Fashionistas you have arrived 3-25-03 - 10-3-03

[Jack Manfred]

See what happens when I don't log in for a couple of days?

To briefly address yesterday's issues:
1. Please don't confuse Capra with Wilder. Frank Capra created a sugary, feel-good movie-making that resonates with America like Norman Rockwell paintings. Billy Wilder made sharp, smart, cynical pictures that reveal a completely different side of America.
2. If you want to rent a good black-and-white movie, find a Wilder movie or a Hitchcock movie. Hard to go wrong.
3. Julia Roberts is not hot. She's not a good actress either. She's a personality and a celebrity, and we live in a society that is fascinated with celebrity. Before you write angry replies, I ackknowlegde her good work in Erin Brockovich, and give credit where it is due: to Steven Soderbergh, who masterfully unearths great performances from mediocre talents. See also, Andie MacDowell in sex, lies. Before we even address the Ashley v. Charlize pantheon, pick a fairer fight. Catherine Keener is about the same age as Julia Roberts, is much hotter, and is a far better actress. [After writing this sentence, I checked and learned that Keener is 7 years older than Julia. Still hotter, but 7 years older.] Ditto Isabella Rossellini and she's 15 years older than Julia.

On to today's matters...

Have we learned nothing from the tragic death of Aaliyah? Age Ain't Nothing But a Number. People that are going to college share many of the same issues, concerns, and experiences. What should I study? What am I going to do with my life? It's only natural that they should bond over these common themes and form relationships. People thrown into the working world also share many of the same issues, concerns, and experiences. Why the hell did I get a major that either affords me no career prospects or leads to a profession consumed by drudgery and backbiting? People with children share many of the same issues, concerns, and experiences. Why won't em stop crying/begging for new video games/asking to borrow the car? Will I ever have a life again?

Today, I declare that all dating within these three categories has no age difference. Seriously. If you're in grad school at 40, and your study group partner is 25, bang away with impunity. There's no age difference. But a 23 year old who hasn't finished undergrad must cross a gaping chasm to date a divorced single mom with 2 kids who is also 23 or to date someone who studied a trade, has worked for 5 years, and owns em's own shop.

This board has spent much of the day with men and women bickering over which age differences are "OK." You know what age differences are OK? The ones that work. If two people can get along and love each other, their age difference is OK, whether the couple shares the same birthday or has a couple decades between them. We wouldn't consider it outright squicky to have a Catholic marry a Jew? There are obvious differences there (depending on amount of religious fervor). For all of the diversity/tolerance/not-judging/judging other people or judging that is manifest here, we should be above this thread.

As for me, I've dated a woman 7 years older and 5 (or so) years younger. There was none of this pre-orgasmic nonsense with either. I use the word nonsense because "pre-orgasmic" is a euphemism and because women are responsible for their own sexual health and pleasure and have been since all of the women on this board hit puberty (or since birth, for some of the youngsters). In bed, the man has an obligation to deliver best efforts and to respond to constructive criticism.

On to new topics...
1. You should all make a dental appointment today.
2. You should all buy Welcome Interstate Managers from Fountains of Wayne.
3. You will need the dental appointment after listening to the CD because the songs are so sugary-sweet they might cause tooth decay.