christina speaks

Remember when Gwen Stefani was so effing cool? Like, here was this awesome chick, rocking out with the bindi, platinum blonde hair, heading one of the hippest ska bands in the 90s. How badass is that? Now I guess she’s kind of lame, and I really hate those HP commericals where she’s like “It is SO HARD being creative.” I’m not disputing that it is, in fact I totally agree, but for the love of God, put some feeling into your words, Gwen. You sound like an automaton.

Anyway, of course this song is raging against the injustices of growing up female in this culture and it’s so mocking and subversive. I freaking love it. The make-up montage while the boys are jamming out is especially awesome. Really reinforces the whole “girls are pretty ornaments while boys take action” thing, only Gwen’s rocking her heart out at the same time as being one of the dolls.

I’m loving the knowing smile at 2:13, and then – super dance party! (Including a pregnant lady wearing a belly baring shirt who I never noticed before. So awesome.) And some push-ups! Like her onstage push-up in the “Don’t Speak” video, drenched in sweat and looking out at the crowd like “What now?!” I love the strong woman imagery, but also I just love the song. Ska was so fun to listen to, the perfect music for hopping around your grade school gymnasium with your classmates, banging into each other and laughing your asses off. God, how much do I miss that… Is that appropriate to do with your twentysomething friends? And if so, anyone want to rent out a school gym and jump around to the Mighty Mighty Bosstones and No Doubt and whoever else we can think of?

:: Apr.14.2008 :: 90s VOTW, Daily :: 4 Comments »

Seriously, this week has been a freaking killer. I am so glad it’s over. This weekend, I plan on working on my book A LOT, cleaning the apartment, and generally hanging out with friends and enjoying not being overdrawn on my bank account anymore.

I leave you with this picture of a sunstar flower I bought at Trader Joe’s a couple weeks ago. It’s bloomed magnificently.

See you Monday.

:: Apr.11.2008 :: Daily, Photo, Random :: 1 Comment »

During an odd quiet spell in the office today, I got a phone call from my former landlord’s bank. Turns out the whole “bounced check” thing was a bank error, not the fault of a deadbeat realty company, and they’re sending me a cashier’s check today for the original amount.

(When I was on the phone with the bank rep, and she said it was a bank error, all I could think of was that Community Chest card in Monopoly – you know, “Bank error in your favor, collect $200” – and how, once again, that godforsaken game had set me up for a life of broken promises.)

So that made me happy, and it’s quite possible that all my overdraft fees are going to be refunded, and I didn’t come home to a lake in my kitchen, and no one got laid off at work. Altogether, a much better day than yesterday. Plus, awesome weather! Although I did feel like a giant idiot because I wore my galoshes today (what?! the airguessers said there was a 70% chance of rain and thunderstorms!) and had to march around downtown with these things on my feet:

Hawt.

:: Apr.09.2008 :: Daily, Photo, Random :: No Comments »

Just what I needed to help me forget the insanity of this day.

:: Apr.08.2008 :: Daily, Photo, Pittsburgh :: 1 Comment »

1. The (quite large) bounced check that was supposed to be my returned security deposit from the apartment I lived in in Virginia.
2. The fact that the above-mentioned landlords won’t return my calls.
3. The nearly $200 in overdraft fees because of aforementioned bounced check.
4. The washing machine in the apartment upstairs that insists on leaking through my ceiling so hard that my dishes are covered in gross brown ceiling tile water and half my food is ruined.
5. The fact that eight people were laid off at work today - approximately 20% of the department.

Is that … is that enough? Should I keep going?

:: Apr.08.2008 :: Daily, Insanity :: 4 Comments »

So, Jen-nay tagged me for my very first meme (cue the awwwws, I’m sure). The details:

Legend has it that Hemingway was once challenged to write a story in only six words. His response? “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” Last year, SMITH Magazine re-ignited the recountre by asking readers for their own six-word memoirs. They sent in short life stories in droves, from the bittersweet (”Cursed with cancer, blessed with friends”) and poignant (”I still make coffee for two”) to the inspirational (”Business school? Bah! Pop music? Hurrah”) and hilarious (”I like big butts, can’t lie”).

Mine:

Hardest-working slacker in … sigh, whatever.

(I realize that “hardest-working,” with its hyphenation, should really be counted as one word, but it seemed unseemly to claim one-word status for it when it takes up so much room and the project was to be as succinct as possible.)

Being so new to the blogosphere that I don’t have any interweb friends who haven’t done this meme already, I’ll pass on the tagging more people, if you don’t mind. (Please don’t mind.)

:: Apr.07.2008 :: Daily, Meme, Random :: 2 Comments »

Here’s the thing about me: I haven’t really listened to the radio since, oh, about 2002. I just don’t find current pop music to be fun to listen to (with a few notable exceptions, including Kelly Clarkson and Alicia Keys). A lot of it also has to do with not owning a car for six years, so I just never had the opportunity to listen to the radio and let’s be real – the car is the ideal place for radio-listening, especially during summer. You can roll all the windows down, put your shades on, and cruise through the streets listening to all those singles that have dropped, begging for your attention.

I have a car now, and a broken CD player, so I’ll probably be listening to the radio a bit more now. But I always find myself gravitating towards the stations that have music I already know and like. My boyf will tell you that it’s hard for me to be listening to a song and not singing along to it at the same time. He’s absolutely right.

Also – a word about music videos. I remember when MTV would actually play music videos, before TRL, before all those goddamn shows they have on now. Vids from the 90s were definitely a core element of my upbringing. They were slick and told stories and showed shirtless guys in the rain. Really, what’s not to love?

So, in honor of my love of 90s songs and the videos that went along with them, I am introducing a new feature: 90s Video of the Week. Inaugural honors go to “Waterfalls” by TLC, because, COME ON. Drug violence, a grieving mother, HIV/AIDS, midriff-baring, bopping in the ocean, and the ability to morph like Alex Mack? This could possibly be the pinnacle of 90s videos. Enjoy.

:: Apr.07.2008 :: 90s VOTW, Daily :: 3 Comments »

From the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore.

:: Apr.05.2008 :: Daily, Photo :: 4 Comments »

“You know nothing of drawing. Don’t pretend to be in raptures about mine. Keep your raptures for Harriet’s face.”

-Emma, Jane Austen

:: Apr.03.2008 :: Books, Daily, Random :: 3 Comments »

Because it does evil things to me, like forcing an interminable loop of the lines “Don’t be fooled by the rocks that I got, I’m still, I’m still Jenny from the block!” for hours upon hours. Le sigh.

:: Apr.02.2008 :: Daily, Random :: 1 Comment »