Yo, Pixar!
I came across this open letter from NPR blogger Linda Holmes to my beloved Pixar calling for a movie “about a girl who is not a princess.” It was posted earlier this month so I’m a bit late, but it’s definitely worth noting.
Maybe I’m a “bad feminist” for saying that I love a good princess movie but an animated movie about a girl who isn’t a princess would be fantastic. Now that I think about it, I wonder what Up would’ve been like if (SPOILER ALERT) we had Ellie take us on this journey instead of Carl. Perhaps the same as gender shouldn’t matter. Yet, how great would it have been to see a lady holding it down? We hardly see that in animated movies let alone live action. I loved Ellie instantly because she reminded me of when I was in high school, daydreaming out loud with my best girlfriends about our ambitious plans and extraordinary adventures around the world. My after school friends, Shounan and Charis, and I would spend hours in the library telling each other that one day we’d meet in Belgravia for tea or rough it somewhere in China, all the while carefully avoiding the stern looks of Sister Joanne for talking above library volume level.
But back to Up. Yo, Pixar! Come up with a story about a character like Ellie. You all are so imaginative and zany and awesome. It shouldn’t be that hard, right?
Ellie meets her match in the timid but equally curious aspiring explorer Carl. My heart. It swells.
SOURCE: Dear Pixar, From All The Girls With Band-Aids On Their Knees
Trends: Sardines
Foodies, rev your palates cos guess what’s making a comeback? Sar-fucking-dines!
Hey, I’m only the messenger. The WaPo featured this a couple weeks back but I only read about it today*.
Personally, I think it’s hilarious that sardines were even ‘out’ in the first place. People eat canned tuna and salmon so I don’t know why they’re all up in arms about sardines. “But it’s got the head on!” my patoot. I hate when people say that! It’s like, Dude, you know your hamburger had a face right? I get mildly offended when people liken the fish to SPAM, as if SPAM is all kinds of low-end hillbilly food. If we’re playing that game then put down the McNuggets. At least you can make SPAM into sushi rolls. You can’t do that with a McNugget.
Sardines are my childhood which probably explains why I love them and am so defensive of them when someone gives me The Face. My parents used to buy them – and still do – from the Asian store at about a buck per can. They usually buy the ones in tomato sauce but they also dig the ones in olive oil. It’s all in the preparation. Sardines taste delicious on toast or with rice with a touch of soy sauce. Grimace all you want but who’s the one suffering from mercury poisoning?
Benefits of munching on the tiny fish are significant and, yes, even more hip than you can handle: Ecofriendly and packed with high levels of omega 3 fatty acids. Plus, Alton Brown is a fan and you can’t mess with Alton.
Yeeeaah, EAT that.
*The Monterey Herald printed this story and, funnily enough, it was one day after I visited Cannery Row. It’s touristy, yes (Just check out that Web site!), but if you’re a Steinbeck fan like me it’s Steinbeck Country so you are highly advised to go! There’s a kitschy wax museum where Steinbeck himself narrates the history of Cannery Row, a general store that sells every useless thing you can imagine, and some of the factories that still maintain its original decor. It’s easy to see why Cannery Row in its heyday was worth writing about. Oh, Monterey, I think you may trump Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco, as my favorite place in all of California.
Correction: Perhaps I should read the very links I post. SPAM masubi is not sushi because its rice is not prepared with vinegar as is customary with sushi rolls. The rice is instead salted. Whoops! My bad.
Built By Wendy
Hullo Interworld!(<—Does that make sense? Interworld? Is this a futile attempt at combining the words “Internet” and “world” for cool and quirky effect, i.e. “Interwebz?”)
I am not sure who still updates themselves with this blog as I myself haven’t blogged in ages. *Cough cough* Argh, are those moth balls in my mouth? Ewww, I think I just ran into a months old spider web. I HATE the musty smell of attic. Time to clean up!
Every time I come back to blog, I always promise my 1.5 readership that I’ll be better at updating. However, as my blogging patterns suggest, my promises are rather empty and soulless. So, I will refrain from making any “I promise to update weekly” remarks and stick to simply “I’ll update when I feel like it.” Although…I am trying to be more disciplined about my writing so perhaps making promises to update weekly will help me…? Ugh, too much thinking. This is a BLOG.
Anyway, the reason why I’m blogging now is because I discovered the neatest thing and I have some time on my hands to share the neat thing I found! While I’d update my Twitter or Facebook status to say something like, “OMG, check this out! <insert web link here>,” or “I THINK I’VE FOUND MY NEW HOBBY <insert web link here>”, those features do not have the word capacity to ramble on about why I love this neat thing and how it’s “inspired” me to try to go DIY (I know, please don’t barf. I can’t believe I said that either but it’s recession times SO!).
Several months back I found out about a clothing line called Built By Wendy. The clothes are super cute in a girly but tomboyish way which I’ve realized is totally my style when it comes to everyday wear. They also have a 1950s feel, as if Wendy the designer used patterns from grandma’s sewing kit and, of course, “updated with a modern twist.” Ladies fashion magazines sure do love those phrases, huh?
I’m totally digging the look below, specifically that shirt. Effortlessly casual but a touch dressy. It’s a look that can be dressed up or down, a look that is gold for someone as practical and protective of her pocket as me.
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While I love the clothes, my concern is how they would look on my short and roly body. I am not lithe and do not have a willowy frame and yet it seems these kind of clothes look best on that body type. Zut. You can imagine then how ecstatic I was when I found out Wendy has a sewing book and sewing patterns, perfect for customizing and tailoring her style of clothing to suit many body types.
On Fast and Furious
“In the first one, Paul Walker was ‘The Fast’ and Vin Diesel was ‘The Furious.’ In the new one, Paul and Vin collaborate. There’s no ‘the’ in the title because ‘the’ separates one thing from the other. When you remove the ‘the,’ it’s not separating them but bringing them together. That’s my theory. I don’t know how I came up with it. This is a serious matter. Don’t laugh. You’re gonna blog this!”
2009 Golden Globes Highlight
Aside from Kate Winslet’s tears, Tracey Morgan’s acceptance speech on behalf of the cast of 30 Rock, Ricky Gervais’ usual shenanigans, and the whole Slumdog Millionaire table being so goddammed happy for its own good…THIS. This made me all gushy wushy inside. Gahhhhh.
Thanks for Reminding Us Dad
“Why are you watching that? Don’t you know it’s Elvis’s birthday?!”
-Dad to my mom and me as we watched the snoresville Critic’s Choice Awards.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELVIS!
The King would have been 74. Picture courtesy of TimeInc.
To Sum It Up
“He speaks with his EYES.”
-Mom after long earnest discourse with her girlfriends over who portrays the best Mr. Darcy. Conclusion: Colin Firth, unanimously.
"You love me."
Mammut (trailer)
Mammut, or Mammoth for English audiences, explores the connections among its three main characters: an American on business trip in Thailand, his doctor wife back home in New York, and their live-in maid and her family in the Philippines. Stars Michelle Williams and Gael Garcia Bernal. Directed by Swedish filmmaker Lukas Moodysson. Is set for Swedish and European release January 2009. Has yet to have a U.S. distributor.
He’s Just Not That Into You
The most I’ve heard about this movie is its star-studded cast (Ben Affleck, Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Aniston, Bradley Cooper, Scarlett Johansson, Kevin Connolly, Jennifer Connolly, the Mac guy…er, I mean, Justin Long). I also know this a line from that Sex and the City episode where Miranda is all hung up on this guy not calling her, wondering why he would say such a thing but not act on it days or weeks later.
“He’s just not that into you,” says Berger bluntly. Yes, Berger, the man who infamously dumped Carrie via Post-It note. Awesome. Let’s take advice from a man who dumps a girl with a Post-It note. Wait, wasn’t he a writer? He could’ve at least written some tear-stained 10-page letter. Or maybe some agitated looking chicken scratch writing letter where he can’t even spell Carrie’s name correctly. He spells it “Cary” or “Karrie” or “Kerry.” SATC writers, do you know what that simple mistake would connote? *Shakes head* Man, that guy was certified asshole. Wow. Am I really getting this heated about a SATC character? Gross.
Anyway, I have my reservations about this upcoming movie. Partly because of this SATC reference, mostly because of this star-studded cast. If I was the director I’d feel like I was jinxing my own movie. Something about all those stars in that movie, half of which are paparazzi darlings. Seriously, how am I supposed to concentrate on Ben Affleck and Jennifer Aniston when all I think about is, Ben looked so cute carrying Violet from school the other day. Or, is Jennifer Aniston really taken with John Mayer? I wonder if he serenades her like he does the girl in his “Body Is A Wonderland” music video. Also, does Jen bring up kids on the third date?
Nonetheless, I saw the trailer for He’s Just Not That Into You and, OK, OK, OK, I kinda do want to see it. It doesn’t look as bad as I had imagined it to be in my head.
P.S. To anybody reading this, have you read the book? After reading that Godawful The Rules (for a freshman COLLEGE WRITING class at that!), I went through a phase of wanting to read “handbooks for women looking for Mr. Right.” Something about trying to understand how going Dutch emasculates a man or why a woman has to make herself look presentable at all times (i.e. wear makeup, up-to-date clothing) or else she will never snag her ring and end up an old maid, down on her luck, and blaming herself for her failure to get married and have babies protected by white picket fences.
Mixtape
I love mixtapes. Although I think they are now obsolete because radios no longer have tape decks attached. That’s messed up. I used to make mixtapes all the time as a kid. I’d sit in my room and wait for that one song on the radio to come on, poise my finger over the record/play button, and then push the buttons simultaneously after the DJ introduced the song. At the time, that was the only way I’d get new music because my parents would only allow me to buy an album once every three months or so. They thought spending 10 dollars on a cassette was a waste of money. Unless, of course, I was buying something they liked. Like Elvis or Earth, Wind, and Fire, artists I appreciate now but when you’re twelve and are DYING for that new No Doubt album with Spiderwebs, Elvis and Earth, Wind, and Fire have zero relevance.
My favorite part about making mixtapes was coming up with the theme and revolving all the songs around that one theme. Isn’t that everybody’s? I made one mixtape with the theme, “Cuban Dance Party,” which consisted solely of songs from Gloria Estefan’s Gloria! album. I know, I should’ve just called it Gloria! but “Cuban Dance Party” sounded so much better. Besides, I still had enough tape to include other Gloria-esque songs.
Lately I’ve been on this empowerment trip, listening to all my favorite divas and Lilith Fair ladies. Don’t judge. Listening to the new Beyonce album, Liz Phair, and Aretha Franklin on rotation has been very therapeutic for me. These women tell it like it is.
That said, where my girls at?
MIXTAPE: “Ladies is Pimps Too“
Ladies Night – Lil’ Kim, Angie Martinez, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, Missy Elliot
Fuck and Run – Liz Phair
Superwoman - Alicia Keys
Ego – Beyonce
Do Right Woman, Do Right Man – Aretha Franklin
Pussycat – Missy Elliot
I Think I’m Paranoid – Garbage
Strong Enough – Sheryl Crow
My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It) – En Vogue
Tyrone – Erykah Badu
Survivor – Destiny’s Child
Right Through You – Alanis Morissette
The Next Messiah – Jenny Lewis
Objection (Tango) – Shakira
Who’s That Girl? – Eve
Independent Woman- Destiny’s Child
Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It) – Beyonce
I’m Every Woman – Chaka Khan
Hollaback Girl – Gwen Stefani
The Greatest – Cat Power
Ring the Alarm – Beyonce
Criminal – Fiona Apple
After the Gold Rush – Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt
Volcano Girls – Veruca Salt
Shoop – Salt n Peppa
No Scrubs – TLC
No More Drama – Mary J. Blige
It’s Not Right But It’s Okay – Whitney Houston
More Than a Woman – Aaliyah
Zion – Lauryn Hill
