Taking a longer break...
because Spring Break and Easter are the busiest times of my year, and I really need to relax this week in preparation for the big crunch. And in fact I'm so stressed I forgot I was even writing a blog. Sorry! I may not be back until mid-April, unless something very juicy or very tragic happens.
Tuesday, March 16, 2004
Friday, March 12, 2004
Remembering 9/11
The terrorist attacks in Madrid have me recalling what happened here in the U.S. on September 11, 2001. How the world changed on that date! My memory of that day is selective; I remember certain parts. Of what happened that evening--did I have dinner? I remember nothing at all. So I've decided to publish my diary entry from that day. I was working on the 30somethingth floor of the John Hancock tower in Chicago at that time.
September 11, 2001
Talk about two bad days in a row…today, the shit hit the fan. Wow! We were “recommended” to leave the Hancock tower this morning a little after 9, after terrorists targeted the Pentagon and the World Trade Center…I didn’t even know about it until I got on the elevator going into the building, because everything happened during my commute. While listening to the radio we heard that the Sears tower had been shut down, and we’re like, hmmm…the Sears tower is landlocked, and the Hancock building really makes a better target. Can we get out of here, please? So we got the go ahead to leave the building, and just as we were all rushing to the elevator there was an announcement over the P.A. It took me a while to get home, in part because of my own dawdling and also because of equipment problems on the train. I’ve been listening to the news since then.
I did something else bad, though. Stu suggested we fill up the cars with gas since who knows what this whole situation will do to gas prices. So I bought a bottle of water and then I drove off—with the pump still in my car! I totally pulled the line from the tank. I felt horrible, but I guess I was distracted, and I gave them my name and number. I guess it’s just money, right? But this is certainly a hugely busy day for them and now they don’t have a pump. Still, putting it all in perspective, it’s not like someone died. Considering everything that’s going on around the country it feels like small potatoes. I feel bad, though. I’m usually not that absent-minded.
Sounds like most people I know are safe. I haven’t been able to reach my sister’s cell, because all circuits belonging to New York cell phones are apparently busy, but I would be very surprised to find out that she didn’t know someone affected by this horrible tragedy. The sad thing is, I’m not surprised. And I’m definitely concerned that we’ll be pointing our fingers at the wrong culprits in our heat to bring the guilty to justice. I just remember after the Oklahoma bombing how quick we were to say, only Islamic fanatics could have had the organization to pull this off. How wrong we were! B. called to tell me a couple of our friends are fine. Since my sis is in Boston I’m sure she’s fine, but I’m worried about H. and some of her other friends.
My next few days are going to be extremely busy because of this. I may as well enjoy the time off while it lasts. The MLB has suspended operations also, so we won’t be going to the Cubs game as planned. It’s such a beautiful day, it’s almost a pity, but I’d be surprised if most people there could keep their minds off the events of the day.
End entry
I do remember driving home, and thinking what a gorgeous day it was, and I met a neighbor as I was stepping out of my car in the parking lot of my condo complex. Maybe she was walking her greyhound. We discussed the weather and the events of the morning. She told me all about a magazine called Simple Life, which I'd never heard of, and promised me she'd bring me some copies to borrow. It was a totally unremarkable conversation. Then I went in and watched television the rest of the afternoon. The news, specifically. I cried.
The terrorist attacks in Madrid have me recalling what happened here in the U.S. on September 11, 2001. How the world changed on that date! My memory of that day is selective; I remember certain parts. Of what happened that evening--did I have dinner? I remember nothing at all. So I've decided to publish my diary entry from that day. I was working on the 30somethingth floor of the John Hancock tower in Chicago at that time.
September 11, 2001
Talk about two bad days in a row…today, the shit hit the fan. Wow! We were “recommended” to leave the Hancock tower this morning a little after 9, after terrorists targeted the Pentagon and the World Trade Center…I didn’t even know about it until I got on the elevator going into the building, because everything happened during my commute. While listening to the radio we heard that the Sears tower had been shut down, and we’re like, hmmm…the Sears tower is landlocked, and the Hancock building really makes a better target. Can we get out of here, please? So we got the go ahead to leave the building, and just as we were all rushing to the elevator there was an announcement over the P.A. It took me a while to get home, in part because of my own dawdling and also because of equipment problems on the train. I’ve been listening to the news since then.
I did something else bad, though. Stu suggested we fill up the cars with gas since who knows what this whole situation will do to gas prices. So I bought a bottle of water and then I drove off—with the pump still in my car! I totally pulled the line from the tank. I felt horrible, but I guess I was distracted, and I gave them my name and number. I guess it’s just money, right? But this is certainly a hugely busy day for them and now they don’t have a pump. Still, putting it all in perspective, it’s not like someone died. Considering everything that’s going on around the country it feels like small potatoes. I feel bad, though. I’m usually not that absent-minded.
Sounds like most people I know are safe. I haven’t been able to reach my sister’s cell, because all circuits belonging to New York cell phones are apparently busy, but I would be very surprised to find out that she didn’t know someone affected by this horrible tragedy. The sad thing is, I’m not surprised. And I’m definitely concerned that we’ll be pointing our fingers at the wrong culprits in our heat to bring the guilty to justice. I just remember after the Oklahoma bombing how quick we were to say, only Islamic fanatics could have had the organization to pull this off. How wrong we were! B. called to tell me a couple of our friends are fine. Since my sis is in Boston I’m sure she’s fine, but I’m worried about H. and some of her other friends.
My next few days are going to be extremely busy because of this. I may as well enjoy the time off while it lasts. The MLB has suspended operations also, so we won’t be going to the Cubs game as planned. It’s such a beautiful day, it’s almost a pity, but I’d be surprised if most people there could keep their minds off the events of the day.
End entry
I do remember driving home, and thinking what a gorgeous day it was, and I met a neighbor as I was stepping out of my car in the parking lot of my condo complex. Maybe she was walking her greyhound. We discussed the weather and the events of the morning. She told me all about a magazine called Simple Life, which I'd never heard of, and promised me she'd bring me some copies to borrow. It was a totally unremarkable conversation. Then I went in and watched television the rest of the afternoon. The news, specifically. I cried.
Wednesday, March 10, 2004
My Younger Self
When I was younger, I was a dreamer. I was never very popular--in fact, I was quite awkward. Being an Asian girl in an American society was hard for me. I wore glasses, I had braces, I had low self-esteem. I loved stories--read voraciously, watched a lot of TV. I wrote stories in my school notebooks during math class. I didn't go out a whole lot, even as a teenager. I put my energy into being a good student. I joined lots of extracurricular activities, including the high school newspaper and debate team--two activities that ultimately helped me get over my shyness.
Sometimes I wonder what happened to that girl. She was so shy, so afraid to reach out to people and to make friends. Afraid of being hurt, but with big dreams. She wanted to be an astronaut. She wanted to be a famous writer. She hoped to travel to exotic places, to live around the world. Though she cared what people thought of her, she also had this reckless streak. She would dance down sidewalks just because she felt like it. When she went dancing, she would try new moves because she loved the feel of it. She didn't care what strangers saw. She never felt like she belonged, exactly.
She went to Wellesley College and bloomed there. Making new friends from different places, she learned a lot about life. She had always been insecure, afraid to make wrong judgments about people and situations she didn't know. She drew, she wrote poetry, she loved science and politics, she loved to write and had no doubt that she had talent. Eventually, she learned to have an affinity with art. She adored it. She wore black because it suited her mood, her favorite shoes were Doc Martens and she sang whenever she felt like it. Yes, she suffered from depression, especially in high school. She thought no boys would ever like her--why should they? But she also loved life, every moment of it. She was sweet, ambitious, passionate and loving. She didn't feel that she needed things--she just needed freedom.
Today, that girl is different. I'm almost 32 now. I can't fathom what the me from that era would think of me now. In many ways I am the same. I'm still a bit insecure. I still dream of going to romantic places and being inspired by them to write amazing things. But I don't dance down sidewalks anymore--I don't sing except in the car. I write out bills and I worry about money. I'm not so sure I'm a talented writer anymore, since I haven't done it professionally in awhile. My future doesn't seem like it's all in front of me. I try to be tactful, decorous, social and engaging. I still wear black, but it's not the casual black I used to don. I go to museums, but the enthusiasm I used to have for art has become a more sedate feeling.
But I'm also better. I'm outgoing. I love to talk to people. I don't worry so much about what they think of me, because I know I've led an interesting life. I'm married, looking forward to having children. I'm not such a dreamer; I'm much more pragmatic. Somewhere along the way I acquired some common sense and I use it pretty consistently. I have so many more "things" than I used to, and now my standard of living is one I couldn't have imagined years ago. I can be comfortable in a room full of lawyers wearing evening dress; I can feel equally comfortable at a Cubs game or at the Double Door on a Friday night listening to a band in jeans.
My life is different than how I planned it, but I've always known that things don't always happen the way you think they will. And I'm okay with that, most of the time. I'm not the dreamer that I used to be, but that doesn't mean I don't dream. About a better life, about traveling, about what's to come in the years ahead.
I used to worry, when I was young, that I would change and become someone unrecognizable. Someone my 18-year-old self would consider to be cruel, strange, unfeeling--a sell-out. Today I'm not so worried. Yes, I've changed. In some ways, it's for the better. I'm much better in social situations. In some ways, it's for the worse--I don't want to be seen as a flake with no ambition, acting as if no one's watching me. But I know that person I used to be is inside, somewhere. I still occasionally feel out of place. I still get a thrill when I see Van Gogh's "Starry Night." But I suppose I'm not really like that anymore. Sometimes I wish I could get those innocent, idealistic feelings back.
But my younger self, she's gone. Dead and buried. All there is now is me. And I've got to deal with that every day.
When I was younger, I was a dreamer. I was never very popular--in fact, I was quite awkward. Being an Asian girl in an American society was hard for me. I wore glasses, I had braces, I had low self-esteem. I loved stories--read voraciously, watched a lot of TV. I wrote stories in my school notebooks during math class. I didn't go out a whole lot, even as a teenager. I put my energy into being a good student. I joined lots of extracurricular activities, including the high school newspaper and debate team--two activities that ultimately helped me get over my shyness.
Sometimes I wonder what happened to that girl. She was so shy, so afraid to reach out to people and to make friends. Afraid of being hurt, but with big dreams. She wanted to be an astronaut. She wanted to be a famous writer. She hoped to travel to exotic places, to live around the world. Though she cared what people thought of her, she also had this reckless streak. She would dance down sidewalks just because she felt like it. When she went dancing, she would try new moves because she loved the feel of it. She didn't care what strangers saw. She never felt like she belonged, exactly.
She went to Wellesley College and bloomed there. Making new friends from different places, she learned a lot about life. She had always been insecure, afraid to make wrong judgments about people and situations she didn't know. She drew, she wrote poetry, she loved science and politics, she loved to write and had no doubt that she had talent. Eventually, she learned to have an affinity with art. She adored it. She wore black because it suited her mood, her favorite shoes were Doc Martens and she sang whenever she felt like it. Yes, she suffered from depression, especially in high school. She thought no boys would ever like her--why should they? But she also loved life, every moment of it. She was sweet, ambitious, passionate and loving. She didn't feel that she needed things--she just needed freedom.
Today, that girl is different. I'm almost 32 now. I can't fathom what the me from that era would think of me now. In many ways I am the same. I'm still a bit insecure. I still dream of going to romantic places and being inspired by them to write amazing things. But I don't dance down sidewalks anymore--I don't sing except in the car. I write out bills and I worry about money. I'm not so sure I'm a talented writer anymore, since I haven't done it professionally in awhile. My future doesn't seem like it's all in front of me. I try to be tactful, decorous, social and engaging. I still wear black, but it's not the casual black I used to don. I go to museums, but the enthusiasm I used to have for art has become a more sedate feeling.
But I'm also better. I'm outgoing. I love to talk to people. I don't worry so much about what they think of me, because I know I've led an interesting life. I'm married, looking forward to having children. I'm not such a dreamer; I'm much more pragmatic. Somewhere along the way I acquired some common sense and I use it pretty consistently. I have so many more "things" than I used to, and now my standard of living is one I couldn't have imagined years ago. I can be comfortable in a room full of lawyers wearing evening dress; I can feel equally comfortable at a Cubs game or at the Double Door on a Friday night listening to a band in jeans.
My life is different than how I planned it, but I've always known that things don't always happen the way you think they will. And I'm okay with that, most of the time. I'm not the dreamer that I used to be, but that doesn't mean I don't dream. About a better life, about traveling, about what's to come in the years ahead.
I used to worry, when I was young, that I would change and become someone unrecognizable. Someone my 18-year-old self would consider to be cruel, strange, unfeeling--a sell-out. Today I'm not so worried. Yes, I've changed. In some ways, it's for the better. I'm much better in social situations. In some ways, it's for the worse--I don't want to be seen as a flake with no ambition, acting as if no one's watching me. But I know that person I used to be is inside, somewhere. I still occasionally feel out of place. I still get a thrill when I see Van Gogh's "Starry Night." But I suppose I'm not really like that anymore. Sometimes I wish I could get those innocent, idealistic feelings back.
But my younger self, she's gone. Dead and buried. All there is now is me. And I've got to deal with that every day.
Tuesday, March 09, 2004
Hi, My Name is ABCGirl, and I'm Addicted to eBay!
It's true. Every so often I'll go through a phase where I decide I want something very badly that I can only get through eBay. Right now it's a series of teen novels I read as a kid. And so every morning and evening I get on the auction site to see if there's any new lots of books that have numbers I don't own yet. I track auctions, I try to outbid people, I suddenly feel as though competition is my life. I get unbearably upset if someone comes in during the last 5 minutes of an auction to outbid me, which just happened today (doh!). Am I paying too much? Can I afford to get one more copy of #102 if the lot includes 10 other books I don't have? Should I bit on a lot that's from the UK, since delivery takes longer and I get the prices mixed up sometimes if they're not in American dollars? Should I put just one more small bid on this set of books and see if I can beat someone else out?
The thing is, I have to admit that I started bidding on these books as a lark. I had actually gotten online to see if I could sell my own set of teen books (I had numbers 1-37 in almost-new condition) and how much I might get for them. I wasn't planning to collect MORE. And it had been almost a year, I think, since my last eBay addiction period. Yet somehow, instead of unloading my books, I began to collect more of them. Isn't that strange? The process of buying and trying to get a complete set of books was too much fun. So now, instead of having 37 books of my own, I've somehow collected 50 or 60 more. Hmm. That wasn't how I planned it. I was hoping to reduce the clutter in my house, not expand it.
So I guess it didn't have to be books for teenagers. It could have been memorabilia from my favorite old TV shows. It could have been Hello Kitty merchandise...ooh, maybe I should get on to eBay now and see what they have...no. I must resist.
But for now, I've stopped going to stores. I haven't even been to Borders, my favorite place outside my house, more than twice in an entire month! Instead I'm sitting in front of the computer, willing the books I need to complete my set to show up, for a reasonable price. So let's face it. It's not about obtaining product, really. It's about the process. I get to sit behind my computer, anonymously, and run up prices. I get to watch and wait, and make decisions about what I really want. It's like a game to me. That's the fun part. Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose. But I make an effort to beat out my opponents, and it's satisfying to me when I do. When I don't, sometimes I can make them pay more money for what they want, and that's not so bad either.
My husband, he plays poker online. Me, I'll stick with eBay. We both lose money doing these various online activities, but at least I often come out of it with stuff I want. Can you imagine? If you need me, this is where I'll be.
It's true. Every so often I'll go through a phase where I decide I want something very badly that I can only get through eBay. Right now it's a series of teen novels I read as a kid. And so every morning and evening I get on the auction site to see if there's any new lots of books that have numbers I don't own yet. I track auctions, I try to outbid people, I suddenly feel as though competition is my life. I get unbearably upset if someone comes in during the last 5 minutes of an auction to outbid me, which just happened today (doh!). Am I paying too much? Can I afford to get one more copy of #102 if the lot includes 10 other books I don't have? Should I bit on a lot that's from the UK, since delivery takes longer and I get the prices mixed up sometimes if they're not in American dollars? Should I put just one more small bid on this set of books and see if I can beat someone else out?
The thing is, I have to admit that I started bidding on these books as a lark. I had actually gotten online to see if I could sell my own set of teen books (I had numbers 1-37 in almost-new condition) and how much I might get for them. I wasn't planning to collect MORE. And it had been almost a year, I think, since my last eBay addiction period. Yet somehow, instead of unloading my books, I began to collect more of them. Isn't that strange? The process of buying and trying to get a complete set of books was too much fun. So now, instead of having 37 books of my own, I've somehow collected 50 or 60 more. Hmm. That wasn't how I planned it. I was hoping to reduce the clutter in my house, not expand it.
So I guess it didn't have to be books for teenagers. It could have been memorabilia from my favorite old TV shows. It could have been Hello Kitty merchandise...ooh, maybe I should get on to eBay now and see what they have...no. I must resist.
But for now, I've stopped going to stores. I haven't even been to Borders, my favorite place outside my house, more than twice in an entire month! Instead I'm sitting in front of the computer, willing the books I need to complete my set to show up, for a reasonable price. So let's face it. It's not about obtaining product, really. It's about the process. I get to sit behind my computer, anonymously, and run up prices. I get to watch and wait, and make decisions about what I really want. It's like a game to me. That's the fun part. Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose. But I make an effort to beat out my opponents, and it's satisfying to me when I do. When I don't, sometimes I can make them pay more money for what they want, and that's not so bad either.
My husband, he plays poker online. Me, I'll stick with eBay. We both lose money doing these various online activities, but at least I often come out of it with stuff I want. Can you imagine? If you need me, this is where I'll be.
Friday, March 05, 2004
My Top 25 Coherent Thoughts Since I Woke Up At 6:52 AM
It is now about 9 a.m. Central time. Want a little insight into my mind? Here goes...
1. I wish my husband wouldn't eat only the Danish cookies he likes, then leave me the ones he doesn't want.
2. I think I'd like the Hubble telescope to stay up and operational, but I probably need a little more information before I decide for sure.
3. Being president of the U.S. must be a hard job. I wouldn't want to do it for more than four years. Of course, if you can take as many vacations as George W. does, it's probably not as big a deal. What an idiot.
4. I better go check my eBay auctions to see if anyone's outbid me recently.
5. This cat I'm taking care of is losing her hair, and she looks like her head is too small for her body. But she's awfully sweet.
6. I think I will take on the position of chair of the Bottomless Closet project for the Wellesley College Club of Chicago. I have enough volunteer projects going but I like organizing things so this might be fun for me. If only the alum's annual meeting wasn't the same day as Wright Plus.
7. I have an idea! If I close off the doors to the basement and the bedroom while our cat is out and about, I won't have to watch him so carefully to make sure he doesn't pee where he's not supposed to.
8. I should find those gift certificates that I got from my clients for Christmas and finally use them.
9. Wow, is it warm today! And windy. The clouds are just teeming. If I were back in Kansas, I'd wonder about tornadoes.
10. I wish my bird would shut up, but I'm glad he's cheerful. He's been hibernating all winter, it seems.
11. As it turns out, the phase where I was watching "Saved By The Bell" and "Full House" reruns all the time only lasted a few weeks. That's a good thing.
12. Sweet Valley High books got pretty stupid later on, after about the first five years. Suddenly everything had to be so dramatic and life-changing. I liked them better in the beginning.
13. What in the world should I wrote in my blog today?
14. An eighth Harry Potter book? Interesting.
15. Not that I wish John Ashcroft any ill will personally, but I hope he has to resign and take all his stupid politics with him.
16. Hmm, my friends aren't particularly stylish. I guess we're the type of folks who don't care so much about clothes and that sort of thing.
17. I have trouble believing the city of Chicago will be able to properly integrate lower class housing into mixed neighborhoods, just based on past history. I should read a book or something on the evolution of low-rent housing and the projects in this area. I think it's a topic I should know more about.
18. Perhaps I should go to the health club tomorrow. I won't be able to take a class because I'm working tomorrow, but maybe I can just do the elliptical trainer or something.
19. I have to cook stir-fry tonight. I've been neglecting my cooking duties and I haven't even made cookies since Super Bowl Sunday. My poor husband.
20. My husband wants to see a movie tonight. Maybe we could see "Starsky & Hutch"! I just read a bad review, but there's not much else out there I'm interested in.
21. These stoopid schoolbuses are making my drive 10 minutes longer than usual. Hmm, I've never seen a sign like that one: "This bus has not been checked for sleeping children."
22. The light quality is really odd outside today. I just hope it stops raining by the time I have to go out again today.
23. What am I going to have for breakfast? I just went grocery shopping yesterday, so at least I have a choice today.
24. Man, I wish I didn't wake up so early. Maybe I can get a nap in later.
25. Oh, I better feed the kittens. They're not going to be happy if I keep them waiting.
It is now about 9 a.m. Central time. Want a little insight into my mind? Here goes...
1. I wish my husband wouldn't eat only the Danish cookies he likes, then leave me the ones he doesn't want.
2. I think I'd like the Hubble telescope to stay up and operational, but I probably need a little more information before I decide for sure.
3. Being president of the U.S. must be a hard job. I wouldn't want to do it for more than four years. Of course, if you can take as many vacations as George W. does, it's probably not as big a deal. What an idiot.
4. I better go check my eBay auctions to see if anyone's outbid me recently.
5. This cat I'm taking care of is losing her hair, and she looks like her head is too small for her body. But she's awfully sweet.
6. I think I will take on the position of chair of the Bottomless Closet project for the Wellesley College Club of Chicago. I have enough volunteer projects going but I like organizing things so this might be fun for me. If only the alum's annual meeting wasn't the same day as Wright Plus.
7. I have an idea! If I close off the doors to the basement and the bedroom while our cat is out and about, I won't have to watch him so carefully to make sure he doesn't pee where he's not supposed to.
8. I should find those gift certificates that I got from my clients for Christmas and finally use them.
9. Wow, is it warm today! And windy. The clouds are just teeming. If I were back in Kansas, I'd wonder about tornadoes.
10. I wish my bird would shut up, but I'm glad he's cheerful. He's been hibernating all winter, it seems.
11. As it turns out, the phase where I was watching "Saved By The Bell" and "Full House" reruns all the time only lasted a few weeks. That's a good thing.
12. Sweet Valley High books got pretty stupid later on, after about the first five years. Suddenly everything had to be so dramatic and life-changing. I liked them better in the beginning.
13. What in the world should I wrote in my blog today?
14. An eighth Harry Potter book? Interesting.
15. Not that I wish John Ashcroft any ill will personally, but I hope he has to resign and take all his stupid politics with him.
16. Hmm, my friends aren't particularly stylish. I guess we're the type of folks who don't care so much about clothes and that sort of thing.
17. I have trouble believing the city of Chicago will be able to properly integrate lower class housing into mixed neighborhoods, just based on past history. I should read a book or something on the evolution of low-rent housing and the projects in this area. I think it's a topic I should know more about.
18. Perhaps I should go to the health club tomorrow. I won't be able to take a class because I'm working tomorrow, but maybe I can just do the elliptical trainer or something.
19. I have to cook stir-fry tonight. I've been neglecting my cooking duties and I haven't even made cookies since Super Bowl Sunday. My poor husband.
20. My husband wants to see a movie tonight. Maybe we could see "Starsky & Hutch"! I just read a bad review, but there's not much else out there I'm interested in.
21. These stoopid schoolbuses are making my drive 10 minutes longer than usual. Hmm, I've never seen a sign like that one: "This bus has not been checked for sleeping children."
22. The light quality is really odd outside today. I just hope it stops raining by the time I have to go out again today.
23. What am I going to have for breakfast? I just went grocery shopping yesterday, so at least I have a choice today.
24. Man, I wish I didn't wake up so early. Maybe I can get a nap in later.
25. Oh, I better feed the kittens. They're not going to be happy if I keep them waiting.
Thursday, March 04, 2004
Why I Didn't Watch the Oscars
Once upon a time, I actually felt obligated to watch the Oscars for my job. After all, I had to know what people were wearing. I had to update the website every few minutes with who won what. But that didn't mean I had to like it. And now that I'm not writing about that stuff anymore, I don't have to watch stupid awards shows. And on Sunday night, I put in a DVD of "Monty Python's Holy Grail" instead and watched Sir Robin run away. Woohoo! To me, the Academy Awards are the ultimate symbol of the excess and self-congratulatory nature of Hollywood. People get awards every day for doing things that are more worthy, and they don't get televised. Perhaps J.Lo is more beautiful than the Teacher of the Year, but I'd much rather hear what the teacher has to say.
I won't even go into how some talented films and filmmakers are completely ignored because the Oscars are just a popularity contest. Can you believe "Gladiator" won one year? Or how about Julia Roberts for that one movie where she showed off her breasts and fought some big corporation? It was as if they gave her an Oscar because they felt she had to, and they picked her despite the film. Not like Spike Lee, who actually deserved to be recognized for "Do the Right Thing" and was totally snubbed. The fact is, there's little imagination or innovation in some of the films that have been chosen. It makes me think the movie industry's best stuff is mediocre, which I'm sure isn't true. I'm sure there are better movies out there than "Braveheart." I couldn't even sit through that thing. No, I think instead the Oscars celebrate mediocrity, which doesn't bode well for the future of the industry.
Then there's the red carpet. Like what Charlize Theron wears on Oscar day is the most important thing ever. Who cares? Some of us think that the presidential election is more worthy of our time and attention. And here again, a lack of imagination. At the black tie events I go to, I'd wear a black gown because it's classic and slimming (and because I don't have the money to buy a new gown every time I go. I also don't have designers throwing clothes at me because they're eager to get their way-overpriced stuff seen on national television). Well, that's not good enough for our celebrities because the fashion pundits say black is boring. So they wear either stuff that's done by a famous designer and therefore inviolate (as long as it's Versace) or they wear really stupid things that make you say, "Doh, who was her stylist? Didn't they tell her that this outfit sucks? What statement is she trying to make exactly?" The one outfit I really liked at the Oscars was Bjork's swan. Now that showed guts. J.Lo's outfit that was so translucent they couldn't show it on TV? That was daring. Not.
Every Oscar day they also do these huge tributes to Hollywood--to someone inside Hollywood, or the movie industry, or whatever. Now let me tell you, if I were to run an awards show and every tribute was to ME, or my JOB, or the INDUSTRY I WORKED IN, people would get really bored and leave. They'd say, "Oh she's so vain she's boring." And that's why I switch the channels when the tributes and the lifetime awards and the montages of 75 Years Of Hollywood begin. It's like taking out my childhood trophies and awards, plus 200 slides of my life, and expecting others to be interested in my egocentric self. Whatever. My favorite part is when they cut to the person who is being honored, who puts on a particular face like, "I'm shocked! I'm delighted!" Now that's good acting.
Oh sure, there are good parts of the Oscars. I wholeheartedly agree with the Best Film this year--"The Return of the King." And little films, documentaries, people who don't usually go recognized like the writers and effects people SHOULD be honored. But these well-earned awards are so overshadowed by the glitz and glamour, it's criminal. So don't expect me to throw an Oscar party. For that matter, I never plan to go to one. The movie industry doesn't need more recognition, and neither do many of the actors.
Once upon a time, I actually felt obligated to watch the Oscars for my job. After all, I had to know what people were wearing. I had to update the website every few minutes with who won what. But that didn't mean I had to like it. And now that I'm not writing about that stuff anymore, I don't have to watch stupid awards shows. And on Sunday night, I put in a DVD of "Monty Python's Holy Grail" instead and watched Sir Robin run away. Woohoo! To me, the Academy Awards are the ultimate symbol of the excess and self-congratulatory nature of Hollywood. People get awards every day for doing things that are more worthy, and they don't get televised. Perhaps J.Lo is more beautiful than the Teacher of the Year, but I'd much rather hear what the teacher has to say.
I won't even go into how some talented films and filmmakers are completely ignored because the Oscars are just a popularity contest. Can you believe "Gladiator" won one year? Or how about Julia Roberts for that one movie where she showed off her breasts and fought some big corporation? It was as if they gave her an Oscar because they felt she had to, and they picked her despite the film. Not like Spike Lee, who actually deserved to be recognized for "Do the Right Thing" and was totally snubbed. The fact is, there's little imagination or innovation in some of the films that have been chosen. It makes me think the movie industry's best stuff is mediocre, which I'm sure isn't true. I'm sure there are better movies out there than "Braveheart." I couldn't even sit through that thing. No, I think instead the Oscars celebrate mediocrity, which doesn't bode well for the future of the industry.
Then there's the red carpet. Like what Charlize Theron wears on Oscar day is the most important thing ever. Who cares? Some of us think that the presidential election is more worthy of our time and attention. And here again, a lack of imagination. At the black tie events I go to, I'd wear a black gown because it's classic and slimming (and because I don't have the money to buy a new gown every time I go. I also don't have designers throwing clothes at me because they're eager to get their way-overpriced stuff seen on national television). Well, that's not good enough for our celebrities because the fashion pundits say black is boring. So they wear either stuff that's done by a famous designer and therefore inviolate (as long as it's Versace) or they wear really stupid things that make you say, "Doh, who was her stylist? Didn't they tell her that this outfit sucks? What statement is she trying to make exactly?" The one outfit I really liked at the Oscars was Bjork's swan. Now that showed guts. J.Lo's outfit that was so translucent they couldn't show it on TV? That was daring. Not.
Every Oscar day they also do these huge tributes to Hollywood--to someone inside Hollywood, or the movie industry, or whatever. Now let me tell you, if I were to run an awards show and every tribute was to ME, or my JOB, or the INDUSTRY I WORKED IN, people would get really bored and leave. They'd say, "Oh she's so vain she's boring." And that's why I switch the channels when the tributes and the lifetime awards and the montages of 75 Years Of Hollywood begin. It's like taking out my childhood trophies and awards, plus 200 slides of my life, and expecting others to be interested in my egocentric self. Whatever. My favorite part is when they cut to the person who is being honored, who puts on a particular face like, "I'm shocked! I'm delighted!" Now that's good acting.
Oh sure, there are good parts of the Oscars. I wholeheartedly agree with the Best Film this year--"The Return of the King." And little films, documentaries, people who don't usually go recognized like the writers and effects people SHOULD be honored. But these well-earned awards are so overshadowed by the glitz and glamour, it's criminal. So don't expect me to throw an Oscar party. For that matter, I never plan to go to one. The movie industry doesn't need more recognition, and neither do many of the actors.
Tuesday, March 02, 2004
I Want My MTV2
Yes, I was part of the MTV generation. Still am, if you want to know the truth. The problem is that MTV and I, well, we grew apart. There I was, glued to the TV set for hours and hours to see Cheap Trick, Rush, Saga, Toto, Laura Branigan, Wall of Voodoo, Duran Duran, Flock of Seagulls--and then, the next time I checked, there weren't any music videos on the air anymore. MTV had turned into just another stupid cable channel, and "The Real World" was its signature show.
It's been years since I tuned into anything on MTV. I understand there's some show called "Total Request Live" that is very popular, but the few times I've tried to catch a bit of "TRL" they seem to be doing some sort of game show. I once caught some "Cribs" marathon which is like "Lifestyles of the Rich and Obnoxious." Oh, and the MTV news just sucks. Even as a J-school student I could tell Kurt Loder and his ilk were idiots who didn't know the first thing about journalism. MTV seems only marginally about anything related to music anymore, and that's a damn shame. I used to count on MTV to introduce me to new, exciting, innovative music makers. Now I consider VH-1 slightly more interesting.
It's a good thing the network people introduced MTV2 to satisfy people like me. I think they had to, they were probably getting too many complaints about how stupid MTV was getting. "Go back to your original programming!" the cool people were saying. "Your other stuff sucks. You've lost your original cutting-edge audience, and now you cater to tweenagers who want to be oh-so-hip." So MTV or Viacom or whoever makes the decisions there decided they would have to introduce another music channel, a real music channel that actually played the videos that turned MTV into a global phenomenon. Good call.
These days I set my Tivo to record "Subterranean" (the most recent episode of which had way too many Beck videos). I actually get to watch videos! Of music I like! That hasn't happened since the '80s. It's like I can be nostalgic/retro and learn about new music at the same time. Now that's cool. I want my MTV2. And if my cable company can arrange a few of those other new music video channels to be on my system, I'll watch those too.
Take note, big entertainment networks. My generation still enjoys the short attention span that makes music videos the perfect selling tool. And we like music channels that actually have music.
Yes, I was part of the MTV generation. Still am, if you want to know the truth. The problem is that MTV and I, well, we grew apart. There I was, glued to the TV set for hours and hours to see Cheap Trick, Rush, Saga, Toto, Laura Branigan, Wall of Voodoo, Duran Duran, Flock of Seagulls--and then, the next time I checked, there weren't any music videos on the air anymore. MTV had turned into just another stupid cable channel, and "The Real World" was its signature show.
It's been years since I tuned into anything on MTV. I understand there's some show called "Total Request Live" that is very popular, but the few times I've tried to catch a bit of "TRL" they seem to be doing some sort of game show. I once caught some "Cribs" marathon which is like "Lifestyles of the Rich and Obnoxious." Oh, and the MTV news just sucks. Even as a J-school student I could tell Kurt Loder and his ilk were idiots who didn't know the first thing about journalism. MTV seems only marginally about anything related to music anymore, and that's a damn shame. I used to count on MTV to introduce me to new, exciting, innovative music makers. Now I consider VH-1 slightly more interesting.
It's a good thing the network people introduced MTV2 to satisfy people like me. I think they had to, they were probably getting too many complaints about how stupid MTV was getting. "Go back to your original programming!" the cool people were saying. "Your other stuff sucks. You've lost your original cutting-edge audience, and now you cater to tweenagers who want to be oh-so-hip." So MTV or Viacom or whoever makes the decisions there decided they would have to introduce another music channel, a real music channel that actually played the videos that turned MTV into a global phenomenon. Good call.
These days I set my Tivo to record "Subterranean" (the most recent episode of which had way too many Beck videos). I actually get to watch videos! Of music I like! That hasn't happened since the '80s. It's like I can be nostalgic/retro and learn about new music at the same time. Now that's cool. I want my MTV2. And if my cable company can arrange a few of those other new music video channels to be on my system, I'll watch those too.
Take note, big entertainment networks. My generation still enjoys the short attention span that makes music videos the perfect selling tool. And we like music channels that actually have music.
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