Shaken Not Stirred

Wednesday, September 28, 2005

What's Left?

Yesterday I watched Tyra Banks new talk show. She is a fascinating woman--with her reality show about top models, her success as a model and now as a talk show host.
What disturbed me about the latest topic of her show, was her breast. Not that her breast disturb me--they are quite beautiful, but the fact that people are so obsessed with their authenticity. Supposedly there is another blog out there with the topic, "the mystery of Tyra Banks' breast". So what? She's beautiful and she's successful. Why do we always seem to try and bring down a person's success with something negative. Breast implants aren't something negative, but do we have to spoil Banks' success or find something about her to hopefully divert her success and change it so that we can feel that she really didn't deserve it all?
I think she deserves a round of applause because she proved once and for all, that her breast were authentically hers. She took off her push-up bra and even jiggled them on air for everyone. She went as far as showing a sonogram of her breast. I'm sure this wasn't enough. Someone else will be saying that it was all stage. So the mystery will never end.

Saturday, September 24, 2005

Icons

What makes an icon and icon? Like for instance, Judy Garland and Cher are gay icons, I think. i don't see why Judy Garland would be. She isn't masculine in any way shape or form. Is it the Dorothy thing and being accompanied down a yellow brick road by three men (are they really men though?). Becuase I see the whole innocent, farm girl braided hair, on the verge of adulthood thing kinda a stripper, Playboy layout fantasy wet dream thing. You know the whole is she a girl, is she a woman sort of thing is kinda sexy.
I love the show "Will and Grace" and the most flamboyant of the characters, Jack is always talking about Cher. There are even some episodes which have Jack carrying around a Cher doll. He even makes reservations and one restaurant with a seat intended for this Cher doll. And Cher is always one of the most used personas for drag.
I'm wondering why these celebrities are icons. Is it because they as persons have always accepted homosexual lifestyles as normal (I actually don't know their personal views) or just because of something they represented--Judy Garland for the "showtunes" which are always a red flag for homosexual!!! It always seems homosexuals are stereotyped as liking showtunes.
I'm just wondering what makes an icon and icon.

Friday, September 23, 2005

Moving On

I think Jennifer Aniston said it best concerning paparazzi (did I spell that correctly?) when she stated that she has moved on with her life, the paparazzi should too. Frankly I'm a little sick of seeing a tearful Jennifer and a badly dyed blonde Brad and smirking Angela on magazine covers. Let's face it, the story has run it's ground. I like one of the latest headlines, "George Clooney denies Pitt-Jolie rumor". How can you "deny" a rumor? A rumor can't be denied, it can either be validated or thrown in the trash.
Now we've got Kate Moss making headlines for something she does in her private life. Enough already with what people do behind closed doors--that's their business. I learned in psychiatry that what people do behind closed doors is their business, it's only an illness/disorder if what they do bothers/disturbs/infiltrates other peoples lives. And really, she hasn't disturbed other people's lives with her actions.
Many of these journalist need to get lives. Many of us readers need to get lives---are ours so boring that we need to ridicule another's in order to feel better about our own? Let's face it, many of us would quickly change places with what we deem exciting--fame, celebrity and a jet setting lifestyle. But if the tables were turned, would we want our trash searched our children photographed and our grocery list known to millions of people. I certainly wouldn't want people to know that I purchase "Funyuns and cheese dip" everytime I go to the grocery store--or be photographed shoving them down my throat in a shark-feeding frenzy. My own weight obsession isn't something that I would like plastered on some magazine.
I say, lets fix our own lives first. Then we can start peeking over the fence at other people's lives.

Wednesday, September 21, 2005

A Matter Of Taste

I watched the new Fox show "Head Cases" starring Chris O'Donnell and Adam Goldberg tonight. I absolutely loved it!!! It had gotten some bad reviews because they said the pilot didn't pull in enough of an audience. I wonder exactly how they know how many people are actually watching it. Makes me wonder. Do they really know what kind of audience they had? And why haven't I been interviewed about what shows I watch and when.
I'm really mystified about how these networks know just how many million people actually watch their shows. If they do this by poll, maybe the people polled didn't watch the show that night, but tuned in this week and actually liked it. If they are running wires concurrent with our cable--that's scary!!! Cause then they would know I tune in to Skinemax at times.
Anyway, I just wanted to say that I liked the rapport between the characters played by O'Donnell and Goldberg. It was an odd couple sort of relationship, but one where a friendship was truly being formed. And they threw in a wacky paralegal played by Rachel Leigh Cook, who did a really good job of being a "headcase".
I highly recommend it!
I also highly recommend wearing some sort of crystal!!!

Monday, September 19, 2005

The Shape of Things

I've realized that I really have to get into shape. I know I've been saying this, wrote about my diets and exercise routines in many blog entries. Wow, it's almost like I'm obsessed with weight and body size. Let's face it, in some ways I am. But I'm also a big fan of eating--cheesecakes, pizzas, fried foods and Funyuns dipped in cheddar cheese. So along with the fact that I'm trying to get thin, I also like eating.
In the past, I've written about liquid diet meal replacements that tasted like chalk. I've talked about proportions and leaving carbs out of meals. I've talked about how many times a day to eat and what not to eat. I've talked about deprivation and starvation. All those things. None of them really worked. The only thing that really worked was exercise.
So two weeks ago I hopped back on the treadmill. I was doing two miles a day, at a fast paced walking speed. Now, I'm running one mile and walking the other two. Next week I hope to be running two and then walking one. And then hopefully I'll be running three--slowly building up to wherever my body allows. I told my sister-in-law Beth that I will help her train for this Charleston, West Virginia 15 mile run. I'm not saying that I'll complete it, but I'm really going to try to.
This whole thing was spawned by the fact that I put on an old yellow (it was really that color, it didn't fade to a yellow, nor did body secretions create the hue) and the way it fell on my chest made me look like I had man-breast. It was quite shocking. Not the gynectomastia man breast due to hormonal imbalance, but the man breast due to just a globular layer of fat. Plain and simple--it was disgusting. So I vowed then and there to get rid of them.
As usual I'll let you know how things go and I'll tell you whether or not I've completed the 15 mile race which will occur in August 2006.
My niece celebrates her birthday today!!! Happy Birthday Jada!!!!

Sunday, September 18, 2005

Stereotypes

I was watching the Filipino Channel--which I normally don't because I can't stand the programming for the past few days because one of my cousins said they were going to be on it. So I've been patiently waiting for his interview to happen, and it looks like it's going to be played next week our time, since he was on this week their time.
Anyway, there is this really tacky commerical for phone cards (those long distance prepaid things) to call the Philippines from the U.S. This commercial has some guy/girl thing with really red-hair (huge curls placed on top of his head) wearing what looks like a hand-knit scarf (I think it was made by one of those toy sewing machings), he is wearing a yellow jacket and green plaid pants standing in front of a poorly replicated Mount Rushmore and Statue of Liberty, singing or poorly trying to convince viewers to buy this card. Why on earth would they portray someone from the U.S. wearing something like that? Come to think of it, whenever this channel has portrayed someone or a scene supposedly taking place in the U.S., they always have winter clothes on or they are wearing something from Disney.
There is more to this country than scarves and winter clothes. And certainly better taste than the winter clothes this commercial or some of these shows portray Americans wearing. Just watch the O.C.--talk about fashion. And in the 90's, it was the show "Friends" that showed fashion!!!
I think they should just stick to what they know. Stories about a poor person, falling in love with a rich person and the happily ever after that happens at the end. It's always a happily ever after. And it always involved someone getting slapped, the boy crying more than the girl, and a huge profession of love.
I am writing negatively again aren't I? I think I need my dose of Saritha conversation. It usually works to get the kinks out and then I'm fairly normal again. I'll call her sometime this week!!! Then I'll write semi-normal blog entries again!
I'd like to say Happy Birthday to my niece Jada Bohn, who turns 8 tomorrow. And I would like to say Happy Birthday to Dr. Csilla Linsky M.D., who celebrated her birthday yesterday!

Wednesday, September 14, 2005

Crime and Time

The boy who hacked into a computer system to get Paris Hilton's cell account was sentenced recently. I'm not sure how long he stays in a juvenile detention, but from what I read and understood, he isn't to have access to a computer, the internet or cell phone during the time he is serving out his sentence.
Very little punishment for his crime. Not only did he post Paris Hilton's personal stuff on-line, but he also used the internet to send bomb threats to schools. And then on top of this, his name is being kept out of the public to protect him. Did he protect Paris when he posted all her personal information on-line? Did he protect the rights of students and other school affiliated personel when he had bomb threats made to certain schools?
I think he got off pretty easy. I remember a story about a juvenile deliquent in one of the Asia countries who got whacked with a bamboo stick for spray painting public property. The embassy argued that the boy shouldn't be punished that way because it was cruel and inhumane. The Asian county's court upheld that since he did the crime in their country and was currently living in their country, he would be punished like one of their citizens. And he received his allotted whacks!!! I'm not sure where I was going with this...but it was an interesting insert wasn't it?
Anyway, this person who did all this stuff, hacking and then the threats, got off pretty easily. What would make someone call in those threats to the schools, knowing what kind of security problems this country was having?
He certainly posted enough of Paris Hilton on the net, exploiting her name. Why does his name get protected?

Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Bunkbeds and Cages

I read an article today about 11 children, who were allegedly made to sleep in cages, due to the advice of a psychiatrist. Isn't a psychiatrist suppose to promote health and well-being? Is it really good for a child's ego to sleep like the animals he/she visits in a zoo? I already have problems with seeing animals caged up for people to gawk at, much less children.
The article did say that the children were well behaved, seemed well nourished, and didn't seem neglected. But heck, aren't the animals at any zoo well-fed, well nourished and rather tame. There isn't much to express when all you see are bars around you.
I really liked one of the comments of a neighbor who said that she often saw the children walking down the street without shoes. But she then said, that she was a country girl and for her that was normal. What was normal, the fact that children walked around barefoot or the way the children were treated?

Saturday, September 10, 2005

Say My Name, Say My Name

Today I got a call from what could possibly be the worse telemarketer ever!!! This person was calling for Discover Card, I think trying to get me to sign up for one or something. Anyway, he first got past the anti-telemarketing code for our phone (so much for that service--it works like this, if the system doesn't recognize your number, it will ask for some identifying things and then let you through, so hopefully we have the info on file and I can see what I can do about making sure their calls never go thru again). First the guy asked to speak to Angel Coniko. I was like, I'm Angel, but who are you asking for? He then spelled my last name out--"C-I-N-C-O". I informed him that he was grossly mispronouncing my name, to which he apologized and said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Coniko, how do you pronounce it". By then he had already lost me. Twice, mispronouncing it, after I informed him he was not pronouncing it correctly. Does the name look like it's pronounced Coniko? "HELLO! Have you heard of 'Hooked on Phoenics'? This product has helped millions of kids learn to read!
So I got really irritated and told him I wasn't interested in whatever it was he was pedaling, to which he then said "I'm a representative for Discover, Mr Coniko". I said I wanted to be taken off their calling list pronto and said good-bye. In his credit, he did say "I'm sorry and have a good day and that he would take me off the list". So he did have manners!
Had he pronounced my name correctly, I could have been charging some gasoline on that new Discover card! I certainly can't pay cash for gas anymore.

Thursday, September 08, 2005

Feathers All Riled Up

I think I wrote about this last year during a Wimbledom match or maybe even the U.S. Open matches--the fact that watching tennis can get me all pumped up.
Last night, I hopped on the treadmill and watched the Davenport-Demetieva match. Demetieva rocked the court. I was at first voting for Davenport, but quickly changed my vote to Demetieva when she showed her skill and her absolute determination and intent on winning. She didn't give up any points without a fight. She clearly has a new fan!!!!
During the match, I was yelling at the television like they could hear me. Not something I would like to be witnessed by anyone. It was quite ugly. I think I blew a gasket and a vocal cord. It was very unsportman-like. Just the other day during Sharapova's match, I was disgusted by the way her father was yelling at her from the sidelines. And here I was yelling from far-far away from the sidelines. I had a running conversation with myself concerning balls missed and shots that could have been taken. Thank God that most of the energy was diverted towards the treadmill.
Anyway, today is my friend Pam Kunjara's birthday! So happy birthday Pam!!!

Monday, September 05, 2005

Two Traditions, One Family

I recently attended a wedding in which a Catholic-Filipina bride married an Afgani groom, so the ceremony was a mix of both religions and both cultures. It was a beautiful weekend to celebrate their union of love.
During the rehearsal dinner, everyone involved with the wedding got to know each other and we all caught up on old times and new beginnings. After the dinner, the couple had a Nikah ceremony. It was very interesting. They were both asked if they came of their own free will and if they wanted to become husband and wife. Then a prayer was said over their union. Each of the guests then got to throw/toss some candied almonds on them. I didn't know this at the time, the bride only informed me later, that tradition said we were suppose to eat the candy which landed on them--it is good luck (and some traditions say that those who do eat the candies will be married within 14 days). Okay, so I didn't want to be married within the month, but I do want to get married.
The next day, was the Catholic ceremony at a quaint little church. So quaint and old fashioned that it didn't even have air conditioning (this isn't a complaint, just an observation--the weather was nice enough that we didn't need it). I was a veil sponsor (which means that after their vows, I covered them with a veil to seal their new vows).
The reception was a blast!!!! We all got to have henna tattoes put on us and danced the night away!!! It was quite the stress reliever.
Later that night, the local town police showed their hospitality by driving some of the intoxicated wedding guests to Taco Bell, so they could deal with their munchie issues. That's small town hospitality for you!!!
But now I'm back to reality and in the midst of studying the making of hemoglobin and the drugs which inhibit it.
I'd like to say a belated happy anniversary to my parents who celebrate their 39th! By the way, the bride and groom got married on my parent's anniversary--so congrats to them too. Also, my friend/cousin Dr. Catalina Delgra celebrated her birthday this weekend too!
God Bless everyone and remember to say a prayer for the victims of Hurricane Katrina