Fall Fashion 2012 for Boomer Women

Steampunk Jewelry for Women Who Are Older

I've been writing about fall fashions from the perspective of an older woman... namely myself.  And, most of the articles are on my website, Boomerinas.com... natch.  So, here's what I've come up with lately.

Steampunk Fashion for Women Over 40 or 50:  Okay, stop laughing.  I'm serious.  Steampunk isn't just for Halloween anymore.  It's creeping into mainstream stores.  And, I for one... well... I actually like it.  I only have a few mildly Victorian pieces - hats, boots, skirts - but I will be adding more goodies to my arsenal.  (Does anyone know where I could get a pith helmet that would be safe enough to use as a bike helmet?)

How to Wear a Hat - Rules & Etiquette for Women:  Oh gee, notice the Steampunk hat in the photo.  What a coincidence.  Haha.

Helen Mirren: Celebrity Style for Older Women:  No, I won't get into the "Did she or didn't she have a facelift?" debate.  People in Hollywood have facelifts all the time.  Did you actually think that movie stars were from another planet where people never age?  In my Helen Mirren article I talk about what we can learn from Ms Mirren's fashion sense.

Hot Boots for Fall 2012: Women Over 40 or 50:  I guess this article is self explanatory.  However, I will mention that lace-up, Victorianish booties fit snugly around your ankle, but not too snugly, because you can adjust the fit.  This is important for women (of a certain "oldish" age) whose feet and ankles swell up for various reasons... women who still want to wear heels and want the stability of boots so they don't end up tripping down the stairs and spraining their ankles.  Yes, I have done that (twice) in disco-platform shoes.  It's not fun.

Okay, that's it.  Go read my articles, will ya?

Basic Neighborhoods of Seattle - Mindmap

This is a basic Google map that doesn't show the neighborhoods in a meaningful way:

 

The map above is a basic screenshot from Google Maps, which shows the northern part of Seattle.  (I'm trying to explain the main neighborhoods of the area to people from another town.)  So the pic above is a boring, generic map.

The map below is a scribbled "mind map" of Seattle:

 

The mind map has very little to do with the names on the Google map.  (I'm having a hard time getting the second map larger, but I hope you will get the general idea.) 

 

To make the mind map I used a screenshot (AKA Snipping Tool) to capture the picture.  Then, I scribbled out a legend (with a photo program) and circled the main areas (mind map) that native Seattleites use to get around the city.  If you can't read my scribbles, here's what the scribbles say if you follow the order of the legend:

 

*The orange circle is the general area of Capitol Hill (it actually extends further north and south, but you get the general idea).

*The blue circle is Ballard. 

*The pink circle with a Q is Queen Anne Hill.

*The green circle is Green Lake Park. 

*The dark U is the University District (Udub).

*The purple L is the area called Laurelhurst.

*The black arrows on the right are the 520 Bridge (which goes to Bellevue and Microsoft) and the I-90 Bridge (which goes to Mercer Island and Bellevue).

*The arrow on the left shows where Downtown Seattle is.

*The mustard yellow squiggle which goes north and south is "the freeway."

 

If You Know These Areas, You're Cake

 

If you know these neighborhoods (and the bodies of water in and around Seattle), I can explain how to get just about anywhere in north Seattle.  For example, if I tell you that the Space Needle is in between Downtown and Queen Anne Hill, you will have some idea where it is.  Or, if I tell you that University Village is between the U-District and Laurelhurst, you could find it without GPS.

 

Help With Boise

 

I am hoping that someone from the Boise ID area can show me (or make me) something like this for the main Boise neighborhoods (and the bike trail by the river, if you're feeling industrious).  It would be a big help for people who don't know Boise.

 

ps  If you asked a hundred people in Seattle how to get to West Woodland (which is a name on the first Google map), none of those hundred people would know what the hell you were talking about.  Normal people from Seattle would consider that part of town to be Ballard, Phinney Ridge (if it's the part on a hill) or Fremont (the southern section of the fictional "West Woodland").  The green square near "West Woodland" is the "Woodland Park Zoo," so there is a slight chance that someone somewhere, with a Mensa IQ, might make the connection and point you in the right direction.  I am only pointing this out to show how confusing some online maps can be. 

 

pps - I went back to the "real" Google map and zeroed in on the "West Woodland" area. People would call "West Woodland" something like: "the part of Ballard that's just below Phinney Ridge" or "that area near the Ballard Market" or "that area just south of Market Street."  My point is that locals don't always use the names shown on some surveyer's map.

Can I Just Be a Hippie Again?

Plumo - prshots.com

I loved the 60s. I loved the fashions. I loved that everything was inexpensive.  I loved that everyone got along with everyone else.

Can I just go back to being a hippie again?  I didn't own a car. I took a bus to get around or I caught a ride with a friend.  Life was a total groove.  What happened?  

Maybe if if I dress like a hippie.....?