Imported from the horror that is Thoughts.com

The general idea for this blog is supposed to be A Book a Day. I do usually read a book a day but, it's mostly about giving me a focal point for writing, not necessarily about the book I read that day. Nor does it imply that I will write every day because I can almost guarantee I won't.

However, my dear computer friend and constant antagonist, Ms. Kathryn Oshlick, has given me a slightly different inspiration for this initial bit of self absorption. This essay should be titled, Why I Enjoy Pop Culture, and Why I Kind of Freaking Need to.

My upbringing was not conventional. It wasn't even unconventional. It was, now this is kind of magical these days, unique. All cultures have certain ceremonies and events and experiences that bind people together, and the American culture is no different. I really didn't have any of those. And the majority of experiences I did have, most of which I cherish, a few of which are a little bit discomfiting, are not things to which most people can relate.

This is fine. I have 5 younger siblings and my parents...only my mom now, but I had my dad for nearly 30 years so he certainly counts. They all shared my strange and wonderful upbringing and, to a large degree, my mentality. Not entirely, even in a family of weirdos, I have always been the black sheep. My blue eyes, my penchant for casual sex and Shakespeare. Yeah, I'm an eternal outcast and, that's all right with me.

What I'm trying to say is this. I have no real way to relate to most people. No shared experienes, no high school graduation, no nit picky but ignorant mother, no over protective father, no bridal shower or wedding or magical and happy moment upon realising there is a fetus in me. What I have, other than an impressive selection of neuroses, is pop culture.

I relate to people because we love the same movies, music, books and tv shows. I may have similar social or political views but, I always feel awkward because there is nothing else that connects me to other people. Except pop culture. I realise how ridiculous it all is, even books that we consider classics today were villified and harshly reviewed like any contemporary work of fiction. It's all nonsense, but I love it anyway.

Glee? Modern Family? True Blood? Lady Gaga? Twilight? Even when something is blatantly awful in most regards (particularly the latter two, ktxh) I still like it. I want to share tiny normal things with other people, and that is a large part of what makes me get involved with things that don't actually matter.

I also like to be entertained. And I do also bond with people over more important issues, gay rights, animal rights, reproductive rights, good literature, good music, environmental and socio-economic issues.

But pop culture is the glue that I need, the glue that I don't have because of my wonderful, strange childhood and adulthood.