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By Dr. Julie-Ann, on February 3rd, 2012 One can get ulcers by climbing mountains that are molehills. ~ Unknown
 Prelude To Conquest, 1938 ad for the March of Time newsreels; Image courtesy of Paul Malon on Flickr.com In 1897, The New York Times adopted the motto, “All The News That’s Fit to Print.” It was a jab at other newspapers who traded in “yellow” or sensational journalism. Yellow journalism is known for its lack of legitimately researched stories, fear or scandal mongering, and gross exaggerations of the truth.
Sound familiar?
The twenty-four hour news cycle is yellow journalism on steroids.
Network, cable, radio, and Internet outlets are competing for your advertising dollars. Headlines and sound bites are designed to draw you in. The more lurid and sensational (and accusatory) the story, the higher the ratings and the higher the profits.
Mountains are made out of molehills because air time must be filled.
I remember a “breaking story” about five years ago on all of the major news outlets about an airplane carrying several hundred passengers with stuck landing gear. The plane was going to have to make a “belly landing.” For 20 some minutes or so, the reporters whipped themselves into hysteria as the plane went through emergency landing precautions and the runway was sprayed with foam. The plane was able to land without exploding or breaking apart. The emergency chutes opened and passengers started sliding safely down them. Within seconds of the (relatively) safe landing, the stations broke away and I could literally hear the disappointment in the reporters’ voices that a tragedy was averted.
In our modern times, we are suffering from information overload. Just out of curiosity, I did a quick and dirty review of the headlines and stories on the three Internet news sources that I frequent. According to my unscientific research, 98% of the stuff would be considered “molehills.” Yet people were spewing toxic comments and calling each other horrible things about stuff that really shouldn’t matter (and half of the time, it was obvious that the person hadn’t even bothered reading the story).
And I think this mountain-out-of-molehill-making helps fuel divisive rhetoric that keeps people from coming to the table to actually solve our national problems.
Our mid-century role models weren’t inundated with news 24-hours a day. They obtained most of their news via newspapers and news magazines that researched their stories. They were encouraged to get their news from sources across the political and social spectrum so that they could be better informed on the issues. Perhaps we, as modern retro women, should emulated them and leave sound bite journalism to others.
By Dr. Julie-Ann, on February 1st, 2012 This post is part of a series examining 1950s era charm, poise, and beauty using Secrets of Poise, Personality, and Model Beauty written by modeling agency and schools icon John Robert Powers and published by Prentiss-Hall in 1960.
Posture can make or break a beauty ~ John Robert Powers
 You can be the most beautiful woman on earth but poor posture can destroy your appearance. Our mid-century beauty mentor, Mr. Powers, dedicates an entire chapter to the importance of good posture. But before we examine his lessons, let’s take a few minutes to discuss the impact of poor posture on our health. The truth of the matter is that our posture is indicative of our body’s core strength.
Without proper alignment and strength in our core, our diaphragm is unable to do its job and our lungs are unable to fully expand so that our bodies and brains get the oxygen they need to fully function. If you’re feeling foggy-brained, your posture may be the culprit.
If our upper back isn’t strong to counteract the constant forward motion of our arms (we don’t type or chop food behind us, after all), our shoulders slump forward and our chin starts to jut out. Our breasts sag and hang down by our waists instead of our chest where they belong. Sometimes it isn’t the bra but rather the posture that needs adjusting…
A swayback (my own nemesis), encouraged by weak abdominal muscles, gives the illusion of a poochy stomach while also causing all sorts of low back problems. “Lose” five pounds instantly by tilting the hips under where they belong.
My favorite description for proper posture and body alignment is to imagine that there is a string that is pulling through the top of your head. There should be a straight line going from your ears through the shoulders, down to the center of the hips, through the center of your knees and ending at the center of your foot. This gives us effortless posture…after all, we don’t want the exaggerated posture of a Marine who just finished Basic Training! You know you have it right if your hips are “tucked under,” your chin is parallel to the floor, and you will be able to wiggle your toes around.
Many readers have joined me in the “Only Own Beautiful Clothes in 2012 Challenge” (see the calendar for the date of the next virtual retreat so that you can join in, too). But owning clothes that reflect our own personal styles can only go “so far.” If we have poor posture, we are going to look and be unhealthy. Even a $10,000 dress can’t counteract that!
By Dr. Julie-Ann, on February 1st, 2012 Never desire to appear clever and make a show of your talents before men. Be honest, loving, kindly, and sympathetic in all you say and do. Cleverness will flow from you naturally if you have it, and applause will come to you unsought from those who know what to applaud; but the applause of fools is to be shunned. ~ J.S. Blackie
 Cannon Percale Sheets advertisement, 1942; Image courtesy of CaptainSpaulding on Flickr.com
Misbehavior is all the rage. If in doubt, simply turn on the television set and watch “reality” shows filled with people behaving badly. And the more outrageous the behavior, it seems, the more popular the shows and the people are. The Mister went to a professional basketball game recently and he was shocked at all of the cheers people got when the jumbo-tron focused on them engaging in outlandish behavior.
They think they are clever. But they are not.
True cleverness doesn’t have to advertise itself.*
As modern retro women, we just have to go about our daily lives with the confidence that others will recognize our strengths and abilities. Mrs. Roosevelt didn’t go around telling everyone how great she was. No. She simply used the opportunities that she was given to make the world a better place. And, isn’t that our goal? To make our world–whether our world is global or just our family and friends–the best place it can be?
*There are times, such as when you are going up for a job promotion or pay increase, when you need to remind people of your accomplishments and value just in case they have started taking you for granted. I’m not telling you to be a doormat and hope that you’ll be recognized “someday.”
By Dr. Julie-Ann, on January 31st, 2012 Time is not measured by the passing of years, but by what one does, what one feels, and what one achieves. ~ Nehru
 My second birthday party, 1963, at my grandparent's house.
I’ve come a long way in the years since that photo was taken. My life has been a glorious adventure. Sometimes painful but always triumphant in the end to make that pain worthwhile. And I get to share that adventure with The Mister, friends and family, and with you, my dear Modern Retro Woman readers.
I want to express my profound gratitude to my fellow modern retro women. It is because of you that I continue to write this blog and share what I’m learning on this journey called “life.” Thank you!
By Dr. Julie-Ann, on January 27th, 2012 The first requisite of a good citizen in this Republic of ours is that he shall be able and willing to pull his weight. ~ T. Roosevelt
 Coca Cola Ad from 1944; Image courtesy of Paul Malon on Flickr.com Instead of worrying about what other people are or aren’t doing, we need to look in the mirror and make sure we are doing everything we can be doing to be good citizens. This includes being informed about the candidates and policies by getting our news from a variety of sources and not just relying on SuperPac-funded commercials, voting (are we going to let a minority of eligible voters decide the fate of the nation??), and actually being involved in change instead of just complaining about what we don’t like.
When was the last time you contacted your representatives?
As modern retro women, we know that inaction and infighting won’t bring back post-war prosperity and values. We have to fight for it…by looking within, first.
By Dr. Julie-Ann, on January 26th, 2012 I am still under the weather but feeling much better. While I am on the mend, enjoy this post from May of 2010.
 Gas Cooking Ad "Better Homes and Gardens" September 1961; Image courtesy of SaltyCotton on Flickr.com I get so annoyed when I read comments about homemakers being subjugated and reduced to second class citizens. To be sure, in the past (and, unfortunately, in many ways still) women were treated like second class citizens–we didn’t have the right to vote, own property, or even hold credit in our own names. But there is absolutely no reason why homemakers should feel inferior because “they aren’t contributing to the household income.”
Bullpucky, I say, to the idea of not being contributors! We are full partners in the money-making endeavor. We are just the “silent partner” that works magic behind the scenes. Kathy Brown, of Wingspouse.com, has coined (and trademarked) the term “wingspouse” to describe the executive wife who partners with her husband for mutual success. A wingspouse(TM) is her husband’s confidante, helps him analyze a situation, brainstorms with him, and helps work the room at professional events. In essence, like the fighter pilot’s wingman, the wingspouse has her husband’s back. I like the imagery that the term elicits but I don’t think the idea has to be limited to the executive spouse, You see, in my mind, those things are simply part of the job description of a homemaker.
For example, when we watch old movies and television shows, the wife wants everything to be perfect when the boss and his wife are invited to dinner. The work going into such meals isn’t subjugation; it is an opportunity for the partners to work in tandem for their mutual success. You might say all of those dinners and cocktail parties that epitomized the post-war period were really a form of networking. How much more relaxing it is to get to know each other over a delicious meal rather than those sterile and awkward “networking events” that those climbing the career ladder are forced to attend.
Your home is your family business. What can you do to ensure the business runs smoothly for your mutual benefit?
By Dr. Julie-Ann, on January 26th, 2012 Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves; therefore they remain bound. ~ James Allen
 "Dextrose is often prescribed by doctors for many reducing diets": 1940; Image courtesy of PaulMalon on Flickr.com
We want to have our cake and eat it too, to speak. We want to be thin and healthy but still eat all of the fattening food we want all of the time and never get off of the couch. We hate being treated like a doormat but are never assertive or create boundaries. And the list goes on.
I’ve mentioned this before but one of the things I truly admired about both sets of grandparents was the fact that they took action to change their circumstances when The Great Depression hit. They left everything they knew to embark on new lives. They didn’t settle for the status quo in their lives.
On Tuesday, the featured quote was about making choices. If you don’t like your circumstances, make the choice to change. And then take the actions needed to bring about the new circumstances. It is quite an empowering experience!
By Dr. Julie-Ann, on January 24th, 2012  Clorox bleach advertisement, c. 1960s; Image courtesy of bluwmongoose on Flickr.com This post is inspired by a comment left on Home Ec 101′s Facebook page in response to her post about why we should wash our sheets regularly. The commenter said she washes her sheets every week with bleach..
I fell for the ads. You know, the ones where a family is wearing white clothes while they are out camping? Of course they are covered with mud and dirt and other camping remnants. Chlorine bleach to the rescue!
And so, faithfully over the years I added chlorine bleach to our white loads of laundry because I couldn’t bear the shame of dingy socks and underwear. And when they started looking a bit yellow, I just used a bit more bleach.
Until 2009, that is…
I took a textiles class as part of my custom clothing certificate. I think my 30-years-younger-than-me classmates thought something terrible had happened to me when I accidentally said out loud, “Oh…my…goodness!” during one of the lectures.
I didn’t mean to say it aloud. I really didn’t. But it was one of those life changing moments.
What did my professor say that was so life changing for me?
My professor put up a slide that quoted the textiles textbook (I was a bit behind in my reading *sheepish look*):
Use of chlorine bleach is appropriate for spot removal, but should not be used in regular laundering because excessive bleaching weakens cellulosic fibers (2007, Sara J. Kadloph, Textiles, 10th Edition, Pearson)
My regular use of the bleach was actually causing my whites to deteriorate and look dingy and yellow. And, I was not being a good steward of my money because I was shortening the life of those garments and had to replace them more frequently than if I hadn’t used the bleach.
You may have heard that the sun is the best way to bleach whites. Unfortunately, according to the textbook, the sun oxidizes cotton which degrades and turns it yellow, too.
Your Best Bet To Keep White Cottons White
Hard water is often a culprit in causing whites to look dingy. If this is the case, adding a water softener or conditioner such as baking soda or borax (which is also a sanitizer) will help prevent hard water minerals from clinging to your whites. Just follow the instructions on the box.
An oxygen based “bleach” such as Oxiclean does an amazing job of keeping things looking white. The chemists in the group will have to explain it all to me but essentially one of the ingredients turns into hydrogen peroxide when it hits the water. And, according to my sister’s best friend who is a delivery room nurse, hydrogen peroxide is what nurses use to keep their uniforms clean (and she became a nurse when they still wore those white uniforms and not scrubs). Oxiclean itself is pricey but you can get “generic” versions for much cheaper. That said, you don’t need much for it to do its good work.
As an aside, after I posted the laundry soap recipe yesterday, I discovered that variations on the recipe often include either baking soda and/or oxygen based bleach.
I also read on a laundry website that white vinegar is an effective pretreating method to get dingy clothing white again. I haven’t tried this method, so cannot verify the information. But, I thought I should throw it out there…
Bottom Line
Since giving up bleach, The Mister’s whites do seem to last a lot longer. If I remembered when putting in a load of white stuff, I would add either borax or baking soda. Since making my own laundry soap, though, I don’t seem to need to add anything except the Sun oxygen based bleach if The Mister’s clothes are really dirty (I really need to make him those coveralls I’ve been promising him for a couple of years now…).
I don’t miss the bleach…at all.
By Dr. Julie-Ann, on January 24th, 2012 When you have to make a choice and don’t make it, that is in itself a choice. ~ William James
 "Choose a Modern Gas Range for Tops in Cooking Perfection!" "New Freedom Gas Kitchens," American Gas Association, 1946; Image courtesy of SaltyCotton on Flickr.com
“I have no choice but to serve processed, chemical-laden frankfood to my family because I don’t know how to cook.”
Okay, I’ve paraphrased the fairly frequent comment I receive but the essence of it is the same. The woman has made the choice to feed substandard and unhealthy food to her family instead of learning how to cook. My disdain at those comments is that she is refusing to take ownership of her choice. I have much greater respect for someone who says that she uses prepared foods because she simply has no interest in cooking. I can honor that choice. I can’t relate to not enjoying the cooking process but there are lots of things women find satisfaction doing that I don’t find enjoyable.
We always have choices. We may not like the choices but we always have them.
You know I like to tie these quotes in with being modern retro women. Unfortunately, my sinus infection has taken a turn for the worse (thank heaven for my neti pot!) so I’m not functioning on all cylinders and hope I’m not coming off as a grumpy pants. But my point is that we need to take ownership of our choices…even the ones that we don’t thing we’re making.
By Dr. Julie-Ann, on January 23rd, 2012 I’m pretty sure I gasped quite loudly. Certainly, the lady standing near me in the laundry aisle turned and looked at me with a questioning look on her face. The price tag for the Tide Free and Gentle laundry detergent was almost $18.00. Over 40¢ a load. But I knew the other detergents either irritated The Mister’s skin or didn’t get his work clothes clean.
I grimaced as I put the box in the cart and vowed to find another way.
And I did.
Several years ago, I came across a post on The Simple Dollar blog about making your own laundry detergent, but it was for liquid detergent and I prefer powder. It also seemed like an involved process so I let it go.
I did another search for homemade laundry detergent after Christmas and was pleasantly surprised to find a post on DIYNatural about making a powdered version. Stacy Makes Cents also has liquid and powder recipes (I follow her on Facebook).
 Homemade powdered laundry soap: Borax, Washing Soda, and Ivory Soap The Ingredient List:
Armed with their information, I headed out to buy the entire list of ingredients:
- Arm & Hammer Washing Soda ($3.99)
- Borax ($3.38)
- Ivory soap (10 pack of 4.5 ounce size for $5.79)
Yep. That’s it! Three measly ingredients.
Now, the washing soda (not to be confused with their baking soda) can be a bit tricky to find in some parts of the country. I picked mine up at an ACE affiliated hardware store because I knew they had it (if they don’t have any in stock, they can order it for you and there is no charge for the shipping). I also found a tag for it (but not boxes) at a Super Walmart for about 50¢ cheaper.
Now the Borax is the same stuff that has been around forever with all sorts of household uses. Shop around for this. I’ve seen it at Target and Ralphs/Kroger for over $7.00 and other places for what I paid for it at Walmart.
I opted to use Ivory soap instead of Fels-Naptha. I know there are other laundry soaps and Octagon is a favorite, but I didn’t see any of the other soaps. People seemed to be happy with their results using Ivory and it is what we use to bathe, so I decided to go that route. Keep in mind as you decide which soap to use that many people commented that soaps with moisturizers, such as Dove, caused problems for them.
The Recipe And How To Make It
Homemade Laundry Soap Recipe
1 Bar of Soap
1 Cup of Borax
1 Cup of Washing Soda
You’ll love how easy this is…
Grate the soap. Almost all of the tutorials I read or watched on You Tube, showed people grating their soap by hand. Yeah, that wasn’t going to happen for me.
I got out the food processor. My grandmother used to wash dishes with Ivory, I just figured that I would make sure I got the thing good and clean before using it for food again.
 Grate your soap in the food processor. Put the blade in the processor and the other lid on. Turn it on.
Add the powders through the hole in the lid.
 Feed the powder through the lid with the processor running.
You will get a consistency very similar to store-bought laundry powders.
 What it will look like after it has been processed I keep mine stored in the old Tide box and use a coffee scoop (1/8 cup or 2 Tablespoons) for measuring.
 It takes about 3 minutes (plus processor washing time) to make up a batch of this laundry soap.
We’ve been using this soap since January 6th and I have to say that I absolutely love, love, love it. We have very hard water so I use one or two scoops depending upon what I’m washing. If The Mister’s work clothes are extra dirty, I just add a scoop of Sun oxy cleaner (which is basically powdered hydrogen peroxide). Note: I add it to the washer and let the soap dissolve before I add my clothes.
Week 1: I notice that there are some residual suds coming out of the clothes. No wonder the previous detergent has been irritating the skin.
Week 2: The Mister’s new work socks smell a bit like petroleum…it makes sense since they have a petroleum by-product fiber in them (polyester). Makes me wonder if the other detergent was cleaning or just masking smells. I also notice that the optic additives that make clothes seem brighter (and mask stains) are washing out.
Week 3: The clothes smell like…nothing! They are also quite soft and look very clean. Even The Mister’s work clothes. I notice that The Mister hasn’t been scratching himself due to detergent irritation.
Does It Save Me Money?
Using the recipe above, a cup of the soap is about 47¢ (based on what I paid for the ingredients; each batch makes about 3 cups of soap). That comes out to about 6¢ a scoop. Even using two scoops and some Sun oxy cleaner, I’m paying less than 20¢ a load. The Tide was over 40¢ a load. So, yes, I’m saving money. A lot over the long run.
But, more important, there is a sense of satisfaction from using my own homemade soap (it feels so retro) and it is more eco-respectful.
Bottom Line:
I don’t think we’ll ever go back to store bought laundry detergent.
Have you ever tried homemade laundry soap?
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