Everything you always wanted to know about sex*

*WILL NOT BE FOUND IN THIS BOOK.

In a fit of wanton consumerism Yelena snapped up a copy of "Everything you always wanted to know about sex (but were afraid to ask)" for a whopping 50 cents at a used book closeout sale in downtown Eugene. Woody Allen flicks aside, I found this book to be completely terrible.

Granted, it was published pre-sexual revolution/feminism/gay-rights movement, but reading "information" from the late 1960s via the distant 2006 is downright disturbing.

Dr. David Reuben portrays an unenviable world where the queer community is "homosexuals" who are beholden to uncontrollable criminal sexual urges, housewives are frigid, non-sexual objects and "September Sex" makes the prospect of Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher's relationship seem nearly a feat of god.

This is one classic sex tome that has not stood the test of time well. The vaguely Freudian interpretations crossed with obsolete medical assumptions is disturbing, but excellent bathroom reading.

Technorati: Sex | books | Blogging | Writing | Media

Miscellaneous Information Agency: Catalogue work

It's offical. I'm working for the Oregon equivalent of J. Peterman in the same position held by the fictional Elaine Benes on "Seinfeld."

In addition to going to school and working for the Emerald I now have a second job as a copywriter/editor for EssentialsforEntertaining.com, a Eugene-based luxury good importer, with a charming Italian boss who has hired me to write sumptuous product blurbs of the exotic homegoods he brings back from Europe. All that being said, my boss is nothing like the pompous Peterman played on Seinfeld.

Who knew cutlery was so interesting?

Technorati: Newspaper | Journalism | Blogging | Writing | Media

Dept. of Superheroes: The Apostrophist

In the course of working at the Oregon Daily Emerald many silly ideas have come to the surface (movie trailer mad-libs comes to mind). Nevertheless, brilliance occasionally strikes.

This silliness was the genesis of the world's most grammatically correct superhero: The Apostrophist. The masked crusader is based on my good friend and copy editor extraordinaire Shadra Beesley, who has been known to graffiti/vandalize modify improper bathroom stall punctuation with one of the many red pens she carries in her purse.

IN A WORLD...
... WHERE BAD GRAMMAR RUNS RAMPANT...
ONE WOMAN....
WILL POSSESS EVIL and CONTRACT THE DEMONS WITHIN....

WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN.... SHADRA BEESLEY BECOMES ... THE APOSTROPHIST!

I envision a Saturday morning cartoon as the perfect vehicle for The Apostrophist, whose only weakness is a clear liquid known as Gin-inite. With her red pen of justice, and working in conjunction with the Department of Corrections, she puts crooked words behind bars. Oh, the possibilities.

Technorati: Newspaper | Journalism | Grammar | Superheroes | Media

Bureau du Cinema: Sharpening my claws

I saw the third installment of X-Men and I am in total agreement with the vast majority of America: The movie was good, but not as good as it could have been. I was also struck by the realization that the director, one Mr. Ratner, should not be let near a comic book movie for the remainder of his career.

There were MANY stale moments and the character development and thinly veiled allusions to social subcultures that made the first two films so totally engaging was very noticably absent. Instead there was a lot of digital effects stocked action sequences and character introduction. Every fan should see it, but don't expect to be thrilled — at least until after the last credit rolls.And here is the rest of it.


Technorati: Newspaper | Journalism | Blogging | movies | X-Men