Happy Women's Day

Just a quickie post on this International Women's Day 2012 to give a shout-out to all the women who have inspired me in life:

My dear departed nonnina, Angelica Pepe, who demonstrated strength, resilience and a remarkable ability to keep her shit together in the face of much adversity over her 98 years. And who is undoubtedly looking down on me today and asking herself, "What the f*ck is that kid doing with her life?" Except, you know, in Italian.

My mother, who unlike her (aforementioned) mother, charges through life with a gladiatorial nature that has allowed her to accomplish a helluva lot more than I ever will.

My best friend who, let's face it, is a saint just for putting up with me these last 25 years. But also because she's never let her misfortunes taint her world view or her ability to kick ass. Plus, she *always* pays for dinner.

And this list of women who I've never met, but whose brilliance has awed me in some way. In no particular order: Tina Fey, Flannery O'Connor, Margaret Atwood, Oriana Fallaci, Marie Colvin, Murphy Brown, Stephanie Nolan, Kristen Wiig, George Eliot, Marcia Kilgore, Miuccia Prada, Coco Chanel, Stella McCartney, Meg White, Sofia Vergara, Stevie Nicks, Lisa Simpson, Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Gloria Steinem, Zadie Smith, Sylvia Plath, Elizabeth Wurtzel, Jennifer Egan, Lee Krasner, Veronica Tennant, Georgia O'Keefe, Frida Kahlo, Lara Logan, Liz Tilberis, Grace Coddington, Leslie Stahl, Grace Mirabella, Tina Brown, Joan Didion, Diane Keaton, Karen Kain, Janis Joplin, Marianne Faithful, Aretha Franklin, Sofia Coppola, Isabella Blow, Gertrude Stein, Katherine Hepburn, Judy Blume. And believe me, the list could go on.

To all of you I say, thanks.