Today we’re going to take a quick break from fashion and style because of the US election… I don’t normally like to talk about politics, but this is important to all of us. Kezia, has been an Obama supporter since the very beginning, and she has spent her Sundays calling swing states for the Obama campaign. So naturally, I’ve asked her to write a special post on why she’s voting for Obama…

At long last, election day is here (well, tomorrow). Thanks to early or absentee voting, you may have already voted — in which case, you rock. I’m heading to the polls tomorrow and will cast an enthusiastic vote for Barack Obama. Here are five reasons I think he should be our next president.

1. He’ll reform healthcare.

The U.S. is the only wealthy, developed nation that doesn’t provide universal access to health care. The Obama-Biden plan guarantees health care for children and will make health insurance affordable and accessible to all. Plus, they’ll adequately regulate the insurance and drug companies.

2. He’ll give the economy a reality check.

Obama doesn’t come from wealthy, connected political family. He was raised by a single mother and ultimately became a success because of intelligence, talent and hard work. I believe gets the concerns of average Americans and has our best interests at heart. Unlike John McCain, Obama will impose regulations on Wall Street will overhaul the existing tax code. Basically, if you make less than $200,000 you’ll get a cut in your taxes. If you make $200,000-$250,000 nothing will change. And if you’re part of the 1% of Americans who make over $250,000 — you’ll pay a bit more. Heck, even Warren Buffet, the 3rd wealthiest man in the world, thinks rich people should pay higher taxes.

Read more about Obama’s economic platform here.

3. He supports sane foreign policy.

For the last 8 years American foreign policy has been synonymous with the Bush Doctrine — included pre-emptive strikes, unilateralism, dissing the United Nations and refusing to talk to world leaders we don’t like. No wonder the rest of the world resents us.  Obama advocates talking with leaders of volatile countries rather than bombing them — a considerably less arrogant and damaging approach.

4. He’s not a wingnut religious ideologue.

Obama is pro-choice,  he understands the that climate change is a dire threat and he’ll repeal the ban on stem cell research so that scientists can save lives and fight major diseases. Obama, officially opposes the amendment to ban same sex marriages in state constitutions, while McCain supports the ban.. ~eds.

5. I trust him.

My support for Obama transcends his background, proposed policies or endorsements. I respect his integrity and his sense of authentic morality. That he’s run a fair, honest, intelligent, consistent and innovative campaign speaks volumes as to the kind of leader Obama will be. Plus, I’m crazy about his wife, Michelle Obama and my gut tells me that he’s a great dad.

Thanks for reading this rambling post. Now go vote! For comprehensive, non-partisan voting information, including sample ballots and polling locations, check out the 2008 Election Index from the League of Women Voters.

For California Voters…

This year, there’s a lot of important issues on the ballot…

California Proposition 4 undermines abortion rights

What it does: Prop. 4 would require doctors to inform a parent/guardian 48 hours in advance of providing an abortion to a minor.

Why you should vote NO: This is yet another attempt to undermine a young woman’s rights under the state constitution. The initiative claims it will protect girls from dangers associated with abortions by requiring parental notification. But as most doctor’s and health officials attest, it’s trying to solve something that isn’t much of a problem. See it for what it is — an erosion of young women’s rights and privacy.

California Proposition 2 protects animals from unacceptable abuse

What it does: Prop. 4 seeks to stop the cruel and inhumane treatment of animals, ending the practice of cramming farm animals into cages so cramped that the animals can’t turn around or extend their limbs.

Why you should vote YES: It’s inhumane and barbaric to confine calves raised for veal, breeding pigs, and egg-laying hens in tiny cages barely larger than their bodies. In addition, these unhealthy living conditions promote the spread of diseases that can also affect people.

Learn more: http://www.yesonprop2.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=96&Itemid=114

California Proposition 8 will amend the State Constitution to BAN same sex marriage

What it is: Prop 8 would eliminate the fundamental right for same-sex couples to marry. It’s backed by (primarily) out of state special interests.

Why you should vote NO: Because it’s a civil rights issue. Regardless of your views on marriage, eliminating the rights for any Californian is just wrong. Prop. 8 thinks the law should mandate that a group of people should be treated differently from everyone else. No way!

Obama “Progress” Image via Obey : Obama rally photo taken in Berlin July 25, 2008

For those of us who look forward to her beauty posts every week, the pretty lady above is the one who’s writing. Her photo has been on quite a number of times…. like on the very first post, and when we went to Vintage Fashion Expo… the time we got a big box of MAC makeup to test… and she keeps promising more pictures, well, they are coming.

Happy Birthday Kezia! I hope today is just lovley!

We had some issues with our internet connection and I’ve been offline… But I’m back, and I’ll start posting soon enough!

Sorry!

I’ve been feeling very bad about not putting more in-depth posts these past few weeks have been a blur, with the almost trip to Brazil, the actual extended yet way too short trip to Berlin, Fashion Week… then to top it off, I took the challenge to write a piece for Dazed Digital and re-launch Independent Fashion Bloggers.

This week I have some good things planned for The Coveted… after all, it is my main squeeze.

In the evening we met at the Seven Star Gallery, which was pretty cool, a lot of fashionable people. But it was really crowded, smoky and I was dying of thirst, so a friend of ours took us for some drinks at a quiet, local, yet chic, cafe in Mitte. Finally, we went to this place called Dr. Pong, which is this strange bar consisting of a ping pong table and a circle of players in this sort of musical chairs style game. We did a lot of walking around the city at night looking in shop windows and didn’t get home until the wee hours of the morning. We didn’t really hang out with the fashion crowd, but I’m not very good at that… we did have a lot of fun.

Scherer González and Mahret (f&art), Mary (Pudri) and I after the show…

Fenke and Gabriel & Schwan Bags

Collegium Hungaricum Exhibition and M/by Kostas Murkudis

Today’s attire, and some random church…

Rocky, Fenke (behind the bottle) me, and Dr. Pong

So yeah, it’s my first fashion week to note, and I’m a bit overwhelmed myself not knowing who/what/where, all the stuff that’s going on is pretty intimidating for a woman like myself, who lives quite an ordinary life. But, we’ll take it in stride and have a good time.

I’m lucky enough to have Rocky act as my photographer, to get all the runway shots. Yesterday, we saw Smeilinener and c.neeon, as well as stopping by the Project Gallerie Showrooms. Both were pretty interesting shows, very bright and colorful. The runway shots will be up early next week… but here’s a couple of shots from yesterday:

Rocky & I on the Metro, Smeiliner

Sophia from Nasy Gal Vintage sent me the heart glasses! They are so cute and funI couldn’t not wear them… The Smeilinener show… my very first one…

Mahret, Liria & Rosie (Pristine Smut)

Pristine wire knits and a frantic cab ride…

The c.neeon show, interesting pieces, cool hair hats

At the end of the day…

Survived in one piece…

I’m very sorry I haven’t been up to date lately with commenting. It’s been rather crazy working on speaking at a conference in Brazil via Skype, setting up stuff for The Shoppe, and I’m also working on a new website for Independent Fashion Bloggers, which I’m planning on launching next week. But I really thank you all for stopping by, and I’ll have the first bits of BFW tonite!

It’s amazing how there are all these little pockets of wheat fields and a 12th century village and castle just a ten minute bicycle ride through the forest. I’ve never imagined a life like this, as if you’ve ever been to a Southern Californian suburb, well, it’s a different world.

Sunday in Manhattan, 20 year-old supermodel, Ruslana Korshunova stepped off her 9th story apartment balcony, plunging to her death. Police ruled her death suicide, and as with all suicides, we among the living ponder the suffering as we morn the loss.

Ruslana’s friends and family remember her being happy, yet messages found on her computer reflect a different side of the story. One of homesickness and confusion about love, like most 20 year olds away from home, only most 20 year olds aren’t supermodels in a foreign country.

We can only speculate why she did it.

Untreated depression is the number one cause of suicide. There are many causes of depression, and there are many types of depression. Sometimes it’s hard to identify.

I know. I have lived with chronic, long-term depression since my early teens, maybe even my entire life. Ruslana’s death is brings up a lot of feelings because of my own experiences with hopelessness and despair, while on the outside seemingly productive and happy.

Hearing stories about people who have and an epiphany or they just ’snapped out of it’ always left me feeling more hopeless, and more damaged, because I could never pull it together

While I’m not a therapist, or a doctor, or a mental health expert, I can share with you my own experience with depression. I wish I could say that it was quick and easy, but it wasn’t the case for me. Hearing stories about people who have and an epiphany or they just ’snapped out of it’ always left me feeling more hopeless, and more damaged, because I could never pull it together like other people seemed to. The truth is, no one person has found the way to enduring enlightenment. And work? Well, everyone has to work at it. Even Mother Teresa struggled.

Asking for help
There is help, but I had to ask for it. I also had to be willing to accept help when it came… which wasn’t always easy.

Hanging on
One of the hardest things about being depressed, is the hopelessness, the seemingly unending darkness. Many times I felt as though I were ‘hanging in there’ for ages and the prospect of continuing was unbearably discouraging. But truth be told, it took a long time to identify the depression and what to do about it. For many years, I just chalked myself off as being somehow defective, like I didn’t receive the ‘Life Instruction Pamphlet’ everyone else got, and extraordinarily sensitive. For some reason I knew I needed to keep trying, and desperation played a big role in being willing to try different ways of easing the suffering, but in the end, I’m glad it took time. I’ve learned a lot of things about myself, and how to find out what works for me. And most of all, the time it took really helped me to really value my progress and to take the depression seriously.

Listen, listen, listen
When I asked for help, I got all kinds of opinions, listening to myself is so important. Unfortunately there are people who profit out of desperation, either by power or money, I’ve seen it firsthand, it’s hard to identify, but I really had to listen to my inner self. There are also people who don’t have the knowledge or resources to truly be effective, one doctor (a GP) talked to me for 10 minutes and prescribed Prozac. One therapist dismissed a rather serious and blatant problem I was not comfortable with having. My gut said those people were wrong for me.

After hitting a rather serious and frightening bottom, I knew it was time to get help and really be diligent about the depression. I realized I couldn’t just work things out on my own, and I had to trust that maybe someone else could help. From opening up and talking with some wise, and trusted friends, I was able to find a good therapist, through my health insurance. Working with a therapist is incredibly helpful, we tried lots of things, and in time, we decided to try medication. I found a psychiatrist, and we worked out a medication plan, with regular check ups. Along with the therapy, my life really changed. But I have to work on it, daily.

Little Tips

Healthy Living. While these may not work for everyone, there are a few things that really helped get out of the depression. Though I take medication, there is a holistic approach with both a healthy diet and regular exercise. There is indeed something in healthy living.

Gratitude. Acknowledging all the beautiful things in my life. It’s strange how once I started, the list kept growing. Writing them down also helps.

Thinking positive. Amazingly, my idea of a positive thought resembled ‘constructive criticism’ more than a positive affirmation. I know I said ‘not just one book’, but Louise Hay’s You Can Heal Your Life really helped me learn how to think positively. She also has these great Power Thought Cards, that I’ve been using for years.

Life is an evolution, it’s a journey… and sticking around, I’ve got to see some pretty amazing stuff happen. I got to meet some wonderful people because I didn’t have all the answers.

Volunteering. Nothing builds self esteem like doing esteemable acts. There are all kinds of volunteer work needed. Though sometimes I’d wonder why I had these commitments, after I’ve done the work, I always felt better.

Hope
I know this post may not be the most encouraging if you’re actually suffering from depression. There may be a quick fix, but that wasn’t my experience in getting better. It didn’t happen overnight, and it didn’t happen after reading just one book, or doing just one thing and saying it did would be unfair to all the people who have helped me over the years, it would be unfair to you, and it would be unfair to myself. In retrospect, I wouldn’t change that for anything in the world, because life is like that. Life is an evolution, it’s a journey… and sticking around, I’ve got to see some pretty amazing stuff happen. I got to meet some wonderful people because I didn’t have all the answers.

Resources:

Many health insurance plans cover therapy, call your insurance provider for details.

If you don’t have insurance, or if your insurance doesn’t cover this, try contacting a free clinic in your area see what options you have, you might be surprised!

There are several types of therapy…

Questions to ask a potential therapist

You can also take a free, confidential depression screening, or call 1-877-769-5501 for a telephone screening.

…

Some people look very dignified when they are working. Me, I don’t know. Photographers look cool as they know how to handle a camera. That’s me, taken at the Lancome Magnifique event by Benjamin Boccas. Mr. Boccas, a fine photographer, has taken a liking to bloggers, by making beautiful portraits of them. If you read Café Mode, you might be familiar with his work if you notice Geraldine’s lovely photo (although, it’s recently been updated with one by Garance Doré). He also blogs himself.

I never thought bloggers would make interesting subject matter… I mean, many of us take loads of pictures of ourselves… but as blogs become more and more established, it makes sense. Gosh, I remember last year, when SF Fashion Week said blogs didn’t count as press.

PS. I know it looks like I’m wearing nothing but a Casio Calculator Watch… but trust me, I’m wearing a strapless tiered mini-dress.