Passing the time

My skin is naturally olive-tinted and I tan as soon as I step outside in the summer time (this phenomenon is kind of a mystery to me given my Northern European heritage, but that's neither here nor there). The only downside to this blessing is that the tan has usually faded enough by the beginning of spring that my skin looks like a dingy sock. To fight the dirty laundry look, I apply Jergen's tanning lotion liberally until I have a half-second to step out into the summer sun. Unfortunately, this means that I smell like a gardenia-flavored stale tortilla chip and leave faint brown stains on my sheets from March until the beginning of June.

While I wait for my self-tanner to dry, my whitening strips to whiten, and my facial masque to cleanse my pores (I will do anything to not have my New Orleans pictures marred by PMS zits) I've decided to fill out the Wednesday Media Mix meme 3 hours late:

[Listen] Some people don’t like music being categorized into genres at all. Are genres helpful, or do they hinder a musician’s creative potential?
I don't think an artist should worry about genres while they're recording their music, they just need to worry about producing a good product. If people want to apply labels later then that's their prerogative. I appreciate genres because they keep me from accidentally listening to yucky things. For instance, if something is labeled "rap" and I know that I dislike 99.9% of all rap music, then I'll know better than to subject myself to that song/artist/CD. Some people might think this limits my musical experience, but I'm all about staying within the comfort of my boundaries.

[Watch] Are there types of movie genres you tend to watch with different social circles? (I.e., maybe you watch romantic comedies with your parents, action flicks with your spouse, horror movies with a special friend, etc.)
I watch mostly thinking and drama movies with my parents, lots indie stuff with Sean, and gross-out comedies when I'm with large groups of friends.

[Read] Is there a type of genre you feel a little ashamed to enjoy reading?
It's a little embarrassing that my favorite book is considered children's literature, but say what you will, Ella Enchanted is just as good the fifth time in college as it was the first time in fourth grade. It's also kind of strange to tell people that I enjoy books about alternative societies (Brave New World, The Giver, The Handmaid's Tale, mmm!). I used to think that because I was an English major I needed to enjoy Thomas Hardy and William Faulkner, but my technical editing prof (a very knowledgeable woman whom I admire very much) reads smut and isn't ashamed to admit it. Her rationale is that reading should be an escape, so you should read whatever helps you achieve that. That's a great philosophy, so I'm pretty open to reading anything now.