Tuesday, April 8, 2008

hear hear!

Re: pretty sea star

Southern California is a deapsea weight to be beautiful. Moving back here was like an unsuspecting plunge past the continental shelf into the ocean bottom of desire to improve my self image. I didn't even notice the sudden dark pressure down here, the greatly increased heaviness in the air all around until I noticed that I see that familiar expression in the mirror: frustrated embarrassment. The sun is out so often that the normative culture around what to do about the exposure seeps in everywhere: pluck. wax. epilate (ors). laser hair removal. These phenomena exist everywhere, it's true, but I always felt like I had an easy choice to ignore them. When did I start feeling secretly ashamed? Soft skin abounds and shame on you for coarse and fur.

And the speed- we zip around everywhere in zippy cars that screech to halt at the door of our destination. We apply makeup in the visor mirror and boyish boots, thrift store pants poke out the driver's side door?? Not hot.

Eileen said all I have is my wit and dignity, and I said, hear! hear!

1 comment:

eileen said...

i think maybe a good rule of thumb is than any place that makes you feel not-lovely is a bad place for you to be.