Friday, October 20, 2006

"IT'S A GOOD THING"

While blog surfing last night I ran across this interactive blog called Sunday Scribbling. A word would be thrown out and you write an essay/poem/story what ever your little old heart desires and then link to the site.

"Say the word and you'll be free,
Say the word and be like me,
Say the word I'm thinking of,
Have you heard the word is
" ..... GOOD


The first thing that popped into my head is Martha Stewart. I realize Martha has been done to death, but I have not had a crack at her yet.

I must have been the last person on the face of the earth to become aware of Martha Stewart . And when it happened , it was love at first sight.

I believe it may have been in October of a year long past. She was making little ghosts out of tootsie roll pops. I was mesmerized and immediately hooked.

I began buying her magazines at the second hand book store (50 cents, I am one tight bitch). I dreamed of refinishing furniture, planting my own English garden, making a five course dinner for a group of my intimate friends, creating a shadow box from mementos collected from a beach vacation, making my own trellis, furnishing my home with incredible finds at the flea market, turning out the perfect chocolate chip cookie, making my own candles, my own wine.

Martha was my how-to Guru.

She spoke to the latent hippie that lives under my urban facade. To the yearning in my breast to be one with the land. To have my own vegetable patch and hundred acre estate somewhere in Never-Never Land where there are no time clocks, no dead lines, no rush hour, and every hour is happy hour.

I hated to see her go down. Even though all indications pointed to her being a Wicked Witch. I thought her courageous to march off to jail claiming to be innocent rather than cop a plea and avoid the inconvenience of incarceration.

And I applauded her when she emerged, thinner and grayer, wearing a sweater her fellow inmates presented to her as a going home present. One, she no doubt, taught them to knit.

I loved it when she did not obey the rules and was caught leaving the confines of her house detention. She probably had to run to the store and pick up some Chardonnay.

Even though Martha is not the golden girl she once was, I still believe....It's a good thing.

18 comments:

Cynthia said...

This is one of the best pieces in Martha I've read.

Anonymous said...

You know, I think I'm just as tight with money as you are. It must be a Pisces trait ;-).

Keep writing girl...I need it! I love your stories ;-)

Anonymous said...

Martha's not my favourite person (a recent TV movie about her life made it even worse) but I like the passionate way you've written about her and looked at only the good in her.

well done

Anonymous said...

I thought I was the last person on earth to know about Martha. Someone gave me a Birthday card with Martha-isms on it, and I didn't have a clue who she was! Anyway, I like what you wrote about her -- you did a good job!

Anonymous said...

Wow. You are a GOOD fan! Martha would do GOOD to guest you on her show. :p

Tongue in Cheek Antiques said...

Martha rekindled the home and garden industry, she gave Home the attention it deserves!
Bravo for your 'good sunday scribbling post!'

Anonymous said...

I like Martha. I find myself wanting to be like Martha. Until I remember what she sacrificed to be what she is.

Robbie said...

I love Martha. Many moons ago, I used to write WWMD entries. That's how much I love her, I channel her for all my domestic dilemmas. (Darn! I can never remember how to spell that word.)

I believe that if a man had been caught in the same predictament as her it would have barely been noticed and no jail time had. The qualities she expresses that are abhored in her about being driven and demanding are revered in men. Why?

Anonymous said...

I too love Martha! I can't tell you how many pages of projects I've saved so I can try out a new recipe or project! Great post!

Anonymous said...

Well Martha's a nice gal an' all, even though she been in jail. We all makes missteaks, even me 'cause I 'bout ended up in jail once too 'cause somebody try to steal my secret recipes but that another story.

But I bet Martha dont know how to fix no collard greens an' cornbread where after peoples eats it everbody wantsa write you into their will an' then offers to go jump off a cliff if that what you wish them to do.

She be allright, though. She OK.

I jus' like to see her fix a mess o'speckle butterbeans an boiled okra jus' rite, like Granny usta make, where every good lookin' boy in town want to live at yer house, no matter how ugly you is.

But I aint knockin' Martha. I likes Martha.

Italian creme cake? Can she fix that an' take it to the church homecomin' an git it all ate up before they say thuh blessin an' the preacher dont bat an' eye 'cause him the one who done ate it? Can she do that?

That Martha, she a good gal. Yep.

Repeater said...

Oh, you're a funny one. I love it. You know I did a gig with Martha Stewart once (I do stage stuff) and let me tell you she's a nut. Showed up to a cocktail party wearing a flight suit (white flowing scarf around her neck and all)& then she was up early early in the morning to go kayaking.

Writer Bug said...

I love how you attribute your attraction to her to the fact that you're an urban hippy. (and i love the phrase, as well!) Maybe that's why I love her too. Do you mind if I steal your phrase?

Anonymous said...

HEY MARY,

HAVE YOU SEEN MY LATEST POST? IT IS VERY REAL, AND VERY DISTURBING! I'M NOT ASKING YOU BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO GAIN READERS. I'M JUST TRYING TO CREATE AN AWARENESS OF WHAT'S STILL GOING ON IN OUR WORLD.

PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO VIEW MY LATEST POST, AND ENCOURAGE YOUR FRIENDS AND READERS TO VIEW IT AS WELL.

THANK YOU MUCH,
AHMED...AIMLESS-THOUGHT

Anonymous said...

I never really put that much thought into Martha Stuart, being the young city-dweller that I current am, but your post just really hit home. I too yearn for acres of land near Never-Never land. How well you've articulated your attraction for her work!

Anonymous said...

well written!!! i love martha, well watching, cause i'm way to lazy to make my own doileys and stuff. but i like to see her do it....

thanks. bee

Paul said...

Hard to think of Martha as a hippie type...but I like her too.

Lisa :-] said...

Sorry... I've never liked Martha. She's just TOO perfect. She lost me when she decided that one has to make one's own marshmallows for one's holiday hot chocolate. I mean...get real!

But I did admire the way she handled her legal case. And I thought she got rammed, simply because she was a powerful woman...and yet still outside of the "good old boy" network.

Nelle said...

I once felt the same way about Martha. Later I read how she treated her personal assistant and husband and lost a lot of my admiation for her. Still, she did get me interested in cooking again and using my antique dishes and wares. There were positives that I think gave a ressuragance to woment that there was more to life than just a career.