Why are Women Unhappier than Ever in History?

It may help to read the article link I just posted on my facebook page regarding how consumerism, feminism and malignant narcissism had caused women to feel generally unhappier over the last 25 years. Mental illness, such as depression, anxiety and panic disorders have become much more prevalent in women today than in history. The article is eye-opening and the comments are even better. I feel that most of what I read on this article makes sense and stands true for me but there seems to be a serious lack of understanding, let alone mentioning, of the importance of a woman's need for love, support, nurturing, affection, attention, security (not the financial kind), peace of mind and a general sense that someone gives a flying fuck about you..when it comes to our happiness. This can be familial, amicable or romantic..whichever or all three. We need LOVE to be happy and there is a major lack of this substance at home and also in modern countries around the world. The more individualistic a society becomes, the more alone we are..with or without our fucking STUFF we have purchased and consumed. We have our cars, our boobs, our boys, our degrees, our jobs, our fun, our bling, our everything..but where are our families? Our supportive partners? Our REAL friends? Stop buying shit, stop getting sexy and start hugging each other, start eating dinner together and bringing the left-overs to your siblings. Start spending Sundays together and stop watching games. Give a damn about each other again, like when we were kids. Simple but amazing.

Lovely Loreto

I just got back home from a really nice trip to Abruzzo where I visited my father's family. They are from a small town in the mountains called Loreto, near Pescara, a larger city by the Adriatic coast. This is also the town my eldest brother is from. I have always enjoyed visiting there and spending time with my aunts, uncles and cousins. It makes me feel like I understand my roots, heritage, father, self better. Small town folk in Italy, especially this town, have a penchant for generosity, good home cooking and hospitality. I was so comfortable there, I did not want to leave. It was definitely worth the plane, train and bus rides to finally reach them.
Once I had returned to Sicily, my father called to see how my trip was and if his family treated me with respect and warmth. I was happy to tell him yes and he, in turn, was very obviously happy and proud to hear that. I was able to find a moment and place where I felt completely welcome and loved. I can definitely say that when you leave your family and home, the smallest displays of love, affection and nurturing can make the biggest difference in the world. The simplest things seem to be the most important. I realize how much I care about respect, love, sensitivity and kindness toward others. I have a real intolerance for mean people, the older I get..the worse it's getting. I will be making frequent trips to lovely Loreto.

Bad, bad girl ;(

I'm sorry I have been so inconsistent with my blog lately (as if anyone reads it ;). I have actually started to make some new friends here, awesome ones, the sun has been shining, hitting the beach, seeing some relatives..that finally called back, running miles daily..oops, sorry...kilometers I mean..and I've been cooking my Italian-American ass off! Today I took a jaunt down to Vodafone, in Palermo, and recharged the credit for my mini sim card....which, by the way...is a major pain in the culo. Back home one purchases a data plan for Internet and unless you suck at paying bills, you continue to have service. Here you buy credit and when it's up, you are shit outta luck 'til your next visit to a cell provider. Some things here are a straight up racket and I miss how things seem to actually 'work' back home, even if they work too well at the point of imbalance. We need some of this down-home living over there...but we need the fucking Internet and phones to work better over here damn it! Why can't we have both places come together?? Like my little nephew Gabe said to me last year while my parents, his grandparents, were in Italy, he said 'Zia, why can't we put Sicily and California together so I can have everything I love here?' He is the smartest kid I know with the hugest heart, but I guess that would be called New Jersey Gabe!

Osama Death Dilemma

At the moment, I am at a real loss for words, something that does not happen often. I am not in the comfort of my home in the States, watching the American news casts on the potential death of mass assassinator Osama bin Laden. I am in Palermo, watching uncensored news casts that don't exist in our media bubble of bullshit back home. Here the people are questioning this death, the motives, the war, the reactions, the possible counter attacks. I am watching the US celebrate like madmen on TV. On a patriotic, grief stricken note... I too understand this need to relish in the extinguishing of that disgusting person....but on another note, I am saddened by the joy in this murder. I am confused by my own feelings and will probably remain this way on this matter. I am not proud to see the celebration but I understand the need to get even, it is ugly but very real and very human. I know it is easy for me to say that this moment is bittersweet because I did not lose a loved one in this horrendous battle. It took billions of dollars and lives and yet, the satisfaction is not really there.

‎"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."
~Martin Luther King, Jr.