Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Wal-Fart

My blog post title is truly the most clever thing I've ever written.  Or not.  But I made myself laugh.  Don't judge.  The point of the title is because my husband (brilliant children's book author and illustrator, Matthew Cordell) and I were discussing peopleofwalmart.com (if you don't know, this is a site of photos taken of, yes, people at Wal-Mart.  They are sad and disturbing and funny and grotesque and YOU CANNOT LOOK AWAY).  Matt seems to believe that this site, while it perhaps started out as truth, has turned fiction.  He does not believe it possible that a man would go to Wal-Mart wearing only a thong bikini.  Or a woman with so much backfat that she has veritable boobs on her back would wear such a shirt to expose the boobs.  This is quite possibly the best conversation Matt and I have had in a long time.  I love that he is a skeptic (Matt also has a good friend who is king of the skeptics; he does not believe in dinosaurs.  I also love that guy).  It seems like a hilarious thing to be skeptical about, like, so benign compared to all of the horrible political traumas that one might doubt.  I see his point.  While I am hesitant to wear any shirt that might require a strapless bra, some of these people obviously did not put much thought into the matter of breast gravity.  Sometimes I wish I were that carefree.  Or oblivious.  It probably beats wondering whether or not I can wear a new shirt because I have no idea how to wear it without exposing my- gasp!- bra strap!  What would Buffy think?  And what do you guys think?  Are the pictures all real?  Or are they, and we, being set up?

Totally unrelated: I have a bunch of interviews and blog posts and visits coming up in honor of the release (ONE WEEK AWAY!!!) of Don't Stop Now.  Today is an interview AND contest with the lovely Kayla Olson at Owl and Sparrow.  Stop over and read about my new book, my writing process, thoughts on karaoke (my thoughts have something to do with Fred Armisen), and enter to win a copy of the book!  Which will probably not be sold at Wal-Mart.

5 comments:

Kayla Olson said...

Okay, so I had never heard of that Wal-Mart website before, but you're right…I CANNOT LOOK AWAY! :-P Thanks for sharing!

(Also, thanks for the shout-out and for giving such an awesome interview! Loved your answers!)

:) Kayla

Brian James said...

1. Brilliant title :)

2. Have you seen the walmartians site?

3. I've been Wal-Mart exactly once in my life, about a year ago. My wife and I saw this huge woman on one those scooters and in the basket of the scooter was her items of purchase: 3 cases of Slim Fast and 10lb bag of sugar....my point being, I'm afraid it's real.

Julie H said...

Thanks for the interview, Kayla! Brian, funny thing about walmartians-- I once went to a Wal-Mart in Roswell, New Mexico that was all painted up in aliens. Slim Fast, sugar, and a Rascal. Pretty much sums up Wal-Mart.

hnsummers said...

I guess Matt hasn't been to a southern Wal-Mart in a long time. The one near our house can be bad. So bad.

Librarian April said...

So excited about the new book! And the interview was awesome!

I have to say I disagree with your husband, I think the site is very real. I live in Alabama and I avoid Wal-Mart at at costs b/c I don't want to burn my eyes ;-P