Girls Girls Girls

This is what I would tell young girls: life is big. It’s volcanic. It’s excruciating. It’s all you have, and then you’re dead. Dead! Forever! I mean, maybe you’ll fail. But failure should be big too. I despise — I spit on — this acceptance of a nearsighted life! I’d tell her: Don’t listen to anyone. You are a god. And gods are, at certain angles, terrible things to be. Don’t ever let anyone tell you you’re not terrible. Don’t be cute. It’s not enough. You’re better than that — better, and worse.

- Lisa Carver


I am all about this sort of thing. I've been reminiscing about the 90's again, as I tend to do once in a while. It started all because of a book I came across, called "How Sassy Changed My Life" about the awesome teen mag from the early 90s. If it was still around, I'd buy it. I also found a link to a blog called 90s Woman which sure makes me grin - lots of old gems in there, particularly Lisa Carver stuff. I never got much into her back then but my interest is renewed. I even have one of her books, which has gone unread all these years. It's on my soon-to-read list now. Sitting on my nightstand.

I must insist all girls read "I am an Emotional Creature" by Eve Ensler. It truly is amazing. Very awe-inspiring and powerful. If you're ever at a loss of what to buy your teen daughter, your cousin, friend (whatever), this would be a good choice. I loved it so much. Thank you to Sarah Von of Yes and Yes for reviewing it a while back - it captured my interest immediately. Luckily I work at a bookstore. I got it the day it came in - I rarely buy a book instantly without mulling it over (especially hardcovers), but I did. Worth it! Sure better than all the other tripe they market to teenagers now. There were so many great teen books before - now it's just overkill with the rich bitch stuff. There's too much of it.


I wish I still had all my Sassy magazines. Wouldn't that be a treat. I used to love reading BUST magazine but lost interest over the years - not because of the content, but because I found I was reading books much more than magazines. I would buy magazines and then they'd just sit around, so I stopped buying. A far cry from my teen years, where I devoured all magazines; I would buy at least 9 a month. It's interesting that I had as much love for Sassy as I did for Allure and YM, as they were very different from one another. I suppose I was a definite cross of the two - the model-y type but in a grungy, vintage style.

Here's me in 1993 in Whistler BC. I was 15.