If there's one thing a crazy person is good for - it's inspirational cut and paste artwork. Am I right?
“Speaking to a yet another massive crowd in Cocoa Beach, on Florida’s space coast, Gingrich ditched his stump speech and offered his vision of an ambitious new space program. ”By the end of my second term,” Gingrich said, prompting the crowd to erupt in applause, “we will have the first permanent base on the moon and it will be American.”
When he was in the House, he authored a bill that would allow a lunar colony to apply for statehood once it reached 13,000 residents.
I met a gentleman in the audience who told me he had worked on Gingrich’s Congressional staff and helped with the bill, which was called a Northwest Territory Ordinance for Space. The man told me the bill would have allowed space colonies with over 20,000 people to apply for recognition as a US territory.”
I think the scariest part of this whole thing is he may actually have a chance. Really? THIS is who we see leading the free world? A vote for Obama (or Romney, or Paul, or Santorum) is a vote AGAINST moon colonies. So think through that... think through it very carefully.
So come to find, I don't blog like a regular blogger. What does that even MEAN?!?! Well, I guess it means I'm either a non-conformist or completely out of touch. I'm going with the latter on that one seeing as I'm usually the last to know anything (see: not knowing Amy Winehouse had died until a few months ago or figuring out that DIY means Do It Yourself, like, a month ago) or last to jump on already brimmingly full cultural bandwagons (see: any popular TV show in general, capri's (which I still refuse), and Twitter. I don't tweet. I don't understand the point of tweets. And I think it's weird when people say, "I read this tweet..." or "I tweeted" You... WHAT?!?! Sick!). Oh, you mean what is a regular blogger and how am I not it? Whoops. Sheepish grin.
I only noticed my irregular bloggery because I've finally (FINALLY) noticed a pattern with most bloggers I like to read/peruse. Or just most bloggers in general I suppose. I've noted before, I only follow 4 or 5 blogs fairly consistently and mostly, it's because I can endure their writing. Nay, it's because I actually ENJOY their writing. And who follows blogs because of the WRITING?? I'm going with slim to no one considering everyone thinks they're a writer and only about 5.25% actually include words in their blog entries. And abut 4.653% of THOSE can construct a meaningful paragraph... that even KNOW how to "paragraph." Yes, I just made "parapgraph" a verb; "She paragraphed as if each thought she had was transitory yet related..." If I were merely enduring what I was reading, then you can be certain I would've stopped that ridiculousness ages ago - though I'm sure still well behind everyone else who stopped enduring dangling participles and blatant neglect of the Oxford comma. I won't give it up I tell you! The flag is red, white, and blue! Not red.... .... .... whiteandblue! Shudder.
There's also the blogs I like to look at because I am inspired by their creativity (cough, Roxy Marj, cough). In fact, I will go so far as to say "dangle your participle!" because your modge-podge would have even Monet shopping for sponges. You modge podge with sponges right? These things:
Anyway...
Here are some patterns of bloggery I've noticed are fairly consistent (i.e. "regular) with most high profile-type blogs that I rarely if ever do on my own blog. Why? Most of it has to do with pure unadulterated laziness. Oh, and the narcissistic concept that all you need is my writing to enjoy my blog. Ha ha ha! Riiiiiight.
1. DIY projects (that's Do It Yourself... to the slow person). I don't think I've ever been described as "crafty." Creative perhaps. I can plan one hell of a themed party! But crafty? I've recently dipped my proverbial toe into craft-land and find I very much enjoy it. Never the less - there's no bloggery about it. It just seems to produce a useful "How-to" list complete with pictures and steps seems like doubling the work of an already painstaking craft. I MADE a Halloween banner. What more do you WANT?!? Figure it our your damn self, Sherlock.
2. Trips. Alright -I HAVE blogged about trips and I enjoy writing about them. But they have to be rather significant trips... or really trips at all. I find a lot of bloggers discuss their recent jaunt to Trader Joe's (not in Utah, so how can I even blog about that? Huh! How?!?), or their weekend sabbatical in "insert location 20 minute away from their home town" and though I like reading about these things, I don't blog about them often. Maybe I should, "Today, I while buying Tostitos as Smith's, I saw a frozen coyote in a shopping cart."
Aside: so that's an actual story that happened to my brother at the Price, Wal-Mart. I mean, of COURSE it happened at a Price, Wal-Mart. Maybe if I start blogging about interesting things I will tell you that story. But it is not this day.
3. Products. I don't mention products or make-ups or tasty things I've eaten and so must YOU or things I've recently tried and regretted. I probably should. I mean, for the 2 or 3 people who glance over my blog, at least they'd get an opinion about a product they've been considering from someone who has no clout. And I do want to help people! It's the philanthropist in me. Here's a start:
I like the scoops myself as it allows you to balance your salsa to chip ratio much more effectively. I'm also a pico-de-gallo fan more so than your basic salsas. I like the chunks without the runs. There's clearly a 12 year old boy joke in there somewhere. Poop allusions are funny.
4. Pictures. And that's basically what it all boils down to. Pictures. People like to see them; and I don't ever take them. So I guess I mean "real life" pictures. That's because you can't google those, "Me eating Tostitos scoops" and get what you expected. You can, however, google "Daniel Craig is sexy" and have a myriad of options right at your finger tips. Mmmm... Daniel Craig at your fingertips. Sure, you'll get a blurry phone photo of Zooey or little Carter now and again I guess. That's as real life as I get. I think if I added real life pictures to whatever nonsense I attempt to describe, it might help me look more bloggery. But then again, I am an Ar-teest! And my art is in my writing. Why would I muddle such beauty with something as silly as pictures? I ASK YOU!
5. I also don't have kids. That's the old fail safe blog post isn't it? I've not blogged in awhile, so here, look at these 93 still shots of my kid smearing carrot puree all over his face. Riveting. That creates a nice irregular bloggery hole in my blog world I'd say. One I hope to never fill. Not because I don't want kids, cause I do, but because carrot puree makes me gag.
6. Cooking. Do I cook? Yeah, sure I do. In fact, I've been subsisting on a vat of homemade chicken noodle soup for a solid week now. HOMEMADE! CHICKEN NOODLE! I also bake. I'd say I bake a lot. Over that same chicken noodle week I've been ceremoniously supplementing said meal with a delicious chocolate crunch brownie. But just like the crafts, I don't care to document the experience in painstaking technical writing complete with attempts at "arty-food" pictures.
BRIGHT IDEA ALERT! AKA RIDICULOUS TANGENT!
Perhaps I could blog about the brownie making process as if the brownie were an actual character in a story. Example:
As Hershey Cocoa rested comfortably divided evenly among 3 Tablespoons, awaiting her turn in the rotating bowl of doom that was at this moment creaming together 2 sticks of butter, 2 cups of sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla, she glanced over at the oven temperature and noted it read 350 degrees respectively. She usually tried not to do this as it was like looking into the furnace of her own death - but this time - she looked - along with the 1 cup flour and 4 eggs waiting in line with her. The flour glanced at her with resignation and the eggs, well, the eggs just grinned and clucked among themselves. Eggs. They were always so smug what with their white shells and gooey centers. They never even see the inevitable coming. No, they just fluff and preen and coagulate the rest of us together - patting themselves on the back for creating a sense of "community" among the other ingredients. It's not until we're all spread evenly in a greased 9x10 glass cake pan and starting to feel the sting of 25-30 minutes or until the center isn't gooey, do they start to panic.
What do you think?... Eh?.... EH?!??!.... erp.
So that's what I DON'T blog about that makes me a not so regular blogger. What I DO blog about is contained basically to a few random trips, commentary on social issues, Zooey and/or Carter, self-reflection, life lessons, and random things I find funny, inspirational, or addicting (see: Downton Abbey... X-Files... Tostitos Multigrain Scoops). I also enjoy a good lament or rant once in awhile.
I'm glad I figured this out - that I am not a "regular" kind of blogger. Why? Shrug. So I could irregularly blog about it. Oh snap. Did I mention I like to blog in "sass" and "irony." Yep, just made those writing genres. What of it.
*Note, some scenes are somewhat graphic. Thought you deserved a warning!
Last night, I had the privilege of viewing this film at the Utah Museum of Fine Art (UMFA) with a handful of friends. It premiered at Sundance last year, and since then I’ve heard nothing but excellent feedback about the issues it addresses. I scoured their website, tracking where they were showing it next, and was very happy when I discovered the College of Social and Behavioral Science at the University of Utah was hosting a screening.
Naturally with a documentary addressing equity issues, particularly that of women as they are portrayed in the media and how that, in turn, effects gender parity in the United States, one must mull over the issues and concepts for awhile. Particularly, I wanted to reconcile what I believe are the innate gender differences and dare I say “roles” of women as a fundamental unit of society as well as the natural born nurturers, comforters, and champions of family, children’s rights, and social justice with the call for women to break through the administrative glass ceiling and become powerful voices in leadership, commerce, and business. I feel that these two concepts of womanhood and ability are complimentary to each other though difficult to balance.
However, I also feel that extreme feminism has eroded the role of men as community contributor, providers, and dare I say protectors? We can all agree that any stance, even in such arenas as social justice, freedom, and democracy, taken to the outer extremes becomes not harbingers of peaceable solutions and the equitable pursuit of happiness, but instead ignites greater tyranny, contention, and loss of individuality. Fanaticism and extremity in any respect is dangerous. That said, the movie was somewhat extreme in my mind in a few respects. That's to be expected. A rallying cry is a yell and not a whisper.
I also want to say; I have always had issue with the idea that society and the media both view being a homemaker is somehow not living up to your womanly potential in a modern world. That if you are not working an 8-5, that you are not only dim-witted or lack depth, but that you are somehow hampering the feminist movement simply by keeping house and raising children. Thus, I think it’s important to show the immeasurable value a homemaker contributes to her home, her community, and the future of the country. In fact, I would go so far as to say that it is good mothering (whether that is full time in the home or not) that will make or break a nation on every possible level.
I also have the perception that being a feminist is construed as being a “man-hater.” That if you claim to value women’s rights and participate in the women’s movement, (or run for President of the United States or hold leadership positions in government at ALL), you are therefore a man-hater as well. I look towards the day when claiming to be a feminist is not also claiming to be a man-hater. Wanting to forward the cause of the historically disadvantaged is not inversely a cause to disadvantage or loathe another group. I also feel that claiming to be a feminists means you must not desire to fulfill a role of wife and mother. I say Feminists Are Mothers and Wives too! I am part of a religion that refers to a married couple as companions. Companion. Partner. Match. Someone you have equally yoked yourself with to trudge through this journey called life. Though many would view my religion as “traditionally patriarichal” in the sense it somehow does not allow equitable expectations, treatment, or recognition of its woman members and prefers them submissive, quiet, and complacent. I say to YOU, you have never been more wrong. I recommend watching a single session of General Conference and observing how the male leaders of my church rever, respect, and adore the women of the church. And they adore them in a way that is valuable, uplifting, and beautiful. The sanctity of women in my religion is ingrained in its every principle and precept. Here’s a good example: LDS Women are Incredible.
ANYWAY! All that said…
The film, Miss Representation, focused very particularly on the media influence of the societal perception of women and how that perception has hindered the cause for equity and to just plain be taken seriously. I ardently agree that the overt sexualization of women and the unrealistic and entirely unattainable standard of “beauty” portrayed through and enabled by the media that not only objectifies women and therefore devalues their contribution to society, but communicates to the rising generation of women that their ambitions and goals to become leaders in their community is not valuable to a hyper-sexualized society. That a woman’s worth lies solely within the length of her hair, the shape of her body, and the plumpness of her breasts is reinforced daily through an onslaught of mediums including billboards, television shows, movies, advertisements, clothing stores, and even news broadcasts. And because the perceived societal promulgation of woman’s value as purely aesthetic is so ingrained in our collective psyche, when a woman rises to a position of leadership, she is labeled a bitch; whereas if a man rises to positions of leadership, he is ambitious. A woman in leadership is not heralded or critiqued because of her stance on policy, but rather, her pant suits or hairstyle. Even when looking up pictures of powerful women’s in the United States and beyond on Google image, the “suggestions” for my search were “Katie Couric, sexy… Ann Curry, hot…. Michelle Obama, hot… Hillary Clinton, nut crusher…”
Face the Facts; Did you know?
“…The United States is still 90th in the world for women in national legislatures, women hold only 3% of clout positions in mainstream media, and 65% of women and girls have disordered eating behaviors.”
I repeat: women hold 3% of clout positions in mainstream media. Curious, isn't it? That the media's positions of clout is held by 97% by men. Think about that.
This is just one small factoid of many presented throughout the film that adds credence to the claims that though women have made significant strides in achieving equity and credibility in social and political forums, there is clearly much more that needs to be done; and that includes addressing the role the media plays in that perception. In fact, I would go so far as to suggest that the media is responsible for the stagnation of women’s movement in the last 5 years with its skewed and incredibly damaging portrayals of women in the media. And the media IS incredibly powerful. So what’s to be done?
My favorite part of the film was a call for women to become mentors and support mechanisms to each other. Marie Wilson, Founder and President Emeritus of The White House Project, stated, “You can’t be what you can’t see.” The media is the most pervasive medium through which society, through which women, integrate social expectations and perceptions, how will they ever find value outside of “sexy, hot, and hips” if the media is their only window? Through us. Through the women who have had these experiences and understand the pressure, the internal conflicts, and the personal anguish that forces us to have eating disorders, cut ourselves, be depressed or anxious, nip, tuck, pluck, and bake our bodies to societal perfection. Of course, I believe that we need to express our femininity and beauty and not hide those qualities and unique attributes that make us women. I do not want women to become men. I want women to find their worth and value beyond the realm of the aesthetic and create a more holistic perception of a woman who is valued for her intellectual, spiritual, emotional, AND physical beauty. A confident woman, no matter her dress or hairstyle, is a beautiful woman.
As for me and my own experiences. Can I tell you how many times I've been told I'm not married (oh heaven forbid ;)) YET, because I am "intimidating." Intimidating. Or how many meetings I've been a part of where I've been interrupted by a man or talked over or not even addressed as part of the group? I remember thinking in 5th grade that I had "fat thighs." In 5th grade! I've had friends with eating disorders, depression, rooted bitterness, resentment, and anguish simply because they were not meeting a completely unattainable standard the media has passed off as "the norm." Something must change.
