SBD want ad

For today's Smart Bitching, I'm taking a page from KateR's book and posting a want ad. Her ad is in search of a grammar-checker, in light of the recent online debacle re: editing standards and poor elementary writing skills. [ETA: I just read my post and it sounds like I'm saying that Kate can't write. I'm not. I haven't read her paper pubbed books, but I've read excerpts and have her e-book downloaded for reading, and they both seemed quite readable and not riddled with poor grammar.] Except my want ad is imaginary, it's the ad that I think must run in Harlequinistan, the ad that all of those heroines must be answering.

Wanted: CEO's administrative assistant
Doormat personality required, intelligence optional. Education is optional. Must have breath-taking beauty hidden under bushel, ready for revelation as a result of loss of glasses, single glass of wine or other opportune dishevelment. Ideal candidate will be orphan without network of friends or family upon which to rely when backed into corner by horny CEO who prefers to keep "personal" relationships professional by keeping mistresses. Ignorance of statutory and case law regarding sexual harassment mandatory. Must be young woman with sexual hang ups that can only be cured by CEO's magic penis. Virgins preferred, but not absolutely required as long as no orgasm ever experienced. Experienced women comfortable with their bodies and their sexuality need not apply. Please include photo with application and resume. Candidates without photos will not be offered an interview. Interview may include short hand test and race around CEO's desk.

I bought a bag of books at the library book sale last weekend. It was a prepared bag grouped by genre, not a bundle of books that I picked individually. So for $5 I got a variety of books, ranging from a couple of Tara Janzen's Crazy books to some older categories. Can you tell which ones I tried reading last night?

Dixie Chicks

Instead of listening to The Shrub's immigration mess, I watched the episode of 60 Minutes that I taped last night. [I'm not totally disinterested -- I'll read the transcript of the speech -- I just can't bear to listen to his painful speeches.] Watched the piece on the SEIU organizer, fast forwarded through the Harlem school project, paid attention to the interview with the Dixie Chicks. I like their music, which seems really rock and roll sometimes, very bluegrass at other times. Some of their more ballady stuff doesn't appeal, because it verges on syrup for me. The songs I tend to like are the more raucous ones, like Sin Wagon and Let It Rip.

So, after a three year hiatus, they're releasing another album. Their last one tanked after the lead singer made controversial statements about The Shrub. Does it make a difference now that 70% of America disapproves of his job performance? Apparently not in my area, because I've never heard their new single played on any of the rock, country, pop or easy listening stations. Of course, it's not an apologetic song, which will alienate a lot of listeners. Plus, a lot of their fan base was country-based, which is disproportionately red state.

When I think about the hit that their career took, I'm reminded that the American public really wants female entertainers to look good and have no opinions. Male singers (Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Bono, etc.) are allowed to have political opinions with impunity. It doesn't matter how blunt they are. Kanye West, anyone? Actors can espouse whatever political party or position they desire (George Clooney) or even run for political office (Schwartenegger). But women entertainers are only supposed to have opinions about traditionally female things (starving children in Africa, like Angelina Jolie).

Back to the interview. I liked what I heard of their new album, enough to put it on my wish list at Amazon. And I appreciate that the three of them are sticking together and kind of burning their bridges, in the sense of saying that they weren't going to stop having opinions or being musicians, and that if country music fans couldn't separate their music from their politics it was the fans' loss. But I thought Natalie Maines (sp?) was a little disingenuous when it came to her wide-eyed-blinking response to some of the questions posed by interviewer.