Image Grenade

She wasn’t the type you usually see on television. She was a real woman, though others called her ugly. Tittering arose from the audience as the took the stage. She was used to that. She’d been teased and bullied before. But when Susan Boyle opened her mouth to sing, the audience of Britain’s Got Talent was stunned that the voice of an angel emerged from such a humble vessel. If you’ve missed it, view the link here:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnmbJzH93NU

When I grew up, my auntie used to tell me “pretty is as pretty does.” In those days, it was your talent, intelligence, kindness, personable demeanor that contributed to your success. Wallis Simpson was no great beauty, but by all accounts was intelligent, poised and quite charming.

Now I don’t live under a rock, and I realize standards of beauty now regularly include surgical manipulation and cosmetic augmentation but have we become so jaded that we feel the need to laugh, tease and bully all that don’t, like Jordan a.k.a Katie Price (Andre)?

And it’s not just the west anymore. Remember the little girl in at the Olympics in China that was forced to sing off camera while a tot deemed more attractive was the face of the opening games?

Like every one, I’d like to be attractive, but as I type this, sitting quite uncomfortably on a pulled hamstring, swathed in a muscle elixir from Lush that leaves me smelling like a clove studded cypress tree, with chipped nail polish and no earrings, I have to wonder if every eye that sees me is thinking I must be positively worthless because I’ve opted for the experience of world travel instead of the visual loveliness my thighs could experience via liposuction? But you know what, there truly are more important things in life than balancing on stilettos and being skeletal enough to wear a size zero and trust me, even Victoria Beckham knows that.

As for those who said Susan Boyle  was ugly, well to paraphrase Abe Lincoln, God must have liked plain people because he made enough of them. Susan Boyle is not only a brilliant singer, but has a lovely sense of humor. Considering that she nursed her ill Mum until her demise, was obviously an incredibly kind and devoted daughter.

I’m sure she’ll go far. Even now, I can hear the clatter of stylists, who like vultures, can’t wait swoop down on her carcass, with brow wax in one hand and hair colour in the other.

And while I’m happy she’ll finally get her chance to do what she’s wanted to do for a lifetime, there are those of us, who would have been just as amazed had we heard her sing karaoke at her local in Scotland, and appreciated that diamond of a talent, even if it was contained in a plain brown wrapper.

Okay, so I’ve been really lax about the blog as of late, but on the plus side, I’ve managed to get loads done in my personal life. Did find some groovy new things to share so I’ll be updating shortly. Stay tuned for more.