‘Just Noticing’: Observations Of A Blogger
Posted by Michelle Moquin on June 20th, 2010
‘Just noticing’…
- …I get messages on Facebook and in my e-mail from men and women who want to talk to me…want to get to know me better. I tell everyone the same thing: “Blog me.” Women seem to get it. The men? They don’t.
- …Why is it when Obama gets tough, the media says he’s going black. They mark him as just an angry back man. But when a white man get tough they’re just getting tough.
- …That when the bombing of Baghdad began in August 2003, Bush said, “I think playing golf during a war sends the wrong signal.” Yet recorde show that he played golf for up to two months after the bombing. No one said anything to Bush; no one made remarks. And yet when Obama takes a day off to clear his mind and relax…play a game of golf, the media gets on his case big time.
Okay, let me just pause here and make a comment. I know that my write is to ‘just notice’, but I have to judge these last two because this kind of thing is just plain racist. But hey, I don’t think I am judging… a fact is a fact and this to me is factually racist…in my opinion. (I know, I just said an oxymoron. :)
‘Just Noticing’…
- …That when I watched the new ‘Sex And The City II’ movie, Samantha, not to mention the rest of the girls, were not quite true to their characters when it came to addressing the Muslim women while on their trip in Abu Dhabi. In the scene where Samantha is caught kissing in public on the beach, the man who was planning on doing business with Samantha found out. And when he did, he changed his mind and decided he no longer wanted to do business with Samantha. A true-to-character Samantha would’ve refused to do business with him. (My explanation to come.)
- …And furthermore…that same man, took away their carte blanche privileges at his hotel because of the kissing incident, but…and this is a big but, although Samantha broke the law, he allowed them to stay as long as they paid their way for their remaining visit. Notice how the hotel owner no longer wants to do business with her, but he isn’t going to lose all around. Oh no, it is perfectly alright if the girls want to stay because it benefits him: Money in his pocket.
Again, I have to pause and make a comment. I am so disappointed in parts of the script of this movie. I think of how many young girls are watching and the messages that they are getting from these four girls that they so much want to emulate. Unfortunately it is the wrong message.
This movie had the opportunity to be so powerful for young women. It had the opportunity to show how women can be strong, seize their rightful and equal place in this world beside men, and expose the second class treatment of women in the Middle East. Yet they chose to lead it into the direction that it is okay for women to be treated second class. It is okay for men to refuse to do business with a woman because a simple kiss in public is breaking the law, and yet on the other hand, it is okay that we as Americans do business with countries whose women are controlled, abused and enslaved by their men. Again, both instances are portrayed as okay, as long as it benefits him: Money in his pocket.
Samantha, Carrie, Charlotte and Miranda are girls girls through and through…they always have been. But the writer blew it when the girls didn’t do what I expected of them. Especially Samantha. Wouldn’t it have been more in character for Samantha to refuse to do business with the hotel owner (instead of him refusing her), knowing that women are considered second class citizens?
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think Samantha is now just discovering how women are treated in the Middle East. She wasn’t born yesterday – But now she has had the opportunity to see how women are treated firsthand by visiting Abu Dhabi and witnessing men’s behavior. Would you ever think that Samantha would accept such treatment towards women from men, not to mention do business with the likes of such men? Never.
There was a few other scenes in that movie that I ‘just noticed’ that were out of character and sent a disappointing message, but I’ll wait patiently to hear from you and see if what I noticed, you did too. :) Hint Hint: ‘The pool scene’, and ‘Designer clothing’.
Speaking of Patience…
Teddy: Luscious Zen Lill is on the way. Tomorrow I’ll make your day. :)
Jackie: I have barely made it to three years here; ten seems so far away. But thank you for your faith. I hope that I can have some sort of good influence in many ways via this blog.
Homer: I have travelled to your beloved country quite a few times, however I haven’t had the pleasure of visiting Patras. Greece has a very special place in my heart, and for some reason love has always been a part of it. I travelled there with friends, when I was younger, and Doug asked me to marry him while we were visiting the island of Patmos.
And if I were single, you would not need to come to America – I could be easily wooed with the temptation of the beauty and heat of Greece alone; it is one of my most fave places to ‘just be’, and some day I will go back. :) So thank you for the open invite and the honorary membership in your Macedonia Society. How delightful.
In regards to my passions; I have many passions. And you’re correct; when I put my mind, and heart, into something, I am pretty relentless about getting it. I am not always successful but I do give it my all.
Lastly, no apologies necessary -happy to give good wet dreams from afar. :) However, in regards to your little lie, what was the point? I am sure that you knew Athena would be reading. Busted, bad boy. And I hope you didn’t stand her up for lunch too. Note: Girls pay attention and take note how boys treat their girlfriends. So I’m ‘just noticing…’
Athena: Let’s face it, men lie, women lie, people lie. I’m not giving Homer an excuse – you seem like good friends. There was no reason for him to lie to you. (Are you reading Homer?) How was lunch? I hope you were not alone.(Are you reading Homer?)
Anyway Athena, I love your name. Athena – beautiful. I don’t know if that is your real name or your blog moniker, but somehow I bet you are quite the goddess, and all that goes along with that name. :)
Peace and love to both of you. I am aware of the recent economic crisis in Greece – I hope that your country is on its way to a better place for all.
Readers: Anything you’re ‘just noticing’? Blog this BABE.
See everyone tomorrow. Peace out.
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my ‘loyal’(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
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June 20th, 2010 at 9:51 am
Yes, Michelle Athena is very beautiful. That is her problem. She is so used to getting her way because of her beauty that she takes for granted the affections of ordinary looking guys like me.
If my father wasn’t a well known billionaire, she wouldn’t give me the time of day. I am 27. She is 23. We meet at my restaurant because she eats free there. Lunch is always on me.
Why should I have to be there? She takes her friends and eats free. I will soon tire of this treatment and move on. Two years is enough.
June 20th, 2010 at 11:15 pm
Hmmm, Noticed long ago that ordinary looking men and women with large hearts become very attractive to a Mentally and emotionally healthy counterpart whereas surface beauty without a loving and compasssionate heart to back it up become lackluster over time. Money can come and go as well…finding happiness with another is rarely about beauty and money though having a bit if each is nice : )
I didn’t hear one good review about Sex and the City 2, now that I read above I’m not sure I want to bother.
G’night, Zen Lill
June 21st, 2010 at 1:26 am
Michelle
The women in my office couldn’t agree with you more. We all thought that Samantha was just going to take the man’s money. We never thought that she would do business with the creep.
Carol
June 21st, 2010 at 1:29 am
We have had the chance to sneak a look at the movie here in Cairo. We are passing your comments on the movie to everyone we know. Especially the point about western men willing to do business with muslin men who treat us like cattle.
June 21st, 2010 at 1:42 am
I am a man who practices Islam. I switched from the Shia to Sunni because I thought I could remain a Muslim by leaving the practice of making the State a religious one.
But, I have found that the religion is merely an excuse to use the name of God to justify the way we treat our women.
I have 4 daughters and 1 son. I am the only male in a family of 6 sisters. Recently my second born daughter ran away to live with her aunt in France.
The reason because she could not live as a human being in my country.
I do not have the strength to stand up for her here because it could mean death for me and my family. But I support her and I will be sending the other three to live with her.
Of course I will lose face because I will have to say that they ran away. I will not be able to tell my son as he is a profound believer in the Koran.
I hope you will continue to give women your support. My daughters enjoy your blog. I find it a peaceful resort to the feelings that disturb my breast when i see how my country treats more than half its citizens.
B.
June 21st, 2010 at 2:23 am
Homer, if you had asked me I would have told you how I felt about you. But like an immature male you hang out with your “boys” and pretend to be so self assured.
Now you get on the web and tell the world that I am a self centered woman because I recognize the benefits of being beautiful.
Why do you feel that it is okay for you to benefit from your money while being ordinary looking but it is not okay for me to benefit from my beauty while having only ordinary money?
If you had asked me to marry you before trying to get into my pants, I might have said yes. So far you have spent most of your time trying to impress me with your wealth and spying on me to discover if I have slept with anyone you know.
I may be in your eyes a dumb blond, but I am and have been aware of you since I was 16. You are notorious for bedding the local beauties and then passing them on to your friends.
If you wish to bed me, you will have to marry me first. And yes I will be marrying you as much for your money as you are marrying me for my beauty.
And yes time is running out for you to ask me. I, too, feel that two years to wait for a man to show that he wants me in a serious way is about long enough.
I will continue to dine at your restaurants with my friends as long as you put out in the hopes of bedding me.
But I will not wait much longer because others who have maybe not as much money but more sense not to let a woman like me get away have made their desires known.
And as Michelle said you knew that I and my friends would be reading this. Yet, you used my real name and hid yours, Philippe.
What does it say that as you hide behind your fathers money you also hide behind his name?
It is not your looks that you need to be concerned about. You would do better to worry about the image you exhibit in the character department.
I turned you on to Michelle’s blog to help you develop in that department and you use my attempt to improve your husband opportunities in my eyes to flirt with Michelle.
But as you discovered she is a woman’s woman and as such she put you gently in your place. You should be more concerned about our character than your looks.
You would be lucky if I could overlook your character deficiencies and accepted your marriage proposal should you decide in time to ask me.
Two years to wait for an adult boy to become a man is enough. You will not have to wait to tire of my treatment of you, I have already grown tired of your treatment of me.
Philippe aka Homer I am moving on.
Oh, thank you again, this lunch is delicious.
Athena
June 21st, 2010 at 2:32 am
Thank you Michelle for reminding some of us of the two faced way Obama is treated and evaluated because he is black.
My niece asked me to peek in every now and then on your blog a few months back. I have become addicted and I read it every day.
Although I have been tempted in the past, this is my first time commenting. All your points were well taken. My firm deals with the Middle East.
I honestly never thought about the consequences of dealing with people who treat more than half their population with such cruelty.
But I would ask you if you apply the same consciousness to the items you buy from China?
Your computer may very well be made from parts made in China. So you see it is not always so easy to stop dealing with one with a different political view.
Hamilton
June 21st, 2010 at 2:34 am
Zen lill
I have a very large heart and it will most certainly become larger when I get to see more of you.
June 21st, 2010 at 2:37 am
I couldn’t agree with you more Michelle on both accounts. White america seems bent on belittling Obama because they cannot stand having a black man appear to be equal to a white.
I am a black woman. I resent every day what my children have to hear from white anchors who delight in dissing Obama because he is black.
Flo
June 21st, 2010 at 2:45 am
I am a black man who only started voting when President Obama began running for the Presidency. I didn’t believe he had a chance. But I did everything I could to help him win.
When my sister called to tell me that she knew he was going to win because Michelle was giving an order to her Girlz to make it so. I laughed and asked her who Michelle was.
She sent me your link. I read it and wept. I didn’t believe it but I wept for the thought of us as black people being able to recognize the dream of having one of us lead the nation that only brought our forefathers here to be their slaves.
I wept again when he was elected and I promised God that I would read you as long as you published your blog. God bless you because everyday you make statements that cause the reader to pause for reason.
This 29 year old attorney to be has your back.
Glen
June 21st, 2010 at 2:47 am
Michelle
All women who suffer from a society perpetuated by men to keep us their sex slaves owe you a big thank you for keeping our plight before the world.
Qin
June 21st, 2010 at 2:51 am
Zen Lill
The movie is still worth a watch. It as Michelle said has some logic problems. But it is still a very good movie when compared to some of the other choices we as women are presented with.
Besides as it was pointed out, we do not know if Samantha was taking advantage of a free fun for all for her and her friends.
Tracy
June 21st, 2010 at 2:54 am
Michelle
As you said the men were not so concerned about the behavior of western women that they would not take their money and allow them to exhibit their non Koran dress and behavior while they stayed in their over priced hotels.
Typical hypocrisy
Juanita
June 21st, 2010 at 2:58 am
Philippe aka Homer you would be an ass and a fool to let that woman get away. If I could move to Greece, I would bring her home to Ireland. The Republic of Ireland that is.
Athena I have no knowledge, but your words of wisdom are beautiful.
Victor
June 21st, 2010 at 2:59 am
Frankly, I didn’t get that alien joke. Anyone care to explain it.
June 21st, 2010 at 8:22 am
Athena, you tell em’ darlin’ : ) your words make sense and it seems Phillipe has his own motives for women anyway, so would a proposal from a man like this be worth accepting? Money if that amount will be valuable even after a break up but would you want kids with someone like that? I’m not assuming you want kids at all but they will pay emotionally and so will you. You sound intelligent as well as beautiful -Matbe you could find another billionaire and let this one go…?
Jackie, sweet sentiment. I’m looking forward to Mischas creativity with the ZL pic, I sure usedcreatuvity to take the shot.
I didn’t say much about the way Obama is dealt with in the press yesterday but mostly bc I an apalled at the underlying racist tone in almost every report. I often ask people I know if it, racism, would end if aliens suddenly showed up : ) and equality was just a given due to our new um invaders…theymay not answer but it brings pause to the convo. Ocassionally illl get asked if I believe in aliens – you know my answer.
Caio, love, Zen Lill
June 23rd, 2010 at 8:19 am
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