This Happened to Me Once, Too

I am reading this book of advice from comedians.

Here are some things that made me laugh while at the gym and then the weirdo next to me that was wearing a fanny pack across his chest looked at me strange. WHATEVER terry bradshaw looking, only "working out" to watch the tvs stranger!

People think sperm is just a great source of protein, and it is, but it's also loaded with carbs. The twist? They're the good kind of carbs. The baby-making kind.

Your Lady Flower is a gift to be shared with anyone who asks. Or shouts at you. Especially if they keep shouting at you. That's really macho.

A transvestite is someone you fuck. A transsexual is someone you marry.

What kind of bear was it? Grizzly? Polar? Teddy? Chicago? 

IN OTHER NEWS...

I kinda feel like this:

 

Worms, Book Variety

I finished reading a couple books this weekend and now am just waiting for my local branch of library to be open so I can pick up the next two I have on hold. I'll have to wait until after 12:30pm on Tuesday to get 'em.

If you have a chance, I recommend reading I Was Told There'd Be Cake by Sloane Crosley. It is a collection of essays and I enjoyed them quite a bit. Some of them were too New York for my California self, but the underlying sentiment relatable. And others still were too "successful person" and "had a job straight out of college" for my "been laid off before and having a job is the new raise" self, but nonetheless enjoyable anecdotes. The essays are easily digested (especially when at the gym or laundromat) & often quite funny.

Here is one of my favorite tidbits from one of the essays:

People are less quick to applaud you as you grow older. Life starts out with everyone clapping when you take a poo and goes downhill from there. If you stop and think about it, it's a miracle that we get out of bed everyday and brush our teeth and remember to buy toothpaste. We all deserve to be congratulated but sadly that would mean there's no one left to do the congratulating.

And finally here is a cat that understands me:

You Go Geek Girl!

I realized that I sort of sounded like a pompous jerk when I said I read a whole book the other afternoon, but really when most of the pages have pictures and are a series of lists... I feel any competent reader could breeze through 200 pages in an evening. [check out the speed reading skills on erin]

http://geekgirlsunite.com/

But really... I read this book so you don't have to. Here are some of the things I found disappointing (mostly because of my own expectations and wishes... I know).

1. The introduction has 1 page describing the different terms that are generally used synonymously (geek, nerd, dweeb, dork etc). I felt this needed more explanation and historical context.
2. The introduction has one section (a little less than a page) talking about she-geeks vs he-geeks. I felt this was insufficient setup for why she wrote a WHOLE BOOK on women geeks. 
3. Most of the pages have pictures and are a series of lists (hypocrite for making my own list but whatever). I felt this work would have been more powerful if there was a more in-depth analysis of the history of each geek realm, the current landscape and perhaps even how feminism and current economic conditions have influenced girl geeks.
4. There are very few examples of women of color. 
5. The music geek chapter is basically only about one genre of music. I understand that you could write whole books on geek-ery about music with each genre covered (and people have, I've read a couple). And in an overview type book, you have to pick & choose... but it seems you could pick and choose over a cross section of music - not just pick several pixie singer/songwriter types. 
6. Zooey Deschanel is not a geek. 
7. Each chapter has a section about geek love. How to snag a geek girl that is interested in one of these geek specialties. Umm... please.
8. Each of these geek love sections describes a male-female relationship. How heteronormative... bleh.
9. The fangirl-geek section seems to not have an awareness of Henry Jenkins. 
10. It seems like the basic premise of the book was "Girls have interests! They are passionate and that is cool!" I wanted more. 
11. This is only a half disappointment - I wanted to feel like I belonged to one of these "specialties" of geek... but I didn't. There were bits and pieces of each that I felt spoke to me and the kind of person I am... and then I got to wondering if I am a geek at all... I always fancied myself one,  but maybe not because according to this book a geek is defined as "a person who is wildly passionate about an activity, interest or scientific field and strives to be an expert in said avocation" and well... while I think I am pretty passionate, it's not about 1 or 2 specific things and I am not an expert on anything. Guess I am not part of this club. sigh. peace out, sisterhood. 

All this being said, there were some interesting bits of knowledge and resources listed. Not a total waste and it is always refreshing to read something that makes you think that you'd like to expand upon this body of knowledge etc. 

And now for some quotes about music from movies. My pseudo-geek passion: 

What came first, the music or the misery? People worry about kids playing with guns, or watching violent videos, that some sort of culture of violence will take them over. Nobody worries about kids listening to thousands, literally thousands of songs about heartbreak, rejection, pain, misery, and loss. Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music? - Rob Gordon High Fidelity

 They don't even know what it is to be a fan. Y'know? To truly love some silly piece of music, or some band, so much that it hurts. - Sapphire Almost Famous

You gotta hear this one song, it'll change your life, I swear. - Sam Garden State

For the Lulz

I had been eagerly anticipating Epic Win for Anonymous for sometime now and when it arrived on Friday I could barely hold back, but PB with coworkers (p.s. I am officially not cut out for that town), then Saturday football & Sunday aftermath prevented me from delving in.

However, Labor Day meant that I could dedicate some serious time to Cole Stryker's little ode to 4chan. I didn't originally plan to read it all in one sitting (and truthfully, I finished the last chapter after work today) but I found myself unable to pull myself away except for a quick trip outdoors (only to be foiled by rain) & a trip to the store for food (and again, if I am going to be honest, I actually did a lot of other stuff like wash dishes, clean my apartment, frame a print, watch television [including the Fast and the Furious], pay bills, re-organize a shelf in my storage closet, read & share a bunch on google reader, buy some sandals at Sports Chalet, etc etc - seize the day!). 

While the book wasn't exactly what I expected, it was entertaining, informative and thought provoking nonetheless. You all should pick up a copy (or if you are nice to me, I will let you borrow mine). 

Top things we can discuss once you've read it:
1. memes
2. trolling
3. anonymity, authenticity, identity and creativity
4. content or creators - who wins?
5. anonymous vs. Anonymous

Enjoy the lulz and I look forward to discussing.

Kids These Days

I tried to post this from my phone last night but it didn't work:

Reading an essay in a book I picked up a couple weeks ago about youth culture and digital media. Was really into it until I read a paragraph that started with "Television, Facebook, iPhone, Photoshop, text messaging... they yield a whole new youth lifeworld"

Uhh... Photoshop? In this context, trust me, that totally doesn't fit. Now I will spend the rest of the essay thinking it was written by Andy Rooney.

Get off my lawn.

Keeping Promises: Days 17-30

Day 17: Your thoughts on Ugg boots.

Boots, regardless of brand, are acceptable and can be attractive when they are worn practically and with a coordinating outfit.

Day 18: Do you drink soda more often than milk?

Absolutely, yes. I used to drink Dr. Pepper as if I needed it to live. I have since switched to Diet Coke. I anticipate a soda drinking related disease in my future.

Day 19: The initials of your crush(es).

I can say with confidence that I do not have a crush on anyone at the moment.

Day 20: Do you wear glasses? If so, what are they for?

Yes, they are for seeing. I am near-sighted (myopia).

Day 21: Your favorite subject to study.

Cultural studies.

Day 22: Do you play a sport? Tell us about it. If not, talk about a different

hobby you may have.

I played water polo and was on the swim team in high school. I then became fat and lazy and currently list reading blogs and thinking about doing great things but never doing them as my hobbies. I really miss water polo and am constantly challenged by the fact that I have seriously become so out of shape that I cannot bear to even try to get back in the water. It is a vicious circle that keeps me fat. I need to change.

Day 23: Your opinions on Lady Gaga.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=iv&v=haHXgFU7qNI

Day 24: Tell us about the last movie you saw in theaters.

I saw TRON: Legacy in 3-d with my coworkers before I left for home and later London. I thought the film was quite entertaining and the lead actor was attractive. I spent a lot of the movie negotiating the fact that I was wearing two pairs of glasses.

Day 25: Tell us about the last book you read (for leisure or for school).

I read Love is a Mixtape a while back and am currently reading The Dharma Bums.

Day 26: Name one place you would love to visit one day.

I'd really like to visit the Survivor Tree in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Ideally this will be one stop on a long cross country road trip with a bitchin soundtrack. Let's do this friends.

Day 27: List your three favorite girls names, three favorite boys names, and your three favorite names for a pet.

I've always fancied the name Aubrey for a girl and haven't really contemplated naming a girl child anything other than that (take notes future husband). For boys I have always liked Aiden (but I think I'd have to marry and Irishman for it to make sense) and Anze (but that is a little out there). I also love the name Corey.

I think pets earn names.

Day 28: Your first celebrity crush.

I am not entirely sure who was first but I did love Leonardo DiCaprio after Titanic came out.

Day 29: Your opinions on the television show Glee

I think there should be a Mike Chang and Brittany S. Pierce spin off called Dance Club.

Game changer right there.

Day 30: Take a picture of yourself right now and post it, or post the most recent picture you can find.

The first is a really great picture of me (thanks Heather) and the second is how I think I look most of the time - big fat cheeks.

**EDIT**
For Day 27, I would also like to add that I like the name Luke for boys. I am not, however, particularly interested in the religious nature of this name.