"Have you ever been hypnotized? No? Alright, fine. Just relax."
I just quoted a jean commercial. I have an affinity for jean commercials, I've realized. At first I thought I had a problem, but I've come to the conclusion that they just started making some pretty hipster-y jean commercials. It's not my fault, then, if it's bearded men wearing denim and quoting Walt Whitman. Walt Whitman and his sexy farmer pose (and I suppose his words...I SUPPOSE) has seduced far more people than me in these past hundred years.
Anyway, so I watched this newly released jean commercial today about thirty times. And that's probably a low estimate. Below any video, where the flotsam and jetsam of sanity known as Youtube comments preside, bitchy people bitching about literature won't shut up about this jean commercial ruining the world. Ruining everything! How dare they use Bukowski to sell jeans! (Because one time they did.) How dare someone be inspired by a jean advertisement and not Bukowski's real literature. Consumerism is ruining the worldddddddddddd!
I get the point, I do. But also, deep down, I just want to dance around wearing jeans. And isn't that my prerogative too? And I read Bukowski in book form, and somehow prefer this. Here I will inevitably wait for the literature mafia to rain down their hate, but it's OK. If someone told me he or she preferred the 2010 Moby-Dick movie called 2010: Moby-Dick to actual Moby-Dick, I would probably just slap them until they died. And even Bukowski might have hated me, but I doubt it. On the most basic level, you always write for people to hate you. And to hate people. Sure there's other reasons to write, but that reason is always the most fun.
So I've been thinking about jean commercials. Though not so much about buying jeans (sorry, Levi's). And I've also been thinking about my graduate thesis. I'm currently on a research assignment in Sarajevo, which is probably why I've returned to scribbling here. As long as I don't start watching sitcoms, then I won't completely screw this up. It's what I'm telling myself, at least. Luckily, it hasn't been hard, because I've been a lump of flesh all summer and being productive is its own sort of drug.
I had a meeting today. A meeting with one of those individuals that convinces you that conquering the world is easy if you just wear the right suit. It's a talent that I feel I'm a bit too cynical for, but that I wish I could attain nevertheless. I just want to throw money at his face, and let him use it to mold the world to whatever he wishes. But I have no money, so I'll be content just being the Chunk to his Mikey, if we're using Goonies metaphors. (Hint: We are.)
After ending the meeting, I walked out of the front door wanting to high-five every person in Sarajevo. Inspiration these past few years has been lacking (apart from drunken nights and pizza highs), and reaching where I'm excited to read laws translated from Bosnian is a very huge deal for me. Anyone who has ever taken a law class knows the tribulations I speak of, and should now nod accordingly.
In honor of this....epiphany/wonderful day/holy shit I think I'm inspired, I'm going to tell you some of the embarrassing shit that has inspired me over the years. And not so embarrassing shit. I'm not sure why, because no one asked me to...but I felt the need to expunge all of it after seeing assholes tell me I'm a horrible person for being inspired by a jean commercial. Stop telling me what unwritten rules are expected of me as a grad student, as a writer, as a woman, as a person.
A wise Mary Oliver once said, "You do not have to be good....you only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves." I don't think she's using these words to tell the literature mafia to leave me alone....but I am.
Anyway, the collection:
Movie Scenes:
I just quoted a jean commercial. I have an affinity for jean commercials, I've realized. At first I thought I had a problem, but I've come to the conclusion that they just started making some pretty hipster-y jean commercials. It's not my fault, then, if it's bearded men wearing denim and quoting Walt Whitman. Walt Whitman and his sexy farmer pose (and I suppose his words...I SUPPOSE) has seduced far more people than me in these past hundred years.
 |
| In the words of immortal Levar Burton, "But you don't have to take my word for it..." |
Anyway, so I watched this newly released jean commercial today about thirty times. And that's probably a low estimate. Below any video, where the flotsam and jetsam of sanity known as Youtube comments preside, bitchy people bitching about literature won't shut up about this jean commercial ruining the world. Ruining everything! How dare they use Bukowski to sell jeans! (Because one time they did.) How dare someone be inspired by a jean advertisement and not Bukowski's real literature. Consumerism is ruining the worldddddddddddd!
I get the point, I do. But also, deep down, I just want to dance around wearing jeans. And isn't that my prerogative too? And I read Bukowski in book form, and somehow prefer this. Here I will inevitably wait for the literature mafia to rain down their hate, but it's OK. If someone told me he or she preferred the 2010 Moby-Dick movie called 2010: Moby-Dick to actual Moby-Dick, I would probably just slap them until they died. And even Bukowski might have hated me, but I doubt it. On the most basic level, you always write for people to hate you. And to hate people. Sure there's other reasons to write, but that reason is always the most fun.
So I've been thinking about jean commercials. Though not so much about buying jeans (sorry, Levi's). And I've also been thinking about my graduate thesis. I'm currently on a research assignment in Sarajevo, which is probably why I've returned to scribbling here. As long as I don't start watching sitcoms, then I won't completely screw this up. It's what I'm telling myself, at least. Luckily, it hasn't been hard, because I've been a lump of flesh all summer and being productive is its own sort of drug.
I had a meeting today. A meeting with one of those individuals that convinces you that conquering the world is easy if you just wear the right suit. It's a talent that I feel I'm a bit too cynical for, but that I wish I could attain nevertheless. I just want to throw money at his face, and let him use it to mold the world to whatever he wishes. But I have no money, so I'll be content just being the Chunk to his Mikey, if we're using Goonies metaphors. (Hint: We are.)
After ending the meeting, I walked out of the front door wanting to high-five every person in Sarajevo. Inspiration these past few years has been lacking (apart from drunken nights and pizza highs), and reaching where I'm excited to read laws translated from Bosnian is a very huge deal for me. Anyone who has ever taken a law class knows the tribulations I speak of, and should now nod accordingly.
In honor of this....epiphany/wonderful day/holy shit I think I'm inspired, I'm going to tell you some of the embarrassing shit that has inspired me over the years. And not so embarrassing shit. I'm not sure why, because no one asked me to...but I felt the need to expunge all of it after seeing assholes tell me I'm a horrible person for being inspired by a jean commercial. Stop telling me what unwritten rules are expected of me as a grad student, as a writer, as a woman, as a person.
A wise Mary Oliver once said, "You do not have to be good....you only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves." I don't think she's using these words to tell the literature mafia to leave me alone....but I am.
Anyway, the collection:
Movie Scenes:
- Risky Business Dance Scene
- Obviously. Dead Poet's Society. Cameron was such a fink.
- Pocahontas Finale. That's two Pocahontas references in two posts. You'd think Disney was paying me. Though I'd pay to have leaves and twigs reach out to my loved ones like a phantom extended limb.
Movie Trailers:
- Elizabeth: The Golden Age: All of it is good, and to be honest, probably better than the actual movie. Yet, after 2:58 it's magic. I have a dream of yelling the line at 4:30 to someone who underestimates me. I guess they'll have to be from Spain, though?
Songs:
K7 "Come Baby Come"
Phil Collin's Final Farewell Tour, or, THE BEST CONCERT VIDEO IN THE WORLD.
With every success in life, I picture this playing in the background. If I'm suddenly silent in a happy moment, I'm doing this. Now you know. Now you know.
JEAN COMMERCIALS:
2013 "Move Your Lee"
If anyone can tell me the source for this voiceover, I will buy you pie.
2009 Levi's Go Forth "O Pioneers"
The best inspiration I've had lately is the view from my terrace (I've never had a terrace!). Aren't balconies wonderful? So close to everything you hold dear yet open enough to wish for more.
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