few channels and aired old black and white movie to fill up the channels. I watched her, in awe of her spunk, her confidence in herself and in the world around her. I thought wow I want to be a woman like that. I watched her movies, Bringing up Baby, African Queen, Lion in the Winter and On Golden Pond. I think I was the only 7 year old who watched that movie.

As I grew up and started figuring out how the world worked, my respect and awe of her grew. She donned pants when women were being escorted off the street even arrested. She had strong beliefs and spoken them never apologizing for her intelligence. And when her career tanked and she was considered box office poison, she turned her career around with the Philadelphia Story. I too wanted to have that strength and needed in my life when the life I knew and loved was shredded with my parents’ divorce.

I needed Katherine more than ever. I watched her lined face hanging and liver-spotted, her hair tucked up, heard her scratchy, posh voice and watched her hands shake. She hadn’t lost any of her spunk or intelligence. I never met her but she helped me decide on the woman I wanted to be. Katherine didn’t follow the beat of her own drum, she created the music. My music sometimes skips or hits a horrid note but Katherine taught me to Write a new song.

Female Friday

This Friday will be a dedication to Female Writers.  There are many great ladies to choose from Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, Nora Roberts and Jodi Picoult to name the “Superstar gals”.  Women writers seem to rarely get the respect we deserved yet we are the majority of readers.  When Nicolas Sparks writes a love story such as The Notebook or Dear John, those aren’t considered romance yet Rachel Gibson writes See Jane Score it is.  Some might argue that those stories are different perhaps or perhaps not but that doesn’t matter.  Today, I’m recognizing those women that inspire me either through their writing, which is how I know most or through the women they are.

EDITH WHARTON

EDITH WHARTON

I love Age of Innocence and The Buccaneers.  I admit I’m not crazy about Ethan Frome but Edith Wharton is the greatest.  I read her books over again and each time, I’m swept into Old New York.  I know the next words yet I’m always thrilled by them.  I’ve felt a connection with her when I first picked up one of her books.  It was as if something came through the pages and into me, connecting me with her for forever.  She is the person I would have loved to dine with.  She is the reason why Paris is the place I want to spend my days and she decorated homes too, which is a passion of mine.  Edith was and still is a perfection for me.

JACKIE COLLINS

JACKIE COLLINS

Jackie Collins.  I love her and her juicy tales of Hollywood and scandal.  My whole life I’ve wanted to visit LA.  There isn’t a particular sight that I’m interested in.  All I want is to feel the sun and smell the air, or smog.  But the closest I’ve ever gotten to LA is the airport on my way to Honolulu.
What’s really great about Jackie is that she doesn’t try to be anything else.  She’s fabulous in fact she’s better than Fabulous.  She’s Jackie Collins.

DOROTHY PARKER

DOROTHY PARKER

Dorothy Parker was a founding member of the Algonquin Round Table and the only female included.  She had a sharp wit that it seemed just the thing to have in her age but few possessed or as I like to think, displayed.  She wrote screenplays, most notably A Star is Born.  She also wrote the line, “Men seldom make passes at girls who wear glasses.” She proves to be first, speak you mind and others will fall over themselves to be around you.

LOUISA MAY ALCOTT

LOUISA MAY ALCOTT

Everyone knows Little Women and loves it.  Most ladies vow that they’re Jo or perhaps Meg or Amy.  But for me, I would like to believe I’m a Jo but I am a Beth.  I remember being sick as a child in the hospital, looking out the window, or watching it rain and while others played outside I was stuck in-doors.  I couldn’t get wet because if I got too cold, I could get sick.  So, I was Beth.  And at least I had someone to keep me company.   And Louisa finally made me happy to be a girl when I only wanted to be like my big brother and play football.  I did too though my mother never knew.  And I could tackle the boys since I was taller than most of them.

J.K. ROWLINGS

J.K. ROWLINGS

I must admit that I’m not a Harry Potter fan.  I’ve never read the books or seen the movies.  But I must give her credit.  She was on the dole and wrote out her book on a legal pad.  J.K. never quit though there must have been people who told her otherwise.  She created a world that has entertained millions across the world.

LEANNA RENEE HIEBER

LEANNA RENEE HIEBER

I’m proud to say that Leanna is a friend of mine.  She’s an award winning author.  But what makes her one of my favorites is that she invites everyone into the wonderful Victorian paranormal world of hers and it weaves a spell about you so you never wish to return to everyday life.  She amazes you with her kindess, talent, and selflessness.  I suggest if you haven’t read any of her books pick up her Strangely Beautiful series or just click here.  http://www.leannareneehieber.com/

I know people are going to say Jane Austen and I agree but I just wanted to include some others.  If you think I missed someone please add to the list.

Female Friday

For the second Female Friday, I decided to honor actresses. 
After all I love a good movie.

HELEN MIRREN

HELEN MIRREN

This woman has played the Queen twice, won an Oscar, Bafta, and every other  award in the movie-sphere.  She has shocked the world by looking damn great in her red bikini.  As a writer, actors are a great tool, they bring to life words we writers toil over and she’s one that always sucks me in whether bringing a character to life or just being herself.  When I grow up, I want to be Helen Mirren.

DAME JUDI DENCH

DAME JUDI DENCH

I love this woman.  The minute I hear her voice, I’m sucked in and must listen to the words that seem to dance from her mouth.  She is perfection.  She too has played Queen Elizabeth and Victoria.  She has played Iris Murdoch and the woman who orders 007 around.  The force of her and her talent always has me in awe.

                                                               BARBRA STANWYCK

BARBARA STANWYCK

This classic Hollywood star played every role from a vixen to a single working gal who writes an article about being a homemaker.  Every role she played she never lost her feminine appeal but still possessed a steel backbone.  The men knew she wasn’t giving in and would fight for what she wants.  Growing up and watching these old blacks and whites, I promised myself to be a woman like her and a long ranging career she worked from the 1930s up till mid-1980s.  I would recommend a movie but there are so many good ones that I’ll leave that choice to you.

MERYL STREEP

WOW.  That’s is all I have to say.  The woman has a range of talent that people rushed out to see Mama Mia. She had to make the cruelest choice in Sophie’s Choice, which still thinking about still rips me from the inside out at the thought.  She was a Devil who Wore Prada and made me want to have silver fox gray hair.  I look at her and think give a 100 percent at what you do and you will be the best and the world will know it. 

MERYL STREEP

SANDRA BULLOCK

Sandra is the actress I would love to be friends with.  Some people didn’t like ALL ABOUT STEVE.  I loved it.  She brings her charm, grace, humor and her ability to laugh at herself.  And as a viewer, you feel like you’re hanging out with a friend.  

SANDRA BULLOCK

SALMA HAYEK

She came from Mexico, where she was a star but she wanted more, which she got.  She became an international Box-office star when Hollywood didn’t like her accent.  She produced the film of her heart, Frida and reintroduce the world to a great artist.  Now she’s a mother, wife and producer of movies and television and changing the face of Hollywood.

SALMA HAYEK

JOSEPHINE BAKER

She is a star of a lifetime and not because of her talent or the way watching her dance set off a sensation of freedom in the audience.  She wanted a life that racial ignorance prevented her from attaining in the US so she went off to France and created the life she wanted.  That’s the greatest lesson of Josephine.  Be the person you want to be and you’ll find your place so it was  only natural that she helped the French Resistance during WWII and fought against Civil Rights.  She created her world and invited the rest of us to be a part of it.  

MISS JOSEPHINE BAKER

Do you have any actresses you would like to add, please do…

Female Friday

Recently, I sent a request to Jackie Collins–the woman who I would like to be or good friends with–for an autograph which I received.  It currently sits in front of my computer as a boost of confidence and a reminder to plant my butt in the chair.

Anyway, the picture got me thinking about women, women in the world we admired or some of the qualities we want to possess ourselves.  So I decided that Friday is Female Friday the day when we celebrate beautiful, smart, successful, striving woman in any sections of lives.

For me the first woman is my mother.  When I told her I wanted to play baseball, she became the coach and we ended the season as Champs.  When I wanted to be a cheerleader, she helped make pom poms for our sneakers.  When I was in the hospital, she slept on the most uncomfortable chair, prisons in China have better seating that she did.  But every time I opened my eyes she was there.  Of course, she’s the top of the list.

COCO CHANEL

Coco Chanel

 The woman built an international stylish legacy from meager beginnings.

MARILYN MONROE

                  Marilyn Monroe
Some people see her as the sexy blonde with nothing else to offer.  But she was the first woman and I believe person to have their own Production company.  Now Hollywood is filled with them.

ROSIE THE RIVETER

ROSIE THE RIVETER 

During WWII, it was the women that held this country together and made it run.  No different as the hundreds of military wives do now.
On December 30, 2010 Geraldine Doyle,  the lady who’s photograph was used, died at 86.  But she still inspires ladies to use the strength we have.

AMY POEHLER

 AMY POEHLER

I’ve loved her since SNL.  Her laugh is wickedly good fun and her humor is even better.  Just goes to show that women are funny too.

PINK

PINK

She’s a hard ass with heart.  Her voice, her songwriting skills and now attacking motherhood.  She shows that You have to fight for your right to party so Raise your glass.

MY NIECE, YAZZY

YAZZY

Since the day she was born, I have been in awe of all she does and has accomplished.  People love her.  She’s smart, loves fashion and works more than any other GEN Y-er I know.  The world better watch out, she’s coming for it.  As she would say, GO BLUE!

Do you have a few woman you’d like to add?  Who and what inspires you about them?