Women Over 40 Rock!

All aboard the self-esteem express! Carson Kressley is at it again.

Back for a second season of Lifetime Television’s How to Look Good Naked, Mr. Kressley works overtime trying to convince us that “how you carry yourself means more than having a perfect body.”

This is no ordinary makeover show. Here we are more concerned with fixing our perspective than fixing our bodies. It is about bridging the gap between what we think we see when we look in the mirror, and the reality before us.

The young women profiled are particularly susceptible to the images of primped and airbrushed supermodels, and live with oddly distorted feelings about their own bodies.

One episode features Grae, a successful and attractive young woman. Faced with a full-length mirror, and overwhelmed with humiliation, she tears up as she speaks of being nothing but an observer in her own life, unable to fully participate. All this over body image? As observers, we are perplexed by her words, as she despairs over her shape and searches for a mold to fit into. “I don’t even know what I am. I’m not a pear. I’m not an hourglass…” What we see is at odds with her confusion. We are hooked. We want to understand.

Confronted with three cardboard cutouts of women in their underwear, she is asked to comment on what she sees. She compliments the three bodies, finding them all attractive. She particularly likes the third one, finding beauty in the long legs and nice shape she so desires for herself.

Carson takes special delight in peeling the top layer from the cutout, revealing that this body is, in fact, her very own! It is a stunning moment of awakening for Grae, as she takes that first step to understanding how skewed her perspective has been. Now she MUST acknowledge her own beauty.

The series provides quick tips on makeup, hairstyle, and how to dress without spending a lot of money. There are no admonitions about diet and exercise, no mention of cosmetic surgery or treatments, no quick fixes. Carson gives the ladies credit for knowing these things already. He understands that the problem lies in the heart and mind, and once you “start seeing the possibilities,” the rest will follow.

The climax of each episode is the “naked” photo shoot, when a professional photographer gives the participants the full movie star treatment. The spectacular results speak for themselves. The average American woman, as glamorous as any magazine cover girl!

After her shoot, Grae was asked, “Do you look good naked?” She triumphantly replied, “Holy, Moses! Yes!” From self-loathing to self-loving in five days… yet nothing about her changed, at least not physically. Mr. Kressley gently persuades the women to see themselves as they really are, using a large dose of common sense, a flair for the dramatic, and offbeat sense of humor.

Season two of How to Look Good Naked, with its new hour-long format, is a breath of fresh air on the television landscape. It’s time to shatter those ingrained images of acceptable beauty and bring on the new. Carson Kressley, in his casual style, verbalizes what we all should instinctively know, but don’t. Beauty begins in the mind.

How to Look Good Naked has hit the magic formula.

Posted by Mandy Crest, Blogger for Women Over 40 Rock! and In The Trenches Productions

I recently read the article “Stumbing on the Path to G-Spot Utopia” in the Los Angeles Times that not every woman has a G-Spot. Can that be right? After all that has been written about this famous location and all the worry that went into trying to make it perform well, that it could be nonexistent just doesn’t seem possible. I realize that things work in cycles and that what is true at one time may prove not to be true later only to be proven true again later on. I suppose that is what will happen with the G-Spot as well. I just don’t know if I can wait that long. I don’t know if I can take the insecurity of it all. Just what if it IS true and that all women don’t have this desirable SPOT. The newspaper article did say how you could try to see if you actually had the physical properties that meant that you indeed had one but it involved mirrors and positions that seemed somewhat uncomfortable to me. What if I went through all that and still wasn’t sure if I had one, as I had never seen one before. Plus the description in the paper made it sound like they all have slight differences.

What the hell am I exactly looking for anyway? Could the G-Spot just be a place in your mind and the more active and creative your mind the more excitement for everyone? What was I to do? I definitely didn’t want to spend any more time on this as I had done enough thinking about this in the past. I just don’t have the energy for the G-Spot search right now.

Here is what I came up with and I would love to know what you think about my solution. I AM JUST GOING TO “ACT AS IF” I HAVE A G-SPOT WHETHER I HAVE ONE OR NOT. And that is it. I am going to “ACT AS IF” the elusive G-Spot is there and working properly. I am not going to follow the story in the paper and buy into all its ramifications and everyone’s thoughts and opinions about it. That will just take up so much time and most likely make me unhappy. So for anyone who is interested I have a beautiful and well functioning G-Spot (Now keeping it activated could be a problem but that is for another blog).

Claire Callaway, blogger for In the Trenches Productions, The First Entertainment Website Celebrating the Power and Beauty of Women Over 40

Well this film doesn’t star a woman over 40 ( it stars a 66 year-old African American male) but there are a lot of marvelous and interesting women over 40 in this magical, enlightening and inspirational new documentary. And since we’ve been talking about “therapy shopping” lately this film is a definite alternative to shopping for lifting your spirits.

A MAN NAMED PEARL moved me in such a way that I want to share this film with everyone.  I can’t say it any better than this review by Bill Thompson of the Charleston Post.“In a sea of pedantic, heavy-handed political documentaries,  A MAN NAMED PEARL offers both an effective social statement on race relations and human potential”

It tells the inspiring story of self-taught topiary artist Pearl Fryar.  It is a subtle and intriquing film that is certain to open hearts and minds.  It offers an upbeat message that speaks to respect for both self and others, and shows what one person can achieve when he allows himself to share the full expression of his humanity. Pearl’s garden is a living vision of peace, love and goodwill and this documentary reflects the true essence of this man and the amazing life lessons that can be learned or reaffirmed from the truly remarkable and astoundingly gifted Pear Fryar.

“Gardening books will tell you that some of these things in my garden can’t be done, but I had never read them when I got started. Not knowing ahead of time that something is supposed to be impossible often makes it possible to achieve. I didn’t have any limitations because I really didn’t know anything about horticulture. I just figured I could do whatever I wanted with any plant I had.”

“In this life you’re gonna have obstacles. The thing about it is, don’t let those obstacles determine where you go.”

Those are just two examples of Pearl’s philosophy to live by.  So instead of that shopping spree or that chocolate eating fest check your local newspaper this weekend to see if A MAN NAMED PEARL  is still in a theatre near you and if not the DVD is expected to be out in December 2008.  A MAN NAMED PEARL should definitely be in your DVD library or next to your pocketbook and the chocolate stash.

Debbie Zipp, blogger for In the Trenches Productions, The First Entertainment Website Celebrating the Power and Beauty of Women Over 40

We all know that it’s the little extras added that make meals delicious, table settings lovely, gifts special and outfits to-die-for, but extras in movies? They make the movie. Literally. Think what a street scene in NY would look like if the only people you saw were the stars. Or a hotel scene. Or a battle scene. Or just a doctors’ waiting room. Without the extras (politically correct term coined in the 70s - Background) none of the movies and TV shows we watch daily would have an iota of believability.

What brought these thoughts to mind recently was seeing a super charming documentary, “Strictly Background”, which, in following the lives of ten aspiring actors, opens our eyes to a fascinating and touching show-biz world that usually fades….well, into the background. (Check out the trailer) And while I was enjoying watching these “extras in the spotlight”, I was bombarded with memories of my own career beginnings in 60s and 70s New York….me crossing the street in front of Jack Lemmon (The Out-Of-Towners), waving hello to Gig Young at a wedding reception (Lovers And Other Strangers), jumping into a swimming pool in front of Dustin Hoffman (Lenny), and standing, caftan clothed, behind Woody Allen and Diane Keaton at a cocktail party (Annie Hall), among others.

Remembering those days on sets as one of the actors making $50 instead of $50,000, I can see how his own jobs as an extra inspired Jason Connell, producer and director of “Strictly Background”, to delve into the stories of these un-sung actors who bring life and authenticity to our films.

Jason says his reason for taking an extra job when he moved to L.A. from OK was that he thought he could learn more about film production…and he quite obviously succeeded. The idea he got from that job to explore the struggles and determination of some of Hollywood’s’ hardest workers, both professional extras and those hoping to use it as a stepping stone to greater careers, has already won Best Documentary in five film festivals and has been an official selection in many more.

“Strictly Background” is, in short, strictly terrific. Thanks, Jason, for bringing these extras into the spotlight. You can purchase the DVD now at “Strictly Background” Website and beat the Official DVD Release for Netflix, Hollywood Video, Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble, etc which is August 5th.

Judith mighty-proud-to-have-extrad Drake, blogger for In the Trenches Productions, The First Entertainment Website Celebrating the Power and Beauty of Women Over 40

What do you do when you’ve lost it? What do you do when you think you can’t take it anymore? What do you do when you feel trapped or that you want to crawl out of your skin and transport yourself somewhere else, like a beach in Mexico with a double salt Margarita. What do you do when you have lost all your reason and focus and you don’t know what the next step is. You just can’t seem to get a grip to see through the fog in front of you so you know where you are going and why. Why am I taking this step in this direction when maybe it should be that other step. Your head is spinning, spinning out of control. What do you do when you feel like screaming forever from the tip of your pedicure needy toenails, through your worn out body and out your mouth to the heavens above. How do you relieve the pain when you do not drink, smoke, do drugs or drink coffee and the one bad habit of eating chocolate isn’t enough?

YOU GO BUY A SOFA!

Sound crazy? I totally agree. I thought of my partner, Claire Callaway’s blog about THERAPY SHOPPING and it sounds all too familiar. Well I could certainly use a dose of therapy shopping today. I love running to a thrift shop or Target or TJ Max and finding a wonderful treasure for $5 or $10. It is mostly just putting my mind somewhere else that helps. But today is different. Today is off the charts stress. This is mother load stress and I want to buy a SOFA! Yes you heard me. I have the desperate unrelenting urge to buy a sofa. It just popped into my head. I just want to hop in the car and buy a SOFA. Irrational?! Insane? Yes! BUT the stress of today and the last year has been insane.

My son has been very sick for the last year and a half. I actually have a lot of days like this. But it is nothing compared to my son’s suffering. And I get mad at myself for wanting to escape and buy a stupid sofa when he can’t escape. I can escape my surroundings but he can’t escape the body that has turned on him and also won’t allow him to get up and out to enjoy life again. I won’t go into specific details but it has been a horribly long, complex and winding journey of this “YET TO BE DIAGNOSED ILLNESS” and how it is has continued to spiral out of control and affect other parts of his body while they do the myriad of tests without finding definitive specific reason for the progression and evolution of this illness. Watching my son suffer the way he has and knowing all that he has lost (missing his senior year, missing prom, loosing friends) and feeling so helpless is enough to drive any mom around the bend. You never think your child will have a serious illness. You hope and pray everyday that will never happen. But if it happens and the doctors can’t figure it out and cannot diagnose the problem for almost year and a half of trying- what do you do? Well…you buy a sofa! And I’ll say the doctors made me do it.

There are 3 doctors’ faces that my son and I have come to dread. You too may have seen these faces. But if you haven’t, trust me these faces are bad enough to make you want to buy a sofa.

• Number 1: the look on their face when they don’t have a clue what the hell is going on and are lost as to how to move forward.
• Number 2: The look on their face when they want you to disappear because you are just a reminder of their failure and their ego can’t deal with it.
• Number 3: The look that you are a bossy over reacting hysterical mom / woman. It is the look of mommyism and sexism.

The worst grievance of all and the most stress inducing is the lack of caring. The down right cavalier perhaps unintentional “your son’s suffering is not a priority” attitude that you deal with day in and day out especially when you can’t reach a doctor or a nurse. When they take their bloody time calling you back, despite how many desperate messages you’ve left, it doesn’t seem to matter that you are waiting by the phone and rescheduling things so you don’t miss that call and the stress that causes. They don’t seem to realize what the consequence is to their patient when it takes 5 to 10 days to return a call or give a test result. The consequence is that the doctor who is supposed to be helping relieve the patients suffering ends up causing more suffering to that patient and the mom (caregiver) ends up with all the nerve endings in her entire body fried like a MacDonald’s Filet of Fish. And then when they do call you back they of course are bothered by having to do so and have too little time to talk so you panic and lose your train of thought, forget the list of questions and points you wanted to make and you are left dangling with a horrible sense of incompetency for having blown this incredibly important opportunity that you could wait another 3 weeks for.

Of course there have been some good medical personnel along the way but today I am not thinking of them. I am thinking of my son and all he has been through and how brave he has been. I am thinking of yet another incident with a doctor that ruined the day. That made us all feel so unimportant. And all I can think of is that darn new sofa I want to run out and buy and have delivered this very day even if I have to strap it to the top of my little Honda Fit. There is no good reason I can think of to buy a sofa. I don’t even need a new sofa. I guess it is just the kind of stressful day where nothing but a big-ticket item will do.

However, since writing this blog the urge has gone. Let’s call it “therapy writing” instead of “therapy shopping”. I will call my mom or one of my dear friends instead and bend their ear a while. I will give my son another hug or maybe hundreds. I will kiss my precious doggies on the tops of their heads and give them a doggie cookie and I will feel clearer and more hopeful again. I will probably eat some chocolate and then I will fight to gain my focus and my strength back so I can forge ahead to MAKE the doctors care more deeply about solving the mystery of this illness so my son will be cured sooner rather than later. That is what moms do. And I will do it all without rushing out to buy a brand new sofa. Hopefully.

Debbie Zipp, blogger for IN THE TRENCHES PRODUCTIONS, The First Entertainment Website Celebrating the Power and Beauty of Women Over 40

Thirty Somethings have nothing on Fabulously40.com, a new social network designed for women age 40 and beyond. Fabulously40.Com was created for every woman 40 and beyond, who is ready to celebrate this exciting stage of her life. Relationships with families, friends and even ourselves are undergoing profound change, and it seems like the time is right for something new. The Website creates a forum for women over 40 to gather information, build relationships, interact and learn about emerging trends. Founded by Yana Berlin, membership on Fabulously40.com is free, enabling women to share daily food for thought in a user-friendly format.

Proving that technology isn’t solely for the Facebook generation, Fabulously40.Com offers benefits such as editorial content written by “expert” columnists. From lifestyle to career - celebrity gossip to recipes - there’s a good chance you’ll find articles that are beneficial to you. Social networking features include blogs, message boards, groups, videos and pictures fostering a grassroots approach to connecting online.

The personalized interactions forged by the inclusive platform of Fabulously40.Com are both a reflection of this demographic’s growing desire to interact with like-minded individuals and its interest in becoming updated with online technology in a non-threatening environment. The Website has a slick design that women over 40 can easily navigate. Fabulously40.com is built on the latest in Web 2.0 technology, scalable to millions of users. With upcoming features including photo albums with the ability to tag images with captions and instant chat messaging, the Website presents an opportunity for members and brands to develop unique social networks.

A mid-life crisis is not just for men. There are plenty of women who pass the 40-year-old benchmark and find themselves flooded with emotions and feelings. The Fabulously40.Com Social Network empowers women with wisdom, sass and class. Before you spend countless hours on a psychotherapists couch, I recommend you check out Fabulously40.Com, a social network designed for - sorry guys - ladies over 40.

Debbie Zipp, Blogger for In the Trenches Productions, The First Entertainment Network Celebrating the Power and Beauty of Women Over 40

Earlier this week I was lucky enough  to get to a pre-opening screening of “Mamma Mia”, and I’m still smiling! Not  to mention humming all the infectious songs, “Dancing Queen” and “S.O.S” among  them. - But what gave me the biggest smile and set my little heart to beating  in joyful rhythm was the sight of three of the four female star parts embodied  by fantastic actresses over size 2, over age 20 (over 45, to be exact), and  with what looked like REAL faces!!! Meryl Streep has never been better, if you  ask me. (Having lived in NY for over 25 years, I actually saw her in a musical  before she was famous, so her wonderful singing was no surprise to me.) And by  her side, intensifying the fun, are Julie Walters and Christine Baranski, both  of whom were made for these parts. - Now the only young one among the female  stars, Amanda Seyfried, is quite wonderful as well, but I’m sure she not only  had a great time working with these terrific older actresses, but learned the  equivalent of a Doctor’s degree just watching them, not to mention getting to  act with them. And as if this weren’t enough to make my day, three equally  gorgeous middle-aged men: Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgard!  All of whom are the bees knees! - What fun to watch them perform…singing,  dancing, laughing, crying….and quite obviously enjoying every minute of it.  Enjoying every minute of working with fabulous actresses in their own age  group!!! Not, which as we all know is usually the case, with girls who could  be their daughters! (an ironic comment, as being fathers of one of the leads  is a major plot point, tee hee) I am willing to bet that this film, starring  three over 45 actresses and three over 45 actors will not only be one of the  hits of the season, but will garner 4, if not 5, Academy Award nominations.  Mamma Mia! Will this help ‘the biz’ finally start to open their myopic eyes  and see that actresses and actors over 40 are not only fantastic, but money  makers as well???? Let’s hope so. And p.s. - be sure you stay for all the  credits, as there is a lovely improvisational bit during them that is almost  as fun as the movie. Mamma Mia, what a treat!
Judith Mia-lova-it  Drake, blogger for In the Trenches Productions, The First Entertainment Website Celebrating the Power of Women Over 40

I get what this is.

And I know that sometimes I need it.

But I have to be careful not to do it all the time.

Therapy shopping is shopping that makes you feel good and not shopping because you need a particular item. In fact you had no idea that you would be buying that particular item.  You bought it because it makes you feel good.  At least this has been my personal experience.  Has this ever happened to you—-You feel unhappy, you feel sick, you didn’t get something your wanted and deserved, you feel old and ugly, not real smart, you just know nothing is really ever going to work out for you, you are overweight, you look terrible in a bathing suit, if you even have the courage to put one on, plus you are broke and you couldn’t get a face lift or botox treatments even if you wanted them. Or maybe you have experienced this, your husband is mad at you, you are mad at your husband, you don’t want to stay with your husband, he doesn’t want to stay with you, or you don’t have a husband. (Now replace the word husband with children or child in the preceding sentence).

Sometimes things are just overwhelming or you simply feel screwed!!!!!!!!

Hopefully this is just a temporary feeling that needs a relative quick fix and not serious therapy.  Let’s assume this to be true for now.  For now you are not feeling good about your self and your worth.  What could be better than finding a bargain?  The better the bargain the better you will feel about yourself and your self worth. Let me tell you about my last outing of therapy shopping.  I was feeling all the above-mentioned feelings one day and I just knew that I had to feel better.  Maybe I would feel more special if I could find something to buy that was really terrific and that I got for a bargain.  A fabulous and desirable item at a bargain price can REALLY make one feel good. Now I always seem to have to couch my “HUNTING” with something else.  I am off to COSTCO because I want to “SAVE MONEY” for my family on food and household needs. (PLEASE DON’T LET ME OVERBUY STUFF IN HUGE QUANTITIES AND PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE LET ME FIND A SPECIAL BARGAIN).  Almost always when I am in this mood I do find something.  Once I was lucky enough to go to the south of France on holiday. At several restaurants they served their water in these lovely clear glasses that had a bee figure on them.  I loved them and at that time I had not seen them in the states. In fact I had bought a set of glasses, because I did need glasses and they were on sale at a French shop that was going out of business.  I didn’t really, really need them but it must have been some sort of therapy shopping that day as well.  But it wasn’t a real coup because they were nice French glasses but not the ones I dreamt about. It was a good feeling but not a blowout one.  Close but no cigar as they say.  Anyway, on that fore mentioned trip to COSTCO, I found the glasses that I REALLY wanted. I was thrilled. I spent time figuring out what to do.  They came in two sizes, medium and large. Should I get twelve of one size or six in two sizes?  After much thought I figured that I was more likely to have six for dinner than twelve. I FELT GREAT.  I HAD REALLY ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING THAT MADE ME FEEL GOOD ABOUT MYSELF.  I know that this probably sounds pathetic but I DID feel better about myself.  (Which I am just sure made me accomplish other good things).  Plus because of this therapy shopping no one ever knew that I had been pretty depressed and I got thru the rest of the day in good spirits. YEAH.

Of course you have to be careful not to overdo this therapy-shopping thing.  You don’t want to put yourself in financial ruin over it, you don’t want to have a household of fabulous bargains that never get used, take up space and that you no longer want. Nor do you want to spend your days returning all this stuff. Most importantly you don’t want this to turn into a full blown out addiction to shopping.  But an occasional quick fix to feeling better about yourself, knowing full well that that is all it is, isn’t so bad in my book.  What do you think?

PS: I only feel it fair to tell you this.  About those COSTCO glasses, I have never taken them out of their sealed boxes. (I can only hope that they are the glasses that I think they are and that none are broken).  You see, I have limited cabinet space and I just couldn’t get rid of those other bargain French glasses so I have put those unopened boxes in the attic waiting for a special occasion. But that does not diminish the good feeling I have when I think about them and believe it or not I do. Plus every time I go back to COSTCO I look for them and I have never seen them for sale again—lucky me for having been there on the day that they did sale them. And I know that an occasion will present itself for their use and I will feel SPECIAL all over again.

Claire Callaway, blogger for In the Trenches Productions, The First Entertainment Website Celebrating the Power and Beauty of Women Over 40!

Movies. Some are worth seeing twice. Some might even be worth seeing three times. Too many aren’t worth seeing at all. Now me — I like movies that tell a story I can believe. A story that says to me, “This is real,” even when I know it isn’t. A story so well told — with characters so utterly believable — that no matter how big the lie, I believe –  because I want to believe. After all, isn’t that why we go to movies in the first place? To find truth — in what are essentially lies.

We gather here at Women over 40 Rock! because we, as a group, also want to believe. We want to believe in Woman — in her indomitable spirit. In her – our — innate ability to overcome life’s obstacles and to persevere. We demonstrate this spirit in our everyday lives, mostly unnoticed, and too often in private. But every so often one of our own bursts forth with a talent that, when seen on the silver screen, seems so right — so raw and full of life — that we reach out our arms and pull the very essence of that character right into our souls so that it becomes, in some small way, a part of our collective consciousness.

This is a celebration of those women and, in the end, a personal recommendation of four movies that you simply must watch. For even if you’ve seen them before, each of these is one of those that you can see over and over again.

“Fasten your seat-belts, it’s going to be a bumpy night.”

In the 1950 classic, All About Eve, Bette Davis, in a voice that can only be described as pure Bette Davis, delivered this line with the precision timing for which she was famous. From the first, it’s obvious she knows that, as a 40-year old actress, it’s time for her to step aside and make room for a fresher, younger face. But knowing something and doing something are oftentimes two very different things. Bette’s character isn’t ready to fade away… and we don’t want her to go. She’s wealthy, attractive, and successful, but we find ourselves rooting for her as if she were the some poor downtrodden underdog. It’s a foregone conclusion that she won’t win, but no matter, we cheer her on in her fight against age itself. You didn’t have to know Bette Davis to see how dearly she relished this role.

In 1981, Katharine Hepburn, 74, and Jane Fonda, 44, teamed up with Henry Fonda in the emotionally charged film, On Golden Pond. Playing mother and daughter, Katharine and Jane, tackled, along with Henry, Jane’s real-life father, such disturbing topics as aging and the inevitability a parent’s death. Together, they submerge us in the waters of unresolved family issues. Mother’s and daughter’s differing viewpoints drive this drama to its conclusion. Jane’s character, although grown with a son of her own, still sees the world from a child’s point-of-view. Her pain, and her inability to see her father for the gentle man he has become rather than the tyrant the child in her remembers, keeps her from getting closer to him in his final days. Katharine Hepburn is pure magic. As the older, wiser woman who loves her husband without reservation, she tries to help her daughter see things from another point of view. You will want to have a box of tissues nearby for this one.

Fried Green Tomatoes. What a title! Released in 1991, this is a story woven within a story. It delves deeply into the lives of four extraordinary women. Jessica Tandy, still absolutely beautiful at 82, gives an unforgettable performance as a nursing home resident who, by accident, meets and proceeds to captivate a new friend with her colorful tales of two women in 1920’s Alabama. Kathy Bates, 43, as Evelyn Couch, is a housewife in full-blown midlife crisis. Questioning her marriage, battling with her weight, and trying to figure out her place in the world, she finds new meaning in this older woman’s story, at first living vicariously through the two young women’s lives, but in actuality using those women to find, unmask, and reveal the true woman inside herself. This movie is about empowerment and personal growth.  In one scene, Evelyn’s spirited exchange with two young women over a parking space at the food store will delight every woman over the age of 40 who’s wanted to say and do the same thing when confronted with the rudeness of youth:

Evelyn: “Hey! I was waiting for that spot!”
Girl #1: “Face it, lady, we’re younger and faster!”
With that, Evelyn rear-ends the other car. The girls react with amazement and a little fear…
Girl #1: “What are you doing?”
Girl #2: “Are you crazy?”
Evelyn, smiling:“Face it, girls, I’m older and I have more insurance.”

Finally, who wouldn’t enjoy a night with the Calendar Girls? Helen Mirren heads an unforgettable cast of older women in this 2003 British film based on an actual event. Deeply moving while simultaneously humorous, this is one movie that’s in a league of its own. In the face of tragedy, some of the members of a conservative ladies’ club band together to raise money for charity. At first stumped for an idea, they hit upon the idea of creating a calendar. And what a calendar! They would use themselves as models — nude models. With both modesty and dignity intact, they set about their task while fighting the local powers-that-be in order to accomplish their goal. Along the way, they experience their share of disagreements and heartaches, but in the end they ultimately come together– out of love and out of friendship.

Bravo, Ladies– Bravo! Movies like these are Pure Entertainment. But Oh! — how they make us believe.

Now, would someone please pass the popcorn?

Posted by Mandy Crest, blogger for In The Trenches Productions, The First Entertainment Website for Women Over 40!

Blondie, the new wave band, with Debbie Harry, is on an international tour this summer to coincide with the reissue of their album “Parallel Lines”, which has sold more than 20 million copies since its debut in 1978.  Miss Harry is 63 and, I believe, has no retirement plans in her future.  What an inspiration!  Catch the sly humor and playfulness that she brings to “One Way or Another” and “Hanging on to the Telephone”, both hit singles on the CD.   “Heart of Glass”, also from that album, reveals the effortlessly cool, sexy Debbie Harry, the iconic Blondie.  This song, which was their breakout hit, almost didn’t get released.  Their label felt it was “too disco” and Blondie was the pioneer punk rock/new wave group.  It’s ironic that “Heart of Glass” went on to become one of the all time disco anthems.

Debbie Harry and Chris Stein formed the band Blondie in the mid-1970s.  They were part of the downtown New York music scene and gained national recognition performing at CBGB, a now famous club in the Bowery district.   The band’s named changed from “Angel and the Snakes,” to “Blondie” based on the countless whistles and screams of “Hey, Blondie!” that Harry got from truck drivers and passing cars.  The band was the cutting edge of cool, hanging with the Andy Warhol crowd and performing at Studio 54, where the video to “Heart of Glass” was shot.  The band explored a range of styles from new wave, punk, disco and even rap.  In fact, a 1981 release, a song called “Rapture”, was the first rap–like song to be a hit.  This single mixed new wave, pop, funk and rap.

In 1983, Stein came down with pemphigus, a stress-related and often fatal skin disease. Unable to look after himself, he was cared for by Harry, who put her solo career on hold. She dismissed any praise or glowing testimonials to the sacrifices she made for him. “Actually, it didn’t seem like a sacrifice at all,” she says. “Because our careers were so entwined, so enmeshed. We had always worked as a team. And being sick on your own is no fun.”   By the way, Chris fully recovered.  To do this selfless act with grace and humility tells you what kind of sweetheart Debbie Harry is, far removed from her cool, hip image.

Debbie Harry is not slowing down and continues to write, perform and act.  In 1999, she entered the Guinness World Book of Records as the “Oldest Female Singer to Reach No.1 in the UK Chart” with Blondie’s hit “Maria”.  Debbie Harry was 53 years old.  She also is a tireless supporter of many Gay Rights Organizations and has done many benefit shows in support of AIDS charities.  She’s been ranked #12 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Women of Rock N Roll.  In 2006 Blondie was inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame.  She also collaborates with other artists and in 2006 sang vocals on Moby’s single “New York New York”.

If you want to re-live one of the most vibrant eras in popular music, pick up the re-issue of Blondie’s “Parallel Lines”.  Or, if you were like me, too busy in the ‘80’s with family and career to be into the music scene, now you can catch up.  The songs on this CD are a lot of fun and in these grim times it’s awfully nice to hear tunes that make you smile and jump up and dance.    Maybe it’s time for an ‘80’s party.

Jan Bina, blogger for In the Trenches Productions.com, The First Entertainment Website Celebrating the Power and Beauty of Women Over 40