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I ran into a young woman in the elevator of our building the day after the Presidential election. She was a Kerry volunteer, come to clean out the campaign offices. Suffering from the Blue State Blues, she looked totally dejected, defeated, disillusioned, after giving months of her time to help get out the vote for her chosen candidate.
In the months leading up to the Presidential election, people of all ages became activists, volunteering their time to convince people that the outcome mattered, that every vote counts, and that they shouldn’t take that privilege for granted. Women, in particular, became involved in the politics of this election as never before. And, even given the outcome, that’s a major step forward—as long as we keep it up.
One way that women can stay involved in the political process is by giving money to support female candidates in political office. To celebrate the upcoming season of giving, in “Are Women the More Generous Sex,” Allison Acken profiles four extraordinary women who demonstrate ways that you can use your wallet to make a difference. “Philanthropist used to be a code word for ‘rich, white guy’,” says charitable-giving consultant Renata J. Rafferty in Acken’s article. Happily, that’s no longer true. The answer to the question: “Are we the more generous sex?” Most studies have found that men give more than women. But perhaps this is a truer measure: we give more of our disposable income, according to one expert.
Speaking of disposable income, in “Money Isn’t Kleenex,” Linda Lindsey offers five tips for curbing your emotional spending—knowledge that could come in handy when you hit the mall to do your holiday shopping this year. There is one place where you can shop without guilt—and all of us go there every week. In “Zen and the Art of Grocery Shopping,” we urge you to stop and smell the tomatoes.
Jane Resnick makes a convincing case for splurging (as if we needed another rationalization) in “Wanted: Patriotic Heroines to Shop ‘Til They Drop.” “Think about buying sexy lingerie, the skimpier the more expensive,” she says. “You can seduce the one you love and boost retail’s bottom line, a multitasking bonanza.”
And speaking of “the one you love,” we offer a 20-something’s take on dough and dating, in which writer Tara Civitarese poses the question, “Why Is It Easier to Talk About Sex Than Money?” “As independent as I am, I tend to let the guy I’m with do all the talking about money. I don’t like to let the men I am dating know what my income is, because if they make more than I do, it makes me feel less significant,” she confesses. Then she discloses the results of an informal poll of how men feel about women who earn more than they do, and vice versa. Does the size of his paycheck matter to you?
Shopping for her first home drove Vivian Y. Shic to extreme measures—getting her real-estate license—so that she could save money on future home sales, purchases or refinancings. “Ask any little girl what she wants to be when she grows up and you’re likely to hear the same choices: a doctor, a lawyer, a firefighter (in the 21st century, anyone can be a hero), a ballerina. But real estate?” Still, she’s discovering that the profession fits easily into her life as a stay-at-home mom. Read about her choice in “Finding Her Dream House Called for Extreme Measures.”
Our “Choice Career” interview in this issue isn’t with a doctor, a lawyer, a firefighter, or a ballerina, but a book editor. “One of the biggest misconceptions I get is: ‘So you get to read all day?’ How I wish!” Running Press senior editor Jennifer Kasius says. If you are, or you know, an English major who is dreaming of discovering the next Sylvia Plath, read this article to find out what the profession is really all about.
Other great features in this issue include a Working Mom’s PTA Survival Guide and, in our “Success Guide,” advice on how to stand out as a team player at work. If women were team players on their own “team,” we’d all be winners! _________________________________
Gail Harlow is the Founding Editor of MAKING BREAD. Send your comments, questions and suggestions to gail@makingbreadmagazine.com. __________________________________
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