Myspace

I am typing as Jane and her eight friends (the remnants of her 12th birthday party here who are on a sleep-over) are eating pizza and watching a film. Jane 's mom and her mom's mother are here tonight too. Jane has a friend with a profile on myspace.com. have you seen that site? It's more for the under 25 age group, but is inclusive, a free web site to find romance, post blogs, meet others for friendship or escape out of loneliness, etc.
It is a bit more personal than standard people meeting sites like Hi5, where the postings are not as revealing. It is said that Myspace, Facebook and Xanga are the "companionship" sites. Most people leave their messages on their home pages and expect good comments from the viewers. It's a kind of nurturing community, and I like it (But Jane is s too young for those sites- the predators are lurking).
My impression of these sites as compared to Hi5 and other less revealing ones is that they are sites that allow the user to seek an identity. Since many are teens the identity formation isn't quite yet stable. The user at the sites seems intent on "finding him or her self" amidst others like him or her. So the sites become a kind of bulletin board, like a college student might see at a university- only more personal. But wait! Facebook, for instance, is for a more educated crowd, and almost completely respectable.
It is supposed to be for college students and college grads. I didn't see any porn or solicitations for sex on that one. At myspace anything seems to go. But isn't this the way people behave off the web? Myspace seems to be more a fraternity party, while the other two represent more mature and reflective users. But both of these show people need people (as the song goes) for one reason or another. And that is good, for in that quest we see the best and worst in man reflected in a click or two on the web. What an easy and nice way to view ourselves.
Designer "Mr. Blackwell" has just released his 46th annual "Worst Dressed" list (thank goodness he doesn't know me...I would be in first place). Guess who is in first place? It's none other than our local diva, Britney Spears. The fading 'singer' was said but Mr. Blackwell to wear clothes that made her look like "an over-the -hill Lolita". Number two on the worst dressed list is Mary-Kate Olsen. Mr. Blackwell says Mary-Kate wears clothes that are "bag lady rags" and are "depressingly decayed". That's cruel, but not as bad as what he said about Jessica Simpson, the third place "winner".
Mr.Blackwell said that Jessica "resembles a cut-rate Rapunzel slinging hash in a vegas diner." Others on the list of fashion dead heads include: Eva Longoria, Mariah Carey, Paris Hilton ( Mr Blackwell described Paris as looking "Like yesterday's cheescake-with a side of kitsch"), Lindsay Lohan (He said Lindsay is "drowning in grown-up groaners"), Shakira, Anna Nicole Smith and Rene Zellweger ("a painted pumpkin on a pogo stick").
But Mr.Blackwell is just having fun (and promoting his business) with the list. He offered a small conciliatory tone when speaking about the 10 collectively. "These women may be fabulously talented in their respective fields, but when it comes to fashion, they resemble weary weeds in a lovely garden".