Sir John Everett Millais, Bt, 1886, Bubbles,
Oil on Canvas, Lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight
I write you today, gagging still from the soapy film that lines the inside of my mouth at having been so wickedly disparaging in my last blog posting. I thank you all for your e-mails and comments and do appreciate your concern for the Toad's feelings, but let me assure you, Prince Toad is extremely well taken care of and happier than most. He receives daily foot massages, and after-work back rubs; he orders coffee from the 'kitchen' when his cup springs a leak; his immaculately manicured hands are rarely soiled by the grime and filth of daily chores and he certainly could not be bothered to read this blog.
Besides, this is my blog and I shall write what I please! Oh dear, I think I just choked on a bubble...
Having got that out the way, I decided neutral territory would provide better subject matter for the moment.
This weekend saw America celebrate the grand 'Superbowl'. Coming from a country that simply lives for its primary sports; Rugby and Cricket, it has been extremely interesting to me to move to a place where these phenomenon simply do not exist. While I despise contact sport and all it involves, I must say that I have had to stop and ponder the age old question about the sociological value these team sports play in certain cultures. There is so much I do not understand about Americans, and probably never will, all owing to the nature of their sports being utterly different to that of my own country. What we so often fail to take into account when addressing the issue of sports, and particularly the culture of contact sports, are the peripheral activities that these sports engender. The enormous reach that these activities have into society makes becoming a social pariah extraordinarily easy...I find this unforgivable.
Anyway, as I am a pariah already, the Superbowl means a blissfully quiet day devoid of any traffic or human interaction. Unfortunately I am not exempt from all Superbowl mania and so have been treated to endless Superbowl Best Of 2009 Commercials all week. Having had to suffer my due punishment, I decided that I would post the only two I thought worth a moment's concentration.
While the Coca-Cola one was not a favorite with most I thought it simply brilliant. What an extremely apt representation of the wonderfully secret lives we all lead in this technological age. I was surprised to see that more people did not relate, and as such, appreciate the sentiment expressed by Coca-Cola in this advert. I also think its sneaky sub-narrative of how, we're all 'different' in our own way a lovely moral twist - well done Coke!
That's it for now.
Till the next one...
Alice.