New Year, New You

As we all have probably figured out, the world did not end. We have seen the winter equinox, made it to Christmas Eve Midnight Mass, and Christmas brunch with the family. So the only natural progression of the year is the celebratory night for the end of one 12 month period. It's a time to get dressed up, drink some champagne, and kiss that special someone at midnight. Or, if you were like me for most of my life, it is a time to order Chinese food, plant yourself in front of the television with your family, and watch Dick Clark count down the last seconds of the year [side note- this year will be SO different...Let's all hope and pray Ryan Seacrest doesn't mess up Dick's legacy...]. 

But it is also time for those stereotypical resolutions. I have tried to do them in the past. But by March or early April I have succumb to my older ways. Lose those five pounds, how about gain an extra seven... I will NOT eat after 7pm, how about 10pm... Or even, I will read more critically acclaimed novels, nope pack on the three 50 Shades of Grey books...

Have there been glimpses of success? Absolutely! But as unfortunate as this sounds, it usually involves monetary objects. Save up some money for that new iPod or those pair of designer jeans, or even for that mini vacation I am planning for mid-June. Very rarely do I make it to next December saying, "Yes! I cared about others more than myself," or "I changed that one part of me that seems to belittle others," or even "I did volunteer my time for the betterment of mankind..." 

Ok, yes, I am a new grad with less than a year's professional work experience under my belt... But that shouldn't be an excuse...Should it? This year is going to be a year for new beginnings... New job, my first year away from home in my new apartment, and a new outlook on life. (I swear being independent does that to you...). So yes, I will try to weaken my sweet and salty tooth. I will try to continue to work out 3-4 times a week. And I will try to save money by cooking more. But I will also take time for self-improvement. One hour a day (I can wake up an hour earlier right?) dedicated to myself, self-reflection and personal growth. I will try and use tools like self-help books (some of these are really informative... Not just a huge cliche) and the bible. I will take time for me to really figure out who I am and how I can better attain my personal goals. 

So that was my resolution word dump... I hope yours are a little more organized... ;-) Here's to 2013!!

(From the coolest tumblr I've seen... Aesthetic Approach...)
I love the metaphor of snow, a clean slate!

Looking Up

Looking up in New Hampshire after Hurricane Sandy, 2012

 

 

What a phrase... It's been used as a title for Michael J. Fox's book, "Things are Looking Up," described the behavior of the most powerful "super man" in the comic book world, and even featured in song lyrics like Selena's "Dreaming." But let's break it down for a second... The word "looking" implies the use of eyes to view something or someone. It requires one of our five senses, the sense of sight. Second, the word "up" gives the notion of something taller, bigger, or above a designated subject. Together this phrase can have multiple meanings.

It can have a literal meaning. "Joe was looking up into the eyes of a giant bear." Physically, Joe's head was tilted back to look up into the eyes of the bear which stood taller than he. Many of us look up to see things, whether it is to see a bird flying in the sky, a street sign, or, in my case, a friend that is taller than 5'5". We all have eyes that are positioned in the middle of our head; we have to look up to see anything above our heads. And if we never looked up, odds are we would never see the magnificent height of trees in a forest, the looming buildings of a cityscape, or the beauty of a flying bird.

"Looking up" can also have metaphorical meanings. Many times it is used to describe the behavior of someone who has recently experienced a traumatic or upsetting event. This could be a death in the family, the loss of a job, or even a bad grade in school. The most common response to one of these events, "Keep looking up," or "Keep your chin up. It will all get better." In this situation, "looking up" refers to keeping positive. Move forward, as hard as it may be. Stay confident, things can and will get better. In this type of situation, a negative situation produces positive support. The phrase used in this way needs a negative event to happen first. "Looking up," then, can have some negative connotations attached to it.

However, it can also have positive connotations when used with metaphorical meaning. Life may not necessarily be on the downward turn for you to start "looking up." Growth, change, opportunity. Dreaming of bigger and better things. "Looking up" can mean wanting more...

This is why I am currently "looking up." I have a great life; I have a job with great coworkers, a wonderful family, gracious friends, a caring and supportive boyfriend who loves me, and I'm living in a city which has been a dream of mine since the age of 5. Yet, I am looking up. I feel like I'm in a rut. I feel like I'm ready for a change. I'm ready for a challenge. I may not know what it is just yet, but I'm dreaming and hoping that it's one I can grow from.

So here's to looking up, growing, and knowing your full potential. Have faith that things will get better, that you will grow in the areas of your life that you feel are lacking. And never be afriad to look up and see thosee birds flying above your head...

Batman! Spider-man! Why NOW?

I think we can all recognize these two theme songs. The man in a black bat suit and the young teenage boy in a blue and red spandex onesie. Both of them using their power of flying and superhuman strength to save their respective cities. Both of these characters extremely popular on the silver screen today...

 

But I want to pose the question, why are these films being made now? Starting in 2000, there have been over 50 films making over ten million dollars at the box office, many of them pulling in more than one-hundred million dollars. It is easy to say that these film attract audiences. The old and young, the geeky teen and businessman. More than likely if someone were to ask you who your favorite superhero was, you would pull from the films you've seen or comics you've read and answer. But why now?

I don't know if Marvel Comics is just really good at marketing their superheros or if DC Comics hit the lottery having Christopher Nolan direct the "man in black." Either way there is no denying that these films are hugely successful right now. Even the not-so-well made movies with weird plot points, 2011's Green Lantern or this year's sequel Ghost Rider:  Spirit of Vengeance, were successful. So why now? Why can these films be shoddily made and still rake in millions? How come this was not the case in the 1970's, 1980's, and 1990's? Why is there an influx now? Is this the movie industry's strategy of trying to make as much money as they can in the dying age of theaters?

Here's my take. People want change. They want hope that someone out there can change their community for the better, especially in the world's economic state. Yes, the actors, special effects, and directing are impeccable. But at the end of the day, don't we all wish we were doing more with our lives? I know I wish I had the nerve to stand up for others being bullied, or stop a robber, or even stand in the way of a bullet. But I don't....So I'm posing an answer. We like to see people rise above the world portrayed in these films, which is some cases is eerily close to our own (you can ignore the pun involving this weekend's Batman film).

So go out and support your favorite superhero. Love them all just the same. Vicariously live through them. And if you are brave enough, take something from these films out into the real world with you. Be brave, be bold, and do what ever a spider can, if you see fit...

Full on Dancing

Like the majority of Americans who pay attention to movies and the actors that appear in them, I am infatuated with Emma Stone. When I saw her on the cover of Vogue this past week, I could resit picking it up, flipping through the pages memorized by her couture outfits. Needless to say, I bought it.

On my way to work this week (I take the bus into Boston every day from my home in New Hampshire), I read and absorbed every detail of the interview. What really caught my eye was something she "borrowed" from fellow actor (and in  my opinion, one of the most promising actors in Hollywood today) Ryan Gosling...

"Picking roles is like listening to songs the radio:  there can be a lot of really great songs in a row, but then one comes on that just makes you want to dance."- Stone via Heller, 75.

Yes, this was in reference to how she picked her slew of non-comedic roles this past year. She rose to stardom in hilariously, witty roles like Jules in the wild party-planning film Superbad, Olive in classically inspired Easy A, and Hannah in the dryly humorous House Bunny. She stated that her most recent roles, including Skeeter in The Help and Gwen from this summer blockbuster The Amazing Spider-Man made her "dance." She saw these characters as empowered women, something she personally respected and roles that may not have fit what she was known for in the world of movies.

Yet I think this mind set is perfect for new grads out there. We just spent two, four or more years of our lives, spending extreme amounts of money, and learning about the world under one specific umbrella. But for what? Where will it lead us and how will we know what job is best for us? Will we ever reach the level of success we believe we can reach?

According to Emma (whose real name is Emily, who knew?) and Ryan, we can only be "successful" if we choose the jobs that make us want to dance. Not sway or bob your head. Full on DANCE!

I know this is how I made the decision for my current job. I work for an affiliate of a national nonprofit. I wanted to help people, make a difference in my city, state, community, the world. Helping people made me happy, made my work worth it. It made me dance.

So dance people! Find that job that makes you want to shake that booty. Fist pump until the cows come home. Grapevine into the future. It is possible to love what you do, but only if we follow Stone and Gosling's advice and find that job that makes you want to dance.

Emma Stone