Justin might be bringing sexy back, but elsewhere in the music scene, the content is lacking. On my way home, I heard three songs in a row that were lyrically sub-par, and I just really felt the need to share my shock.
To detox after work, I turn to Old Faithful--105.someodd, a country music station, where I go when I'm feeling nostalgic. Some guy, who I later learn is Brad Paisley, is crooning away to a crush about how he wants to get with her, when he uses the line, "I'd like to check you for ticks." Ticks? Really? Thank goodness girls don't say stupid stuff like that. I press number 5 on my radio. Avril's punchy tune is sure to bring me back to reality from my backwoods pick-up-line experience.
"Hey hey, you you...I don't like your girlfriend. No way, no way--I think you need a new one!"
Well, at least she's being clear about her intentions, right? It continues: "She's like, so whatever. You could do so much better..." Classy, I know. I would have been horrified if anyone saw my head bobbing along. "In a second you’ll be wrapped around my finger. Cause I can, cause I can do it better. There’s no other. So when's it gonna sink in? She’s so stupid. What the hell were you thinking?!" I change the station once more, just in case I get in a car crash and they can prove what I was listening to (like the whole clean underwear thing). Back to country perhaps? Now it's Toby Keith telling me all about how "a high maintenance woman don't want no maintenance man" despite the fact that he's "got all the right tools" and "knows how to use them." Catchy, smart lyrics...I'm feeling dumber when I finally make it back to my apartment. Free at last.
As I wait for the elevator, some Mercedes speeds by, not quite fast enough for me to miss the hook. The song gets stuck in my head as I swipe my way up to the fourth floor.
"This is why, this is why I'm hot. I'm hot cuz I'm fly. You ain't, cuz you not..."
Monday, April 30, 2007
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
A dream is a wish your heart makes...
No offence, Cinderella, but I really hope this isn't true. Last night I dreamed that I was giving my oral presentation for my writing class...except the class was a huge lecture hall and there were bright lights preventing me from being able to see. Then, as I was trying to speak, my gum was getting in the way, so I would try to discreetly remove it and place it on my notes page...since there was no where else to put it. But it was really hard to get out, and after a few moments, there would be more in my mouth, more to pull out--but there was always gum and it made it hard for me to speak and ruined my presentation.
Then I went to a petting zoo, and all of the animals seemed really happy to be there and they were lovely to pick up and pet. So my cousin, sister, and I were hanging out, playing with the animals and doing some other miscellaneous shopping, when I decide to bite the kitten's head off. I mean...what the...?? And of course I am totally freaked out by what I just did so I make Natalie get rid of the body. Then I end up in a chase scene with a dog trying to bite me. I make my way from the store/zoo area into a this giant hall of sorts where the dog brings me to fight some guy in medieval type garb. Of course I need to don a green hooded cape (poorly made, by the way) and fight the guy off. I think that might be all I remember happening before I woke up.
Clearly, this cannot be a wish my heart would make, so I did a little research. Justine says that the sword is a phallic reference according to Freud, so you can take that however you please. Of course she had nothing to say about the kitten except telling Lauren (my roommate) that she can sleep at her place tonight. Here's some of what the Internet had to say:
For the cat lover, cats signifies an independent spirit, feminine sexuality, creativity, and power. If the cat is aggressive, then it suggests that you are having problems with the feminine aspect of yourself.
To see non-white or soiled kittens, indicates trouble ahead for you.
For the cat lovers who dream of cats you have a whole new meaning....if the cat is beautiful you will meet an attractive person who will become your mate.
To dream of biting someone could be a warning that you are overdoing the pressure you are applying to certain people and causing them pain. In other instances it tells of low business practices and a lack of ethics in all your dealings. If you are biting someone as a vampire then you feel like you must make your own way and not be dependent on others, which makes you feel like a 'bloodsucker'. See Vampire. (Now this is super-bizarre because I dreamed the night before last that I was going to a fraternity invite dressed as a vampire)
To dream that you are chewing gum, suggests that you are unable to express yourself effectively. You may feel vulnerable. Alternatively, is symbolizes a sticky situation that you found yourself in. To dream that you are unable to get rid of your gum, suggests that you are experiencing some indecision, powerlessness or frustration.� You may lack understanding in a situation or find that a current problem is overwhelming.
To dream that you participate in a fight, indicates inner turmoil. Some aspect of yourself is in conflict with another aspect of yourself. Perhaps an unresolved or unacknowledged part is fighting for its right to be heard.� It may also parallel a fight or struggle that you are going through in your waking life.
Though I will say that I couldn't help but think of last night's adventures as an upgrade from some of the other dreams I've been having. At least I'm not dreaming blatantly about boys.
Then I went to a petting zoo, and all of the animals seemed really happy to be there and they were lovely to pick up and pet. So my cousin, sister, and I were hanging out, playing with the animals and doing some other miscellaneous shopping, when I decide to bite the kitten's head off. I mean...what the...?? And of course I am totally freaked out by what I just did so I make Natalie get rid of the body. Then I end up in a chase scene with a dog trying to bite me. I make my way from the store/zoo area into a this giant hall of sorts where the dog brings me to fight some guy in medieval type garb. Of course I need to don a green hooded cape (poorly made, by the way) and fight the guy off. I think that might be all I remember happening before I woke up.
Clearly, this cannot be a wish my heart would make, so I did a little research. Justine says that the sword is a phallic reference according to Freud, so you can take that however you please. Of course she had nothing to say about the kitten except telling Lauren (my roommate) that she can sleep at her place tonight. Here's some of what the Internet had to say:
For the cat lover, cats signifies an independent spirit, feminine sexuality, creativity, and power. If the cat is aggressive, then it suggests that you are having problems with the feminine aspect of yourself.
To see non-white or soiled kittens, indicates trouble ahead for you.
For the cat lovers who dream of cats you have a whole new meaning....if the cat is beautiful you will meet an attractive person who will become your mate.
To dream of biting someone could be a warning that you are overdoing the pressure you are applying to certain people and causing them pain. In other instances it tells of low business practices and a lack of ethics in all your dealings. If you are biting someone as a vampire then you feel like you must make your own way and not be dependent on others, which makes you feel like a 'bloodsucker'. See Vampire. (Now this is super-bizarre because I dreamed the night before last that I was going to a fraternity invite dressed as a vampire)
To dream that you are chewing gum, suggests that you are unable to express yourself effectively. You may feel vulnerable. Alternatively, is symbolizes a sticky situation that you found yourself in. To dream that you are unable to get rid of your gum, suggests that you are experiencing some indecision, powerlessness or frustration.� You may lack understanding in a situation or find that a current problem is overwhelming.
To dream that you participate in a fight, indicates inner turmoil. Some aspect of yourself is in conflict with another aspect of yourself. Perhaps an unresolved or unacknowledged part is fighting for its right to be heard.� It may also parallel a fight or struggle that you are going through in your waking life.
So apparently I am uncomfortable with the feminine side of myself and feel the need to sabotage it by biting its head off. Or if I am prophetic, I am about to meet an attractive person who would become my mate...except I will bite his head off. Neither option seems ideal. Sprinkle in a little insecurity and the inability to express my ideas, a dash of self-conflict, and a sticky situation, and you've got quite a recipe...FOR PSYCHOSIS.
Though I will say that I couldn't help but think of last night's adventures as an upgrade from some of the other dreams I've been having. At least I'm not dreaming blatantly about boys.
Don't Date Me Because I'm Beautiful...
I recently posted a bit of a review of Laura Sessions Stepp's book Unhooked, which discusses the cultural phenomenon of today's youth that prefer uncommitted "hook-ups" to any semblance of relationship. A real problem, I concur. But for the Christian, there's an added layer of difficulty. Not only is it rare for me to meet guys that prefer dating and relationships to hooking up, but a guy who is content with the fact that I won't sleep with him? Unheard of.
Maybe I should have titled this piece "Don't Hate Me Because I'm a Prude," because I'm not sure how beauty factors into all of this. The emo me usually assumes that my far-below quota number of dates this semester has something to do with me being too ugly or fat or stupid. A logical conclusion I'm sure, but my rational side looks at the statistics and thinks, I'm screwed.
Let's work with some numbers. At USC, there are approximately 33,000 students. According to my roommate Lauren, who is a USC tour guide, 48% of them are men. That means 15,840 men on campus. Grad and undergrad. Suppose we use this as a sample pool. The only concentration I know of on campus of "good Christian boys" would be the AGO house, so we'll use them as a reference. According the USC chapter's website, there are roughly 50 active guys. Now if at least 20% of them have girlfriends (a fair estimate I would guess) that leaves 40 available guys on campus, ignoring the fact that most of them are younger than me. This is not a time to be picky. That means that 0.25% of the men on campus are datable. That's one out of every 396 guys I meet that I might actually get with. Dare I eliminate a percentage of boys that I don't find attractive?
It's not really the odds that bother me. According to my mother, "It only takes one!" which is just fine with me, but what is really frustrating is that there is such a small number of good guys out here. Even within the church, you are not guaranteed to find guys that want to date someone, let alone are ok with not having sex. You can hook-up without having sex, but rarely do people date without sex.
Of course, now that I sound utterly pathetic, I should mention that I do know a few gems and that I only get bitter when I get mathematical. Girls are tricky. We so often assume the lowest common denominator--no one's dating me, I must have no value. I know it's a lie. I know my value in Christ, but those numbers are rough to swallow.
Maybe I should have titled this piece "Don't Hate Me Because I'm a Prude," because I'm not sure how beauty factors into all of this. The emo me usually assumes that my far-below quota number of dates this semester has something to do with me being too ugly or fat or stupid. A logical conclusion I'm sure, but my rational side looks at the statistics and thinks, I'm screwed.
Let's work with some numbers. At USC, there are approximately 33,000 students. According to my roommate Lauren, who is a USC tour guide, 48% of them are men. That means 15,840 men on campus. Grad and undergrad. Suppose we use this as a sample pool. The only concentration I know of on campus of "good Christian boys" would be the AGO house, so we'll use them as a reference. According the USC chapter's website, there are roughly 50 active guys. Now if at least 20% of them have girlfriends (a fair estimate I would guess) that leaves 40 available guys on campus, ignoring the fact that most of them are younger than me. This is not a time to be picky. That means that 0.25% of the men on campus are datable. That's one out of every 396 guys I meet that I might actually get with. Dare I eliminate a percentage of boys that I don't find attractive?
It's not really the odds that bother me. According to my mother, "It only takes one!" which is just fine with me, but what is really frustrating is that there is such a small number of good guys out here. Even within the church, you are not guaranteed to find guys that want to date someone, let alone are ok with not having sex. You can hook-up without having sex, but rarely do people date without sex.
Of course, now that I sound utterly pathetic, I should mention that I do know a few gems and that I only get bitter when I get mathematical. Girls are tricky. We so often assume the lowest common denominator--no one's dating me, I must have no value. I know it's a lie. I know my value in Christ, but those numbers are rough to swallow.
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