The inescapable allure of Daniel Cleaver, eternal bad boy and dreamboat extraordinaire

If any fictional character of the romantic comedy/chick flick genre were to act as the doppelganger equivalent of myself, none other than Bridget Jones could embody the sheer sass and sarcasm that overwhelms my daily life.  Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I'm watching Bridget Jones's Diary right now, drinking copious amounts of wine (on a tuesday) and occasionally pausing to have an impromptu dance party to the musical stylings of Chaka Khan,  Lily Allen or Pat Benetar.  Maybe its because sometimes I do actually feel, in my over-dramatic emotional times of womanhood that "unless something changes in my future, my only major relationship would be with a bottle of wine until I finally die fat and alone, and am found later, half eaten by a pack of wild dogs," - Bridget Jones.

Spinster-hood: in Medieval times, women who were unmarried and childless by menopause were considered spinsters.  Other sources say that its a woman who remains single past the conventional marrying age.  Who says whats conventional?  In Senegal, I may have well been a leper!  Twenty-four year old girl, unmarried, flitting about Africa unaccompanied by choice?  Spinster.  Weirdo.  Crazy American.  What does that make me now?  Despite the inevitable anxiety that ensues whenever the subject of marriage is brought up, I can still remember, through drunken haze of a 21st birthday celebration, being visibly upset at the prospect of being almost 30.  Crying to my college boyfriend about this and claiming that the only thing left to look forward to in life being retirement seems almost humorous now that with only a few short months left to turning 25 and being able to rent a car, retirement really is the only true milestone left in young adult life.

Anyway, as it seems now, Bridget and I have more in common than I could have ever realized.  Sliding down firemans poles (get your mind out of the gutter) in miniskirts and awkwardly falling on our faces while stepping out of cabs post cocktails with the girls seem to be only a small portion of what makes these films my favorite chick flick.  Besides both of us being journalists and having a knack for the sarcastic, overdramatic, mid-twenties style writing that keeps me sane we seem to have the same taste in men.  Considering that most of my blog entries tend to deal with the men and love (or the lack there of) in my life, you'd think I'd relate more to the characteristics of Carrie Bradshaw, relationship "expert" and socialite.  But no, she doesn't have nearly enough personality :)


For anyone who has seen the movies, the number one New Years Resolution is: "will find nice sensible boyfriend and stop forming romantic attachments to any of the following: alcoholics, workaholics, sexaholics, commitment-phobics, peeping toms, megalomaniacs, emotional fuckwits, or perverts. Will especially stop fantasizing about a particular person who embodies all these things."  But like most women, she runs, open-hearted, under-dressed and unintentionally naive to Mr. Daniel Cleaver, the human equivalent to all things she swore not to be involved with, because he flirtatiously pays attention to her.  I don't blame her at all! Hey, he's hot!  And to be honest, who am I to judge it, I did the exact same thing!  I gave up the opportunity to work in my dream city, all to come home, move to a city I never thought I would, and see how a relationship with my personal Daniel Cleaver would develop.  Being five of the previous characteristics (i'll let you take your pick) plus womanizing (obviously), its no wonder I ended up broken hearted and man-hating.  Why is it that we feel the need to change these slimeballs when our Marc Darcy's, who are in no need of changing, are waiting just around the corner?


Perhaps it is because I have yet to meet my Marc Darcy, maybe its because I'm angry that i've been screwed over by too many Daniel Cleavers, but my impatience seems to be getting the best of me.  I've always gotten bored easily and right now, I want nothing more than to leave this town, bring my best girl friends with me and travel the world, leaving behind all of this man-drama BS.  What can I say "that's not enough for me, I'm still looking for something more extraordinary than that."