Call me Lady.

There is the great debate surrounding Lady Gaga. Genius or crazy?

A very summarized (and very incomplete) bibliography of Lady Gaga.

Gaga was born March.28th, 1986. She learned to play piano by ear at the of age four, was accepted to Juilliard by eleven (though she didn't attend), and wrote her first piano ballad by age thirteen. She went to Tisch School Of The Arts in New York to study music for a few years before dropping out.

At nineteen she was signed and dropped by the label 'Def Jam'. Her song writing skills landed her jobs for Akon's 'Konvict' label, Fergie, Pussycat Dolls, Britney Spears, and New Kids on the Block. She later became a burlesque model and frequent drug user. She claimed her performances to be, "The Ultimate Pop Burlesque Rockshow".

Apart from her idol Andy Warhol, Gaga took inspiration from David Bowie and Queens vintage glam-rock pop melodies, about them she has stated, "Queen and David Bowie were the key for me... I didn't know what to do until I discovered Bowie and Queen. When I was playing the New York rock clubs, a lot of record labels thought I was too theatrical. Then, when I auditioned for stage musicals, the producers said I was too pop." Gaga has also stated that she has "married" many different genres and tries to integrate elements of various genres into her music, "from Def Leppard drums and handclaps to metal drums on urban tracks." Gaga later began to incorporate more pop melodies into her music. Akon recognized GaGa's vocal talent after hearing her on one of his tracks and convinced Jimmy Lovine to sign her to a joint deal with his own label, 'Kon Live Distribution'.

My Opinion Of GaGa

It is obvious that Lady GaGa has talent, she is a twenty three year old superstar for crying out loud! Thats not why I have a fetish for GaGa. I love the artistic persona she is inspiring to become. She is offended in interviews when called a 'character' or a 'persona' but has admitte in the past she hasn't always been GaGa, "Some people say Lady Gaga is a lie, and they're right...but every day I kill to make it true."

I like that she is a misfit in popular culture. She is my cultural hero. I love how provocative, nervy, and unconventional her performances, music, and interviews are. One of my favourite GaGa quotes is, "The truth is what I'm a role model for, is the ability to change culture". I think she is aiming to change culture by not conforming to the pop culture norm that women have to be 'pretty', 'sexy', and 'wholesome'. Pop artists are shoved into a media mob if they voice something unconventional, and overnight a miniscule act grows into a full-fledged scandal. Think of how wild everyone went when Britney Spears shaved her head. Do you think the media would have the same reaction if GaGa did it? The answer is NO.

GaGa is famous for not giving a fuck about how the media perceives her. I think her only desire is to be different then the average Jane, "I love the Jonas Brothers, they're very talented. I met them once. I'd like to have a foursome with them". She is a great role model because she is confident enough to be her own person and she refuses to adhere to societal expectations. In a similar way that Micheal Jackson was neither 'black' or 'white' GaGa is ageless. She is eccentric, wild, but not a 'pop tart'. Her outfits pay tribute to her art rather than her sexuality. Lady GaGa does not conform to sexy, she creates it. She is sexy because she is original, she is sexy because she is an artist.

My Criticism

I loved her shocking performance at the mmvas. I loved the flaming tits, the cooch grabbing, the whole anchalada. I also love the hair bow & button, the black lipstick, the bubbles, etc... I am concerned about her latest photoshoots, in particular the shoots with Maxim and Elle.

These photoshoots showcase her body, sexuality, and youth in a way that isn't GaGa's style. The photo's aren't quircky enough and I don't like it. I want to look at her and see the super freak I have come to know and love.

Maxim Photos,
http://amygrindhouse.com/lady-gaga-maxim-magazine-pictures.html

Elle Photo/Interview,
http://fashionindie.com/the-inner-views-lady-gaga-in-elle-magazine/

My Musical Love Affair

I love music. As a child I grew up with classical, choir, folk, jazz, classic rock, as well as some angry feminist music. I proudly memorized 'You Outta Know' and sung it in the car with my mother by the time I was eight.

Then there was the 'Spice Girl' phase, it came right before the nano craze. When I was mad at my parents I would blast 'Spice Girls' out my window. I loved them and bought so much of their merchandise I won a poster in a 'Spice Girl' draw. I also entered a 'Spice Girls' airband contest with my friends, I was ginger.

Then came early teenage life as an emo with a barbell and a spiky wristband. I was engrossed in heavy metal, punk, punk rock, emo, emo pop, and screamo. I even got an offer to tour with a semi well known band since a fellow emo was cousins with the bassist.

As a mid-late teenager in the ultra cool town that I grew up in I hit the bars/truckstops/downtown strip/fields, with pop, hip-hop, and dance music.

Now university music is full of folk, alternative, and underground. I began to judge people by their musical preferences until I went home and talked to my dad. He is an even bigger music connoisseur. My dad has stayed by my side through my music exploration and development. He even tried to listen to some screamo once.

Lately he has been into Cuban music. He made me remember that each musical genre has its pros and cons and being a music snob is just as bad as being a general snob. He listens to music because he loves it and love is not exclusive. Each genre has taken care of me as I've grown up.

I decided to send my mom a 'Spice Girls' song called 'Mama' and even though 'Spice Girls' isn't her band of choice she told me she cried when she listened to it. All kinds of music can be meaningful.

I've recently acquired some of my old favourite tunes (even the screamo) and you know what? Years later I still love it.

University Lingo

A few months ago I was thinking about the difference between a secondary and post-secondary vocab. I decided to write down some of the words I heard students, t.a.'s, friends, family, and professors say that aren't typical of high school banter. Some of the words are simple but still contribute to the evolution of language since secondary school. This list also gives everyone (especially me) an opportunity to learn some scholarly lingo. So in no particular order here are some common and uncommon words I have heard (some may occur more than once). I will continue to update the list and maybe eventually add definitions.

propaganda, lieu, semantics, paradox, suffice, interdependencies, pragmatic, solidified, clairvoyant, copacetic, manifest, elicit, tumultuous , redundant , sodomy, stipulations, turbulent, ramifications, absolve, protagonist, immaculate, effervescence, commonality, ideology, egregious, denigrate, pathologize, convention, lascivious, interval, degenerate, adversity, regime, resonate, disembody, scarce, detract, depicts, indicate, re-enacts, eminate, dynamic, consoles. tailored, succession. allegedly, divergent, prolific, tenuous, exponentially, counter-intuitive, apathy, contingent, irradicate, infer, precedent, titillate, albeit, typify, revelation, assert, belittle, anomaly, nostalgia, innocuous, nuiance, repugnant, ostracize, cryptic, transcendental, implicit, explicit, ascribe, resonate, ambivalent, precarious, binary, monotomy, pinnacle, deterrent, paradigm, perpetuate, farce.

Lost In Lost

WARNING: For 'Lost' viewers only

I have a bad habit of watching television shows that progressively get worse as the season moves forward. Unfortunately I am also OCD with my TV shows, partly because I feel obligated to stick with them. I often find myself influenced to continue this obligation because of a hope and desire that a series will return to its original glory. This scarcely happens.

The show that has been bothering me lately is 'Lost'. I have seen every episode. I really loved the first and second season but lately (this season in particular) it has forsaken all logic. I have no idea how the writers are going to resolve the incongruous plot details they have implemented into script throughout the series, especially with only one remaining season. Its getting a bit ridiculous.

So here is a list of things that don't make sense in 'Lost'. Post if you can add to the list or answer my questions.

1) Why do 'the others' steal peoples babies?
2) What is the purpose of the dharma initiative?
3) Why can't pregnant women have babies on the island but the island can heal people who have cancer or are paralyzed?
4) Why is Jacob speaking through Jack's dead father and why did Claire go crazy and choose to reside with him in his creepy cabin?
5) Why Ben didn't want to give up Michael?
6) Why do random people suddenly have magical powers? (Desmond seeing the future, Hurley conversing with the dead)
7) Why does the island and Jacob's cabin move and vanish?
8) What are the whispers in the forest?
9) Ben once told Locke a story about a box on the island that can make anything you want, where is this box and why can it do that?
10) Why are the numbers 4815162342 mean and why are they lucky but also lethal?
11) Why doesn't Richard age and why does he wear so much black eyeliner?!??!?!

These are all important questions that need to be answered.

xoxo
Love,
Sara

The Girls Next Door

I will readily admit that I am a pop-culture whore. I love reality television. I have been guilty of watching full seasons of, Americas Next Top Model, A Shot At Love, Engaged And Underaged, From G's To Gents, Iron Chef, Laguna Beach, Living On The Edge, Paradise Hotel, Paris Hilton's My New BFF, Project Runway, Restaurant Makeover, Say Yes To The Dress, Survivor, Taking The Stage, The City, The Hills, The Real World, The X-Effect, and What Not To Wear.

The latest reality television show I have indulged myself in is 'The Girls Next Door'. I'm a little late to jump on the bandwagon since Hef and his trio has now split, but I enjoy it none the less. The show is about Hue Hefner and his three former girlfriends, Holly Madison, Bridget Marquardt, and Kendra Wilkinson. Respectively, Holly is Hef's first girlfriend, Bridget his second, and Kendra his third. What makes this show interesting is the diversity of the girls. Holly is a playboy editor, Kendra is extremely athletic, and Bridget has her Master's Degree in Communications. They don't have much in common except their ambition, beauty, and a love for playboy/Hef.

I have always been critical of playboy bunnies immediately classifying them as 'dumb sluts'. They may be sluts but the only bunny I think is dumb is Holly.I know most people who have seen the show are thinking 'you think Kendra is smarter than Holly?' Let me explain...

Holly sleeps in the same bed as Hef and is responsible for satisfying him (sexually) as well as looking after the other two girls. So basically the honor of being Hef's 'number one girlfriend' entitles her to responsibility and frequent sex with an old man. Throughout the seasons she is hopeful that Hef will marry her which is in and of itself stupid.

Holly fits my former stereotype that playboy bunnies are tarts. Kendra and Bridget are the ones that have made me reconsider my opinion. Bridget and Kendra have no responsibilities in the trio and receive all the benefits of being Hef's girlfriend. This includes luxury vacations, a mansion, a personal butler at their disposal, media exposure, an allowance, top hairstylists, top makeup artists, estheticians, and invitations to exclusive Hollywood parties.

Its hard to be critical of these girls when apart from having sex with Hef they are living my dreams. They are optimizing their youth! They are living life in a way most people will never experience in exchange for occasionally (for their sakes I hope very occasionally) sleeping with Hef. A lot of girls between the ages of 18-23 regret people they naively fooled around or slept with. 'The Girls Next Door' are offered a massive amount of opportunity in exchange for a 'naive' hookup with Hef. The average girl is rewarded with bad memories complimented by an awful hangover.

Bridget and Kendra repeatedly said they have no desire to be Hef's number one girlfriend, and why would they? They get anything they want for relatively nothing in comparison to Holly. Hef usually kicks girls out of the mansion by 23 so they get to jump back into the game with tons of gifts and experiences. Holly will be entering the game with either a broken heart or a failed attempt at gold digging.

In terms of Kendra and Bridget I can't help but wonder, are they brilliant?

Five Factor Model (FFM)

I learned about the five factor model in second year psychology. I thought it was really fun to test it on myself and my friends. Basically the five factor model is a model believed to be applicable to everyone. It contains five dimensions that are held to be a complete description of personality. In 1936 Gordan Allport and H.S. Odbert went through two of the most comprehensive dictionaries and extracted 27,953 personality-describing words, it was then reduced to 4,504 adjectives. In the 1940's Raymond Cattell eliminated synonyms, the list then sat at 171. He reduced it further to 35 and later 16, which led to the development of the 16PF personality questionnaire. In 1961 two air force researches used Cattell's data and found five reoccuiring factors. The five dimensions are O.C.E.A.N. or, Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Exrtaversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism.

Openness to experience- curiousity, adventure, ideas, experience
Conscientiousness- self-descipline, act dutifully, planned behaviour, achievment-aimer.
Extraversion- energetic, positive, surgency, stimuli seeker.
Agreeableness- compassionate, coopertative, not suspicious and antagonistic.
Neuroticism- experiences unpleasant emotions easily, anger, anxiety, depression, vulnerability.

These five factors are influenced by both heredity and environment. The test results are not necessaily constant but longitudinal and cross-sectional studies show data with a high degree in stability over time, a.k.a. test results usually don't significantly change over time. It is believed that if you score too low or too high on a certain category it could be a sign of a mental disorder.

Now out of 100 points each category could be divided equally into 20 points. So you have 100 points to designate to how you believe you are suited to each trait. 20 on one trait is average, 0 is low, and 40 is high.

To take the 16pf questionaire,
http://similarminds.com/cgi-bin/16sm.pl

My 16pf results,

Cattell's 16 Factor Test Results Warmth ||||||||||||||||||||| 66% Intellect ||||||||||||||||||||| 66% Emotional Stability |||||||||||| 38% Aggressiveness |||||||||||||||||| 54% Liveliness |||||||||||||||||| 54% Dutifulness ||||||||||||||| 42% Social Assertiveness |||||||||||||||||| 58% Sensitivity ||||||||||||||||||||| 62% Paranoia ||||||||||||||||||||| 62% Abstractness |||||||||||||||||||||||| 74% Introversion ||||||||||||||||||||| 70% Anxiety ||||||||||||||||||||| 62% Openmindedness ||||||||||||||||||||| 70% Independence |||||||||||||||||| 58% Perfectionism ||||||||||||||| 50% Tension ||||||||||||||| 42% Take Cattell 16 Factor Test (similar to 16pf) personality tests by similarminds.com

Because the world is round it turns me on... because Canada is Canada its just sexy. RAWR!!!

Canada day is the sexiest day of the year. Instead of saying Zeeellers we say Zellers.