What Goes Around

For those who care, I've posted three new movie reviews on my other blog. Read if you're bored.

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This entry will be a mishmash of random thoughts I've been having lately as well as a quick update on my activities. I can just feel you shivering in excitement.

I present to you the only ad I've ever seen that makes me clench my fists in anger when I come across it:

"Oh," you say. "What's so upsetting about a hot pseudo-Asian chick in a tank top?" Well, I'll tell you, reader. (Breaks out "This is what a feminist looks like" t-shirt). It's sexist and offensive. Before this ad pulled a blitzkreig on the T a few weeks ago, I was very fond of the Healthworks ads. Before, they used to feature women in awesome strong and beautiful poses: a shot of calf muscles on stairs, a pregnant woman doing pilates, a shot of a woman's back while she lifts a dumbell. They all said, essentially, "We can be strong while remaining true to our feminity."

Badass, right?

Then Healthworks plasters this ad over all the other ones, and my blood pressure skyrockets. We went from ads featuring beautiful strong women to an ad featuring a skinny, vaguely "exotic" girl in a blatant "come hither" pose with pictures of her shaking her ass like Shakira in the background.

WTF, Healthworks? Are you trying to sell your pricey women-only memberships by having men point to these posters and tell their wives and girlfriends "That's what you should look like"? Seriously! Unlike the previous ads, this one is meant to catch the attention of men. I see this in the subway and think "What, is she trying to get me to buy her a drink?" instead of "Wow, she looks like she's working out just for her and nobody else," like I used to. Now, instead of me believing that Healthworks is a gym for women by women, it makes me think they're like a women's magazine: run by men to exploit women.

Thankfully, other ads with less ridiculous conceits have finally started showing up. None of them are as great as the old ones used to be, but at least now I don't have to put up with a constant barrage of Ms. Sexy Pose every time I use the T.

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Okay, so those were clearly the thoughts I promised. As for activities, the biggest one is that I visited Kenyon this past weekend. Like last time, it's strange going back to your alma mater when you still have friends as students there. They miss you, but they've definitely moved on without you and have made the campus their own. It's a little heartachy, to be honest.

Mostly, Kenyon's still the same. There are some fancy new buildings, some of the old ones are gone (most notably the Kenyon Review house), and the bookstore now sells ice cream by the scoop in addition to Kenyon gear for babies. Pierce is open again, while Gund is closed forever, so everyone must eat South now. The new Upper Demsey hall in Pierce is beautiful and reminds me of Brandi Hall in Rosse, with all it's birchwood paneling and light. Except there are no acoustic considerations built in, of course. However, it still feels like Kenyon, which I think is the most important thing.

There was no heat in the Hill Theater all weekend, so throughout the two dress rehearsals I watched on Sunday the actors were shivering in their costumes. However, I was glad to even get to see the dress rehearsals, since both shows (Frozen by Bryony Lavery and Oleanna by David Mamet) are going up this weekend and I (obviously) won't be there. It was wonderful getting the chance to stay up until 1 or 2am with folks, chatting about life and theater and the pursuit of happiness. I can't believe I used to stay up that late every night and not die the next day.

Calista was the perfect hostess, and her futon was mighty comfy. Talking with her made me miss Friday Cafe lunches, Opera Workshop, and nights out with the girls. Senior year as Drama major is still the same, with exhausting theses, upper-level class projects, frantic studying of History of Western notes, and freak outs about Comps in the spring.

Don't worry, my ducklings, you'll all be just fine come May. :o)

More than anything in college, I miss the sense of purpose. Up until I graduated, everything I did was a build up to something bigger, something in the future. But college was the culmination of all my hard work, and now I find myself in the Real World where no one cares if I achieve nothing greater in life than the title of Administrative Assistant IV at Children's Hospital Boston. Everything you achieve and pursue and accept is out of your own determination and drive--there is no advisor pushing you to do more with yourself. And that's what ultimately terrifies me about Life: that I'll accept monotonous complacency because it's easy and familiar, and trying to change anything takes an active, constant effort.

We used to joke about it during rehearsals, but now I'm serious as a heart attack--I want a Life PSM, plz. Someone to keep me on track. Do you think Kenyon would approve such an academic track for the Drama department? After all, they'll need credentials and lots of training.

On an end note, it's my birthday on Saturday. One year closer to being able to rent a car without any extra underage charges!

Read
The Myst Reader by Rand Miller
The Domino Men by Jonathan Barnes

Seen
No Country for Old Men
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