I had a Michael Jackson doll when I was in elementary school. My grandma gave him to me for my birthday. He was the same size and shape as a Ken doll, but with a full red leather outfit, complete with one silver glittery glove bedecked hand holding onto a tiny plastic microphone. And I loved him. I've been pondering the implications of this because Grace has recently informed me that she would like a Barbie doll for her birthday. The big day isn't for several more months and chances are she'll change her mind (keep your fingers crossed!). But the idea of her wanting a Barbie has started me thinking. I really, really, really don't like Barbies. I think it's incredibly odd to give a toy shaped like Pamela Anderson to little girls. Girls are bombarded with the message that whatever their bodies look like, it's not good enough or right enough. And I want to avoid adding to that message. On the other hand, I had Barbies when I was little and I think I turned out just fine. I even overcame whatever deep psychological scars accompany playing with a Michael Jackson doll.
When I was in 6th grade I won the "Paula Abdul Dance A-like Award" at the end of the year awards banquet. For all of you who know about Paula's pre American Idol career, you can appreciate how truly meaningful that is. Well, after seeing her video with Randy Jackson during last week's show, maybe that award meant nothing after all.
I really like tuna sandwiches with dill pickles and crushed plain potato chips. I mean with the pickles and potato chips inside the sandwich, not on the side. But not all mixed up together. I like nice layers.
I generally like order and cleanliness. But too much organization drives me crazy. I really start to feel claustrophobic. And I have kind of a rebellious streak that makes me want to mess up super organized spaces. Maybe suffocated is a better word than claustrophobic.
I have memorized every word to every song in Saturday's Warrior. You can't stump me. I even know most of the script. So, you might think that I'm just a 80's Mormon culture junkie. But I also have never seen Johny Lingo. So take that. I'm an enigma. Seriously, whenever people tease me about having never seen that movie, I'm just tell them that I came from a very righteous ward where Sunday School teachers were always prepared with meaningful lessons, so we never had to play Hangman or watch Johny Lingo. Ha. The looks on their faces. . .so worth it. And just a little addendum: I also have memorized all of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I have a little fantasy that someday I'll be at a performance and the narrator will get sick. The director will come out into the audience and ask if anyone can sing the part. I'll humbly rise from my seat and take my place on the stage. And that will be my big break into life as a Broadway star. It could happen.
12 comments:
I love the idea of you rising out of the audience to sing! As far as the barbie thing, I agree. My main complaint is that the rolls they act out with them are just too grown up for me. It's a hard decision to make, I loved playing with them growing up, it was the only thing that my sister and I would ever do together that was positive!
Maddie was given a Barbie that was wearing a little bikini and had a tattoo around her belly button. Uh, that was so returned to Wal-mart! :)
I know what you mean about the Barbie thing. I'm nervous and hope it doesn't come. But really, when I played when them as a kid I never thought about their bodies, they were just a physical representation of the princess fantasy I wanted! Oh and P.S. I have Saturday Warrior mostly memorized too. :)
Sorry. My previous comment had a grammatical error in it and I couldn't, in good conscience, leave it there.
Anyway, what I said was this: I will say that while I have seen Johnny Lingo, I've never actually seen Saturday's Warrior (gasp!). I don't even really know what it is, but I kind of feel like a bad mormon for admitting it. I'm also pretty sure I'd like the Mary version better than the real thing. Maybe you could treat me and Trevor to a little performance over Skype...? Think it over.
My first experience with Saturdays Warrior (and with Star Child) was in fifth grade. A lot of the people from my mom's singles ward in Vegas were in a theatrical production of each of those Mormon icons. It was so fun to see, and I didn't realize that there were actually videos of them until many years later. :)
BTW, when you do get your big break on Broadway, make sure to remember us little people. :)
I couldn't agree more on the Barbie thing, my mom has a bunch in our play room from when we were little that I hid from my girls. You really should write for a newspaper or something. You are great at it!
I have to say that I am on the Barbies haters bandwagon.....in addition to the fact that they could create body images...they are too small to be a proper plaything for small children (well at least their assessories) I was never played with barbies growing up (i was merely obsessed with cabbage patch until I went straight to American Girls)so I am probably bias and don't understand their charm, but I used to babysit my younger cousins who had every barbie & complete ensemble under the sun....I can't tell you how many times I had to flip over the vacuum and try and gouge out the Barbie shoe or hair brush or bikini bottoms that would get stuck in the rollers when I would vacuum the play room. It was bizarre, I wouldn't see the assessories on the floor until a shoe had flitted from underneath some nearby furniture, sucked up by the powerful vaccuum. annoying. Also when I babysat there was indefinitely an infant/toddler running around and I was always paranoid about them swalling these small parts that their older sisters would play with. So thats my spiel...it may be completely nonsensical. I do have to say that I did adore Playmobile when I was a child which is super small with tiny pieces...but my mom has mentioned in the past that it was always such a huge pain for her to clean up for the same reason.
yes there are way too many spelling/grammar errors in my last post...thats what I get for typing to fast and no re-reading before I publish...I'm with you Ashley its annoying, but I'm to lazy to delete it and fix it.
I am laughing so hard I crying I drooled on my shirt and I'm pretty sure I'll have a pee squirt if I don't leave now....
I almost drooled at the description of your sandwich. Mmm.
I never saw Johnny Lingo until a few months ago. It is Weird City, man. I also have never seen Saturday's Warrior. Part of me thinks I may have missed the boat on that but the bigger part of me says "Bon voyage."
Hangman is a classic and beloved memory of sunday school as a kid. In fact, it is probably in the lesson manual. I'm pretty sure.
Back to oldschool church videos though, something i think you should discuss: How weird they are and downright disturbing. Cypher in the Snow, anyone?? The Mailbox??
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