Moment Of Zen: Peanut Butter Porn

Happy National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day!

Enjoy….

MMMmmmm.

Hello Peanut Butter Man.

 

That movie has some of the best all-time lovemaking scenes. I’m not crazy about sex scenes in movies (most of them offend my senses like nails on a chalkboard) but this one?

Absolutely scintillating.

The scenes are plot-advancing, not salacious or excessive. The camera angles, the lighting, the acting, the gorgeous couple (how is Claire so perfect?)… pure class.

The scenes are emotional, tasteful and, well.. super hot.

Like whoa.

Brad Pitt.

Peanut Butter.

Happy Friday.

• Just now as I’m typing this I just realized that in my last post I mentioned peanutbuttercock and now I write this? Just….. lol… I have no words.
  Typical me. This blog writes itself.
  I PROMISE I’m not hiding some sick fetish or anything…

• How will you be celebrating Peanut Butter Lover’s Day tonight? (Because if you’re not I don’t wanna know)

I haven’t eaten PeaBee since last Tuesday (what the whaaa??) and so tonight I will either be spooning with it, putting down on a pickle or rocking PBJ Flat Out style like here..

or maybe on bread (gasp!).

Let me just be honest, probably all three with the way I’ve been at it of late. ◔_◔

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Moment of Zen: Boys Build, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Just a little Moment Of Zen….
Where I think aloud. On the internets. Welcome to my brain.

LEGOS.

One of the BEST.TOYS.EVER.

EVer.

Durable, Versatile, Educational, Creative….oh goodness I could go on. LEGOS has endured the test of time in the toy market. Not a small feat by any means, just trust me.

The advent of the many and multi-fold LEGO sets and kits? PURE genius as they create demand for more of the product. No longer are children content with the basic set.

It’s AWESOME. I have watched my nephew build countless things and it is so great to see his brain engaged for hours along with focused attention. His pride upon completion? Priceless.  

One thing – LEGO started to miss 50% of the market. Girls just…grow out of LEGOs ways before the boys. Hmmm..

So – in a strategy that I believe is quite brilliant yet only time will prove – LEGOS decided to go after the girls with  this:

LEGO Friends.

They’re …..getting their hair done and decorating the house and partying! Weeeee…. It’s like Real LEGO Housewives. The Hills of LegoLand. Not trying to get all serious though – again, the marketing geek in me approves 100%

It makes sense but …”I couldn’t help but wonder…”

….wouldn’t it be so cool if in today’s market all they had to do to attract girls was feature more girls in the commercials in a girls bedroom? Not building spaceships, transformer and Star Wars Replicas but………. but…but what? 

Then I started thinking….what else would entice the girls of 2012? Amusement Parks came to mind. Zoos? A school?

Um…I got nothing. Nothing that would sell as much as the gender-stereotyping-little-girl-grown-fast  “Friends.”

And that is …just what it is.

Times….they are a changing.

 

***Not trying to make a statement or cast judgment or whatever – they have a tree house and a cafe….whatever. I’m not saying this is sexist or anti-fem. It just sort of perpetuates this whole thing where 9 year olds start putting LV bags on their Dear Santa lists along with $150 jeans, hair extensions, and tank tops that say “Too Hot” on them. That should not start till…maybe middle school. LOL. Even then .. “My Super Sweet Sixteen” …..oh boy.

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Moment of Zen: You Can Find Joy in the Scale

Twas the night before Christmas and what did I see?

The first commercial signaling the New Year to be.

I let out a giggle and then I just sighed.

Lets tighten our belts and enjoy the ride!

On Diets, On Treadmills, On Low-Carb, and Cheat Days

On Fat-Free, on South Beach, On Alli and the latest craze!

Although I didn’t actually write that until just now. I actually have no idea where that came from. It just came out.

On Christmas Eve I just giggled and sighed and thought “It’s On.”

I saw the first of what I knew would be an onslaught of diet and fitness marketing that occurs every year.

I was amused because I imagined a lot of people would take issue with a theme of the commercial. I haven’t heard a peep though.

I FINALLY found the spot online to share with you:

You can find joy in the scale.

My thoughts?

I’m not getting my ED panties all up in a wedge over this. Not at all.

(I actually have this magnet on my fridge)

 

The fact is people CAN gain joy, freedom, and confidence as part of their weight loss journey. The fact is we DO have an obesity epidemic in this country and a national norm of compulsive eating.

 

Weight loss does not guarantee perfect health or happiness, it is not an answer to depression or insecurity. This commercial doesn’t promise that.

And some people? Well, we get sick and develop eating disorders. Maybe we start to believe the ONLY way to get joy is from the scale. Maybe it started as a diet. Maybe not.

But we don’t “catch” eating disorders from Special K commercials.

I give props to Special K for marketing weight loss using an appeal OTHER than aesthetics, swimsuits and skinny jeans.

Special K gets WAY under my skin with their commercials, so I’m actually surprised I’m Ok with this one. I mean…their models never EVER need to lose much weight. Or any.

I wish they had obese people jumping up and down in the commercial above, but obese people (apparently) only belong on reality TV. I guess. Whatever. It’s Fine.

It’s a normal-people world and we’re just living in it.

Does it send a WRONG message? Depends how you look at it.

Does it send a POSITIVE message? I think so, no matter how you look at it.

 

That is all.

Please weigh in. <—Pun Intended and Enjoyed Thoroughly.

PS-

I have not seen this particular commercial again but I have seen other spots from the campaign. These other spots kind of elaborate more on the theme of the campaign and I think they do much more in promoting a culture that embraces weight loss for it’s emotional and health benefits rather than the perfect number and size. They use a women on the street approach with more dialogue that shows our anxiety over a number and then surprises us.

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Moment of Zen: Hip Hop Saved My Life

You should watch this. (If you want). Please?

How awesome is that?

I relate to this kid. Big time.

Hip Hop moves me in many ways, depending on the track, the artist, the mood, the styling.

But one thing is for certain. I can always depend on some quality hip hop to flip my frown and find my sparkle.

Yes, I’d be “that white blonde girl” in my minivan with the fish decal on the back jamming to a song like this:

—>Click here if ya want, but be warned* <—

PS – Title of this post is a shout out to Lupe Fiasco, check this track out here <—– (if you want).

*This song is actually one of my favorites. I find the over-the-top nastiness to be hilarious for some reason (not sorry) This is quite a departure from my typical hip-hop preferences, though. In fact, I wouldn’t even call that hip-hop.

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Moment of Zen: Blog Fog

Continuing my “Week Of Zen” I encourage you to follow my instructions.

Click on the image below and……

(source for image)

Did you do it? Did ya?  Sigh. Here’s you second chance….

Are you back? So soon? You mean you didn’t finish?

To be honest, I didn’t either. But it’s cool, huh? Makes you think.

Why’s it difficult to sit still for two minutes and just be? 

I’ve been feeling God’s gentle beckon for me to “unplug.” I can’t seem to argue with Him when I find myself reading about a stranger’s bowl of oatmeal (again) or the new shirt they bought. My eyes start to glaze over. I scroll. Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about.

It’s Blog Fog.

Think of all the blog posts you’ve taken two minutes of your time to read. Now ask yourself…”Why?”

Would your time be better spent staring at the waves? Relaxing?

I encourage you to take a grand inventory of the blogs you read. Examine what you like about them. Ask yourself “Why am I reading this?”

Keep reading the blogs you enjoy. The rest of them? Hit the unsubscribe button. There’s no shame in it.

Everything’s Zen.

 

Edited to add- I actually cleared my Google Reader some time ago. Incredibly liberating.

If I read your blog and you write about oatmeal or t-shirts it’s because I love you and your blog no matter what you write about. I just had a bunch of blogs in my Reader that I never commented on, never got a real “feel” for the writer and I would find myself skimming their blogs after I read all my favorites (i.e. yours). That’s what I mean by blog fog. I recognized in hindsight this could come across negatively and that is NOT my intention.

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Moment of Zen: Freedom

My Mom thinks everyone needs to see this video.

“It just uplifts your spirits! We’re Free! We’re Free!” <–Her words.

Cameras captured Chimpanzees getting their first glimpse of daylight after being in a laboratory their whole lives.

Watch. Please. I beg you. (If you want).

——> Here is the link <——I can’t get it to embed.

The first chimp turns and embraces the others. How frickalickin cute is that?

Their excitement, amazement and joy are almost palpable. Can’t you feel it?

Do you see their smiles? Can you feel their gratitude?

They’re free. They’re alive. Life is pretty neat.

Perhaps one day I’ll have my own moment of freedom in the sun after being released from the bondage I am living in.

PS- Animal testing kind-of sucks.

PPS- This may be a week of Zen.

You can see more on uTube if it tickles your fancy.

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Moment of Zen: My Flaws are Flawless?

I’m an advertising and marketing lover. Yup. I watch TV commercials for sport – it’s the only reason I watch the Super Bowl.

Fruit of the Loom’s recent commercial is just one example of my habit.

I watch. I ponder. I analyze.

Have you seen this one?

On the surface, it seems this commercial is selling positive body image. Nothing wrong with that, right?

BUT why does the commercial “work”?

It “works” because the women featured are – well, they stand out. They aren’t what we’re accustomed to seeing. Because they are… flawed in society’s eyes? I guess? How sad.

Can you imagine the campaign pitch? “A large curvy women enters and proclaims…”

I feel the commercial subliminally perpetuates that “body flaws” exist. It acknowledges, in a way, that there is an ideal body.

The underlying message of defiance— in my mind–implies guilt. That’s not healthy.

Why not use “plus size models” and just sell underwear full stop? Why call attention to their flaws or lack thereof?

Besides…at the end of the day? Those women are flawless.

Would the commercial “work” if we saw women like this declaring their flawless factor?

I don’t think that would sell much underwear.

• Any thoughts?

 

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Moment of Zen: PETA Porn

I like PETA, but I’m no card-carrying member. I’m not 100% vegetarian.

I’m also not a fan of PETA’s guerrilla tactics and over-the-top protests. They seem wasteful and lascivious most of the time.

I mean, let’s face it. It’s a naked chic. Most men will check her out and proceed to the nearest hot-dog stand (or make their own hot-dog stand. Sorry, I couldn’t resist.)

Point being: The message gets lost.

However, for the most part, I’m down with PETA. I don’t like animal cruelty, I agree with many of the their messages (if not the delivery) and they’re not hurting anyone, right?

Hmmm….

I’ve been wondering if PETA’s racy communiqués aren’t just another cog in the media machine that is perpetuating fat bias.

Is PETA just adding to the media soiree encouraging women to diet while promoting vegetarianism as a weight-loss tool*? 

*A controversial and problematic claim but don’t get me started.

Not to mention objectifying women in the process. Because being vegetarian is sexy. Everyone wants to be sexy.

PETA seems to like using sex to sell.

All of this is standard marketing and advertising ammunition. PETA is not alone in employing these techniques. Why? They work.  #nothatingplayerhatinggame

However, when an advertisement is more accusatory and hurtful than anything else it only spreads negativity.

The message is lost. These ads do more damage than they do good.

Shock value isn’t always the best bargaining currency. You know, catching more flies with honey than vinegar and all that.

I can imagine a few Mom’s seeing this billboard and pulling their mini-vans into the nearest drive-thru for pit-stop just for spite. #tickedoffmamas

And if you were a kid in that mini-van would eating a hamburger take on new meaning? Would your Happy-Meal become a Guilty-Meal?

Would you automatically associate eating a hamburger with being fat –or worse, eating ANYTHING with being fat?

Just some random thoughts.

Care to add any?

 

 

 

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Moment of Zen: Shape-Up Little Girl?

Shape-Ups.

We’ve all seen them. Ridiculous looking shoes delivering the promise of…well, what exactly are they promising?

Is it good health or something more?

Watching this video makes me wonder…..

Screw it…I know what they’re “promising.”

Whatever the promise,  they are now marketing them for little girls.  

This is causing controversy.

In light of the Abercrombie padded bikini debacle I understand the concern. I mean, really?

Little girls absorb the messages society sends.

They’ve seen the sexy commercials. They hear the Moms talking (if they’re lucky not their own Moms). They know Kim Kardashian’s buttocks are coveted. (By who?)

Let’s face it - little girls are kind-of screwed.

It’s up to us to change things, and the best way to do that is start with YOU (Me). Sometimes we need to say:

“Aw, hail Nah!!”

The commercial for little girls is fairly innocuous. I mean, unless you count the fact that “she’s got the height” and “looking good” and evidently leaving cupcakes, hotdogs, and an ice cream cone in her wake (watch it again if you missed it) as she proceeds to “get everything a girl wants.” 

*ahem*

Yet…sometimes I think we need to relax.

The company says they are simply promoting exercise. (Yet not in the commercial, obviously).

What about the little guys? Don’t they need health too?Sketchers explains they are marketing for girls first, just as  they did for women. If demand proves lucrative they’ll roll out the product for little boys (Yeah, not gonna happen).

I don’t know how to feel. However, I am not outraged. Uncomfortable, yes. Outraged? No.

Part of me is just…accepting. It is what it is.

Is that sad?

Society dishes the stuff we demand. We eat it up with a spoon. Cyclically, we swallow what society dishes. Unless, of course, we start to think for ourselves.

The change needs to start with us.

Capitalism, consumerism, marketing…it’s what I studied in school and I’m pretty much a nerd about it. I love analyzing this stuff.

Your thoughts?

PS – I really love the little girl’s Twinkle Toes. Why can’t they market them for women???

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*Moment of Zen* Pop that Pig

I caught this commercial while waiting for my favorite Sunday Morning program to begin:

(go ahead and pretend like you don’t watch cartoons every once in a while)

 

In light of the horrendous childhood obesity epidemic, I couldn’t help but wonder…..Seriously?

*I’m not trying to make this more than what it is – just a children’s game. However, sometimes you gotta stop and say: what the….what??*

PS- What can’t you find on YouTube? 

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