Dinner Table

We had an interesting discussion at the dinner table.

First of all, may I say how great it is to gather with others around a dinner table and talk? I don't have that in my daily life. If I have dinner, I usually have it alone. Now, before you feel sorry for me, there is nothing sad about it. It's a fact of my life at present. It makes all the times I gather with others that much more special. I don't take them for granted.

The table was brimming with food. I was sitting with my adopted family not by blood or by marriage. A family by friendship. A family, I might not be with at all times, but a family I love. Dinner was pretty much over, yet we still sat at the table. Some were playing trivial pursuit, others of us were just talking and laughing.

The discussion turned to the new year and to the old one. Some of us saw MTV's top 9 in 09 on TV, and we were very struck by the people on the list. It's very telling.

Did you know that Miley Cyrus cancelled her twitter account? Do you care? I know, I don't. But what did strike me was that so many people did. Enough to make the list at number 9. That boggled my mind. That some are that invested in the minute details of someone's life. Someone's young life that involves a liking for corn dogs, and dying her hair. Captivating stuff, no?

That wasn't the only thing that made our heads spin. Sacha Baron Cohen aka Ali G. aka Brüno, who was a presenter for the MTV Movie Awards, dressed like an angel with butt out, flew all over and landed butt to face on Eminem. It was staged, but Eminem played his outraged part enough to capture everyone's attention at number 8. What a brilliant way to get back into the public eye after being away from it for a while.

Lady Gaga made it at number 7. Nuff said. New Moon continued the Twilight saga with the very timely questions about its stars' (Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson) possible relationship off stage. Anything to fuel the fires of the Twilight craze that has infected so many. Cha ching baby.

Tiger Woods made it at number 6 with his intensely personal problems. Seriously people? Butt out. Sorry Brüno, nothing to do with your fashion sense.

Then we have number four -President Obama. Number four? Nothing against the talented and business savvy people on this list thus far, but they are not even in his league. He represents a history. He represents future hope and possibility. He represents progress. But this is the MTV list, and well, we must always consider the source. This sparked much discussion in our group. Who would come after him? Who could possibly top Obama?

Well here is your answer. Kanye West came in at number 3 with his classless interruption of Taylor Swift's acceptance of an MTV Music Award to loudly and rudely state that Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time. He topped Obama. So did Chris Brown's assault on Rihanna at number two.

Two people, not at their finest hours topped an icon.

Hmm.

Number one went to Michael Jackson, whom I adore and would put on any number one list; but I remember not so long ago, he was a pariah. People and the media did not have good things to say about him. He was guilty whether proven or not. I had gotten into several arguments in the past, with people who had very nasty things to say about him. He died, tragically too soon, and unnecessarily. That affected a lot of us, but the least the media could do was acknowledge their change in tune.

Discussion veered to the internet and people's obsession with it. Some had a very negative perspective on social networking via the net, others see it as a way to make connections. Certainly one must be cautious in what personal information one divulges because we never really know who's reading. But there is risk in every human interaction. Hearts can be broken. Ideas can be stolen. Feelings can be bruised. Reputations can be ruined. But to operate from a negative perspective solves nothing; it does shrink one's world and outlook, however.

I prefer the horizon of human experience. Armed with common sense, and humor, one can navigate past the ridiculous and find the sublime.

Yeah. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. :)