Oh reality

I asked where my endless fascination with reality restaurant shows came. I guess I can add Dr. Phil to the list. I am currently watching the turmoil that is known as "The Dr. Phil family." I remembered them from when they debuted in 2003. Sadly, before Dr. Phil shined the light on this family, I grew up with kids whose families were like this and was not surprised by any of the revelations (though it seemed that the audience was). We as an audience seem to revel and be intensely involved in the problems of the middle class suburbanites that populate reality shows like Dr. Phil.

I'm always endlessly fascinated by the fact that when drug addiction affects families of color, it's the families' fault and they are a blight on society and we are paying for your crimes...whereas with this population, there are 'teachable moments' and if only they weren't exposed to tv and other bad influences and they can be saved and go to college and have a future...

It begins

Well, It's November, which is National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoM0) and National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo).

The keys to succeeding at both are finding time and being disciplined. Not easy to do in our ADD-instant result expectant-crisis management kind of world.

This year's NaBloPoMo will also serve to help jumpstart my blogging, which I have left so by the wayside. I will also be blogging not only at this site, but also at my livejournal, which will also serve to chronicle my NaNoWriMo progress. I will also blog at my social action blog, which documents causes and nonprofits issues that interest me. For kicks, I'll have my opinions at my soap fan blog also.

This year's NaBloPoMo roster is:

More Explore
http://www.moreexplore.blogspot.com/

My Writing Exploration
http://ladydayelle.livejournal.com/

My Social Awareness and Action Blog
http://kitlat.wordpress.com/

Where are your women?

Check that. Where are your women who look closer to the undesirable version of the racial spectrum, but who are just as competent, just as capable and just as curious as the souped up versions that are presented?

We've been treated to lots of stories heroes and heroines saving the world, making a difference and having fun on the internet, the big screen and the small screen. I rarely see people who look like the kind of woman I physically became in those stories. I usually see them as victims, as dimwitted, unimaginative, non progressive people, as an archetype who is a 'magical negro' or who has 'the ancient Chinese secret,' but not leading a full live that has ups and downs and highs and lows except as some sort of 'afterschool special'.

I reflect on the current crop of medical dramas and again notice that women of color as doctors, as supervisors, as specialists are missing in large numbers. I was thinking about 'Grey's Anatomy,' which does have women of color as a part of the writing staff, but none as attendings in the show's hospital staff. Make no mistake-Miranda Bailey may huff and puff, but she and Callie are HNIC and HMIC respectively.

Sci-fi, action and fantasy makes you want to cry because of the dearth. Even if a woman of dark color is presented, she rarely is in on the action and she lives in a vacuum. She's married and/or is a mother and is remote.

Of course, I can write my own stories...but will they ever be read?