Archive for December, 2009

The most anticipated movie of the year came out last weekend.  My man and I went to see it in 3D – of course.  Much ado has been made about the stunning visuals of Avatar.  New technology which I don’t understand is being touted.  And, yes, the images are outstanding!  The trailers haven’t even begun to show the intricacies of the Pandoran world created by James Cameron and his team.  The way the hair falls.  The neon lit evenings.  The night sky and horizon unlike anything we’d see on earth.  It is breathtaking.  This Avatar trailer focuses more on the visuals than the others I’ve seen but still falls far short of what you will experience in the theatre.

Critics and film makers all agree that the spectacle of Avatar is unparalleled.

What sometimes gets lost when a movie is steeped in spectacle is the story.  How many action or effects laden movies have you seen that you can’t even remember anything about the characters or story?  All you can say is “wow, what a ride!”  In retrospect, though, it leaves you rather empty.

Avatar, thankfully, is not in that category.  Yes, the spectacle will make your mouth drop.  You may start to get a bit of a belly ache from all the eye candy.  In the end, movies are about telling a story and Avatar certainly rises to that expectation.  It is, in essence, a fable.   A cautionary tale about humanity and our tendency to take what we want rather than to understand those we are taking from.  It’s very much a modern, futuristic retelling of the destruction of the North American natives.

There are some goofy terms, as to be expected in a fable.  The magic ore the powers that be want from the planet Pandora is called “Unobtainium”.   (Groan)  The Navi of Pandora speak and gesture very much like Natives have been stereotypically portrayed in movies for decades.

The story is generally predictable.  Science and military clash.  The one sent to infiltrate falls in love with the people (think Dances with Wolves in space).  The underdog wins over the bad guy in spectacular fashion.  However, even a predictable story is all about the telling and Avatar tells it beautifully.

The movie took me back to last week’s blog about the power of love vs. the love of power.  Our marine hero Jake  played by Sam Worthington, when given the opportunity to actually live with the people he has come to manipulate realizes how beautiful they are.  He comes to respect their way of life and becomes one of them.  In the end, he helps them defeat the seemingly undefeatable – going against gun ships with bows and arrows.

I was once again reminded how impotent force is in the long run.  The bullies will inevitably make headway in the short run.  Love and understanding will win in the long run.  Of course in the movies the love and understanding fights fire with fire so there is an incredible confrontation at the climax of the movie.  In real life, it takes longer and is much less dramatic to overcome the big powerful machine.  And yet, it’s still worth it.

Whether with flying and crawling creatures and all the clans coming together for a big fight or people going out to give out free hugs, offering food to a homeless man or comforting a child who’s crying – the fight is worth fighting.  The fight for love and understanding must be fought.

Are you part of the love army?

Be Beautiful, Be YOU and spread your love to all in your own unique way.

Hugs and Happy Holidays,

Christie

www.thebadkitty.com

A few posts ago we discussed the movie The Cove about dolphin slaughter in Japan.

In that post I mentioned that the DVD was coming out in December.  It is available now so if you’re looking for a last minute gift for a socially conscious friend or family member or someone who loves a great adventure story, be sure to pick up The Cove!

Please remember to give to those less fortunate this holiday season.  There are many charities struggling to reach their goals.  Share your blessings with others.  Even when we feel squeezed, there is always someone who is worse off.

You are blessed!  Enjoy your holidays.

Love and warm cookie scented hugs to you all!

Christie

www.thebadkitty.com

This is a Snow Angel that my sweet man made in my front yard.  He loves snowboarding and we had talked about the fun things about winter.  I mentioned snowball fights, snow angels and tobaganning.

The next morning I woke to this.  Is that the sweetest thing or what!  I am so lucky.  I hope you all have something fun and wonderful happen to you this week – and everyday.  Sometimes you have to look a little harder than others, but the lovely things are everywhere!

My Sweetie's Angel

Enjoy the snow if you have it where you are.

Hugs, Christie

www.thebadkitty.com

Be Beautiful, Be YOU!

Love in the Summer, but what about the Winter?

Once again, Andrea Nemerson has written something that’s caught my attention.  She wrote about winter sex drive, and why some lack libido when the days shorten and get colder.  Her conclusion was that there is a neuropeptide amusingly called “kisspeptin” that regulates the release of libido enhancing hormones (in hamsters at least) which could be responsible for a lower libido in winter.

There may be something to that.  With the lack of sun and activity, our bodies slow down and go into a modified hibernation mode.  Many develop Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and need to take anti-depressants just to get through the winter season.  Others find their creativity and motivation levels decrease.  Still others actually LOVE this cold season and their activity levels, as well as their libido, go up.  There is an increase in children born in late summer/fall as a result of all those people coupling in the winter whether to keep warm, to stave off boredom or as a result of being ridiculously horny!

Whether your kisspeptins or other hormone levels are low in winter or not, there are plenty of ways to get out of the doldrums.

My Man in Marmot

My man is a great example.  He is one of the lovers of the winter season.  He’s a powder junkie.  He absolutely loves going down a mountain on his snowboard getting faceshots from the fresh pow.  I call myself a Powder Widow as he’s gone most weekends hitting the slopes hard.  The benefit is that he’s horny as hell when he gets back!  Being in the fresh air does incredible things for his libido.

Try these tips when you’re feeling low in the winter:

1. Get outside! The daylight hours may be short, but a walk, skate, ski, snowball fight, snow angel or even shovel in the crisp air will invigorate you.

2. Do infrared.  Infrared light is what makes things grow.  Spending time in an infrared sauna will help increase your energy levels as well as many other benefits that a tanning bed can’t give you – and without the cancer risk!  Plus, you get to be naked and sweat (I nap, too) for half an hour.  Nice!

3. Set goals for yourself.  Make long term and short term goals.  The short term will give you something to strive for daily.  The long term will give you something to look forward to.  Be sure to break the long term into smaller chunks.

4. Have sex! Even if you don’t really feel like it, you might be surprised what can “come up” if you do it anyway.  Make everything you do about foreplay. Conversation – look deep into each other’s eyes.  Touch – pat your partner’s butt when you pass them, hold hands, stroke the face, etc.  Smell – wear your best fragrance.  Visual – light candles, set a beautiful table.  Food – feed each other with sexy food like strawberries, oysters, pomegranate, anything with a yummy sauce.  There are so many ways to make the everyday into foreplay!

All of these will help you tap into your sensual side which will help you have more motivation, even if the sun goes down before dinner time.

Have a great winter – and have plenty of sex – you may as well make use of all the darkness!

Hugs, Christie

Be Beautiful, Be YOU

www.thebadkitty.com

Some things make me really sad.  One of those things is when people are short sighted, closed minded and cruel.  I have a friend that has been going through a great struggle due to such people.  I’d rather not go into detail to protect those involved.  Especially the child who is being pulled apart due to the greed and prejudice of adults.

Jimi Hendrix once said, “when the power of Love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.”

As we come closer to the season of Peace and Goodwill to all men, it’s even sadder that over the centuries we are still so wrapped up in having to be right, in proving our point, in making others suffer so we can feel bigger that peace still seems so incredibly far off.

Wars among countries, within countries, within families and communities.  It makes my heart bleed.  Why, oh why can’t we just understand that at the very core we are all the same no matter our sex, religion, education, color, sexual orientation or anything else.

We all hurt.  We all struggle.  We all have moments of joy and sorrow.  We all want the best for our children.  We all want a good, happy life.

If we could only take the time to really listen, to really share, to be clear and honest in all things, imagine how differently – and truly – we would see each other.   What we would see is that those people we previously hated or thought were somehow less than us are actually just like us and that they are worthy of our love and understanding.

Make an effort to open your hearts in this season and all through the year and see what beauty surrounds you in the hearts of those you come into contact with.  Please, do it for the kids.  Let’s break this cycle of hate and discrimination and learn that we are all one big, disfunctional family that needs each other before it’s too late.

Be Beautiful, Be YOU- and let everyone else do the same.

Love, Christie

www.thebadkitty.com

Over the past month Andrea Nemerson, who writes a syndicated sex column, has been talking a lot about the terms women endure, rage at, hate and sometimes love and why.  These terms are Gold-digger, Cougar and MILF.

In case you’re unaware, Gold-digger refers to a younger woman who snags an older man (think Catherine Zeta Jones and Micheal Douglas).  Older women hate these “girls” because they are stealing the men in their age bracket which are rare enough to start with, thank you very much!  Or at least that’s what they say.

Cougar is the older woman who snags a younger man (think Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher). Younger women think that the “old bats” are stealing their eligible men.

A MILF is the acronym for Mother I’d Like to F*** (Angelina Jolie comes to mind).  Does this mean that becoming a mother makes you unattractive?  If by some miracle you’re still attractive after babies and spit up, you get this label.  No wonder it gets so many mommy backs up.In general, many people look at these terms as degrading and another sign of society trying to minimize the sexual power of women.

This may be true in some cases, and in others I think people are just too damn sensitive.  People like to generalize, to stereotype, to categorize.  It makes our lives easier in some ways.  If we can label something it makes it easier to deal with.  It happens to everyone.  Jock, Nerd, Emo, Goth, Geek, Silver Fox, Redneck, Squint, Geezer, Four Eyes, Hunk, Dumb Blonde, Toothpick, BBW and so, so, so many more!

We all do it, come on admit it.  We meet someone and automatically put them in a category.  Often we like to pretend that we’re more enlightened or above it, but truth is we are judgment machines!  It’s part of our nature.  We judge a room’s temperature.  We judge whether or not we like food that is given to us.  We judge whether or not a piece of clothing looks good on us.  We judge whether or not we want to hang out with someone or pursue a romatic relationship.

It isn’t right or wrong, it just is.  It’s part of our survival mechanism.  If we didn’t judge temperature we could freeze.  If we didn’t judge food we could eat something that was dangerous.  What’s unfortunate is what we then do with those judgements.  If we discrimiate or treat someone as less because of our impression of them, that is wrong.

I could be considered by many to be a Cougar.  I am dating a man 15 years younger than me.  Technically I’m not a Cougar as I didn’t seek him out or seduce him.  We met and we connected on several levels.  We got to know each other and we are very fond of each other as who we are without regards to age.  He’s more mature, accomplished and clear than most 40 year olds I’ve met.

Due to our age difference, many people in just looking at us will label me a Cougar.  Big deal.  I take it as a compliment that this young, mature, accomplished man finds me interesting, sexy and wants to spend time with me.  If I get derided with a sneer by some, they probably just wish they could find the same!

So, no matter what others label you, remember two things:

1. It’s more about them than it is about you.

2. Have a sense of humor about it, it’s only words.

Be Beautiful, Be YOU – no matter what others may call it.

Hugs!  Christie

www.thebadkitty.com

Been here?

I’ve had a rough couple of days.  I discovered that the cashflow issues I’ve been having for the last few weeks won’t be ending anytime soon without some major effort.  I’ve been feeling sad.  Today especially.  I just broke into tears without provocation.  And, no, it’s not that time of the month.  I’ve been feeling snowed under even though the big winter storm isn’t set to start until very early this morning.  I haven’t been motivated, social or clear.  All I want to do is curl up in a ball and wallow.

Odd, since the week had a wonderful start.  I had a most amazing evening with my man.  A very productive Monday.  A pretty productive Tuesday.  Then Wednesday it was like everything decided to go “nah nah nah nahnah” at me.

I get like this sometimes.  Thankfully rarely, but a few times a year I’ll feel like everything is dumping on me at once and I need some time to let it wash over me before I look for solutions and move forward.  Am I alone?  Don’t you sometimes just want sympathy without solutions?

The key, however, is not to stay there otherwise it becomes victim mode and that’s not fun for anyone, especially those that have to live with you!

So tonight I’m still not quite back but I am grateful.  I’m grateful to my friends who brainstormed with me yesterday at lunch as to how to make some cash before Christmas.  They even offered to help promote my eBooks to their own databases.  I love my friends!  My man came over today – much later than expected – but he always brightens my day even if it is a short visit.  He too was very supportive and even offered to lend me money.  Very generous and I think I’ll stay away from that solution for personal reasons.  He was so sweet about everything that even if our time was short, my mood was lightened.

Then tonight I saw two things that made me sit back and say – no matter what, I have so much to be thankful for!  The boy in the grocery store parking lot asking for change as the temperature plummets in prepartation for tomorrow’s storm.  Even feeling squeezed myself, I gave him something.  He may be a scammer, but I prefer to believe that he was truly in need.  I’d rather give and be taken once in awhile than ignore someone who really needs it.

I also saw the aftermath of an accident on the way home.  The car’s front end was completely toast.  Thank you for my car, for my health, for my body intact – even with the neckaches I’ve been having lately.

Thank you for my warm house.  My cats to keep me company.  My wonderful family, friends and boyfriend.  Food in the fridge.  A computer to record my thoughts.  Upcoming work.  Sales made this week.

All things considered, I love my life.

Take stock and I hope you come to the same conclusion!

Be Beautiful, Be YOU and remember in all things, there is always good around the corner.

Love you, Christie

www.thebadkitty.com