Sultan Ahmed ordered his mosque built (1609) with six minarets — the same number that Mecca had at the time.

 You can’t go inside a mosque during Friday prayer time — we were there just before. We toured the mosque and as we came out, men were washing their hands and feet, a ritual done before entering a mosque and praying. The Muslim’s Friday noon prayer time is like the Christian’s Sunday morning, or Saturday Sabbath for the Jews — the most holy part of the week.

 The beautiful cascading domed ceiling of the Blue Mosque.

Our next stop is the grand Hagia Sophia.

Built between 532 and 537AD  by Emperor Justinian, this Byzantine architectural masterpiece is known for its massive dome and was the largest church in the world for almost 1000 years.

 The Hagia Sophia was turned into a mosque in 1453 when the Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople (aka Istanbul). Mosaics and paintings depicting Christ and The Virgin Mary were plastered or painted over as Islam does not allow for the use of images of people or animals.

 After the fall of the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century, Turkey became a secular state, the Hagia Sophia was turned into a museum, and the Christian paintings and mosaics were uncovered.

Another historical and magical structure in Istanbul is the Basilica Cistern, built in the 6th century it shows just how seriously the Romans took their water systems.

 336 columns support the domed ceiling of this underground cistern. While the cistern has a capacity of 100,000 tons of water storage, it currently holds only a few feet and some big fish. Wooden walkways have been added so that the cistern can be explored by foot.

  The beautiful columns in the cistern are of varying types of marble and their capitals are inconsistent — some are Corinthian and some are Doric. It is believed that the columns came from around the Roman Empire in a sort of recycling effort. Interestingly, there are a few Medusa heads used as bases of columns — they are placed sideways or upside down. The mythological character Medusa was said to be able to turn people to stone with a single look. The Roman builders of the cistern may have placed the heads any way but upright to negate Medusa’s spell!

For intrigue and drama it’s hard to beat Topkapi Palace. More of a small town than a palace, Topkapi was the official residence for the Ottoman Sultans for almost 400 years, and at its busiest housed 4000 people.

 This stone path led into the Harem. Returning to the palace with the spoils of of war, the sultan would ride his horse through this door where he would be greeted by “the ladies” and shower them with gold coins.

 The Harem hung out in this room until summoned by the Sultan. The women were guarded by eunuchs; the Sultans did not like to feel threatened. The eunuchs that guarded the harem lost all of their genitalia, others that performed some secretarial duties were simply castrated. They weren’t the only threatening males — when a sultan died his oldest son took power; the new sultan would then have all of his brothers killed to secure his position.

 Housed in the Imperial Treasury at the palace you will find religious relics: Mohammed’s vest as well as a tooth and a hair from his beard, the staff of Moses, King David’s sword, and this 86-carat diamond — the 7th largest in the world.

No trip to Istanbul is complete without a visit to the colorful Spice Market!

  A great place to buy souvenirs, tea, spices, or the famous and delicious Turkish Delight candy.

 The colors and smells are a party for the senses!

Pack your bag — next stop Israel.

Sirince was settled by Greek immigrants who built white houses with red tile roofs which reminded them of home. In 1923 there was a compulsory population exchange between Greece and Turkey — ethnic Greek Christians had to return to Greece and ethnic Muslim Turks had to return to Turkey.  Attaturk, father of Turkish democracy (1923) is revered for “westernizing” Turkey, bringing it into modernity and making it the successful country it is today. The population exchange however, is generally regarded as a mistake. This picture is the little main street that we drove down to get to our hotel –can you even imagine how narrow the side streets were?!?

We stayed at Terrace Houses in the Fig House, a rustically charming and eclectically decorated cottage that was a nice break from hotel living. We had an incredible home cooked meal served up with a stunning view. Too bad this picture doesn’t have sound effects — we sipped our wine and ate our dinner to a duet of a donkey braying and the Muslim call to prayer. The next morning we were awakened by the call to prayer and a rooster crowing. Aysel, the cook, made us a delicious breakfast, cementing my opinion that this was the best food in all of Turkey — the cheese came from a cow down the road and the vegetables from the back yard. Fortified with a good night’s sleep and a very strong Turkish coffee (Aysel took me into her kitchen and showed me how to make it), we ventured on to Ephesus.

Ephesians is the tenth book of the New Testament and its formal name is “The Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians.” If you are wondering who the Ephesians were and where they lived, wonder no more. Ephesus, a Greek city until it was taken over by the Romans, was once one of the largest cities in the world. Positioned on several important trade routes and with a harbor (at the time) Ephesus, at its height in the 1st  and 2nd centuries AD, is thought to have had a population of almost 500,000.

Paul was eventually driven out of Ephesus by the silversmiths of the city. His pronouncements that worshiping idols, it seems, was bad for business.

John is also believed to have come to Ephesus with The Virgin Mary. John had promised Jesus that he would look after his mother and they are both thought to have died and been buried nearby.

Ephesus had it all: baths, temples, a large and important library, a brothel, theaters, and shops with goods from near and far. I, however, found the public latrine one of the most interesting buildings. It seems that the latrines, and not just the bath houses, were very social places. In this picture you can see that people were not shy. The waste dropped down a considerable ways into the sewage system of the city, and in front of the “toilets” you can see a trough on the floor right in front of where feet would be if one were sitting on one’s “throne”.  This trough had a continuous flow of fresh water for “cleaning up” after taking care of business — a sort of toilet paper of the day. The Romans were truly incredible!

There are great ruins in Rome, and Pomeii is very interesting, but for me, Ephesus was by far the best “view” of life in an ancient time.

Bodrum is a port city that is best know for its resorts, nightlife, and as being the point of embarkation for boat trips around the Aegean Sea. My seventeen year-old daughter, who was traveling with a friend’s family before she met us in Istanbul, delighted in the later two. She assures me that the clubs are fabulous, the shopping superb, and cruising the Aegean magical. I simply relaxed, took in the views and enjoyed a great dinner on the beach.

Tomorrow: back to Istanbul for a tour into its Ottoman past.

Driving through the valley is like being on another planet but the real surprise is when you explore the cave houses the region is famous for. The Hittites are thought to have lived here 4000 years ago where they worshiped pagan gods. Tiberius claimed this area for Rome in AD 17, and early Christians about the same time to escape persecution. Later, Monks lived here. There are incredible churches with arched ceilings, columns, and beautiful frescoes carved into the hillsides.

Arabs came in the 7^th century and forced the Christians deep underground where they lived in subterranean cities; some that go down 400 feet or more. I am more than a little claustrophobic, but I was so amazed by what I’d heard about these cities that I bit the bullet, ducked, and went for it. Sloping floors and steps connect the levels and there is an intricate system of air ducts that keeps the underground rooms well ventilated but at the same time, didn’t allow the enemy to “smoke out” the cave dwellers. There are rooms that were used for kitchens, stables, wine making and storing, churches, and even crypts. Big, flat round stones were used to seal off areas of the labyrinth when the enemy tried to invade. The underground city we explored was thought to be home to 20,000 people. AMAZING!

Our hotel, the very charming Esbelli Evi, is one of the famous cave hotels, carved into the side of a hill, not underground, that makes going to Cappadocia well worth the time it takes to get there. If you go, dinner at Ziggy Café was a delight.

The next morning I faced another fear (heights) and went for a hot air balloon ride. It was a great way to see the valleys and rock formations, and for the most part very peaceful. We shared our “basket” with a group of Turkish people. Of course they were Muslim; Turkey is 99% Muslim, but in contrast to Istanbul where most women dress in western clothes and are very cosmopolitan and friendly, these more provincial women were different. They weren’t the very religious women I occasionally saw, dressed in burqa and veils; instead they wore headscarves and longish coats over their clothes (ostensibly for modesty). The two grown women were loud and obnoxious. If you have ever seen the Seinfeld episode where Elaine goes for a manicure and feels like all of the Vietnamese manicurists are talking about her, knowing that she doesn’t understand their language, then you know how I felt. They were aloof and even sneered slightly when I smiled and said hello. After the flight, we had the traditional post-flight champagne toast and some cake. The Muslim men drank the champagne and the women smoked cigarettes, two things that very religious Muslims don’t do. A guide in Istanbul told me that some Muslim women donned headscarves for political reasons rather than religious – I think this group fit into that category. After the flight the most obnoxious woman handed me her iPhone indicating (not with a smile!) that I should take their picture. I obliged (with a smile); however, when she tried to show me how to use the camera on the phone by yanking it out of my hand and pointing like I was stupid, I told her that it too was AMERICAN and I knew exactly how to use it. I never felt afraid in Turkey and most people were very nice, but for some people, if you are American, then it doesn’t matter how much you smile, spend, or say please, they just don’t like you.

Some things you should know about dining in Turkey: if the weather is nice, no one eats inside. Sidewalks and roof terraces are crowded with diners, but I don’t think I saw a single soul eating inside a restaurant the whole time I was there! Salads have very little lettuce; instead they will be full of cucumbers, tomatoes and cheese with a little olive oil drizzled on top. Salad dressing is uniquely American so if you are traveling and you can’t do without your Ranch or Honey Mustard, you’d better pack it. Turkey is famous for fish restaurants because of their many miles of coastline, and kebabs – both are delicious. A typical Turkish breakfast is cheese, olives, cucumbers, yogurt (but not the sweet stuff we eat), some bread, and maybe a little jam. But don’t worry; hotels will have cereal, fruit, and pastries for you.

Pictures below: A long table carved into a room in one of the underground cities — probably used by the Monks; a crypt; and, above ground, houses carved into the hillside.

When you are staying at a great hotel and you have jet lag there is only one thing to do:  go to the pool for napping, reading and blogging. I’ve noticed that the paper is full of Turkish politics. They just had elections on Sunday and the conservative candidate Erodgan won his third election. Mr. Erodgan is very religious and the Turkish intelligentsia is getting nervous about the direction he is taking the country. The military, through a series of coups, has managed to keep Turkey secular when a prime minister has gotten out of line. Mr.Erdogan however, has marginalized their power by putting some of the big brass in prison. It will probably surprise you to know that Turkey currently has more journalists in prison than any other country. My guide today on the Bosphorus could barely veil her contempt of Erdogan, but the fact is, Turkey’s economy is booming and Mr. Erdogan is getting the credit.

We jumped in a taksi (taxi) and went to Kitchenette in Bebek for dinner. Bebek is an area that is full of bars, clubs, and restaurants and reminded me of SoHo or The Village in New York – young, hip, and cool. After my pizza and Chianti I took the plunge and ordered a Turkish coffee. WOW! There’s a reason it’s served in such a small cup. The coffee was creamy and delicious but boy was it strong. This is the first time I’ve ever had to floss after drinking coffee!

What I Wore:

I started the day in a black Ralph Lauren Rugby dress that looks like something Audrey Hepburn would wear – great with a pony tail for a windy tour of the Bosphorus.

A black swimsuit was the only choice because I only had room for one. It had to be chic enough for The Four Seasons, sexy enough for the beach at Bodrum, and dark for swimming in the muddy Dead Sea.

For dinner in Bebek I wore this great knit striped dress that can go on or off the shoulders with funky black sandals. A knit dress is great for travel — easy to pack and no ironing so you can stay by the pool longer:)

NOTE — Over the next two weeks Qmuze will be coming to you from Turkey and Israel. I will be tweaking the Qmuze model of politics, culture, and entertainment by commenting on what I saw, what I thought, and what I wore. Grab your passport and stay tuned! (I apologize in advance for any spelling or other errors — this will be fast and furious.)

Day 1 –ISTANBUL

I have such fascination with Turkey: physically, politically, and culturally, it’s where east meets west. The city of Istanbul is on two continents — Asia and Europe, and it seems to have captured the best of both worlds — exotic, yet hip. From the sultans of the Ottoman Empire to modern day politicians, Turkey continues to play an important role in world politics. A Muslim country with a western-style secular democracy, Turkey is the would be model for the “Arab Spring.”  In the market women in headscarves shop next to women in tight-fitting jeans and t-shirts, both equally comfortable with their lifestyle and seemingly tolerant of the other.

We left San Francisco at 2pm on Friday afternoon, flew to Frankfurt, Germany and then on to Istanbul, arriving at 4pm Saturday afternoon Istanbul time. It’s not the mind-numbing travel time to Southern Africa or the Far East —  just a mere ten hours to Frankfurt and another four to Istanbul. Still, to sit on my terrace overlooking the Bosphorus and think about how far I am from home makes me dizzy. That being said, at dinner tonight (the hotel’s Aqua because we are travel weary!) we looked up and  friends from San Francisco were sitting at the next table! Yes, it is a small world. We are at the Four Seasons Bosphorus — it’s beautiful and the service is excellent.

What I wore you ask? For the trip over a pair of black J. Crew stretch pants that zip up the back (comfortable but not sloppy), a long sleeve white t-shirt, a very cool army-style lightweight jacket with a bit of a metallic sheen to it (Gap), gold sandals with a tiny heel (I can walk for miles in these shoes!), a cotton scarf for some pizazz and because it’s cozy for over-nighting on a plane, and a very cool Balenciaga purse (my splurge!) that I featured a few posts back. For dinner which was al fresco by the Bosphorus, I wore a black lace over white cotton dress with flat silver sandals and took a lightweight cotton sweater. Packing is an art form; especially when you are limited to forty-four pounds — Turkish Airways intra-country weight limit that I’m hoping they aren’t too serious about:)

The only thing I’m really sure of is this: It’s the journey, not the destination, that counts.

One of my favorite poems is “Ithaca” by C.P. Cavafy. Mr. Cavafy’s poem was inspired by Homer’s Odyssey — both poems are about journeys. In our modern world we tend to focus on destinations: where are we going and when are we going to get there? There is pressure to get the right grades to get into the right school, to get the right job, to attract the right spouse… But, what do we remember most? What will we look back on longingly, lovingly, and appreciatively?

Good grades born of hard work will serve you well, but a good professor will likely be of greater value to you than the name of the school on your diploma. Memories of good and bad times with a roommate will stick with you long after grades are forgotten. Focus on the people you work with, not the promotion that you hope to get, and never stop learning.

My daughter went to her junior prom as well as the senior prom. I’ve been privy to lots of “prom talk” the past month and it wasn’t the prom that was the most fun as the girls reminisced. It was the thrill of getting asked, the search for the perfect dress, the humor in pinning a boutonniere on a date’s lapel (imagine a sharp pin and glittery, long press-on nails), getting all of the right pictures, and of course, the after-party.

Mr. Cavafy’s poem starts with the line: “As you set out for Ithaca hope your road is a long one, full of adventure, full of discovery.” It’s important to note that adventure and discovery are often found on roads less traveled. Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself — the biggest failure is in not trying. A long road may refer to a life of many years, but it may also be a reference to a hard life. I’m sure that I’ve done too much to make my kids’ lives easier. I wish that I hadn’t. Life is hard at times so learn to deal with it, even appreciate it. If the wind is always at your back you become weak, and you lose perspective.

Mr. Cavafy warns that there will be monsters along your way, “…Cyclops and wild Poseidon – you won’t encounter them unless you bring them along inside your soul…” The “Cyclops and wild Poseidon” have other names in our world: drug abuse, alcoholism, laziness and entitlement. The poem promises safety from these monsters as long as you “keep your thoughts raised high” — say yes to yourself and no to these monsters.

The most important line from the poem may be, “Without her you wouldn’t have set out.” Without a destination you risk going nowhere. Set goals and aim everyday to achieve them. You can take detours and even change course, but you need to give yourself a road-map to get started. While the dress and the after-party may have been the fun part, they wouldn’t have existed without the destination — prom.

Another great writer, Ralph Waldo Emerson, wrote: “Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles.” The world is a noisy place so take time on your journey to be still and to listen to your inner voice. Let your principals be your road signs and your journey will be sweet, your destination welcoming.

Males come in two flavors: There’s the GUY variety and there’s the MAN variety.  A lot of males are guys until about the age of thirty, but not all; some are young men just waiting for their body to catch up. Only slightly more males are men than guys after age fifty, but this wasn’t always the case.  Almost all males were men by the age of thirty before 1960.  The last fifty years have seen a boom in guys and a big decline in men. Maybe this has something to do with people living longer.  Or, maybe it was the summer of love: males grew their hair and gave up their wing tips. Between the ages of thirty and fifty males tend to fluctuate between being a guy and a man. While age has some influence over whether a male is in guy mode or man mode, it is certainly not the only influence. The guy/man gene can be inherited, birth order plays a huge role, and sometimes it’s a women’s influence that directs a male to become a guy or a man.  What ‘s the difference you ask:

Guys do impressions                                                                                   Men make impressions

Guys wear t-shirts                                                                                         Men wear pocket squares

Guys watch sports                                                                                         Men play sports

Guys get their pride hurt                                                                               Men get their feelings hurt

Guys like movies with Will Ferrell                                                               Men like movies with Liam Neeson

When a guy has too much to drink at dinner he takes you out to a place with loud music and dancing.  When a man has too much to drink at dinner he takes you home, turns on soft music and makes love to you. In a guy’s wildest dream he marries a women twenty years younger that looks like a porn star.  In a man’s wildest dream he marries a women his age that makes love like a porn star.

Guys drive two-door cars                                                                           Men drive four-door cars

Guys can dance                                                                                           Men can kiss

Guys drink beer out of a can                                                                     Men drink beer out of a glass

Guys have lots of buddies                                                                         Men have a handful of good friends

Guys plan to succeed                                                                                 Men have a plan for success

Guys think girls with tattoos are hot.  Men think women that wear dresses are cool.  Guys order before you, men order for you.  Guys drive fast and generally don’t know care where they are going; men drive slow, know where they are going and just how to get there.

Guys wear sunglasses                                                                               Men wear watches

Guys know how to make you laugh                                                            Men know how to make you sigh

Guys know how to cook                                                                             Men know how to clean up

Guys look forward to going away                                                               Men look forward to coming home

Guys buy you perfume                                                                               Men buy you shoes

You generally know what a guy is thinking. You wonder what a man is thinking. Guys open your beer; men open your door.  Guys have lots of toys and men have lots of knowledge.  Guys make mistakes, keep their mouths shut and hope not to get caught.  Men make mistakes, own up and then work to make things okay.

There is no right or wrong.  Guys are great and men are magnificent. If you are the baby in your family you may prefer a guy — spontaneous and sometimes silly. If you are a first-born you probably prefer a man — serious and responsible. California girls like laid back guys and southern girls generally prefer traditional men. Girls like to hang out with guys. Women like to go home with men.

Which shoes do you have by your back door?  Comment with your favorite guy/man difference.

Jean died suddenly in August.  My son wrote one of her eulogies: “You and my mother were the only female chaperons on our lacrosse trip to Vail that summer and I think that resulted in a cross-familial bonding, like female lions tending for each other’s cubs.”  He goes on to talk about ways Jean influenced him: “While you may not have realized it, you continued to act as a mother to me, although indirectly, through your love for Vince.”

I am so grateful for the influence my friends (and my mom and sisters) have had on my children — some incredible women have helped shape them. The “YaYas” have cheered at lacrosse games and ballet recitals.  The “Blondes” have encouraged and passed along sage advice.  One of the blondes often uses the phrase “It Takes a Village” — and more importantly, she embodies it.

We share, support, laugh, cry, laugh to keep from crying, protect, and love each other’s kids. The playwright William Congreve wrote:  ”Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”  Clearly Mr. Congreve had never seen a mother protecting her child.

When I got the phone call from Vince that August day saying that his mom was in the hospital and he wasn’t sure she was going to make it, I wanted to teleport to the Philadelphia airport, throw my arms around him and tell him that everything would be okay, but I couldn’t.  I promised Vince that I would get to the hospital as soon as I could. Jean died that day before Vince got home from college on the east coast.

I heard from Vince today.  He is in the running for his school’s alumni scholarship and he asked me to keep my fingers crossed for him.  I have my fingers crossed, and I’m proud of him for just being nominated, but if he wins you will hear a BIG CHEER from Chrissy Field as the Saint Ignatius High School mom’s toast Vince with lattes before their walk.  It will be a cheer for Jean too.

Jean was a great mom.  The day after she died I sent Vince a letter to try to explain to him that his mom would always be present in his life.  I would like to share part of it with you as a celebration of Jean, my own incredibly wonderful mother, the women that have influenced my kids, and mothers everywhere.   Happy Mother’s Day!

The Dress — Stunning!  The Alexander McQueen design was pitch perfect. It is a dress that could have come down the aisle of Westminster Abby one hundred years ago, and a dress that will be perfect a hundred years in the future — timeless, elegant, and a beautiful fit.  The understated tiara and simple veil allowed Kate’s beauty to be the star.  I couldn’t help but think that inasmuch as Diana’s dress with its puffy sleeves and grand train was perfect for someone who would forever remain a princess, Kate’s dress, elegant and comfortable, was perfect for a women who would be queen.

The sister/maid of honor, Pipa, looked fabulous in a column dress that showed off her svelte lines while complementing the bride’s dress.  (I loved the button detail down the back that mimicked the bride’s dress!) The girls were lovely but I have to admit, I swoon over a man in a uniform — the epaulets, the braiding, the medals — oh my!  And, you have to love the brother/best-man with his rakish charm keeping things human.

Other than the all-important fashion, this is what I noticed:

–The British commentators were absolutely astounded that a “commoner” could gracefully walk down an aisle in a wedding gown.  At this, I am absolutely astounded, and I’m sure it’s why we kicked their bums in the war for independence!

–When William salutes, Kate bows her head.  If the commentators commented on this I missed it.

–I love that they kissed twice: once for the people and once for each other.

–I’m guessing that Queen Elizabeth approves of this match by the “happy” shade of yellow that she wore.  And I couldn’t help but notice that HRH has incredibly beautiful skin.

–All-in-all, it was a fairy tale kind of day.  Let’s hope it has a happy ending.

Cheers!

Then I went to college.  On my first day an upperclassman asked me if I had come to college to get my MRS degree.  I racked my brain trying to figure out what a MRS degree was.  Masters in Research Science? Finally, the young man said, “you know, a ring on your finger!”

“No,” was all I could say.  I didn’t tell him that I was thinking about pre-med for a major, or that I wanted to travel and maybe even live abroad. (And by the way, “no” was what I continued to say to this person over the next few years when he would call to ask me out!)

I recently experienced that same sense of shock and outrage when I saw Miss Representation, a documentary that questions why more women aren’t in positions of power, as well as the role the media play in influencing how women are “seen.”

The film’s statistics are overwhelming:

• The United States is 90th in the world in terms of women in national legislatures.
• Women hold 17% of the seats in the House of Representatives (the equivalent body in Rwanda is 56.3% female).
• Women are merely 3% of Fortune 500 CEOs.
• Women hold only 3% of clout positions in the mainstream media.
• Women comprise 7% of directors and 13% of film writers in the top 25o grossing films.

But more than shocked and outraged, I felt conflicted.  I don’t like feeling like a victim and southern women don’t generally see men’s roles vs. women’s roles as a competition — our attitude is more ‘vive la difference’!

The film’s writer/director, Jennifer Siebel Newsom is also from a family of four girls, she too did well in school and was a good athlete.  She worked as an actress after college and I worked as a model —  we should totally “get” each other.  But there was something about her documentary that made me think that one of us was missing something.  Was it because I am southern? Because I’m older?  Why did I not want to run home and tell my daughter that she should run for congress someday or go to business school so that she could run a company?

I went on the Miss Representation website (www.missrepresentation.org) to explore further and there it was on the “action” page of the site:  ”Write your own story and create your own media about powerful women in non-traditional roles.”  Epiphany!

Non-traditional roles?  I am all for more women in our legislatures and as CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, BUT, what about women in traditional roles: mothers and teachers?

Ms. Newsom said that she was moved to write Miss Representation when her daughter was born because she wanted her to have more opportunities. I sent my daughter to an all-girls school and have always told her that she could do anything if she worked hard enough.

Miss Newsom has a toddler and a baby on the way.  I have two teenagers. My kids don’t eat (or drink!) only what I give them, stay where I put them, smell good all of the time, and they are not cute when they belch or have gas! I have enough years in the game to know that my job as a mom is the hardest and the most important job that I could ever choose.  There have been times that I’ve wondered if I made the right choice — the pay is terrible and the hours are worse. I am nutritionist, doctor, tutor, Sherpa, physiologist, psychologist, social advisor, recreational director, and coach to name just of few of my job descriptions.  It’s an emotional roller coaster and you can never retire.

Teachers have to do most of the things mothers do and still find time to teach. I know a young woman that has been studying in Switzerland to get her PhD in engineering.  She has decided to come home and to go into teaching.  This woman is equally beautiful and brilliant.  Her strong suits are English and history but she chose math to challenge herself and she’s done very well.  She did not give up on engineering because it was too hard — she was drawn to teach!

Biologically women are nurturers; this makes us perfect for raising kids — as moms and as teachers.  On the “about” page of the website it says, “Miss Representation explores women’s under-representation in positions of power and influence…”  I am all for more women in media, politics, and the corporate world if they choose to take that route.  However, I would argue that the traditional women’s roles — mothers and teachers — are in fact the most powerful and influential roles in our society.  Moms and teachers are not in charge of vast amounts of wealth — but we are in charge of humanity.  I applaud Ms. Newsom’s film and I encourage you to see it.  This is not about women in traditional roles vs. women in non-traditional roles; it’s about women supporting women in every role. A friend suggested that Ms. Newsom make a sequel to Miss Representation to explore the power of women in traditional roles.  I agree. Maybe it should be called Miss Understood, and the theme song should be the James Brown hit: “This is a man’s world, but it wouldn’t be nothing, nothing without a woman or a girl.”