What do you first notice?

So I was strolling around our beloved Eaton Center downtown Toronto when I came across this and snapped a shot....

So I'm guessing the first thing you notice is the prettyful clothes on display...but seriously...what’s wrong with this picture? Hmm...think real hard. Well I think it's a perfect display of not clothes, but how our society thinks. "Well let’s make these attractive looking, trendy-dressed mannequins stand on top of a giant pile of books" ... Translation: What's the need for knowledge when you’re hot?

So I know I could easily be stretching what this means (well I am…it’s not like the creative organizers of this set up were conspiring or something). It’s just a pretty display, no biggie… but it did make me think about society and its ideals.

Pretty sure we can’t deny the consumerism taking over…well, everything O_o. Companies trying to sell their products make use of anything that they can get their hands on. Especially anything that appeals to our emotions. But in the process of pointing out that looking beautiful will enhance your confidence, they conveniently forget to include that good looks can only stay with you for so long. Truth is, good looks fade, and you have these creepy old ladies dowsed in makeup and wearing the tightest push-up they can find to try and look like they’re young again. Yay a bunch of insecure aged men and women who aren't happy with their lives because, well…their not “young and beautiful” anymore. Thank you media, for making them feel worthless after the age of 40. What I think I am saying is that we idealize a lot of things in society and conveniently forget that little extra detail (that is the most important) and so what do you have? You have the masses focusing on what your presenting and not using their own brains to think about these little details themselves.

I know I sound pretty harsh…and you know what, society isn’t that bad! In fact it’s great sometimes. But right now I think I want to point my finger at the people doing the consuming and not those trying to distribute their spanks-that-will-suck-your-fat-in-for-you goodies. Manz be tryina make a living son. But I must include the fact that with so many people trying to "make a living", and using the same techniques, causes the first spin to societies downward spiral…then all you need is a bunch of stupid teenagers that become easily impressed with anything that looks like it can give them a sense of confidence. And bam what do you have? You have our future generations of saggy boobed try-to-hard-to-look-young woman....(I get scared).

So these people that try to find a sense of confidence through clothes have the whole idea of confidence so damn wrong. And the worst part is, they don’t even know they’re unconfident. You must be thinking… “What? How does someone not know they're unconfident?” Well I’ve seen these types. The people who need to wear the latest trends that their friends are wearing. “So? They just want to fit in, what’s wrong with that Rav?” And there’s nothing wrong with that, but I think a person should always question their own intentions. Why exactly do you want to be like your friends? I mean, besides the fact that they’re your friends and you probably think they’re awesome (hearts and sheit yeo). But could it be you want to be like them because maybe…possibly…you don’t want to be you? I know seems kind of farfetched, but the main idea I am trying to set out here is that external confidence can only take you so far. You can only buy so many new shirts and jeans before your wallet is empty. You can only wear so much makeup before it runs out. And don’t get me wrong; I am not saying that doing all of this (having nice clothes, and wearing makeup) means you’re unconfident. What I am saying is that you need to first have internal confidence before anything, because all the external confidence enhancers will just get boring, and the sense of confidence will never stay. I think once you have that internal confidence adding your own spin to your clothes and external shenanigans is kind of an artistic pursuit…and its fun! But bottom line… people, don’t get caught up in this consumerism and try to buy confidence it will never work.   

You know when I think about getting old, I get pretty damn scared. Imagine that… one day you’re going to look in the mirror and you’re going to have to try and look behind all that wrinkled skin and dark bags to try and remember how you were in your youth; alive, flexible, energized, mobile. Maybe the reason why getting old becomes so deterring is because, it reminds us of how fragile humans really are, and how close death is. (AHHHHH!…*runs in circles screaming*) But hey let’s look on the bright side and enjoy what we have! I think for now imma take it as it comes... But enjoying life…well that fills me up with hearts and sheit…Till next time… cheers!

~YEE YEE! 

Men vs. Women

So is there really any difference between men and women? In all honesty I don't really think there is but it seems like men and women are the ones who create categories for themselves.

Just yesterday I was sitting with a few friends. One guy in the group remarked that he thought there were too many metrosexual men emerging, too many male products like lotions and special shampoos. To him it was all pointless because this stuff is for women. To me there's nothing wrong with a guy that likes to take care of himself, in fact dudes little tip: girls like guys that take care of themselves...it shows you can actually do things for others... (your helping our eyes, they wont bleed as much). If you have a unibrow... wax it my friend, taking care of that is not gay, its not even metrosexual. Its just immoral to keep that caterilar on your forehead (if you think it'll trun into a butterfly I am sorry friend you are mistaken...that the kinda stain that dont wash out son). But what's wrong with a guy that likes to take care of himself? I still don't get it. For me I think what ever makes you happy and gives you that confidence stick with it. A guy likes to do his hair in the morning...awesome! He likes to use a special shampoo because it smells nice...Great!

So to me this friend has just created false ideas about each gender. What males should and should not do and what females should and should not do. Does it really matter? I think the world needs to relax about a lot of things and this is one of the main topics. Why cant people just live and let live? So many categories, rules, images to keep up, it gets tiresome. So males should look "strong". Males should be sexual. Males should be dominant. Males are aggressive. Gentlemen did you enjoy that? You just ended up sounding like the great apes from the animal planet... classy. Now you do meet the occasional person to whom its not about gender, its about the individual person, about their character to to them I say... "I've been waiting for you... *strokes arm* But jokes aside society needs to focus much more on who the person is rather than what the person is.

And is it just me or are some girls slightly more open about certain things than a group of guys would be. So if a guy said something like "Yes I agree, he is good looking" in a group of girls I don't think the girls would think much of it. Now compare this if it was said in a group of guys... he is obviously, to them, GAY (of course! how did I never notice.. -__-). I hear a lot of guys saying that women can check out other women and its not weird but men cant check out other men! Really? Men can't? Who's stopping you? Oh of course its the rules you've created for yourself about gender. Well maybe if you say it with some confidence and hang with a group of friends that are a little more open minded you wont have a problem.

When your sitting with your friends do you notice their gender? Do you act differently according to their gender? If you think you do... ask yourself why. I am the same person whether I am with my girlfriends or another group of friends. I tell the same kind of stories and have the same kind of humour. Certainly there is of course the odd event I would tell my female friends something that I wouldn't share with a guy (like tips on hair  or something). But I've noticed people change the moment they step into another social circle with a different gender. With men meeting with their male friends I have noticed more assertiveness, openness to sexuality and ritualistic handshakes (you all know those handshakes...we so flyyyy). You know someone one-on-one and their amazing, and then they step aside to their other group of friends and you hear them talking like they're one of the mafia's most wanted hit-men. So why do some guys change when their with a different group of friends? And which one is the real one? Which person they display is the person that is most like them? And so are they just acting a certain way because they are looking for approval from you or others? Only including half the things that actually come to mind when having a conversation? Jez humans are so complex. One of the most perplexing things about people is their inconsistency, make it simple...be consistent people.

For women sometimes it feels like they up their "helplessness" when surrounded by males. Ever meet that girl that seems pretty cool one-to-one and looks like the type that can take care of herself no problem. Suddenly your in a group with a few more males and she's acting like princess peach from Mario looking for her savior  because well... she didn't dress appropriately for the weather... (I am so cold.. I need a jacket... oh someone please save me. I am just a helpless female with no rationalizing abilities! I'm retarded can't you tell?!). "Oh these bags are soooooo heavy" getchoo self sorted out woman! Act like you would if you were with any other person!

Back to this friend... one thing that bugged me was he refused to shake my hand when saying our goodbyes. He turned around and shook hands with his male friend and then turned to give me a hug. So I asked about my handshake... "were's my handshake?! I don't get a cool handshake?" He shrugged and said... "uhh... I don't know your female..?" In my head I was trying to figure out exactly why a hug is associated with a female. Me, personally, not being too much of a "hugging type" I prefer my hellos and goodbyes a simple high five or a "see ya" wave (unless I think your awesome in which case I think two hugs a day are a recommended dosage). After I asked about the handshake I stuck out my hand, but he didn't shake it...like if he did he was going to spontaneously combust or something. In my head... I was kind of disappointed. Gahh... guess its just anther person consumed by these false rules...They're all in your head!


To me men and women create their own categories in their heads and then from that emerges their opinions and ideals about the opposite gender. Then the confusion about the opposite gender kicks in (oh joy!). "women are so complex!" or "men don't make sense". If you just be you, you don't have to follow these stupid rules about gender, takes a load off your shoulders. Stop trying to be and just beeee!

That's a topic that doesn't really fill me up with hearts but I salute that odd individual that can see past the hormones and genitalia!

~to that free spirit, hearts and sheit!