obviate media.

I've been watching a lot of The Learning Channel (TLC) lately: mostly What Not To Wear and Ten Years Younger. I have found it that all that these shows do... is change people. People of all ages are told to hide their hips, boost their bustlines, and smooth out any wrinkles with Botox. To this, I say "What the fuck?"

I'll be honest: I complain as much as (if not more than.. way more than) the average person about my physical appearance. But lately, I've been observing how my body works, and also how it's growing. And you now what? I like my imperfections. I wear the smallest B-cup bra. I have to find jeans with some sort of stretching agent in order for them to fit comfortably over my thighs and hips. I wear size 11 (sometimes 11.5) shoes. I'm 5 feet 9 inches tall. If I were to walk into, say, a modeling or talent agency of some sort, I'd bet anyone hands down that I would be told to drop at least 20 pounds.

Now why the hell would I do that? As of Saturday, July 22, I weigh 140.5 pounds. This is a perfectly healthy weight for my height, and I am pleased with it. Yet somewhere along the line, it was decided that mine is not an acceptable body type. And when did so many natural qualities become imperfect? Features such as hips, breasts, and thighs are too big or small, as if there is a standard measurement to live up to. Any slight forehead wrinkle or laugh line is expected to be filled in with Botox, or whatever people are injecting themselves full of this week, and be administered a chemical peel stat.

This is the moment that I stand up and say "Shove it, media, because you're not going to push me down any longer." As of this very moment, I will (try my absolute hardest to) not hold myself to the ridiculous standards set by today's celebrities and the media that idolize them so. I will embrace my body, keep it healthy, and not give a damn who knows it. And I hope that more people will (try their absolute hardest to) do the same.

Posted by Anonymous at 9:33 PM | Permalink | Comments

Hey!

To commemorate the one-hundredth post on obviate, we are announcing a relaunch of the site to come in the next coming weeks.. stay tuned.. Seriously this time!

Posted by Brendan at 5:14 PM | Permalink | Comments

De-Loused In The Comatorium is a wattershed record for this generation. Although not really that perfect, it's one I know I'll be name dropping in conversations about music I listened to in high school ten years from now. It's a sharp, kaleidosopic assembly of prog rock married with new millenium recording sensibilties. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Rick Rubin was essential to the band's early sound as the actual musicians were. Without him, I'd find it very hard to beleive that The Mars Volta would be viewed as anything more than ex At The Drive-In members who liked to play with their guitar pedals. With Rubin's guidance, came The Mars Volta's identity: The premiere musical experimentalists of this decade.

But then, two years later, the band attempted to eschew that by releasing a mindfuckingly boring concept album. Let's admit it. Frances the Mute sorta sucked. Besides L'Via L'Vazquez, and maybe, like the first five minutes of the last track, there wasn't much to write home about. Although the experiementation on the album may sound cool, the lack of a decently constructed track around it caused the album's quality to suffer big time.

So, I didn't have high hopes when I heard that a new record was coming out. I'm actually surprised in the turnaround time - Frances came out in March of last year, followed by a live album last fall - and here we are a little less than a year and a half later with a brand new studio record. A much, much, better studio record.

Produced by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, the band's wunderkind (and almost solely responsible for the musical direction on the last album), Mars Volta's third LP a sharper, much colorful disc compared with their last one. Sure, nearly half the tracks on the album eclipse the ten minute point - but instead of your attention wondering elsewhere, you're completely engaged with the material. It's a rollercoaster. Predictabilty is out the window - where you think you can see where one idea is going, it immediately switches into something much more thrilling. Some songs are still a little half baked, like the leadoff single "Vermicide" and the opener "Vicareous Atonement", but this is certainly an improvement.

Without Rubin at the helm, I'm going to find it very hard to beleive that Volta will ever be able to make a record that will sustain my interest the entire way through - but with Amputecture, it comes pretty damn close.

The Mars Volta - Meccamputecture (13.08 mb, mp3)

Posted by Brendan at 5:52 PM | Permalink | Comments

You see all of those TV shows, read in those "modern underground novels", and people are depressed. Depression has swept the nation in a wave of middle aged people and Xanax. I've realized that you don't need to take 3 vicodin and hang out with Mr. Daniels while you look at pictures of your ex wife to feel this way. Watching a movie like Love Actually, Notting Hill, or, shit! ANY Hugh Grant movie and then listening to Rufus Wainright sing "Hallejuah" can pretty much give you the same effect. Minus the stomach pump.

That's all i have to say tonight.

Posted by Andy Dubbya at 1:41 AM | Permalink | Comments