OPINION: First Ladies of Style

OPINION: First Ladies Of Style

The First Lady is a style inspiration in the United States and around the world.

 

*Anna Hessel loves fashion. Anna wanted to write about our incredible array of fashionable and not so fashionable First Ladies. Her first article for the new year focuses on this cavalcade of stylish women. The incoming Biden-Harris administration is going to make history. The first woman Vice President Kamala Harris is an empowering image of the most diverse presidential administration in history.  2021 is going to be in part about breaking the glass ceiling. Go Team Biden-Harris. Enjoy. DSM

 

First Ladies of Style

By Anna Hessel

First in Style

For centuries, American women have looked to our presidents’ wives for style inspiration.  Of course, now we also have a female VP, Kamala Harris, with a unique look all of her own.  Dolley Payne Todd Madison is considered to be the first of the First Ladies, even though Martha Washington and Abigail Adams preceded her – they were then just called, “the President’s wife”.  She served as a hostess for Thomas Jefferson’s presidency, along with his daughter Martha.  Jefferson’s wife Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson passed away before he took office.  She is said to have been physically weakened by the bodily strain of numerous pregnancies.  Mr. Jefferson, at his wife’s request, never remarried.  Dolley Madison was an enormous help to him during his presidency.

Dolley In

She easily stepped into the First Lady role when her husband James Madison was elected president, serving from 1809 to 1817.  Dolley, a former Quaker, was thrilled to finally be able to wear high fashion attire.  Her inaugural gown of buff velvet worn with pearl bracelets was loved by the press of the time, securing her place in fashion history.  Mrs. Madison had a penchant for turbans and French style.  She was known for always carrying a book and having a colorful tropical bird as a beloved pet.  Dolley defined so many of the roles of the First Lady and White House conventions, including the State Dinner and the Easter Egg hunt.  A blue-eyed beauty, she has also been credited with introducing ice cream to the ‘President’s Mansion.’

Lincoln Togs

Although most historical records refer to her as Mary Todd Lincoln, she did not use her maiden name “Todd” after she married Abraham.  Rumor has it the Lincoln’s wedding cake was still warm when they cut it.  At 5’ 2”, Mrs. Lincoln was a petite powerhouse of style, preferring to wear flowers on her clothing and in her hair.  She was said to have once forced a former beau to wear a circle of flowers that she was fashioning upon his head for a walk around the square.  Mary was a stunningly beautiful and genteel First Lady from 1861-1865. She however was frequently criticized for buying and wearing extravagantly expensive ball gowns during the Civil War.

Taft And Teddy

From March 4th, 1909, to March 4th, 1913, Hellen Herron Taft served as First Lady.  Educated at the University of Cincinnati, Mrs. Taft stylishly wore tall floral brimmed hats, elegant gowns with frothy and billowing wraps, and even carried a fan.  She was followed by the first Mrs. Roosevelt, Edith, the second wife of President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, for whom “Teddy bears” were named.  The adorable bears  were dubbed by a Brooklyn candy shop owner, with Roosevelt’s permission, in honor of an incident during a famous hunting trip the President took in 1902.  “Teddy” had refused to shoot a bear that hunting guides had corralled and tied to a tree.  While Teddy was running about the backwoods in hunting duds Edith delighted the fashion conscious women of the country with large hats and lots of lace.

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Clemons & Timberlake “Better Days”

 “BETTER DAYS”

Ant Clemons and Justin Timberlake

Today’s Calamity News and Politics Jukebox Choice of the Day is “Better Days” by Justin Timberlake and Ant Clemons. Better Days are coming, if we as a country can make it to January 20th, 2021. Enjoy. DSM. The lyrics are below.

Better Days

Ant Clemons and Justin Timberlake

There’s a light at the end of the tunnel
Keep your eyes on the road ahead
But if you’re feeling lost in the night
It’s okay to cry
Just as long as you hold your head
‘Cause we’re on our way to better
Better’s ahead, better’s ahead
It get’s worse ‘fore it gets better
But better’s ahead, better’s ahead
Better days are comin’ (better and better and better, ooh-ooh)
Better days are comin’ (ooh-ooh, better days)
Better days, better days (better and better and better, oh-ooh)
Better days are comin’ (better days, better days)
I know you’ve been kicked down
Slept on, let down, faith gone
Waited for too long for somethin’ to lean on (lean on)
You feel weak, just be strong (ooh)
Deep breath, stay calm
If you just press on, press on, press on
You gon’ see there’s a light at the end of the tunnel (at the end of the tunnel)
Keep your eyes on the road ahead (on the road ahead)
And if you’re feelin’ lost in the night (lost in the night)
It’s okay to cry (it’s okay to cry)
Just as long as you hold your head
‘Cause we’re on our way to better (ah)
Better’s ahead (better), better’s ahead (ah)
It get’s worse ‘fore it gets better (ah-ah-ah)
But better’s ahead, better’s ahead
Better days are comin’ (better and better and better, ooh-ooh, I know, I know)
Better days are comin’ (ooh-ooh)
(Better days, better days, better and better and better, ooh-ooh)
And better days are comin’ (ooh-ooh)
(Better days, better days)
I know you feel left out and stepped on
Keep goin’, keep goin’
Shine bright, don’t dim yours for no one
Keep goin’ higher, and higher and higher and higher
Better days, better days are comin’ (better days)
Better days, better days (on their way) are comin’ (’cause I know)
Better days, better days (better days) are comin’ (yeah)
Better days (comin’), better days (I know)
Better days are comin’
Source: Lyric Find
Songwriters: Anthony Clemons Jr. / Jacob Kasher Hindlin / Justin Timberlake / Kenny Dixon
Better Days lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Twelve Days of Christmas COVID-19 Style

Twelve Days of Christmas, COVID-19 Style

12 days of Christmas covid version

The Twelve Days of Christmas,

COVID-19 Style

By Anna Hessel

The First Day

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: a tea tree oil hand sanitizer.

The Second Day

On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: two rolls of two-ply toilet paper, and a tea tree oil hand sanitizer.

The Third Day

On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: three French maids to disinfect my home, two rolls of two-ply, and a tea tree oil hand sanitizer.

The Fourth Day

On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: four virtual video calls, three French maids, two rolls of two-ply, and a tea tree oil hand sanitizer.

The Fifth Day

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: five golden rings, because a girl must remain accessorized even in a pandemic; four virtual video calls, three French maids, two rolls of two-ply, and a tea tree oil hand sanitizer.

The Sixth Day

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: six sprays of Lysol, five golden rings, four virtual video calls, three French maids, two rolls of two-ply, and a tea tree oil hand sanitizer.

The Seventh Day

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: seven face masks embroidered with the different days of the week, six sprays of Lysol, five golden rings, four virtual video calls, three French maids, two rolls of two-ply, and a tea tree oil hand sanitizer.

The Eighth Day

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: eight more maids with disinfectant, seven days of face masks, six sprays of Lysol, five golden rings, four virtual video calls, three French maids, two rolls of two-ply, and a tea tree oil hand sanitizer.

The Ninth Day

On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: nine ladies dancing six feet apart, eight more maids with disinfectant, seven days of face masks, six sprays of Lysol, five golden rings, four virtual video calls, three French maids, two rolls of two-ply, and a tea tree oil hand sanitizer.

The Tenth Day

On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: ten lords social distancing, nine ladies dancing six feet apart, eight more maids with disinfectant, seven days of face masks, six sprays of Lysol, five golden rings, four virtual video calls, three French maids, two rolls of two-ply, and a tea tree oil hand sanitizer.

The Eleventh Day

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: eleven pipers piping on Zoom, ten lords social distancing, nine ladies dancing six feet apart, eight more maids with disinfectant, seven days of face masks, six sprays of Lysol, five golden rings, four virtual video calls, three French maids, two rolls of two-ply, and a tea tree oil hand sanitizer.

The Twelfth Day

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: $1200 stimulus check that was never from Donald Trump, eleven Zooming pipers, ten lords social distancing, nine ladies dancing six feet apart, eight more maids with disinfectant, seven days of face masks, six sprays of Lysol, five golden rings; four virtual video calls, three French maids, two rolls of two-ply, and a tea tree oil hand sanitizer.

God Bless and Wear Your Mask

Seasons greetings and happy holidays!  Wise men and women the globe over still seek peace.  May we never forget the reason we celebrate this season, and the good Lord’s present to us all.  May the coming year be better for humanity, with the gift of a Biden-Harris presidency.  God bless and don’t forget to wear your mask in public…

The “Real” Twelve Days of Christmas

The “Real” Twelve Days of Christmas

The “Real” Twelve Days of Christmas

The “Real” Twelve Days of Christmas

By Anna Hessel

I figured we could all use some humor this holiday season; this Christmas will be a bit different.  We had to rearrange our living room to accommodate the tree and social distancing.  Sort of a pandemic feng-shui, you might say.

The First Day

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, a partridge in a pear tree…  A most unusual gift but I do love fruit and the little birdie is pretty cute, too; I am logging onto the Food Network Kitchen site for a tasty pear tart recipe.  Perhaps birdseed included in the lovely present would have made sense…

The Second Day

On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…two turtle doves and another partridge in a pear tree.  Perhaps my dear true love did not realize that turtle doves and partridges don’t get along, who knew?  And still I have received no birdseed from my dear one.  The partridges pecked at my fingers when I decided to choose a pear for lunch – maybe they are possessive of the pears because they lack birdseed.

The Third Day

On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…three French hens, two more turtle doves, and yet another partridge in a pear tree…  Apparently, my dearest true love is most fond of fowl.  Still no damn birdseed, and apparently French hens do not care for pears…

The Fourth Day

On the fourth day of Christmas, my “true” love gave to me…four rather noisy calling birds, another three of those blasted French hens, two more turtle doves, and still another of those ridiculous fruit-bearing trees containing another partridge; my apartment resembles the aviary house at the zoo.  Birdseed, where the hell is the birdseed?

The Fifth Day

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true “love” finally bought some damn jewelry, five lovely golden rings, none of which even remotely resembles an engagement ring in any way, all five of which turned my fingers green; of course, included with the cheap mass merchandiser rings, my alleged true love included another pear tree with of course an additional partridge, another couple of the turtle doves, thrice more of the ill-mannered hens and, of course, four of the calling birds, who make me want to call the local bird refuge.  I injured my ankle ducking the flying menagerie when I returned home from Walmart, where I exchanged the five rings for birdseed…

The Sixth Day

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true like gave to me…even more freaking birds, six geese a-laying eggs in every square inch of my living room; I would love to give my true “love” a goose egg.  As if I don’t have enough of them, four more calling birds, three more French hens, two more turtle doves, and even another big tall, gangly a$$, pear tree with, yep, you guessed it, a partridge.  I have invited the local bird watchers society to tea – perhaps they would like to each choose a bird to take home, gratis….

The Seventh Day

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true “friend” gave to me…what else, more feathered friends, not a lovely gift basket containing a bath bomb and fragranced lotion, like the ones mocking me as I stand in line buying more birdseed at Walmart; nope this time, in addition to another blasted tree, more hens, calling birds, doves, and one more partridge, I am the “blessed” recipient of seven swans that are a-swimming in my bathtub – perhaps this is why I have yet to receive a moisturizing bath bomb.  Certainly an extra-strength lavender air freshener, or even a pumpkin spice room spray, would be most welcome in here…

The Eighth Day

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true acquaintance gave to me…the entire gaggle of birds, another tree, and eight much needed maids to clean the bird droppings and smashed pears from my carpet.  But noooo, these alleged maids came to milk the eight adorable goats eating up my lawn; has my true “love” never heard of Hickory Farms?  A mini summer sausage and a cheddar cheese wheel would be lovely with all these pears and did I mention, goose is on the menu this Christmas?  I wonder, can French hens be served with a pear stuffing and creme fraiche glaze?

The Ninth Day

On the ninth day of Christmas, that guy gave to me…on top of the nine ladies disco dancing in my kitchen, eight more useless maids, more golden rings to exchange for birdseed, more assorted birds, and another freaking tree…..perhaps I shall break up with my true “love”…

The Tenth Day

On the tenth day of Christmas, my frenemy gave to me…yep, you guessed it, another flock of birds, more maids that don’t clean a thing, additional dancehall divas, the requisite fruit tree, and now there are ten men in tights jumping all over my home – one of them has a turtle dove on his head and another knocked over two pear trees and a lamp.  Maybe a membership at the local zoo would have been more conducive?

The Eleventh Day

On the eleventh day of Christmas, that idiot gave to me…the entire lot of birds, maids, more divas of the dance, leaping lords, another tree, and if it wasn’t noisy enough in here, we now have eleven pipers piping – perhaps a subscription to an online dating service would have been a much more welcome gift…

The Twelfth Day

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true enemy gave to me…yet another pear tree, the entire collection of flying friends, more useless maids, and other plethora of pitiful pipers, dancing divas, and lords a-leaping.  Thus far these clumsy oafs have broken another lamp, a vase, and the one pear tree that I had strung with Christmas lights.  Included in this final round of the worst assemblage of Christmas gifts in the history of holiday giving, I now have twelve drummers drumming adding to the deafening racket in here.  My couch is covered in bird droppings and green fruit.

And More..

My cat has a suspicious hen feather in her mouth.  I have received a citation from the city for an excessive animal population.  My landlord has served me an additional pet deposit demand.  The leaping lords have run off with the milk maids, leaving me with a yard of goats, one of which is chasing my Chihuahua, and another just ate my porch furniture.  Along with a squawking array of birds are rotting fruit trees and a migraine the size of Texas.  I am considering a holiday restraining order.  Next time my “true” love had better go to Jared.

 

METAL TRUMP- Nothing Else Matters

METAL TRUMP
Nothing Else Matters by Metallica

 

TRUMP METAL- NOTHING ELSE MATTERS

Metallica

YouTube is going crazy with the Metal Trump theme. Here is one I especially like, Metallica rocks. As always, I  DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE MUSIC USED FOR THIS VIDEO! THE MUSIC IS NOTHING ELSE MATTERS BY METALLICA. I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE FOOTAGE USED FOR THIS VIDEO! ALL FOOTAGE BELONGS TO ITS RIGHTFUL OWNER(S).” I think that covers my involvement. Thanks, David Shadrick for suggesting these two videos for Calamity News and Politics Jukebox Choice of the Day. Enjoy! DSM

 

TRUMP METAL- PARANOID

Black Sabbath

METAL TRUMP-PARANOID

BLACK SABBATH

How about a double dose of Metal Trump? So, here goes. I  DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE MUSIC USED FOR THIS VIDEO! THE MUSIC IS “NOTHING ELSE MATTERS” BY METALLICA AND PARANOID BY BLACK SABBATH. I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE FOOTAGE USED FOR THIS VIDEO! ALL FOOTAGE BELONGS TO ITS RIGHTFUL OWNER(S). I think that about covers my involvement, other than sharing with my friends. So, here is the second choice of the day for Calamity Politics Jukebox Choice of the Day. Enjoy!

 

https://www.calamitypolitics.com/2020/12/04/judas-priest-youve-got-another-thing-comin-15552/

 

FLIP GEORGIA BLUE!

FLIP GEORGIA BLUE!

VOTE Warnock and Ossoff,

FLIP Georgia Blue!

The Georgia Senate race is a big deal, folks.  There are two senate seats up for grabs on January 5, 2021. The Republicans are backing two candidates that care more about the value of their stock portfolios than they do about the citizens of Georgia. Decency and honesty have disappeared with David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler. We need both seats. We cannot continue to let Mitch McConnell continue as Majority Leader. The Grim Reaper is stopping legislation. If the Dems can take both seats we can put an end to McConnell’s misuse of the American Legislative system. There is no doubt about it, if we want to take back the Senate we must deliver a massive turn out.  LET’S DO IT!!

Pagan Yule: Heathen Is The Reason

PAGAN YULE:  Heathen Is The Reason

 

FEDERKLIED BY FAUN

Children of the Gods, is apparently responsible for posting the video on YouTube. The disclaimer read: “I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE MUSIC USED FOR THIS VIDEO! THE MUSIC IS FEDERKLIED BY FAUN. I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE FOOTAGE USED FOR THIS VIDEO! ALL FOOTAGE BELONGS TO ITS RIGHTFUL OWNER(S).” I think that covers my involvement also. Thanks I. B. for suggesting the Calamity News and Politics Jukebox Choice of the Day.

As an aside, I have never watched the Viking series, but after watching this video I’m curious. I think I will do a binge watch of the first six seasons to catch up. Enjoy! DSM