a hepburn living in a hilton world.

"tiffany, i don't mean to be rude or come off like a jerk-off, but when i first started talking to you, i thought you were a lesbian."

i've given a considerable amount of thought into this blog post and i feel now, more than ever, is the correct time to express my thoughts on this matter. the above quotation was taken from one of our regulars at starbucks, with whom i've had many long conversations with. we discuss everything from fashion, commerce, politics, religion, our worldviews, etc - there is nary a topic we will not debate. we were discussing our love lives as of late and he remarked on his impression of who i was. naturally, i was taken aback; what about me would lead him to this conclusion. and there it came, like a flash of lightning: "you're an intellectual. you read, you boast educated opinions and you're forthcoming with your concepts of an idealistic society. all of these things scream out the term power lesbian in my head."

now, i am not sure if eric is just being a small-minded prick or if maybe, he's on to something here. it wasn't until my latest MAX rides that this theory began plaguing me more and more. the conversations i happen to eavesdrop on generally circle around topics like who's marrying whom in hollywood, who holds the record on survivor, which girl threw up at which party and in what room and the like. it seems like we've gone from a country of audrey hepburn's and jackie kennedy's into ke$ha's and lady gaga's. it's all getting drunk, acting a fool and throwing caution to the wind. when did us girls lose our sense of class, dignity and self-reliance?

it breaks my heart to think that our society has gone from such strong powerful women figures to what i view as a detrimental break in judgment. now headlines read lines about coke deals, battles with bulimia/anorexia, jail breaks and sex tapes - where at one point we were all admiring mother theresa's limitless acts of simple love, audrey hepburn's poise and know-how with the less fortunate and jackie kennedy's political know-how.

i don't know how we got here or where the break occured, but somewhere along the way, women forgot how to cultivate themselves. we settled for getting C's because we wanted the cute boy to tutor us, we flashed our thongs for the homecoming king's attention and wound up losing more than a few IQ points. like i said, heartbreaking stuff here.

so where do i find myself in this mess? don't get me wrong, i appreciate lady gaga's unique new vision and her groundbreaking ways of busting out of the norm. but donning a meat dress? showing the world your cooter? these are not things i think should be held in high regard. cultivating knowledge, inspiring growth - these are things you should think about.

sure, reality television is amusing and trashy magazines are great fodder for a random slumber party, but as a constant way of life? please, i'll pass. hand me a good book, a glass of tea and a stimulating conversation any day.

so girls, before you drink down those twelve consecutive shots of jameson, let's pause for a moment and consider the facts. because, believe me, sometimes, it's best to err on the side of caution.

and as always, love, t.