Random Friday

Some random Friday thoughts:

·      On exercise:

Did you know if you go for a walk every day, even just a short one, your bottom will become smaller. My underwear is getting too big! However, if you balance out your walk with red wine, your belly will become larger and your jeans will be more difficult to button, even with a reduced tush. Trufax.

·      On bitches on the Internet Part I:

After the non-event that was my 2011, one of my big aims for 2012 was to become more involved – not in any one particular thing, just more involved in general. One of the ways I have done that is through becoming more active in the online communities I’m involved in. Unfortunately, online communities on the Internet are like the massive Christmas parties held by the huge media organisation I used to work for – everyone’s invited and sometimes you get stuck talking to the bore from Digital Editing, the drunk from Customer Relations or the bitch from HR. And man, there are some bitchy women in online communities! I have read theories that people say horrible things on the Internet due to its anonymity and lack of consequences. I’m inclined to think that people on the Internet are themselves, but more so – the filters that polite society requires are removed. Either way, participating in online communities does seem to require a thick skin, a flameproof jacket and the ability to wade through a lot of crap to get to the good stuff.

·      On bitches on the Internet Part II:

On the subject of bitches on the Internet, do you guys read The Hairpin? You totally should – it’s great. How can you not love a website that posts about Cary Grant in a fun and intelligent way that I both respect and enjoy? Go on, give it a go - you'll love it.

·      On Robert Redford:

You know how sometimes you watch a movie or read a book and you just love it.  It makes you laugh, it makes you think, it makes you cry, you tell random people who really don't care about it and you just can’t wait to see it again. But when you see it again, this time with a more critical eye, you start to think that the story of Hubbell and Barbra Striesand isn’t a great tragic love story but that, in fact, Hubble was a bit of a dick whose ego was unable to cope with a strong woman and, really, he’s very pretty but Barbra really needs a man who can challenge and inspire her? Or that Heathcliff and Cathy probably wouldn’t have had such a great relationship since he’s a borderline sociopath and she’s manipulative and selfish? Well, the more I study Robert Redford, the more I feel like that about him. The guy’s very easy on the eyes, has a great set of shoulders and a spectacular pair of hands but he does not like women and, as a feminist, I’m not down with that. I think academia may have ruined Robert Redford for me. Curse you, feminist film theory and your ideological insights and critical analytical tools.

·      On music:

Sex and Candy by Marcy Playground is a great song. Thank you, iPod shuffle, for helping me remember.

·      On sleep:

This article in today’s Age says that humans used to sleep for two shorter periods per day and that the current habit of having one long sleep only came about with the development of light technologies that allowed people to do things at night. (Btw, there is a subeditor at the Age who should get fired for misleading headlines. They’ve been incredibly bad lately.) For me, insomnia is not about waking up in the night but problems with actually getting to sleep. My ideal sleep pattern would be to have two 12-hour sleep sessions over three days. I can’t see it catching on, but a girl can dream.

And that's all, folks. See you next Friday for more random musings.