Friday, February 8, 2008

Feminism springs eternal.

I have been wearing the perfume Lys MediterranĂ©e since one day about 3 years ago, after smelling it on the woman dining next to me at The Wolseley in London. As I dined on the so-so fare, the scent of what I imagined to be the most beautiful, vibrant lilies kept wafting my way. I looked around, trying to spot the floral arrangement, but there wasn’t one. Finally, I realized that it was the perfume of the young woman seated next to me, speaking French with her father (or let’s hope it was her father). When there was a pause in their conversation, I told her I loved her perfume and asked her what it was. Fortunately, she was forthcoming, since sometimes women get a little cagey about their scent. She told me what it was, and said that one could only buy it at a small store in Paris and one other in London. Handily, that store, Les Senteurs, was just down the street from my hotel, and so the next morning I trotted over and purchased this rather expensive perfume, and I’ve worn it ever since.

This morning, however, I checked the website to see what it costs these days, since it is nearing time to replenish, and with the current exchange rate it has become rather prohibitive: 95 euros for the smallest bottle! It seems crazy to spend almost $150 on a tiny bottle of perfume, but I do like wearing a perfume that I’ve never smelled on anyone else but me and that French girl.

On another subject altogether, I got an email from Barack Obama’s campaign this morning entitled “Tell us your caucus story.” I wonder if I told them my story, they might stop sending me emails.

Tuesday night I went to the caucus alone. Eeyore has had RSV this week (another chapter in our lives newly fraught with anxiety and exhaustion), and even though R. had won our coin toss, he volunteered to stay home with Eeyore so I could go vote. Since we were both voting for Obama, we thought one vote was better than none; it would be our family vote. Ten minutes before I was supposed to leave, I started to freak out. As I brushed my teeth, I judged myself in the mirror and for once it wasn’t about my looks. Could I live with myself if when offered the choice for the first, and perhaps only, time in my life to vote for a Democratic woman who I knew could effectively run this country, I didn’t take it? Even if Obama genuinely appeals to me more than she does?

The answer was no. And so I came out of the bathroom, teary-eyed and wondering how R. was going to take this last minute change-of-heart. He wasn’t surprised.

“I knew before you did this would happen,” R. said. “It’s your vote; use it how you want.”

I voted for Hillary Clinton, but we’re still putting the Obama sign up in the yard.


And finally, here's a recent picture of our little devil.


7 comments:

Cindy said...

I voted for Hillary too after having a lot of the same feelings you've described. But I think it's the vote I would least regret. Can you believe they're running so close in the primaries??

Maybe you can you your stimulus package tax rebate for the perfume, although you'd then be stimulating the economy of another country rather than ours. But you'd have your perfume.

Melissa C Morris said...

They sell your perfume at Barney's -- it's also available online at barneys.com.

The baby is ADORABLE.

Kate said...

Mel, I did know that, but I prefer not to announce it so I remain the only one who wears it!!!! You know, outside of New York.

And thank you re the baby!

Broady said...

I love your caucus story-- seeing as a I don't have a dog in that particular fight, I still appreciate your loyalty to the clan. I've had very strong feelings of regret regarding Hillary... it absolutely kills me that the first intelligent, truly viable female candidate for POTUS just doesn't represent enough of my views.

And Eyeore ... jeeeez. Unbelievably cute. I love that exuberant "grab the feet" move that he's doing.

Anonymous said...

I've been sitting on your same fence, and it's been giving me splinters. Eeyore is the cutest baby I have ever seen.

Libby said...

You may have already heard this but there was a great interview on NPR about the unjust treatment Hillary's candidacy has received due exclusively to her gender. I think this link should work, it's about a 5 minute piece:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18815436

Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh, this is the CUTEST picture ever! He's definitely as adorable as a baby can get.. SO CUTE!! :)