Ciao, bella. Perhaps Venice is the most popular city for circle skirts.

Where is my Isfahan novelty print? I should have gone into textile design. Not to be a gloomy guss, bubbeleh, but I hear that such patternly aspirations can one can get stuck designing grey herringbone for airline seats. And that does not thrill.

Go get this skirt. It's got a 25" waist and a 33" length, so best if you are tall and wasp-waisted. Since it is a reapeat print, you could probably shorten this skirt without losing too much of the scenic impact. The current bid is only $12.99. The seller has described it as more cornflower blue than purple. I like the frames around the different scenes. It reminds me of the art gallery dress from last month.

I did not watch the Academy Awards last night. Mostly because no one wears novelty prints. It's been too long since Bjork wore that lovely swan dress. That endeared her to me forever. Plus she is still getting press from it. I tell you goslings, if I ever had to walk the red carpet, I'd strive to be the worst dressed just for the attention. But how to top the swan dress? If you have any ideas, please let me know.

In general I hate award shows. I don't like it when people who already get a lot of money and adulation get together to congratulate each other. There's something greedy about it. Awards of any sort are about giving to those who have already got. Perhaps I should create an award that would go to someone who doesn't get recognition otherwise, that way it would actually make a difference.

When Egyptian writer Naguib Mahfouz won the Nobel Prize in 1988, he was 77 years old. He was interviewed saying that while he was very honored and the money sure didn't hurt, if he had gotten it earlier in his career it would have made a difference in his life. He would have been able to retire from his civil servant job, concentrate more on writing. The Nobel, of course, is an extreme example. It's more of a lifetime achievement award. Shouldn't there be awards to keep artists from giving up?

Rigoberta Menchú received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992. She was 34 years old. The prestige of the prize and the cash enabled her to do even more for the indigenous Maya Quiché in Guatemala. I hear that she is now running for president of her country. Wouldn't that just be awesome if she won?