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| 'Big Edie', my idol |
As a twenty-something living in London, I do have a lot to be happy about, but a lot to complain about as well. People around me seem to find it amusing when I do either, so with only part-time employment to keep me company, I am diving into the blogosphere with my alter-ego (or true self) 'Grumpy Granny' at the keyboard.
The idea is that each post will be focused around a topic that takes place somewhere, for example, I plan to write about a film called 'Til There Was You (Scott Winant, 1997) so it will be titled as such: Grumpy Granny goes to the Movies, and then the film or topic will be specified in the actual post. Sometimes the titles might not make much logical sense but that doesn't matter. I have a feeling that most posts will be 'Grumpy Granny goes to the movies' or '...theatre' since I tend to do that a lot (thank you FreeB!). But I'm sure there will be many other topics explored since lots of things set me off: Christmas always brings infuriating advertisements and nostalgic memories so there might be some of that; While daily life includes many inspirational events, so a variety of themes and happenings should be explored.
While I am invoking a vaguely insulting stereotype by using the title of 'Grumpy Granny', I want to make clear that I in no way believe women over a certain age, or those with grandchildren, are all grumpy and/or are innately interesting (maybe that last one is just my own assumption). People are people, and thus they come in many shapes, sizes and attitudes. My intention with this blog is not to imitate a stereotype, but to instead share my thoughts on the world by invoking a stereotype that I embrace as loosely encompassing who I am. As I already stated, I am in my twenties and I have no children or grandchildren to speak of, so in the strictest terms I only live up to the 'Grumpy' part (and this only most of the time). However, I do embrace my nickname wholeheartedly as I continue to grumble about things and look forward to days where all I do is snuggle up with a cat and a good book (or an episode or four of Buffy the Vampire Slayer).
Depicted above is the fantastic Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale, also known as 'Big Edie', whom you might know from the beautiful documentary Grey Gardens (Albert and David Maysles, 1975) in which her and her daughter ('Little Edie') are depicted as eccentric but loveable characters who share their rundown mansion in East Hampton with a large number of cats and racoons.
Though the film is filled with fabulous statements and musings about life from both women ("S-T-A-U-N-C-H"), one particular exchange between them inspires me most of all. When Little Edie declares that "you can't have your cake and eat it too in life", Big Edie promptly puts her straight by declaring: "Oh yes, I did. I did, I had my cake, loved it, masticated it, chewed it and had everything I wanted." This is what draws me to this woman, even though I know next to nothing about her life beyond this film, she fills me with joy as she declares that she got what she wanted out of life, and savoured it thoroughly as well. Of course how true this is I can't say, but these are words that I remind myself of from time to time and, in a way, is what I am hoping for with this blog. It grants me a forum to explore different facets of life by celebrating some things and complaining about others while avoiding the hesitation I sometimes feel elsewhere because I might be told to be more positive, or to just accept that life is like that, or that I'm exaggerating.
Most importantly, what I take from Big Edie's words, whether she means it or not, is that one should say to hell with propriety and notions of 'normal', and instead get what you need and want out of life. This is what I want from this blog since it's a place for me to explore the things I find worthwhile in any form that I choose.
So I shall dive in and try my best to keep on masticating!
