Posts filed under 'Musings'
When I was little, I loved Wonder Woman. Sure, I love her now but back then, I’d force my cousins — at least 8 years my senior — to play Wonder Woman with me. They’d shoot at me and I’d, of course, reflect their invisible bullets away by the mightyness of my bracelets of power. Then I’d take off my golden tiara and throw it at them to bind their wrists and haul them off to jail.
Sometimes, while sporting my Wonder Woman underoos.
So, when I stumbled across Practical Polly’s Wonder Woman Jumper — I literally gasped in glee and envy.
She created her own pattern out of a vintage sweater pattern and studiously studying Wonder Woman’s outfit. It took her over a year to finish — yet as soon as I saw it, I wanted to beg every knitting friend I have to somehow immediately figure out how to replicate it for MEEEEE. It’s like big-girl underoos, but better because everyone can see it all the time!
If there’s anyone out there who’s up for the challenge — my birthday is in November, but Christmas is good too…
Popularity: 14% [?]
September 12th, 2007
Lately, I’ve been somewhat obsessive about scanning in old pics from high school and college. Some are longtime favorites, some I haven’t seen in years. It’s been like a bizarre 8-Track flashback — seeing faces of old friends, some I haven’t talked to since I graduated 15 years ago. And it’s amazing how quickly memories pour in, flooding my vision and my emotions.
Some of my favorites are from my going-away to college party. The Shag Party. A few days earlier, J and I had come across the movie Shag and became strangely enthralled. That night, I found “Stagger Lee” in my mom’s record collection — the song featured the big dance competition number. So of course, we needed to learn the dance and perform it at my going-away party. Because, really, what else would you do in that situation?
We tracked down the movie and to the amusement and horror of my boyfriend, made him watch us and the film until we got the dance as close as possible (including our own flourishes). We then forced our most glorious performance on the well-wishers. And it was glorious, we were brilliant. I wish I had it on tape somewhere but these pictures suffice.
However, the most interesting thing I’ve found in this whole exercise of memory lane meandering? It’s changing my perception of myself from then — no longer am I convinced that I was hideously ugly. (Which is something that I held as indisputable fact from junior high through, say, four years after college. That mental change in perception is something for which I’ll always thank PopGurl Amanda.)
In fact, I was kind of cute. I wish I could go back and tell myself that, and then hit high schools now and let awkward boys and girls of today know that the perceptions of themselves they have right now are not necessarily the right ones, and given some distance and perspective — the mirror they hold up is definitely more flattering and a whole lot more true.
Popularity: 14% [?]
August 17th, 2007
SOAPnet has been playing Beverly Hills, 90210 — and the cycle has flipped to the early eps once again. Man, was I a sucker for this show. Hook, line and sinker. One of these days, I’ll write my ode to Brenda because she will always be my favorite character. (I still call bullshit on the whole Dylan/Kelly soulmates thing because. No. And you know they wouldn’t have been paired in the finale if Shannen Doherty came back.)
It’s funny to see all the random guest-stars, like Matthew Perry who showed up the other night as an athletic genius phenom who wrote a script about killing his father. Brandon was so worried! My god, would he do it? Luckily, Brandon came in to save the day even if he was so terribly off on Mr. Perry’s motivation. Brandon’s good like that — coming in to save the day. Well, when he’s not off on a gambling binge or being drugged by Emily Valentine.
You know, 90210 (or, known in my college dorm room as nine-oh) delivered me right into the manipulative hands of Dawson’s Creek. And The WB for that matter. After years and years of dwelling on Brenda, Dylan and the rest of the Peach Pit crew — how was I to resist a delicious helping of teen angst? Especially when 90210 was falling fast by the time the Creekers hit the screen. (I won’t watch any episode if my Tivo mentions Matt or Gina. I still have a hard time with the Valerie era.)
My goodness — watching this all sends me back so hard, so fast.
Popularity: 44% [?]
July 12th, 2007
While Davy Rothbart wrote a lovely eulogy for beloved Mr. Rogers, I’m a bit more jealous of Telegraph’s ode to Count Gottfried von Bismarck.
Gawker’s excerpt is certainly notable:
Count Gottfried von Bismarck, who was found dead on Monday aged 44, was a louche German aristocrat with a multi-faceted history as a pleasure-seeking heroin addict, hell-raising alcoholic, flamboyant waster and a reckless and extravagant host of homosexual orgies.
But one would be remiss to not call out any of the other striking details of the belated Count like:
When not clad in the lederhosen of his homeland, he cultivated an air of sophisticated complexity by appearing in women’s clothes, set off by lipstick and fishnet stockings.
and
His removal from Oxford was so abrupt that he was not given time to settle his bills; Prince Ferdinand sent a servant who did the rounds of von Bismarck’s favoured watering-holes, restaurants and his tailor bearing a chequebook.
I’m trying to think of any random eccentricities that I have that one would be apt to mention when I pass. Like how I eat KitKats wafer by wafer by wafer, or how disturbed my brother is that I don’t particularly like sandwiches (aside from tuna fish) and would prefer to eat all of the components separately. Sadly, neither would even raise an eyebrow in the world of the Count. Apparently I need to start quirking up my life a bit. Maybe I’ll start with lederhosen.
Count Gottfried von Bismarck Obituary
Popularity: 18% [?]
July 5th, 2007
Or, at least she was in Kevin Smith’s Dogma. I remember questioning that casting decision until I saw the film and I was utterly smitten with her portrayal. A fun God, one that enjoys headstands and such and only smites when necessary. I should have gathered more from that moment about Alanis Morissette’s sense of humor then — but her remake of Fergie’s “My Humps” just solidified my perception of her as a really cool chick that I’d love to hang out with. No wonder Ryan Reynolds can’t keep away.
See, I hate “My Humps.” A lot. As anyone even remotely busty can tell you, we don’t walk around calling our breasts “humps” or “our lovely lady lumps.” I still have no idea how the hell that song infiltrated the airwaves with its moronic lyrics and even worse video.
However, I utterly adore Alanis’ cover. Her voice has this way of illustrating the inanity of each lyric, her video mocks the ridiculousness of each bend-over, booty shake. As Pitchfork mentioned — Morissette can barely keep a straight face in this quick, one-off video, so we’re happy to see that she’s in on the joke from the beginning.
Check it out — Alanis Morrissette’s “My Humps”
Popularity: 9% [?]
April 3rd, 2007
Okay, maybe it’s not the stupidest — but it’s up there. The Sally Field “Boniva” commercial.
For those who don’t know Boniva, it’s a once-a-month pill for osteoporosis. I’m not a doctor, I don’t study osteoporosis so I know very little about the drug aside from what the commercial keeps ramming down my throat — that you can take it once a month. Focus group this spot and I don’t know if people would walk out knowing that it’s for osteoporosis, but they’ll certainly tell you that it’s a once a month pill.
Because, really, that’s all they talk about. There’s several spots in this campaign, but the one that annoys me the most is where Sally talks about her friend who HAS TO SET ASIDE TIME ONCE A WEEK TO TAKE HER CALCIUM PILL. Oh, the horror! Really, once a week? How does she make it through? And what the hell is Sally’s friend doing to have to set so much time aside for this pill? Does she do a calcium ritual? Maybe get some chicken bones from Thursday nights dinner and shake them about as she dances on one foot chanting about strong bones?
I take three pills a day — and that’s not including any supplements or the most disgusting vitamin drink in the world that I drink every morning. (I do need to set time aside for that because it involves mixing — but it’s no more than 30 seconds and really, as nasty as it is, it’s worth it.) I know people who take far more than that and I’ve never heard anyone say — “oh, this one weekly pill. It’s SO TIME CONSUMING!” So this commercial drives me crazy every time it comes on.
If Boniva was pushing themselves against a daily pill competitor, I’d get it. But if your main selling point is that taking a WEEKLY PILL is *handtoforehead*oh so very painful!*dramatic sigh* — then really, maybe you should spend some time thinking about actual benefits of your product than harping on one silly point.
Now, I like Sally Field and I think she looks fantastic — and I realize this is all scripted — but seriously. She just looks stupid here going on about the PAIN OF A WEEKLY PILL. You’re a big star, Gidget — demand a better script!
Popularity: 21% [?]
March 28th, 2007
I stumbled across this link about Francois Brunelle’s very interesting I’m Not a Look-A-Like project, and who was on top but the lovely, lovely Caroline Dhavernas. (You doubt the loveliness of the Wonderfalls actress? Check out our interview here.)
So lovely, indeed. She really needs to be back on my TV screen on a weekly basis, then maybe I won’t mind not having Jaye and the clan around for more than 13 episodes. And what the heck happened to Tyron Leitso? I miss the way that boy swoons.
Popularity: 13% [?]
March 13th, 2007
If you haven’t been linked to the New York Times article on The Fugees, a soccer team made of refugees in Georgia headed up by Luma Mufleh — well, take some time and read it.
The Fugees are indeed all refugees, from the most troubled corners — Afghanistan, Bosnia, Burundi, Congo, Gambia, Iraq, Kosovo, Liberia, Somalia and Sudan. Some have endured unimaginable hardship to get here: squalor in refugee camps, separation from siblings and parents. One saw his father killed in their home.
The Fugees, 9 to 17 years old, play on three teams divided by age. Their story is about children with miserable pasts trying to make good with strangers in a very different and sometimes hostile place. But as a season with the youngest of the three teams revealed, it is also a story about the challenges facing resettled refugees in this country. More than 900,000 have been admitted to the United States since 1993, and their presence seems to bring out the best in some people and the worst in others.
They have a few months to find a new grassy place to keep playing soccer, due to the Mayor’s decree that there will be no soccer played in Clarkston, Ga. (Which, honestly, sounds so insane to me. I’m not super-sportsy, but I played soccer for a few years growing up. Almost everyone I knew did.) Find out more about their program, and if you’re so inclined — financially and emotionally — you can donate here: http://www.fugeesfamily.org/
Popularity: 9% [?]
January 24th, 2007
I used to work two blocks away from a Gap store, and every day I walked by it to and from the train station. I remember a moment last year when I was shuffling to the office, head down, intent on my Starbucks latte, when I noticed that the window had changed. The new window featured leggings underneath short denim skirts, and at that moment I began a months-long debate with myself about whether or not I’d follow this trend.
Oh, I wanted to. I wanted to so bad, because while some people might think it’s a cute look, I remember how comfortable leggings were. I mean, when you wear them under a skirt, it’s like wearing pants, so you can totally sit in unladylike ways!
And yet, the debate raged on within my head. Was I too old? Am I too curvy? Could I pull the look off without buying an uncomfortable denim mini-skirt? At the end of the day, I decided against the pull of the leggings.
Then one day I was in Anthropologie and I saw that they had COOL leggings, ones that were thick and wooly like a cableknit fisherman’s sweater. They were pricey – about $40 each – but I snapped up three pair. Well, one pair of great cableknit tights, and a pair of wooly brown leggings with gold flecks and a pair of cream wooly leggings with a fun knit pattern striped throughout. I couldn’t wait to wear them!
But here’s the truth: My ass was not meant to fit in those leggings. The tights fit great. They’re even long enough! But the leggings were some strange variation on “low rise,” and I swear I could not even pull them halfway up my ass before running out of fabric. How humiliating!
I almost gave up. I took the Anthropologie leggings back. I moved on.
Until I found a black/grey/olive striped pair at Target. They were $4. I had to have them. And so I did.
Except I wasn’t meant to have those, either. Sure, they fit. But I wore them out the first time with a little jersey dress, and the dress stuck to the tights all day long in a most unattractive way. My mother would have been horrified that I didn’t wear a slip to combat the problem. But what’s comfortable about that? And if I have to wear some heavy fabric – like the dreaded denim skirt – in order for the leggings to behave admirably, then I don’t want them at all.
*sigh*
I should have gone with my SECOND instinct and avoided this mess altogether. The sad(der) part is that I didn’t even get on the trend until it had pretty much passed me by.
-Amanda
Popularity: 15% [?]
January 18th, 2007
I don’t watch Access Hollywood and my patience for red carpet specials has waned severely, so I hadn’t heard of Katherine Heigl’s comment on the Isiah Washington/T.R. Knight situation until I read Planet Out’s Personality Machine:
In response to Washington’s use of the slur when addressing the situation last night, Heigl spoke out.
“I’m going to be really honest right now, he needs to just not speak in public. Period. I’m sorry, that did not need to be said, I’m not okay with it,” Katherine told Shaun.
When asked if she thought it was just an off-the-cuff remark, Heigl added, “I have no idea what it was, I just find it hurtful…I just feel like this is something that should be very much in house we need to deal with and it’s among us and the cast and crew and among Shonda [Rimes, show creator] and the producers.”
Heigl said that she hoped they work the situation out, making her loyalty to Knight, who plays Dr. George O’Malley on the hit show, clear.
“I don’t think [Washington] means it the way he comes off…But, T.R. is my best friend. I will throw down for that kid. I will beat you up. I will use every ounce of energy I have to take you down if you hurt his feelings,” she said.
We’ve been long-standing fans of Heigl here at PopGurls, and this just made me adore her more. In an industry where things are mostly talked about in hush-hush tones behind the velvet rope — unless, of course, it’s about someone heading into rehab, flashing their hoo-hah or adopting a designer baby — it’s rare to find someone willing to go public and stand up for someone she loves. Like how Heigl burst on The WB scene with Roswell, all luscious curves and smoldering, old-fashioned Hollywood glam, a refreshing change and stunning beauty in a world of stick-thin teen starlets. (Of course you’re still stunning, but honey, please — gain some weight!) Here, now, broadcasting her devotion to her friend, Katherine Heigl shows just another way she’s so incredibly beautiful.
I want to Katie to be my friend. I’ll throw down for her, I promise!
-amy
Popularity: 23% [?]
January 18th, 2007
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