| Monday, February 16, 2004 posted by 2LiveJew on 1:40 AM |
THIS ONE GOES OUT TO ALL THE LADIES  |
|
DISCUSS |
| Friday, February 13, 2004 posted by 2LiveJew on 3:11 PM |
There, I fixed everything. |
|
DISCUSS |
| Sunday, February 08, 2004 posted by J on 4:13 PM |
I was just looking through my hard drive and cleaning out old stuff that I don't need anymore, and I came across a folder of all my old school papers that I still had. I thought this one was kinda interesting, and thought I'd share it.
My junior year I took a course in women's studies. Throughout the course we were reading the book Bridget Jones' Diary, and at the end of the semester our final project was to write a paper about the novel that synthesized as much of the class material as we could manage to fit. I was the only male in the class of about 150 people to get an "A." The only reason I know this is because she made a point to tell the whole class. Bridget Jones's Diary Throughout the course of history men have visited many atrocities upon women in order to "discipline" their bodies, to use the term used in class. In my opinion the way women are "disciplined" today is far more sinister than any previous. I feel this way because we (as a society) do it to them from inside their own minds, and I think that Bridget Jones's Diary is a perfect example of how this works. In ancient China they practiced foot binding. Women would actually force their own daughters to endure the agony of it when they knew it only too well. In some African tribes they would actually mutilate the genitalia of their women, literally cutting off all sexual pleasure. Today we convince women to put themselves through their own kind of torture. There is no second party here physically forcing anything on them. Through constant bombardment of images and ideas in our television and computer age we make them believe that pursuits of beauty are important. Look at just about any entry in Bridget's diary, and you'll see what I mean. On page 57, for example, we read: "126 lbs. (what is the point of dieting for whole of Feb when end up exactly same weight at start of March as start of Feb? Huh. Am going to stop getting weighed and counting things every day as no sodding point)." Nearly every entry begins with a summation of the day's weight, and caloric intake (among other things). After months of such obsessive counting she gets herself down to 119, and is excited. "Today is a historic and joyous day. After 18 years of trying to get down to 119 lbs I have finally achieved it" (Fielding, 90). However, her excitement fades when she is told she looks too thin, and looked better before. Then she is new-resolved to put the weight back on, and eat more. As a reader, at this point I thought that she was truly affected, and she really would turn it around, but as is the case through most of the book, I'm left disappointed in her. She gets herself back to a healthy 125 or so, but then begins to obsess again and freaks out every time it goes any higher than that. So ultimately, she hasn't really improved at all; only raised her weight ceiling by a few pounds. It goes back to the beauty myth. Women, including Bridget, are so caught up in the pursuit of this elusive beautiful version of themselves that they don't have the time or the energy to focus on broader, sweeping issues. Take a look at page 136. Daniel, thinking he's being funny, suggests a new diet for Bridget. The long and short of it is if Bridget only eats meals purchased for her she'll get thin because no men will take her out until she's thin, and once she is she'll be taken out often and get plump again, and then the cycle begins anew. In his mind it was only a joke, but the sad thing is I'll bet women with eating disorders have had that exact thought before, and to them it probably seemed ingenious. I don't know enough on the subject to back this up, but I'd be willing to bet that there were no recorded instances of eating disorders prior to the 20th century. Ours is the first society that has had the power to barrage women on all sides with the image of beauty. This causes psychological damage on many levels and across a broad spectrum. Ours is a society that dictates to women that they be thin and busty and athletic or they are undesirable and therefore freaks. A freak is the last thing anyone wants to be. The author, through Bridget, brings up an interesting concept on page 169. She introduces the idea that women have a "sell-by date" much like produce. Think about how we look at age in our culture. Think about some aged, famous men. Patrick Stewart. Sean Connery. One upwards of fifty, the other pushing seventy and both are still considered sexy. There's this feeling that an aged man is distinguished. Every line in his face only adds to his charm. Look at women of comparable age. Angie Dickinson. Elizabeth Taylor. Both were once sex symbols lusted after by most heterosexual males in this country. Today? I can't honestly say I know anyone who would call either of them sexy. They've reached their "sell-by dates." Each wrinkle subtracts from their sex appeal, but it only adds to a man's. As much as I'm caught up in that same cultural way of thinking, I don't think I'll ever understand it. On page 225 we get a frightening look into exactly how obsessive Bridget really is over her weight. In a fast-paced exchange with her best friend, Tom, she reveals to him (and us) that she knows the caloric content of just about any food you can name. Then, at the bottom of the page she mentions "Tom says I'm sick, but I happen to know for a fact that I am normal-"(Fielding, 225) Up until this point the weight/calorie thing was almost done tongue-in-cheek, almost making fun of it, but here it feels very heavy and very real to me. Not only does she not think it's sick, but she thinks it is NORMAL. That is not a healthy thing to think, but as I've asserted above, we (society) made her that way. I think I have supported my assertion well enough thus far, so in closing I would just like to say that I found the ending to be very disappointing. Because of the subject matter of this course I was hoping to see a portrait of an intelligent woman who realizes her problems and transcends them. Not until the last week's worth of entries did I finally realize that she NEVER once wrote anything that really mattered. Never did we get any underlying truth, or deep introspection with Bridget. We didn't get that, because it wasn't there. It wasn't in her. She never grew beyond her day-to-day fretting. Her character was shallow and obsessed with that which she was raised to be obsessed with. Right down to the pathetic little knight-in-shining-armor-carrying-the-meak-damsel-off-into-the-sunset garbage! It was actually that very last piece of imagery involving her and Mark Darcy wrapped up in a neat little bow that was just a little too pretty for me. It made me look at the entire novel in a whole new light. It was very well written, and hysterically funny throughout, but I was just hoping for a departure from the societal norm. |
|
DISCUSS |
| Saturday, February 07, 2004 posted by J on 11:22 AM |
Okay, fine. I'll play your sick head-games, O "Scary Face Of The Blog."
Here's a recent email dialogue between John Roland and myself. We found it terribly amusing. Perhaps you will too. **From Me To John, 02/04/2004** Hello, Good sir, I was wondering if you mightn't have seen a mate of mine. He's a shortish, blondish, weirdish chap. Goes by the name of Spanky, but most people insist on calling him by the absurd title of "John." My initial efforts of investigation have lead me to you, sir, and I would appreciate any and all assistance you might provide me with. Let it be known, sir, that I am pursuing this investigation into the whereabouts of said "John" only to request his presence on a hike to take place on the morn of the coming Saturday, or possibly Sunday. Let it be known by you that it is known by me, sir, that aforementioned "John" does have a myriad of schoolwork at all times demanding his attention, but he also has an athletic, adventurous aspect to his personality that I am quite certain ALSO demands his attention. I am terribly afraid, good sir, that said aspect will destroy all other aspects if it is not satiated quite soon. You're time and perusal is most appreciated, sir, and please continue to fight the good fight. With regards, Beauregard Dimpleworth III **Next one: John's reply, 02/05/2004** Sir Beauregard Dimpleworth III of the Shire, I recieved your inquiry into the whereabouts of such said person, and, having been acquainted with the Dimpleworth family for many generations of spunktefariousness, I purused the matter in earnest myself that I might somehow work myself into the favor of the well-known and often too little respected clan of Dimpleworthania, and perhaps even begin to repay their kindness though I am trespassed beyond my humble station in going so far as to give voice to such an impossibility amongst endeavors. The search was long and complicated, and so I shall spare you the details except to inform you that he was last seen vanishing into the depths of the Hayden, which, you may know, is located within the valley, specifically in a region known to some as ASU, a place occupied mostly by a grey-haired cloister of intellectuals and barbaric, hedonistic, mostly blonde rich children who wile away their days consuming sugar filled beverages and engaging in all sorts of sinful capriciousness. I should not dash your hopes but alas, in this day and age I fear the worse for such an uncompromising lad in a place like the University. That being said, he has been known in some circles to have as you say "adventurousness" in his varied and unpredictable Took nature, so I should not be surprised if he were to show up on your very doorstep some morning and demand your patronage in one of his foolish quests to the mountains known as "South" or simply "The Wimpy Hills In The Backyard." My advice, good sir, since our mutual party has broken all links with the outside world, as his voice does not at the moment sing amongst the cellular vistas nor has he appeared in some time in digital attire, is to perhaps leave a message with someone close to him, say a family member, or, that failing, hire an assassin to deliver the message (though I would be so bold as to suggest someone unliked for the job as we could expect the worst for them). I will notify various contacts who will see to it that he comes to know of the matter should he surface. I will instruct them with the words "Sunday is best, but Saturday as good as any day for the if-then as yet pitifully jobless and without hope." I'm sure you understand the message well enough to know how he will respond. I thank you deeply for the opportunity to serve such an honoroable patron as yourself. May the genital-consuming monkeys come no closer than earshot to you and your family, now, and for the rest of your days. Still Fighting the Good Fight, Sincerely, Dodo Biggins |
|
DISCUSS |
| Friday, February 06, 2004 posted by J on 10:35 PM |
Oh, for the love of God almighty!
I was told that if I wanted the scary eyes to go away, I should post here, and bring the blog back from the dead. So, here I am. Yup. This is me, your good friend Joey, typing away. MY THIRD post, this week alone. Yup Dancing away the scary eyes, I keep dancing til they go away. **shuffle shuffle** They're still there, aren't they? I feel their icy gaze on me, even now when I'm in the editing page. I feel like that guy in that Red Meat comic. THIS GUY. OH, THE HUMANITY!!!!!! |
|
DISCUSS |
| Wednesday, February 04, 2004 posted by J on 11:31 PM |
All righty, here's a post for you:
I recently bought a funny and entertaining book called This Book Will Change Your Life. It's a list of activities, broken up into a day-by-day scheme. They aren't designed to actually rearrange your existence as you know it, but they will provide for some fun that takes you out of your daily routine. I've been posting the activities on The Board each day so people can do try it out if they want. Check it out This Link Will Change your Life |
|
DISCUSS |
| Monday, February 02, 2004 posted by J on 12:49 AM |
Okay, the new look is cool and everything, but the new Eyes on the picture scare the living shit out of me, and somehow manage to actually cause me some small amount of physical pain in the back of my neck. No joke! |
|
DISCUSS |