Resolution?

So I got my Glamour magazine in the mail last week - it's the January issue (and it's disgustingly small - a sad shoutout to the state of the print media industry lately, but anyhow).   Naturally, it's talking about New Year's Resolutions and all the staples of New Year's Resolutions  (lose 10 pounds, quit smoking, get a new job, etc.).  

Now, I've never been one make New Year's resolutions in my adult life.   I find a bit of humor in it all:  1)  If it's a goal of yours, such as the above mentioned, why particularly decide to take action specifically at the beginning of the  year and 2)  The success rate of most New Year's resolutions...yeah.

However, I currently find myself in a bit of a rut.  My readers might note this by the number of posts filed under 'doldrums'.   Although there might not be anything particularly wrong at this moment, but there isn't necessarily anything spectacularly right (although I can say I am luckier than most to have my health, a decent job, family and some great friends).  

A humorous situation led me to think about my high school reunion (which will be coming up in a couple years).  As of right now, I wouldn't have any reason I'd be embarrassed to go see all my former classmates, however, I guess I'm not where I thought I'd be when I was a teenager and dreamed of adulthood.  I'm not the person I envisioned myself as going to said reunion.  Maybe this is a simple part of all dream/reality discrepancies, however, at one point in my life I felt I was someone who was destined for greatness and I'm pretty sure I haven't quite reached that.

Maybe I need a resolution.  

Another Shoutout

...to another newly discovered blog reader - Ronny D!  Or should I say RonDe?  (or is it Rhonda?)  You  know who you are.

Ron is a good friend that I worked with for a good chunk of my professional career.  He certainly brings a lot of life, entertainment and myspace usage to any office he inhabits.

I am truly flattered not only that Ron reads my blog, but also that Ron wanted a shoutout, because Ron already regularly gets shoutouts on a much bigger Chicagoland media outlet.  Ronny, I can't write a song for you about getting your name wrong, but I hope this suffices (I wanted to pull your picture off facebook and put it at the top of this post, but I thought maybe that was a little TOO creepy).  

I appreciate the readership.  This better bring on a blog comment!

Editor's note:  Ron also has a regular-appearing TV spot where he talks about how much he loves Portillo's.   The fact that he even notices my blog exists means so much....

Vampires

Ok, question here:  What's with the vampires lately?!?  The HBO True Blood Series, the Stephenie Meyer book series (which is apparently the new Harry Potter with the youngins),  some upcoming movies, etc.  

I know I'm not the first to make this observation or ask the simple question:  why?  Vampires aren't a new concept at all...why are they suddenly appealing/sexy/interesting/popular/whatever the heck they are?

Does anyone else remember when pirates were a big deal like 4-5 years ago?  People were all excited about 'talk like a pirate day'?   Tons of people were pirates for Halloween (hmm...).  I guess vampires are the new pirates.  

Although one would might suggest that one work showcased a vampire and the idea caught on - what about all the ideas that don't catch on?  Hmm.   Anyone out there interested in/excited about vampires?  Praytell...why???

For Courtney...Because She's Been Commenting a Lot Lately :)

"You suited up! That is SO going in my blog!"

I must say....How I Met Your Mother is a pretty good show. Thanks, Courtney, for introducing me to it. Now if you can just stay away from my man (in your dreams), I'll stop stealing your wardrobe for Halloween. Much appreciated. :)

Banned Books Week

So, my mother recently informed me about banned books week coming up soon.   Also, with Sarah Palin allegedly wanting to get multiple books banned - the topic has been brought up moreso often than usual.

I am not sure how I feel about the concept of banned books.  I have read a handful of the books that typically appear on the 'banned books list' and I definitely think someone somewhere is being waaaaay too sensitive.  There's definitely less offensive and/or controversial material in said books than in, well, every other form of media children are exposed to. 

However, that being said, I don't know how I feel about the concept of banning books.  There's a certain level of,  say, decency required of every other form of media and there are certain regulations out there.  I'm not saying some books should 'disappear', but perhaps a little regulation in some way wouldn't hurt.  

Now, I am certainly no expert on the matter - in fact, my information on the subject is very limited.  I didn't do any research for this post - this post is my attempt to do research.  I probably have more librarian friends than any other non-librarian - most who read this blog.  I do not know much about the matter - I would like some feedback.  :)

I Can See Russia From My House!!

LOL. LOVE IT!!

Could Tina Fey have been any better!?!?! I think Tina Fey is in my top five favorite celebrities. Maybe it's in the bangs.

Follow Up to a Previous REALLY OLD Post/Copying Emily AGAIN

There was a question about which Friends character I am....

There you go!

"Hi, I'm Chandler.  Could I BE wearing any more clothes?"

Dating Double Standards

So, there was an article in the, ahem, other paper - it was an excellent piece entitled something like "Why Can't Carrie Think Big?"   In short, it addressed that fact that many people comment on Carrie Bradshaw (SJP) dating a man (Chris Noth) who might be 'out of her league' per societal standards.  

I've heard criticisms of the Carrie/Big relationship from women moreso than men (most likely because more women are familiar with SATC).  Here's my beef though - we VERY often see and seem to accept the beautiful girl paired with the average joe guy - Katherine Heigl and Seth Rogen in Knocked Up, Heather Graham and Mike Myers in Austin Powers, Christie Brinkley and Billy Joel in real life, etc.   However, we RARELY see the reverse.  I honestly can't even think of another example other than Carrie and Big.

Why is that?

Whenever there's the latter mismatch, there's always the whole 'oh, he's really funny' (Sidenote:  funny is ALWAYS the first quality society seems to think women want in their man - if this is true, why aren't we all dating clowns or stand-up comedians??!).    Or, if not funny, it's assumed that the man has some other attractive quality, such as intelligence, successfulness, or kindness.  

However, Carrie Bradshaw is witty and independently successful - she should get the same absolution less than perfect looking men get, no?  Why is it assumed that men will pick their romantic partners solely on superficial qualities, yet women are expected to look at the big picture?

On a similar note, I remember, a couple years ago, one of the networks had a dating reality show called "Average Joe", in which a bunch of moderately-attractive-at-best men were vying for the hand of an attractive woman.   I didn't watch this show, but from the few commercials I saw, it didn't appear as though this leading lady was going to win Miss Congeniality any time soon.  So, what was their reason for pursuing her (aside from the fact that it was a reality show and there was probably some financial prize they were pursuing as well)??   

I find the whole situation ironic - it was fine for these men to apply superficial standards when picking a mate, but this woman was urged to look beneath the surface.  On the same note, I do not remember there ever being an 'Average Jane' counterpart to this show.  Why is it that a woman dating a less than perfect man is widely embraced, but a man with a less than perfect woman is generally non-existent - at least in Hollywood?

It seems as though the double-standard is alive in well in the eyes and minds of both men and women.   Do we still see a woman's primary role in a relationship to be 'sitting pretty'?  Why can't we accept the idea of a man being attracted to wit, ambition, or a kind soul over appearance?  Are looks really THAT important to men?

I honestly don't know if I think men are more superficial than women on the whole - a faithful part of me wants to think they are not.   However, why do we struggle with the idea of the hot guy with an average girl, but the pairing of the hot girl and average guy is a duo of heroes?  

My Fifteen Minutes of Fame

I'm not the only blogger out there....

http://www.nbc5.com/streetteam/index.html?dl=mainclick

This is from the Sex and the City movie premiere....