Wednesday, August 03, 2005

Special Guest Wednesday

Before I introduce this week's guest, a warning: If it matters to you to dislike young, sexy, blond and brilliant party girls, do not follow the link in this paragraph. Rio ruined it for me.


Ballet, n. 1: the epitomy of turned-out perfection
2: Something the French are good at.

About Rio: Rio used to write another blog under her given name, with her memorable photo. In it, she described her life as a college student with the challenges and choices she faces in a fast modern life. You can probably see where this is going. The previous blog challenged my assumption that her kind of living was the product of thoughtlessness, venality or rarification. Well, I may have been right about rarification. Her observations are incisive and uncensored while the emotional consequences of her choices cascade through some of the most magnificent run-on sentences since Faulkner. She's still funny and lyrical, but on her new site A Girl Named Rio she seems wiser. This is only right because I'm down at least one bigotry. By the way, I do think you can love Rio while disdaining all the other blonde trollops and I'm holding the line there.

How to be a Wednesday guest: Just email me at the address in my profile or leave a comment on Wednesday. I'll add you to the list, which is running about 6 weeks ahead. Immediately after posting the Wednesday guest definition, I email the next person on the list with a word not in Bierce's dictionary to define. I ask the guests to send me a new definition for the word along with a picture by the following Saturday.

18 comments:

TLP said...

Ballet: just like boxing. Except there's music, choreography and the dancers don't hit each other. (mangled Jack Handey)

I absolutely refuse to let go of my "beautiful blonde" issues. I need this prejudice of mine. Especially if she's smart too. Nope. That's just going too far. And she's YOUNG? I have to hate her. It's all I can do. Oh! and thin. She's thin, right? Way over the line here. Probably nice. Whooo boy. No, please don't ask me to like her.

Sar said...

An interesting image comes to mind - ballet being performed to the tunes of Duran Duran.

LeMas. said...

I had something brilliant to say, but I got sidetracked by the hilarious TLP.

Doug The Una said...

Tan Lucy, can you imagine if she becomes an insurance agent?

Sar, that's funny and correct. By the way, I think you'll like her site.

Thanks, Inky, I'll be by presently (presently on account of you're British)

Yeah, Masil, I was brilliant until TLP showed up so I completely understand.

Lila said...

Ballet: An excuse for gay men and straight women to get up-close-and-personal with "the bulge" of the male dancers. And don't pretend you've never noticed!

Thanks for introducing us to Rio!

Doug, by the way, you asked what kind of jazz I like. Well, my favorite is cool jazz/"West Coast" jazz, ala Miles Davis in the 1950s/early 1960s, Chet Baker, Dave Brubeck, Vince Guaraldi, etc. I'm also a fan of "Hard Bop", ala Horace Silver, Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard...

Tom & Icy said...

Ballet is the dance us dogs do while taking a poop!

Rio said...

ah tan lucy a tear that you cant look past your blond prejudice however im used to it and i often hate myself for all my amazing qualities. thanks all for reading anyway this is exciting for me.

Doug The Una said...

Aral, I would never be embarassed to admit anything to a lagophile. I'm a Duke Ellington guy, myself.

Icy, I think that's the Pas de Mierde.

Hey, Rio! You blend self-loathing and self-love so well.

Minka said...

Ballet is to me what a skateboard is to a fish. Interesting, certainly a sight worth seeing, but I could easily live without it.

Anonymous said...

Tears came to my eyes when I saw that perfect 5th this morning. Ballet was my first love and my first challenge...a young girl born in the 40's in Cleveland. Ballet was where I made my first best friend. Ballet allowed me to perform at 8 years and teach at 10. Ballet introduced me to The Swans and Nutcrackers, the Moshiev and lyrical music. I'm now 64 and fat and cannot achieve a decent turn-out; but the ethereal memories of malibu and tu-tus, lambswool and pink ribbons still linger and make me wish that I once again was at the barre with my elongated neck and back, my frapes tight to my ankle and my gaze forward...anticipating my future.

Jamie Dawn said...

I'd love to see all our living Presidents of the USA doing ballet. I wonder who'd be the most graceful?

Rio: Doug called you a blonde trollop. I wouldn't take that if I were you. BTW, is that natural blonde?

Doug The Una said...

Monika, to me it's more like a china shop to a bull.

Anonymous, you're obviously still elegant.

Jamie Dawn, do you think I need help finding trouble? Put'em up!

Lila said...

Doug,
I like Sir Duke too. And Count Basie. I'm particularly fond of songs by Ellington's collaborator, Billy Strayhorn. "Lush Life", "Chelsea Bridge", and "A Flower is a Lovesome Thing" are some of my favorite jazz ballads.

So I'm a lagophile, so sue me!

Cooper said...

Ya done good kid.
I'm at loss it was perfection...

I'm off tash again butif I may.

Is it true blondes have more fun?

Hobbes said...

First Captism and now blond troll-opes???? I dont know how much more betrail I can take!!!!

Doug The Una said...

Aral, lagophiliacs are welcome here.

That's nice, Alice. If you haven't yet, take a look at Rio's site. I think you'll enjoy it.

Actonbell, another blond? It's funny I think of all your family looking like their pez characters.

Pansi, Rio and I are freinds and I renounced Captism. You know I'd never hurt you.

Rio said...

a little late i know but its half and half real blonde i get high lights on my blonde hair to make it blonder because i think blondes do have more fun. and most blondes would agree the blonder the better. anyway im much much more then a blonde. knock kneed or old i think you can still dance if you really wanted to.

Doug The Una said...

Rio, blonde or more blonde, you're a hit. Thanks for doing this.