Beach Sloth

THOSE WHOM THE GODS LOVE by Olivia Lilley

                The Gods love everyone. You could be anywhere and BAM! – Gods love. Here the Gods appear to be nothing more than fate drawing all these different people together in Malibu, California. Olivia Lilley appears to have sympathy for these poor in spirit characters. Each one has their own particular issue or problem in dealing with society at large. Microcosms form around the three main characters. Through these smaller circles and outlooks they are find comfort. Why bother engaging with the outside world when they have dating profiles, celebrities, and literature to consume? 

                Darren is the most insecure out of the three. Most of his life revolves around hiding behind pretty words while living in pretty places. As a Smashing Pumpkins fan in 2009 he refuses to live in the present. The use of his musical tastes expresses how out of touch he is with everything. Plus it shows his desire to live in a past where he understood everything. For Darren money helps him achieve his aims. Pillows reflect one of the few things Darren possesses any control over. Dating sites offer him an escape from his otherwise tiny, immaculate life of leisure in Malibu, California. His online name ‘BigDawg33’ presents his more immature side. Despite his possession of money and a glamorous apartment, he remains the emptiest character in every way. 

                Lulu reflects a potential future for Sonia. Unlike Sonia, she possesses an expression of a specific form of culture. Celebrities are the most important thing for Lulu. Since she cannot be a celebrity herself she lives life through others. Her proximity to others gives her a sense of power. Glimpses of a deeper understanding of life prevent her from completely falling down the rabbit hole of extreme selfishness. As the idea of celebrity sucks her in she has developed an intricate system for dealing with a world she observes from the outskirts.

                Unlike the previous two, Sonia is the present. She is innocent. ‘Kittykat101’, her name on ‘OK Cupid’ demonstrates her naïveté. The present offers Sonia nothing. Intelligence has gotten her nowhere. A mother bothers her. Much of her upbringing appears to have been rather strict. However after she meets Lulu she becomes aware of her options in life. Life opens up for her. Slowly what appear to be surface elements (Darren’s charm, Lulu’s obsession with star-dom) are replaced by a deeper understanding of what makes them tick. 

                Obviously the Gods resides in Malibu, California hence the title. Pink condos by the beach are exactly their thing. Lulu and Darren both are Sonia’s Gods, trying to bring her into each of their worlds. Each vies for Sonia. Only one can have the present however, the other must dwell in a past that already happened or a future that may happen. Sonia is the stability to unfilled lives on the beach. 

               See this live in sunny California!