Call me old-fashioned.
No, seriously.
Please call me old-fashioned. Because sometimes I think I’m the only one left.
I grew up singing songs like:
Fadra and Sean sitting in a tree
K-I-S-S-I-N-G
First comes love, then comes marriage,
then comes Evan in a baby carriage
Of course, I didn’t sing it exactly that way because I didn’t know my husband Sean back in elementary school (although I did have a boyfriend in 5th grade names Shawn). And I certainly didn’t know there would be an Evan in my life.
But I did pretty much plan the order of events in my life. Yes, I was going to find love. Then, I was going to get married. Then, I would have kids.
It’s a choice. I mean, I didn’t like a sparkling white life. I lived with my ex-boyfriend for many years, much to my mother’s dismay. My husband had a previous wife, whose name we shall not speak. But more or less, we did it the way I think it should be done.
I recognize there are all different ways to build a life and define a family and I’m not saying everyone needs to follow the same rules but yes, I think some rules should be followed, especially when you’re bringing a new little person into the mix.
Take my friend, for example.
She’s pregnant and unmarried. It’s not that unusual these days. No longer seen as an accident, or a “whoopsie,” people generally embrace the celebration of a new life, and hope the circumstances are for the best.
But my friend hasn’t always had the best examples. She is a product of divorced parents and her mother remarried only a year after the divorce. She grew up with her own siblings and stepsiblings and then half-siblings. Still, blended families are becoming the norm, so maybe that’s not such a bad thing,
She graduated high school and decided not to pursue higher education. Instead, she got married two years after graduation to a rather successful guy ten years her senior. The marriage lasted less then 4 years. She said he was abusive. He said she was a user who simply wanted to extort more money from him to finance her expensive habits.
Ah, yes. Love is grand. Divorce is a hundred grand.
It was probably for the best though. She lost her father when she was only 22, right around the same time her marriage was falling apart. But she did find comfort in the arms of another man. Well, I’m not sure if “comfort” is what you would call it.
She had a boyfriend who was a bit on the famous side. And as most people would do when dating a famous person, they decided to videotape their most intimate moments. And you might have guessed it… the videotape was leaked.
It was released publicly four years later and as you can guess, my friend was absolutely devastated and mortified. So mortified that she sued the company that was attempting to distribute the tape. But instead of gaining ownership of the tape, she opted instead for a large financial settlement, essentially blessing the continued release of the tape.
She once again found solace in the dating scene. She found love with an NFL star, a singer, another NFL star, a TV star, a model, and back to an NFL star. Still, nothing seemed to stick. She just couldn’t find happiness. Or maybe someone that would accept her for who she was.
Until she met the man of her dreams, an NBA basketball star. It was a whirlwind courtship and they had a fairytale wedding. She had found love at last and was ready to make marriage work. For 72 days.
While waiting for the divorce to become final, she hooked up with a rap star and has decided that she’s ready to bring a child into the world.
Okay, the jig is up. I’m talking about Kim Kardashian and she is NOT my friend.
I just want people to gain perspective. Let’s look at the timeline of debauchery:
- She grew up in a privileged world and hung out with the likes of meaningful people like Paris Hilton.
- She became a stylist for class acts like Lindsey Lohan and Brandy.
- She rose to fame and prominence BECAUSE SHE WAS HAVING SEX ON A VIDEOTAPE (with Brandy’s brother).
- She was offered a lot of money to star on a “reality show” chronicling the life and times of her blended family.
- She posed for Playboy.
- She can’t sing, she can’t dance, she can’t act. And yet, she’s considered an entertainer.
- She had one of the costliest weddings of all time ($10 million), that she paid practically nothing for.
- She had one of the shortest marriages in history.
- While still officially married, she hooked up with another guy and is now pregnant.
Ever a role model, she’s making sure to show people that she can still do it all.
So Kim “I hate to talk about myself” Kardashian and Kanye “Imma let you finish” West are reproducing and apparently, we’re supposed to be excited.
Get excited for this summer…Royal baby and Kimye baby both due in July!
— TODAY(@todayshow) January 15, 2013
But now you know. I don’t like Kim Kardashian. I don’t have any respect for her and more importantly, I choose not to waste hours of my life watching hers. But the pregnancy with Kanye, another person that I loathe, set me over the edge. And I just wanted to let you know that at least one person out there still longs for a few old-fashioned values.
29 comments
I have to say thank you for including “The jig is up” in this post. I’ve been on twitter/google this morning trying to find out if it’s jig or gig, lol. Stay tuned for the exact same phrase in my next post! Oh, and I’m old-fashioned and proud, too 😉
I suppose it could be jig or gig but yes, the right way to say it is jig like JIGsaw!
Exactly. Everyone likes watching a train wreck don’t they?
Train wreck, indeed.
I’m so not interested in the Kardashians and I can’t figure out people who are. My mom watches the show and tries to tell me what is happening with “the girls” but my eyes glaze over.
As far as old-fashioned values, I’m liberal as hell, but I think kids really do get on best with two parents in a functional relationship. Raising kids is hard, and I have sympathy for those who do it by themselves by choice or by necessity. But my sympathy wanes when people make horrible, irresponsible decisions and then try to make them okay by justifying them.
I guess it’s like the soap operas of 20 years ago. We loved them (or I did, anyway). The difference is that this is passed off as “reality” which makes it not entertaining but just a waste of space.
I saw the promo form one of the episodes when I happened to have it on the E channel once. I was so sick just from the PROMO, I wanted to throw something at my t.v. What a waste of time, money and resources that could be used for REAL, meaningful things. UGH.
But as long as America watches it (and apparently they do)…
She’s awful. He’s awful. I refuse to watch or buy anything either of them is involved with. But far worse than the mess they have made of their own lives, I feel for their child, who will no doubt lead an even more screwed up life than she did. Sad state of affairs.
In my book, he’s worse than her. So the puke factor went way up in my book.
Amen!
I have never watched the Kardashians… I just don’t get it. How is that they got so freakin’ famous? I guess there’s a reason I don’t watch tv much… it’s all this new fangled “reality” television I guess. LOL!
You get famous by knowing the right people, being ruthless, and having no morals. No thanks.
exactly. you said it. I say old fashioned is the way to go.
Blergh. I was sticking my finger down my throat for most of this post. She’s UCK.
I don’t pay too much attention to either of them. The “ew” factor on them is pretty high for me. I agree with you completely!
Sometimes old fashioned is just… well… lovelier.
There was a time when I overlooked the sex tape and thought, well, maybe she’s not so bad. And then the whole Kimye thing…
Ha! You know what’s funny? I’ve had a draft of a blog post defending Kim Kardashian. Mmmmaybe I’ll just let it sit in drafts. 😉
Oh please. I’d love to read it. And for the record, I could spin just about anything in either direction. This just happened to be the one I felt compelled to go in.
Maybe there’s a show in our future: Point, Counterpoint. Where we talk about frivolous things and I’m always right.
A-to the-men! I think she is ridiculous and find people that look up to her a bit ridiculous. But the sad part? She is laughing all the way to the bank!
When you are determined, like she is, to be rich and famous, you usually will find it. But at what price?
YES! Yes and amen.
I love being old fashioned. You are not the only one left! And who was your boyfriend in the 5th grade? LOL! By the way, I have no idea who Kim Kardashian is. If she hasn’t written a book, she is not on my radar.
My “boyfriend” was Shawn Evans. He was a year younger but he liked to call me on the phone so I called him my boyfriend. Simpler times. And don’t worry – I don’t expect Kim Kardashian to be writing a book any time soon.
One of these days i’m going to figure out why people find the Kardashians fasinating. I can’t figure that out.
It’s got to be the train wreck thing. Got to be.
Ok, I know this is in left field, but I gotta say it: I wonder how many “old-fashioned” people covered up pregnancies before marriage, because you know this isn’t really a new “trend”–but being so public about IS!
Oh – you are TOTALLY right. And I’m all for forgiving people their transgressions. I’m glad we live in a more tolerable time. I just hate the fact that people flaunt it as if values mean nothing anymore.
Divorce is really hard that everyone can affect from it.