The Monkees Christmas Party!

My attitude this holiday season has been one of a confirmed Scrooge as I announced more or less at the beginning of his month. But I must admit that I have been thawing just a wee bit, especially in the last few days since my girls have been in to visit and celebrate the holiday with me. We were out doing some last-minute shopping and I chanced upon The Monkees Christmas Party, a CD featuring new music (mostly) by the band I adored as a boy. This is pure pop bubblegum -- breezy and light-hearted whimsy. Just the kind of music the Monkees produced in the heyday of their TV show.

With a cover by Mike Allred the package is handsome indeed. While most of the music is frothy enough one song entitled "House of Broken Gingerbread" was written by award-winning author Michael Chabon. It's a hoot. This ain't grand music, it ain't even always good, but it is diverting and for this Scrooge, it found a way into my hard flinty heart.

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Wonder Woman For President!

Here are three Wonder Woman covers produced for Ms. magazine. The first one was produced way back in 1972 by Murphy Anderson. The second is from 1997 and uses the Anderson artwork in a new way. The third from 2012 is by Michael Allred. It is perhaps ironic that none of these (I cannot identify the new art on the 1997 issue) is produced by a woman, especially the most recent one.

In researching this artwork I stumbled across this website maintained by Pete Marston, the son of William Moulton Marston, the psychologist who created Wonder Woman so many decades ago. And here is a 2014 The New Yorker article by Jill Lepore about the creation and history of the character.

As for a woman becoming president, it's taken way too long for that to happen. Maybe this next election will solve that situation. Hillary Clinton is far from a "Wonder Woman" but she is certainly competent and qualified for the position. But it's a long time until the election and as we saw last time, a lot can happen. For some perspective on how far we've come (or perhaps haven't) check out this Gloria Steinem article from that very first issue of Ms. 

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