Category Archives: Pop Culture Trends

Three must-see parenthood video spoofs

Posted on December 2, 2012 | Comments Off on Three must-see parenthood video spoofs

I’m sure your inboxes and Facebook pages are as clogged as mine with viral messages, cartoons, photos, and videos that often don’t live up to the hype. I have a visceral reaction to delete as soon as I read the words “You gotta see this!” atop any message.

Most of the time,  I don’t gotta. Quite often, it’s a colossal waste of my time.

So I realize I’m going out on a limb when I suggest the following three viral videos for you to watch. But really, I wouldn’t risk my rep for relevance if I didn’t find these three at the top of musical parenting parodies.

They are each hilarious, and at times even sweet. But all capture the absurdity, frustration, and sacrifice of raising children. They’re funny because they ring so true.

parent teacher conference video from rated p the musical

My wildly talented friend Sandy wrote a musical last year called “Rated P for Parenthood” that made it to off-Broadway. It was filled with great songs about parenting but one of the highlights was a rap called “Parent Teacher Conference” which I’ve watched a dozen times and still giggle.

This week, I received a link to a video called The Parent Rap, and each time I watch it, I catch another line or visual that cracks me up.

And then there’s the classic gem known as  “The Mom Song” which details a day in the life of a mom who only wants the best for her children, and won’t stand for mediocrity.

These videos make me envious and wishing I had the creativity and tenacity to write and produce something that clever and amusing.

If you get a moment in your busy day, click on the links above and let me know what you think. Let the musical mom mockery begin!

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Posted in Joys of Parenting, Kids manners, Pop Culture Trends

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Bad karma: Parent warriors on yoga in school

Posted on October 23, 2012 | 4 comments

I read a story this week about a controversy over teaching yoga to kids at a San Diego area school. Apparently some parents in the community are objecting to yoga classes as part of the curriculum because they believe it’s indoctrinating them into eastern religion.

Say what??

Beside the outrageous narrow mindedness of the argument, this story hits me where it hurts because I practice yoga and believe everyone should give it a whirl. Yoga literally means the union of body and mind and aims at achieving a healthy, strong, balanced body and a calm, clear mind.  Good goals for adults and kids, no?

This group of California parents has hired an attorney who sent an email to the school district demanding that the classes stop immediately, claiming they’re unconstitutional. While the lawyer says the district is using taxpayer resources to promote Ashtanga yoga and Hinduism, the district superintendent says they’ve removed any religious content from the twice-weekly classes and don’t intend to stop the program. (You can read the full story in the North County Times here.)

A newspaper columnist and school board member went and observed the classes and found the kids quiet, engaged, and having fun. The yoga classes are part of an enrichment program at the school that started three years ago and has been targeted as so successful, it could become a national model.

A school official said the yoga classes allow kids to slow down during their busy school day and learn to breathe and calm themselves, especially when feeling social or academic stress.

Practicing yoga regularly can have life-changing effects that have nothing to do with how you worship.  Holding the poses stretches and lengthens your muscles, making you strong,  and promotes balance. The deep breathing and concentration helps quiet the mind and focus your thoughts and energy.

When I finish a yoga class, I feel calm and empowered. How could that be anything but positive for kids, especially during a school day?

I respect everyone’s right to religious practice and completely support upholding the separation of church and state in our schools, but the yoga practice going on at this school is not a threat to that.

Perhaps if these complaining parents could open their minds to new experiences, they would set an example for their kids of tolerance and understanding. They should look inward and start questioning their own dogma instead of fearing those who downward dog.

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Posted in In the News, Modern Life, Pop Culture Trends

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Kid Lingo Explained

Posted on September 18, 2012 | 5 comments

One of the things I love about being a parent is listening to how my kids’ language develops. A minute ago my boys (ages 6, 9, and 12)  were saying “ga ga, goo goo” and now they’re speaking in complicated sentences, with some impressive vocabulary. But there are times as they get older when their jargon becomes difficult to understand again, because they’re speaking in code.

My 12-year-old son, Jacob,  often uses abbreviations to say what’s on his mind, sometimes leaving me feeling confused and old. I made a point to jot down some of the phrases he and his friends uttered in recent months and thought you might benefit from some translations.

obvi –  “obvious,” as in duh, Mom!

totes – as in “totally.” But don’t make the mistake I did and try to use it as an adjective. No, no. You can’t say something is “totes cute.” This apparently makes no sense and will elicit an immediate eye roll. You can say “totes” in response to a statement or question, as in “do you love my shoes?” or “was your mom mad?” Please note the distinction.

BTDubbs – My good friend Katie Mackay (who is my 13-year-old female insider on all things cool)  divulged this little gem. It’s actually the opposite of an abbreviation as it requires more texted letters than the old-school “BTW” but it’s the preferred way to say “by the way” in teenland.

OMJizzle – similar to BTDubbs, this expression takes OMG to a new level, and adds some street cred. It’s hard to explain but according to several urban dictionary/wikivocab internet sites, -izzle is a slang suffix used to form hip-hop-sounding words, popularized by rapper Snoop Dogg. It also tends to make whatever word it’s added to more legit.  For shizzle.  

Cray –  Jacob uses this a lot. It means “crazy” but he uses it so liberally and loosely you’d think he spent his life in an asylum.

Shitake mushrooms! – this is a clever way for kids to swear without getting penalized. It’s often used as an expression of frustration or anger.  I like it so much, I’d like to start using it myself to cover up my foul language in front of my 6 and 9 year olds, who already know too much.

Gas – This is a tough one to understand. Apparently, it’s a verb for telling lies…or also can be used as a response when you think someone is exaggerating. For instance: “He gassed that story.”  Or,  the proper response to a kid telling you he ate 50 hotdogs in the eating contest? “Gas!” and a shaking head.

Do you feel cooler now or more perplexed than ever? I find these expressions and abbreviations hilarious and would love to hear any you’ve picked up from your kids– at any age.

Please tell me in the comments, kk? It’ll be sooo cray dudes. Totes!

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Posted in Joys of Parenting, Modern Life, Pop Culture Trends

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Signs of Summer

Posted on September 9, 2012 | Comments Off on Signs of Summer

Sometimes I see a sign or T-shirt that makes me grin. Thought I’d share a few with you that capture summer…

Madison, NJ

Cooperstown, NY

New York City

Best beach sign EVER!
Sea Bright, NJ

Edgartown, Martha”s Vineyard, MA

I love any object or message that makes you think. I always think it’s a sign…..

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Posted in Modern Life, Pop Culture Trends

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Birthday Wishes on Facebook Are Lame!

Posted on August 17, 2012 | 10 comments

May I vent for a moment? (What’s a blog for if not to vent.)

Social media is a useful tool and I’ve reconnected with many friends (and random people I don’t care about) on Facebook. But I’ve had it with the Facebook birthday wishes.

Back in the day, when you wanted to wish a friend good tidings on his/her birthday you had to buy a card and/or make a phone call.

Now all you have to do is sign on to Facebook and move an eyeball to the right corner of the page and your computer will spoon-feed you the birthdays of all your “friends.”

I started thinking about the unspoken hierarchy of ways to offer birthday wishes and came up with this:

—Personal visit  (Rare but special and may or may not involve gift-giving.)

—Phone call (Personal and requires time, effort and thought.)

—Mailing a card  ( You thought about your friend ahead of time and like him/her enough to do an extra errand to buy a card and a stamp.)

—Sending an email  (You didn’t think ahead but did remember on your own and want to send a personal message tailored to the receiver.)

—Sending an e-card   (For last-minute-Charlie’s who forgot to send a card but want to acknowledge you. At least they took the time to join Blue Mountain and pick those cute cartoon dancing animals. )

—Posting on Facebook wall  (For any schmo you’ve known since grammar school, or worked with 5 years ago, or see at your kids’ school events, who has a finger to click a mouse.)

Facebook birthday wishes take no thought at all. In fact, most Facebook wishes probably happen because that person was already on Facebook inappropriately flirting with an ex, posting flattering self-portraits, or promoting something (I plead guilty to that) and saw the birthday reminder on the home screen and deemed you worthy of a shout out.

As a policy, I don’t wish people happy birthday on Facebook because I don’t want to be one among scores of people piling on, and I prefer to send my salutations in a more personal way.

For those of you who want to hollah at me on my special day, I beg you to send me an email or give me a call. Don’t wish me a happy birthday on Facebook and think that if it’s followed by three exclamation points instead of one, I’ll know you really care.

Plus then I’ll have to send a big , fake “Thank you! I feel the love!” to all the slackers who contributed to the birthday comments. I hate that.

The best gift you could get me (but not til next April) would be to comment on my blog. Then I’ll know you care enough to read the very best.

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Posted in Modern Life, Pop Culture Trends, Social Media

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Celebrity Couple Scoop is a Myth

Posted on August 17, 2012 | 1 comment

I’m a pop culture fan and fascinated by celebrities, so I love gossip magazines and entertainment shows as much as the next gal (or guy who’s willing to admit it.) But the recent furor over personal details of celebrity couples’ relationships  is getting out of hand.

First, there was Tom and Katie.

Yes, it was huge news. The speed with which the divorce was handled (less than a month?!) and his strict Scientology faith made the story intriguing.  We’d all like to know what goes on in the Cruise home but getting that story would be mission impossible. Somehow Tom has put a tight lid on all those close to him so the public doesn’t know the answers to a myriad of questions we have about his personal life.

Yet there are all the tabloids, week after week– touting “insider details” of the split. I’m sure there’s some non-disclosure clause that Katie signed that guarantees her a pile of dough if she keeps mum. I don’t think we’ll ever know that whole story, and maybe we can’t handle the truth.

from telegraph.co.uk

Actress Kristen Stewart apparently cheated on Robert Pattinson with her older, married director, dashing the hopes of millions of “Twilight” fans pulling for a real life happy ending. It’s scandalous and sad for Twi-hards who follow their every move.

This week Twitter was blowing up and show producers were salivating over Robert’s first media interview since the epic split.  Pattinson appeared on “the Daily Show,” where Jon Stewart set the tone by offering him a pint of Ben and Jerry’s Cherry Garcia and some girl talk to help him through the breakup.

As Stewart pointed out– although his show has hosted rockers, movie stars, and presidents– it had never before had the enormous crowd of screaming fans and rows of overweight paparazzi camped outside that night, all waiting for a glimpse of the jilted lover.

Pattinson– who, in the interest of privacy,  had barely acknowledged the couple was dating for the last several years–  briefly referenced the break up and moved on to promoting his new movie. Those vampire lips are sealed and any tidbit the relentless media gets on that relationship will be suspect.

This headline says it all. In the same week that Jennifer Aniston and boyfriend Justin Thereaux got engaged, Star magazine proclaimed the relationship done in a cover story clearly filled with false information.

I’m a fan of Jen’s style and comedic talent and have wanted her to be happy since Brad broke her heart and then John Mayer stomped all over it. I was glad to hear she’s engaged, but I’m ready to move on with my life.

I don’t need the play-by-play of the proposal, which family members and friends she told first, or whether the news was timed to coincide with Brangelina’s much anticipated wedding. Ick! Leave the gal alone and let her enjoy her moment.

Our celebrity-obsessed society has made chasing these stories an Olympic sport.   I’m not sure who is fueling the interest. My favorite part of the lifestyle mags is the photos in the first few pages to see who’s with who, where they’re going, and what they’re wearing. I like People because it still has some journalistic integrity and doesn’t seem to make up gossip as much as the others.

But there must me millions out there who regularly visit the gossip well and drink the KoolAid because the celebrity magazines and websites keep dishing it out, regardless of whether it’s true. How can any self-respecting person continue to read Star after such a blatant error?

We’ll never know what really happened in these celebrity relationships and I’m ok with that. It’s none of our business.

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Posted in Celebrity Happenings, Fallen celebs, In the News, Pop Culture Trends

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New Dictionary Words: The F-Bomb Finally Gets Respect

Posted on August 15, 2012 | 1 comment

The good people who produce Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary have added 100 new words and expressions to their tome this week.

One of the best parts of writing is finding the perfect word for what I want to say. Doesn’t always happen, but I love the thrill of the hunt.

Many of the notable additions to our modern vocabulary are phrases now so commonly used, they warrant a spot in the most popular English dictionary. For 114 years, Webster’s has been studying words and how we use them. There are actual word detectives who do exhaustive research for years on where words start and how often they’re used in media, conversation, even on food labels.

Here are some of my favorite phrases of Webster’s 2012 edition. You may be surprised at the years they originated:

bucket list n (2006): Once it’s a movie starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman it’s gotta get a place in the dictionary.

cloud computing n (2006): The Geek Squad must be thrilled about this one.

earworm n (1802) : a song or melody that keeps repeating in one’s mind. This is a new one to me but I love it! Made popular by Stephen King when he wrote about waking up in the night with a song in his head that just wouldn’t leave.

energy drink n (1904): Can’t believe it took so long to make this one official. My kids have been guzzling Gatorade– claiming it gives them energy– for years.

e-reader n (1999):  I would not have believed an e-reader was possible in 1999 but now everyone I know has one.

life coach n (1986): Life coaches everywhere are breathing deeply and making a conscious decision to feel good about their now legitimized profession.

f-bomb n (1988): Apparently New York Mets catcher Gary Carter mentioned this delightful idiom in an interview in the 80’s but recent political discourse had also established the term, with Dick Cheney dropping an “F-bomb” on the Senate floor in 2004. Classy.

aha moment– n (1939): Sorry Oprah, you didn’t coin this phrase but I’ll give you credit for making it mainstream.

flexitarian n (1998): one whose normally meatless diet occasionally includes meat or fish…In other words, a picky eater with a built-in excuse.

man cave n (1992): Interior designers everywhere are collectively shuddering that the term has an official definition.

sexting n (2007):  The term’s only 5 years old, yet look how far it’s come and how much damage it’s caused.

tipping point n (1959): Thanks Malcolm Gladwell!

underwater adj (1672)  The definition for this new usage: having, relating to, or being a mortgage loan for which more is owed than the property securing the loan is worth. Sad reality of our present financial frailty.

brain cramp n (1982): What does this mean again?
Any words you think should be added next year? Tell me in the comments.

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Posted in Modern Life, Pop Culture Trends

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My Take on The Busy Trap

Posted on July 6, 2012 | 5 comments

There was a great opinion piece in the New York Times this week that may make you take a hard look at how you live your life. I dare you not to recognize yourself– even just a little– in writer Tim Kreider’s diatribe on why we’re all too busy.

The column made me laugh as he blatantly mocked me and all the busy people, who only have ourselves to blame for creating activities and events that keep us on the run day after day, like products on a factory conveyor belt.

Kreider says ” busyness serves as a kind of existential reassurance, a hedge against emptiness; obviously your life cannot possibly be silly or trivial or meaningless if you are so busy, completely booked, in demand every hour of the day. ”  He suggests people are busy “because of their own ambition or drive or anxiety, because they’re addicted to busyness and dread what they might have to face in its absence.”

Ouch.

I related to Kreider’s observation that people feel tense and guilty when they aren’t working or promoting their work.  When I quit my fulltime job as a TV news producer after more than 15 years, I was desperate to fill my days with legitimate activities. The idea of loafing around brainstorming, reading, or watching TV was abhorrent and– even though I was doing the hard work of raising three young boys–  I never could shake the feeling that I was playing hooky.

Five years later, my calendar is still packed with work commitments, volunteer duties, kids activity responsibilities, house projects, and errands galore. God forbid I just take some time to relax and recharge my battery.

It’s been difficult to figure out what I want to do with the next part of my life, mostly because I haven’t allowed myself the time to really ponder it in a thoughtful way. Who has the time to contemplate the future when I have to drive baseball carpool, write a blog post, water my garden, or run to the grocery store?

Krieder has high praise for idle time. So do I….in theory. But in practice, I can’t help but feel contrite and a bit antsy when I lay in our hammock and read a book.

Kreider argues that idleness is necessary to seeing a broader perspective, which can lead to inspiration and increased productivity. I know clearing my mind –whether it’s through meditation, yoga, exercise, daydreaming, or even a long quiet walk– always leads to new ideas, but it’s challenging to discipline myself to do it.

Last week, however, I fulfilled a dream and took my 12-year-old son, Jacob to Paris for a week.  In true French style, there was no hurrying as we walked the city’s various neighborhoods, stopping now and then for a crepe or gelato.  We sat in cafes to watch people and I drank wine at late lunches and dinners.

And guess what? Life did not seem meaningless even though it slowed  down. I noticed after a few days I wasn’t clenching my teeth and had increased energy. Due to the expense, I suspended internet service on my phone all week and didn’t have the twitchy need to check my email or Twitter 8 times a day. This left me time to think and be more aware of my surroundings.

I don’t agree with all Kreider’s points. It doesn’t sound like he understands the dynamics of raising kids and how much time they require, even without over-scheduling.  But much of the piece resonated with me.

The article is long so I’m sure many of you will be too busy to commit. If you can spare the time between activities, read it here.

Let me know what you think of his theory in the comments.

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50 Shades of Meh

Posted on May 10, 2012 | 7 comments

The cultural phenomenon surrounding E.L. James’ book, 50 Shades of Grey baffles me.  Who knew that all it took to awaken the libido of thousands of women was a handsome billionaire who dabbles in S & M?

 The erotic novel has struck a chord with women of all ages who apparently like the idea of a dude with a helicopter and a garage full of fancy sports cars controlling their every move.

As I’ve said before, I’m a joiner when it comes to pop culture trends so I wanted to see what all the excitement was about. I downloaded 50 Shades to my Kindle for my vacation read. (No one needed to know I was reading porn at the pool.)

Maybe it was all the hype, but I don’t get it.

The characters and plot are implausible at best, ridiculous at worst.  The protagonist—a young, pretty woman with the soap opera name Anastasia Steele—is graduating from college and we are supposed to believe she is a virgin who doesn’t have a laptop computer or smart phone. In comes the hero— 27-year-old entrepreneur Christian Grey– to save her from the rock she’s been hiding under. Really?!

The first book takes place over just a few weeks and despite his presumably busy schedule making million dollar deals and running a giant company, Christian manages to show up wherever Ana is, to make sure she’s not misbehaving. Hmmm.

It often felt like I was peeking at the daisy-covered journal of a high school girl experiencing her first crush.  The hackneyed writing is repetitive and made me cringe more than once. A search on my Kindle determined Ana says holy shit 56 times and crap 93.  If I had to hear about the “electric charge” between them once more, I might have electrocuted myself.

Of course, no one’s reading it for the eloquent prose. The curious want to check out the dirty parts.  James paces the many sex scenes well and does create a sense of suspense and passion between Ana and Christian. I was unfamiliar with the world of domination so the details about the expectations and practices were eye-opening.

But even the leather riding crops and fur gloves weren’t enough to overcome the cheesy story. I was not expecting fine literature but the tawdry writing and silly narrative were distracting to the flow of the story. I kept getting pulled out of the action by another eye roll-inducing line. Here’s one of Ana’s thought streams:

“Jeez, he looks so freaking hot. My subconscious is frantically fanning herself , and my inner goddess is swaying and writhing to some primal carnal rhythm. She’s so ready. I lick my lips instinctively. My blood pounds through my body, thick and heavy with salacious hunger. What is he going to do to me?”

Out of context, it’s almost funny, right?

Nearly everyone I know who has read 50 Shades has enjoyed it and immediately purchased the second and third books in the series. I guess I understand the escapism and the fantasy of that intense attraction– especially when you are either lonely, or have been with the same person for a long time (or sometimes both.)

I’m sure this post will make me wildly unpopular with those who have so willingly converted to Christi-Ana-ty. But there are about 20 other books on my night table that I would rather read. Maybe that makes me cynical or even prudish.  I prefer to think of it as selective.

For those of you who love the books and can’t wait for the movie, you can vote for who you think would be the best actors for the roles of Ana and Christian when the lusty lovers hit the big screen here.

And check out this hilarious “Saturday Night Live” spoof of women enjoying the book perhaps too much here.

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Posted in Book Reviews, Pop Culture Trends

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