Musings of a chick: Fremont Friday

Thought for Today:
"We carry our nemesis within us: yesterday's self-admiration is the legitimate father of today's feeling of guilt." — Dag Hammarskjold, U.N. Secretary-General (1905-1961).

Sudiegirl's response:
Well, if self-admiration is the legitimate father, then can there be an illegitimate father? Moreover, does that mean the feeling from THAT source is indeed a BASTARD? (Pretty heavy thought for a Friday, huh?)

Wow...two entries in a week! I'm catchin' up, huh?

From the "OK, Explain THIS To Me" files...

FIRST...For those who aren't paying attention to Paris Hilton's escapades, we have Phil Spector to watch and learn from.

Do you know what I've learned?

I've learned that there are a lot of women in California that have really questionable taste in men.

Really questionable. As in, "Do you need glasses?" or "Is it against your religion to pay attention to your gut feelings?" questionable.

I mean, LOOK AT HIM.

Granted...I'll give him props for that kind of mysterious, quasi-waifish mixed with British fop image from his early days in the music biz. I can see...if I squint real hard...how that could be appealing.

I do also give him props for changing the face of pop music production...the "Wall of Sound" thing has stayed in the forefront of music history for a reason, y'all. He is a genius in that sense.

But let's face it...as the years go on, they have stomped on Phil's general appearance like an elephant steps on peanut shells. Bad perms...spectacles (shades or their opposite) of all shapes and sizes...the occasional Edwardian suit that would make Prince say, "Man, you got a volume knob on that thing?"

And the look in his eyes? Always the same. A cross between "Where's my bodyguard?", "Where's my drink?" and "Where's my Valium?" Jeez...it seems to me that sometimes he should be in an assisted living program, as spaced out as he looks.

And the women that have been associated with him? All nice looking! Not a dog in the bunch. Some of them are fairly successful in the biz as well...maybe not on the performing end of it, but the periphery (entertainment management, etc). The photo of Kathy Sullivan (see right) is an example of one of the women he associated with and terrorized with his actions. Ronnie Spector (Phil's ex-wife, lead singer of the Ronnettes) wrote her autobiography and (if I'm not mistaken) also touched on Phil's dark side just a smidge.

In a nutshell, he's living off of his genius from 40 years ago. And it's wearing thin. I feel sad for him in a way...I'm sure that, like all celebrities, he's surrounded by "yes men". People that say, "Go ahead and drink that vodka/pop that pill/slug that woman, Phil. You deserve it...you're a GENIUS!!!"

Well, SHEE-IT!

I think I have discovered my true calling. I want to be A GENIUS too!

Yeah - this is appealing. I've even created daily affirmations for this. Here they are:

I can wear weird clothes, get bad perms, and treat everyone around me like crap on toast.
I can coast on one monumental thing I did decades ago and have men rip off my clothes just to be with me.
I can have sycophants bow down before me based on my past success.
I can pull guns on people and intimidate them even if they're twelve times my size.

Ah...that's the life for me.

But I want to keep my original hair. Is that possible?

_____

Second, I want explanation on a different issue. Granted, it may be skewed because of my gender and general opinions about the whole nasty business...but I'll pose it anyway.

What is up with grown women who are teachers and wind up SLEEPING WITH TEENAGE BOYS???

Keep in mind I'm not absolving male teachers in this either...they're just as guilty when this kind of situation occurs. I could expand the notion of adults sleeping with teenage anything, but I want to keep it simple and examine it from my gender and position in society. So here we go.

First, let me explain my experience with this notion: I didn't sleep with a 14 year old boy.

However, I did sleep with/have a relationship with a 19-year-old man.

I'm here to tell you one thing...there's not much difference, OK? I accepted it to a degree (partially because he let me play with his Legos once in a while), but after a while, it was not a good thing.

Yeah, they're limber. They're malleable (meaning you can mold them into many shapes, both physical and emotional) and last but by no means least, they're horny. If you're a woman, you ain't gettin' any, and you've got a young stud that will do/be ANYTHING you ask him to, this is...indeed...paradise.

But unless you're prepared to stock up on pizza rolls and action figures, the long haul for the May/September thing is not a pretty one. Seriously. In my particular relationship, I was not the most stable person myself, but I finally saw the light. There came a time when I HAD to cut things off, and it hurt both of us. I didn't handle things well, and there were times I wanted him back even though I knew what would happen.

But I digress.

In this case, the adult female is also in the education profession. Therefore, she's got a position of power that's unique to the industry...she's his TEACHER. That's a powder keg.

It's been happening more and more, too. There's always a new situation coming up...like the guidance counselor whose husband shot her teenage lover. What about the woman in Florida who was sleeping with one of her students? The list goes on...and on.

Guys I know joke and say that it's every teenage boy's dream...hell, listen to the Van Halen song "Hot For Teacher" and you'll know what I mean. Unless I'm mistaken, I can kind of understand the younger woman/older man thing. It's admiration - the "Svengali" thing and all that. I've been there too. I can count on one hand the male teachers I've had a crush on, but those are legitimate. If I'd been more of a sexpot, I could easily see myself getting into a compromising situation back in the day, but I'm glad I didn't.

But it's a fact of life that girls mature faster than boys. WAY faster. And you can't help but think that a woman in the teaching profession would understand that. Did she ever stop to think about the fact that MAYBE...just maybe...if she dumps this kid, he might snap? An immature boy in an adult-size body could do just that. He'd pull "Fatal Attraction" tricks on her...maybe even attack/rape/murder her. He may not...but then again, he may.

So what the HELL was she thinking? I can't even imagine. Based on what I've learned in life, if you're going to screw a younger man, at least get 'em old enough to do the following:

buy their own smokes
buy their own booze
fight/die for their country
vote

That way, you know they've reached the age of majority and their parents can't sue your ass if anything goes wrong.

I has spoken, so shall it done be.

_____

Finally, the irrelevant song quote for the day: