And Then There's Maude

Does this look like a woman who can't just do as she wants to? I don't think so. Maude Kerns may have said that in response to some snooty thing Mark Rothko had to say, but she didn't really mean it. She said it out of spite.
Maude Kerns was one whole heartedly independant women of her time, not unlike the Maude of the show whose name this blog entry is taken from. In "And Then There's Maude" Bea Arthur played the main character of the liberal persona Maude. She embodied the theme lyrics- which compared many historical figures to Maude, such as Lady Godiva, Joan of Arc, Isadora Duncan and Betsy Ross. Here they are:
Lady Godiva was a freedom rider
She didnt' care if the whole world looked.
Joan of Arc with the Lord to guide her
She was a sister who really cooked.

Isadora was the first bra burner
And you're glad she showed up. (Oh yeah)
And when the country was falling apart
Betsy Ross got it all sewed up.

And then there's Maude.
And then there's Maude.
And then there's Maude.
And then there's Maude.
And then there's Maude.
And then there's Maude.
And then there's

That old compromisin', enterprisin', anything but tranquilizing,
Right on Maude

I realize these lyrics weren't actually written about Maude Kerns, but if you, like me, love the movie Harold and Maude, and also like me, id you love Bea Arthur you realize there is something unobtainably free about the name Maude.
If you are Maude, you can absolutely do as you want to.