If you're a "Sex And The City" fan, you know what I'm talking about, but if you're not, indulge me while I introduce you to my ladies from the Big Apple.
From 1998 to 2004, four beautiful women made me laugh...cry...and laugh some more--
CARRIE BRADSHAW (played by Sarah Jessica Parker) is the reason for Sex and the City. She is the narrator of the show. Each episode is structured around her train of thought. Carrie is a columnist who lives in Manhattan. The title of her column is "Sex and the City." She writes about sexual politics. She is the woman's woman. Her own experiences, as well as the experiences of her best friends, serve as fodder for her column. Why did she choose to live in NYC? In her words: "I'm looking for love. Real love. Ridiculous, inconvenient, consuming, can't-live-without-each-other love."
SAMANTHA JONES (played by Kim Catrall) is a successful PR exec who knows what she wants, and most of the time, gets it. She takes lust over love on any given night. She embraces her uninhibited sexuality and is not ashamed of it. She is the oldest and most sexually confident of the foursome. She is confident, strong, outspoken, and calls herself a "try-sexual" (meaning she'll try anything once). One of Samantha's best qualities is her loyalty to her friends. She believes that she has had "hundreds" of soul mates and requires that her sexual partners leave "an hour after I climax." In Season 6, Samantha's character further develops when she is suddenly diagnosed with cancer when visiting a plastic surgeon for a breast implant consultation. An operation and chemotherapy challenge Samantha, but she beats cancer and it becomes clear the experience has renewed her with a new perspective on life and love.
MIRANDA HOBBES (played by Cynthia Nixon) is a successful corporate attorney who is smart, self-assured, and proud of her achievements (she made partner in her law firm during the show). She is a Harvard Law graduate who raises the bar for herself continually, personally and professionally. She doesn't open up easily and, at times, can be quite cynical. Her image softens over the years, particularly after she becomes pregnant by her on/off boyfriend, Steve, whom she eventually marries. The birth of her son, Brady Hobbes, brings up new issues for her Type A, workaholic personality, but she soon finds a way to balance career and motherhood.
CHARLOTTE YORK (played by Kristin Davis) is the character who I identify with the least. Although I admire her optimism and idealism, she is too traditional for me. At the beginning of the show, she was an art dealer, but then, she married...divorced...then married (2nd time was a charm). Getting married to a wealthy, handsome man who belonged to the social elite and having a family and the perfect house was her dream. In a nutshell, Charlotte is the more conventional woman. She is the most optimistic of the group, the one who places the most emphasis on emotional love as opposed to lust, and is a true romantic; always searching for her "knight in shining armor" and she eventually finds it. She scoffs at the lewder, more libertine antics of her friends (primarily Samantha), presenting a more traditional attitude about relationships, usually based on "the rules" of love and dating. Despite her traditional outlook, she has been known to make concessions (while married) that even surprise her more sexually liberated girlfriends.
NEW YORK CITY plays a character, too. Because the show centers on four sexy women, the city has to be sexy as well...and you can't get any sexier than New York City, baby...and Manhattan to boot!
The women discuss their sexual desires and fantasies, and their travels in life and love. I loved the show's frank dialogue about women and sex.
I (as well as any woman) identify with all four women, but here's my personal mixture: I am 40% Carrie, 30% Samantha, 25% Miranda, and 5% Charlotte.
Overall, the show was great and I miss it. No topic was off limits. It shocked you. It made you laugh. It was frank. It provoked conversations. It was real. It was about being yourself...up close and personal. Well, at least I have the DVD collections to all the seasons and the movie. Now, I'm looking forward to Sex and the City 2, which will premiere in theaters this Thursday, May 27th.
One of my favorite episodes (and I think I speak for every "Sex and the City" fan) is from Season 4 when Carrie is asked to be in a big fashion charity show featuring both models and real people. The main idea of the entire episode is how we can look at our friends perfectly, but we can't see ourselves in the same way. We tend to be self-critical. So after some convincing from her friends--and when she finds out she can keep the outfit (she's modeling Dolce & Gabana)--Carrie decides to be a "model." On the night of the fashion show, Carrie is informed there's been a wardrobe change and she has to wear a tiny pair of jeweled underwear. She freaks, but all done up and looking fabulous, Samantha assures her she is a model. Carrie starts her walk down the runway only to fall flat on her face. Even real-life supermodel Heidi Klum walks over her. After all, the show must go on. Faced with a choice, Carrie gets back up and finishes her catwalk to cheers and a congratulations "high-five" from Heidi Klum. The episode is inspiring. How many times have we "fallen" in life--at times not wanting to get back up--but when we do, it builds character and strength. And why did Carrie choose not to quit and run back to the dressing room? "...because when real people fall down in life, they get right back up and keep on walking."
Yes...good question indeed...where the hell are we going? Why do I ask this question? Well, indulge me as I stand on my soap box. Where do I begin? The hell with it, I'll just begin...
1. THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC DISASTER IN THE GULF--Experts are saying that it could be the worst oil spill in North American history. It's what happens when lobbyists from dirty industries like oil (among others) write our energy policy. Now it's been reported that an estimated third to a half of the 11,000 commercial fishermen impacted by the disaster are Vietnamese, yet BP and Coast Guard officials have done precious little to accommodate this community. Hmm...not a shocker there my friends. From hearing the reports on the news and reading about it in news websites and magazines, haven't we seen and heard enough? I have! Enough is enough! I've said it before and I will say it again, offshore drilling CANNOT be a part of our energy future--for our oceans, for our environment, and for our climate! And to think Mr. President, you lifted the ban on offshore drilling and you insist on debating the issue. What's to debate?! It's a no-brainer! Thumbs down 2 U Prez! I will most certainly sweat you on this!!!
2. IMMIGRATION REFORM--Man oh man, did you drop the pelota [trans. = "ball"] on this issue. One of my favorite bloggers commented on Ronnie Reagan's amnesty bill. The blogger posted: "For all of Reagan's horrible faults and actions (his foreign policy in Latin America), one thing is hard to escape: it was he that signed a major amnesty bill." Then, the blogger included one of Reagan's quotes: "...it makes one wonder about the illegal alien fuss. Are great numbers of our unemployed really victims of the illegal alien invasion, or are those illegal tourists actually doing work our own people won't do? One thing is certain in this hungry world: No regulation or law should be allowed if it results in crops rotting in the fields for lack of harvesters." Good point Ronnie, but because this quote comes from you, I can't help but wonder what your ulterior motives were at the time you said it. But whatever the motive, your Republican friends in Arizona should take to heart your words of "wisdom." But alas, the Grand Canyon state has done it again and it's not pretty. Governor Brewer signed into law a bill that targets ethnic studies programs. The bill "prohibits classes that advocate ethnic solidarity, that are designed primarily for students of a particular race or that promote resentment toward a certain ethnic group." Really? The Tuscon School District offers a Mexican-American studies program, in addition to courses in Native-American and African-American studies. The focus is on ethnic history, literature, and information about the influences of these particular groups. Doesn't sound sinister to me. But lawmakers who promoted the bill believe that these courses teach students that they are oppressed by whites. Personally, I don't see how teaching ethnic history and literature is a bad thing. As for minorities being oppressed by whites....uh...I'm a historian...uh, I majored in history...minorities oppressed by whites?...the history is there. It is what it is and you can't erase it or rewrite it. So what's the problem? Does the burden of historical shame and guilt from the foul deeds of their forefathers who robbed, stole, murdered, and swindled Native-Americans out of their lands seem too heavy? What about the embarrassing institution of slavery (African-Americans)? Or how Mexicans were robbed of territory? Or how Asians (Japanese-Americans) were placed in concentration camps during WWII? The fact of the matter is minorities considered themselves as Americans. The problem was that other "Americans" didn't see them as such. For example, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo granted U.S. citizenship and other rights to those Mexicanos who chose to remain in the Southwest after the conquest. Over time, Mexicanos lost their lands to Anglos through deceitful means and, in some cases, murder. Mexicanos and Mexican-Americans were lynched and subjected to discrimination on the basis of their ethnicity. In spite of this discrimination, Mexican-Americans demonstrated their loyalty to this country during WWII, Korea, Vietnam, etc. In fact, they also did their share in the Civil War. Yet, when some WWII vets returned home from the war, they could not get served in restaurants. Public places displayed signs: "No Dogs or Mexicans Allowed." They couldn't be buried in a public cemetery because Anglos would not allow it. Google the story of Pvt. Felix Longoria from Three Rivers, Texas.
The focus of ethnic studies is not to promote racial hatred, resentment, or the overthrow of the U.S. government. The goal is to present students with a more COMPLETE history of American history.
On a more personal note, I'm a product of public schools that did not have ethnic studies, but I remember as a high school student that I was always eager to read books about Mexican-American history, Native-American history, and African-American history. Then, I began to read books by Hispanic authors such as Rudolfo Anaya, Ana Castillo, Sandra Cisneros, Leslie Marmon Silko, Langston Hughes, and Audre Lorde. Regardless of what one thinks about ethnic studies and whether it is a valuable discipline or not (I think it is), completely shutting these courses down will do more harm than good. I took an ethnic studies course in college and ethnic studies is not about teaching ethnic superiority nor is it a continual lesson in being oppressed. Its goal is to teach history. History books already censor and omit so much that shutting down ethnic studies is a small minded solution for Arizona's public school children. By signing this bill, Governor Brewer has only worsened the scrutiny her state faces. And all of this started from the immigration law (SB 1070). Mr. President, the fiasco in Arizona is getting out of control. You were slow in passing immigration reform. Now what?! Thumbs down 2 U Prez! I will most certainly sweat you on this!
3. "DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL--Mr. President, what (exactly) is the delay with the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell?" A certain group of Americans feel extremely alienated right about now. And you did make promises. Something that should be so easy seems too difficult for you to accomplish...a Harvard Law graduate. The fact that the repeal is taking this long.... Thumbs down 2 U Prez! I will most certainly sweat you on this!
4. ECONOMY AND JOBS--Mr. President, what about the economy...the jobs? I have an AA, BA, and MA and with the shortage of jobs, I feel dressed to the nines with nowhere to go. I recently read a post on the "Daily Kos" blog that I would like to share with my readers because the information is scary, yet important to know. Here it is:
"It's been well-reported that unemployment benefits can last for 99 weeks (aka the 99'ers). What has been almost completely lacking in the news coverage is that June 2nd is the drop-dead date for unemployment extensions. Politicians in the Senate had no problem giving tax breaks to companies that shipped jobs overseas, but now balk at extending unemployment insurance. Currently, there are four "Tiers" of extended unemployment insurance. If you were laid off early in the recession, then you were eligible for the full 99 weeks. But let's say you were laid off in the spring of 2009 and you are on Tier Three of the emergency extended benefits that runs out in July. If you are in that boat, they you are shit out of luck. The only way you are eligible for Tier Four is if your benefits expire BEFORE the end of May. This applies to ALL tiers. Thus, if you were laid off only, say, 24 weeks ago, you AREN'T eligible for ANY federal unemployment benefits when the state UI expires after 26 weeks. Not even Tier One. Currently, the average duration on unemployment is eight months. That's going to affect around 7 million people. This means that literally millions of long-term unemployed are going to be losing their last lifeline in the coming months. There are some proposals for moving the deadline out for a few months, but nothing concrete at this time with only a week to go before the clock strikes midnight. As for those who have actually used up the full 99 weeks of UI, there is almost no hope of a Tier Five being created."
Well, what about Obama's stimulus?
"It has its limits. The Census has hired 1.2 million Americans, but the jobs are temporary. They will come to an end. Those same people are going to be laid off by the hundreds of thousands every month beginning in June. Meanwhile, Obama's stimulus bill is over half spent and is scheduled to be drawn down by the end of September. It's hard to miss all the talk of broke states...the current proposed California budget completely eliminates welfare, not just cutting it...Arizona is warning of a governmental "collapse"...New York is running out of money...Illinois is handing out IOU's and says there are no good solutions. It's been observed that states will raise taxes, but higher taxes alone will not be enough to make up for the vast shortfall in state budgets. Accordingly, 42 states and the District of Columbia have already articulated plans to cut government jobs. As many as 300,000 of the layoffs are expected to be school teachers. This all happens in the next couple of months."
On a more personal note, I am one of the many receiving unemployment insurance. I have pounded the pavement since May 2009. I have had 2 phone interviews and 5 face-to-face interviews and 3 formal tests. I have 2 face-to-face interviews next week. Something has to surface. I can longer be a bottom feeder (never wanted to be). Mr. President, you were thrilled that jobs were created for the month of May. But what will happen when those jobs (and I bet the jobs were with the Census Bureau) are cut beginning in June? What then? If things continue the way they are, what makes you think you will get re-elected? I'll admit I didn't vote for you. I voted a straight Democratic ticket because I could not bring myself to place a check next to your name. (I wanted Hillary and I will go to my grave believing she was and still is the better candidate). Am I implying that I may vote for a Republican? Hell no! No way, no how! Never! But come 2012, if you haven't addressed the issues I have addressed in my post, I will think about a third-party candidate or write in a candidate of my choice. I know you inherited a shitty economy, but pointing the finger at your predecessor is getting old. It's time to say, "I got this!" Thumbs down 2 U Prez! I will certainly sweat you on this!
I know most people don't like to play the "what if" game, including Hillary, but...........
36 days and counting until the 2010 FIFA World Cup begins in South Africa with South Africa playing against Mexico in the opening match.
Go Bafana Bafana!!
And for those of you who aren't too familiar with the sport (I'm just learning myself), the FIFA World Cup takes place once every four years. During the two years prior to the World Cup, countries compete for spots in the tournament through World Cup qualifying. These World Cup qualifying matches are broken up into different geographic regions. FIFA's goal in World Cup qualifying is to find the best teams in the world to play in the World Cup. After all of the qualifying matches have been completed, the teams with the most points make it into the actual World Cup tournament.
32 teams from the different FIFA regions are ultimately chosen to play in the World Cup. These teams are first broken up into 8 groups of 4. Each one of these groups is given a letter name, A through H. Within each group, each team plays 3 games, 1 game against each team. For a win, 3 points are awarded, for a tie 1 point is awarded, and if a team loses no points are awarded. After all the group stage matches have been played, the top 2 teams with the most points from each group advance to the knock out stage of the tournament. The 2 bottom teams from each group are eliminated from the tournament. The rest of the tournament is a single elimination knock out tournament where the last standing team is awarded the world cup.
The team I'm supporting (South Africa's Bafana Bafana) is in Group A with Mexico, Uruguay, and France. Dora will be supporting Team USA (of course) and they are in Group C with England, Algeria, and Slovenia.
Go Bafana Bafana!
And guess what? Each World Cup event chooses an official song. This year, FIFA and Sony have chosen Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) as the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The song was written by our very own Shakira, who will perform the song with South African band Freshlyground.
Remember, the event runs from June 11th to July 11th. It will be interesting to see how South Africa performs as the host country. And it will be interesting to see which team is left standing.
Go Bafana Bafana!!!!
LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, TODAY IS CINCO DE MAYO!!!!! And to clarify a few things, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day, but it should be. And it's not an American holiday, but it should be. Many people get Cinco de Mayo confused with el dies y seis de septiembre. Mexico declared her independence from Spain in September. Remember the holiday like this: September begins with the letter "S"...Spain does, too. So what is the significance of Cinco de Mayo? Cinco de Mayo commemorates the day the Mexican army trashed the much larger French army at the Battle of Puebla. You see, Mexico owed money to several countries including France. Benito Juarez decided to stop making payments. The French became pissed off and decided to occupy Mexico. At first, the French succeeded...until May 5th, when the Mexicanos defeated a much larger French army. The French eventually occupied Mexico anyway, placing Emperor Maximilian I on the Mexican throne. After much pressure from the U.S., the French withdrew and Maximilian was executed. The funny thing about Cinco de Mayo is that the holiday has greater significance in the U.S. than it does in Mexico. In Mexico, it's virtually ignored. The U.S. observes this day to celebrate the Mexican ancestry and heritage of many of its citizens.
