University of She

  In today's Art Spotlight, we look at Art By Megan. Megan describes her art as such:  "Reflections of light on water, shadows created by trees, and fallen leaves, as well as petals on contrasting surfaces inform my subject matter. I paint these fleeting moments, so they are noticed." Her paintings remind me of the goddess Athena: the goddess of wisdom and art. They seem like two starkly different components but philosophers have long talked about the connection between the two. How you can tell a lot about the morals of a community by the type of art they consume.     One looks like a collection of leaves of varying colors flowing in a twist of wind. They evoke happiness. Joy. A beauty that women have had to learn to see in the face of obstacles. A beauty men have had to learn to slow down and see. A baby's laugh. A beautiful sunset. On the other end are her sea paintings which evoke something completive and wise. The deep blue reminds me of long deep talks about fee

  OVERVIEW:  Cindy Elanor Woods is a Plus-sized fashionista with an underlying cynicism due to losing both her parents at a young age. Despite having a degree in fashion design, she is currently jobless until opportunity knocks in the form of a reality dating show -- Before Midnight . Cindy accepts the offer and joins the show looking for the chance to show off her fashion chops but (as the book cover blatantly intimates) she may end up finding love in the process. COMMENTARY: When you have to endure the pain of a loved one dying at an early age, fairy tales are basically bullshit to you. Because of this perspective, Cindy essentially embodies the experience of the reader and all of us who roll our eyes at Reality Show "Romance". Yes, these shows are an essential papering over of some harsh realities in the world and how love truly comes about. But in that same way, isn't that silhouetted dress, those painful high heels, that brilliant shade of red lipstick? Is it an unt