Dear Diva watchers: Beginning tomorrow, my blog will be untied (decoupled? unhitched?) from The Commercial Appeal’s Web site, and I will begin blogging early next week as the civilian I will soon become. My tech gurus assure me this is doable, but there might be a little down time as we figure everything out. Please stick with me … and come back … and link me with your (other) favorite blogs … and tell your friends. Let’s keep this conversation going. I can’t wait!

As you might have heard and read, my time as both editor of skirt! magazine and as a columnist and editor at The Commercial Appeal is officially over tomorrow. (The link above is my last CA column; here’s The Flyer story from this week.) Of course I’m excited about my new job as the Director of Advancement — that’s development, communications, alumnae relations — at St. Mary’s Episcopal School. But I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking this week about my time at The CA, and what it will mean to step away from this place after 15 years. (FYI, the photo with this post was taken in 2005, right as I was beginning iDivamemphis. I’ve always loved these pictures — Shane McDermott in the newsroom did my Diva face cartoon from it.) Read the rest of this entry »

In a word: the Shelby County Election Commission. Yep, I expected lines like the ones in the photo — taken at the Agricenter on one of the first early voting days. But Friday at 5:30, I pretty much waltzed right into the Election Commission offices downtown at the corner of Poplar and Second. Plan to spend some time figuring out what you think of the Charter Commission recommendations; the rest of the ballot is pretty straightforward. Though my cell phone rang as I was voting, and I immediately felt like a criminal … several of the poll workers began shouting at me to turn it off, turn it off!

But no matter how long it takes, and no matter how decided you think the races you’re voting on are, it couldn’t be more important that your voice be heard. VOTE!

Thanks to everyone who has written me about my Sarah Palin column in the paper yesterday. Just so you know, the mail and calls I got ran about 2 to 1 against my view that Sarah Palin’s family choices are fair game for discussion. Most of the notes were thoughtful; only a few called me names.

Several things came to my mind as I read that column again yesterday, though. The first was that, a week after I wrote it, it seemed a little stale. (My column deadline is about week earlier than the column runs in the newspaper. That’s what I get for writing a feature column.) I still agree strongly that Sarah Palin’s thoughts about family issues are totally fair to discuss, but I no longer think they are most important. As we got a first look at her in a national media interview, and read more about how she ran the state of Alaska, I’m more concerned now with how her experience and judgment will guide her in national office, not as much how her position on “culture war” issues inform her decisionmaking.

The other thing I thought this morning, though, is that I am looking forward to the first presidential debate at Ole Miss on Friday, Sept. 26. We need to focus again on the guys we’re actually electing, and the choices THEY will make for our country. The choice of Vice President is only one of many that tells what kind of leader each will be.

Actually, past the last minute — read the story, here. And here’s my favorite picture from the medal ceremony — real soccer moms Christie Rampone (left, with Rylie Cate) and Kate Markgraf (with son Keegan) flank Carli Lloyd. Oh yeah, Carli was the one who scored the game’s only goal. Congrats to the women of the USA Olympic soccer team. I know Mia, Julie, Brandi and the women of the storied 1999 World Cup team are smiling today. This first-generation Title IX athlete is smiling, too. Big.