More from the mixed up files of Divya's lappie

The following is a blog post I wrote for class.


Baby, Be More Organized

Reality TV shows about motherhood are scary, but they’re not nearly as frightening as poorly organized essays. That’s my impression after reading Alessandra Stanley’s article “… And Baby Makes Reality TV.” She promises an analysis of motherhood through the reality TV lens (think 16 and Pregnant) and instead delivers a choppy summary of programming related to childbirth.

Initially, Stanley argues that the abundance of shows portraying the downsides of motherhood reflect a societal anxiety toward motherhood. Instead of romanticizing childbearing like entertainment news outlets (ahem, US Weekly), she claims true-life series like Teen Mom 2 and I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant illustrate the potential “dark side of giving birth.” Ok, makes sense.


Then, halfway through, Stanley loses herself. By trying to tackle too many aspects of childbearing, her essay becomes muddled. Suddenly, Stanley shifts her focus to society’s fear of women cheating nature. Here, she lumps together teen pregnancy and in vitro fertilization. Each could warrant its own essay.

Her last paragraph, which discusses delivering a baby in unstable situations, is disconnected from both angles. Pregnant and In Peril and Born on a Bad Day have no larger meaning for society. Except that it sucks to give birth when your life is in danger.


No matter how many puns she supplies or how colorful her vocabulary is, Stanley can’t compensate for a lack of organization. If she hadn’t diverged from her original thesis, her insights wouldn’t be so shallow. If only she had fleshed out her argument. Starting with why these shows are so prominent right now and ending with the media effects of viewing shows with negative treatments of pregnancy would have made her essay more powerful. Thoughtful organization goes a long way in directing good writing.

Stop Bastardizing My Favorite Movie

Singin' In the Rain is sacred to me. It is my pick-me-up movie. In my freshman year funk of depression, this No. 1 musical of all time was the one thing that could always cheer me up. I can't help but smile when I observe the absolute passion Gene Kelly and company put into this work of art.

Despite the fact that he died before I was ever aware of his talents, I've been in love with Gene Kelly since I was about 12. My best friend Katie and I could quote the dialogue back and sing you the lyrics to any of its songs. The wallpaper on my old lappie (may it rest in peace) was a picture of Gene Kelly in a sailor suit ala Anchors Aweigh.

Because it's such a recognizable, influential film, I can see why other people in show business would want to pay homage to it. But, nothing I've seen has been worthy.

Last year, JGL (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) tried to recreate "Make 'Em Laugh" during his SNL monologue. It was Okaaaaay. I'm only giving it a pass because it was JGL.



Then, Glee dedicated an entire episode to Singin' (the one with Gwyneth). Watching "Make 'Em Laugh" with Mr. Shue and "other Asian kid" was upsetting. I could see they were glee-full about the number, but they lacked that certain something that only Donald O'Connor could capture. He was a wiry, rubber-faced man with great tap skills. And nobody else can quite make me laugh the same way.

Glee also mashed up the title song with "Umbrella." I love me some Rihanna, but mixing "Umbrella-ella-ella-ella-ayyyy" with "Singin' In the Rain" doesn't work for me. The original is so classic. So effortlessly easy sounding. And damn if that isn't one of the best dance sequences EVER. Please don't try to recreate it. You will embarrass yourself.



And now, insult of all insults. Volkswagen launched a campaign in 2006 featuring tweaked footage of Kelly dancing iconic sequences from the movie. First they rolled out a reproduction of the title number, where something was a little off. Kelly was doing isolations and crazy legs. Apparently, three different hip-hop dancers reinterpreted his moves with a mask on upon which Kelly's face was superimposed.



Last month, VW premiered a Jetta commercial along the same lines. The second ad shows a segment of O'Connor and Kelly's "Moses" tap, except that they are sitting in the backseat of a Jetta, demonstrating how much leg room the new model has. Please stop using my beloved movie to sell cars.



Can't people just leave good enough (or great!) alone?

That's My Jam!

Last semester, my Intro. to Mass Media course was basically centered around the idea that as technology progresses, our relationship to the world changes in relation to that technology. Case in point: with the advent of iPods, people no longer have a "that's my song!"

My professor introduced the idea that waaaay back in the day, before pre-Walkman(there was a time before Walkman?!), people had no control over the music they listened to. Obviously, you have radio stations that fit your musical tastes, but with radio, you never know the line-up. When I'm driving around at home in Rockford, I still listen to the radio. So I know, when you hear that certain song on the radio, you're filled with delight. You have to turn up the volume and sing along. Since most people listen to music on their iPods nowadays, they get to determine their own play lists. And since they select all the music on their play lists, every song is their song.

Well, lately, I've come to realize my "that's my song!" (or rather "that's my jam!" moments come when I'm out in a public place and the dj (if it's a club/bar) or the sound system (in a store) plays a tune that renders my body is helpless in fighting the urge to groove.

Granted, I'm a hardcore ____ dancer. I chair dance. I car dance. In my apartment in Brookline, the only piece of furniture I can sit on is my bed. So I bed dance. I just have to jam when I hear a good beat. I lose control. When I hear certain songs, I just have to surrender. My shoulders shake. My head bobs. My hips swivel. It doesn't matter where I am. I could be at work, on the T, in a grocery store, ANYWHERE. I just have to hum along and at least get in a few shoulder shake.

In no particular order, these are the songs that send me into a dance trance.

1. Any track off of Michael Jackson's "Off the Wall."
More specifically, "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Workin' Day and Night." Can't. Control. My Reaction.

2. Stevie Wonder "Sir Duke" or "Higher Ground"

3. Prince "Raspberry Beret"

4. Another MJ track - "Wanna Be Startin' Something"

5. Daddy Yankee "Gasolina"


6. Punjabi MC "Beware of the Boys/Mundian To Bach Ke" or "Yeah" remix

7. MIA "Paper Planes," "World Town" and "Bucky Done Gun"

8. Kylie Minogue "Can't Get You Out of My Head"


9. Missy Elliott "Get Your Freak On"

Gotta stop now. Time for a dance break. :)

On Good Writing

This is a little mini-essay I drafted for my Advanced Writing course. We were prompted to answer the question What Makes Good Writing?

Fat kid that I am, I of course had to use a food metaphor to make my point. My prof. really enjoyed it, so I thought I would share.

How does one define good writing? That’s like deconstructing what makes something funny. Is it proper spelling? Maybe correct grammar usage? Or perfect punctuation? Sure, these are all important factors. But good writing can’t rest on mechanics alone. They are like salt and pepper – seasonings -- necessary ingredients added at the end of the cooking process. To create a flavorful meal, you first need to develop a substantive base. Next, stir in a pinch of spice. Then, and only then, season to taste.

Good writers, like experienced chefs, don’t need to follow recipes once they have mastered the basics. The real measure of a writer’s success is the strength of his or her voice. A writer’s tone and style must be powerful and evocative. Without these elements, words are just text without meaning. Good writing employs a narrative strategy that grabs readers and draws them in to another world.
Over the years, I have been advised that smart writing is well structured, has a clear objective and demonstrates conscious word choice. Thoughts need to be organized. Nothing should seem arbitrary or extraneous.

But what it all boils down to is how something makes me feel. I want to read literature that is purposeful and provocative. That forces me to react in some manner. Some writing sparks laughter from the depths of my stomach. Some writing unleashes a flood of tears. And still other pieces have made me laugh so hard tears started streaming down my face. If an essay, blog post, novel, or any other literary work challenges my thinking, then I will classify it as good writing.

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

It's the end of the year and I'm a sucker for compilation lists. I mean, really, if I could just be a commentator on one of Vh1's "I Love the ..." series, my life would be complete.

So, here goes a rundown of some of my fav. things from the year 2010:

Movies




1. Black Swan - Long have I loathed the site of Natalie Portman in a film. This was the first time since maybe the Professional that I was able to separate the actress from her role and really enjoy her portrayal. And the cinematography was amazing; the visuals haunted me days later. Also, I'm a sucker for dance (especially ballet) films.

2. Inception - Ok, so, it probably wasn't the best movie of the year. But, it kept me on the edge of my seat. For the first time in years, I honestly could not guess where the plot was going to take me. Christopher Nolan proved to be a truly talented and thought-provoking writer/director. I suppose you could say Inception was the Avatar of 2010. I saw it on opening weekend with my fam, watched it for a second time with my friends, and each of them saw it for a second time with one of their friends. For the men in the movie alone, (seriously, Joseph Gordon-Levitt might be our generation's Paul Rudd) Inception was worth it. That it urged audiences to question reality at least until they talked to another viewer about it was the seasoning on the popcorn.

3. The Fighter - I just saw this movie a few days ago, and can I just say, I now firmly believe Christian Bale is the best actor of our time. He murders his role. Somehow he managed a more believable local accent than Mark Wahlberg, a Boston native. Wahlberg was not that great in the film, but everyone else delivered powerful performances.



4. Toy Story 3 - If this third installment in the Toy Story series doesn't move you in some way, your heart might be made of concrete.

Two Shockingly Good Movies

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World - Saw a lot of previews for it when it was in theaters and didn't understand what the hype was all about. And then I saw the movie on DVD last week. Absolutely hilarious. And full of memorable lines. Sure, Michael Cera plays Michael Cera in the movie, but that's what he does best, isn't it?



The (New) Karate Kid I'll admit it, I was suspicious. Anyone born in the '80s knows nothing can top the original Karate Kid, right? Here's the thing though, the new movie does not attempt to replicate the old. Sure, it's a disturbing display of nepotism given that Will and Jada basically just developed the film as a star vehicle for their son. But, you can't deny Jaden Smith's talent. And you've got to love Jackie Chan as the new Mr. Miyagi. I know he's one of the world's biggest superstars, but I feel as though this is the first time in American cinema he's really been given a part to chew on.

Favorite Books



1. Little Bee - I know some people think New York Times bestsellers are fluff pieces. Chris Cleave's novel couldn't be further from fluff. The engaging story alternates between the perspectives of two women from different ends of the earth who share one life-altering experience. I broke down crying quite a few times while reading this book. I would recommend buying it before it loses its integrity as a major motion film starring Nicole Kidman.

2. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - Just read this non-fiction book over break. My brother brought it home as UW Madison gifted each student a copy (hey, BU, where's my free book?!), and I stole it from him. Essentially, it is the story of Henrietta Lacks, a black women whose cells were stolen and harvested without her knowledge in the 1950s. Her HeLa cells went on to become the most famous cells in history, creating bioengineering industries and curing diseases like polio. This is a tale of injustice, of race in America, of medical ethics, and so much more. It's a MUST read for med students.



3. Push - Alright, this novel was released in the mid-90s. But since the movie Precious was based on Saphire's text, I read it last year. I was so moved by this short novel I had to stop reading it on my lunch breaks because I ate at my desk last year and I didn't want to embarrass myself crying in front of everyone. So glad I read it before I saw the movie. Honestly, books are so much more vivid and get away with so much more than one can ever demonstrate on film. (Sorry, film friends... it's just, the book is so much more graphic than people could ever stomach to watch.)

TV Shows

1. Parenthood - The best way to describe this movie is functioning-family porn. I don't mean that in a dirty way. I just mean that this show projects an image of a model family and I'm absolutely taken by its fantasy. The great thing is that each member of the family is flawed, but they all balance each other out. Yes, it's a corny drama, but it has so much heart. The actors - Lauren Graham from Gilmore Girls, Peter Krause from Six Feet Under and Erika Christensen are phenomenal.



2. Parks and Recreation - I think this show got off to a rocky start in 2009. But, all the elements of the show really gelled for me in its second season. I hate that NBC programmed it as some sort of mid-series replacement because I would like my weekly Aziz Ansari fix back. Like the Office, its cousin series, this show only works because of its fantastic ensemble cast.

3. Speaking on ensemble casts, I enjoyed those post-American Idol viewings of Glee last spring. This season, I haven't watched many episodes, and the ones I have seen were infrequent, so I don't really know what's going on. Those kids (well, twentysomethings in real life) are annoying. But they can SING. So, I have to respect them.



4. Ok, I must really have a thing for ensembles because Modern Family is another new favorite show. As non-traditional as the Pritchett clan is, they uphold traditional family values. It's all about the L-O-V-E. The Phil and Cameron characters, while slightly buffoonish, are just so damn likable.

Artists who impressed me this year

1. Nicki Minaj - I read somewhere that before dropping her debut album in November, the female rapper was featured on 11 Top-10 songs of 2010. When you hear her delivery, you know why. She elevated each and every one of those songs.



2. Drake - Before 2010, Aubrey (Drake) Graham was just wheelchair kid from Degrassi to me. And then "Over" and "Find Your Love" launched a double assault on me and I was a believer.



3. Lady Gaga - I know she's over-hyped sometimes, but not only does Gaga pen memorable songs, she's also a music video visionary and a fashion provocateur. (I am obsessed with her heel-less Alexander McQueen shoes.) Though I wasn't feeling the "Alejandro" video so much, I probably watched "Telephone" at least 100 times last year, no joke. Unlike Katy Perry (whose music I just don't get), Gaga stands for something. We may not always understand her intentions (as with the meat dress fiasco), but she's not afraid to be more than your average sex kitten songstress.

Fashion Trends

1. Military-inspired garb - Love those embellished jackets and lace-up combat boots. My M.J.-obsessed friends and I like to imagine this trend was revived as an homage to the King of Pop. I don't know if all that's true, but it happened. And I wish I could pull off the look.



2. Sequins not just for Golden Girls anymore - When you live in the Midwest, last year's coastal fashions are stocked in stores for longer than the trends last. And that's fine with me because I will never outgrow mirror-ball shiny sequin pieces. The gaudier, the more eye-catching the better I say.




3. Red lips - long have I bowed to the power of the ego-boost in a twist tube that is red lipstick. Last year, every magazine I saw told me it was the "now" look. Red is my little black dress of lip color, so for me, it will never go out of style. If only I could find the right lipliner to keep it from sliding off my lips, so I could sport red lipstick whenever I am out!

Well, I could ramble on for hours discussing my favorites and not-so-favorites in pop culture. So, I shall stop here.

I will just add that I am grateful for the last year. It was a year of great changes as I embarked upon a grad school journey in Boston. I have made some lifelong friends and grown to further cherish the ones I already have. Happy New Year all!

Is that My Clock I Hear Ticking?

My dear friends, I have something to admit to you. I've become a mushy person. As I enter the thick of my quarter life, I've become a ball of sloppy emotions.

This can be evidenced by the fact that every time I watch TV on my own these days, I break down. Literally, every day, something or the other seems to bring tears to my eyes. Tell me why I couldn't cry in my speech class when people bared their souls (Let me amend that ... I was moved, just not moved to cry), but yet, I'll be watching a corny-ass episode of NBC's Parenthood ready to bawl because Christina's just trying to get through her day without a Max meltdown.

Who is this person who feels the sharp pinch in her tear ducts and experiences a trickle of tears while watching reruns of Will and Grace? It was one thing to cry during the season finale of Showtime's the Big C, but openly weeping because of a Today Show segment (granted, Meredith was awarding thousands of dollars to a worthy non-profit and the couple running it was not embarrassed to cry on national TV). Ack. These days, it's like anything might set me off.

Apparently, the 24-going-on-25 year-old me is a big Ole' softie. I'll pretend to be nonchalant, try to be aloof even. But underneath it all, I'm a suburban housewife.

Whip My Hurr

I got my hair cut today! I think the last chop I had was right before my birthday in May. That means 7 months ago. My hair was at least mid-back length. I love my hair, but it was IMPOSSIBLE. It was like a bunch of rat nests strung together. So, I went to Jean-Pierre Salon on Newbury Street. My appointment was with Michelle, and she really seemed to understand the texture of my hair, unlike the last stylist I had.

Jean-Pierre was a sophisticated establishment and so easy to work with. I found a coupon in the Collegiate Couponbook for a $39 first-time cut. I called at 10 a.m., booked an appointment for 2 p.m., and was in and out by 3.

Above and below are the fulfillment of my need to shallowly document my new hair-do.