BlogHer - Arts - Comments

Cheeky

gretnagreene — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:30:34 -0500

I think if it had been me I'd have blown my top. I wrote a book once, a long time ago, and it is so incredibly difficult to try & promote it and to try & get even small independent book stores to take it.

Trying to sell your own book on your own website is so obviously what anyone is going to do, the people who complain don't live in the real World - if they'd ever tried to do anything, to run a business, create a product, or write a book they'd know how incredibly difficult it is and would be more understanding.

I'm afraid the World seems full of people like this at times, people who want to just compalin and knock other people, you just have to ignore them and get on with it.

Thanks for your perspective

Virginia DeBolt — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:03:48 -0500

The more things change, the more things remain the same, right?

Virginia DeBolt
BlogHer CE
Web Teacher
First 50 Words

So-called sleazy sources have been breaking real news for years!

Lisa Stone — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:53:45 -0500

Great round-up of links Virginia!

I have to say, however, that I'm rolling my eyes at so much of what's being said. I keep wanting to type in all caps on Twitter NEWS IS NEWS, NO MATTER WHAT TOOLS USERS USE TO READ AND SHARE IT.

It's been years since only The New York Times and the AP verified news. I don't think TMZ's breaking the news of Michael Jackson's death is revolutionary, nor is the fact that people have flocked to the latest news-sharing source (Twitter and texting) to hype a celebrity tragedy. Same behavior, different tools. It's certainly nothing new for a gossip mag or site to break real national news. Print tabloid National Enquirer (Jesse Jackson's child born out of wedlock) begat Web site Drudge Report (Bill Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky) which begat gossip blog TMZ (Michael Jackson's death). Twitter and texting is just yesterday's cell phone con call and yesteryear's print newspaper and long-form letter. It's all news, wrung through the filter of "what's important to me the user."

Reporters from all media who turn to Twitter to find out what's up are doing what good reporters do: They're working their sources to find out what's up. Following someone on Twitter today is like me putting their business card in my Rolodex twenty years ago and dialing them on my rotary phone to gossip about what's up.

What is newsworthy to me is that the ability to curate and edit news and to provide perspective and context -- to separate what's hot, valuable and newsworthy from the spin, baloney and personal agendas sources try to feed to readers -- is still as valuable as ever. And that's called journalism.

That site is hilarious. I

suzyjenkins — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:28:19 -0500

That site is hilarious. I need to post my cousins photo from last years holiday cards. They were all wearing camoflouge (including the 4 year old and 6 month old baby), and a dead dear with blood dripping from it's nose. They are all smiling, and the photo is priceless!

and they lived happily

debontherocks — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:13:44 -0500

Great essay, Laurie! I am entralled with these images, too.

One of the other reasons I like them is that because the princesses don't physically age in most of them, in addition to showing what happens AFTER the credits roll, they word as sort of the inner truth of the myth. I once knew a compulsive liar, and she would say th most absurd things, like that an apple that was obviously soft and mealy tasted good to her. These images remind me of the compulsive lie of the Disney princessification of fairly taies. Belle wants you to only see her as beatiful, but behind that is a devotion ot plastic surgery. When you meet Snow White for lunch she'll tell you her family fulfills her to her core, but that image reveals something a bit less than a fulfilled Snow. When Little Red Riding Hood tells the story of the wolf, she is trying to explain the monstrous hunger that is consuming her.

I like it that she brings us back to the origin of fairytales: morality warnings about the dark sides of a culture's preoccupations.

Deb
www.debontherocks.com blog
www.3smartgirlz.com consulting

Great Post!

AnnQuirk — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:04:15 -0500

I'm visiting from another Site, and wanted to tell you I thought your post was very insightful and thought provoking (the pictures, were fantastic as well).

I can relate, as most people throughout my life have assumed my life to be pretty "charmed", which is funny to me as I've had more than my share of struggles with one Divorce, depression, and Body Image.

Thanks very much for your thoughts -I'll defintiely visit your Blog as well !

- AnnQ (www.averagebutnot.com)

All we have is our own brand of happy.

Rita Arens — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:32:58 -0500

I was most miserable during some of my most princessy moments. It seems ironic now, but it's true.

You're the only one who can have Laurie's brand of happy.

Rita Arens writes at Surrender Dorothy and BlogHer and is the editor of Sleep is for the Weak.

Save the words

BrownPaper — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:59:23 -0500

Ah, if you like odd and unruly words, check out http://savethewords.org/

It's run by the Oxford dictionary people. You can adopt a word that is slipping out of usage. They also have suggestions on how to spread unusual words--in tattoos, for e.g., or names for pets. All great fun, and plenty of words beginning with sch.

Niranjana Iyer

http://niranjana.wordpress.com

Thanks for taking the time to read, Tina.

lauriewrites — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 13:22:24 -0500

And I completely agree with your last two sentences especially! I've mostly succeeded in getting off the couch and living and it's made a tremendous difference.

Laurie

Fairy Tales Galore

Tina Lane — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:53:01 -0500

I really enjoyed reading this post. Fairy tales are very confusing for the rest of us mere mortals. And they don't happen just when we are young. All you have to do is flip on the old TV to see the land of fairty tales flickering back at us everyday. Yes, it does brainwash us into believing that the world is populated with super beautiful princesses living carefree lives. Which is crap. Life is hard for all of us and whatever blessings you may have in terms of beauty, wealth or romance are usually well balanced by the jealous hordes of women, and men, looking to punish you for it. I think we all need to turn our TVs off and get out and live life for ourselves. Using everyone else as a barometer for happiness is pointless. www.floridagirlmidwest.blogspot.com

Awesome!

caronmosey — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:37:06 -0500

Thanks for posting. I didn't know this group even existed!

Caron Mosey, Michigan Quilter & Author

Focusing Tool

JChandler — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 19:25:18 -0500

If I may join in...I think you said it right, use it as a focusing tool. When trying to make changes, our life goals can be hard to define. There is initially more questions than answers. Challenge yourself with an affirmation that makes sense to you at this time. If nothing else, by that simple act you may quiet the mind just long enough to gain insight into the the next step. That in itself is huge.

Also, I may add, that a group of students I work with are recovering addicts. There can be both psychological and physical reasons for the difficulty in incorporating affirmations into their daily life. It takes time to master it and that can be hard for some people who are use to instant gratification or have struggled long with all the thoughts in their head muddying their efforts.

All the best is wished for you on your journey,Good luck.

Gosh How Brave

jodevizes — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 12:53:16 -0500

I never thought I would see somebody criticise the great Oprah. Well done I quite agree, even the books she choses are somewhat light weight. But I guess that is why she has mass appeal, style over substance.

Jo Devizes from London www.yourpower2be.com

I used to live in Austin

Virginia DeBolt — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 08:23:26 -0500

where they know how to throw a party with music. The Juneteenth events always had such great music. I'd never heard of Junteenth before living in Texas. It's an event that deserves a wider level of celebration.

Virginia DeBolt
BlogHer CE
Web Teacher
First 50 Words

I Was Blow Away By Saffire

Gena Haskett — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:53:32 -0500

I did not know about them, never saw a reference or anything printed mention about the group so to find them was a shock and a joy.

It is the kind of thing where I might have poo-poo'ed as a teenage funkateer but I would have definitely wanted to know about as an adult.

Gena - Out On The Stoop