spacekatgal

Hey Hillary - divorce from reality much?

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:49:39 GMT

A Maureen Dowd column once described President Bush as "dishonest or delusional - pick your choice." After last night's parade of Hillary Clinton endorsing Barack Obama, I've come to be convinced she's another politician divorced from reality. Consider the following analogy.

A friend of mine has a story about his ex-wife. After she cheated on him and broke up an otherwise happy marriage, she was oblivious about what she'd done. Exasperated, he told her "If you don't break it off with him, I'm calling a divorce lawyer." She replied with a clueless, "I hate it when you put pressure on me." She had no concept that there could be consequences for her actions.

It's the same character flaw with Hillary. Consider the following quote from a Washington Post story.

"In a private meeting with Sen. Barack Obama after she conceded the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton made a request: that he consider her for his vice presidential running mate, but not put her through the charade of being vetted if he was not serious.

Obama told Clinton then it was unlikely he would choose her, people familiar with the conversation said. Obama did not want to lead her on and, after campaigning against her for more than a year, already had a sense that their pairing would not be the right fit."

After months of sliming Barack with sleazy, dishonest Karl Rove-like tactics, this woman has no concept that it could preclude her from the vice-presidency.

We've already had eight years of a White House divorced from reality, Hillary. We don't need someone else putting their ego before the country's well being. Sorry - but last night's speech doesn't redeem you.

Gays and Women

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 15:09:55 GMT

I watched LOGO, our nationwide channel for gay issues, for the first time this morning. I walked away from the experience feeling it was incredibly pandering and solipsistic. It got me thinking about voices in the media and minority rights.

Let me preface this blog by saying that I think gay rights are the preeminent moral issue of our time, the modern equivalent of slavery. It's one of the top three issues I vote on, and I fully intend to go to demonstrate in Denver's gay pride parade in two weeks. It bothers me deeply that 1/10th of America's population are treated like 2nd class citizens.

That said, I think it's an error to see women's issues and gay issues as synonymous.

I don't especially feel that gays are allies when it comes to women. I think that we usually get along well, but I have occasionally felt that gays see us primarily as competition for the penis. When I watch drag queens, I can't help but feel insulted - as if that offensive cartoon is what they think feminine truth is.

There are so many issues women have that gay men never have to think about. Our increased health care costs, equal pay issues, access to reproductive health care and the threat of rape and violence. Concordantly, there are many gay issues that don't affect me - I've never had to worry that society didn't approve of my sexuality or marriage rights.

It does help that our enemies are the same, the fundamentalist conservatives that would deny us the right to make our own choices. The lunatic fringe would deny me the right to make choices about my body, and they'd just as quickly send the gays off to sexual reeducation camp. We are united against the patriarchal oppressors that think they know what's best for us.

Why Frank Wu ROCKS as a Boyfriend (also, manfriend)

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 17:49:26 GMT

Frank's been posting LJ pics of the toys I've gotten him. Here's a pic of my favorite ones he's gotten me. These are from the Final Fantasy Play Arts series.

Basically, I tweak for anything with strong female protagonists kicking bootie. These are my favorite female characters from the Final Fantasy games. They are, from left to right

Princess Ashe - Final Fantasy XII
Yuffie - Final Fantasy VII Advent Children
Lady Yuna - Final Fantasy X2
Selphie - Final Fantasy VIII

There are mini toys of Yuna and Rikku from FFX2 as well.

Thanks Frank! You are the best!
Bri

Surgery Update!

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 13:25:50 GMT

Hey all! I know that Frank's been updating LJ on my surgery frequently, but I'm feeling pretty coherent today, and wanted to tell you how I'm doing in my own words.

I've just suffered the worst 3 days of my life recuperating from this radical surgery to correct a long-standing birth defect to my urinary tract. I imagined that the pain would be a 7 out of 10, but it's definitely been a 10 out of 10. It's been constant stabbing pain all through my pelvic structure all day long for days now. There's been persistent 101 degree fever, but that seems to have broken for good now.

The biggest worry has been the non-stop bleeding - every time I moved I could feel it dripping out of my body. It's been hard to move my body enough to let the nurses change the sheets and bandages so frequently, but I got through it. Yesterday, the doctor came and gave me seven more stitches there, which was very painful but did finally stop the bleeding. Today, they should finally let me out of bed to try to walk and take a shower.

The painkillers are frustrating. On one hand, I definitely need them to heal. On the other, I am so frustrated with my head spinning and falling asleep every few minutes. For now I'm going to continue taking them at the maximum dosage.

I really can't thank everyone enough for the nice comments over the last few days. For all day Wednesday, all I had the strength to do was read comments and emails from friends through the fog. They really helped keep me in good spirits.

I thank you for your continued support!
Brianna

Major Surgery in Nine Days...

Sun, 25 May 2008 06:59:48 GMT

Last Thursday was my last normal day. The sun was shining, I was in California with the boyfriend I absolutely adore. We were going to Sushi Tomo, one of my favorite places to eat.

Friday morning, my life decided to dive straight into a rushing waterfall. The doctor called me and said there was a cancellation - I could either wait until 2009 for surgery, or be ready in two weeks. I had just two weeks to prepare to spend the next 2-3 months infirmed and recuperating.

I've been arranging this surgery for the better part of a year. I'd rather not talk about my medical health in direct terms on LJ, but I will say it's major, involves internal invasive surgery and is going to hurt like hell. It will take me at least 8 weeks to get back to work, and at least 12 to feel close to normal.

So, that's been the last week of my life - an emotional rocketship to the moon.

I want to thank everyone that responded to Frank Wu's calls for donations for this. The finances have been my biggest worry, and thanks to the help of family and friends I've gotten the better part of things arranged. I can't begin to communicate how much the support means to me.

I'll have a lot more to write about this soon, and especially as I'm spending the week in the hospital recovering.

Bri

Is our long, national Hillary nightmare over?

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:58:37 GMT

One thing is for certain. Hillary Clinton's candidacy is about sweet-talking the country to it's knees to felate her selfish, uncaring ego. Here's hoping that she has her disingenuous ASS handed to her in the Pennsylvania primary today by Obama.

It's all but impossible for me to understand why people support her. Experience? It seems to me that Hillary has exactly as much experience as Laura Bush. I think all her talk about "being ready from day one" is just arrogant, narcissistic posturing, par for the Clinton course.

I can't understand why this terrible person is willing to tear the country apart by trying to tweak a win out of the superdelagates - it raises serious questions. Is she really so self-centered that she'd subject the country to another divided presidency? Has she become the very Republican-attack machine that destroyed her? Will she do anything, no matter how dishonest or disingenuous to become president?

The answers are yes, yes and yes.

Bri

Keira Keightley, flat-chested posterchild

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 03:44:38 GMT

Ah yes, summer is here and it's that lovely time of year where I attempt to find a bikini that won't leave me looking so flat-chested.

It sometimes seems like our entire culture revolves around breasts. Take the upcoming movie "Zombie Strippers." I have noticed that almost all the zombies are quite well endowed. Can't we see a zombie stripper movie celebrating a wider variety of body types?

That's why I'm declaring Keira Keightley my patron saint.

I guess I should be happy - I think all women have body issues, and at least mine is something of a mixed blessing. I don't struggle with weight or any of the more substantial things that would make finding a swim suit difficult. I should be happy that I'm tall and thin as a girl could ever hope to be.

Bri

"Hillary Clinton is a big F*cking Whore." Offended?

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 22:06:46 GMT

Air America's number one host, Randi Rhodes was suspended today for remarks she made about Hillary Clinton at a San Franscisco party for an affiliate. Here are the remarks that got her fired, as well as a link to the story with video.

"What a whore Geraldine Ferraro is! She's such a f*cking whore! (Hillary) is a big f*cking whore, too. You know why she's a big f*cking whore? Because her deal is always, 'Read the fine print, asshole!'"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/03/air-america-host-randi-rh_n_94863.html

First of all, I must say - I strongly dislike Randi Rhodes. She's like a left-wing Rush Limbaugh. She cuts off anyone who doesn't agree with her, and her show mostly consists of her incessant amusement with herself. Why she's the network's top rated show is beyond me.

Still - if we have so much alleged free speech in this country, why are all of us so hell-bent on censoring anyone with an opinion that we find offensive? I don't like Hillary, and would never make a comment like that (in public, at least.) We pay these people to have loud, obnoxious opinions - why do we act shocked when they exceed the bounds of polite conversation?

Bri

I sometimes envy guy Friendships

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 03:59:42 GMT

I seriously fucked up tonight. I told one of my gay best friends that I think her girlfriend is a "a little bit of a bitch."

Oh, yes. The shit was seriously on afterwards.

I have no defense. I know it was a very rude thing to say, even though that is ~~privately~~ the way I feel about her. I was tired, feeling defensive, and a few other things that don't justify it.

Right now I just want her to forgive me and let our friendship continue. I apologized profusely, and wrote her an email apologizing again. She also apologized for the ad-hominim attacks she made against me after that comment. Now we get to dance the female-friendship dance of finding out where everything stands after a few days.

It's times like these that I really envy the relative simplicity of guy friendships. According to an inside source, my boyfriend, they don't parse over every syllable that was said and endlessly rehash it. They just follow this simple script.

"Dude, are we cool?"
"Yeah, we're cool."

That has all the grace, justice and simplicity I could ever hope for in a situation like this.
Bri

Hillary is the new Karl Rove

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 14:56:32 GMT

Tell me who you hate, and I'll tell you who you are - after fighting the Republican Slime Machine, the Clintons have become the same lying thing.

I have come to the conclusion that Hillary will do anything, no matter how intellectually dishonest, in order to get elected. I submit to the court "Evidence A," this clip of her at the debate last night calling Obama "Change you can Xerox." The crowd responded with angry boos.

http://www.crooksandliars.com/Media/Play/26601/2/Demdebate-Plagiarism-Fails.mov/

In the clip, Obama calmly and logically defends himself against the plagiarism charges by the Hillary coterie. There were only two speech lines that were reused, and it turns out that the person he allegedly "stole" them from is one of Obama's top campaign advisers. That person gave the lines to Obama, since they both believe in the same ideas. How can Obama steal ideas from one of his top supporters, working to get him elected?

I just don't want four more years of spin and dishonesty, much less from my own party. We're Democrats for God's sake! We can't become the Republicans, defending phony positions without an ounce of truth to score a cheap political point.

Bri

13 Ways Our Computers Have Failed Us

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 03:06:33 GMT

Here's the latest collaboration between Frank and I for Chris Garcia's "Drink Tank." In my humble opinion, this is a quite funny article. Enjoy!

13 Ways Our Computers Have Failed Us
by Brianna Flynt and Frank Wu

1. Our Computers don't have sex with us.

Source: Austin Powers, Firefly, Star Trek: The Next Generation

Last week on Valentine’s Day, I made out with Frank and he was so not a robot. Also? My Palm Pilot alarm will vibrate, but it won’t vibrate in the ways I want it to. Where are the machines like Data that are programmed in multiple techniques?

2. My laptop has never once calculated my odds for survival.

Source: Barbarella, Star Wars, Space: 1999

The odds of successfully navigating an asteroid field may be 3,720 to 1, but my computer has never provided the odds of surviving a Nicolas Cage movie. This should be Microsoft’s top priority for the next Vista service pack. Knowledge is power, and that knowledge could potentially save me from seeing the next crappy “Ghost Rider” or “National Treasure” sequel.

3. Where are the medical droids?

Source: Star Wars, Star Trek: Voyager

I have an X-Acto knife scar from 1982 and despite my begging, my Dell Dimension has never made it all better. It’s not like this was an attack from a killer wampa. Where’s 2-1B with his Bacta tank when you need him?

4. Our Computers don't fight wars for us.

Source: Resident Evil, Terminator “The Sarah Connor Chronicles”, Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women

My Apple G5 has never once given me pointers on fighting zombies, and it’s certainly never murked a T-888 for me. How bogus is that? I want a computer that will protect me, the future leader of mankind, and even sacrifice itself if necessary in a pit of lava. I also want it to do it with a non-Microsoft operating system.

5. My iPod has never once shed its exoskeleton and strolled around with its electronic innards hanging out.

Source: The Terminator, Alien.

That one time I was hit with an exploding gas tanker, my iPod proved to be highly disappointing. It didn’t resurrect itself as an indestructible killing machine. The screen just blinked with that lame Apple logo. I want an iPod so tough it would have to be crushed in a drill press.

6. Our Computers have never once sent us back in time.

Source: Terminator “The Sarah Connor Chronicles,” TimeCop

I rented “Gigli” back in 2003, and my Palm Tungsten C wasn’t able to send me back in time to rectify this terrible, terrible mistake. The horror. If Palm ever gets around to releasing a new OS, a time-travel application is a must.

7. Our Computers don't instigate wacky adventures.

Source: Star Wars, Alien
C-3PO had his memory wiped by Captain Antilles after “Revenge of the Sith”, but I don’t find that necessary. Everything my TiVo shows me is eminently forgettable. I want a TiVo that will crash me onto the surface of Tatooine with the stolen Death Star plans.

8. Our Computers don't make critical fashion choices for us.

Source: The Jetsons

When I got dressed this morning, I so was not run through a conveyor belt that dressed me and styled my hair. Instead, I was cruelly forced to pick from random shiny shirts scattered on my floor. I want a computer that will tell me if plaids and stripes match.

9. My Honda's inboard computer has not once gotten the car airborne.

Source: Back to the Future II, Blade Runner

The government conspiracy to keep flying car technology from the public continues. When will this shadowy cabal of lies crumble? I want a Honda Accord that will let me fly just like the De Lorean DMC-12 with the Mr. Fusion hover car upgrade. No more excuses, because two-dimensional driving ranks as major mega-boring.

10. My cell phone refuses to call down the dropship from the “Sulaco”.

Source: Aliens

My coworkers Ferro and Spunkmyer were violently massacred by Aliens while trying to rendezvous with my APC last week. It was real tragic. But the real tragedy was I had to wait 20 minutes for the bus afterwards. I want a cell phone that will come through in the clinch and bring down the other drop ship from the “Sulaco”. If possible, I don’t want to have to crawl through miles of tunnel to get a signal.

11. My work desktop has totally failed to predict the stock market.

Source: Heinlein’s The Moon is a Harsh Mistress

Don’t tell my boss this, but I spend my work days surfing BoingBoing.net, Perezhilton.com, and the occasionally interesting “Drink Tank.” Imagine how much more time I’d have to surf if I were a billionaire! I want a computer that will cheat the stock market and help me get some of that delicious America Sauce.

12. My iPhone has never opened up portals to other dimensions.

Source: Sailor Moon S

Sailor Mercury has a three dollar calculator from Claire’s that can open up portals to secret dimensions. And that was back in the 80s before the Series of Tubes existed! Can’t my iPhone transport me to a dimension where the “Star Wars” prequels didn’t highly suck?

13. In times of distress, my laptop fails to toss off witty catchprases.

Source: Terminator, Terminator 2, Terminator 3

That one time before I crashed into the police station, my laptop didn’t dispense a half-witty catchphrase that strode through the ages. It wasn’t even wearing horribly dated 80s shades at the time. I want a laptop that recites 404 error codes in an Austrian accent. If possible, I’d like it to do it with none of the maddening timeline errors of the Jonathan Mostow Terminator 3.

O great and powerful Computer, when wilst thou cease to fail me?

Boycott Valentine's Day!

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 12:08:21 GMT

Don't believe the propaganda, man! Power to the people!

My boyfriend and I made a mutual decision to minimally celebrate this holiday this year. No flowers, no $150 dinner at Chez Piere, no chocolates. Don't get me wrong - I love it when he does nice things for me (and he frequently does), but neither of us want to fall for the commercial exploitation of this holiday.

The thing I find the most insulting are the commercials. They almost always feature some guy that's forgotten Valentine's Day, and is afraid his girlfriend will kill him. Then he buys Overpriced Cliche TM, and she's overcome with love and admiration. Disaster averted.

The message is clear - buy our product or face a woman scorned and blue balls.

What is love? Perhaps you don't follow the Christian tradition, but I think the Bible summed it up pretty well.

"Love is patient; love is kind and envies no one.
Love is never boastful, nor conceited, nor rude;
never selfish, not quick to take offense.
There is nothing love cannot face;
there is no limit to its faith,
its hope, and endurance.
In a word, there are three things
that last forever: faith, hope, and love;
but the greatest of them all is love.”

We might live in a materialistic society, but "more stuff" can never imbue meaning into our lives. Things people are coerced to buy does not equal love. Boycott this exploitative holiday and celebrate your love on your own terms!

Bri

Is Size 14 Not Big Enough?

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 14:31:58 GMT

I had a fascinating discussion yesterday with a friend of mine about the magazine "Figure," which came with her Lane Bryant purchase. This magazine is geared towards the "full figured," as are clothes from Lane Bryant. Here's a quote from their letters section.

"I was highly disappointed [with Figure.] To begin with, it contained thin people! You must have large people throughout your magazine - this is a must! And you must also remember that large is also over size 26."

We then perused the magazine, deciding if the following women were too thin to be in "Figure." She would veto all of these women as not being large enough.

For the record, if I were editor? I'd keep number 1, ditch number 2 and keep number 3. Her argument was that larger size sections didn't start until size 18, and that anyone less than that should be excluded.

Thoughts?
Bri

Motherhood: What's the Total Price?

Sat, 09 Feb 2008 15:56:52 GMT

I had coffee with a friend of mine yesterday I hadn't seen since she'd given birth. I was really shaken by the changes to her body and personality.

I had always admired her for her gorgeous skin tone, but she looked like she'd aged a decade. She'd also put on at least 30 pounds, but those things are just the meaningless superficial. What frankly scared me was her dyspeptic and distracted nature. She was a cheerleader in high school, but now she seemed so lifeless and without energy. Where was the woman I have done power yoga with for the last year?

It had been three months since she's had her child - is it normal for the effects of the pregnancy to still be with her so strongly? Do these things go away in time, or are you permanently sacrificing a measure of your youth? What is the true price of choosing to have children?

It seems to me that there is massive social pressure for women to have children. Our mothers ask us for grandchildren, sitcoms revolve around the idea and our closest friends take the journey and seemingly expect us to take it with them. Yet - as I've seen my friends go through this journey, their personalities and priories always change so drastically.

In my opinion, the entire point of feminism is the right to make choices. Yet - it also sometimes seems like motherhood is a part of the feminine journey that many find deeply rewarding. No matter which path you take, it seems like you're going to miss out on some of the rewards life can offer you.

Bri

Feed my mind with book suggestions, please.

Sat, 09 Feb 2008 05:44:52 GMT

I have 2 Audible audiobook credits, and I've been debating for days what to download to my iPod.

Shall I gorge my mind on yet another nutritionless Meg Cabot novel? In my opinion, she's by far the funniest chick-lit writer around. Her novels have no point other than to entertain, but Gods help me - I love her so.

So, "Size 14 is not Fat Either" is something I will pass on for now - but the question is still there. What can I read that will entertain me and also expand my mind?

I've just finished some mind-blowing Heinlien, and I just don't think I can read another depressing political non-fiction book about how shitty everything in the country is going thanks to Bush.

I had considered reading "QuickSilver" by Neil Stephenson. He wrote "The Diamond Age," my favorite novel - but the entire Baroque Cycle series just seems too maudlin for my tastes.

Any suggestions are very welcome!

Bri

Edwards Defeat Proves Chomsky's "Propeganda Model."

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 15:15:38 GMT

John Edwards surrendered yesterday to the reality that he will not be president in 2008. It was a hard day for many progressives like myself - we'd just lost Dennis Kucinich days earlier. Many of us feel that the chance to reverse the damage of the Bush Apocalypse TM went with him.

I think most Americans are unaware of how extremely right-wing the political dialog is in this country. We're not given a true right and a true left perspective, because there's no socialist perspective given to us in the mainstream media. Instead, we're given a right-wing extremist and a left-wing centrist/corporatist range of dialog.

This is fully in concordance with Chomsky's famous "Propaganda Model."

According to his theory, our news is not censored in a strictly fascist sense. Instead, our privately owned news media operates in it's own best interest and only allows dialog within the narrow framework which benefits itself and the power elites. The indisputable point of his model is that institutions like the media and the elites MUST operate in their own best interest - otherwise they wouldn't last for very long.

I sometimes watch Fox News to understand what the hell the right-wingers are thinking. The last time I did, I was watching Bill O'Reilly slander Edwards, painting him as a left-wing extremist, a socialist ambulance chaser, and a number of the other propaganda buzzwords they use to marginalize the left. This has a pernicious influence on the mainstream, leaving Americans to choose between Hillary, a status-quo corporatist and Obama, a corporatist with better rhetoric and less experience.

It's so frustrating being a progressive in a country synthesized to think right-wing lies are in their best interest.
Bri

Slightly Sexier than a Jetta

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 22:32:34 GMT

For environmentalist progressives like myself, the sexiest thing in a car is when it's socially responsible and doesn't fuel America's brain-damage inducing addiction to oil. Still, if the Prius isn't doing it for you - check this out, the 250 horsepower electric Tesla.

Wow. $100,000 would be a nice donation to Greenpeace, but still - a gal's got needs.

Read more about the Tesla here.
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/01/28/abg-first-drive-hitting-the-road-in-the-tesla-roadster/

Bri

Cybersexual Pornography

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 15:28:03 GMT

Wow. This piece of hardware really appeals to my basest instincts as an artist. It's a modified tablet Mac with a high level Wacom tablet built in. Screw the minimally-functioned Macbook Air - can you imagine the things you could create with this?

http://axiotron.com/index.php?id=modbook

On Compassion

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 15:48:21 GMT

It seems to me that one of the great divides of humanity is between those with compassion for others and those without.

I would be honest and say I grew up almost entirely devoid of compassion. I was raised in an extremist sect of Christianity for the rich and privileged. My parents were products of integration in the racist South, although they didn't know it. I was raised to believe that the poor in our society had themselves to blame, and that blacks needed to act like whites in order to get ahead.

This fantasy-plex worldview continued for me until I was about 22. A near-fatal accident left me largely unable to function. I spent over a year without the ability to control my hands enough to write, and sleeping 14 hours a day as my brain worked to heal itself. It was hard to see at the time, but this was one of the most important things that ever happened to me.

The experience taught me that, as a society, we're all in this together - and we have a moral responsibility to help our fellow man. This doesn't mean through meaningless rhetoric, it means through taxes, equal access to economic institutions and laws to enforce these goals, when necessary.

I find it notable that this awareness doesn't fall between party lines, religious lines or socioeconomic lines. There are Republicans who understand compassion, atheists and even the very privileged.

It seems to me that America is on the apex of falling as a major world power. We are going to have to learn to be far more humble with our military, our corporate subsidies and our tax policies. This doesn't make me happy to see the nation I love faltering - but I do hope there will be an upside. I hope we will all learn that we are one people with one common goal to better ourselves. I think we can get there if we all learn a little more compassion.

Bri

Huckabee says Gay Marriage Equals Bestiality

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 04:13:19 GMT

You might not have heard about this, but Mike Huckabee is getting what I think is an unfair rap over these comments he made about gay marriage lately, equating it with bestiality.

I think the radical view is to say that we’re going to change the definition of marriage so that it can mean two men, two women, a man and three women, a man and a child, a man and animal.

I'm with you, Mike. That's why I'm asking you to also change the Constitution to put a stop to whatever the hell this is supposed to be.

That dirty, lascivious monster on homosexual monster action. Disgraceful. They're even enjoying it, the sickies.

Bri

I'm Very Aware I'm Tall, Thanks

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 22:22:25 GMT

I was watching daytime television on my run this morning at the gym. I couldn't figure out why Katherine Hegel looked so glamorous being nearly my height while it makes me feel like such a mutant.

I'm between 6 feet tall and 6 foot 1, depending on how many miles I've run that day. For some reason, people seem to think I'm unaware of this and point it out to me frequently - I've gotten comments about it from strangers no less than 4 times today.

Don't get me wrong. I like this because I think it gives me a more commanding presence than other women. Also, being this tall and size 4/6 means I can get away with wearing almost anything. Still - there's something wrong about leaning down to kiss a guy.

I wonder sometimes what it must be like for women on the other end of the spectrum, very short. Do you just grow to accept it? Is there something about being short that makes you feel like you're invisible to society? Do they constantly pine to be taller?

Bri

Chick Flicks as a Predictable Narative Experience

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 20:45:36 GMT

Today my boyfriend asked me if I wanted us to see the new "Sex and the City" movie coming out on May 30. The answer was obviously an emphatic yes. Still, it did get me thinking about chick flicks as a narrative experience.

Let me start out by saying I generally avoid this genre of film. It's not that I don't find them enjoyable, and it's not that they don't speak to a deeply romantic part of my soul. It's that I don't find most of them complex enough to hold my adult attention. It's the exact same reason I avoid watching children's movies.

Almost every romantic movie I've ever seen boils down to this plot - a neurotic yet gorgeous woman must pick between two guys, and one is a dick. After spending half the movie oblivious to the the obvious choice, she executes an elaborate plan and serendipitously ends up with the nice guy.

Our brains are wired to create narrative. In one psychological study, people were shown clips of a meaningless, soundless film in random order. They were able to construct remarkably similar narratives based on the vapor of nuance. One finding of the study showed that when things conflict with the narratives we want to construct, we are resistant to it.

I think this is the reason so few films deviate from their genre.

This truth certainly doesn't just hold true for chick flicks. I would argue that it's true for the action, thriller, anime and comedy genres as well. In fact, I think that horror movies have been the one genre with any narrative evolution as of late.

Bri

RustyCon - Nerds and Neoteny

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 20:31:31 GMT

Sci-fi conventions are like "Lord of Flies," where all the characters are the grown-up nerdlings from high-school.

This was my second convention, and I was really struck by the bifurcation of people attending. Many were the predictable stereotype of nerds with limited social and hygiene skills. I have complex thoughts on this subset. First of all, I think most decent adults see people as people and don't judge them on the superficial. Still, if you don't fit within the particular group they dedicate themselves to, true conversation is all but impossible.

Since I was wearing NakedDress TM, I expected the usual catcalls and impolite stares - though I think they caught my boyfriend a bit off guard. I was shocked and a little disgusted to walk into one party deliberately based around lesbian pornography - and had to leave. All in all, though, the people are very nice. They want what all human beings want - real friends and a group to belong to. I worry their particular choices limit them, but it's still their choice to make.

The second group I find far more fascinating.

Many of the writers I met there were former nerds who had gone on to develop fierce humor and social skills. I would suspect that, like myself, they were very shy and introverted as children - yet hit a point of their life where they were forced to develop extroversion. For me, I started to develop this around my sophomore year of college - but for some attending, it was even later than that.

I credit this culmination to two factors.

First, humans as a species take a very long time to reach neotenic maturity, meaning their full attainment of developmental traits. Secondly and concordantly, Frank Wu has a theory that some people peak in high school and never move on. I would argue that this long period without neoteny has molded them into unique human beings, more skilled in imagination and social charm than the average member of the species.

I'd love to hear thoughts about the hierarchical structure of the nerding - nerdling queen relationship from the great LJ overmind.

Bri

Why do I love Heinlein so?

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 22:47:17 GMT

I have a confession - I think that most science fiction is meritless as fiction. That said, I have a great affinity for "hard" science fiction - gritty, realistic and with sad endings. The Battlestar is my favorite show on TV by far, and I've loved everything I've ever read by Heinlein.

Because I'll be attending quite a few sci-fi conventions this year, I've been working to finish the Heinleins I've never read. Right now I'm working on "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress," and I find myself asking myself what it is about his work that captivates me so.

As far his plots go, they're epic but not the most original. "The Puppet Masters" and "Friday," two of my favorites, have themes that have been done in countless other variations. Yet, I think it's the cerebral, reflective tone that makes them interesting. Puppet Masters isn't as much about an alien invasion as it is the human capacity for delusion and subservience. Friday isn't about a genetically bred super-spy as much as it's about the search for family and identity.

I also enjoy Heinlein's attention to the ideas of gender, though so much of what he says is archaic and sexist. It's such a contradiction - he writes affectionately of the feminine quality that eclipses all knowledge - yet it seems that all his female characters are lauded for their masculine qualities.

I'd love to hear other thoughts on Heinlein.

Anna

Do Other Women Experience This?

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 05:41:09 GMT

I just did my first Power Yoga routine in over 2 1/2 weeks - and I just learned not to ever, ever skip it for so long again. I feel so calm, so centered, and like my body and muscles have been purged of mega-toxins from Christmas on-the-road eating.

That said, after taking these two weeks off I've noticed that my capability to lift my body weight has drastically dropped - just like it always does. My body is a well-tuned machine for running and intense cardio, but it doesn't matter what I do, I just can't seem to keep on muscle. It's like I hit a certain plateau and then it just won't develop any further.

And then, if I stop training it - that muscle quickly goes away.

I teasingly challenged my boyfriend to a weight lifting contest at the gym the other day. As I expected, I beat him by a nose in the leg lift - but all I was able to bench press was 25 pounds for 10 reps. I am aware this is embarrassingly bad. I still don't know what can reasonably be expected to change, though.

Bri