Stupid Women! Stupid, Stupid, Stupid!

I am horrendously annoyed that the headlines are still cluttered with “news” about the now infamous Rosie O’Donnell and Elisabeth Hasselbeck on-air fight on The View. Rosie O’Donnell’s fight with Donald Trump was at least funny (what can I say, I enjoy pithy sarcasm), but Rosie vs. Elisabeth….I’d rather listen to a cat in heat!

Every time I decide to turn on the news, (or look at it online, or listen to it on the radio, or read it in the paper, for crying out loud!) I have to hear about how Rosie is never speaking to Elisabeth again, how she’s responding on her stupid blog, how she’s never coming back to The View and yada, yada, yada. (Does this not remind anyone of high school? Think: She didn’t invite me to her party and I don’t think I will ever talk to her again and how dare she try to steal my boyfriend and I can’t believe she thinks she’s skinny enough to wear those pants and my head is about to implode! )

Annoying as this is, all those things to me are inconsequential compared with what I think is a more important question: Why is the stupid View on the air anyway? For a show that purports to present different points of view on serious issues, it sure does make the headlines for the most absurd things. Remember the Star Jones controversy (Like, omg, did she or didn’t she have gastric bypass???)? The bottom line is: IT’S STUPID.

I am going to throw this questions out into the void, and harsh as it may seem toward womankind, I am a woman, so I feel I can legitimately ask this question. Does anyone realistically think for one second that two MEN would have had an on-air fight a la Rosie vs. Elisabeth? I’m not talking about a debate…I’m talking about a personally charged, emotionally-driven shouting match. If this has happened (and I will have to actually see a transcript or clip to judge if it was comparable to The View incident), I want to know about it. Because frankly, I have to admit that I don’t think very many men hosts would behave that way on air. And as a woman with a journalism degree, it saddens me to say that. Are the whiny, ill-informed, mostly menopausal talking heads on The View representative of the best and brightest women in journalism today? I think not. And THAT is why I think The View is THE STUPIDEST waste of airtime I have seen–seconded only by every network in America that keeps covering this stupid, dried-up, irrelevant “story.”

And that is precisely why I sign off tonight:

Annoyed, in the WOL.

Good Monsters. So Good, It’s Scary.

I thought I’d update you on another Cool Thing in the World of Liz. And today’s cool thing is… Jars of Clay, Good Monsters

Though not new, this is the latests release from Jars of Clay, one of my all-time favorite bands. I don’t think these guys have every fully garnered the respect they deserve as muscians or as a band. Jars of Clay is the only Christian band that I have ever really liked. That isn’t meant as a slam against Christian music; I realize there are many talented bands and some excellent music in the Christian genre. For me personally, however, no other Christian artist or band has done it for me like these guys.

If anyone reading this is a fan, I’d like to know what you like most about Jars. People seem mostly to prefer Jars’ self-titled debut album and songs like “Flood,” to their later work. From what I can gather, folks especially tend to shy away from more “experimental” albums like If I Left the Zoo. I am a little puzzled as to why–I think some really great work came out of both If I Left the Zoo. As to their progression as musicians, I think the band members have seen a lot of development (especially in the area of vocal talent, with guys besides front man Haseltine contributing more frequently and with more complex harmonies. Haseltine’s voice has also mellowed and matured a great deal, while still maintaining a melancholy quality that breaks through at times.)

What I appreciate most about Good Monsters is the seamless mix of raw honesty and reverence. Your ears will probably perk up on the first track, “Work,” at the line “I have no fear of drowing/ It’s the breathing that’s taking all this work.” (Kind of eerie music vid, too, but cool. Check it out here.) At the same time, the strong, steady build up and conclusion of “Oh My God” is moving, humbling, even sobering. At times I’ve thought it almost touches on fearful, but not in a desperate sense.)I’ve been fortunate enough to see Jars of Clay twice in concert, and “Oh My God” is definitely one of the moments you remember from the show.

Whether you’re an old school Jars fan or you picked them up during the mainstream push with The Eleventh Hour release, I think you’ll find Good Monsters a nice compromise. It’s a good blend between true-to-their-roots songs with strong, sing-along choruses and Jars’ more complex, evolved side, complete trademark introspective lyrics and some new, interesting grooves. I have all the Jars CD’s (yes, even the White Elephant Sessions), so for what my recommendation is worth…PICK UP THIS DISC. It’s my favorite Jars album yet.

Side Note: I did read your suggestions for topics, and I want you to know that I will follow through! I have decided to save those posts for when I can think a little more clearly (this is a 3-day weekend. Thinking it not a high priority..)

The Post About my Posts

Since I neglected to post on this blog for the entire month of April, I figured I’d better update this just in case anyone actually does read it. (If you read it, please tell me. It would be good for my ego.)

For a while now I have been planning to write some serious posts. Now, no one ever comments on my serious posts. I realize this is because you are all so awed by the power of my ideas. But, hypothetically, if someone out ever were to read something serious that I wrote, one of these days it would be nice to get a comment out of you! Does anyone else find it disturbing that the post on my blog that consistently get the most hits is about bathroom etiquette?

That said, I would like to ask for suggestions on what posts you would be most interested in reading. Would you like an update on the evil cat? Or maybe another list of cool things. (Abby, I will write another one of these, even if you are the only one who reads it!) I also have a post in the works about why I like House so much (and you will find out once and for all whether I find Hugh Laurie attractive or not.) Then there’s one that I wrote about the Easter Bunny, but unfortunately did not get up in time for Easter. So if anyone is still in that mood, that’s also an option. Finally, I have a post about song lyrics, and I suppose there will be a few obiligatory Dylan references there, if you are into that. So, since I have so generously offered to cater to the whims of the masses, exercise your rights here in WOL (get it, World of Liz?) and tell me what you want to read.