Craigslist Post of the Day: 7/29/2009

new york craigslist > manhattan > personals > missed connections

your league - m4m - 19 (34th, between 7th and 8th)

no offense, but im a really good looking black guy, and you're...just not. no offense.....you said hello to me as tried to stare my way out of it, hope you find someone.

WELL. This ad stood out to me because the poster seems to have completely misunderstood the concept of the personal--it's used to find love (or more often than not in the case of Craigslist, sex, or someone to pee on) but NOT to publicly turn-down someone who has cruised you on the street. There's something pathologically egotistical about such a post--the assumption that said street-cruiser will be searching the Missed Connections section for you, for instance. I would venture that secure, normal people do not feel the need to post on Craigslist about it every time someone they aren't into appears to be into them (I certainly don't, and I'm not even that secure or normal). Also, a note to PostingID 1294653953--"no offense" once means it will offend whomever it's directed at, but let's them know you are at least aware of that and possibly apologetic--"no offense" twice just means you're a douchebag.

Live Like You're Dying, People

Song of the Moment: Live Like You're Dying by Lenka.

Upbeat, impossibly optimistic, but also not (particularly annoying). I've been having a rough/depressed/existential few days (what going back to your hometown will do to you, I suppose)--anyway, this song is great to listen to for a pick me up and some pretty valid life advice.

Kind of Brilliant, But Also Kind of Terrifying

 Just a small, wonderful tidbit I came across. All I can say is: thank god they cut that creepy Tim Burton smile.

Gloo-oo-oo-oo-oo-ooo-my Sunday

I am supposed to be committing today to a) working on my seven page midterm due for Intro to Gender & Sexuality Studies on violence as regulatory mechanism of sexuality in U.S. history and b) studying for my Sex, Gender & Language midterm and c) writing something about Freud and surrealism which I do not even fully understand. I bought a large coffee and doubled the dosage of my antidepressant for the express purpose of getting this done, but am blogging and listening to music with Sophie instead. I feel like going for a walk. 

Who Will Be the Sexiest Men of 2009? (And How Obama Will Save Foreign Policy)

As we gear up for a new year, I thought it was only appropriate to think about which devastatingly handsome men will be gracing magazine covers (and starring in closeted teenaged boys' fantasies) in 2009. After much deliberation and debate among friends, I have narrowed it down to my top four:

4. Mario Spinetti. This singer-songwriter-producer's eclectic sound (what he calls "avant-pop") and killer voice are definitely enough to make him a star. But his good looks won't hurt either (imagine Milo Ventimiglia as a sensitive musician). Though you may not have heard of Spinetti (yet), he has been busy the past few years, releasing his debut EP and building a loyal fan-base, both in New York City and on-line (as well as having his song "Delirious" featured on an episode of So You Think You Can Dance). He's currently at work on a full-length album, which could very well be his ticket to stardom. The only bad news? He's engaged to dancer Lauren Adams.

3. Alfie Allen. Any fan of sister Lily Allen's music might recognize this name from the searing "Alfie," in which she sings (and complains) about her little brother, who stays in his room getting high all day and refuses to get a job. Well, apparently little Alfie mustered up some ambition: he's currently starring--and baring it all--in the London production of Equus (a roled made famous by none other than Daniel Radcliffe). Equus has been a huge show and I suspect this is the beginning of a long and lucrative career for Allen. Not having seen the London production, I can't comment on his acting abilities, but let me tell you: I saw pictures and he puts Daniel Radcliffe to shame.

2. Robert Pattinson. Great bone structure, piercing eyes, and a box-office hit that has sent ever pre-teen girl in America into a twitter? Check. This British model-turned-actor certainly isn't coming out of nowhere--he played Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and of course, recently starred as tormented vampire Edward Cullen in the inexplicably successful Twilight. But as a result of his newfound super-fame, I predict we'll be seeing a lot more of Pattinson in 2009. Look for him as artist Salvador Dali in Little Ashes, a drama following the (gasp!) gay love affair of Dali and poet Federico Garcia Lorca, slated for release this spring. It's sure to be the next Brokeback Mountain.

1. Barack Obama. Thank God Hilary didn't win the nomination, that's all I have to say. For the first time since JFK, the United States will have a sex icon in the White House--probably the sexiest president in history. In 2009, aside from becoming the leader of the free world, I expect Obama will also become the country's communal crush--and the world's. Which is exactly how he's going to save foreign policy. My logic: Attractive people are popular. Popular people are pandered to and feared. And as a country in an increasingly unstable world, being pandered to and feared is a good position to be in. Not that I can't think of even more appealing positions involving Barack Obama...

everytime we say goodbye, I die a little...

It's my last night with oldest friend Rose--tomorrow she heads back to Galway, Ireland where she now lives. We've spent the last three weeks re-living our high school days (smoking in cars, losing lighters, laughing about nothing). I can honestly say she's the best friend I've ever had: she's seen me through more bad haircuts and bad break-ups than I can say. I'm sitting on her bed typing this now, while she folds laundry and packs, a sad song playing in the background. I hate goodbyes, especially with someone you really love. But hopefully (cross your fingers now) I will get a great job when I'm back in the city, save up some money, and go to visit her after classes end.