Remember how you used to buy a house? You'd just drive around and see what was out there, find one that was pretty and put in an offer. It turns out things have changed... and I'm not sure its for the better. I just moved after living in the same house for 13 years. Lucky 13 I guess. I found a real estate agent I trusted and kind of knew before through a friend and she was great. The process however made me never want to move again! First, and this could just be in my area, it seemed like the homes in Oshawa that weren't run down heaps of expletive were selling like nobodies business. I know the spring is the busy time in our area, but I didn't expect there to be that much competition. Aren't we in a recession!! Every time I wanted to take a second look at something it already sold or had an offer. Being the intelligent person I am I figured I'd have to move a little quicker and when I found the house I'm in now I jumped on it. Then came the long drawn out paperwork I despise. Apparently there are about 1200 forms you have to fill out with multiple pages, then they have to go back and forth and back and forth from agent to agent to seller to agent to buyer and again. Craziness. When I was finally said and done I think I ended up with a great home that really was what I wanted, but I'm not moving for another 13 years.
Blonds have less fun
For years, every time I have come out with a stupid comment, it’s always referenced to the fact that I’m blonde. Now everyone with blonde hair reading this will know exactly what I’m talking about. But, they will also know friends with red, brown or black hair, who also have their dumb moments just the same as us.
When my friends say, “Ey, what a blonde moment!” when I’ve said something daft, I can’t help but think, alright maybe it was, but what’s your excuse when you say something ridiculous?
I must admit I have used the blonde card when I have said something so ridiculous I wished the ground could have swallowed me up! So I suppose sometimes it’s a kind of get out of jail fee card.But let’s not forget it’s only a stereotype, we aren’t the only ones that get pigeon holed. Ginger people also get their fair bit of stick. Where did this stereotype come from?
Blonde hair goes back to the Greeks and Romans, with blonde Greek women historically being referred to as divine. The most renowned blonde goddess of all was Venus the goddess of love. But there is no mention of dumb in these Greek myths.
Closer to this century, bleached hair really took off in the 1920s and 1930s, but it wasn’t until icon Marilyn Monroe came along that peroxide became something of a fad. After Marilyn, the rest followed, from Debbie Harry to Madonna and the 21st century’s bleached rock chick Gwen Stefani. And let’s not forget, one of the UK’s most loved women, Princess Diana was a blondie.
I found it difficult to find out where the ‘dumb blonde’ phrase came from, so I had a look in the Oxford dictionary at the two words. This is what I found: Dumb, ‘1. unable to speak; lacking the power of speech. 2. temporarily unable or willing to speak. 3. stupid.’ And this is what it said for blonde, ‘1. (of hair) fair or pale yellow. 2. Having fair hair and a light complexion. I searched the internet and I could not find where ‘dumb blonde’ came from, the origins of the term seem to be a mystery, nobody seems to know where it comes from!
However, in the media the blonde celebrities aren’t exactly setting the best example. Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and Jessica Simpson are constantly making headlines for saying or doing something stupid on a regular basis. The media love them and who can blame them? I think the worst blonde moment on TV was when Jessica Simpson was confused about whether or not tuna was chicken or fish on her TV show, ‘Newlyweds.’ Her comment shocked everyone and to be honest I think she was actually being serious, which is rather worrying.
But do people not realise that playing dumb makes headlines, so are these blondes just faking it?
I was reading ‘The Sun’ last week when I saw a two page spread about how dumb Paris Hilton is, referring to her as an ‘airhead.’ The media can’t get enough of her, but the fact that people think she is being serious when she thinks Gordon Ramsay is the Prime Minister, makes me laugh. Her entire career is based on her blonde “act” raking in around £10 million a year, just by saying a few stupid comments and attending a party once in a while.
In her programme Paris Hilton’s British Best Friend (ITV2) she commented, “I act a lil dumb and I put on my baby voice, but I know what’s going on.” People should realise she knows exactly what she is doing, if you believe her dumb ass comments, then maybe you’re the stupid one!
Other famous blondes I remember, was a certain someone that featured in my life when I was a little girl. That’s right, let’s not forget every girl’s favourite idol when growing up was blonde. And lets face it girls, you never wanted Barbie’s brunette alternative!
Another phrase associated with being blonde is, ‘blondes have more fun!’ And last week, sex symbol Pamela Anderson certainly showed her fun take on the phrase. Pammy took part in the fashion show ‘Blondes Have More Fun,’ for the designer Richie Rich at New York Fashion Week. She wowed the crowds by strutting down the catwalk in a gold one-piece.