"Character is an essential tendency"

Playwright Sam Shepard once said, “Character is an essential tendency. It can be covered up, it can be messed with, it can be screwed around with, but it can’t be ultimately changed. It’s the structure of our bones, the blood that runs through our veins.” I think this quotation rings true for anyone who’s ever had anyone in their life they had seen the good and the potential in, someone they had hoped they could change, or had hoped cared enough to change for them. We hang onto the honorable moments, when they do the right thing, when the parent shows up for the baseball game when we thought they would not, when the stranger holds the door for the elderly lady, when the boyfriend calls just to say “I love you”, and we are reminded of the glimmer of hope that is the good that lies in all people. And we start to believe that they are inherently good, that there is no bone in their bodies that could ever hurt us. We want so badly to believe this and we allow their goodness to encompass us. We forget the moments of stubbornness, of ridicule, of the unanswered and unreturned phone calls and of the tears that exist in all relationships. We choose to ignore the negative parts of their character. We choose to believe we will never be lied to, we will never be abandoned, and most dangerously, we choose to believe that whatever flaws exist in others and ourselves, by simply ignoring them, will disappear. We forget that character is an essential tendency and choose to believe instead that love is a more powerful one. The only love that is inherent is self-love, a concept that only perpetuates the problem. If mankind had more love, consideration, and concern for his neighbor, his child, or his lover than himself, war would be nonexistent, children would not be hungry, and families would not be broken. Unfortunately, because human beings are flawed, because they are not perfect, this utopia will never exist. I am not suggesting that we even attempt to strive for the perfection in our peers and ourselves, but instead to recognize the flaws that exist in our characters and to take into consideration how they affect our children, our lovers, and even strangers. Notice that it hurts your grandmother and makes her feel ignored when you don’t answer or return her phone calls, notice that when you lie to your girlfriend you are making her feel secure in a false reality, notice that when choose to be selfish to your own needs above those of others you are destroying a relationship. We are all guilty of all these things, and I think the goal should be not to try and change them on principle, but to recognize them and how they are affecting ourselves, others, and the world we want to create and live in. Know that we cannot change others, that we cannot even change ourselves, but what we can change is our interactions with and how we treat others, thus changing one relationship at a time. We must give up on the hope that we can change people, that love and good will conquer all, because it won’t. The only truth and consistency that exists is the in balance between good and evil, and in the choice we have to recognize and decide between them.

Rihanna's got 99 Problems but Chris Brown Ain't One...

Chris Brown's public "apology" for beating the crap out of then girlfriend Rihanna. I am a) not buying it. b) thinking this only enhances his doucheyness, accentuated by the bowtie c) noting his love life, like his career, is over. Forever more.

http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=a5c251bd-6e61-4673-929b-ce9417cc76fc

Spin me faster like a kaliedosKope...

my FaVoRiTe new artist, Little Boots, has released her latest single, which just happens to be my favorite song of hers, and the video is in kaliedosKope form?!? What could be better? Cheers to this British babe who really sees the world through kaliedoskopeyes...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McdqerXrwXE

I may have taken the longer road, but the scenery was worth it.

Tomorrow I am taking my last final EVER. obviously that is why I'm currently blogging to procrastinate. Despite the fact that I am thrilled, I thought a tribute to the 5 years, 4 majors, 3 schools, 2 countries, and one kick-ass time and now former lifestyle is necessary:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRVFfgoIKcg

Hey, you're a crazy bitch

If you're a female, you've probably been called one by either a male or another vicious female. But how legitimate are these claims? What exactly defines a "crazy bitch", what makes a woman act in this manner, and is she really "crazy"? And, perhaps most importantly, are women who refer to other women by these words betraying each other in regards to the tenements and ethics of feminism? 

If we really sit back and look at the criteria for a "crazy bitch" we find ourselves mislabeling women who are strong, fight for what they believe in, openly express their emotions, and who don't take shit from anyone. Perhaps you've been cheated on, and in your efforts to gain vindication and retribution you go a little overboard (think: Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats") and are labeled a "Crazy Bitch." While I am not condoning the destruction of another's property, I think we can all, regardless of gender, understand what motivated Miss Underwood and where she was coming from, as being abandoned and betrayed by a loved one naturally provokes feelings of anger, sadness, and desires for revenge. Everyone who has been cheated on probably feels at one point like bashing in the headlights of their former partner's car with a baseball bat, again, regardless of their gender. Another point to take into consideration is if the tables were turned, a male had been betrayed by this girlfriend, and he hunted out her partner in crime and punched him, such action generally would be viewed as a defense of his honor. Why can't a woman also defend her honor without being labeled as "crazy" by society? Are women not valued for being more in tune with their emotions then men? If this is the case, shouldn't a woman be more inclined to defend her honor than a man? Why do we, as a society, stifle this instinct? 

Alternatively, when labeling occurs between women, it is a betrayal of the ideals of feminism and the work we have done to fight for gender equality. We teach our daughters not to accept the actions of anyone who hurts us or denies us our rights, to be strong, intelligent individuals who fight for what we believe in, yet we are so quick to label a women who acts in this manner derogatively. What sort of double standard are we teaching the next generation, never mind holding our peers and our own selves to?  

Women should not be submissive, should not allow others (regardless of gender) to walk all over them, and should fight the seemingly popular urge to call anyone who does not adhere to the submissive, helpless, and archaic stereotype of what women "should be" as either crazy or a bitch. It is ironic that such action earns us the title "crazy bitch", as it is neither crazy nor bitchy; standing up for oneself and one's values is the least crazy thing a person can do, and allowing oneself to accept or label another with the derogatory title of "bitch" is to allow oneself to succumb to and perpetuate such negative stereotypes against women. 

If you are a man, think twice about what you value in a partner before you call a woman a "crazy bitch." What kind of example would you want her to teach your daughters? One that would encourage her to allow men to dominate her, treat her like a disposable object, and disrespect her rights as a human being? And if you are a woman, what do you gain by calling another a "crazy bitch"? Some sort of vindication? Do you feel better afterwards? Probably not. Alternatively, you have reinforced that negatively labeling women (by either gender) is acceptable, and expressed a view that women should not be strong, independent, or fight for what they believe in. And if this is the case, would you please go bake some pie and leave those of us who believe in and fight for equal rights for all people within society alone?

Made in the 80s Babyyy

A tribute to the fact that my birthday is this week (!), that I was, in fact, made in the 80s, and that I feel legitimately gipped that I was only allowed to live for half of this fabulous decade and had to live them as a toddler at the fashion mercy of my mother and was thus also deprived of the AWESOME outfits of the Reagan era: 80spurple.com. I especially LOVE the Hellz Bellz line, as well as the neon (surprise surprise) House of Cassette jeans. Again, it is my birthday on Friday (hint hint).

Another 80s fav: The emotional 80s teen song of the week segment on my good friend and former roommate, Joe Dupnik's, radio show, Festive Intoxications, which makes me laugh my ass off every Friday from 10-12.  Give your bodonk some exercise too: http://www.myspace.com/festiveintoxications

Top Seven Reasons Why Sarah Palin REALLY Resigned...

Republished from my allvoices.com site. Why? Because I just make myself smitten with how deliciously funny I am sometimes.

*Author disclaimer: The following article is meant to be a comedic, satirical portrayal of former governor Palin. Its contents should not be taken as truth.

Last week’s resignation of Alaskan governor and former Vice Presidential candidate,Sarah Palin, has left many questioning her motives behind leaving her post. While some have speculated personal financial troubles as the reason, others have suggested Palin has her eye on the 2012 Republican Presidential nomination. Fortunately, the real reasons why Palin resigned have come forward, and these rumors can be laid to rest.

Top 7 Reason why Sarah Palin REALLY resigned

7) Joe Plumber is suing

We all remember Palin’s buddy-ole-pal Joe Plumber from the 2008 Presidential Election. Palin spoke so fondly of their friendship and easy neighborly bond, but did we ever actually see her with Joe? In the wake of the election, Plumber is finally speaking out. “She completed fabricated our relationship,” Plumber told reporters while repairing a leaky bathtub. “I became so famous in my city of 50 people my family and I had to go into witness protection for our own safety. I had to get plastic surgery to get a new butt crack designed to avoid being recognized. She’s going to pay for what a pain in the ass she was.”

6) Palin will be the newest contestant on Dancing with the Stars

Reality television is a haven for celebrities desperate for a comeback. Case in point:Kathy Griffin’s My Life on the D List, every cast of every season of Celebrity Rehab, and brain cell assassinators like I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Outta Here! Sadly for America, the ex-VP candidate did not choose to join fellow celebs Speidi in the Costa Rican rain forest (imagine Palin sharing Heidi’s spray-on shampoo – this would be epic television, people) but instead will waltz in the steps of The Bachelor’s latest reject, Melissa, mamboing her way to that giant trophy.

5) Her hairdresser quit.

You know the look. It’s as trademark Sarah Palin as the wink that gives you nightmares. It’s a windswept hairdo, with a carefully calculated and asymmetrical poof (that arguably increased in size along with her ego) culminating in a classic French twist at the back of her head. And how does she keep those bangs so- perfect? As with all celebrities (those of you who ever referred to her as a politician were clearly mistaken), there is an unseen team of hairstylists, makeup artists, and clothing stylists who ensure their client is looking spiffy 24/7. It’s not an easy job, and Palin’s hairdresser cracked under the pressure. In an exclusive interview from Juneau Hospital’s psychiatric ward, she stated between tears, and sobbing gasps for air, “It was just too much! The bangs have to graze the glasses just right … I was beginning to get asthma from all the hairspray!” Palin’s high maintenance style has her staff running for the door faster than she can say, “You Betcha!”

4) The night job

Sure Palin looks quite classy in those tailored suits she sports by day, but has anyone other than secret service agents and teenage GOP groupies overridden with testosterone and acne followed her home at night? Ahhh, so I thought. And you probably know about Palin’s 2008 appearance on the cover of Vogue wearing – gasp- lingerie, but, if that isn’t enough to ruffle your feathers, were you aware of thePlayboy centerfold in which her naked body is covered only by a rifle and (parental discretion advised) is seen without her glasses? Palin’s nights of moonlighting at the Caribouty Strip Club have finally caught up with her, and those Alaskans who missed the irony of her daughter, Bristol’s, unwed pregnancy, are beginning to question her commitment to abstinence-only sex education.

3) Tina Fey’s plastic surgery

In the wake of the 2008 Presidential Election, Palin’s look-a-like, Tina Fey, has grown aggravated, disgruntled, and annoyed. Due to her striking resemblance to Palin, she has been consequently bombarded with requests for autographs, blowjobs from elderly men, and advice on how to single-handedly ruin an entire political party’s chance at reelection and redemption. Fey has undergone the knife to alter her appearance to avoid being mistaken for the former governor, and without her mirror image dressing-up like her and mimicking her accent, Palin has no idea when she is being mocked. Fey is now a blonde, leaving the world’s dumbest brunette thinking she is doing everything right. If we ever find out who stepped in and squashed this dangerous situation is, America owes him a big thank you note.

2) Relocation

The Palin family recently moved to eastern Alaska where Sarah has what stunning view from her bedroom window? You guessed it! That of Canada! The United States’ relationship with our neighbors to the north is more diplomatic than that with Russia, which Palin could see from her former bedroom window. The State Department had begun receiving complaints of a rifle-toting woman spying through kitchen windows and peering over backyard fences into the homes of neighboring Russians. In attempts to avoid invasion by Siberian barbarians, the CIA quickly stepped in and moved Palin, encouraging her to use her background as a hockey mom to bond with her new Canadian neighbors, thus averting disaster. Good idea, eh?

1) Willow’s pregnancy

Teenage daughter number two, whom David Letterman recently accused of getting knocked up during the seventh inning stretch of a Yankee’s game, sparking a series of heated exchanges between Palin and himself, has a tell-tale baby bump! Clearly Palin’s comments were an ill-fated attempt at a cover-up, and with more lies and another pregnant teenage daughter on her record, Palin has cut her losses and thrown in the towel. Possible names for the youngster include Carpenter, Joe Q. Public, Yaz, and, of course, Hockey Mom.

Never fear, America. Sarah Palin has resigned, and the terror that is the thought of an ex-pageant queen winking at Stalin from across the Bering Strait as the diplomatic representative of our country can be quenched. By 2012, Palin will be never be able to escape the throngs of her 53 illegitimate grandchildren long enough to ensure the geometric symmetry of her hair poof, never mind run for President.