Inspirationation: Sleigh Bells and Alexis Krauss

Because I'm leaving on a jet-plane again tomorrow, I missed the Sleigh Bells (an American noise pop duo) concert tonight at the Cannery Ballroom in Nashville, TN. For one year, Sleigh Bells has provided me with perfect work-out music that has given me a pep in my stride while running on the treadmill. Their album came out on May 11, 2010 and immediately was met with success. I don't know if I've ever seen anything catch on as quickly as their album did. Well, anyway, back to my point, since I missed the opportunity to thank them for the work-out tunes, I would at least like to pay omage to the lead singer, Alexis Krauss for her fabulously tacky, perfect front-lady style. She's covered in tatoos, Olivia Newton John disco-pants, spandex, neon colors and torn tees. I dig her style so that it calls for an Inspirationation Celebration.

 

Didja also know that she was in a Nickelodeon commercial?

Uh, Misss, What Does Badass Mean?

So, I teach English in France, and a student asked what 'badass" means (because she heard it in a song.) This isn't the first time this question has been asked. In response, I realized how difficult it was to explain the meaning of badass...it just means, well, BADASS!

 So, I asked an English teacher for the french translation, but she had never heard the word. My disheveled explanation to her included dijointed, descriptive utterings as follows :

the utmost of cool... motorcycle...respectfully rebellious...Steve McQueen...whiskey...edgy...the idealized American frontiersman...???
AHH HELP ME HERE!

The teacher asked, "So, is it just an American term? How long Americans been using the word?" GOOD QUESTION. I've never had to think of that. Due to Kid Rock's "American Badass," I had concrete evidence that the term has been around since circa 2000.

This caused me to do some serious reflecting/ researching about this word. I mean, I believe, one can use this word liberally, as in that day of shopping in Paris where everything I saw was "badass" for some reason. 

Or, Wikitionary defines badass as "A person whose extreme attitudes and behavior are admirable."

Okay. I can get on board with that.

Then Urban Dictionary's most approved definition is a tad bit more verbose:

           "The epitome of the American male. He radiates confidence in everything he does, whether it's       ordering a drink, buying a set of wheels, or dealing with women. He's slow to anger, brutally efficient when fighting back."

Yeah, I agree, I usually think of a male when I think of a badass. But, there are women badasses!!! And here are a few, in my opinon...