1. This for the ladies: If you suffer from intense menstrual cramps and you decide pop Midol all day long so you can seem somewhat normal, please remember that it is LOADED with caffeine. You may find yourself cramp free blogging the night away. You'll need to take the meds the next day to fight off your crabbiness due to lack of sleep.
2. People piss me off. I know that's nothing new, so I'll share my latest annoyances:
Issue #1On Tuesday, The Washington Post did a piece on a study that ties political leanings to racial biases. (Deep Breath). Interesting, but the whole time I was thinking, "tell me something I don't know". Whatever. Then I stumbled across a link to an idiot's (namely Rick Roberts) blog with a response to the study. I'll just say, some people miss the point and I'll allow you to get pissed the same way I did. Enjoy.
Issue #2
Friday's Oprah featured the hilarious and now certifiable Dave Chapelle. This show was the most uncomfortable hour of television all week long. What happened Dave?
Issue #3My love hate relationship with Television Without Pity and Starting Over must end. I'll agree, Iyanla does some pretty questionable things on the show, but the comments on TWoP have crossed over to blatantly racist and they make my stomach turn. The constant comparison of Vanzant's appearance to a donkey's is really beginning to make me mad. These people are just the type to really believe they have no racial biases. See Issue #1.
3. I saw Something New this evening. There were a few interesting things about this experience. The first was the email from MB with a synopsis asking if I was going. This is only interesting because I thought it was a movie for me/black women, I didn't realize that other people (especially gay white males) were interested in seeing this film.
I went to the movies alone and encountered the second interesting item. There were 4 other black women attending the movie alone. Hmmmm.... I must mention that by 15 minutes into the story the theater was packed with other black women, many on dates with black men.
There were three white parties in the theater, one was seated next to me and another was seated directly behind me. I don't know why that's interesting. It's 5AM whatever.
Now, let's talk about the movie. I could relate to Kenya in many ways.
1. She had a list of things she just "didn't do".
*So do I!
2. She had a list of qualities she wanted in a mate. (Employed, articulate, college degree, and black)
*This list doesn't seem too outrageous to me because it looks like my list. I guess the list is 3 items too long.
3. She was slightly anal retentive.
*You know, we've both got a lot of lists. I never thought of myself as AR, but people keep hinting that I might be.
Without giving the story away, I found the heroine to be sad and unsatisfied through most of the movie. On further reflection I wonder if I'm projecting my feelings on the movie. I'd be curious to hear what other people think.
I just ran across this review of the movie on salon. I believe the reviewer is white. There are a couple of things I would take Zacharek to task about, but this is the part that stuck out in my mind:
"Kenya is whiter than Brian is..."
You know where I'm going with that so I'll leave on a positive note. I LOVE Alfre Woodard! Between this and Desperate Housewives, she's moving to the top of my favorite actress list.
Disclamer: I am fully aware that I carry my own set of biases regarding race among many other things.
1 comment:
I'm a little bothered that you were up at 5am for no reason, whereas I was up at 5am (4:40ish actually) trying to figure out what today's cry meant. FYI - she wasn't hungry and her diaper was clean, so I think she just wanted to mess with me since somehow she knew today was day to do the early wake up. NEway, I saw Something New over the weekend too. This was odd for so many reasons. Shameika - my wife - NEVER wants to go to the movies. She falls asleep before the opening credits, and has this amazing talent where she wakes up about 5 minutes before it's over, so she can always talk abotu the ending at dinner afterwards. About ay ear ago I stopped paying for her to go to the movies, because it seemed stupid to keep paying, knowing that she would without a doubt fall asleep. This caused about a month of "movie tension" when I'd mention I was going to see something. This was a new test however. Will she come and pay for herself, and fall asleep and waste HER money? Of course not... So, a year later, I have now seen everything I wanted to see. Alone. Just the way I like it.
Fast forward to last Saturday, when out of nowhere she says, "Teddy, can we go to the movies today?" Rather than ask her to repeat it and open the door for teasing, I just said sure, what do you want to see? Now, the Oscars are approaching, there are about 7 movies I still need to see (I'll do a post about my oscar issues later) so I was looking forward to knocking another one off of the list. She says Something New or Glory Road. WHAT? There's Munich, Good Night and Good Luck, Capote and even (yes, I'm gonna "breakdown" and see it) Brokeback Mountain. I know I need to be supportive right now, so I say "whatever you want to see is cool." They both started at the same time, so she said she'll decide at the theatre. Guess what won? Something New...
So - back to you Kim. I am SOOOO glad we saw it, because it was the first time I think Meik got to herself without it coming from me laughing at her. Meik (and I imagine so many other proud Spelmanites) mirrored Kenya in so many ways, that it was almost freaky at times. No red, no bugs, no dogs, no hiking or any other activity that might cause interface with nature, no hues that don't match with beige, no to any opinion that doesn't match her mother's, no sex within a week of getting her hair done, no fun, NO ADVENTURE. Yes however, to work, to staying late at work, to not leaving work, to doing work at home, to "mixers" with people from work, to "professional organizations and clubs", and lastly to galas and any other event that calls for a gown and tuxedo.
Again, it was a little scary.
I will say that Shameika laughed at Kenya (and quietly at herself), which was refreshing to see. We talked about the movie later that night in bed, and she asked me if she was ever that bad. I said no, though honestly she was worse. At least Kenya had her circle of "girls" and went out to drink occasionally. I think some of my ego is comforted in knowing that I was the one to open her up some. Triumph after triumph, Meik has kinda flourished into this new woman in the last few years. One that will wear red, go on a trip to the mountains, or even suggest a paint color that doesn't make me yawn.
There's still no sex within a week of a hair appointment...
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