Friday, April 13, 2007

Obsessive Thoughts Meme

Juan Millon (1Mil) has tagged me to list my 5 obsessions... this is definitely a more difficult thing to list than 5 things you don't know about me. Especially when the first thing that pops into your head is "Well, I'm obsessed with Greta Garbo..." after the person who tagged you lists "Freedom and Justice" as his first item.

If you've followed this blog for a while, you may remember that I've said I'm obsessed with money, but that needs clarification. Most people would take that to mean that I'm obsessed with MAKING money, which I'm not, really. I'm obsessed with feeling financially secure, or at least financially stable. And I'm obsessed with the way money obsesses society in general, and all the weird things we do because of that.

You may also have noticed that I'm a bit obsessed with James Brown. I'm not sure why, but ever since I was in high school and happened to see him on TV, I have just loved the music and his whole persona, which mystified everyone I knew at the time, given that I grew up in a kind of stuffy white suburb where the two musical teen cultures were punk and new wave on the one side, (my side), and classic rock on the other. My mixtapes consisting of funk, disco and Motown interspersed with the Clash, the B-52s and Siouxsie and the Banshees were considered really bizarre. Even beyond the stuffy white suburb, it was hard to find musical kindred spirits in the late '80s-- I always remember a black friend at work who said "Get that crazy old man off the tapedeck, I want to listen to Luther Vandross!"

I don't know if this is considered obsession or paranoia, but I always kind of jump into revolving doors, because I'm afraid I'll get squished if I'm half in, half out as the door turns...

Ok, that leaves me one last obsession to tell you about... I guess it would be learning. Even if I didn't work with books, I think I'd be obsessed with reading. I like studying languages and history and art and reading about people and places and all kinds of things. This obsession kind of extends into a general interest in self-improvement: basically, trying to be a Renaissance Woman. I don't mean that I go to those fairs and dress up as a 16th century serving wench, as I by no means aspire to that period's female roles or aesthetics, and I don't have the figure for a lace-up bodice. I am referring to the female equivalent of a Renaissance Man, someone with wide knowledge who is good at many things. Or in the parlance of a recent NY Times article, I want to be an "Amazing Girl," but grown-up! Aside from reading and learning, I'm trying to save money, succeed at my job, stay physically fit, be a good aunt, cook healthy meals, be creative, decorate my apartment, re-learn a musical instrument I gave up long ago, grow some plants, give back to society, moisturize, floss, remember people's birthdays and stop biting my nails. Like most people who try to do too much, I tend not to do anything all that well! Luckily I also have a very unambitious streak which allows me plenty of times when I am happy to just kick back, tune out, and do nothing while soaking up the sun at one extra obsession of mine, Coney Island.

Now I get to tag some folks... how about 3 Things About Money, Simplicity in Kansas, English Major, Donna Jean, and fin_indie?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

roflmao. I'm sorry @ Freedom and Justice -- leave it to me to be dramatic. I'm still laughing about your James Brown obsession my mom loves her some JB! From one NYer to antother I think you're pretty amazing as it is, though if you thought you were amazing you might actually stop being amazing. Funny how that works out.

Always
Juan!

Chance said...

Great post -- I too am laughing like a hyena, and I share your jump skip into the revolving door obsession. So, tagged - thenk you veddy much for sharing. I'll post it tomorrow. My obsession change on a minute to minute basis, so who knows what will emerge.

A GROWN AZZED WOMAN said...

I've always wanted to be in James Brown's band, the JB's but . . . oh well.

Unknown said...

OK - I am tagged and will post this weekend with some thoughts and I listen or should I say still listen to the Clash from their 1979 self titled release. Oh, while revolving doors are OK with me, I still think the escalator will pull my big toe off at the department store!

Have a great weekend as it SNOWED in Kansas last night and I drove home in it! Where did that stuff come from? Winter has made a return in the heartland.

Simplicity In Kansas

fin_indie said...

Oh man, I was tagged while on vacation! That's not fair :)

I better get to it...