Beauty is only skin deep? – Guest Post by Teeni

Posted on by writerchick

Hi, my name is Teeni from the blog The Vaguerian Tea Room. First, I’d just like to say how honored I was that Annie asked me to do a guest post. I thank you, Annie, for giving me a different audience to try out a subject that has lately made me wonder how others feel about it. What I’ve been considering lately is beauty versus attractiveness.

We all know the saying that beauty is only skin deep. But also, we all have our own ideas of what beautiful is. I’ve often wondered about the words beautiful and attractive and what they mean to other people. According to dictionary.com, the two words are almost identical in definition, although attractive appears to carry a more sexual connotation.

To me, natural human physical beauty, always meant possessing physical qualities which made others desirous of them or to want to look like them. Again, everyone has their own opinion of what is beautiful. For instance, Angelina Jolie is often touted as the world’s most beautiful woman. Personally, I do think she is naturally beautiful but I don’t think she is the most beautiful woman in the world and that title just means nothing to me because each person has their own standards of beauty.

Now as far as what is I think is attractive for a human, here’s my thinking. I’ve always considered attractive to be the ability to make oneself appealing to others in a physical manner, the ability to attract, whether considered beautiful or not. For instance, Sarah Jessica Parker is by no means what would be considered a typical natural Hollywood beauty. However, I think she is extremely attractive – she knows how to play up her good features and always appears clean and is neatly attired. Angelina Jolie also shines in this category – when she wants to, that is. Sometimes she looks dirty and skanky to me (think back when she was with Billy Bob Thornton), but she cleans up wonderfully (most public appearances with significant other, Brad Pitt). And some people are both beautiful AND attractive, in my opinion, such as Aishwarya Rai.

But now, inner beauty, in my opinion, transcends the physical level. For some it is harder to find because we are so easily blinded by physical traits. Inner beauty would enhance any physical beauty and turn mere attractiveness into ravishing beauty. It’s like a glow that emanates from within, but becomes noticed by those around. It is something that grows the more you get to know the person because it has more to do with an attitude, a concern for others, a love of life. It’s a goodness that isn’t extinguished when the flame of youthful physical beauty dies out.

I can’t point out famous people who I feel have this inner beauty because I don’t personally know them. But there are a few that I suspect have it. People like Halle Berry, Drew Barrymore, and Jennifer Garner seem to me to be the type that would also be beautiful people underneath their outer beauty as well. Again, I don’t know for a fact that this is true, as I don’t personally know these actresses but they are an example of some that I think would be a pleasure to know and have as friends, not just to be pretty faces to look at. I try to consider how they treat others, and how they behave themselves when they don’t know they are being watched.

Whenever I see magazines and shows put together lists of people they feel are the tops, I always feel some people are left off or some just don’t even belong there. So I wonder how other people feel about this whole beauty and attractiveness thing, especially when so many pretty faces are in front of us in movies and on television and in advertising. I know I generally think of women when using the word beautiful but this could equally apply to men. What do you all think and what are your definitions of beautiful and attractive when considering people?

(thanks so much Teens for a great post)

Beauty for Beauty

Posted on by writerchick

Not long ago, Michael of Smoke & Mirrors bestowed a very prestigious award upon me/my blog. It is called the Arte y Pico Award. My bad, I’d never heard of it and so I went searching the Internet to discover what it meant.

What I learned was that the originator of the Arte y Pico Award is a fabulous woman named Ana, from Uraguay, who creates hand made cloth dolls that are exquisette and beautiful. Wanting to pass on this beauty into the beast that the blogosphere can be, she created this award to acknowledge the beauty that does exist here.

Ana said this about it:
What is the meaning of the expression: Arte y Pico
What is the meaning of the expression: And basically, ironically, it translates into a wonderful phrase in Mexico, “lo maximo.” LOL! It will never find its counterpart in English, but if it HAD to, it would be something like, Wow. The Best Art. Over the top.

Ana’s wish was to have it paid forward and to propogate a chain of beauty and art throughout cyberspace. And isn’t that the dream of any artist? To see beauty and creativity blossom and grow in all directions? I am honored and humbled to have been given this award, more than I can say.

And now as a recipient, my job is to pay it forward to the other beauties out there. Choosing recipients was a daunting task because I am allowed only five when I can think of many more than that off the top of my head. The people I chose were all women, intentionally so – maybe I am feeling my ‘I am woman, hear me roar,’ mojo but I think that women contribute so much to the blogosphere and are so natural at spreading the love and beauty that it seemed fitting to me.

So…with great respect and admiration, I have chosen:

Christine of All the Elbows. A wonderfully, original writer, whose talent awes me every time I visit her blog. A kind, funny and caring person, a stay at home mom who nurtures her two beautiful daughters and wonderful husband. Whose imagination will captivate anyone who reads her. She is definitely spreading the beauty out there.

J of Not Just a Housekeeper. Funny, quick, razor-tongued and oh so real. A working mom who not only has the most beautiful adventures with her kids and husband, but helps troubled youths get back on track. She has a heart as big as Montanna and a wit that won’t quit. This lady can make you feel like a trip to Walmart is a grand adventure. Creative? Hell, yeah.

Daisies of Moments. What this woman can do with a camera will melt your heart and give your eyes treats they have not yet seen. Also an accomplished poet and writer, who will touch you with her words and make you feel always welcome and safe. Timeless beauty there, folks.

Jade of Pieces of Jade. This is someone very new to me and I’m so excited to have experienced her work and her exquisitte lines. She is suprising, funny, profound and oh so unique. I can’t believe my luck in having found her. She writes hay[na]ku (A poem of six words. The first line = 1 word, the second line= 2 words and the third line= 3 words) a form of poetry I’d never heard of before and am still trying to get my wits around. I may try my hand at it, but I doubt I’d ever rise to her level of execution. Like her name indicates, she is a jewel.

Simonne of Into the Quiet. This plucky Aussie writer is a beauty inside and out. Sweet as honey and her writing, so spot on. It’s honest, brutal sometimes, but clean and cleansing and never ceases to surprise the reader on the journey. Like the name of her blog indicates, she’s a quiet voice but with deep and lasting impact.

I could honestly go on for pages about these wonderful beauties, but I invite you to go experience them for yourself. I am so happy to be able to give them such an award and I know they will pass it on to others who are just as wonderful, beautiful and creative as they are.

So there you have it ladies, go seek your five recipients and pay forward the beauty and creativity.

The rules are as follows:

1) Pick 5 blogs that you consider deserving of this award; creativity, design, interesting material, and also a contributer to the blogger community, no matter the language.

2) Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.

3) Each award-winner, has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given them the award itself.

4) Each award winner shows the link to “Arte y pico” blog , so everyone will know the origin of this award.

5) The above rules must be posted within the awarding post.