As you all know, I'm a fan of the trailer. And the way I see it, ya'll should just be grateful that it's not Gatsby: The Musical. Just sayin' ; )

Yes, the anti-religion bias is too bad. It's the same story, kind of, at TED: I love most of the talks, but the many of the speakers are a little politically naive. 

It's so horrifying to think about what these dissidents have to endure. There's a piece today in Hoover's Defining Ideas about another Chinese dissident who has experienced the brutality of the Chinese regime, and the details are awful:

This dissident writer, Yu Jie, likes to refer to himself as a nerd who stutters. In mid-January, he showed up in the United States on self-imposed exile. He revealed that the Chinese government had tortured him for his pro-democracy writings and activities. Additionally, the authorities had subjected him to detention and house arrest, tapped his phones, intercepted his emails, confiscated his computer and research, banned the publication of his work in China, and threatened to bury him alive. That China mistreats its citizens and abuses its political dissidents is nothing new, but Yu’s story magnifies China’s incongruities, and his departure offers a most potent reminder of the country’s tragedies.

That's a great point. To the advice columnist, love = sex, which is a pretty superficial, and not to say wrong (!), conception of love.

Yes -- or where children are involved, it's outside of the marriage context (in films like Knocked Up and Friends With Kids). 

So sad I can't come! I just received Elizabeth Kantor's book in the mail and look forward to jumping into it. 

Have fun everyone. Take pictures!

I think that most women today--outside of the feminist fringe--would also admit that marriage and family come first. But they would say that building a career (i.e. being on stable financial footing) is a prerequisite to having a family. I wouldn't disagree. 

It's an interesting point you bring up, Maura, and one that appears in at least three culture-defining shows: Friends, Sex and the City, and now Girls. These shows are all about friendship; our friends will always be there for us--support us, as you say--no matter what. 

I think there are two ideas in these shows that really appeal to our culture. First, the idea of friendship. Friends have displaced family as the main source of moral and social support, especially now that we all leave home after high school for good. The second idea is nonjudgmental support, and I think that's really a relic of our morally relativistic culture. As a friend, one of your duties is to support your friends without judging their choices because there is no right or wrong, there is only how they feel. If they feel bad, you should comfort them. If they feel good, then great. 

This raises a question: Is a good friend one who blindly supports their friends, or is a good friend someone who tells their friends the truth, no matter how uncomfortable it may be? In Girls, we see the Marnie character do both.

That's a good point. But like you say, those are parents who have decided to put family first (as opposed to the parents I mention, you put career first). 

I think after the word SEX, the cleavage is the second most noticeable thing on the covers (maybe the first, to some). 

Well put!

@Duane, I love TGI Friday's too. The atmosphere, the food, it's just all so fun.

@Paul, I hear you re Olive Garden.  There's nothing quite like those buttery breadsticks. What are the main eateries in Hillsdale? 

I know, I loved this part too!

I also find it interesting that she always makes these self-deprecating jokes about how she hates kids, doesn't ever want to have kids, would be a terrible mother, etc. But putting it all together, you're right, Mollie--it's all very angry. 

Great point. That must have been quite the conversation!

Uh huh, but you couldn't hold yourself back from commenting ; )