Does it mean that I am naive if I am surprised at how many copy-cats there are in the world? Especially with art. I guess I just assume that people would be so ashamed to just copy someone else, that they wouldn't. I clearly thought it was much more simple than it is.

I saw this today and I am amazed that that is legal. And even more amazed that his knockoff Shag work is selling for so much dang $$.

And this isn't rare apparently. It's quite easy to find knockoff art. What's the point? I have no idea. I mean, I could buy a real Shag print for the same money, so I guess it's just to dupe people.

I remember reading once in a friend of a friend's blog that she had written a funny story and emailed it to a friend. That person then forwarded it to some friends (much like the Jill Soloway "Courtney Cox's Asshole" piece that went around the internet years ago) and then a year later, the original girl got it forwarded back to her, but someone else had attached their name to it. Why???? People are all at once ridiculous and infuriating and kind of depressing. Why take credit for a story that actually happened to someone else? Do you really have nothing else going on in your life?

Looking up all this copy-cat art today also made me realize how crappy most graphics on the web are. And why do people trick their myspace pages out like it's 1994 again and side scrollers with animated gif backgrounds are cool again? I seriously can't even click on many pages. Especially ones with music on them in addition to everything else. My computer goes into shock. And I don't blame it. I posted a picture to a friend's this week (the first time I have ever done that!) because it was her birthday. But it showed up slightly oversized and made her (customized and pretty) layout a little wonky. She erased it because it drove her crazy. I understand! I actually downloaded and reformatted the picture because it was driving me crazy too. I think, this is yet another case in life where most people just don't have good taste. (most of the time when shopping or home improving, Mike will look in horror at many of the products going "WHO WOULD BUY THAT?!?" and I have to break it to him that most people just don't have good taste) Also, adults who leave friends 10 comments a day and post "thanks for the add!" type things need to... well, just stop. And just becuase you know how to cut and paste and maybe use MS Paint, does not make you a graphic designer. Just a tip from me to you!

All of this also made me realize that I am at a point in my life where I am suitably successful and so are my friends. Some are even more than suitably. It's like we all became good at being adults, but it just kind of happened. It's awesome, let me tell you. I am much more stable now, and I freak out about little things much less. I remember my plan of being a paid writer by 23 almost didn't come true. (yes, I thought it was totally reasonable to be a paid writer by 23 and nothing else would do) but luckily, a few days before my 24th birthday, I got my first check for a piece. Whew! Just made it! I don't really have those kinds of goals anymore. Now I just have to-do lists and I knock things off accordingly and just keep on trucking. I realized that the way I was doing it before only set me up for disappointment, even if I was making strides in the right direction.

All this stability makes me feel old when I am around young people now. Especially people looking for jobs or just finishing school (so many graduations this year). I feel a wide divide between the two. And I feel most comfortable on the side of the divide that talks about buying a place to live and spending time with people's kids/babies.

To sum up (with something totally unrelated), girls in LA dress pretty horribly. Mike calls it the "cowgirl porn star" look. I would say that 90% of the ladies show a ton of cleavage (what % is fake cleavage, I don't know). Like as soon as they crossed the border into Los Angeles their shirts dipped down between their breasts and never came back. We went to the movies one night and I had on jeans and a tshirt and I felt Amish. I was one of the few people covering my legs, and then the only person not showing extreme boob. Why?? It has been said that it then takes the attention away from the less than pretty faces... but, is that true? Boys? I mean, any boy who is that dumb is no boy for me.

Finally, those Audrey Hepburn Gap ads can die a fiery death.

Happy weekend, everyone!