Blog: Easy A and Slutty Sluts of Slut town - (not really a movie review)

September 25, 2010

I've been intrigued by the movie EASY A ever since I saw the trailer a couple of months ago, so I went out and watched the movie this week. (The trailer is below. You're welcome.)

Did you watch the trailer? All right, good! So you now know that EASY A is the story of Olive, who stops being invisible after she starts a rumor about losing her virginity and then goes on a spree of fake-rocking boys' worlds. This is an example of how empathy and the need to be noticed can be a really, really bad combination, yes?

Just so you know, there were a few things I didn't 100% love about this movie: All of the adults were over the top (yet mostly hilarious, I admit) and the love interest was a little too perfect (although I understand why he needed to be for Olive's journey). Also? Scary-judgmental cult-like Christian kids seem to be turning into a new teen movie cliché that both amuses and alarms me.

So what did I love? Pretty much everything. It is funny, the dialogue is superb, Emma Stone is AWESOME, and the message is really poignant, I think.

The scenes where everyone is staring at Olive and gossiping and texting about her exploits didn't always feel entirely like something that would happen in real life. The details were exaggerated for the film, but I can say from experience that when your reputation deteriorates, that's what it feels like is happening, at least.

When I was in high school, I never intentionally fake-rocked anyone's world. But rumors spread, you know? I had more than the acceptable-at-my-Christian-rumor-mongering-private-school one or two boyfriends during my four-year high school career. I kissed some (but not all) of those boys. I did more than kissing with some (but not all) of those boys.

By the time I was sixteen and in eleventh grade, I had a Serious Reputation and it just kept getting worse. There were guys to whom I'd never even spoken (or met, in some cases) who would swear that they'd slept with me--or that one of their friends or cousins had. It didn't matter if I denied it; no one believed me. Interestingly, on the occasions when I did say that something happened with me and some boy--even if I said it as a joke--everyone would believe that.

She's out of control! She's such a slut/whore/skank/tramp!

I hated feeling so powerless. I hated that no one cared about the truth because the rumors were more interesting. I hated that I was supposed to feel bad about the times when the rumors weren't rumors. Why was it anyone's damn business?

I mean, really?

Really.

One thing I can say is that being thought of as the Slutty Slut of Slut Town dramatically increased my empathy. Sure, I'll listen to gossip sometimes, but I never automatically believe everything I'm being told. In fact, I disregard most of what I hear second-hand about someone else's sex life. I don't revel in falls from grace. Really, mostly, I just don't care what people choose to do. It has nothing to do with me.

Blog: Eating my way through Thursday.

September 24, 2010

Yesterday, my husband and I each had the day off from work, so we spent some time together hanging out, watching EASY A at the movie theatre, and . . . eating.

Now, I try to eat somewhat healthfully. I get in a lot of fruits and vegetables and avoid too much sugar and fat and the like.

But sometimes I do like to have some not-good-for-me stuff. You know, like salt & vinegar potato chips, Jelly Bellys, fries, a veggie corn dog, and cherry lemonade from Hot Dog on a Stick, onion rings, mozzarella sticks, and apple crisp from Red Robin, and Fruity Pebbles cereal.

The real problem with these unhealthful splurges occurs when THOSE ARE THE ONLY THINGS I EAT IN A GIVEN DAY.

Like they were yesterday.

By the time I was ready for bed, I grew very concerned that I wasn't going to be be able the food keep down. I expect that it will be a looooong time before I'll crave anything deep fried. But not as long as it would have been if my new radioactive-looking friend, Pepto-Bismal, hadn't helped me out...

This bit of TMI is brought to you as a result of today being my 24th day in a row of blogging.

Sometimes topics become scarce, people!

Denise Jaden's Losing Faith Launch Party

September 23, 2010

I recently made a trip up north to British Columbia to help Denise Jaden celebrate the launch of her debut novel Losing Faith at the Reach Gallery. I wrote about it on my blog and posted pictures, too!

AUTHOR EVENTS: Denise Jaden's launch party for Losing Faith

September 23, 2010

This past weekend, my friend Matt and I made the drive up north to British Columbia to attend Denise Jaden's LOSING FAITH book launch party. The event was held at The Reach Gallery and upon entry, I spotted this:

Why, yes, those are four Andy Warhol pieces on the wall behind the podium that I snapped from a far away distance while I was testing out my camera with and without flash in preparation for the event. As you might know, I have an inexplicable thing for Andy Warhol's art and it fills me with joy every time I have the opportunity to see new-to-me pieces. So no matter what was going to happen for the rest of the afternoon, this trip was already awesome in my eyes.

It only got better and better, though! Denise put together a very personalized program with a lot of variety and fun. She had live Polynesian music and dancers from her dance troupe:

Her friend Jerrica Santos performed a song she wrote for Denise about LOSING FAITH:

In addition, Denise spoke about why she wrote LOSING FAITH, read a short except, did a Q&A, and performed her own dance. I didn't get pics of the dance itself, but here's Denise in costume. Yes, with Andy Warhols behind her.