Call me a feminist, but the men out there are freaks.

Am I too bitter? Too cynical?

Sometimes I think I am.

Sometimes I actually worry that I'm too bitter about people and life and I see Miranda Hobbe's cynicism in me.

Has society made me this way (Is this getting too deep? Probably.)?

I once detested Miranda. In fact, I couldn't stand her. But, after a season or two, and once she finally started dressing herself in a manner that didn't make her look frumpy, I began to really enjoy her negative commentary on life.

Yes, despite the fact that I do often try to present myself as being an altogether enthusiastic and positive person, I really do carry a lot of Miranda's pessimism (see my post on public transport for an example of such pessimism in the form of rants).

Phrases such as "of course he did" are some of my favourites; I simply love labelling the general population through a negative mindset.

Am I a bad person?

Actually, maybe we should get to that question in an entirely separate post altogether; that might need some time and thought to process and come to a conclusion.

Saturday night, I had a 21st birthday, so I went along, looking forward to seeing people I hadn't seen in a while. But, when two girls staying in Melbourne for a few months were analysed by the male invitees as to which was the 'hot one', I couldn't help but let my feminist rage take over.

Rage I say.

As I reflect now, I honestly don't remember a lot of what I said to the guy who decided it was okay to call a girl 'the hot one' and thus allude to the fact that the other girl clearly wasn't 'hot'. All I remember is glaring at him angrily, and as he tried explaining himself, saying "No. You can stop. I don't want to hear any more from you."

Needless to say, he shut up.

I realise that sometimes we do generalise people; as mentioned, I love generalising people and categorising them - wow, I'm a bad person.

But, maybe it's just in our nature to label those around us, particularly when we don't know them.

It seems that, once the person knows and is upset by it, that is the moment when you realise there is something not quite right about it.

Is it wrong to categorise people?

If so, my friends and I must be bad people, because, the more I think about it, it seems that we do it all the time.

Perhaps it's just in our nature.

But, maybe there also comes a point when we need to take a look at ourselves and say "No. Stop". If I were the one being compared to my friend, I'd probably be pretty upset too.

But, at the same time, I can't help but think about the way my friends were compared and labelled, and then we labelled the boy who labelled them.

"What an idiot" I'm now thinking to myself.

Men.

Now, there's a paradox for you.

Sarah

Miranda Hobbes: a role model for us all, despite
the haircut and brown lipstick

Do I look smart in these glasses?

I recently acquired a pair of glasses, mainly for when my eyes are tired and for use in front of the computer screen, as I have them perched on my nose at this moment, or for when doing large amounts of the reading I should probably be doing for uni but rarely seem to get to. I spent a long amount of time in a little boutique on Smith St finding the perfect glasses: small enough for my face that they don't look ridiculous and classic tortoise shell that fades to clear at the bottom. And it's only right that I should spend so long finding such glasses; after all, like a haircut, glasses do frame your face.

And your personality it seems.

Indeed, it has only been since wearing my glasses that I feel the representation I've been giving of myself to others may well have changed in some way.

My sister, a pretty, blonde, blue-eyed dietician working in a hospital, insists upon wearing her glasses upon her head at all times at work, though she only really needs them for the computer. Yet, to avoid being seen as a pretty girl who has no idea what she's doing, wearing a pair of glasses on her head helps her to present herself as knowledgable and professional.

I, too, must admit to wearing my glasses on my head when I'm at work; working at a bookstore, I simply look more bookish with glasses on, and this seems to instil a sense of confidence within our customers. Maybe they'll actually take my recommendation! Maybe they'll take me more seriously! I do look like a small, 12-year-old child, so anything that will help make me look more experienced and intelligent I'll take!

So, it seems I can not help but ask: do stereotypes govern our society? Are we so easily persuaded by little details that we see in others? If a girl is blonde and blue-eyed, does that mean she's simply a pretty girl? If I wear glasses, am I bookish?

Turns out, I am somewhat bookish, so I guess my little experiment hasn't quite worked out as planned. However, in my sister's case, of course, she is an intelligent and successful dietician, glasses or no glasses.

But, I can not help but add: I did like books before the glasses.

Sarah