Holly, Kendra, and Brigette, oh my! Last summer, while trapped in a temporary exile in rural New Hampshire, I had plenty of time to catch up on TV. One of the new shows I was introduced to by my little sister was “The Girls Next Door (TGND).” TGND is a reality show which follows the lives of Hugh Hefner’s three girlfriends. Each of the girls – Holly, Kendra, and Bridget – has distinctive quirky attributes which helps set them apart from their bleach blonde hair, huge fake boobs, and made-up faces.

Personally, I can’t stand the show. I don’t find it funny or interesting at all. However, it is essentially harmless, and should be treated as such.

Are these women being overly sexualized? Yes. Are they made to appear ditzy and stupid? I sure the hell hope so. Is TGND intended to make all women look like dumb sexualized bimbos, while men have all the power, despite their age? No. TGND is carefree, sugary fluff. It’s an escape simply intended to make us smile.

I remember first hearing about MySpace when I was in middle school. It was brand new at the time, and I remember people’s reactions. Instantly, it seemed, two sides were taken; those who loved the site, and used it almost religiously, and those who deemed it “sketchy.” I was one of the protesters who deemed it sketchy, yet I still remember creating my own page and joining MySpace. I don’t recall what my page was like at the time, or how frequently I checked the site, and it never became an important part of my life. It wasn’t until years later that I discovered Facebook, and my social networking skills took off.

In my freshman year of college, I remember hearing about a new social networking site called Facebook. I figured (correctly) that it was similar to MySpace, and instantly shunned it. I didn’t want anything to do with it, and as the site grew and became more popular, this only fueled my stubbornness. Eventually however, I gave in. I remember creating my page and trying to make it funny. I also remember searching for old friends and acquaintances from high-school, and adding them as my friends. Facebook soon became an outlet for me to show the world how I was doing, or at least what I wanted them to think. I could post pictures of myself looking cute, or change my interests in the hopes of impressing someone; and I did this often. Facebook became an addiction. I would check my page several times a day to see if someone had written a comment on my wall, or posted new pictures of me, or left me a message in my inbox. Facebook provided an easy and quick way to both identify myself to my friends, and be aware of their latest activities as well. After the first couple years however, the novelty wore off, and Facebook is now reserved mostly as a reminder of my better networking days.

Social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace have become a very important creative force in recent generations. Although a few of my Mom’s friends have made their way onto the pages of Facebook, it ultimately remains an activity for the younger generations. It allows the user to share personal details about their life, and build friendships with people. It has become a new way to socialize, and the popularity and need for social networking sites continues to grow and adapt.

SLIP AND SLIDE!

Throughout my Childhood, throngs of toys came in and out of my life, probably on a weekly basis. I was a very destructive child, and smashing my toys in the driveway with a rock or other large blunt object was one of my favorite pastimes. Often, when I was finished “playing” with my toys, I would move onto my older sister’s doll collection, which soon formed into a headless heap of small limbs and discarded hair. There is, however, a very specific toy which I remember sharing with all my siblings; a Slip and Slide.

Growing up with two older siblings and a younger one, finding a communal toy was a difficult task, which explains why I can recall so few. The Slip and Slide proved to be a game we could all play together, albeit in different ways. A basic slip and slide consists of a long, narrow strip of thin yellow rubber, which is connected to a garden hose, which in turn lubricates the entire surface to create a wet, slippery strip of summer fun!

When the Slip and Slide was ready to be used, we would take turns running and sliding across the surface. I remember trying to purposely fall off the edges of the Slip and Slide, sending me tumbling into wet grass. Also, when it wasn’t my turn, I would pick up the hose, and spray the next sliding subject directly, creating a more intense, high-risk variation of the Slip and Slide, or so I thought. Although I can’t recall any specifics about the difference in how I played with the Slip and Slide as opposed to my siblings, I’m almost certain I was much rougher on the equiptment. I also remember playing with the Slip and Slide by myself, long after everyone was onto the next activity.