Beauty

I have a new love and appreciation for the show Golden Girls. I had a friend in college who just adored the show and while I thought it was funny, I never could really get behind it. Currently it is for sure my favorite show to watch. It's especially funny if you have ever been to Minnesota and, like me, hold ridiculous and slightly untrue stereotypes of that lakey state close to your heart. I just think every time I watch an episode I come away a little wiser, or at least have a good saying to live by. This one in particular stood out in my mind the other day. I can't even remember the context anymore, I just remember the mom saying, "You get old, you sag, get over it."
BRILLIANT! Dear America, I wish you could take this to heart. Your boobs, chin, and eyelids do not make you a person. Just think if we put all the energy we use making ourselves pretty into learning another language, or doing anything a little more productive how awesome we could be! I know, I know, you love America because well, we're America and that's what we do. Does anyone else think we're on a downward spiral of loving beauty more than brains? There are so many of us who are so unaware of the world around us and the things that are happening across the globe. Sure, we watch the news or political TV and get snippets but what do we really know?

When I came home from Ireland I would talk about Northern and the Republic being two different countries and almost everyone I spoke to had no idea that, that was the case! I'm only saying this because I'm guilty. I would rather sit down and watch Food Network then study cultural revolutions and bloody massacres that are happening across the globe. It's easier that way. Easy is exactly the problem. I think it's hard to know the suffering and injustice that happens in the world.

And even in America, according to the National Adult Literacy Survey, 42 million adult Americans can't read; 50 million can recognize so few printed words they are limited to a 4th or 5th grade reading level (http://www.nrrf.org/essay_Illiteracy.html). I actually found that whole essay pretty interesting if you want something to read.

Anyway, I think this is just a rant because I have always felt very out of the international loop, and whenever I meet someone from another country that have this awesome handle on government and politics and all sorts of knowledge from across the world. I guess I personally feel like a slacker, but I think my slight disinterest has to do with the culture I grew up in.

I got very off topic from aging graciously. This isn't actually where I was planning on going with this at all. Oh well, next time I'll give you something funny about sagging boobs and balls.