Role models...

who were literally playing roles ! Some of us are lucky enough to have a plentiful supply of amazing women (and men) to emulate as we grow. Some of us aren't so lucky and it's probably best to just hide under the bed until we come of age. I managed to avoid dust bunnies most of the time and got to grow up with some incredible women (and men) but face it, some of those that influenced my formative years the most came courtesy of our 13" Zenith. So I got to thinking, who were my TV role models? And there were so many I started to get dizzy. So even though I'll never have super powers, or bio-robotic limbs, or have to face a snowstorm in the Great Plains while blind (well I hope not) I did manage to pick the top three !


Wonder Woman- 'nuff said.


The Bionic Woman- She was smart, pretty, could toss Steve Austin half a mile and tore a phone book in half.


Mary Ingalls- Laura was just another goofy kid, but Mary had it altogether, even going blind caused barely a blip on her calm demeanor radar.



There's more of course, lots, but those were the first three that came to mind. I wish I could say I wanted to be Eleanor Roosevelt or Madame Curie, but yea, nope. And then there was one I came to identify with quite by accident, Marilyn Monroe. My mom bought or borrowed her biography and I was stunned to find photos of a plain Jane in family photo whose own mother was as lost and mysterious to her as mine was to me. So Norma Jean became a somewhat kindred spirit, except I have to say I never went for the whole bleached hair, breathy voice persona. By the time I was engaged it was Jackie O, really Jackie Kennedy, I even requested my engagement ring resemble hers.

So many more, so many more. But today's musing really just went to the TV's influence. I once read a wonderful poem dedicated to the women in the poet's life who'd guided her, including those who showed the paths better avoided. I wish I could remember the author or the title but I can't. I do know it's probably in a literature anthology (Norton's perhaps?) from the late 80's because I distinctly remember reading it in a classroom. So that's that, if any come to mind do share, you never know !