I think that it is no coincidence that Mother, Necessity, and Invention made it into the same sentence.
Throughout my life I've seen instances of a mother/wife face a situation of necessity with a high degree of optimism and the spirit of invention. After all this is pretty much what got us started here. Mother/Wife Rachel identifies need. Existing resources are insufficient to meet need. Rachel invents means to meet need that only use existing resources. Genius.
Meet Two generations of female inventors/entrepreneurs.
If you are uncomfortable talking about bras or hairbows. Today might not be your Good Read Day.
Go ahead and just vote for my Dad's Eyes: http://www.hoopesvision.com/contest/vote.html
My parents decided that they were going to do their best to ensure that our mother didn't have to work*. As a result our dad like Ryan would have had his own very impressive bread winner badge earned through a series of less than ideal work situations and arrangements. [The fact that my mom could be considered 'out 'of the workforce is one of the grossest oversights in our society as if being a SAHM was the same as being a stay on the couch mom].
My mom did her part which in addition to running a home as efficiently as possible also meant complementing the role of the breadwinner by being the butter churner--that is generating some extra cash for non-necessities* *[if you consider Christmas a non-necessity]. The primary way my mom did this was by making hair bows. Hair bows were big back in the Full House decade and have made a resurgence* in recent years after waning in the late 90s. *[A resurgence like antibiotic resistant bacteria. Most hair bows now look like something out of a Dr. Suess book. The Lorax need to look no farther than his church meetings to find the tops of his beloved truffula trees pinned, poked and plastered onto the much smaller heads of little girls].
Bows by JJ was her moniker, she sold the hair bows from our home in a little room just off of our living room that we called appropriately enough the little bow room. Next to the little bow room was the corner bow room which is where my mom would assemble her goods and store all of her supplies. To this day even though these rooms have long since been repurposed one as a library, the other as a guest bedroom, we still call them the bow rooms more often than not. Had she been operating in the now era of Etsy and Ebay she could have likely been even more successful and reached a much larger market, but as it were it was profitable enough to do it while it needed to be done.
Rachel like my mom graduated with a teaching degree but also made the decision to stay at home. This was a combined decision of wanting to spend time with her kids but also not wanting to spend time with the children of others [who can blame her]. Rachel, like my mom, has definitely had to use her creative talents to churn some butter to go with Ryan's bread.
From wedding and family photo montages to painting boards for those wall hangings* that say something like 'All because two people fell in love' and hang over the perpetual mess their kids make. [Though I'm generally opposed to these crafty cliches I plan on purchasing at least one that says, 'Tender Moments' and then use it as a paddle]. While Rachel has had a range of fairly interesting [others tedius and mundane] forays into creative industries none could be more interesting (or profitable) than when she launched a website called Big Bust Support.
And by Big Bust Support I don't mean pedestals for oversized statues of the head and shoulders of philosophers and politicians. I mean [insert awkward gulp] a website that provides support in the form of advice and how to's for women with breasts, chests, and bosoms, of above average size. Trust me it's not easy for me to necessarily talk about this topic in such broad and varied company as the internet. [Granted it's likely much easier for me to explain here and now than it was for my dad to explain to his mother the purpose and audience of Rachel's website].
Ladies' chests and the internet have an understandably scandalous reputation. Unlike most sites where the two cross paths, Rachel's site is about flattering rather than flashing, coping with rather than scoping out, and dressing rather than undressing this inescapable anatomical feature that most women have a love/hate* relationship with *[As Rachel can attest for most women size tends to tip that scale to the right] .
You couldn't get a more tasteful, informative and comprehensive collection of tips and facts than what Rachel has compiled and authored at her website. She's got product reviews, do's and don'ts for all seasons and situations of dressing and accessorizing the curvy figure and much much more. Check it out if you fall into her target demographic. Even if you don't, you may have a well endowed woman in your life. Not only will BBS make Christmas shopping for her easier it will make you much more aware of the complexity both in structure and psyche of the woman figure.
Rachel's tone through the site is equal parts knowledgeable, empathetic, and lighthearted which is arguably what her BBSisters appreciate most about her. What has long been a feature and aspect of her life that has made her self-concious and guarded has actually empowered her to help a good many others. She has learned to more fully love herself by helping others do the same. As I mentioned earlier and Rachel is quick to affirm, Ryan's own unconditional love and acceptance of all that she is has been the catalyst that has initiated her own acceptance and love for herself.
All the while being a wealth of information, believe it or not ,there are growing clothing companies that are rising to the challenge of making fashionable and flattering full-figured wear, Rachel's website has been able to bring their products to their targeted market. She's a great mediator between clothes that fit and the women that could and should fill them and is compensated fairly. It's been a great way to bring home some butter [if by butter you mean replacing the coal furnace (yes they do still exist)].
So with no further adieu check it out yourself here. I'm glad to finally have the opportunity to help spread the BBS word. In most scenarios I've played out in my head approaching a buxom female in the supermarket and saying, You look like you could use more support than a single underwire, have I got the place for you.'is likely solid grounds for a sexual harassment suit. So I haven't been passing out leaflets from door to door, leaving the URL on my napkin on top of my tip at IHOP, or writing it on the price tags of any brassiere at Walmart that wouldn't make the honor roll.
If you do wander over to BigBustSupport.com, notice the call for help in the Hoopes Vision contest . As Rachel so effectively explains in her call for visitors to add their votes in this campaign, "Help! My husband has never seen my curves! (with his naked eye) and that's not Fair!'
Again one of many reasons, though not one I'd like you to entertain in very much detail (she is my sister remember), that should help you skip over to the ballot box in the sidebar to your right and cast a vote for 'My Dads Eyes in the Humorous category.
1 comment:
Judson, you had me laughing out loud in the teacher's lab. Your writing is much appreciated.
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