Soul Survivor

In a summer that has been full of fun little challenges, I have been called out on my "glass half full" attitude on more than one occasion. My secret?

Think of something that makes you happy.

I know, right? This hardly seems groundbreaking, but if you are in a dark place I probably just rocked your world.

Just think about one of the happiest, most wonderful things that has ever happened to you and say buh-bye to those bell-bottom blues. Lately this has been my go-to for when the going gets tough:

Papa was a rollin' stone.

Five years ago today, my dad and I saw the Rolling Stones play at the Detroit stop of their A Bigger Bang Tour. Joey Harrington was a few rows away, but this daddy's girl still preferred Cliff Mathis's company. After all, I inherited my dad's musical tastes . . . and dance moves (If "Tumblin' Dice" taught me anything, the man can cut a rug). I need music and people to keep me happy, so that night was not only the best birthday gift ever, but it is also probably the best thing that ever happened to me (after being born, of course).

I am beaming right now. Are you? Maybe you can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes . . . well, you know.

Photo by Susan Mathis

It's Going, Preppy

I highly recommend reading this True Prep excerpt from the September issue of Vanity Fair. I would also suggest that, while reading this, you wear a Vineyard Vines polo, cuffed tweed shorts and topsiders and listen to Brian Wilson's latest.

Take it from me.

Sweet Baby James

If you have not done so already, Kate Mathis Walford, do yourself a favor and read "The James Franco Project."

Lazy readers, do not be scared by the length of the article. The already-storied New York magazine feature manages to be simultaneously lovely, insightful, bizarre, frustrating and somewhat-heartbreaking.

Yes, for real.

AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

Baby, Baby, Baby -- Ow!

Although I question anybody who attends a Justin Bieber concert, I like to think we are able to watch the responsible party's "Bieber Fever" breaking.

Staying Flowers

The Killers frontman Brandon Flowers is the kind of guy you either love or hate. Naturally, I love him . . . mainly for all the wrong reasons, including his affinity for feathered jackets, the idea that he is a Mormon from Las Vegas (which cannot be easy), and the fact that he created a song in response to Hunter S. Thompson.

I have had a month to stew over his first music video from his debut single, "Crossfire." Funnily enough, I am coincidentally caught in the crossfire when it comes to his solo career.



Here's the thing: Flowers is the basis of The Killers' appeal. Believe me when I say that Dave Keuning, Mark Stoermer and Ronnie Vannucci are the heart of the band. But Flowers is its soul. (But he's not a soldier!)

So I do not really understand why Flowers is going the solo route if the band is not going to break up. Especially when his song sounds nearly identical to The Killers, apart from the melancholy aspect and the lack of feathered jackets.

But I continue to tune in, amazed at the fact that Charlize Theron saves our guy from ninjas three times (because coming to his rescue once and just bailing from there was not enough), and by the end, he is hanging upside-down and gives her a goofy, lopsided smile. And I remember why I love him, no matter what.

Summer Hatin', Summer Lovin'

"Camp" might be the scariest word in the English language. My idea of camping does not involve "roughing it." I really feel for Malia Obama, 12, who has devoted one precious month of summer to her first overnight camp. Better her than me, though.

But it gets worse. Nine-year-old Sasha Obama has been spending the summer traveling with her mother in Europe.

"Dear Malia: We are in Spain. We just met the king.

What's it like without an outlet? Wear bug spray! Love, Sasha."

Part of me thinks that growing up in the White House would be pretty great. But there is a bigger part of me that thinks that having a dad who is also president must be really horrible and confusing for a child. I digress.

Let's just agree that Malia Obama really got the raw end of the bargain this summer. Live and learn. Life isn't fair when you're the oldest child. Not that I would know.

Meanwhile, let's give it up for Sasha Obama, who might be the most brilliant little sister ever. That is, second-most brilliant.

AP Photo/Manu Mielniezuk

Now and Then: Sister, Sister

It's that time of the year again — the time to honor the sacred bond of sisterhood via Sister's Day. People may come and go, but take comfort in knowing that sisters are forever.

So if you got stuck with a bad sister, that really sucks.

Lucky for me, I have never had that problem. I am, hands-down, the luckiest girl in the world because I have the best sister ever. Sister's Day lets me be even more vocal about the fact that Kate Mathis Walford's love is my drug.

True, we love each other. We also like each other, too, which contributes to our closeness. That is how it has always been...

Now:

Sister's Day 2010.

We were pretty jazzed about celebrating together.

Then:

Meg and Kate: Yin and Yang.

Not much has changed since this photo was taken.

"There were never such devoted sisters..."

Photos courtesy of Kate Mathis Walford