Blogs on More

Last week, Linda Lewis wrote this note about Julyna in the Haute Flash newsletter (sign up here if you haven’t already). Normally this More Daily blog features brand-new content, but this message is so important, no matter where you stand (or shave) on the issue, that it is worth repeating. Let us know what you think.

Is Julyna a helpful message?
When journalists or PR peeps are looking to quote a cervical cancer survivor, I often get the call. Why? I am not the ultimate expert on the topic, nor is my story any more compelling than the next lucky woman to live with this disease (I say lucky when I consider the alternative). I am the go-to gal simply because I seem to be one of only a handful of local women willing to speak openly about a type of cancer now known to be caused by a sexually transmitted virus (HPV).

The stigma around cervical cancer is a deadly, pervasive virus itself, something that prevents far too many parents from allowing their adolescent children to get a vaccine that could ultimately save their lives.

So, I do admire anyone who tries to tackle the stigma, hoping to raise money and awareness. I applaud the spirit of the women who have started Julyna, the current campaign, endorsed by the Canadian Cancer Society. Inspired by the success of Movember, the moustache-growing fundraiser to fight prostate cancer, Julyna is a hair-razing humdinger of an idea: Women creatively shape their pubic hair in exchange for donations.

Still, I understand why this particular fundraiser has raised health experts’ eyebrows. My own oncologist Joan Murphy, who is the clinical lead for the Ontario Cervical Cancer Screening Program at Cancer Care Ontario, was quoted about her concern in the Globe and Mail last week: “Shaving your pubes to any different shape, I don’t think that’s going to bring discussion around the water cooler.”

Continued the Globe article, “Instead of fostering acceptance of cervical cancer, Julyna risks undoing efforts to destigmatize a disease that has traditionally been associated with promiscuity.” Noted Joan: “I’m not sure this risque campaign is going to help dig us out of that hole, frankly.”

After surgery, radiation and chemo, I can attest: Cervical cancer is one of the unsexiest causes around. Sure, if you want to help, go ahead: bikini wax away. But there is no one whose opinion I trust more than Joan’s, the first female gynecologic oncologist in Canada.

So here’s another option: donate to the cervical cancer fund at the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation. Joan and I co-founded it almost 10 years ago, in the hopes of eradicating this disease during our lifetime. It is possible — pubic hair notwithstanding.

Linda Lewis, Editor-in-Chief
linda@more.ca

Listen, if you’re anti-Twitter, I’m not going to attempt to convert you. I did that with a friend who promptly gave up “tweeting” after a mere 48 hours.

If you’re on the fence, come join us. You can hop off if you don’t like what you see. @more_ca is our handle. Twitter is so much more than Demi Moore/Ashton Kutcher posting photos of themselves, I promise.

Twitter can be a tool to check public transportation updates, a place to network, to promote your business, and a place to have fun.

I think we strike a nice balance between fun stuff and exploring content on our site on twitter.com/more_ca. As of right now, 2,602 followers seem to think so, too. Linda tweets, and so do I (we put our initials after each post. LL is Linda Lewis, and HR is me, Helen Racanelli).

Here’s a sample tweet from this morning:
@more_ca Help wanted: I joined more_ca twits (or I hope, wits) last fall, at 1400 followers. Hoping to double # soon so I can boast to the boss.-LL

So yes, there is an ulterior motive for encouraging you to join us. Linda and I want more followers!

Let us know what you think, what you like, what you’d like to see more of from us, either on Twitter or right here in the comments.

-Helen

Jet lag be damned! This week was a whirlwind of store stopovers in Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton. I wasn’t out west on a shopping spree (though I did manage to score a fabulous pair of pumps at Gravity Pope in Kitsilano).

Instead, I was on the hunt, along with  Alecia Bell from Elite Model Management, for potential winners of our 2008 model search. And nothing energizes me more than meeting More readers (more than 250 on this trip), most of whom profess to devour the issue “cover to cover.” Special thanks to Laurel Ostrom, who stopped by in Edmonton to say hi…I knew she
looked familiar! (You’ll find her romantic story on page 100 of our October issue.)

This is your last chance to enter, so hurry up: the contest closes on September 22.

This morning I actually got out of the office in order to do something I’ve always wanted to do: Attend a Toronto International Film Festival press screening IN THE MORNING. Who hasn’t wanted to stumble back into the sunshine out of a dark theatre, at noon, and wonder where she was? I know being a reviewer is far from a glamorous job, but for those of us who love movies but never get out of the office, this was a treat. And the movie did not completely disappoint.

Management, starring the soon-to-be-40 Jennifer Aniston, is a quirky romcom about two lonely people. It provides a few
laughs and a sweet ending. The thing is, poor Jennifer has now reached the same status as Angelina Jolie…she’s risen so high in the celeb gossip stratosphere than you can never forget who she is, no matter what character she’s inhabiting or how good the performance. (And no, she was not at the lowly press screening, though she will be at the TIFF do.)

Remember Babs Streisand in The Prince of Tides? All you could think of was, look at her diva nails, even when she had Nick Nolte on the couch! But I digress…this movie truly belongs to Steve Zahn (an unlikely match for Aniston) whose caricature-character actually has nuance. The male reviewer beside me rolled his eyes and said something about root canal when the screening ended, but I bet women will disagree.

More to come from TIFF later this week.

(Click to see larger image) With my kids away at camp, my philosophy this summer has been all about trying new things, getting out there, living in the moment, and all of the other 40+ cliches you can think of.

But I’m regretting my latest mini-adventure: the henna horror on my foot! Perhaps I had one rose-petal martini too many at an Indian restaurant re-opening party last night, but I decided this would be a good warm-up to see if I would ever want a tattoo…and the answer is? Not. While I admire the artistry and the pretty patterns, it just isn’t me. Good thing henna only lasts six weeks. If you know any homemade remedies to get rid of it sooner (so far I’ve heard of pimple cream, lemon juice…) please let me know!

Tuesday night I saw one of my all-time favourite flicks, Annie Hall, with a group of friends. What makes that blogworthy? The fact that the movie was playing outdoors at twilight, right across from the Eaton Centre in downtown Toronto, in a downpour. When was the last time you sat with a garbage bag over your head enjoying Woody Allen with fellow fanatics (my favourite scene is the dinner scene with Annie’s family; what’s yours?).

The films are free, and popcorn is available across the street at Future Shop. So if you also live in Toronto, check out the other romantic blockbusters playing every Tuesday night for the rest of the summer at ydsquare.ca. I may just see you there on August 26 (Casablanca).

[Jenn's note: What great free events go on in your hometown over the summer? Share the scoop in the More.ca forums! (Or here in the comments!)]

[Jenn's note: I'm so pleased to introduce Linda Lewis, editor-in-chief of More, as a blog contributor. You can find her posts by clicking on "Online with Linda".]

Attention shoppers! I was on a girls getaway to New York last weekend that was way too fun, from bicycling in Central Park to seeing Morgan Freeman on Broadway. We were so busy that we only had time to blast through Bloomingdale’s an hour before we had to be at the airport. Well, we hit the jackpot. Not only was there a 40% off sale, but I learned that if you show your passport at Customer Service, you receive an extra 11% off. Once again, being a proud Canadian pays off.