Song Lyric of the Day:
If you make sure you’re connected / The writing’s on the wall / But if your mind’s neglected / Stumble you might fall
Stereo MC’s / “Connected”
9:56PM.
I feel better now. Watched my all-time favorite binky movie, “When Harry Met Sally.” All is well and good and witty repartee in Harry and Sally Land. Sally has my fantasy New York life as a writer. And Harry is always amusing. Mostly I love this movie because it reminds me of how Rich and I didn’t actually get together romantically until five years after we first met.
7:21PM.
My mood is beyond sh!##y. It took 2 hours to get home from work tonight. I came home and quasi-napped on the couch. Traffic here makes me not like living here. I want to move home.
3:26PM.
Lee, Bob, and I just had a discussion about misplaced priorities in society today. It came up because I told them about my initial blog entry for today regarding the news coverage of Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston’s divorce. Why do athletes get signed for $90 million contracts straight out of high school, while school teachers have to work second jobs to make ends meet? Why are actors who make $20 million per movie given free stuff? These are but a couple of topics we debated. Ah, to be able to tape record some of the daily cube discussions we have. The flies on the wall would be very entertained, indeed.
2:43PM.
As you know, I obsess over pop culture. Movies, TV, books, music, infotainment in general–I love it all. But even I have to take offense at how the news media is covering the Brad Pitt–Jennifer Aniston separation. I mean, in the face of the tsunami devastation, the war in Iraq, and the storms in the western United States, you’d think they’d remember what actually matters. While it’s sad (but completely unsurprising) that a young, seemingly in love couple has decided to end their relationship, their problem (emphasis on their) does not even rate compared to what the world at large is dealing with right now; it’s not the end of the world. I’ve even lain off my infotainment shows (E! News Live, Entertainment Tonight) because the separation is all they’re talking about. You know it’s bad if even I need a break from it.
That said, part of me thinks the news media is focusing on this breakup precisely because of what it is—a distraction. I’ve been reading how even the most jaded journalists are falling apart while covering the tsunami recovery efforts, which is completely understandable when faced with tragedy of such magnitude. So maybe a celebrity breakup is exactly what some media professionals need right now to lighten the emotional load, as it were. An inability to be objective combined with crybaby tendencies were my primary reasons for not having pursued a college degree in journalism, broadcast or print. As it is, I really feel for the reporters covering some of the stories in the news today. Had I actually earned a journalism degree, I don’t think I’d be carrying myself nearly half as well as the reporters I see on TV and online.
During WWII movies were all the rage. It was a way of distracting the public from the continuously depressing news of the war. Also, big was all the gossip that went along with all the stars. So, although I personally could care less I understand why people take a break to read up on “Aniston-Pitt” gossip during serious times.
Speaking of Aniston…I just saw “Along Came Polly” and I loved it. But, then, again, it was all Ben Stiller – hilarious! I also caught “Meet the Fokkers’s” and “Dodgeball.” So, if you need to uplift your spirits – or need a distraction from changing diapers and washing baby clothes (ahem) – catch these flicks.
LOL. Haven’t seen Along Came Polly or Meet the Fockers yet, but Dodgeball had me crying, I was laughing so hard.
I agree that Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt are distractions for the public and media. As a freelance journalist, though, I have to say the consumer is as much to blame as the media conglomerates for over-spewed celebrity gossip and over-payed sports figures. When more than 50,000 people in one stadium go to a basketball game and spend $50 on the tickets, maybe another $50 on drinks and food, and then buy an overpriced jersey (and I am way underestimating here), why wouldn’t a player demand and get several mil a year? Same goes for celeb gossip. If no one bought into the gossip magazines, visited the Websites or watched the entertainment shows, than cable networks like E! would widdle down to a 10-minute segment on the evening news… which brings me to….Thanks so much for not reading those sites today.
BTW, you know me, kind of. And, this isn’t intended to sound catty or overly argumentative. It’s just a counterpoint kind of thing. Soon, I’ll add my site to Blogger and you can counter me with a good lashing. 🙂
Thanks for the professional opinion! You definitely made some good (and true) points. And come back anytime to give me pointers on how to get into freelance writing.