Epiphany

I just had a sudden epiphany while working on a spreadsheet. I'm going to respect the fact that I'm on company time and blog about it later, but I'm just jotting this down as a reminder to myself to elaborate on this thought when I get some time this afternoon.

Independent Women

I always loved Batman Returns, and thought that Michelle Pfeiffer did a hell of a job in her role as Catwoman. I often think of the quote below as one of the most significant contributions to the feminist agenda:

(After rescuing a woman from being mugged in an alley) "You make it so easy, don't you? Always waiting for some Batman to save you."

After flipping on my computer, I decided to type the entire quote into Google to see what I'd find. The following excerpt, taken from this Bitch Magazine article, made for a good read. Check out the entirety of the article by clicking the link, or read below for the gist.

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Catwoman’s inner conflict comes to a head when she must choose between living a fairy-tale life with Batman, or being true to her sense of justice and new-found personal power. The ending does not disappoint. Warning—I’m about to give it away, so if you want to see the movie and be surprised, you’ll have to skip this part. In the final scene, Batman and Catwoman confront Shreck, the ruthless tycoon whose plan to build a huge power plant—one that would secretly drain instead of generate electricity—has brought mayhem to Gotham. Batman wants to take Shreck to jail. But Catwoman distrusts the justice system and wants to take care of him herself.

Batman: Why are you doing this? Let’s just take him to the police. Then we can go home, together. Selina, don’t you see, we’re the same, we’re the same, split right down the center. Selina, please.
Catwoman: Batman, I would love to live with you in your castle forever just like in the fairy tale. I just couldn’t live with myself. So don’t pretend this is a happy ending.
Shreck: Selina Kile, you’re fired.

But it is a happy ending. Selina Kile is fired—that naive dependence is gone forever. Catwoman administers her own justice, giving Shreck the kiss of death as she grabs a power cable and fries him to a crisp. Then she takes off, leaving Batman and his fairy-tale desires behind. Go girl!
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I often find myself wondering how anti-feminism continues to survive in the 21st century, especially with feminine independence thriving through figures such as Oprah, Paula Deen, JK Rowling, and Queen Elizabeth II, to name a few. The recent announcement of Kelis and Nas' impending divorce has been splashed over the front page of many a gossip blog, and for good reason. Those who have kept abreast of the story are well aware that Kelis is demanding a hearty share of spousal support benefits, perhaps more than a fair share. I think I'll write more on that later, as my opinion on the whole affair is still in formulation. For now I'm content to pontificate on society and gender, and how the former imposes its views on the latter.

I Caved In...

Twitter.com/BaronBrown

AS A DISCLAIMER, I WILL SAY THAT I WAS ASSIGNED TO RESEARCH TWITTER FOR MY COMPANY'S ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT'S NEW MARKETING INITIATIVE!!!! How else could I learn Twitter without actually, you know, Tweeting?

Please don't judge me. And I maintain my stance that my life is still not that interesting on a daily basis. But the idea of getting Eliza Dushku's attention does appeal to me....

That Darn Wagon

Why is it that it's so hard to stay on the healthy lifestyle wagon once you've reached a certain point? Since January I've lost well over 15 lbs. and though I'm very happy with the way I look, I'm not quite as muscled as I would like. Nonetheless, since I moved back home last week I've been eating as though I have a well for a stomach. Chocolate moon pies from the vending machine, Mom's homemade almond chocolate chip cookies, Dad's Lays potato chips, banana's foster cheesecake from Copeland's, bacon cheeseburgers and fries from Goldberg's are only a few of the sweet/salty/fried things I've enjoyed recently.

You name it, I've probably eaten it within the past 10 days. It's a funny feeling to recognize that you're slowly but surely falling off the "diet" wagon. Obviously I have the word in quotes because any health expert advises against using it, as it implies that once you've reached a certain weight you'll go back to eating biscuits for breakfast and peanut butter smothered bagels for dinner. Ahem, not that I know anyone who does that, of course...

I guess admitting there's a problem is always the first step. Hm.

Canceling Your Vacations This Summer?

Blockbuster is launching a new campaign aimed at those looking to be budget-conscious this summer. I think this is a really cool idea.

Blockbuster Launches Movie Road Map

We Are In Tough Times, Indeed

On Monday, I started my internship at the paper. In this role I work under a dozen Advertising Account Executives to support their operations. That's a fancy way to say that I'm their go-to guy for anything they need done, whether it be the completion of a sales presentation, or a promotional mailing for prospective clients. Even after four days in, I can tell that these people are on top of their game. Advertising requires an especially thick skin and a hell of a lot of perseverance. I'm incredibly fortunate to have nabbed a position in my field, as there are no doubt thousands of college graduates out there coming to terms with the fact that their ideal positions are well out of reach. Although I'd much rather be a salaried employee, I'm more than happy to take what I can get for now.

In the ad department, each Account Executive focuses on a specific area of expertise, in order to preclude any possibility of competition. For example, Residential Real Estate is designated to D, Commercial Real Estate clients are managed by A, and S deals with Educational Institutions. Whoever thought this up was wise to do so. Since there's no chance of the Account Executives pitching the paper to the same client, every one gets along really well. Which bodes well, seeing as how the entire staff is comprised of women. I'm sure male-dominated stockbroker firms deal with this same issue.

But there's nothing like working in an account services to make you realize just how bad the economy is. This position has already done a lot to educate me about current events, and that's not because I work at a newspaper. These people are stressed, and for good reason. Take for example the recent announcement of GM's bankruptcy. This affects D directly because she handles the automobile industry in addition to Residential Real Estate. I can only imagine what her commissions look like now as opposed to a year or two earlier.

This reminds me of my high school economics class, where my teacher told us that every expenditure is someone's receipt. Well, because receipts have been low for businesses in Atlanta (and everywhere else, I'm sure), they have less money to advertise, which hits the pocket of my supervisors.

I don't say all of this to incite feelings of depression or melancholy, because I believe this recession is teaching everyone a great deal about the importance of spending less than what's earned, and spending less in general. I'm pretty sure that the entire newspaper staff has picked up on this. Even though Atlanta is home to some really delicious local restaurants, nearly everyone pinches pennies by bringing their lunch. Advertising rates have been reduced sharply in order to entice existing and new businesses to place ads in the paper. The circulation department has lowered the price of subscription in order to keep money flowing into the company.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going, that's for sure. I think when this economy rebounds in a few years (don't delude yourself into thinking you'll be balling in 2010, because in all likelihood you won't), people may just emerge a bit richer and a heck of a lot smarter. I dare say there's hope for us yet...