The Overshare

Just One Calorie of Evil

2009-03-23T19:35:00.000-07:00

Just when you thought you thought you had run dry and had resorting to copying (errrr... reading...) other blogs, inspiration comes in the form a cute, blond, J.Crew-size-large-clad package. Old news, for sure, but after TV appearances in Larry King Live, The Rachel Maddow Show and photos all over celebrity gossip sites and magazines, it was quite impossible to ignore Meghan McCain.

It was much harder to ignore the self-appointed face of the New Generation of Republicans, who has blogged, reported and chatted her way into everyone's media dinner plate, when she screamed out "Kiss my fat ass!" on The View.

And that plate was a heaping serving of over-the-daily-recommended-amount of calories. While the genius of Obama camp gaining ground with millions of digital Americans, the Mini-Maverick might just have cracked another relevance code, whether wittingly or not. There is now an open doorway with more-than-half of voting-age women in the United States (in 2006, 29.4 percent of women were overweight and an additional 24.4 percent were obese), who are increasingly gaining advocates and approval, as this country becomes increasingly overweight.

(Figures according to the Centers for Disease control and prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion)

Where have these lyrics been our whole lives?

2009-03-08T12:30:00.000-07:00

This video by LeLe is not new, nor is the song, but how can we ignore the genius of these lyrics? A personal favorite verse is: "I see you over there talking to Jean Pierre Le Douche". Le brilliant.

Bloggers Also Cry...

2009-01-20T18:50:00.000-08:00

...especially when they hear the new President say things like: "On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord."

See more of the President's Inaugural Address >here<. And congratulations, America.

Believe It or Not

2009-01-07T11:54:00.000-08:00

It seems like believers have lost the millenia-long exclusivity to religiously-themed mass propaganda. Atheists have now decided to dabble in the art of "spreading the word", starting with a bus sign campaign in the United Kingdom. Could this mark the start of an un-evangelizing movement?

Overheard in Midtown

2008-10-21T13:09:00.000-07:00

Just when you begin to feel convinced that texting and IM-ing have ended the art of bitching over the phone, a young man in East Midtown shared bits of an intriguing conversation with the other New Yorkers on the sidewalk who, like him, quickly moved away from the workday and into happy hour.

Two pieces well worth recording from that convo are
"Spirituality is the last resort for the weak" and "At least she is not a bible-holding fanatic like the last one".

Rich Chocolate Recession

2008-10-19T16:48:00.000-07:00

Here is an interesting follow-up to the “Recession Hangover" post. According to this New York Times article, for years professionals have been tracking correlations between fluctuations in the state of the U.S. Economy and people’s behavioral preferences.

A few no-brainer correlations: 1) Suicide rates increase, and so does the incidence of mental illness; 2) Sales of perishable foods decrease and kitchen cabinet staples become more popular; 3) Property crime theft, such as burglaries and car-theft, go on the rise And then there are the more obscure relationships that, once uncovered, make a lot of sense and allow us to look at the depth of psychological and behavioral impact of economic crises. A study, for example, shows that skirt hemlines tend to drop lower when the economy is in peril—possibly due to women’s subconscious reaction to unstable times, avoiding children by appearing less attractive to men. Men also shift their preferences towards more reassuringly mature-looking pin-up girls and models. (Might be good news for cougar models.) The article also mentions the impact of economic fluctuations on bodily functions (yuck!). The demand for laxatives also trends higher with economies, as people become more stressed and “hold more in”; while deodorants are in high demand during the euphoric good times. My personal favorites are those of the little indulgences. My hair stylist friend reports customers coming in more often, although for less expensive treatments per appointment, for example. And, also cited in the Times article, is the story that Hershey’s chocolate sales have increased in this third quarter and are expecting further sales hikes. Meanwhile, CNN reported two weeks ago that the cosmetic surgery industry has suffered losses too, as customers are opting for more affordable quick fixes, such as Restylene and Botox. We might not afford the $600 designer handbag or $5,000 face-lift, it seems, but we can still get a little pick-me-up from a $2.00 chocolate bar.

Pics in-a-Babylon

2008-10-09T12:42:00.000-07:00

Stencil artist Carlito Brigante does some things on the side, like whipping up mean mojitos and nurturing a passionate relationship with reggae. He also reads Libération from time to time, as he happens to be French and, although he's been away from his home for years, still prefers his country's version of what happens in the world. (No need to add that he is a Frenchman working under a Puerto Rican name living in New York and following Jamaican music, but I'll say it anyways).

He has a very astute eye, Carlito. Here are a few pictures from his reggae concert series to prove it. He captures the near-transfiguration these artists go through when performing, and how their decades as pioneers of sound make them intensely still and profound.

Kudos to our Frenchricanaican artist for this fabulous work. You can see more >here<.

"The Prophet", Capelton in his trance-like stage presence.

Linton Kwesi Johnson imparts his knowledge, dub-poet style.

Jamaican anomaly Yellowman flaunts his freakishness.

Anthony B as he takes a quick gasp of air.

Recession Hangover

2008-10-07T20:12:00.000-07:00

A New York-based therapist told me today her weekly appointments have at least doubled in the past three weeks. People seem to be in an "I need therapy" frenzy. To a dull "do you think it is because Fall is here?", she smirked and answered if I had read the news lately.

She proposed an explanation that referred to a different Fall: that of our worry-free, laissez les bons temps rouler days. Those days of distraction are over and we have been forced to face our grim financial realities. It now becomes inevitable to look inwards as you cannot afford looking outwards anymore. Anxiety piles up, and uncertainty mixes with issues that had been swept under the rug while we were getting the house ready for the big party.

"Wall Street got drunk," said George Bush back in July during a private fundraiser in Houston, Texas, and, as brutal a statement as that is (the current President has never been known for his elegance), it seems now very close to the culprit of the current economic situation. It is also a fitting metaphor to the emotional hangover Americans are feeling. All the champagne bottles have been emptied and they now lie dribbling the last rancid drops on a cigarette-scarred carpet.

The mess has now become bigger. We now have to clean up after the party first, and then we have to go back and face the realities that we decided to procrastinate and hide from when we went off to get economically hammered.

Pumpkins have feelings too

2008-10-07T13:32:00.000-07:00

Nathan Wesling has been carving pumpkins for seven years. He considers the pumpkin's shape before going to work, it seems, as the expressions on each one is deeply connected to the gourds' morphologies. He also does a great job at carving emotions out. Who would have thought?

See more of them >here<.

Learn to be Sara Palin

2008-10-06T19:00:00.000-07:00

This upcoming Halloween I will not be around to run around the streets of New York dressed as my favorite mockable politician. A pity.

I do know, however, that many will want to and will most certainly not just stop at dressing like her--a half-upswept and teased wig, a pair of rimless glasses, tight skirt-suit and about two pounds of make up is not hard to put together. So in case you are thinking of being Sara this upcoming October 31st, here are a few pointers on how to make your body and voice more Alaskan hockey mom than "La Mavericka" herself.

1. Stick your butt out and suck your belly in and walk like you are sticking your belly out and sucking your butt in. It takes some practice but you have time.

2. Move your entire arm when you are waving. Move it to the point of near-shoulder dislocation. Make it hurt.

3. Wriggle your nose, particularly when you are talking about topics you have no idea about. Cute distracts.

4. Sound breathless each time you mention "this great country of ours"

5. DO NOT use "ing" at the end of any verbs. Ever. From now it's huntin', shootin', lyin', denyin', maverickin', et cetera, all the way.

NOTE: If you forget any of the above, just wink, smile and repeat. You'll have it down to a dead ringer.

Sharing means caring

2008-10-03T09:38:00.000-07:00

...So, consider how much one cares when one overshares.

This is the first entry into this blog, so I am offering a few considerations to the reader:

1) I am not a writer so please lower your expectations
2) There is no one thematic purpose to this blog, rather than the one suggested in the title
3) The word "overshare" is shamelessly used, even though it does not exist (yet)