Nothing to say

It's odd. I really want to post something but I have nothing particularly pressing to communicate. I'm not hungover, I didn't have Gatorade at breakfast, I'm not pissed at any boys. I do however, think I have that problem where the ligaments in your heal are inflamed--plantar fasciatis? I won't try to spell it. I'm listening to Arcade Fire once again on iTunes and really warming up to them.


Okay, here's something. Similar to what I was saying yesterday about liking sad songs when I'm happy, I also like to listen to unrequited love songs when I am either happy in love or not really caring about the subject either way (the later rather than the former at present). Probably because unrequited love songs completely romanticize and beautify a feeling that is anything but. When my heart is broken and bleeding the last thing I ever want is to have my feelings glossed over. Thus, in states of heartbreak I tend to like music that sounds as raw as I feel. But today, because I have not been recently dumped and I am not in anything resembling a committed relationship (happily), songs of pining, heart-draining, soul shredding love are the order of the day. The best so far is Mazzy's Star's Fade Into You, which has to be one of the most exquisite musical declarations of love from afar to come out of the '90s. It was the anthem of many a wispy, introverted teenaged girl, and even to me at age 28, it speaks as eloquently today as it did then.

Audience participation time: What are your favorite unrequited love songs?

itune not tuning

I can't seem to get my iTunes to behave. It will play, but I can't hear anything through my headphones.

In other news...

When I'm at my happiest I have a tendency to romanticize melancholia. I like to listen to incredibly lush, beautiful sad music, maybe because it reaffirms the fact that everything is okay. Of course, my own bouts of sadness never match the lyricism of the songs that listen to when I am happy. Mostly in those cases, I gravitate towards brattiness, impatience and self-pity. But today because it's nice out, I like my job and my coworkers and the weekend is approaching, I have track 8 of Meadowlands by the Wrens on a constant loop. It is simple, melodic, haunting and audacious. Because I am terrible at describing music that I feel emotionally connected to, I will simply encourage all of you to log onto iTunes or Napster to find it yourself.

But Where Will I Go To Kiss Cute British Boys?

This is a sad morning. I have just received confirmation that the Capitol Lounge, my newest beloved hangout and home of bartender Jerry is no more. If you can stomach the annoying policy-wonk angle, read more about it here.

Another Question

Yes, I am just full of vim and vigor today.

I have always been curious to know why preppy white boys seem to prefer skinny girls. Anyone? Bueller?

Back to Sociology Class

Is it considered politically incorrect for straight people to use the term "gaydar." This one time at college I used the term in front of a gay man when recollecting how I was good at identifying who is gay and who isn't. I received in return a severe tongue lashing about the fact that only gay people have gaydar and that the heterosexual appropriation of the term is offensive. This was mind you, at Oberlin College where everybody is overly sensitive about at least five issues (speakouts were a regular part of our campus experience, not that any of us voted or anything). Since then, I have heard straight people throw the term around as if it's their own with nary a hint of doubt over the appropriateness of its usage.
People who engage in various discourses surrounding allocations of social power, discrimination and subjugation (go english major!) are always quick to point out the dangers of using a terms specific to historically marginalized groups. As a straight, white woman they would tell me that it's unacceptable to use the term gaydar no matter how clever it's application (as in, my gaydar is malfunctioning. i think it is burnt out from too much contact from gay boys over the weekend). But are they right?

Here are some questions to think about:
-By limiting the use of the term "gaydar" to gay people are we respecting their community and their history, or merely pandering to academic political correctness?
-What are some instances where lingo previously "owned" by marginalized subcultures have successfully and without much controversy been assimilated into the mainstream's lexicon?

The Thing About Friday

It's raining.
I had Gatorade and Taquitos from the 7-11 for breakfast
My shirt is too low cut to be work appropriate
I'm wearing vampy dark pink lipstick
How can anyone not love the Killers?

NASA Can't Get It Up

Sorry folks, couldn't resist. Foam loss during lift off eh?