If you've been wondering about the picture on the left, no that's not a picture of me, here's the scoop.

That's a picture of a "Hula Barbie", which was a christmas gift from the all-male finance group I worked for a long time ago. The gift was given to me before sexual harrassment in the office was such a big deal. The guys said they gave it me because 1) the Barbie reminded them of me and 2) I told them I liked Barbies and complained about never having a Barbie growing up that looked like me. When I was growing up, Barbies were all blonde and blue eyed.

At the time I thought how cute and flattering, that the guys thought I looked like a Barbie. Secondly these guys weren't the gift giving types, so for them to get together and buy me a christmas present was unusual.

A couple of girlfriends of mine thought the guys were insulting me by giving me the Barbie, but I thought it was given with good intentions. Besides, I worked with these guys and they were nice to me and I was the only woman in the group.

I don't think I look like a Barbie. One of my acting teachers called me a "giant Barbie" once, but what does he know, he's an acting teacher. A friend from NYC, while we were in Hawaii together, said I looked a "giant doll", and this guy from my jujitsu class called me "doll face". I love that name, "dollie face". I also used to use the Hula Barbie face when I would chat on AIM, with a friend of mine. He used Spider Man.

The Hula Barbie face has grown on me over the years, and it amuses me to no end that people think I look like a doll. I must be plastic looking or something, and have a vapid and shallow expression on my face. Whatever.