Tuesday, February 26, 2008

the cows came home

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I am a peace-seeker. I avoid conflict. I don’t like controversy; it makes me squirm. Don’t get me wrong, I stand up for myself if I need to, but most of the time I don’t need to. I usually keep things nice and cozy. But for some reason (maybe it's hormones--who knows) I feel the need to put something that is completely uncharacteristic on my blog. I'll probably regret it as soon as some feisty person wants a debate (which most likely I wouldn't take part in), but here goes...

So Britney's crazy. The poor girl should be crazy in private. Stop buying the magazines with her on the cover--they won't stop printing them if we keep buying them and I want to scream every time I'm in the check out line at the grocery store. Even when I'm watching the news, trying to catch the weather, I hear about her. I'm tired of hearing about the train wreck. I know it's hard, people, but just look away.

And here's something else I'm sick of--Oprah. Blah blah blah. She's like a {false} prophet--what she says goes. That's a little freaky. Sometimes it makes me not want to read the book if I see "Oprah's book club" in the corner even though it's a perfectly good book. It's a little rebellious streak in me. The crappy thing is that if she wanted me on her show tomorrow, I'd go in a second. (But only if it was about my business or something positive. I would never want to be on Oprah talking about how dirty my kitchen sink is or that last night I yelled at my kids.)

Something that drives me nuts is when someone says they are open minded, but what it really means is that they are open minded about what they believe in, not that some people believe in God, and some don't. If you say you are open minded, people, then you have to be open to the fact that organized religion may have validity, not just open to the idea that God may not exist. In fact, even though I'm guilty of it, hypocrisy in general really frustrates me. I am always checking to see if I'm being hypocritical. Just yesterday I caught myself doing it when I reprimanded my daughter for fighting with her sister. She said, "she started it!" I responded, "You fought back and that is just as bad as starting the fight." Then I realized that I had just done that with my dear husband. Pretty humbling. If you want someone to stop judging you, then you shouldn't be judging them about being judgmental in the first place. If you want to be open minded, then you shouldn't be openly derogatory about what someone else believes to be true.

And while I'm at it, I didn’t like Eat, Pray, Love. I was so annoyed with the author the entire time and wanted to shake her and yell, “Snap out of it woman! Pull yourself together!” It makes me crazy that everyone loved it so much and found so much wisdom in her words. While I can say that there were inspiring passages, profound moments, and truths scattered sparingly throughout the book, overall I was very disappointed. Who says that to take care of/find yourself you have to abandon commitment and personal integrity?

Here's a controversial one: I think it’s embarrassing that such a huge majority of people like Hillary or McCain enough for them represent our country. I think it's too hard to run for president--it should be more simple and less expensive. 'Nuff said.

I don’t care what a stupid groundhog says, I want the sun.

That's right. I went there.

whew! I feel better. I may have to delete this later;)

If you need to vent about something, go ahead and get it off your chest. Leave it in the comments - don't be shy. (just don't be mean--there's no excuse for rudeness:)

31 comments:

the wrath of khandrea said...

u n ur bad self, girl. go on.

i'm with you on the oprah deal. she is very influential, and i applaud all her charitable work. but would she be so powerful if she quit wearing makeup? i've seen the naked-faced oprah. it ain't pretty.

ditto the political commentary.

as for britney, i'm ashamed to say i can't look away. but it's not like i take pleasure in her misfortune. i want to pull a dr. phil and show up in her room and begin therapy. i really truly feel sorry for her. and i keep watching, hoping for some good news. it's not captivating or entertaining... it's just sad.

Kara said...

I'm so glad you finally blogged about all this! So far you are the only other person I've met that hated that book, oh well, we get each other! And Tina Fey is the new Oprah!

eBay said...

You go. Blogs are for whatever you want. Glad you said what you wanted. I knew it all already, but it's good for posterity...

MiandMiksmom said...

I seriously thought I might be the only one who didn't like Oprah. AND, it has taken me a week to read about 50 pages of that Eat, Pray, whatever book...it was given to me by a dear friend, but I can't get over the fact that it was a woman divorcing, yet still married, shacking up with a lover, writing about her path to God...while still looking for love in Italy. Anyway, I will give it a chance, but not loving it so far.

Leah said...

Oh my gosh I am so glad someone else is sick of Oprah. My husband and I call her the church of Oprah, she has a large congregation. It's freaky.

Paige said...

Agree about Oprah, but I'd go for a makeover any day. I totally think she is a false prophet who will be preaching at the Coliseum while Jesus is at the interstake center as the BOM says (right?). Eat Pray Love chick is the most selfish person ever, and Brit is mentally ill. Please, go on.

Jen Lynn said...

Paige, that's funny 'cuz I was just about to write that my mom has said more than once that she believes that Oprah is the anti-Christ and Brit, as soon as I see that Oprah symbol on a book I put it down.

Venting is fun huh?

Georgia said...

I sadly have nothing of worth to add to this... but I loved it. Every single word of it.

Oh, actually I DO have something to add... McCain gives me the hibbity jibbities... I do NOT want him to be president... I get irritated when people vote with their party instead of with the person who might actually be best for the job... I know people who HATE McCain, but they refuse to look at anyone from another party because they simply will never vote for a democrat. Ugh.

The Bostons said...

I have never read Eat, Pray, Love... but other than that, I agree with you 100%!

Unknown said...

Haha, I love this! It is so not you, which makes it feel almost refreshing that you were able to do this! Please, never delete it. Britney is totally uninteresting to me, hypocrisy is also a peeve of mine (even though of course at times I am one, who isn't?) I never read Eat, Pray, Love because you hated it so much and that is a good enough reason for me, I can't stand any of the candidates (sorry Obama, you (and Hillary) support partial birth abortion and i am JUST NOT DOWN with that... if you don't know what it is, look it up on Wikipedia, you will puke) and the groundhog thing doesn't even exist in AZ so I just don't even care about him :) I love that you gave me a little space to rant here with you :)

Laini Taylor said...

Love this rant! I didn't read Eat Pray Love -- it's not really my kind of book, but I know the feeling of bafflement when everybody is crazy in love with something and you just don't get it. Jim and I felt that way about the movie Juno -- we liked it, but were a bit annoyed by how "clever clever" it was, and really didn't understand the hype. As for the religion thing, I have a hard time being open-minded about it sometimes, because the most "vocal" religious people often don't give organized religion a very good name. So I have to constantly remind myself the good ones are out there too, they're just not being so loud-mouth and self-righteous and telling people they're going to burn in hell, etc etc. I'm always having to check my attitude about religion by thinking of a few particular people or stories that remind me what it CAN be. As an atheist, though, I wish it didn't have to be such a huge deal in our society.

Wendy said...

I am so over Oprah. I used to watch her religiously and now I find her so un interesting. Never read Eat Pray Love nor have I heard of it - where have I been?? And Britney makes me sad. She needs to just get away and find herself. She's been completely defined through society and never had the opportunity to figure out who she really is.

calibosmom said...

RANT AWAY GIRLFRIEND!!! Don't you dare delete this! I love a good vent. Don't you feel better now? I feel like I just had a conversation with my sister-we vent like this all the time.
Thats why TIVO is so great-because I just watch Oprah when Dr OZ and Peter Walsh are on-I like them.
Eat Pray Love just made me want to eat a lot of pasta-I stopped reading after Italy. I just want to take Britney in my arms and hug her. She needs a total detox of all those unhealthy people in her life and she ruined a perfectly good name-sorry Britt! PS-I don't like anyone that is running for PRES. I think I may move to Canada.

Anonymous said...

Fabulous, my girl, simply fabulous.

Suzie Petunia said...

"Venting" must be in the air this week... I did a bit of it on my blog last night. It is amazing how much easier it is to fall asleep after writing about what is on your mind.

And what's up with Ben and Jerry's having CALORIES?! Some things make me so ANGRY!!

Emma Jo said...

I love this, you are always so dang nice--it was lovely to hear you discredit some things...especially because I totally agree! A kindred spirit indeed.

Anonymous said...

I had a dream about 6 months ago that I was hired to be Britney's special manager. She was heading to the grocery store and wanted to wear a super short cut off mini-skirt and I was like, "no way girly!" and I made her wear something better. I woke up exhausted. I don't even pay attention to that stuff.

Oprah - come on now. Don't hate the great O. Sometimes (sometimes) the shows are pretty dang good.

Barak Obama is any better? Everyone jumping on that bandwagon can keep going and jump off a cliff. The man wouldn't put his hand over his heart for the NATIONAL ANTHEM. He's not a Christian - he's Muslim. He grew up in another country in the Middle East (yes, the Middle East) and he's voted all over the place on all the big issues. I'm so sick of everyone talking about how great Barak Obama is. Honestly, I can't stand ANY OF THEM (candidates). Britney Spears for PRESIDENT!!!!!

haha

Yeah, that DID feel good.

LC

Anonymous said...

Gees, I hate being wrong so I had to write this. He spent some of his growing up years in Indonesia, not the middle east and his Father is a Muslim and atheist and his step-father someone who viewed religion as something he didn't need. He himself joined the Church of Christ some years ago as a politician so although I heard he wasn't a Christian on some news show, perhaps he is? Barak Obama is who I'm talking about. Anyway, he's trying to quit smoking and in his autobiography wrote that he did marijuana and cocaine as well as drank too much alcohol growing up.

Just setting the record straight here.

LC

Unknown said...

I never said I was voting for obama. But at least he can inspire me and that's SOMETHING. There's no one to vote for. Where have all the good people gone? That's it, I'm writing myself in for president. at least I know I could trust me.

Brittany For President!

Tori said...

Love this post, Britt.

~didn't like the "Eat..." book either. I was mad that I had actually bought it, as I usually check books out at the library. Figures that had to be the one I bought. Dang it.

~don't watch Oprah anymore. Who has time for that?

~Britney. That poor girl. I would probably go a little crazy too if I had cameras and people following my every move. I would move far far away. But made sure I had my kids with me first.

~Hilary, McCain, Obama...I hate to even think about this election. I am writing you in for President too!

~Open minded/hypocrisy issue. Totally agree.

I love you Brit! Thanks for using us a sounding board...feel free to do that anytime!

jenica said...

i love everything about this post! i think it feels great to clear the air with how you feel. ;-D

i think that oprah is really fake, maybe i think this because she's jealous. but i personally think that she sees her give-aways as tax write-offs. she looks so BORED when she's giving money away, "and here's yet another pathetic case that i'm putting money into" and then her eyes light up like this ($) ($) cha-ching! haha. i could be wrong.

i totally love what you said about the hypocricy thing too.

*sigh* don't you just feel better now? just don't delete this post!!! ;-D

Matthew Deane said...

While I may not agree with all of the above, I am reminded of a song written by Glen Phillips and peformed by Toad the Wet Sprocket entitled "Throw It All Away".

take your cautionary tales
take your incremental gain
and all the sychophantic games
and throw 'em all away

burn your tv in your yard
and gather 'round it with your friends
and warm your hands upon the fire
and start again

take the story you've been sold
the lies that justify the pain
the guilt the weighs upon your soul
and throw 'em all away

tear up the calendar you bought
and throw the pieces to the sky
confetti falling down like rain
like a parade to usher in your life
take the dreams that should've died
the ones that kept your life awake
when you should've been all right
and throw 'em all away

with the time i waste on the life i never had
i could've turned myself into a better man

'cause there ain't nothing you can buy
there is nothing you can save
to fill the hole inside your heart
so throw it all away
won't fill the hole inside your heart

help me to empty out this house
All i've gathered all these days
and thought i couldn't do without
and throw it all away

Georgia said...

How about Alice Cullen for President?

Mikael said...

you're awesome! I love to hear you stand up for your opinions, they are great :) I am VERY opinionated as well, so it's good to know we all have a backbone

Carrie Ann said...

you go girl!

nina beana said...

i love this post!

i thought i was the only one with my eat, pray, love feelings (i kept thinking...i would SO not be friends with this woman) and my oprah feelings (cult of oprah, and "my mother's been brainwashed by oprah", you get the point). thanks for being brave and writing it all down.

Tamara said...

Britt, I wish you would run for Pres. I really don't know who to vote for.

I never really got Oprah...and I don't understand why people go on talk shows like that. I used to like Dr. Phil and Rachel Ray, but now I boycott all of them. (Although I have to say that I wouldn't mind being on her show when she gives away a car or two...)

Vanessa said...

I totally agree with the Oprah thing, and I really did enjoy her show a few years ago....
And yes LOOK AWAY FROM THE BRITNEY STUFF EVERYONE just look away, I agree.
I am glad you got to vent :) It feels good once and awhile!

wabisabigirl said...

I could not agree with you more! Good to read my own thoughts written by someone else:)

Lindsey said...

I love what you said about Oprah... too funny. When she was doing her "world wide class" I posted a vote on my blog to see who was going to the "Church of Oprah" You will be happy to know, nobody was going, and only two were going to read the book on their own time. And now, thanks to you, I will read Eat, Pray and Love NOT thinking most certainly that it will be fab. :)

Anonymous said...

I don't want to agree or disagree and everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I feel that, we as a nation love to tear people down, instead of building them up. Oprah may not be the voice of God, but she sure is doing some remarkable things in her lifetime. Obama is not Muslim, so please check your facts before you speak.