America's Next Top Model

After ten seasons, I hope you know about America's Next Top Model. And the fact there are a zillion shows just like it with out countries hosting.

But we don't care about Australia and Scandinavia's Next Top Model.

We care about the American version.

Because there are Americans in it.

And we, as Americans, are in love with the drama fest that is ANTM.

I know that I cannot turn away from the countless cat fights, runway challenges, photo shoots or the elimination of one girl per week. It is so fun to watch people who aren't terribly pretty pull off amazingly beautiful pictures that have been heavily editted and treated and made even more stunning. And watching their lithe, tiny bodies sashay down the runway in clothes that no one would wear in real life.

From watching ANTM, one can learn a lot about high fashion, fashion, modelling and the brutality of prettiness.

In this particular cycle, cycle 10, there are several girls that I like (such as Claire, who is the skinniest mother I've ever seen as well as Whitney, the opinionated "plus-size" model) as well as many that I do not care for in the least(such as Marvita, who is gone now thankfully as well as Fatima who is a total bitch and there is no other way to put it). And though I realize that these girls' images are being filtered and manipulated through cameras and editing... I like the drama and the stereotypes, etc present in the show.

But now I am going to go eat my Lays Stax, drink my calorie-laden Sunkist and watch people practice runway walks and enter into easily-avoidable catfights. HOORAY!

The Magic of Mixing

Since this Saturday, I have come to adore the process of putting together, burning, decorating and gifting mixed CDs.

I used to just do them for people for their birthdays or for special occassions. Or just for myself if I want to put a bunch of songs I like together for my auditory pleasure. But since Saturday, I have put together 4 CDs for different people.

The first one I did was one where all the first letters of the song titles spelled out "WANTTOGOTOPROM". :) The next one spelled out Happy Birthday. Then I made some CDs for another friend of mine (though they were copied albums, not mixes). I had fun decorating the CDs and making the playlists really cool looking.

And then that is not to forget all the mixed CDs I've receieved in the last month that I need to rip and put on my iPod. I have 2 CDs from one friend, another 2 from another friend that we made for a weekend in which my parents were out of town (that I need the playlists for so I know what the songs are) as well as 2 or 3 fanmixes from Fanmix.

But I will probably make a mix for myself when I get home, thanks to the ease of iTunes (sort of). I've got a lot of new songs the last week (or less) that desperately need to be put onto a CD. I do this mostly so that my playcounts on my iPod do not rocket upwards. (Hence why I've burned my Lily Allen, Kate Nash and Patrick Wolf CDs in the last month.)

And this was a completely pointless ramble, really. But it's perfectly all right.