Okay yes, automatic mental reference everyone makes to "I'm not that girl . . . " WICKED moment right? Well, not the topic of today's blog post. I had a very serious 'aha' moment this evening when I was presenting for TAG at Company Call and used the phrase, "Yeah; I'm THAT girl." (Moment: for those in my audience who aren't UVU Theatre Majors, company call is a meeting which happens once a month in which everyone in the theatre department discusses EVERYTHING going on. TAG stands for Theatre Arts Guild which is glorified drama club [Don't tell Kyle Hess I said that] and I'm on the council as "Activities Chair," whatev . . . cool? So at company call, TAG gets to put in their two cents for what's happening with us.) So I'm telling the group about the TAG Opening Social on September 20th which is, yes ashamedly enough, at my parent's house in Orem. When I mentioned it was at my parent's house, I gave it a beat and tossed in, "Yes, I'm THAT girl." Well I thought I was funny and it got a laugh so I was feeling good. Totally tore myself apart, but who cares? Hours after this event, I began to ponder what it REALLY means to be THAT girl. First the thought crossed my mind, "Damn it, AM I THAT girl?!" But then I thought, wait . . . who ISN'T THAT girl at some time or another? "THAT girl" could refer to any number of things which people call the "THAT girl" thing. In all the many forms which "THAT girl" could come in, everyone is "THAT girl." I have composed a basic list here (Note-These are all drawn from real-life inspiration, some quite recently.):
The "THAT girl" which-
1. has her college drama club party at her parent's frilly, over-the-top home. *Connotation-"oh, snobby rich girl who goes to mommy and daddy for things . . . got it."
2. wears her high school drama sweater at her first college theatre meeting. *Connotation-"can't get over high school, making herself look young."
3. does an acting performance which can be defined by no other word but "sweet." *Connotation-"a horrible actress, but a really nice person and kind of a nerd so you give her points for trying hard . . . sweet points."
4. talks too loud and makes a spectacle of herself EVERYWHERE. *Connotation-"usually unattractive, can't get a man, but entertains everyone while making herself look even less attractive and more over-the-top."
5. wears too much make-up. *Connotation-"ho."
So, just with the few examples here we can all ready see the many levels of being THAT girl. Please note that while these probably seem horribly mean, please take note that most of them I drew from experiences from my own life, as in . . . I did them. This is not to be self-deprecating but to hopefully avoid hurting someone else. And I have no problem with it because it IS entertaining and hopefully with the idea of adult, growth, maturity, self-improvement, fladdy-floo, it's irrelevant to me anymore. Many of these stages I feel I have moved beyond.
Another level of the "THAT girl"ness which should be analyzed in all the ways the phrase can be said "THAT girl." Said with a sweet voice-a compliment. With a sarcastic tone on sweetness-a nerd or a "sweet spirit." In a tone of spite-sincere hating of that person's "THAT"ness, etc.
So we are lead to the eternal question . . . ARE we all "THAT girl" in our way? Does my theory prove to be true? And if so, can we ever break free of the "THAT girl" syndrome or is that once we stop being THAT girl, we become another?
The "THAT girl" which-
1. has her college drama club party at her parent's frilly, over-the-top home. *Connotation-"oh, snobby rich girl who goes to mommy and daddy for things . . . got it."
2. wears her high school drama sweater at her first college theatre meeting. *Connotation-"can't get over high school, making herself look young."
3. does an acting performance which can be defined by no other word but "sweet." *Connotation-"a horrible actress, but a really nice person and kind of a nerd so you give her points for trying hard . . . sweet points."
4. talks too loud and makes a spectacle of herself EVERYWHERE. *Connotation-"usually unattractive, can't get a man, but entertains everyone while making herself look even less attractive and more over-the-top."
5. wears too much make-up. *Connotation-"ho."
So, just with the few examples here we can all ready see the many levels of being THAT girl. Please note that while these probably seem horribly mean, please take note that most of them I drew from experiences from my own life, as in . . . I did them. This is not to be self-deprecating but to hopefully avoid hurting someone else. And I have no problem with it because it IS entertaining and hopefully with the idea of adult, growth, maturity, self-improvement, fladdy-floo, it's irrelevant to me anymore. Many of these stages I feel I have moved beyond.
Another level of the "THAT girl"ness which should be analyzed in all the ways the phrase can be said "THAT girl." Said with a sweet voice-a compliment. With a sarcastic tone on sweetness-a nerd or a "sweet spirit." In a tone of spite-sincere hating of that person's "THAT"ness, etc.
So we are lead to the eternal question . . . ARE we all "THAT girl" in our way? Does my theory prove to be true? And if so, can we ever break free of the "THAT girl" syndrome or is that once we stop being THAT girl, we become another?
2 comments:
I think in someway or another, we are all "THAT girl." Unless it's a guy. Everyone is going through stages of life that aren't that...unique. At some point or another, no matter what we choose to think, we all go through some stereotypical (bad spelling) stage of life that can be explained with a cliche statement (moody teenager) or by someone saying it's "Just a phase." It's sad, but a lot of experiences that we (I) fret over have happened before, and people have lived through it and probably we (I) will live through it too. And that is my self pep-talk for the day. Lovely blogging dear.
You're not THAT girl, you're THAT girl.
Meaning, it's more like you are the IT girl. Of all of the people I know, you are the one who I have ALWAYS wanted to be around, ALWAYS loved, thought EVERYTHING you do is fantastic.
You are THAT girl.
Honestly. I am not just saying it. You know me, I don't just SAY these things.
UVU does not at all represent what the real world is like. Remember that.
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