Tuesday, December 8, 2009

A New Book



This advertisement was found at http://pzrservices.typepad.com/vintageadvertising/advertising_from_the_1950s/page/3/ a website with tons of interesting ads.



Despite the support my husband has given me in leaving my job security and staying at home I still worry about the ramifications. I look at this advertisement and I see myself as Lucy Ricardo, saving money in my purchases to buy things I want, not hats, I have this oddly shaped head that looks really wrong in a hat, but on books. That has always been my weakness. Yes I know that I can in theory go to the library, check out books like all the other mortals. But its not who I am....

I like having a book that belongs to me, it gives me the freedom to shove it in my Coach purse, in my work bag, to drag it into every room in the house, and to hold it above the water line as I soak in the bathtub at the end of "one of those days". And yes I have had casualties, my latest read has already had its corner dipped into the bubbles after I shifted in the tub to void a toy my 3 year old threw in. Not all my books have water damage. But some do. How could I explain this to a batty old librarian?

I wont worry about this right now though, after all.....I just bought new sheets.

Monday, December 7, 2009

The return of an era

As a historian (I earned this title after I decided the only major for me in college was history not through any real historical research in my adult life) I have always been fascinated with the history of women after World War II. There was something in the beauty behind these women of the time who could cook, clean, raise four kids, and still like a model, or so those silly Sears ads would make one believe.
I loved the hair, the clothes, the music, and the ideals. True, studying this time taught me that those ads were just a facade and that American society during this time had deep underlying cracks . But despite the studies of this era I still have that beautiful housewife vacuuming in heels in my head.
I did go to college, I got married, became a teacher, than a mother. And it was during the fourth year of my career that I realized how wonderful my college education was and how I needed to get rid of it for myself....
I walked away from a career I am good at. I am so good at education children and I walked away in order to be a stay at home mom. Yes it was something I debated about for some time. So many issues came up, could we afford it? How stupid do I have to be? My mom worked 9-5 and I came out great, why cant my 3 year old?
And of course my friends didn't help it, "you will loose seniority" "in these economic times..." "But its not like you're stupid" "I came out fine" If you are one of those friends who said that, dont think I don't respect you, I do and it was your words that made me hold out this long, but today I gave my 2 weeks notice...today I embark on the path toward Frumpy housewiveness.....today I begin the journey to....

The Return of the 1950's