http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/08/04/florida.bundy.blood/index.html
To me, Ted Bundy still exists as the ultimate cautionary tale of our age. Nearly a fable in his story’s simplicity and clarity. The wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Not that whatever made him a monster was simple. I’m sure that was a perfect storm of genetics and environment, coincidence and design.
But the thing that he was. Handsome, charming, clever, and lethal. If you met him in a bar you’d give him a shot. And possibly you'd end up dead. Or if he was co-worker, you wouldn’t be averse to a little office appropriate flirtation. And years later you might read a story and think, “Oh, that was Ted from the 2nd floor.” And never get over the chill of knowing you’d smiled upon evil.
So, I think for many women, when a story gets added to the little mental file that you keep: things to remember. And when you’re out with your girls some night, and someone says, “Oh, he’s cute,” you find yourself thinking, “Yeah, so was Ted Bundy.”
Friday, August 5, 2011
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Mary Poppins: Genius
http://www.slate.com/id/2300390/
Okay, this is something I’ve really found to be true in my diet overhaul. A spoon full of sugar really does help the medicine go down. The easiest way to integrate veggies (ptooie!) into my meals is an easy formula [something I like (i.e., marinara) + something I don’t like (i.e., zucchini) = healthy compromise].
You know those moments when you look down into the jar and think, “I’d eat just about anything with Nutella on it.” Ding ding ding ding! And actually, whole wheat toast, which when eaten dry is pretty unpleasant, becomes a thing of toothsome glory with a schmear of choco-hazelnutty goodness. The roughness of the toast prolongs and enlivens the smooth, rich spread.
So, thank you, Mary Poppins and your delicious bottle of medicine. You may be sipping rum-raisin, but make mine Nutella.
Okay, this is something I’ve really found to be true in my diet overhaul. A spoon full of sugar really does help the medicine go down. The easiest way to integrate veggies (ptooie!) into my meals is an easy formula [something I like (i.e., marinara) + something I don’t like (i.e., zucchini) = healthy compromise].
You know those moments when you look down into the jar and think, “I’d eat just about anything with Nutella on it.” Ding ding ding ding! And actually, whole wheat toast, which when eaten dry is pretty unpleasant, becomes a thing of toothsome glory with a schmear of choco-hazelnutty goodness. The roughness of the toast prolongs and enlivens the smooth, rich spread.
So, thank you, Mary Poppins and your delicious bottle of medicine. You may be sipping rum-raisin, but make mine Nutella.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
At the Movies - Hollywood misses the boat once again
Okay, I’ve read a bunch of post mortems on the movie Cowboys and Aliens, and I’m just going to have to disagree with all of them. For a lot of reasons. But my biggest pet peeve is that nobody seems to realize what they had in this movie. This is the flick that bridges the gap between chick flick and dick flick. This is the ultimate date movie.
I can attest to the appeal for women just on the face of things. Mostly the face (and leather framed behind) of Daniel Craig. There are good lookin’ manly men (Harrison Ford, Keith Carradine, Clancy Brown, Adam Beach, David O’Hara, and okay, Sam Rockwell isn’t all that manly, but he’s still good lookin’) in this movie. And the girls were out at the showing of the movie that I went to. I’d say almost half the audience was women. I bet you don’t see that kind of demographics at the latest Transformers brain shrinker. Now, admittedly, I do fall into a sweet spot here, as a girl who loves both westerns and sci-fi. But, guess what? I’m not alone.
Also, there were women in this movie. Not one of them ended up half naked. Or screaming uselessly and running in 5-inch heels. The only whore in the movie was reformed, and married, and her husband shot somebody for calling her a whore. Plus, Olivia Wilde, who is undoubtedly one hot babe, is a main protagonist who neither needs to be saved nor allows others to do the saving. And she does it fully clothed! Take that Megan Fox!
So, here was a movie that had plenty of explosions and disgusting monsters and guns and men saying pithy things and repressing their emotions – and yet there was plenty for women to look at (Daniel Craig’s pretty, pretty blue eyes leap to mind) and no creeping undertone of misogyny for them to have to tune out. Date movie! For god’s sake Hollywood. Catch up.
I can attest to the appeal for women just on the face of things. Mostly the face (and leather framed behind) of Daniel Craig. There are good lookin’ manly men (Harrison Ford, Keith Carradine, Clancy Brown, Adam Beach, David O’Hara, and okay, Sam Rockwell isn’t all that manly, but he’s still good lookin’) in this movie. And the girls were out at the showing of the movie that I went to. I’d say almost half the audience was women. I bet you don’t see that kind of demographics at the latest Transformers brain shrinker. Now, admittedly, I do fall into a sweet spot here, as a girl who loves both westerns and sci-fi. But, guess what? I’m not alone.
Also, there were women in this movie. Not one of them ended up half naked. Or screaming uselessly and running in 5-inch heels. The only whore in the movie was reformed, and married, and her husband shot somebody for calling her a whore. Plus, Olivia Wilde, who is undoubtedly one hot babe, is a main protagonist who neither needs to be saved nor allows others to do the saving. And she does it fully clothed! Take that Megan Fox!
So, here was a movie that had plenty of explosions and disgusting monsters and guns and men saying pithy things and repressing their emotions – and yet there was plenty for women to look at (Daniel Craig’s pretty, pretty blue eyes leap to mind) and no creeping undertone of misogyny for them to have to tune out. Date movie! For god’s sake Hollywood. Catch up.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Me and my ax
So I went and took a lesson in playing the ukulele on Saturday. I know. One more step towards being the most eccentric person you know. Who plays the ukulele? Other than Eddie Vedder.
There is sort of a method to the madness. One, portability. This is not the tuba. Two, though there are actual ukulele virtuosos like Izrael Kamakawiwo’ole, let’s face it, the bar was set by Tiny Tim. And have you ever said, “He’s good, but he’s no Tiny Tim”? Three, picture it: me, campfire, a ukulele. Niiiiiiccceee. Okay, ignore the part of the picture where my friends are holding their ears and begging me to stop.
So, I’m going to start with Michael Row the Boat Ashore. Or something equally beginner. But really, the goal is something from the Holy Jim Trinity (Jimmy Buffett, Jim Croce, James Taylor). Or George Michael’s Faith. Or Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody. Oh, yeah.
There is sort of a method to the madness. One, portability. This is not the tuba. Two, though there are actual ukulele virtuosos like Izrael Kamakawiwo’ole, let’s face it, the bar was set by Tiny Tim. And have you ever said, “He’s good, but he’s no Tiny Tim”? Three, picture it: me, campfire, a ukulele. Niiiiiiccceee. Okay, ignore the part of the picture where my friends are holding their ears and begging me to stop.
So, I’m going to start with Michael Row the Boat Ashore. Or something equally beginner. But really, the goal is something from the Holy Jim Trinity (Jimmy Buffett, Jim Croce, James Taylor). Or George Michael’s Faith. Or Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody. Oh, yeah.
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