Hell hath Frozen over. I let my kids watch it.
I do not care for Disney movies. To put it bluntly, I think they teach kickass little girls to strive to be mere pretty princesses. Even the most valiant-hearted heroines in the Disney movies that slant to the relative feminist — such as Frozen — are shaped like Barbie dolls sashaying impossibly in high heels even while living alone in a frozen ice castle in the middle of nowhere. Where is Elsa going in heels? Girl needs a nice pair of shearling slippers.
And sure, Princess Anna chose the right man over the wrong man in the end. But why shoehorn this conventional-romance plot in at all? I would have found the movie more inspiring had Anna realized that bachelor #1 was an a-hole and then committed to being single for a while and doing some intensive therapy to figure out why she is so needy. (Side note though — I forgave this incidental plot line only because I love Jonathan Groff.)
Obviously, I watched Frozen, too. And yes, I thought it was as entertaining as everyone else did, the songs freakishly catchy and the animation dazzling. But I can’t get over myself when it comes to Disney movies.
The other obvious reason I don’t get down with Disney: the merchandising implications. Luckily, my kids don’t yet understand that there are things to be purchased once you’ve bought into the cult of Frozen.
On the other hand, the experience opened up some opportunities for interesting conversation with my daughters. My two favorite questions I’ve gotten since Frozen:
1. What is “true love”?
2. Does Elsa fart?
I struggled with the first one, but I had a definite answers to the second one, as well as its follow-up:
3. Does Elsa poop?
She sure does, ladies.
So with all these opinions, you might be wondering why I let them watch Frozen. Because: January. Because: two-week break from school. Because: head colds. Because: mama tired, and my winter toolbox is pretty lame when Dad’s not around for infinite skiing, sledding, and snowball-throwing.
I said to Jon, “My plan for getting through this winter is to watch a lot of movies in bed with my kids.”
“Great!” was his response. He was genuinely enthusiastic. I love this about my husband. He thinks Disney is ridiculous too. But he is all for anything that makes life with twins easier.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What I’m eating:
A school friend gave one of my daughters a donut maker, and it turns out that one batch makes 36 donuts, so we have that going on.
What I’m listening to:
I’ve been on a nostalgic Sean Hayes kick lately. One of my favorite indie musicians from my years in San Francisco.
What I’m watching:
I did not watch the Golden Globes but I did really enjoy Kate McKinnon’s toast to Ellen Degeneres as she presented her with the Carol Burnett award. I am old enough to remember when Ellen Degeneres came out, and it was a big deal. Here we are, lifetimes later, and it’s so clear now that she really did change the world by being brave enough to say, on national television, I am gay.
What I’m reading:
The New York Times obit for Elizabeth Wurtzel, whose memoir Prozac Nation was a big one for me in my impressionable, depressed, misunderstood early twenties. Back then, I was on a steady diet of Sylvia Plath, Anaïs Nin, and art movies. Prozac Nation was a refreshing change of pace.
What I’m working on:
Sliding into the new year with a renewed commitment to being less busy with work and having reasonable hours whenever possible. Most of my clients were out of office for two weeks and are still sorting through their inboxes, so it’s been easy this week. Check back in with everyone is caught up and I’ll have a different story!
