A Mother's Balancing Act

Creeper at the Movies

OK, is it just me, or is it weird for a guy to go to the movies, by himself, with the intent of picking up women?

Creepers. Yuck!

So, my High School Daughter (HS Girl) and I went to a movie the other night (Super 8 - which was great, by the way), and we decided to stop in line at the concessions. We were third in line and discussing what to get.

Balanced Babe: Mmm...I haven't had popcorn in forever. We have to get some.

HS Girl: I don't like movie popcorn...it's too salty.

BB: How could you not like movie popcorn? It's the best...it's so bad for us...but I don't care. Yum-oh.

HS Girl: I want something sweet.

BB: (whispering) I have M&M's...

Just then, Creeper (directly in front of us) turns around and grins leers at us. He has to kind of peer up at us - me, 5'11, and HS Girl, towering above him in all of her own teen stretched out glory, complete with braid down to her waist.

BB: Uh...helloo??

Creeper: I like to listen.

BB: Uh, yes...? (expecting him to utter some sort of excuse or apology for eavesdropping)

Creeper: And I've always loved tall women, so I couldn't help myself...

HS Girl: (eyes wide, smirk on her face, speechless)

BB: OKayyy...

Creeper turns back around.

HS Girl: (whispering) Flash your wedding ring!!! (explodes into a flood of giggles...)

Can I just say, "Not ok, Creeper Dude. Not ok." And as far as I'm concerned, he wasn't necessarily focused on me. My daughter was oblivious, but she can easily be taken for older than her 16 years. He could have been hitting on either one of us. In the end, her laughter shamed him on his creeper's way.

But, YUCK!

This is why women never, ever, ever, ever want to go to the movies alone...God forbid. Reminds me of the old Mad TV skit... "Can I Have Your Number?" Hilarious. In that case, the "creeper" was played by a young woman, dressed as a young man. Too funny.

Balanced Babe - Molly Wendland

Beyaz...a lot of B.S.?

Have you seen the ads for Beyaz birth control? This campaign is wrong on so many levels...truly, my first reaction was one of irony/humor. Did the gurus in Bayer's mammoth marketing department honestly not realize that the name sounds like they are saying "B.S" over and over? Seriously?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdSmXKRqFHM 

(Note: Apparently this link is no longer functional in the normal sense, but if you copy and paste it into a new browser, it does work...it really is worth it...talk about an inane commercial.) 

But on a much deeper level, the women in this ad are portrayed as if they are a pack of materialistic Stepford wives on a mission to find their next shopping conquest. Will it be:

• A trip to Paris
• A new dream house
• A graduate degree
• A dream guy (um, yeah...)

All while they coyly wave off the cute little stork carrying a wrapped up bundle of "un-joy".

The commercial is demeaning to women and the committed relationships that we cultivate. Shame on Bayer for promoting their product via this shallow, showy advertising.

Balanced Babe (Molly Wendland)

 

Grown Men and GI Joe's

My cousin sent me this pic...I'm not sure of the original source, but my hat is off to the photographer. OK, yes, I know. It's not politically correct...but hey, maybe the squirrel was merely road kill. Right?

Men and their toys...ya' gotta' love 'em.