Slippery little guys...

I'd like to think I had a lot to offer to my friends in elementary school: I lived within walking distance of McKameys (R.I.P.), we had a pool, and my mom always provided us with great snacks.

However, I quickly learned that while my friends were more than happy to play in the pool and ride bikes outside, there was another reason they always chose to come to my house instead of theirs: my sisters.

No matter what we had planned for the day, the first question was: Can Courtney and Ashley do it with us?

And while I certainly didn't mind this at all, I'm sure my sisters (seven and five years my senior) were not thrilled with the idea of playing house with us.

There is something inherent in all children that makes them absolutely adore older kids. I'm not sure what it is, exactly; maybe it's their confidence (my sisters knew how to run the world at age twelve) or that they had such fun ideas (I never would have thought of setting up a tent to pretend camp out). I mean, my preteen sisters were just oh-so wise and worldly.

I'm afraid that the Bratz dolls may have used this star-struck attitude of the youth to their unfair advantage.

Really, why would an eight-year-old girl want to play with a makeup-free doll when they could be playing with a dressed up, sexualized Bratz doll?

Personally, I think my American Girl, Molly, (or even Barbie!) could have dominated Sasha (the current Brat of the week) any day. However, I have a sad feeling that when I was young, I would have definitely wanted a Bratz doll.

From the start of production, I've never quite understood why you would let your children play with a Bratz doll.

Merriam-Webster defines a brat as having immature and annoying characteristics. Would it sell quite as well if it were called Annoyingz? I doubt it.

Of course, this has all been said over and over, and I think the controversy of the Bratz dolls has been sufficiently discussed.

This week, though, the company took a large hit when Scholastic cut all Bratz products from their book clubs and fairs. By Scholastic taking a public stand against the company, they'll most likely lose any support they once had in school systems. Certain schools may even take steps to ban the dolls entirely (sounds like Giga pets!).

Banning the dolls in schools is possibly the largest setback the company may face. If it happens, it will be a crucial moment for Bratz dolls- a potential source of decline.

Just as Scholastic's stand was a vital moment, so was the failure to stand of several models in Milan during fashion week. A number of models fell on the catwalk due to aslippery fish pattern decorating the runway.

Essentially, the models have one job during fashion week: to walk. Failing to walk properly down the runway must be highly detrimental to their careers.

Personally, I find myself much more inclined to sympathize with the models than the Bratz. But let's be serious, I'm more of a Barbie girl myself.

Tan? Really?

I think it happened overnight. The temperatures dropped. The humidity (almost) broke. The air smelled differently. And the leaves began to change color.

I don't know if I was too distracted to notice, or if summer snuck out stealthily, but it seems as if fall is here to stay.

I'd like to say that the red and yellow leaves are what got my attention, but I'd be lying. The colors that got my attention were those that are MIA.

It seems that this fall, aside from plaid (yaay), nude is very popular. Not in the way that will leave exhibitionists rejoicing in their birthday suits, but in the way that will bring my mom, the Queen of Bright Colors, to tears.

Fashion Week proved it, tan is the trend.

It's somewhat ironic, though, that you can say it a number of ways: tan, beige, nude, camel, khaki, ecru...

And yet, it almost always looks the same. While I have sworn off khakis since my days working at a golf course, I admit that wearing tan well can be a triumph. However, in the darkest days of February (ah!), paired with the whitest days of skin color, very few look their best in beige. I can only hope that the trend will have run its course by then.

I'll let it slide for fall, but if Michael Kors and Patrik Rzepski try to tell me that tan (or even ecru) is in for the holiday season, I'm going to have to ask my mom to give them a call. I mean, there is only so much neutrality I can take before I am forced to go on the offensive.

Are you prepared for a world with Britney in it again?

Yesterday, after I got out of the shower, I turned on the TV to watch Today Show. However, as I descended the channels in search of Matt Lauer, I came across Saved By the Bell. For a few minutes I was captivated by Zack Morris (though I was personally an A.C. Slater fan) and couldn't quite bring myself to continue on to the Today Show.

Once I finally said goodbye to the nineties, though, and forced myself back to reality, I was equally as captivated by (what we all thought was) a thing of the past: Britney Spears.

Lynne Spears is releasing a book about being the mother to both Britney and Jamie Lynn. As I was watching her, I realized that Britney and Lynne might actually be a lot smarter than we've ever realized.

So, Britney went a little crazy...but we never stopped watching her. Those who loved her (myself obviously included) followed her with bated breath, hoping- praying- she could make her come back. Those who hated her watched her every move, ret to criticize. And those who didn't really care were forced to watch her too, because if everyone in the media is watching her, you've got two options: 1) watch or 2) fast from all sources of the media.
And now, after she's had time to recover, she's back. She made quite a splash as the host of the VMAs, and the very next morning, the Today Show revealed that Lynne is releasing a book next week.

This is clearly not a coincidence.

Everything is poised for Britney's come back: She waited until the excitement of Jamie Lynn's baby had fizzled (there can really only be one Spears girl in the spotlight at a time). She made a dazzling appearance at the VMAs. And Lynne is releasing her book (they're even appealing to the intellectuals).

Now, the only remaining question is, can she do it? As far as I can tell, if there is anyone who could, it's Brit. It's just a matter of whether or not she'll be accepted. Will the world give Britney another chance?

I know I will.

May the best mom win

This summer, I tried with all of my heart to go running before work. However, every now and then when my alarm went off at six a.m., and it was still dark, and my bed was so warm, and our apartment (AKA the icebox) was oh-so-cold, I let myself roll over and save the run for the evening.

On these days, though, it almost never failed that as I drove to work I'd see some young pregnant mom bopping along with a double wide stroller stacked with two toddlers. Or some old old man shuffling along, sweating on those hot Atlanta mornings.

And before I even had time to process just how impressive it was that the little pregnant lady was able to get those two kids out the door by seven thirty, I'd be consumed with guilt. If they can do it, why couldn't I? I'm younger than them, one hour earlier shouldn't make me that much more tired.

I think my guilt is similar to what a lot of women feel when they see Sarah Palin. As a mother of five, including an infant with Down syndrome and a pregnant 17-year-old, how does she have time to hold what is considered the second most important position in America? How can she do it all? And if she can be the Vice President and take care of all five (soon to be six) kids, why can't someone else work a nine-to-five with just two kids?
Of course, I find it impressive to have even one child and no job, seeing as I often feel overwhelmed with no children or job, but, hey, some ladies out there are still comparing themselves to Palin, and the guilt that encircles them upon such comparison, forces them to decide that no, Palin cannot do it. It's not possible.

There are a number of other reasons that Americans are objecting to McCain's decision. However, I think there are a quite a few women hiding behind the idea that Palin would either have to neglect her job as the mother of five or neglect her job as the mother of America if she is elected to this position. But in actuality, they're just feeling guilty about the fact that they are not doing quite as much.

Of course, I think this guilt is unnecessary. Within the last week, since both of my brothers have arrived at IU with me, I've been consumed with worry. Constantly, I've been concerned about their well-being, or if they're doing enough on campus and going to class and being careful...it's exhausting!

And, seeing as I'm not their mom, but instead their sister, I can only imagine how much energy my mom spends worrying about all five of us. Having them both at school with me has given me a new take on motherhood: 1) I'm not even close to being ready for it and 2) Simply worrying about your children, not even including taking care of them, is at least a part time job (if not an FTJ).

And with my revelation comes the lesson that those feeling guilty about Palin's success need not compare themselves to her. Maybe she's one of those lucky people that just let's her worries go, and therefore she's spent all that extra energy pursuing the White House. Or maybe, she doesn't sleep...

Either way, one woman's success should never be a source for insecurity in someone else. Granted, I wouldn't have believed it if you'd told me this on my morning commute this summer...

But I guess that's why they say that those who can't do, teach.