Location: El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Angeles del Río de Porciúncula
Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 2:44 am Post subject:
And continuing the all-American tradition of train-wreck reality television...
This little brat named Audrey, is having a $67,000 quinceañera celebration. First of all, she told her mom that $67,000 is well worth the price of her happiness, which made me instantly hate her. Second, she acts like a total bitch-and-half, swearing at her friends and even the very woman who gave her life if she doesn't get her way. But, what really cements her reputation as totally reprehensible diva-in-traing is this little episode below. Her mom gifts her with a brand new Lexus. But do you think she's elated by her good fortune????? NOOOOOOO!!!!!
Ugh. Sometimes parents end up with the kids they deserve. If or when my little girl shows the first signs of teenage affluenza, I'm shipping her off to Africa to work in the Peace Corps or something like that.
And continuing the all-American tradition of train-wreck reality television...
This little brat named Audrey, is having a $67,000 quinceañera celebration. First of all, she told her mom that $67,000 is well worth the price of her happiness, which made me instantly hate her. Second, she acts like a total bitch-and-half, swearing at her friends and even the very woman who gave her life if she doesn't get her way. But, what really cements her reputation as totally reprehensible diva-in-traing is this little episode below. Her mom gifts her with a brand new Lexus. But do you think she's elated by her good fortune????? NOOOOOOO!!!!!
You know, I'm not sure if I'd have enough physical strength to give that kid the beating she deserves.
That was really good. I wish every kid would see it.
Julian wrote:
Ugh. Sometimes parents end up with the kids they deserve.
True.
Quote:
If or when my little girl shows the first signs of teenage affluenza, I'm shipping her off to Africa to work in the Peace Corps or something like that.
Location: San Francisco, Noord-Kalifornië, Noord-Amerika
Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 11:04 am Post subject:
Some of us (even in the US!) didn't suffer from teenage affluenza. I've recently started to become very tired of a habit some of my far-from-affluent-in-childhood friends have: bragging about how poor they were. It's like the opposite of one-upmanship -- it's one-downmanship. I have one friend who I will never again ask, "Do you remember doing ________ when you were a kid," or "Did you ever ___________ as a kid," because her answer invariably is, "No, we were too poor to __________. We could only ___________." And I get the distinct feeling that in her mind, she's more worthy than I am, because she was too poor to do whatever measly thing it was that I was able to do -- something like occasionally going out to eat en famille at the cheapest basement restaurants.
Location: El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Angeles del Río de Porciúncula
Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 8:23 pm Post subject:
Deborah wrote:
Anyone else know people like this?
I knew a girl from Kentucky who was like that. And the peculiar thing is as she got deeper into her tales of being so "dirt po' I thought dinin' at Howard Johnson's was a fancy night out on the town", the thicker her Southern accent got.
Location: San Francisco, Noord-Kalifornië, Noord-Amerika
Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 8:27 pm Post subject:
Oh, but my friend would win, because they never ate out. She did have some luxuries I didn't have though, so I guess it's all a matter of how your parent(s) decide to spend their money.
Recently I've started watching the HBO musical comedy series "Flight of the Conchords". It stars a couple of New Zealanders who are trying to make it as a folk duo in New York. It's pretty funny, and it's the first opportunity that I've had to hear a New Zealand accent.
Yes, one of my sisters in law once said "you have to use shampoo to wash your hair, clothes and dishes when you're poor". Poor dear. I guess I should have been grateful for moment of consciousness raising about the trauma of being inconvenienced by only having one kind of soap and the inherent nobility in suffering that version of poverty with fortitude, but alas I was a desensitized dolt. No strokes did I give, just a blank stare. I'm certain there's a 12 step group in my future, and in hell I'll have to wash with my hair, clothes and dishes with only one kind of brimstone.
Just wait. Soon we'll see little missy rushed off to the therapist because her parental units didn't procure a new Porsche for their little prom queen to sit and wave in during the homecoming parade, and experts will warn wayward parents that withholding affordable rewards is abuse, and psychiatrists will alerts us of the trauma induced by unfulfilled expectations held by wealthy kids, who will become "at risk" of something or other because the trickle down economy didn't manifest at the homefront with requisite elan. CPS will be called for every whine. John Bradshaw will issue teddybears to all the "victims" as they proceed ever onwards to an adulthood of self indulgent navel gazing. Then our affluent heiress will set up idols of Paris Hilton next to her vanity mirror, fondle beads and chant om myaha renge kyo because she's down to her last $500,000 because the rest of her inheritance went to her therapist who realized quickly the profitability of reinforcing her exaggerated ills.
But in all fairness, don't we all live in the hell of expectations to some degree. Haven't you become angry at another driver because you'd assumed it to be your right to proceed down a public highway at YOUR preferred rate of speed? I'm guilty. Actually its probably better that grandpa drive 10 miles an hour below the speed limit. The ratio of rate of speed to reaction time is probably optimal and he knows it.
Anyway, in the US the proffered vaccination for affluenza is just as likely to be more consumerism as it is gratitude for a fortuitous birth. Buy stuff, stuff equals happiness, stuff proves you're successful, buying and selling stuff stimulates the economy. Wasn't it just a few years ago that Bush told us it was patriotic to go out and buy things? Just after 9/11 wasn't it? Flap your flag with facile fervor as you feed your freedom fries to your famished family at the food court. Maintain the profitability of the stock portfolios of the upper 1% of.......oops, I meant maintain the economic stability of the nation in a time of crisis, yeah, that's it. Don't know what came over me. Sheez, should have put this in the rant forum.
Did anyone watch Dexter? I'm wathing it now. I was told about it and after I'd seen the first episode I knew I was hooked. It's about a man, Dexter, who's a forensics analyst working for the police by day, and a serial killer by night. He hunts down criminals who've escaped justice and he brings it to them his way. It's a lot about human behaviour and what's interesting is that it's described by him (voice-over), a man who has no feelings at all. He knows he's a monster but he also knows how to hide it and how to appear like a normal human being. It's actually quite humorous at times.
It's broadcast in France as well, but on a private channel we have to subscribe for. As I don't pay for it, I can't watch the serie but I reckon it will be broadcast on another channel later (next year, maybe!). That's what happened with Desperate Housewives. I missed it at first, but now I'm catching it up, so why couldn't I do the same for Dexter?! _________________ Karout hep bezañ karet
A zo kriz ha kalet
It's broadcast in France as well, but on a private channel we have to subscribe for. As I don't pay for it, I can't watch the serie but I reckon it will be broadcast on another channel later (next year, maybe!). That's what happened with Desperate Housewives. I missed it at first, but now I'm catching it up, so why couldn't I do the same for Dexter?!
It's on a private channel here too, and I don't have it. I acquire the show by other means... Yes, just wait and see. Hopefully you'll be able to enjoy this remarkable show.
Location: El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Angeles del Río de Porciúncula
Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 5:52 pm Post subject:
I watched this new show on AMC last night called Mad Men. It's from the producers of The Sopranos and it takes place in the early 1960s, centering on a top Madison Avenue ad agency. Since I missed the first few episodes, I didn't really know who was who and what their relationships with each other were, but I caught on very quick and now I think I'm hooked.
First of all, the lead actor is incredibly sexy and I can't wait to see him out of his power suit! But mostly, I find that whole 60's office culture so alien that I look upon it with curiosity and fascination. Everybody's lighting up a cigarette, drinking, flirting, sexual bantering, and schtupping... all in the workplace! Their behavior would get them fired in today's work environment. Of course, this being the '60s, all the execs are men, the ladies are all gossiping secretaries, switchboard operators, and bored housewives, and the African-Americans work the elevators. The Latinos apparently haven't yet discovered Manhattan.
I finally buckled down and rented My Name Is Earl. It's pretty funny, in an ironic sort of way. I love Jason Lee -- have since his View Askew days in such gems as Chasing Amy and Dogma. It's hard to picture him as a professional skater, which apparently is what he was before he turned to acting.
In My Name Is Earl he plays the quintessential white trash lowlife who has an epiphany about karma after being hit by a car while holding a winning lottery ticket, so he decides to devote his life (and winnings) to righting every wrong he's ever done to anyone. Which usually opens up some godawful can of worms that leads to yet another wrong that he has to atone for. It's pretty clever, and he and his brother do an admirable job of making shiftless good-for-nothings actually appealing. Of course, they're nothing compared to the white-hot low-rent bitch-goddess that is Jaime Pressly, AKA the ex-Mrs. Earl -- she's absolutely hysterical!
With the ubiquity of skateboards, that's the sport whose participants now own the word skater -- the poor guys on blades are now relegated to the term "ice skater"!
But now that you mention it, Jason Lee would have been great as Will Ferrell's character in Blades of Glory.....
Did you know, by the way, that in real life Will Ferrell is enormous -- 6'4"? And Jon Heder is no shrimp, either, at 6'1". And in real life he has dark hair.
Location: San Francisco, Noord-Kalifornië, Noord-Amerika
Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 4:20 am Post subject:
Uriel wrote:
With the ubiquity of skateboards, that's the sport whose participants now own the word skater -- the poor guys on blades are now relegated to the term "ice skater"!
So you actually meant that you couldn't see him as a skateboarder?
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The Latinos apparently haven't yet discovered Manhattan.
