www.bryanboy.typepad.com: a critique

Here is Bryan Boy’s recipe for blogging success:

One homosexual.
LOTS OF MONEY (to buy the latest fashion).
A signature pose.
And an internet connection.

Put it all together and you’ve got a international fan base and an income funded by various companies provided you endorse their products on your website! Bryan Boy is a part of the growing phenomena of “online celebrities”. In an age of self-promotion and swift technological advancements, anybody can be an ‘international star’!

Bryan Boy hails from the Philippines… and he describes himself as “…planet Earth's favorite third world fag. I'm the gayest gay that ever gayed. I am SOOO gay that I even sweat glitter.” Clearly flamboyant and campy, Bryan Boy has become a “Technorati” celebrity… having been voted as one of the world’s most popular blogs by the number of online traffic received daily.

What amazes me most about BryanBoy is that most of his entries aren’t exactly thought provoking. He ISN’T changing the world or anything. Well, not for the better anyway. His blogs are consistently self-centred and shallow… he constantly talks about how expensive his possessions are in a tone that subtly degrades people who cannot afford the same things. Which is just about the great chunk of the human race! If he is not talking about his most recent material acquisitions he makes fun of his countrymen or how he looks up to INFAMOUS people such as Imelda Marcos for having amassed a reported 3,000 shoes.

I seriously have no respect for him in that regard. How can you look up to a woman, a former first lady, who robbed billions of dollars from the people she was suppose to SERVE? And really, what do you get out of having more than 100 designer bags? It’s sick.

I suppose when BryanBoy first began blogging it was “cute”. Here’s this Asian guy, who hails from the only predominantly Christian country in the region who is openly gay talking about his sexcapades and the latest Prada collection. It’s different. It’s fun. Whatever. But I personally you can only talk about yourself so much… ‘cause then it gets, well, predictable. And, annoying. I don’t know very many people who like listening about someone who talks about himself or herself all the time. Not cool.

But then, that’s just me. Fans from all around the world mail BryanBoy daily pictures of themselves doing BryanBoy’s signature pose and comment on his entries. He seems to be particularly popular with gay guys in Europe and South East Asian females.

I will probably will never know why he has got such a large fan base up to now. His life really isn’t THAT interesting. I’d rather read about someone who is helping find a cure for AIDS or making a positive impact on the world.

EVEN MORE UNPUBLISHED ENTRIES

I am a good student, I know. HAHAHAHA. Note the sarcasm. BUT I do have more than 12 blogs ok! Even before my freak out housekeeping publishing thingo!

And again, I meant to post this particular entry ages ago.

That is, last week! Hahaha.

***
I was told by friends in The States that tsome people are trying to ban foie gras in San Francisco. I was totally shocked since I just had some in Masa's a few days ago. I dont think a lot of people realize that OTHER people find true (however momentary) happiness in food (and sometimes that's all they have even though they dont have any REAL problems except themselves).

Anyway, I Googled it and found this:



(excerpt from an article in some animal rights site)

But then on September 29, just one day before the deadline, Schwarzenegger surprised the animal welfare community by signing the foie gras bill into law. California instantly became the first state to adopt such a law—even though the law will allow the Golden State nearly eight years to implement it.

Schwarzenegger’s surprisingly strong support of the law echoed the backing that the bill has received during its passage through California’s legislature.

WHAT

HOW CAN ANYONE APPROVE A BILL THAT BANS THIS?



I can already feel my mouth watering. perfectly seared hudson valley foie gras with figs and aged balsamic vinegar sauce... and some of that mad chateau y'quem sauterne to top it all off. Shit. I would force-feed a duck and kill it myself for that experience every single time, if I had to.

I cant understand why a country that places such a premium on the freedom and liberty granted by CHOICE would deprive everyone of some fantastic foie gras just because some people think that a bunch of fucking ANIMALS shouldnt be force-fed to have fattened up livers for human consumption.

Who the fuck cares? They're just DUCKS! We stuff our pillows, duvets, and mattresses with their feathers, for god's sake. we're just going to cook them and eat them, ANYWAY. We might as well fatten up their livers and make good use of them.

(excerpt from the san francisco chronicle)
Aqua chef Laurent Manrique has been the victim of vandals who spray-painted his home and splashed his car with acid, and he has received threatening letters and videotapes.

So people think it's okay to trash the house and car of a perfectly respectable french chef just because he makes some of the best foie gras in san francisco? And it's okay to terrorize his family by videotaping his wife and children playing in their front yard to let manrique know that he is "being watched" and if he doesnt stop he will "be stopped"?

THIS IS SOCIAL TERRORISM.

I loathe these people as much as the PETArds who hang squirrel-like things outside of neiman. Why dont they just redirect their tree hugginess to helping homeless people, starving orphans, or ailing aids victims?

What I meant to post before New Years! Ugh.

I wrote this on my BRAND NEW LAPTOP (WOOT!) while in the family vacation home in the mountains before New Years. We dont' have an internet connection up there so I have a legit reason for not posting this entry earlier!

***


Life is full of decisions and every single decision made by you, initiates an action, reaction and consequence. As the year hands on the life clock slowly tick away, decisions get harder & more significant. And even with all the crap that has made itself my life in all my experiences, I still don't feel any wiser at this particular moment in time.

I'm told the bigger the hurdle, the harder the fall but the stronger the fight, the more rewarding the victory.

Here I am once again, sitting on an uncomfortable rock at the beginning of a crossroad which will lead to another, and then another, and still another. These forked roads with shining vegas lights shouting "pick me, I'm the easy way out" and "my arduous roads will reap more worthwhile benefits" are familiar, but now, the reality has finally kicked in.

2006 has been an amazing, but granted, long and difficult year. There has been so much going on, although on the inside - my heart has been pumping pain, my mind thinking in confusion and my soul walking blindly. While on the surface, many a thing is sane and stable, exciting and exhilarating; in those stolen silences I nurse a deep dark bruise of uncertainty and frustration. Don't read me wrong, my life is full of amazing grace and I have lived many a blessing. Life is truly great and I have lived it as full as the next person, with sincere enjoyment, but currents of anxiety have coarsed through yours truly through it all.

I live life in its throes and prefer to take things as they come, but still need the sketchy constructions of a solid future. I want. I need. I need. I want. There are people to talk to, things to say, plans to make - "I don't want to rush things, I just need to know it's real & worth it". "I don't know if it's possible, but tell me you'll help me". "Everything you do affects the people that love you and right now you're hurting them". "You keep saving, I can see you crumbling; who is there for you?". "I have tried and tried but my patience is wearing thin". And there's so much more.

This year is going to be difficult and the emotional backpack I'm wearing into the New Year isn't a sprinting start. But I'm excited for the prospects because I'm going to grow, and learn and live to the best of my abilities. On top of that I have an amazing few people I know I can count on, and they know who they are.

Here's to 2007 and the unexpected, the dreams that are made, the hopes that are truth, the mountains climbed, the forgiveness healed and the experiences that make us who we are!

Again, another post I forgot to publish!

Someone is obviously doing some last minute house keeping before getting graded for the blog! Hahaha!
I just realized that I have heaps of drafts saved but hadn't actually finished many of them... so they were just sitting around. And because the last few weeks have been uber hectic... I, um, SORT OF, forgot about them! Whoops? But hey! Atleast I'll have OVER 12 entries. Wurd.


I meant to publish this entry on Sunday morning... January 14, 2007:

I went to a party last night and tried "haguis" (I don't know how to spell it). It's the national dish of Scotland and it's made by stuffing a sheep's stomach with sheep's innards or something like that. Anyway, it tasted disapointingly like ordinart, household spam.

I also got extremely tipsy on Goldschlagger, fell asleep, and woke up with a bad hang-over.

Random.

*I drafted this entry AGES ago but forgot to post it... BAH.


I'm here listening to Cindy Lauper's latest album, "At Last", courtesy of Tiffany Hong, my long time partner in crime! t's a revival album, no original songs. But the woman sure can sing. Really.

She was already quite a singer during her "Girls Wanna Have Fun Days" but I think her skill was masked by the kinds of songs she was singing. This album proves it all. She's got real talent.

But lately, Led Zeppelin is what dominates my stereo. I didn't like them growing up, hated them even. Now I find they satisfy a certain craving I've been having, the sound of grating vocals and guitars. I've spent my entire senior year of college trying to fill this craving, which is weird because during junior year, I played nothing but Norah Jones.

When I'm not playing Led Zeppelin, I'm playing "The Darkness. Oh my god, these guys are unbelievable.

If you like to take yourself seriously at all times, and are concerned with maintaining a reputation of having good and refined musical taste, you will absolutely loathe The Darkness. It takes a good sense of humor, a penchant for spandex and shimmery eye-shadow, and a familiarity with the 80s to appreciate what these guys are trying to get at. You've probably heard their single "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" on the airwaves.


Lead singer Justin Hawkins's falsetto, combined with deliberately cheesy lyrics, and song titles; plus glam-era inspired guitarwork, all tied together with a killer band name (The Darkness! Ooooooooh). You just gotta love these guys.

As bassist Frankie Poullain says, "Everyone's too uptight these days. I hate the arrogance of bands who think their petty emotions are interesting. If you look at bands from 25 years ago, people had smiles on their faces. Wer'e bringing a little of that back."

That just about says it all.

My favorite cut from the album is "Get Your Hands Off My Woman" (love that title).

That is all.

Changes.

Hold your ground.

Even if 99 percent of the population is telling you to sell out, but your gut feeling says no. Hold your ground... then ask for the opinions from someone you trust. It's scary but its better than doing something you''ll regret in ur heart later on.

No one said this would be easy.


***

2007 is also going to be about habits for me. Break some bad ones, stick to the good ones, and make new ones.

It takes 21 days to form a habit. Starting now....