Welcome to The Scarlet Dogma!

So why would this outspoken redhead start a blog with the name “The Scarlet Dogma?” Well, frankly I liked the sound of it, and it worked as a play on “The Scarlet Letter.”(remove any Jezebel, harlot or adulteress imagery. Yes, Demi Moore included)

It is just a humorous blog reflecting my spirited take on life—one woman’s view, one very spirited woman’s dogma so-to-speak. A self-absorbed ex-New Yorker, gone awry in the Rockies for several years and then returning to the Amish countryside, is going to have a few experiences along the way and more than a couple of things to say.

There is a great deal of history behind these musings. Much of my humor developed from my adventures growing up as a kid in New York City and being part of an unconventional family. One of three children raised by a struggling single mother in the 70’s was challenging enough, but add modern Orthodox Jewish to the mix, and it added a whole other dimension of interesting. This sassy, snarky, tough exterior I projected was clearly a by-product of growing up in New York. It was a city savvy you required if you were to survive as a well-adjusted kid. You needed to talk the talk and walk the walk. The endearing sarcasm provided a certain comfort for us New Yorkers, which explained the untrusting characteristic we displayed when one was too suspiciously sweet or giving.

With the tragedy of my dad’s death at 38, leaving my mom a widow at 33 with three kids to care for, there was an obvious hardship. Yet with all the dysfunction and no father present, I was still taught to respect others, keep an open mind, and never participate in any riot in a major city. Well, at least the first two stuck. My rebelliousness was sure to rear it’s ugly head many times over when I hit adolescence, and it was that devil-may-care attitude that would later re-shape my thinking.

The humorous irony of my past allows me to laugh through life at the silliest of times, sometimes inappropriately. (I was told that was nervous behavior) Shit happens. You deal with it and you move on—clearly the no-nonsense New Yorker in me. I have this need to speak my mind. Whether you ask for my opinion or not, you’re probably going to get it. No, it’s not Tourette’s—just another one of those hand-me-downs from my Jewish mother.

Life is too short to not take risks. To not say what you mean and mean what you say. If you have feelings for someone, let them know. You may not get another chance. As we get older, we have more responsibilities, but we’re more secure with who we are, with how we feel, with what we want and when we want it.

So, nothing will be off limits here; on aging, getting your groove back, intimacy, challenges of single motherhood, this online dating phenomenon, passion without love (yes, it’s possible), looking and feeling hot, and all with an undertone of endearing sarcasm. What did you expect from an ex-New Yorker!

Everything on this site is Copyright Karen Catalan 2010-2011

Comments are closed.