Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 19, 2011)
----------voices---------- OREGON'S LGBTO NEWSMAGAZINE AUGUST 19. 2011 2 5 _ J S The Anti-Julia Roberts M ost peoples’ best friends enjoy any num ber o f reasonable activities. Yours might love yoga or traveling—or perhaps simply watch ing television. My best friend Ryan’s greatest joy on earth is calling me a lesbian. He calls me a lesbian for the way I process sex (“You’re not getting married just because you laid some pipe with him, lezzie”), the frequency with which I cry during movies (often), and for the books I read. W hile I recognize this charac terization as a gross misstatement about the state of queer women worldwide, I reluctantly embrace it. Because he’s usually right. Recently, I tended to a somber family situa tion in Idaho. The specifics regarding my sojourn to the land of year-round fireworks stands and peculiar fashion time warps is another story for another day. (Briefly: a hastily organized family trip to visit a gravely ill matriarch.) Before I left, I visited my now favorite bookstore— Friends of the Library in N W —to scour the shelves stuffed with unwanted, unloved literary cast-offs, in search of a traveling companion. I determined a breezy, brainless read was in order. There, on the 3-for-$5 bargain rack, I found Eat, Pray, Love—a tattered, frayed copy discarded by the Terwilliger Plaza Library. Full disclosure: I concede almost every criti cism leveled at this book, including the inher ently flawed premise o f a person of privilege, I wasn’t inspired to take up yoga or venture off on my own pilgrimage. W hat I found, though, was an irresistible protagonist who fumbles awk BY DANIEL BORGEN wardly and spectacularly through experience. My friend said, “The best thing about Not long before I left for Idaho, I tried to Exposed, letting all her warts show, she seriously rekindle an expired relationship, one that felt ponders clinging to the familiar (especially in the that book is that it isn ’t a recipe like unfinished business. “Attempted” isn’t relationship department) in lieu of the unknown. for happiness.’.’ Your circum stance the most accurate descriptor— I pulled out all She thinks better of it, abandons comfort, in my guts and laid them before him. Certain I stead parsing her every shortcoming. Forget dictates what you glean. thought the scenario through completely, I was Julia Roberts and her too-deliberate, monotone afforded virtually every luxury imaginable, tak surprised and disheartened when things stalled narration: Get into this author’s words. ing a year off to “find herself”—and financing it and sputtered from the outset; I lived the days I left Idaho wishing my time there wouldn’t with a hefty book advance. Another concession: that followed paralyzed by uncertainty. So it end, but content I went. I arrived home and I watched the film last summer—long before should come as little surprise when, facing a faced the (fair) relationship answer I dreaded I read the book. And I didn’t hate it. I found perfect storm of romantic and familial turmoil, but felt coming. So maybe my emotional vulner the journey, while imperfect, plausible: Girl, that book grabbed me. ability made me less critical o f a text I may have suffering from severe relationship burnout and As is my customary pre-flight ritual, I otherwise mocked, but I doubt it. My friend general non-fulfillment, upends her life, swears enjoyed an adult beverage at the restaurant said, “The best thing about that book is that it off sex, and searches relentlessly for answers. closest to my gate. (I loathe flying and need isn't a recipe for happiness.” Your circumstance W hen the movie came out, a friend talked to every available sedative before boarding those dictates what you glean. He emerged appreci me about his Eat, Pray, Love book experience— aluminum tubes of death.) There I deliberately ating the spiritual components— “I wanted a and, honestly, I wasn’t completely sold. I had zero started my book—it still had its bright yel god buffet,” he told me. I came out swearing interest in reading it and only watched the movie low bargain sticker on the cover. My waitress, off sex— and committing to a broad-sweeping to see Julia Roberts (and, okay, Javier Bardem). an aging woman who seemingly spent a life man diet. Ryan calls my “man diet” a lesbian Sure, that sappy memoir was life-changing. Even time and career in servitude, repeatedly called move (“You need a nice married man from though I technically liked the film—just one me “handsome,” tossing me smiles while she adam4adam for hot anonymous action”). This good cry typically constitutes a “like,” I doubted grunted at and ignored everyone else. She time, he couldn’t be more wrong. JK anything remotely respectable inspired it, which probably noticed what I was reading, sized me is why it took me entire year to read it, an act I up, and decided I needed affection. I refer to many friends as my best friend. Don't hadn’t considered until the movie’s release. It took me hours— not days— to finish. No, you? Em ail d a n i e l @ j u s t o u t . c o m . i-------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------- 1 lady about town • get him on the line A u p free trial > 03 . 416.7097 709 S E 1 2 2 N D A V E . P O R T L A N D OR. 9 7 2 3 3 503.257.8617 2 LOCATIONS P2I 2 0 6 2 5 SW T.V. H W Y A L O H A , OR. 9 70 06 503.356.5624 O P E N 24 H R S 7 DAYS A W E E K ! More local numbers: 1.800.777.8000 1 8 + w w w .in te r a c tiv e m r ile .c o m A h o r a en E s p a n o l GuySpy FREE Mobile Chat W VV I V , M R P £ £ P S . C D M www.GuySpy.com D on't Gam ble With Your R ig h ts! • Free C o nsu ltatio n • No O bligation • No Fee, No Recovery t GIBBS IflcVEA } When: Tuesdays 11am-1pm Thursdays 4-8pm y Where: ) For more info: Harm Reduction Center 3701 East Fourth Plain Vancouver, WA 98661 ( 360 ) 750-7964 cityguysclark0cascadeaids.org Se habla español. Pruebas de VIH para hombres A Personal Injury & Criminal Defense Firm Call Us Now 5 0 3 .2 2 3 .1 7 0 8 JoshGibbs ■ mm m The Broadway Plaza • 2121 SW Broadway, Suite 130 John McVea Member: Oregon Bar, OTLA. OCDLA, MBA ^ ''’ x Visit o u r w e b site for m o re in fo rm atio n : w w w . w w w . g i b b s m c v e a . c o m
