Charlotte's Crazy

Zig the joker

2010-10-01T20:01:00.001+13:00

Ha ha ha

Aw, isn't Ziggy getting big...

2008-11-06T17:18:00.003+13:00

Hehehe, this pic is classic :)

A special post...

2008-10-08T18:41:00.002+13:00

Just for my trolls... Whats up bitches ! I lub you snoochy poochies!!

Olympics!

2008-08-24T10:29:00.003+12:00

Hi all!!
Have you been watching the Olympics?
I don't have much to say about them except it is so cool to see such a variety of healthy womens bodies.
It kind of lets lay a lot of myths about health, fitness and the female form.
We see so many amazing atheletes and shock horror! They all look different!
There are the gazelle-like ladies of the high jump, the rotund powerful women of the shotput, the stocky and even stout water polo teams, the tiny, mighty forms of the gymnasts, there are older women giving it their all in events like archery and table tennis and have you seen the shoulders on the divers and swimmers? And how about all those muscles??
I love it all! Its sooo cool!

Here is an awesome post by one of my favourite bloggers Ren from Renegade Evolution on the abundance of female role models from the games.

My body is beautiful!

Bad blogger, bad!

2008-07-24T23:38:00.001+12:00

yeah yeah. I know. I suck.
Things are crazy busy around here recently though.
I hope you haven't forgotten about me! I'll get back into this blogging biz soon enough. Don't you worry :)

Here is one of my favourite things I thought I'd share with you in the meantime :)

Love yas!

July 8th 1982

2008-07-08T20:21:00.003+12:00

I was born! Yay for being born. Thanks mum. Thanks dad.

I'm 26... closer to 30 than to 20...I never thought this day would come. Honestly.

I'll post some pics tmrw.

xx
xx
the birthday girl, not in her birthday suit. yet.

What is consent?

2008-06-15T23:34:00.009+12:00

What is consent? It is an interesting question. One that likes to be debated. One that most people still don't seem to have a good grasp on. I was pondering this question the other day and was reading one of my old zines (i love zines) and a little slip of paper fell out from between the pages answering the question for me.
I cannot and I am not taking credit for this. But would like to copy it out onto here for you all to read because it kick ass! There was no author or anything on the piece of paper and I consider it to be a meme thats purpose is to be passed around and to provide information to its readers...

WHAT IS CONSENT?
Consent is an agreement that people must make if they want to have sexual contact. The issue of consent can be a complicated and ambiguous area that needs to be addresses with clear, open and honest communication. Keep these points in mind if you are not sure consent has been established:

All partners need to be fully concious and aware.
The use of alcohol or other substances can interfere with someone's ability to make clear desicions about the level of intimacy they are comfortable with. The more intoxicated a person is, the less they are able to give conscious consent.

All partners are equally free to act.
The decision to be sexually intimate must be without coercion. Both partneres must have the option to choose to be intimate or not. Both partners should be free to change "yes" to "no" at any time. Factors such as body size, previous victimization, threats to "put" someone, and other fears can prevent an individual from freely consenting.

All partners clearly communicate thier willingness and permission.
Willingness and permission must be communicated clearly and unambiguously. Just because a person fails to resist sexual advances does not mean that they are willing. Consent is not the absense of the word "no".

All partners are positve and sincere in their desires.
It is important to be honest in communicating feelings about consent. If one person states their desires, the other person can make informed decisions about the encounter.

CONSENT MEANS...

- you are never entitled.
- communicating.
- hitting on them before they're drunk.
- knowing your own boundaries and asserting them.
- asking if they want to be touched, and if yes, asking how.
- stopping in the middle of whatever you are doing if they say so.
- asking "Is this ok?" or "Do you like this?" throughout the experience.
- never assuming that just because they had sex (or a specific sex act) with you before, they want to do it with you again.
- being responsible.
- not punishing them because they won;t have sex with you.
- paying attention and stopping when you realise something is wrong.
- many different things to different people.
- enjoying yourself and your partner.
- more than what can be defined on a blog post.

"Lisa" ad...Blaming the victim... an update...

2008-06-15T22:55:00.007+12:00

So I was really, really pleased to find out a few weeks ago that I am not the only one who is mad about this ad campaign and who is blogging about it. I discovered a wonderful blog called The Hand Mirror (thanks Nikki).
The women on that blog were equally ouraged by this atrocious ad and started writing letters to ALAC and ASA asking for answers and for the ad to be pulled. They of course got basically the brush off from ALAC. The subject raised a lot of discourse on the site and many women came forward to share thier stories.
They started a Facebook group about it, which I encourage you to join.
The latest movement on the subject was that bFM did a whole show on it on their show The Wire. Which I thought was brilliant...
If you want to follow the whole saga HERE is a link that takes you to most of The Hand Mirrors posts about the "Lisa" ad, including links to the bFM podcasts of The Wire which are well worth listening to. Also from that link, they have link to other blogs in the NZ feminist blogsphere that have written on the subject. Check them out...

NOW, here is an interesting development. I was watching an old video tape today. I think it was from around 1997 (there was an ad for Men in Black ;)) and on those old video tapes are old ads. Well one of the first ones I spotted was an ALAC ad. Can you see where I am going with this??
The ad starts with a pair of teenage girls entering a typical wild teen party. They drink, they dance, they flirt, the action start to follow one girl in particular who is shown drinking more and more. She and a young man fall drunkenly into a bedroom, she ends up on the bed, the boy gets on top of her, she tries to fight him off but passes out...the ad shows the boy unzipping her dress at that point the ad pauses then rewinds to a shot of the girl having a drink and the words "Where's that drink taking you?" are emblazoned across the screen.

So again, 10 years earlier ALAC has already done this - created an advertising campaing that single-handedly blames the victim, alienates rape/sexual-assualt victims, and is bloody-mindedly sexist.
I can't seem to find this ad online anywhere or reference to it anywhere on ALAC's site. But after viewing it I remembered it and the other ones in the series (oh there is always a series).

No wonder rape/sexual assault is the most underreported crime in the country with messages like that being bandied about. Who wants to walk into the police station or hospital and here "You were drunk! You were asking for it!!" ?

I'm back!!!

2008-06-15T14:08:00.000+12:00

More tonight!! Yay I missed yoU!!!

Moving!!

2008-05-28T22:13:00.002+12:00

Dear faithful readers ;)

Me and the Z's are moving this weekend so I probably won't be able to update my blog too much til we are in the new house!
But don't forget about me! I will be back!
Here is a pretty picture to look at until I return.
Love yas!

Censoring myself...

2008-05-24T23:59:00.003+12:00

I learnt a lesson... don't blog when you've been drinking... ;)

I have a secret...

2008-05-24T23:47:00.003+12:00

I love Meatloaf...(the singer)

Hawt!

Great Quote

2008-05-22T19:53:00.003+12:00

One of my pet peeves is people who describe being gay/queer as a "lifestyle" or "lifestyle choice". Actually it makes me pretty angry. These reasons are obvious to you intelligent readers of my blog :)
Anyway, I was reading a Sacramento News & Review and there was a a short critique of the film "For The Bible Tells Me So" by columnist Kel Munger.

He hit the nail on the head with this quote from the review:

"Hint: Lifestyles are "active", "sedentary", "outdoorsy", "bookish", "organic", "sporty", or "high-tech" - things like that. Being gay? Thats life"

Ziggy Thursdays... (yay)

2008-05-22T19:44:00.003+12:00

So my boy is obssessed with my make-up. He can open my purse get my compact out andsmear the stuff all over his body in about 3 seconds flat. I have this one compact that is a lipstick/blush - the make-up is really red and quite staining. In the last week or so he has 'found' it 3 times and gotten in all over him. He appears to like rubbing it in his hair the best. But his hair is very blond so the make-up stains it pinky/red... Heres some pics of his handiwork!!

He did this himself. I promise you i did not dye my kids hair. On the upside he looks really, really cute. Especially when I put it in pigtails ;)

I am totally creeped out right now.

2008-05-20T22:40:00.002+12:00

Ok. This is freaky. I am sitting here typing this in my quiet house (the boys are in bed) and my keystrokes are giving me chills.

Heres the story. A few nights ago me and Zach were sitting around watching TV. I thought I heard something and turned the volume on mute. Yes, there was something. It was a faint musical toy sound. Playing over and over. You know the kind? Electronic, battery-operated, with a simple melody. I recognized the music but couldn't for the life of me attribute it to any of Ziggys toys. We and Zach had a look around and couldn't find where the sound was coming from. It was faint but you could definatly hear it. Over and over it played. Finally we gave up searching and turned the TV back on, thinking that it was probably from a toy we had forgotten about having - nappy brain and all that....

So tonight I was checking through our voicemail messages and checked the saved ones. Here is the creepy part. There is a message saved on my phone of the SAME MUSIC playing over and over again. There is nothing else, no one talking, nothing. It plays for about 2 minutes then the music/message stops. I remember getting it last week, thinking it was wierd but explainable and saving it. This is where I recognized the same tune from several nights later.

What is going on? I am quite freaked out about this. The music is so creepy and the fact that it seems to be haunting me!?!? Zach swears he is not playing a trick on me. I doubt somehow that my phone could have dailed up the voicemail and gotten into the saved messages and started playing that message by itself, so it can't be that.

I am trying to rational with my explanations for this happening but I am just getting the most scary feeling about it.

Its like something out of a horror movie. Seriously. This is wierd. What is going on????

The Business of Being Born

2008-05-20T00:28:00.003+12:00

I finally got to watch this movie last night. I thought it was an excellent film but also extremely scary. I am in the process of writing something about it. Just wanted to let you know ;)
In the meantime gaze at a pic of the glory that is a newborn Ziggy ;) (any excuse to post of picture of him really)

The internets sure are funny...

2008-05-20T00:07:00.004+12:00

Today I got flamed on one of the forums I frequent. Its usually not that big a deal when I get flamed. I can flame with the best of them. It was just unexpected as the atmosphere of said forum just doesn't really support flaming and fighting.

I'll tell you about it aye? There was a big long thread with people posting the things they would have hard time accepting about their child. Other than the obvious ones ie murdering, raping etc

The thread just did not sit right with me from the beginnning. It just seems like a useless endeavor. I don't know about you, but I have better things to do with my time than sitting around thinking about the things that I my child *could* do in the future that would dissapoint me. And even if I did think of these things I just can't get the point of posting them up on a message board for the world to see. There was no real discussion involved. Just list after list of peoples prejudices put in words and applied hypothetically to their children.

So anyway, I couldn't get this thread out of my mind. I thought about it all night. But tried my hardest to avoid it the next day. But there it was 9 pages long and still going strong. I HAD to say something. I did. I said kind of sarcastically that we should start a thread listing all the things we think our kids might have a hard time accepting about us. Just to illustrate the irony and pointlessness of it all.

WELL! I might as well of posted that they were all horrible parents whos babies were ugly!! I got called rude, obnoxious, told to leave, and admonished for using a 'rolling your eyes' smiley (the FIRST time I have ever used it).
I also got told that basically I am intolerant (HAH!) and not kind or gentle in my parenting (how THE FUCK would they know).

Someone also insulted my blog. NOOoooOOooOOO!! My precious blog. hehehe. Oh well. Each to their own I suppose. "Nice blog" is what was said, snarky-like. Hmmmm... Man some people can be real pieces of work doncha think? Insult me all you want but fuck off insulting my personal writing. You are just being immature.

The thread kind of ending after that (up with thread-killing) and we all kind of laughed at this EXCELLENT cartoon that was posted up near the end.

(thanks to xkcd.com for use of the image)

I should just not worry. And I'm not. I just thought it was kind of funny.

Friday Shortland St Roundup...

2008-05-17T08:48:00.003+12:00

Oh shit, I missed Friday night! What happened to Scotty?? I will have check out the StreetTalk site and their hilarious forums ;)
But here are my observations for the week none-the-less...

Hunter is a shmuck.

Is anyone else disappointed that Maia isn't breastfeeding? Or attached to her child in any way? Maybe she had PPD?

On the topic of Maia baby it is really starting to piss me off how everyone is saying how much he looks like Mark. He doesn't look a thing like Mark. They could of got a baby actor that looked a LITTLE like him don't you think?

What happened to Scotty? Can anyone fill me in??

WTF!! Another fucking thing that has to be pretty?!?!?

2008-05-16T10:56:00.004+12:00

I am so annoyed right now. Why? I just saw the stupid Dove Deodorant "sleeveless ready" ad.
Goddamnitt, is there no end to the things we females are 'supposed' to make look pretty to mingle with general society. I have NEVER heard of 'sleeveless ready' before and I have read A LOT of Cosmos. Are thier people that actually won't wear a singlet in public becuase they don't think their underarms are nice enough?
Or is this another clever marketting device targetting womens low self-esteem about their bodies?
So now after my boob job, tummy tuck, botox and lip job. After my mani, pedi and facial. After my high heeled shoes and gym membership I am supposed to fucking make my armpits look lovely before donning after a tank top!???!?

I like my armpits big and bushy so perhaps I am missing something. But seriously. Have you ever even thought about being 'sleeveless ready'??

It is also a let-down as I quite like Dove and the efforts they are making through their Campaign for Real Beauty and their Self-Esteem Fund. But this seems like it really going in the oppisite direction.

Ladies our slef-esteem does not reside in our armpits. Although I did used to be proud flashing around my pits when they were nice and hairy ;)

YAY!! Civil Right Victory in California!!

2008-05-16T10:15:00.004+12:00

The California Supreme Court has ruled that gay marriage is legal in California! This is great news! One day everyone will have to right to marry the person they love. I am glad California has taken this step, I hope more will follow.

Here is a link to an article about the ruling in the San Fransisco Chronicle

and here is a link to the courts 172 page ruling!
(thanks to Dylan for the heads up and link)

Ziggy Thursdays

2008-05-16T10:02:00.003+12:00

ok, ok, I know I'm a day late, but the boy has been sick and I have been tired out as a result. I'll post a couple extra pics to make up for it :)

Two words: Moon Boots...

Theres no gravity on the moon...

He made me put the boots on him btw. He is in love with shoes of any description at the moment. "Choos!"

Yesterday we went to the museum. It was so cool. He was cute, he wanted to free all the specimens from the perspex cases. He just loved it. Here is one of him checking out a tank full of live cockroaches! ewwwww!!

Fun with Black Lights

2008-05-12T12:47:00.002+12:00

Cherry Luv

+ Dirt Track

= Dirty Luv

Guess what I got for Mothers Day?

2008-05-12T08:49:00.005+12:00

A baby that learnt how to say "No"! And it all begins...

UPDATE: here's a vid I just snapped of King Ziggy saying "no". Its really cute and quick and funny. Check it out. For some reason he just doesn't like our Hans Solo doll. ;)

Friday Shortland St Roundup...

2008-05-09T23:11:00.002+12:00

Lesbians in Thames make Libby hostile...

blah blah Scotty and Shanti and Dinesh...

Wow, actually thats all I can think of...Pretty boring week on the old street...

I am wondering where they are taking Gerald though. Do you think he might try experimenting with a girl? Morgan perhaps?

I miss Marj.

Ziggy Thursdays

2008-05-08T23:46:00.003+12:00

So its been an awesome week being mummy to a 16 month old. Toddlerhood is really something completely different to being a baby. My kid is actually a kid. If that makes sense.
Here is a photo I took tonight while Ziggy was trying to wrestle with me. Hes a tough little dude...and a little scary...Nah, just joking hes actually the sweetest, smooshiest, cutest little baby in babytown.

Blog-Meme of the weeks

2008-05-07T22:38:00.005+12:00

I found this blog-meme over at Teh
Portly Dyke blog and thought it would be interesting to do....

Ok...

Teh Rulz:
1. Pick up the nearest book of 123 pages or more. No cheating!
2. Find page 123.
3. Find the first five sentences.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.(I don't know what it means to "tag" someone so I'll just skip that part.)

The book : Maldoror & the complete works of the Comte de Lautreamont
(this guy---> nice tie dude)

The sentences: "The sheets are still moist from their lukewarm contact and in their disorder bear the impress of a night spent in love...." And I wondered who his master might be! And I glued my eye to the grating still more eagerly!"

Wowsas. Whats that trying to tell me? Go wake up Zach for some loving? Maybe put on a porno and be voyeur for the night?
The sentences are confusing to me though. The first says of "lukewarm contact" but of a night spent in "love". Is that perhaps a commentary of passion lost through familiarity? Or is he/she just talking about a jizz-stain?

Is he talking about how he/she wonders who taught them to fuck so good. Who the "master" was? And then wanted to watch even more? Observe and insinuate himself perhaps?

Have you ever watched anyone else have sex in real life? What was it like? Did it turn you on?

WTF?

2008-05-07T21:59:00.005+12:00

My little sister turned 19 years old today. This is the little sister I saw being born we are talking about! How did this happen?

When did this....

Turn into this...

Good Lord.

I love you sister! Happy Birthday!! I hope you had a rocking day!
xxxooo from your favourite sister!!! :)

Myanmar devastated by cyclone...

2008-05-06T12:51:00.004+12:00

Myanmar, one of the worlds most poorest countries has been dealt another devastating blow by a cyclone that hit this week.

The death toll is currently at 10,000 and is still climbing.

This is incredibly sad and I ask that you all keep the victims of the disaster in your thoughts and prayers and send over lots of healing vibes... If you can you can also make a tax-deductible donation to UNICEF.

I don't want a "Chrisco" Chistmas....

2008-05-06T00:25:00.007+12:00

When I was growing up I was bombarded by ads about Chrisco Christmas Hampers. It was clear to my young brain that if my family wanted a plentiful and stress-free christmas
we would have to order one of these magical baskets. (I don't know why I stressed so much, we did Hannukah not xmas;))

The idea is, you pay a few dollars a week to Chrisco and at Christmas time a wonderful hamper full of everything you'd ever want turns up at the door. No stressful saving, no awful supermarket trips, just everything you'd need for a lovely time with your family.

Anyway, now I am older my letterbox is bombarded with all the latest Chrisco mailers.And I am not so impressed by them. Not impressed at all. What is even less impressive is somehow this particular catalog has insinuated itsself into New Zealand culture and is now as kiwi as gumboots and pineapple fritters.

Chrisco now not only offer food baskets. Like this winner...

Full of just about everything processed and refined that you can find in your local supermarket...FOR ONLY $30.48 per week!!! WOW!!

But you can buy also buy your toys, homeware, gifts and toiletries through them.
Quality items, like this...

FOR ONLY $2.40 per week!! Finally my dog can lounge just like Heff!

They have tonnes more stuff offered and once you order a hamper, toys for the kids, liquor for Uncle Bruce, new HSV sheets and towels for dad, a dressing gown and kitty-cat tote bag for mum you could EASILY be sending these people a couple hundred dollars a week, every week, for the year.

The sad fact of the matter is that these Chrisco christmas hampers are complete rip-offs. They prey on people in low socio-economic circumstances. They tell you that its easier just to pay a little more than have to worry about saving.

The items in the hampers and especially the ones I saw in their latest "Toys and Gifts" catalog are low quality and tacky. Most of the stuff in the gifts catalog looks like you could get it from the $2 shop for $2 instead of the outrageous $30-$40 dollars they are pinning on this crap (no offense to any $2 shop owners;)). Don't believe me...Order one yourself. The catalogs will never stop coming!!

But the public is onto them.
Chrisco has recently been taken to court over charges off false advertising and hidden costs. See this article from the Herald.
They have also been investigated by the Commerce Commission. See this article from Stuff.co.nz

And you know what else really pisses me off. The founders of this crappy company, Ruth and Richard Bradley, own the BIGGEST HOUSE IN NEW ZEALAND!!!!

This $30mil monstrosity!!!

So even here in lovely Aotearoa. The rich get richer. The poor get poorer. The rich get rich off of the poor getting poor. And at the end of the day, people like me end up with a couple packets of soggy tim-tams while Mr. and Mrs. Bradley luxuriate in Coatesville!! (where ever that is?)

After seeing that house can one not think that perhaps there is just a little more darkness going on than just Chrisco "trying to help you save for a magical Christmas"?

gaaaahhhh....

2008-05-05T23:57:00.003+12:00

sigh...What is up with me and relationships? I just can't seem to ever get them right. Not with my partner. Not with my best friends. I always get taken the wrong way. Maybe I am just a snotty cow all the time. Maybe my communication skills suck? Maybe its got something do with my terrible habit of never being able to admit when I am wrong?

I just wish I had a magic key that could give my more insight about the people in my life. I wish I could only make them feel good, not make them hurt. I feel like I am drowning right now in what I am thinking is a massive personality defect in me.

I love my partner. I love my friends. I have so much capacity for love but I guess what comes out of me is the opposite. Only snark and negativity escapes from the hole I call a mouth. What happened to me that being mean is the only way I can express my affection for someone. Well, I have a few clues but I don't really want to plumb those depths right now. Thatsa girl Charlotte...ignore it and it will get better. right? wrong.

Man this post is sooooo....something...I might as well of intitled it "Dear Diary"... Hmmm thats how I feel sometimes, like a teenager who doesn't even know herself yet. Who is awkward and angry and immature. What do they call it? "emotionally stunted"? hmmm..maybe...

Ok self-pity and loathing over for now... Sorry to mess up my pretty new blog with this insipid whining. I get back to the juicy stuff now :)

Chiming in on the whole Miley Cyrus/Vanity Fair stupid thing...

2008-05-02T22:07:00.007+12:00

Ok, so, when I first heard about the Miley Cyrus "topless" scandal I was all ready to jump on the sexualization-of-young-girls bandwagon. It is really something that rips my undies the way that teen and prepubescent girls are completely sexualized by society and the media. I was ready for this picture to be something I could get up in arms about.

But really I think that it is all just a little bit overblown. Let me just preface this all by stating that I am in NO way a Miley or a Disney fan. I hate all that tween-shlock and the merchandising that goes with it. I never thought I would be writing a blog piece in her defence. But, the way this girl has been treated by the media since this picture was taken has been truly shocking. One minute Miley is Americas Sweetheart the next she is reduced to grovelling at the feet of all because of her brazen sluttiness!

This story has been all over the internets as well as the TV. Here are some of the things I have heard said and therefore I will list them as

"Lessons Miley has Learned"

- Her body is shameful and should be covered at all times
- Her relationship (and photo) with her dad is "creepy" and "incestuous"
- She is a brand and should behave like one. Disney owns her and has total control over what she chooses to do.
- She is completely responsible for the morals of her fans
- She is "anorexic", "sickly", "post-coital", "slutty", a "showoff", and "pornographic"

Sound like a lot of shit for a 15 year old to handle? I think yes. Lets just back the fuck off ok. We literally drove Britney crazy doing this same shit.

I also wanted to give my analysis of the photo from an artistic standpoint. And I am hating how people are arguing about wether this is "art" or not. The photo is by Annie bloody Leibovitz, arguably Americas most famous living female artist.

I see a young girl, vunerable. I see her at a precipice of adulthood and superstardom. I see the artist reavealing the innocence and venerablitly of the subject to illustrate the medias bloodlust when it comes to finding ways to shame our young female stars. I see her maybe like a mermaid or a castaway, atop a rock while sharks circle her waiting to tear into her. They wait looking for any mistake, any slip, so they can eat her/destroy her. Is she oblivious? Maybe. But look what happened? Miley, the former golden girl - at the slightest indiscretion has been the subject of the biggest media hoop-de-doo since Janet Jackson at the superbowl!!!!

And Disney can talk!!! The are perpetuating a pretty big double standard here. If they produced a music video with Miley in it, gyrating and singing in a short skirt would anyone bat and eyelid? I think not.
Here is an interesting example of some Disney advertising someone saw on a BILLBOARD in China.

Crazy huh??

Anyway, I think I pretty much said what I wanted to say about it and I hope I can lay it to rest after this, unless y'all want to discuss it that is.

Ok I wanted to add one more thing. When I was 15 I was far from the sexed-up teens you see these days (I was more lets say, melancholy-ish) but I was still obssessed with getting my photos done. I dreamed of going to photo shoots, i don't know why, I was pretty shy, but i did none-the-less...Maybe I was a narcisitic teen?? Nah, teens aren't narcisitic...
But I digress...
AAnywway, I would of LEAPT OUT OF MY SKIN WITH JOY if a famous photographer wanted to photograph me, even if it meant baring skin! Hells yeah! Your skin only looks 15 once, you can only capture that look briefly.
Well, Annie L never phoned me up for a photo shoot after school but I did do a tiny bit of modelling for locla boutiques. Here is a photo that was taken of me when I was around the same age as Miley. Did I think I was being sexual at the time? No! I only thought I was taking a pretty, artistic photo to show off the pretty clothes I was (half) wearing.

so yeah, I'm the last person to judge.

For more on this subject here is an interesting article with Germaine Greers take on it.
Also, the discussion about it over at Feministing was great as usual.
-

Friday Shortland St Roundup...

2008-05-02T21:47:00.003+12:00

Dinesh (or the Big D to you) is dripping hot.

Harry McNaughton (Gerald) is the best actor on the show.

Dr. Potty is going to die.

Kierans abs.

Lynx Commercials are the bane of my existance

2008-05-02T09:22:00.003+12:00

Well not really, but they come pretty close...

Check out this latest one, screening in New Zealand as we speak...

Really? Two otherwise fine women, run into each at speed, EXPLODE and who emerges from the dust...The sexed-up and presumably 'better' version of the two women, morphed into one, hot on the tail of "Scooter-Goober. PUH-leese!! Give us a break. I don't even know where to start.

Even Zach hates this ad.

I just wanted to say too, whoever works for Lynx must waste more time sitting around dreaming up sexist ad campaings then making new products. "Really, just mix the 2 together! Its a whole new smell!". gaaa!

I call you out...Bendon Lingerie

2008-05-02T08:24:00.005+12:00

I was recently on a trip off my island to the mainland, staying in Wellington. While I was there me and Ziggy and a friend of mine went shopping.
We stopped into the newly refurbished Bendon Lingerie shop so my mate could pick up a bra.

We stepped inside and were greated by mannequins dressed in lingerie sporting thick, black, long, blunt cut wigs.
There were pictures of coy geishas adorning the walls and fortune cookie-style missives above the bra racks.

All the mannequins were obviously supposed to be asian. I found THIS article describing the grand opening and how the shop is actually called the "Asian Exotic Lingerie Store".

Now, is it just me, or is this whole thing just re-inforcing the asian woman = prostitute stereotype? If not then certainly the asian woman = exotic pouting beauty?

I mentioned this to my friend and she said "Well, aren't asian ladies allowed to wear nice undies" but I belive it goes MUCH deeper than this. The store isn't marketed to asian women, nor is anyone asian working in the shop. More like a case of cultural apporiation (see linked article - tea, drums, painted models prancing about, peeking from behind fans!?) to sell knickers if we completely leave out the sexism side of the argument. Anyway, I call Bendon out!!

I would love to get your opinions on this, am I being too sensitive or am I right?

Ziggy Thursdays

2008-05-01T09:52:00.004+12:00

Hi all, here is a really cute pic I snapped of the Z-man last night.
He is so funny. Me and Zach were in the kitchen fixing tea and we hear this little voice singing out. We turn around and he has BOTH his tambourines over his head and is dancing around. It was so funny. Pair that with his ripped tye-dye PJs and we got a real little hippy-boy!!

Sorry about the red-eyes. I tried fixing it but it made him look like a zombie!! I wish i knew how to take a photo on my camera with a flash and NOT get red-eye. Anyone have any tips??

I <3 that boy!

Albert Hoffman - father of LSD has died aged 102

2008-05-01T08:58:00.004+12:00

RIP, may your last trip be your best!

(St. Albert and the LSD Revelation Revolution by Alex Grey)

woohoo

2008-05-01T00:43:00.002+12:00

Yay, I am writing again and it feels good. wow. It realy does. I've been meaning to do this for quite some time and I am so happy I have.

I wanted to add a couple more thing I want to blog about...

Art - show me your wares, I'll feature you on my blog!

Literature - nothing quite like a good book.

Sex - nothing quite like a good fuck.

The Media - oooooh, don't get me started.

Natural Family Living - call me a hippy see if I care!!

Music - again, you think you sound good, send me link, I will feature you on my page!

xx oo Till next time, which I hope is soon...

Charlotte

Blame the Victim

2008-05-01T00:00:00.005+12:00

A series of 'shocking' ads recently started screening on TV here in NZ. The tag line is "Its not the drinking, its how we're drinking".
New Zealand is pretty well-known for using graphic images and shock-tactics in advertising when it comes to a 'cause" ie drunk-driving, speeding, smoking etc.... (Who could forget this one?)

There is a couple ads in the series that are very hard to watch. The one that I find most horrible is the one entitled "Lisa".
I follows a young conservative looking woman over the course of an evening. In the beginning she looks fresh from the office and tentatively sips on a wine. By the middle her hair is messed and she is skulling wine and dancing. The end shows her being practically dragged down an alley (she can't walk) by a very evil looking man whose intent seems to be to rape her.

here it is for you to check out....

The big problem I have with this ad is that it is victim-blaming. Woman always get the blame for their own rape. Always. They are always "asking for it" in one way or another. Seeing this attitude pervade to every inch of our culture is so sickening to me.
I also think that this ad is cheeky on the heels of the Tea Ropati trial . Here was a woman who was raped. She was brave enough to bring her rapist to trial and he got off. Because she was drunk and 'probably' wanted to.
This ad is just enforcing these horrible ideas that women are the only one responsible for "getting themselves into trouble".

I think the money on this ad would have been better spent on a campaign focused on men who think its ok to rape ! I mean, don't you think?
How about an ad, telling people that if she can't stand up then you can't have sex with her.

Maybe its time we remind everyone what exactly is rape?

No, means no!
If she say no, and you proceed, its rape.
If you start having sex and she changes her mind and you proceed, its rape.
If you are married/partnered/going out/dating and she says no and you proceed, its rape.
If she is asleep and you have sex, its rape.
If she is too intoxicated/passed out, its rape.

Those are just a few examples, but examples I think people need to understand more.

Anyway, I hate that ad and I think it needs to be taken off the air.

Kia Ora

2008-04-30T23:38:00.006+12:00

Well hello there everybody. Onebody? Somebody? Welcome to my blog. I have never done one of these before so please bear with me. None-the-less, I am pretty sure I will blow your mind.

I guess I better tell you about what I intend on blogging about. Let see. Good question, me! Maybe Kenny Loggins? Nah, I don't even know who that is. But it rhymes!

Ok back to topic. I guess I kind of want to use this blog as an outlet for all my ranting and raving. I want to use it to express my outrage and my passion on various subjects. I will try and keep things varied but more likely than not my posts will have a feminist, woman, mother, GLBT slant. I am also vary aware of Pop culture and a LOT of my posts will reflect that.

I think I'll let you know a few things about me straight off. I taught myself to type and sometimes I mess up. I am too lazy for spellcheck so, yeah.

I enjoy a heated debate. Feel free to comment on any of my posts. Let me know if you think I am wrong. I would love to enter into a discussion with you.

Although I try to be as open-minded as possible I am still aware that I live with white, cisgendered and for the most part straight-privilege. Please call me to task if you see me expressing my views in a way that you cannot relate to or that does not include you.

I am a Mum. My child is the most important thing to me in the world. I will have to regale you with the occasional cute story and photo. I think I'll call this 'Ziggy Thursdays'. Wow. Inventive title Charlotte. ;)

I think thats it for now.

Well, I look very forward to blogging for you!!

xx Charlotte