Starting my day today, I immediately see the latest news about SATC (Sex and the City) – Candace Bushnell, the author of the books that the TV series/movie are based on, has been commissioned to put together “The Carrie Diaries”. This will be a two-book, teen series out in the Fall of 2010 that will cover the character’s ‘early years’ leading up to the person she becomes and who we ‘know’ her to be now. Yeah. That’s what we need to do…further emerge our young women into being a “commodity” to franchise under the guise of “social commentary”.
Anyhoo,…
I’ll admit that, despite my reservations, I bought into it early on and do occasionally re-visit this nice little train wreck I can’t seem to look away from.
My morbid fascination is probably due to how absolutely complicated these four relatively healthy (exception one), attractive, financially sound or lucky women can make daily living. If memory serves, the presumably traumatic events in the show (like parental passing or breast cancer) felt more like mere scheduling delays compared to catastrophies like untimely chemical peels, fashion faux pax, comical bedroom escapades and revolving door relationships resembling ‘bored’ games.
I guess I watch it for the dialogues (there are some great one-liners), their independence and sense of who-gives-a-crap-what-others-think, the camaraderie in the ups and downs of friendship, the men, …and basically just the absurdity.
Distraction is a very helpful coping tool and one that all of us pick up pretty early in life.
I remember (vaguely) back when I was a teen, changing the focus (e.g. of a lecture regarding my ‘social activities’ from the night before to how vulnerable I feel when mom doesn’t recognize my grades) was very effective in altering the script. Or, how I managed working with the street youth in my early twenties knowing they were going to pick my pockets when they gave me that big ‘hi- how-are-ya’ hug. I distracted myself from feelings of being used by filling my pockets with things like dental floss, tooth brushes, mints, candy bars, or tampons -whatever they wouldn’t have to steal later. Distraction works – not exactly the colorful terminology from the psycho-self-help literature, but just the straight up facts. Cognitive dissonance aside, sometimes I just feel better going with the flow rather than tackling it straight on.
The pleasure in watching TV shows and movies, being the fly on the wall at public places, or reading about others through fiction or non-, is in exploring how others express their lives through social lenses.
It’s in those experiences and situations where two people can see the same event and come up with different versions because of who they are. Do I honestly feel sorry for Carrie when she flounders? Heck no, because I am 100% certain that she will creatively distract herself with a new pair of outrageously expensive shoes that she can’t afford and leave her apartment like a story, straight from Hans Christian Anderson, about a girl with a wardrobe who is convinced she is fabulous.
Laurie Edwards (A Chronic Dose) has been dubbed the “Carrie Bradshaw of Chronic Illness”, but I challenge (note: not invite) all of us to come up with a blurb for our own C.I version of SATC (Sick and the City). Even if you live in a rural area, it will work. How do we use distraction, balance between heroine and villain and manage to fool ourselves (and others) in saying “but you don’t look sick”?
I know that on those days where my life resembles a train wreck, I want to at least make it entertaining- even if it means through distraction. Perhaps its necessary to take the glaringly simplistic suggestions from these gals by getting my lenses checked, color them a little more rosy, consider myself an up-and-coming franchise in the making, let go of those ‘early years’ and not give-a-crap about what my critics have to say.
I’m fabulous and need to live it- whether other’s see it or not.
