July 20, 2007

"Are you pregnant?" That is the question I hear most frequently when people hear the news. I think it is interesting that this, not "congratulations", seems to make more sense to people to say. My fiance Brian and I have been dating for three years and had an original wedding date set for July 26, 2008. Unfortunately, a very real reality for Brian and I is that I have several health issues that we have had to deal with in the entirety of our relationship. For me, it is greater proof that Brian is an incredible man who genuinely loves me. He has seen me through four major surgeries, three simultaneous steroid cycles, a thirty pound weight gain, and premature chemically induced menopause. Not only has that been a lot for me to go through, but the reprecussions for him have been monumental. He, thankfully, has stepped up and been more than involved and supportive through everything. Anyways, three weeks ago at a fertility meeting, we found out that I have a very small chance of getting pregnant and the longer that I wait the smaller those already-small chances get. So, with much deliberation with our families, we made the decision to go ahead and move the wedding up a whole year and get hitched this summer. It has been a very stressful and overwhelming process planning a wedding with 300 hundred guests in three months but thankfully, everything has come together amazingly. With our ceremony at our church and the reception site at Terrace Gardens in Ken Caryl Valley, and securing the various vendors to make it all happen, I can finally take in a deep breath and exhale to the adventure of a lifetime.

Crucify This

The phenomena of "The Family Guy" is spreading like wild fire. The inuendos, the political un-correctness, and character developement make this show one of more recent heavy weight comedies. Most every young person has seen at least one episode or heard someone quote a memorable line. Surpassing even the controversies of Simpsons, many people have dubbed Family Guy to be as shocking as South Park, but with a more cult-like following. Family Guy has projected what people interpret as highly controversial messages, especially regarding religion. My fiance and I have collected all of the series and watch it on a fairly consistent basis and one of our favorite episodes is called "North by North Quahog" and includes one of the most outright jokes about Christianity.
Both my fiance and I are Christians but we still find this to be hilarious. I love all the little details that make it simply hilarious like when Jesus is driving the car and his license plate says WWID (what would I do, a play on the popular WWJD bracelets) and making fun of Chris Tucker, the dork from the Rush Hour movies. I am not offended by the message in the least bit and find myself rewinding and rewatching this part several times whenever we watch it. My dad, though slightly amused, thought that it was blasphemous and thought it was making oververtly offensive statements. I think that everyone will have a different view of what Family Guy means to them but for my fiance and I, it equals hilarious entertainment.

Calvin Klein- Sex Appeal

In this ad by Calvin Klein, sex is utilized in attempt to sell a product. Specifically, Calvin Klein has intentionally chosen a beautiful model wearing an outfit that makes strong sexual statements. This model is wearing a transparent shirt with it unbuttoned far enough down to inform the audience that she is not wearing a bra. I am not sure whether the ad is effective or not; I think that would depend a lot on the individual. Personally, I am not impressed on a major brand selling product, moreover- eyewear, with a lady not wearing a bra. At the same time, I believe that this type of branding can be very persuasive for a certain percentage of the audience who sees it. The model exudes confidence and sex appeal that many women aspire to. I think there can be something interesting said about the fact that this ad seems aimed at a woman consumer because it is advertising women's eyewear and Calvin Klein decided to use an ad invoking sexual stigma. I think this does use an exaggerated use of pathos because it does connect on a certain level with the emotional esteem of women. Overall, I don't really feel like the ad and the use of the sex appeal is appropriate, especially for something like selling eyewear. Calvin Klein should use more emphasis on the actual product and how stylish it is to sell, instead trying to sell a faux image of the glasses can apparently do.