Colorado Kimmie

  A culture fixated on female thinness is not an obsession about female beauty, [it is] an obsession about female obedience.  Dieting is the most potent political sedative in women's history...a quietly mad population is a tractable one.  - Naomi Wolf I received a letter recently from a reader who told me she wished all female teens could read my post.  Honestly, when I write, I never really have a particular audience in mind.  That's the first thing we learn in "Composition and Writing 101," KNOW your audience.  Well, to that I say: SCREW YOUR CONVENTIONAL RULES (just like in my photography).  So, although I do not practice a routine of writing to any particular audience and remain completely authentic to who I am, the encouragement brought me so much joy in learning that my words could reach and inspire younger women.  And, to that reader, I say thank you so much for that.  My heart nearly exploded. Now, in response to the aforementioned em...

I was sitting in a salon chair when it hit me.  I was being socially conditioned to online date and stay in relationships that no longer served me as a way to "fit in."  Why was the fact I was inching up on my 40th birthday, never married and no family anywhere in my near future somewhat terrifying to me?  It's because that was my environment!  That's what seemingly EVERYONE was doing.  And, I was being constantly questioned about my life decisions.  And, women, c'mon, we know the ol' tick tock, tick tock, tick tock...which is nothing but fear of time.  Time should never be feared. Also, there's nothing worse than "fitting in," is there?  My opinion, take it or leave it.  To me, fitting in suggests that you shed some, if not most, of the precious semblance of yourself in order to be accepted.  "Fitting in" might be the worst thing ever, really.  I'll hang on to my "weirdo" card, thank you very much! You know, a lot of peop...

Good day, Mates!  I hope you all had a safe and fun Labor Day Weekend!  I wanted to share a quick experience with you that happened recently.  I hope you enjoy.  If you know someone who could benefit from reading, please feel free to pass this along to him or her. "And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music."  (note to self next time I'm standing in line at the post office with ear buds...) Last year, I was fired from a job two days before my 40th birthday, on a phone call with two women from HR (who I trusted would help me), and days before my 10 day approved paid-vacation to Croatia.  Yes, thank goodness of the divine timing of that trip!  It healed my soul. I used to feel ashamed to talk about being fired from a job.  But, turns out, I'm not alone.  When I open up and talk about it, I've learned it's the truly authentic people who never learned how to "play the game" that experience this...

I watched this movie last night that was actually pretty heavy.  I mean, I went into the journey after reading a short synopsis that didn't being to cover the weight as the story unfolded.  The plot wasn't based off a true story, but it very well could have been.  As I watched it, some non-repressed childhood memories came into mind.  This movie, by the way, is called, "Teacher", and I rented it on Amazon Prime.   It's about a high school English teacher up for tenure who advocates relentlessly against bullying.  The main character, the teacher, endured bullying as a child (shown through a series of flashbacks both at home and at school).  Now as an adult, he sees the bullying unfolding in the hallways and classrooms of his school, which triggers the all the aforementioned flashbacks.  He sets out on a mission to protect the victims which seems highly legit and sensitive and way outside his pay scale.  However, everything quickly tu...