Happy New Year!!
Cynicism in action.
Kroger's ad insert in today's paper:
I've had all sorts of contemplative, witty entries written in my head while I was at work this past few weeks, but as you can see, none have made it to LJ, but today is a lovely day, with a slow, steady, soaking rain, just right for savoring life, and maybe even writing a little.
That four letter D word
If you're a straight American, that D word is only male-female with possibly implied intentions. If you're Brit, it's m/f, f/f, m/m --- or, as
inglenook said, "now, I call it a date if it's g/g or g/b time. I have a date with friends. A lunch date. A dinner date. A late date. A HOT ~sizzle~ date. I have a date with Beithe to go girl clothes shopping." A "date" is never the person, but only the appointment.
Maybe I have too much brain litter from my mis-spent youth, but the word "date" has all sorts of baggage and connotations. When I was in college, it was hard to know if you were on a date -- it was a small school in a small town, and we were all carless, and there wasn't anywhere to go without a car, so there wasn't a formal asking out for a specific day and time to a specific occasion. We just ran into each other at the SUB (Student Union Building) or cafeteria, and then hung out. My crowd were always in rehearsals anyway, so we didn't even go to the movie in town often. Kissing didn't make it a date, because backstage there was a lot of random kissing, with no follow through. I always thought of that as actorly exuberance.
Anyway, hanging around with a guy turned into a date if he paid for your coffee. Sorta. Back then, we were all broke, so I never felt as if I was taking advantage. I knew I could carry my share. Now, I support myself, but it's tight, and I work for nearly all my entertainment by volunteering. Heck, to be able to enjoy the Renaissance Festival with my kids, I started working there. I love all these things, and I'm basically the kind of person who gets involved; if I did have a lot of money, I'd still be volunteering.
And I think that is why I get twitchy when a man talks about a "date" now. "Date" has all sorts of financial connotations to me that I'm uncomfortable with now, especially if I'm not on an even footing. I do want to go places and do things that I haven't done before, and some of those things cost money, but I'm so very used to paying my own way.
And, if I'm honest, the potentially romantic implications of date bothers me, too. When I was young, there was so much emphasis on getting a date and having a date, and how long had it been since your last date, and how far in advance should you require the guy ask you out (stupid too -- why sit home just because he called on Thursday to go out on Saturday?). I mean, geeze! It was incredibly artificial and manipulative. It was like a really vicious job interview, in which both parties had to follow a script to prove their interest, a script which boxed you both in, and prevented seeing the real person.
So, now, the word "date" bothers me. Don't have a better word, but I'll wing it.
Kroger's ad insert in today's paper:
Buy 6 Lean Cuisine Entrees and Receive 1 Edy's 56 oz carton ice cream.
Limit 2 free cartons
I've had all sorts of contemplative, witty entries written in my head while I was at work this past few weeks, but as you can see, none have made it to LJ, but today is a lovely day, with a slow, steady, soaking rain, just right for savoring life, and maybe even writing a little.
That four letter D word
If you're a straight American, that D word is only male-female with possibly implied intentions. If you're Brit, it's m/f, f/f, m/m --- or, as
inglenook said, "now, I call it a date if it's g/g or g/b time. I have a date with friends. A lunch date. A dinner date. A late date. A HOT ~sizzle~ date. I have a date with Beithe to go girl clothes shopping." A "date" is never the person, but only the appointment.Maybe I have too much brain litter from my mis-spent youth, but the word "date" has all sorts of baggage and connotations. When I was in college, it was hard to know if you were on a date -- it was a small school in a small town, and we were all carless, and there wasn't anywhere to go without a car, so there wasn't a formal asking out for a specific day and time to a specific occasion. We just ran into each other at the SUB (Student Union Building) or cafeteria, and then hung out. My crowd were always in rehearsals anyway, so we didn't even go to the movie in town often. Kissing didn't make it a date, because backstage there was a lot of random kissing, with no follow through. I always thought of that as actorly exuberance.
Anyway, hanging around with a guy turned into a date if he paid for your coffee. Sorta. Back then, we were all broke, so I never felt as if I was taking advantage. I knew I could carry my share. Now, I support myself, but it's tight, and I work for nearly all my entertainment by volunteering. Heck, to be able to enjoy the Renaissance Festival with my kids, I started working there. I love all these things, and I'm basically the kind of person who gets involved; if I did have a lot of money, I'd still be volunteering.
And I think that is why I get twitchy when a man talks about a "date" now. "Date" has all sorts of financial connotations to me that I'm uncomfortable with now, especially if I'm not on an even footing. I do want to go places and do things that I haven't done before, and some of those things cost money, but I'm so very used to paying my own way.
And, if I'm honest, the potentially romantic implications of date bothers me, too. When I was young, there was so much emphasis on getting a date and having a date, and how long had it been since your last date, and how far in advance should you require the guy ask you out (stupid too -- why sit home just because he called on Thursday to go out on Saturday?). I mean, geeze! It was incredibly artificial and manipulative. It was like a really vicious job interview, in which both parties had to follow a script to prove their interest, a script which boxed you both in, and prevented seeing the real person.
So, now, the word "date" bothers me. Don't have a better word, but I'll wing it.
