Happy Friday visionaries! What better way to celebrate Black History Month than by introducing my readers (you guys):) to some of Chicago’s very own women authors and History makers in the making? First of all let me also remind everyone that February is also Women History, Chinese New Year and the opening of The Olympic Games! There’s so many worthy and historical causes happening during the month of February and as a woman and African-American, I chose to pay tribute to those past visionaries by sharing works of deserving folks right here in Chicago.
Yvonne Randle and Evette Collins are two charismatic authors who met as members of the Hurston-Hughes Writing Ministry. The two women teamed up to pen their inspirational and self-improvement relationship book, “The Secret to Creating Loving Relationships.” To pick up a copy visit the website at www.24-karatlove.homestead.com
Ms. Marcie Hill is a favorite among the Chicago elite group of writers and authors and is highly regarded in Social Media. Her latest book for writers and bloggers that is touted to become an educational resource for schools, libraries and other businesses, is “62 Blog Posts to Overcome Blogger’s Block”. Visit amazon.com to pick up your Kindle edition http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D9Q1R4A
Evelyn Cogdell is one of my favorite local authors. She modestly pens Romance Novels that sizzles with a Christian theme of what true love between the sheets really looks likes. A great interviewer, Evelyn latest interview is with Author and Playwright Crystal Rhodes. Read it here: http://voices.yahoo.com/renowned-playwright-succeeds-as-author-12524038.html
Finally and believe me I didn’t realize how many great writers I knew, right here in Chicago! Can you imagine those I don’t? Anyway, up last are four women authors (diversity!) consisting of Michelle Duster, great-granddaughter of Ida B. Wells, Cynthea Liu, Jen Cullerton Johnson and Trina Satira who formed MuseWrite by and for women of change. Their anthology in honor of First Lady Michelle Obama is called First Lady Depiction and due out in mid February. One of my poems, “Brown Girl Challenge” was chosen for inclusion. You can visit their website here-http://www.mldwrites.com/MIchelle_s_Bio.html.
This is a peek into some of what The Windy City has to offer by way of literary contributions. Please support these wonderful authors and feel free to share input on creatives in your city that you feel people really should know.
Marriage has been a major topic of interest studied by scientists for the past several years. In essence researchers seek to discover the overall benefits that marriage can provide for individuals, both men and women. Among the benefits researchers have looked at are: the impact of marriage on the financial, psychological, physical, social, emotional, and spiritual well-being of an individual, and how these elements in turn affect mortality rates.
For decades, there has been an ever-popular growing trend regarding older men mating and marrying younger women. We all know the scenario; an older man, who has been a carefree bachelor all his life, will quite suddenly meet and mate a younger woman. And, almost as suddenly as they began dating, he will decide he wants to settle down with her. As the old saying goes, the older man decides to ârob the cradleâ.
But why is this âcradle-robbingâ trend so popular? What makes older men whom we all know have been enjoying âsleeping aroundâ with every woman they possibly can, finally decide to get married, and then to a younger woman? Is this because younger women are more attractive than women their own age? Are the laws of attraction at work here, or is something else going on?
Some older men feel that a younger woman will boost their ego by improving their social status. Being seen out on the town with a younger woman improves the way other people view him. In other words, he feels more virile and less like an âagedâ man. Studies have shown that older men that mate with and/or marry younger women, have demonstrated a âmarkedâ increase in their fertility rates. We see it all the time, women having babies with their older husbands; and, this is true whether their husbands had previously been married or whether marriage is new to both partners.
But what about the mortality rates of older men? Another popular theory, which scientists have discovered is no myth, is that men must marry or risk an early death. This is especially true when the man has had several different mates throughout his life. Eventually he has to settle down or place his mortality rate in serious jeopardy. As men get older, they have to make sure they are in a monogamous relationship, if they want a longer life expectancy. All that ârunning aroundâ tends to catch up with them.
According to the researchers at Guardian.co.uk, marriage to a younger woman improves a manâs life expectancy. However, the Guardian researchers also found that a woman who marries a younger man, seven to nine years her junior, increases her mortality rate by 20%. Additionally, Sven Drefahl, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute in Rostock, Germany concluded that a womanâs life expectancy is shortened if thereâs a huge age difference between her and her spouse. Essentially then, the greater the age difference between a woman and her partner the greater the womanâs mortality risks, whether she is younger or older.Â
Further research by Drefahl unearthed the following data: men who marry women seven to nine years younger, decrease their mortality rate by 11%; whereas, men who marry older women showed an increase in their mortality risks. Years ago, scientists assumed that healthy older men and women selected younger spouses because they already expected to live a long life, and therefore were able to marry whomever they wanted. Another general assumption was that younger spouses positively impacted the overall well-being of their older partners. If this theory were true, the life expectancy of the older spouse would naturally be extended.Â
While the latter theory holds true for older men, it has proven to be false for older women. And, while the âhealth selectionâ theory might prove true for older men, Drefahl has concluded, âit canât be true for older womenâ. Rather than âselectâ a younger mate, most women choose to marry older men or men their own age. Drefahl says: âIts not that older women canât find younger men, most of them just donât want toâ. This could hold true for many reasons, one being women prefer older men or men their own age, because they admire the wisdom and experience the older man can bring to the relationship. Further, these women may feel that an older man is less likely to âcheatâ or commit adultery, than their younger counterparts. And, the Guardian researchers have concluded that a womanâs life expectancy increases when she and her husband are around the same age.Â
Men will undoubtedly read this article and go, âWhoa, gotta go find myself a younger woman.â Conversely, women reading this article might want to reconsider marrying and/or staying in serious, long-term relationships with their older counterparts. Celebrity statistics have offered us several models of the older man/younger woman scenario, as well as the older woman/younger man scenario: Michael Douglas (66) & Catherine Zeta-Jones (41); Warren Beatty (74) & Annette Bening (52); Robert Redford (75) & his new wife (53); Nick Cannon (29) & Mariah Carey (40); as well as Ashton Kutcher (33) & Demi Moore (49). And, how can we forget the âagedâ founder of the Playboy Mansion, none other than Mr. Hugh Hefner (85) who recently got engaged to one of his many much younger âplayboyâ girlfriends (the wedding is set to take place in June, 2011)? Apparently, these older men know something about the older man/younger woman mortality reduction benefits or are âtrue loveâ and the laws of attraction in play after all?
Overall, scientists conclude that marriage can benefit both sexes. Studies have proven the long-term effects of marriage provide: an improved financial situation (more so for women than for men); better psychological effects, and reduction in depression and stress (more so for men than women); and a marked general improvement in health and well-being (physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual).  Consequently, a satisfying marriage decreases mortality rates and is preferred by most, over a single, widowed or divorced life. Essentially, if youâre âagedâ it is better to have a companion with whom to share your life than to live life alone. Marriage, especially one that is satisfying, seems to be just what the doctor ordered.
Clara54 thanks Chicago writer & published author, Evelyn Cogdell for asking her meager input to this fab & informative piece which was published in the March 31st, 2011 edition of The Chicago Bulletin Newspaper. Congrats, Evelyn! Readers can contact the author, evelyncogdell@sbcglobal.net
This last year, I’ve been writing a bit about fashion and getting good responses…Three such articles, “Fashion For The Mature Woman”, ‘Fashion Is Not A Luxury” and Fab Fashion Website, can be found under Wiselyfemale over at my favorite writers haven, Myitthings..If you’ve read my posts here and taken a stroll over, or, decided to create a profile there to try your writing/fashion expertise, give me a holler and let me know .
As I’ve mentioned before, there are two contests in progress over there for ‘Green’ articles and finding the next ‘IT’ fashion designer. Will probably try my hand at going green, because I’ve written a few good articles about the Environment as well. Also if you’re looking for a gig as freelance writer in Fashion, SASSYBELLA.COM is one website that is looking to hire. I did visit, but, alas, felt the site was more of a young/hip format…not my speed. However, if you’re still of a certain age and have a versatile writing technique, then, by all means.
Seasoned writers, as opposed to newbies might want to visit Sassybella .com as well. Anyhow, I did apply with fingers/toes crossed as relationship columnist for a dating site. There seems to be a lot of those jobs floating around. It’s rare that this type of gig pays more than $10-$15 per post. I’m sure because one of my gal pal’s whose online dating column has been up for several years, started out making along those lines…Anyhow, I’m waiting to hear back, so keep your fingers/toes crossed for me?Â
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