I'm not a good driver. I'm not terrible, but I get tense and scared, reluctant to practice, which is probably what led me to this low level of driving expertise. When I do drive, I have a tendency to speed up on curves, out of nervousness, when I should be slowing down. And I like the sensation, the speed on the curve.
I enjoy neither playing nor watching most sports. I'm sure I wouldn't enjoy watching NASCAR. I can, however, thanks to my strange love of taking curves too fast, understand why someone might want to race in NASCAR.
A few weeks ago, maybe a couple months, I saw a commercial for Hotwheels. At least, I think it was Hotwheels. It had Danica Patrick in it. I had to ask my brother, "THAT'S Danica Patrick?" He answered, "Duh." I'd heard the name, but I hadn't known who she was. Yes, I know. My general knowledge could be considered on the same level as my driving skills. But I was inspired. Here we had a female race car driver, obviously famous enough to promote Hotwheels. She must be GOOD. And the Hotwheels commercial was, as all Hotwheels commercials are, geared toward boys. Such product commercials often feature young boys' heroes. This female driver was apparently even a hero to little BOYS. Unheard of! Well, nearly. It shouldn't be so unheard of. If someone's good at something, it shouldn't matter what gender they are. People of all sorts should be able to look up to them. I've always held this, and here I saw it in reality. Danica Patrick was obviously a good race car driver, and her gender obviously hadn't stopped Hotwheels from featuring her in a commercial for little boys. It's very encouraging to see.
I did a bit of research on Danica, and most if it went in one eye and out the other, or something. This was mostly due to all the foreign titles and awards and terms that meant nothing to me. I did manage to glean that Danica has been praised not only as a female race car driver, but also as an American in Europe and a rookie. Also, her website played Superchick music, which could only serve to endear her to me, even if she didn't pick out the music. (I hope to do a whole post on Superchick sometime.) That's about as much as I remember.
It's unusual for me because I am very women-can-do-anything, but I hadn't thought about girl race car drivers. I did when I saw that commercial, though. To seem profound, I will now proceed to teach you a lesson that can be applied liberally to all areas of life three times a day. If you're a girl with a skill in an area that girls don't generally enter, enter it. Same goes if you're a boy. Or if you're anyone with a skill in an area someone like you doesn't enter. Stay within moral boundaries of course, but be that person in the commercial who jolts people out of their complacency and glazed-eyed-TV-watching to say, "Wow, this is interesting. I didn't think of this." Let them know the Unexpected and Unlikely still invade reality. Make people think. Be unusual. It's inspirational.
I'm not sure this is the commercial I saw. I remember it differently. I'm not sure I like this one, with the implications with the kid's dad and all that, but here it is.
I enjoy neither playing nor watching most sports. I'm sure I wouldn't enjoy watching NASCAR. I can, however, thanks to my strange love of taking curves too fast, understand why someone might want to race in NASCAR.
A few weeks ago, maybe a couple months, I saw a commercial for Hotwheels. At least, I think it was Hotwheels. It had Danica Patrick in it. I had to ask my brother, "THAT'S Danica Patrick?" He answered, "Duh." I'd heard the name, but I hadn't known who she was. Yes, I know. My general knowledge could be considered on the same level as my driving skills. But I was inspired. Here we had a female race car driver, obviously famous enough to promote Hotwheels. She must be GOOD. And the Hotwheels commercial was, as all Hotwheels commercials are, geared toward boys. Such product commercials often feature young boys' heroes. This female driver was apparently even a hero to little BOYS. Unheard of! Well, nearly. It shouldn't be so unheard of. If someone's good at something, it shouldn't matter what gender they are. People of all sorts should be able to look up to them. I've always held this, and here I saw it in reality. Danica Patrick was obviously a good race car driver, and her gender obviously hadn't stopped Hotwheels from featuring her in a commercial for little boys. It's very encouraging to see.
I did a bit of research on Danica, and most if it went in one eye and out the other, or something. This was mostly due to all the foreign titles and awards and terms that meant nothing to me. I did manage to glean that Danica has been praised not only as a female race car driver, but also as an American in Europe and a rookie. Also, her website played Superchick music, which could only serve to endear her to me, even if she didn't pick out the music. (I hope to do a whole post on Superchick sometime.) That's about as much as I remember.
It's unusual for me because I am very women-can-do-anything, but I hadn't thought about girl race car drivers. I did when I saw that commercial, though. To seem profound, I will now proceed to teach you a lesson that can be applied liberally to all areas of life three times a day. If you're a girl with a skill in an area that girls don't generally enter, enter it. Same goes if you're a boy. Or if you're anyone with a skill in an area someone like you doesn't enter. Stay within moral boundaries of course, but be that person in the commercial who jolts people out of their complacency and glazed-eyed-TV-watching to say, "Wow, this is interesting. I didn't think of this." Let them know the Unexpected and Unlikely still invade reality. Make people think. Be unusual. It's inspirational.
I'm not sure this is the commercial I saw. I remember it differently. I'm not sure I like this one, with the implications with the kid's dad and all that, but here it is.
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