The Friend Zone

[advising Ross about Rachel]

Joey: You waited too long and now you're in "The Friend Zone."

A phrase uttered all too often in regards to male and female friends, in which when one part of the twosome has feelings for the other part, when said first part just thinks of the second as a friend.

In the episode, Joey tells Ross he's "mayor of the zone" with his feelings for Rachel not being reciprocated. Ross believes that he can approach Rachel at any time with the offer to date. He finally gets her alone on the balcony, overlooking a blacked-out NYC and he begins to tell her how he feels. A cat then jumps on his shoulder, and mayhem ensues as Rachel and Phoebe look for the cats owner. Rachel falls for the Italian guy, Palo, and forgets all about what Ross had to tell her. Leaving him, still, in the Friend Zone.

Thus, bringing me to the point of my post. Can male and females ever be, JUST friends? Meaning, can two people of the opposite sex ever have a relationship not involving sexual feelings? Think about it. At one point or another in almost every instance, a sexual encounter is pondered over or even followed through with.

A perfect example is my relationship now. My guy and I knew each other for 4 years. We were friends, not best friends but we appreciated each others company and hung out a lot. We mainly worked together and I adored him. Did I think he was cute? Yes. Would I recommend him to a friend? Of course! I actually did. Neither of us acted on our feelings, instead built a great flirty friendship.

At one point or another, I had a crush on all of my guy friends. I didn't pursue anything further nor did I ever expect any relationship to develop. They were all in the "Friend Zone." Granted, some of the perimeter of the zone is somewhat blurred and can be considered situational, however, I've never witnessed an instance where two friends of opposite genders were just "friends" with no sexual feelings towards the other, one-sided or both.

Because the perimeter is blurred, many lines can be crossed giving the other party the wrong idea. Like the "running fingers through my hair" compared to just a "tousel," and constant companionship, albeit a flirty companionship, is treading dangerous waters too if you don't ever want to exit the safe zone.

I was lucky in the fact that I fell in love with one of my best guy friends, and well, we all know what happens with Ross and Rachel.

Thank You America, Good Night!

The old adage: "Don't bite the hand that feeds you," seems almost too eerie to say but it reigns with truth. Call my views immature, liberal, conservative, uninformed, whatever on our poor American economy but I am at my utmost appalled right now.

This article: from my beloved New York Times solidifies in my mind that we are biting the hands that feed us, literally. Do we not live, work and play in the United States? Do we not have the privilege of soaking up greater knowledge in our fine institutions? Do we not have freedom of speech and freedom of the press --lest, why NYT was able to write and print such an article--?

Why then do we continue to bite the hand that feeds us our freedom? Why do we let the media (I am guilty of this myself, and at least I admit it!) brain wash our minds into thinking certain ways? Consumer Reports is mostly to blame, and basically the majority of America for believing everything they read.

I have to laugh every time I see someone driving a Toyota with an American flag attached to their antenna, or "These colors don't run!" bumper sticker on a Honda Ridgeline, or a "Proud to be an American" sticker on a Subaru. Um, if you were truly an American and truly cared about the country in which you represent on your precious Japanese bumper than one would assume that you would want said economy to thrive, no? *News Flash* all the money you spent on your Jap car is going to JAPAN! Not us! Although Toyota would like you to believe, now that they have factories here in the U.S. that you would be doing America a favor. Not so much.

But that's the beauty of this country, we have the right to choose whichever car we would like to drive. Therefore we are choosing our destiny. Our destiny to fail.

U-S-A!

Oey Vay the Joy of Fashion Week

I did a whole lot more before 10am, than most people do in a day. I dragged my lazy ass out of bed at 6am, thought I had enough time to curl my hair, then decided, since it was raining out, not to bother, got on an extremely crowded train bound for NYC, dogged the 2 million people in Penn Station and proceeded to walk in the rain towards the Tents at Bryant Park. I like to think of myself being a lot more important in the fashion/journalism world than I actually am, I waltz right by the security guards, who I assume remember me from last season (um , hello! why wouldn't they?), and wait for my trusty PIC for the Fall 2008 fashion shows. There didn't seem to be a line for Nautica (the show to launch it all) so Blair and I sa-shayed our way up to the girls with the clipboards.

"I love your boots!" I squealed. She fell for it. HA. Actually I really did like her boots, and a compliment never hurt anyone. After she handed us our standing room passes, we made our way into the tent.

I personally love Nautica, I just can't really afford it. The nice-girl usher told us to take any available seats, and I grabbed 2...apparently I would be sitting in for Teresa Something from ELLE UK. Sweet, with a gift bag to boot.

The show started and beautiful boys, gazing there heavenly eyes towards the light...not the metaphoric light of heaven, but the light of the camera bulbs, which just blend into one blinding orb. The murmurs around my ELLE UK seat were that "they have seen this all before" "boring" "blah"--me on the other hand, trying not to squeal with delight was in my metaphoric heaven. The colors, fabrics and designs yes, they were typical Nautica but my whole philosophy is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." However, velvet blazers, flannel and spandex seemed like a brave new addition to accentuate the collection.

The finale...let me tell you, was the best finale in fashion week history. Well, besides Betsey Johnson's finale for Spring 2008 with her political patterns and models bearing V O T E on their behinds. The male models...ALL came out with their shirts OFF. Swooooooon. One sported a Tiger tattoo that was ultra sexy, and others their perfect washboard abs.

Nautica had it all, cute boys, awesome designs and an umbrella as a parting gift on the way out. It worked like a charm in the monsoon that is now NYC. As I made my way back to the office, laptop, Coach bag, Nautica umbrella and my cell phone (b/c with a cell phone to your ear, you always look important) I stumbled into my building with the weight of all of the things I was carrying, I paused to look at the wall with all of businesses in the building and was shocked at the booming voice behind me.

"Where do you think you are going ladies???"

Excuse me Sir. I've been working here for 6 months, I say "Good morning!" to you everyday and you have the audacity to ask me where I think I am going? That's what I thought.

I am a big deal.