9 posts tagged “boys”
Out of all the Vox posts you've written, which is your favorite? Why?
Submitted by Adam.
My favorite is still this one. It's short enough for me to paste the contents here:
Kissing on my shoulder in a packed cab, comparing our childhood memories over breakfast, serenading me in the front seat of my car, writing notes on the steam of my bathroom mirror. He was different when it was just us two. I pretended this version of him was all mine.
It was for my x365, which I never actually completed (typical of me, never finishing anything), and I think this particular entry perfectly encapsulated the essence of the project -- 50 well-chosen words about your memories and your feelings about one particular person. These are all the best things I remember about him.
What's something you should throw away, but can't?
The eX-Box. I'm way past looking inside it and feeling bad over what's inside. Looking in it on the few occasions I do (either to add to it or while moving) doesn't make me miss them -- it shows me how far I've come. The box spans just about all of my past relationships so it's pretty much a container full of meaningless crap now, and it even stays tucked away in a spot where I never see it, and yet I still can't bear to throw it out.
Audio: Share a song that reminds you of a current or past relationship.
I knew there was a reason I got out of bed early...
A billion and one songs remind me of A, but these three might be the most appropriate.
I also have J's entire catalogue of work on my iPod (it at least has to be close to his entire catalogue), and even if he may not count, these two remind me of him.
And here I thought the only people reading this were you guys, my Vox neighbors. But on the contrary, others have been peeking in too, people I've been writing about, alluding to. I might want to watch what I say in here in the future, I guess. Or I might not.
I picked this up a few days ago and it should've been a breezy read, but life got in the way. I finally finished it this morning. First, let me tell you a thing or two about Margaret Atwood. I've never read a full novel of hers, but she is easily one of my favorite writers of all time. I've done projects on her poetry and short stories all throughout college. She's dark, funny, and the woman is a certifiable genius. She's the kind of writer I want to become.
That said, I'm not as well-versed in Greek mythology as I'd like to be -- never read Ovid or Homer, so I don't really know the story about Penelope and Odysseus, but from what little I know about Greek mythology (and its inherent misogyny) in general, Atwood does a really amazing reinterpretation of Penelope's story, particularly having to do with her relationship with her cousin, Helen of Troy. Atwood's Penelope is a three-dimensional character, a flawed woman I can actually relate to, rather than the virtuous, modest, and faithful Penelope as told by Homer, right? My favorite part of the book, though, was Penelope's perspective on her relationship with Odysseus, and how she tried to evade the issue of whether or not she slept with any of her suitors while she waited 20 years for Odysseus to come back to her. It reminded me very much of my own situation.
On the wedding night being paraded as a sanctioned rape (pp 44-48):
On Odysseus's return after twenty years (pp 172-173):Once the door had been closed, Odysseus took me by the hand and sat me down on the bed. 'Forget eveyrthing you've been told,' he whispered. 'I'm not going to hurt you, or not very much. But it would help us both if you could pretend. I've been told you're a clever girl. Do you think you could manage a few screams? That will satisfy them -- they're listening at the door -- and then they'll leave us in peace and we can take our time to become friends.'
This was one of his great secrets as a persuader -- he could convince another person that the two of them together faced a common obstacle, and that they needed to join forces in order to overcome it. He could draw almost any listener into a collaboration, a little conspiracy of his own making. Nobody could do this better than he: for once, the stories don't lie. And he had a wonderful voice as well, deep and sonorous. So of course I did as he asked.
Somewhat later I found that Odysseus was not one of those men who, after the act, simply roll over and begin to snore. Not that I am aware of this common male habit through my own experience; but as I've said, I listened to a lot of the maids. No, Odysseus wanted to talk, and as he was an excellent raconteur I was happy to listen. I think this is what he valued most in me: my ability to appreciate his stories. It's an underrated talent in women.
[...]
In return for his story about the scar, I told Odysseus my own story about almost drowning and being rescued by ducks. He was interested in it, and asked me questions about it, and was sympathetic -- everything you could wish a listener to be. 'My poor duckling,' he said, stroking me. 'Don't worry. I would never throw such a precious girl into the ocean.' At which point I did some more weeping, and was comforted in ways that were suitable for a wedding night.
So by the time morning came, Odysseus and I were indeed friends, as Odysseus had promised we would be. Or let me put it another way: I myself had developed friendly feelings towards him -- more than that, loving and passionate ones -- and he behaved as if he reciprocated them. Which is not quite the same thing.
On life in Hades (pp 188-189):After a little time had passed and we were feeling pleased with each other, we took up our old habits of story-telling. Odysseus told me of all his travels and difficulties -- the nobler versions, with the monsters and the goddesses, rather than the more sordid ones with the innkepers and whores. He recounted the many lies he'd invented, the false names he'd given himself -- telling the Cyclops his name was No One was the cleverest of such tricks, though he'd spoiled it by boasting -- and the fraudulent life histories he'd concocted for himself, the better to conceal his identity and his intentions. In my turn, I related the tale of the Suitors, and my trick with the shroud of Laertes, and my deceitful encouragings of the Suitors, and the skilful ways in which I'd misdirected them and led them on and played them off one another.
Then he told me how much he'd missed me, and how he'd been filled with longing for me even when enfolded in the white arms of goddesses; and I told him how very many tears I'd shed while waiting twenty years for his return, and how tediously faithful I'd been, and how I would never have even so much as thought of betraying his gigantic bed with its wondrous bedpost by sleeping in it with any other man.
The two of us were -- by our own admission -- proficient and shameless liars of long standing. It's a wonder either one of us believed a word the other said.
But we did.
Or so we told each other.
Complex story indeed. It's clear throughout the book that Odysseus is really Penelope's one true love, but it's never as simple as just being in love. Sounds like a familiar story to me, huh? Hits very close to home.None of this stops Odysseus. He'll drop down here for a while, he'll act pleased to see me, he'll tell me home life with me was the only thing he ever really wanted, no matter what ravishing beauties he's been falling into bed with or what wild adventures he's been having. We'll take a peaceful stroll, snack on some asphodel, tell the old stories; I'll hear his news of Telemachus -- he's a Member of Parliament now, I'm so proud! -- and then, just when I'm starting to relax, when I'm feeling that I can forgive him for everything he put me through and accept him with all his faults, when I'm starting to believe that this time he really means it, off he goes again, making a beeline for the River Lethe to be born again.
He does mean it. He really does. He wants to be with me. He weeps when he says it. But then some force tears us apart.
What are your top 5 movies/DVDs of 2006?
I don't really make the effort to go out to the theater unless it's a movie I really need to see, especially when I'm busy as hell, so I haven't seen that many new movies this year at all. That said, here are my top five in no particular order.
Don't laugh! Everything having to do with this movie was my first assignment for the magazine I worked at over the summer. We went to a preview screening for it, which is where I met and interviewed the Far-Eastie Boys. The next day I interviewed Brian Tee, who played D.K., the bad guy. And then a week later, I interviewed the dreamy Mr. Sung Kang, who played everyone's favorite character in the movie, Han. So, obviously, this movie holds a special place in my heart. And let's be real, I would've seen it and probably loved it anyway (I come from a family of car dudes and, duh, I ♥ Asian Boys).
Aside from the fact that this was actually a really touching and funny movie, it's on my list partially for its sentimental value, like the one above. I saw this on a date, the G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time, get familiar!), and that particular boy has taken to calling me Olive, along with the fifteen other nicknames he made up for me. I remember crying at that part where the little girl is talking to her grandfather about how she doesn't feel like she's pretty enough. And then at that other part where she's in front of the mirror and she sucks in her belly. And Steve Carell was fucking great in this movie. I love that man.
Okay, finally, a movie I genuinely loved cause it was great, and not for its sentimental value. Well, okay, the situation did remind me of what I was going through with a boy, but I have a habit of making every movie my movie (as well as books and songs). This was by the same guy who directed Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, so obviously the visuals would be brilliant. To be fair, the movie didn't seem to have a point, and both Stephane and Stephanie seemed kind of asexual, but the movie was an overload of cuteness, all stuffed horses and rainbows. And Gael Garcia Bernal is hot.
I know this movie came out two years ago, but I must've watched this one twenty more times this year alone. Funny thing is, I didn't really think it was all that funny the first time I saw it in the theater. It just didn't compare to Old School. But this is another one I've developed a sentimental attachment to. I often refer to that boy as "the Ron Burgundy to my Veronica Corningstone," and he would sign comments to my site as just "Ron." Okay, this reminiscing is getting really pathetic. NEXT! (But really, this is hilarious and it took me a second watch to get it.)
This DVD basically kept me from going out of my mind the last few months of college. I'd spent a year celibate and I had no social life whatsoever (the one good thing to come of it? I graduated with honors, of course), and this movie was overflowing with hot, amazingly chiseled, shirtless men, and the hottest version of Jake Gyllenhaal I've ever seen in my life. Also, the guy who played the main dude from Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift was in this one as the only white boy who could wife me up in two seconds flat with no hesitation: a Southern gentleman with a heavy drawl, who's also a dirty government-hating liberal. Yowza. Do any of those actually exist? Where can I sign myself up for one?
Show us a happy memory.
Submitted by Liz.
I find it a little unfortunate that most of my happiest memories haven't been preserved in pictures. I would've had the most recent happy memories in digital form if my stupid drunk ass didn't lose my camera that night. In any case, here's what I got.
This was in the summer of 2005 during my biannual visit to the east coast. It was a huge all-day barbecue at what I lovingly refer to as "the compound" (both my cousins live on the same street as their parents -- one in the house next door, the other in the house across the street). My whole family was there, all of my cousins' friends were there, my best homegirl Alison was there, my friend's friend was visiting from the midwest, and my cousin's wife's family was visiting from Chicago, so all the babies were there too. As always, there was a lot of great food, a lot of alcohol, and a lot of tsismising (gossiping) with my mom and aunties. And it was the summer after I'd broken up with this guy I was dating for a year, which added extra fantasticness because I didn't have to stress about him. That day really felt like what "coming home" was all about.
This is when I met my niece LaLa for the first time, August of this year. I can't believe how big she's gotten from this picture, and I probably wouldn't believe how big she is here in comparison to when she was first born. She was two months premature (coincidentally, the same day dude was born), and I think she was close to her actual due date when this picture was taken. She bounced back pretty healthy and I think you all know how much she's grown and just keeps growing. I love the little stinker and I can't wait to see the kind of girl she grows into. Here's a bonus video of her from the day before her christening. She's really smiley (when she's not crying) and is pretty much the most beautiful baby I've ever met.
What's your favorite heartbreak song?
Submitted by esta86.
I know I'm late but how could I NOT answer a question like this? I could make a whole mixtape of my favorite heartbreak songs. In fact, I actually have a playlist on my iPod full of this stuff (usually in commission when I take bubble baths or take long walks on the beach at night. You think I'm joking?). And I recently uploaded my new favorite, Amy Winehouse's "Wake Up Alone."
But I guess this one trumps them all:
Set myself on fire
Anything to turn your head
I won't deny this
I'm burning from the things you said
Now you got me running around and all that I've found is
I can't afford him
All I got is spare change
Cause he was my fortune
My torture
Had myself a lover
Liked him cause of all of the books that he read and
He was like no other boy that I had ever met before
And I loved all the things that he said
I wanted to heal him
But I did not plan on staying this long
I didn't think I would need him
So how did he become
My torture
My torture
It's always the sweetest thing
Where do I go?
What do I do with this heart?
My torture, my torture
I want you to comfort me
I want you to stop disturbing my sleep
I really thought you were my king
I thought you were my king
I want it to stop hurting so bad
So bad, so so bad...
Off of her debut, Whoa Nelly! this is a classic cut if I ever knew one.
The funny thing about this song? I know I'm basically fucking myself over by putting myself on blast like this, but I've dedicated this song to like three guys I've dated. Is it sad that this song applies to pretty much every relationship I've been in?
Anyway, not that I have the most banginest voice in the world, but I've always wanted to rerecord this song with a slowed down beat.
Kissing on my shoulder in a packed cab, comparing our childhood memories over breakfast, serenading me in the front seat of my car, writing notes on the steam of my bathroom mirror. He was different when it was just us two. I pretended this version of him was all mine.
