Yesterday was the premier of Martha Stewart's new t.v. show. I have to admit, I am a shameless Martha-holic. I love her magazines, her shows, etc. etc. It isn't Martha herself that captivates me although I do admire her survival skills. It is what she represents.
Martha's world is one of domestic perfection. She takes the ordinary and makes it special. Give the woman a trashbag, paperclip and a length of grosgrain ribbon and she'll make you a formal tablecloth. She sells graceful elegance, assuring me I can be a domestic goddess if I read her magazines and follow her lead. I buy it hook, line and sinker.
Mainly because it is what I want. I buy into the vision of perfection Martha is selling. My head understands that like the cover model on Vogue, it is an unattainable ideal. Have you noticed on Martha's shows they are shot through a soft lens? It hides the imperfections of both the hostess and everything else on the set. Not necessarily a bad thing, I'd love to look through life with a soft lens.
But my heart craves the lifestyle Martha has created in the glossy pages of her magazine. Funny, I think my chances of publication are higher than ever achieving the nirvana that is Marthaness.
I do what I can. Martha's tips have helped in my home, believe it or not. While I'm not going to go out there and create a spice garden or harvest rare heirloom tomatoes, I did tear out the page with tips on getting rid of stains and followed her suggestions for stocking a pantry.
As we know, even Martha's life is not perfect. She seems to be accepting of that and has used it to her advantage. Perhaps that is the true essence of Marthaness, to take what you have and use it to your advantage to make a better life.
