Monica comes to visit!

Saturday night was another fabulous girls' night out (despite a rocky yet amusing start) with Kat, my new friend Krista, and my Latina amiga Monica who drove herself up to NoVa like a big girl!

The girls

I turned in my trademark long fluffy sex hair for a new and trendy 'do a la Monica!

Role reversal! My new fave pic of me and Moni

Awww <3>

The last pic we took while we still looked cute...

Don't get jealous Wendi! We <3 you!!

Professional Popcorn Scooping

I didn't hear the whole report, but the radio show this morning was going over the the top ten worst jobs. Coming in at #2 was working at a movie theater! They said that working concession, box office, etc. just means long lines, cranky customers, weird hours, and barely minimum wage. The host even went so far as to say working at a movie theater = suicide. "Don't ever work at a movie theater!"

HAHA. Soooo been there. But I kind of hearted my professional popcorn scooping days...

Dog vs. Soulja Boy!

**Touchy material ahead**

Today I was listening to the Kane Morning Show on Hot 99.5, and I noted how the discussion of Dog the Bounty Hunter's despicable use of the N-word immediately followed the spinning of Soulja Boy's mega-hit "Crank Dat," which repeatedly refers to demeaning and explicit sexual acts against "ho's" in almost every line.

I have no idea who Dog the Bounty Hunter even is, except for the fact that he's an ignorant bigot who is getting a ton of well-deserved media backlash for his use of racial slurs.

But the situation also got me thinking about the blatant double standards we have in this country concerning derogatory language, and its varying levels of acceptance in our culture.

First off, if black people are going to take offense to the use of the N-word (as they should), they need to step up and be the first to STOP using it. They are the ones re-introducing it into our pop culture, and it's not okay. (And I'm not just saying that because I'm a white girl who can't sing along to the offensive lyrics, while my black counterparts can.) It's a derogatory term and no one, regardless of race, should say it.

Second, I am bothered by the fact that the only derogatory terms we vilify are racial in nature. It is a huge problem that gender/sexual slurs--b*tch, ho, slut, etc--are becoming increasingly mainstream, and that they are not such a big deal to people...but the N word still is. I hear them on daytime TV. In music. My friends use them. I use them. And no matter how we slice it, these terms are degrading, and only succeed in perpetuating the negative stereotypes our society unfortunately already has...of women, of blacks, of homosexuals, of boys with popped collars or girls with blonde hair, you name it!

I am aware of the argument that states that terms of hate and derision could be manipulated to become terms of empowerment (I read an article recently on how some feminist groups wish to make c**t a term of empowerment for women.) They say that after all, it is society that gives meaning to a word, so let's take a stand--as a society--and change the meaning of it! Maybe they are right, and everyone should just be less touchy. They are just words, right?

But this would take generations to take hold, IF enough people chose to change their view in the first place. And it needs to include ALL slurs, not just one. If it's not okay for an individual to reference a black person as "that n****", then it shouldn't be okay to reference that woman as "that ho." [Weird that I have to bleep out one, but not the other.]

Furthermore, even if black people are trying to use the N-word amongst each other as a term of brotherhood, they need to be open to the fact that white/Hispanic/Asian people are probably going to pick up on it too, especially the young ones. And with the way pop media is these days, their use of the term may legitimately not be intended as racist. I can see white kids getting slammed for greeting their black friends with the N-word, and then going to their parents, asking what they did wrong. How are we going to explain it to them--that some kids can say that, but others can't, depending on the color of your skin? What kind of message is that? A divisive and racist one, if you ask me.

So, slurs either need to become acceptable across the board, or not at all. And given the history of these terms, I would vote for not at all.

FAIL!

My beautiful red Acura just failed its safety inspection. It has a big, ugly sticker on it that says REJECTION. I am so sad. :(

W&M Homecoming

When I graduated W&M, I couldn't have been more ready. I needed a change of scenery, and I was certainly sick of school in general. No more tests! No more papers! A PAYCHECK!!! Don't get me wrong, I had a phenomenal four years in the 'burg, but it was definitely time to go. I loaded my car, took one last look around, cried for ten minutes as I took a minute to think about all the great memories I'd made and lessons I'd learned, then sped off to NoVa, without looking back. I didn't think about it again, and looked forward to my next big adventure. The whole summer, I didn't miss it.

But once fall came around, and everyone else started to head back to school, the nostalgia REALLY began to set in. The reality of the post-graduate world wasn't as glamorous and charmed as I had hoped (at least not in full). It hit that I actually would never be a college student again, and that made me very sad. So, Homecoming weekend provided the perfect opportunity to go back and re-live some of the best days of my life, with some of the coolest people ever! And better yet, I got to re-live it WITHOUT the tests and the papers!

I drove down to Williamsburg with Alisa, and we checked into a hotel room at the Days Inn. It was a whopping $259 for two nights, but it was a better alternative than our original plan, which was to stay with Orange Fanta Liz, who contracted the MRSA staph infection the day before (she is okay now!!) It felt so good to be back! Even the rain made me nostalgic.

We spent that night at the good ol' Ho House, where we sang some karaoke ("I Love Rock n' Roll"!) and danced the night away with some of my faves--Wendi, Rex, Margarita, Hillary, Monica, Amanda, Alisa! I even managed to get a few free drinks out of the deal... YAY for working there and knowing the staff! Afterwards, we went for a traditional Wawa run (mmmm chicken salad subs w/ extra oregano!) and then chilled with some boys at the King & Queens apartments, where a window broke over our heads. Good times.

I spent Saturday tailgating on campus, where I ran into Cory, Ashley, my old track team roommates, and a gazillion frat boys and sorority girls. A Capella was a huge part of my time at W&M, so I stopped by the Stairwells concert in the Wren Chapel, and the Intonations concert at the Crim Dell amphitheater. Then I had a delicious dinner at Aromas with Hillary & co., where I OD'ed on a scrumptious caramel Aromachino. Totally worth it though! Hillary comforted me at the Inn while I curled in a ball and tried to digest that thing, all the while reminiscing about our (my) sketchy days as W&M party girls (I STILL can't drink tequila...or peppermint patty shots. They are synonymous with next-morning mortification.) After my recovery, I went out for round 2, and re-visited the Griff and frat row... throwbacks to sophomore year.





Sunday I had to deal with my flat tire before heading back to the real world. It sucked. I got it towed to Walmart and spent $118 on a new tire. Turns out, everyone has a spare in their trunk! Who knew?! Does anyone have a "Cars for Dummies" that I can borrow??

Unexpectedly expensive weekend... but a fabulous one. There were still a lot of people I didn't get to see, and places I didn't get to visit, but that is extra incentive to visit again. I MISS YOU W&M!!!!!

BLACKOUT

In case anyone was wondering, Britney's new album is PHENOMENAL! That is, if you like synthesized beats and a considerable amount of computerized vocals. Which, obviously I do...

I can't stop listening to it! :)

The most wonderful time of the year... already?!

So the malls have Christmas stuff already... and I love Christmas as much as anyone... but COME ON!!!! Unacceptable! They do this every year. Christmas is far too special to have 2 months out of the year.

...It really should be illegal to start Christmas time before Thanksgiving...