Like many Americans, I spend a great deal of time on the internet.  A decent chunk of that time is spent looking at images of all kinds.  Today, for instance, I found this lovely blog of interior photography in real people’s homes called An Afternoon With…, and it pretty well knocked my socks off.  Often, I visit blogs like The Sartorialist and This Fashion is Mine for style inspiration.

Of course, then there are the celebrity pages.  I like to see what celebrities are wearing (especially men, since most men I’m acquainted with never go out on a limb, and it’s fun to see what the stars are wasting their money on).  I also like to see what celebrities are doing.  I’m not so much into the trash-talking as I am the inspiring stuff, however.  Like today, there was an article up on Yahoo! about Sandy Bullock’s recent surprise appearance at an event, where she showed up just to support her friend and fellow divorcee Ryan Reynolds.  The shot of them together was adorable, and I was loving just seeing friendship in action, when it hit me that the article defined Bullock as being 47.  Look at this gorgeous girl – does she look a day over 35?  INSPIRATION.  (Plus, she’s so damn nice; I could only hope to be such a lady.)

Another Hollywood star I adore is everyone’s favorite girl next door, Jennifer Aniston.  People normally love her or hate her, and in my opinion, a lot of the hate comes from taking all of the ‘poor little rich girl’ tabloid stories too seriously.  The media certainly made the most of their Bradjelina/Aniston triangle for as long as they possibly could, but the poor lady obviously moved on long ago, and would love to see the tabloids catch up.  In her professional life, Aniston has consistently shown up in rom-coms that suit my tastes (light, not much thought required, and perfect for a Sunday rendezvous with Mssrs. Ben and Jerry).  In fact, I really loved her in her last movie with Adam Sandler, Just Go With It.  Nothing too serious, but she was solid and really cool.  Plus, her scenes with Nicole Kidman as nemesis were awesome.

In her personal life, despite the lack of luck with the menfolk, Aniston seems to be a ‘chin-up’ kind of girl.  She seems pretty strong and down to earth.  She also loves interior design, yoga, healthy eating, and classic clothes, and was recently devastated when her elderly dog died.  Plus, she’s got the best figure of the more normal movie stars out there – she’s not overly voluptuous, just really fit and toned.  Did you see her in Horrible Bosses?  I don’t know about you, but I say INSPIRATION!

I’m a devoted fan of the TV show The Closer, and since I started watching it, I’ve fallen in puppy love with the beautiful and talented Kyra Sedgwick.  I’ve watched her in many movies since first discovering her distinct style, and Singles is probably my favorite.  I’d guess it’s because it’s somewhat of a reflection on my own life over the last few years, only minus the really awesome apartment (and let’s not forget the parking space).

I love Sedgwick’s ability to play the bad guy, as well as her ability to let the viewer see her vulnerability.  You just get the feeling that she’s a really tough cookie, but also a great person to have in your life, an old soul with lots of love to give.  My favorite thing about her as a person has nothing to do with her profession, though.  It has to do with her steadfastness.  She’s been married to Kevin Bacon for over 20 years (in Hollywood), and even though she says it wasn’t love at first sight, she says she just knew he was the one for her.  They’ve stuck it out this long, have two kids together, work together, and still appear to be a very strong unit.  Needless to say – INSPIRATION!  I want to be that kind of woman.  I think I am, but it’s good to see it working well for other people, too.

Someone you never see in the news anymore – though that’s probably exactly what she wants – is Geena Davis.  In general, I’m only somewhat a fan of her acting, though I do count a few of her movies as great favorites of mine, like Beetlejuice, The Long Kiss Goodnight, and who could forget the campy Cutthroat Island?  People say that she’s beautiful, but I’ve never been able to agree.  She’s not unpleasant to look at, but she’s just not what I’d consider a classic hottie.  What I do find irresistible about Davis, however, is her athleticism and intelligence.  Did you know she was an Olympic archer?  Or that she’s a member of Mensa?  INSPIRATION times two!  I doubt I’ll be joining her ranks in either of those endeavors any time soon, but still, one can’t help but give a big thumbs up to such a well-rounded overachiever.

The tabloids would probably say I’m committing a major faux pas with this next one (Jenn & Angie in the same post – the horror!), but I couldn’t write a blog about the women who inspire me without including Angelina Jolie.  I’ve loved her since the first time I saw her in Hackers.  I thought she was pretty cool when she kept Billy Bob’s blood in a vial and started getting tattooed with crappy tattoos.  Of course I wondered about her sanity, but one can’t help but watch that kind of passion for life and feel a little jealous.

Despite the whole issue with her supposed man stealing, it’s delightful to watch her life unfold and become somewhat normal (as far as anything she does can be called “normal”).  She’s definitely improved with age, and it’s been nice to see her soften in the glow of love from all of those children and a husband who seems to share in even ownership of their team.  Another thing that has captured my attention is her tireless devotion as a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador.  Her heart’s in the right place, and I love that she’s used her passion and love to help improve the lives of others, when she could just as easily have spent her life flitting from party to party like most of the other stars out there.  INSPIRATION.