"You can't always control what happens to you, but you can always control how you react to it."
I head this quote yesterday, while watching "You Again" (the new Kristen Bell film) with a friend. I thought this was a great quote, but I am unable to find where this quote originated from of who spoke it first. In fact this quote embodies my new way other thinking, and is some what connected to that life lesson I learned a couple of days ago. I think this is such an important piece of advice to remember, especially when you feel like things are out of your control.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Epic fail!
If anyone has advice on how to escape/prevent thoughts, I'd greatly appreciate it. It's times like these that I wish I lived in the wizarding world (Harry Potter) and owned a pensieve like Dumbledore's; that way I'd be able to clear my mind. In any case, on to business...
The Last Airbender: After hearing mixed reviews about The Last Airbender, I finally decided to watch the movie. I had followed the television show Avatar: The Last Airbender from the beginning, and although I don't care for anime (yes, the show blended anime with American style cartoons) I really enjoyed this show. This movie however, severely disappointed me. In my previous post I talked about how a weak story line ruins a movie in my eyes. Well this movie had a storyline already written. I know M. Night Shyamalan couldn't incorporate the entire first book in his screenplay but he could/should have executed the parts that he did use well.
Let me start by saying that I couldn't take this movie seriously; the acting was horrible....HORRIBLE. I did not believe there was a shred of emotion (other than laughter) in what anyone said. I was also not pleased with the character development in the movie, this aspect I don't believe is dependent so much on acting, but on the script. I felt character personalities were changed. Uncle Iroh, for example, was such a good natured and jolly character in the animated series. But in the film he appeared cold and upset. I also did not feel that Aang felt any remorse or guilt that he had neglected his responsibilities, and allowed the fire nation to cause such devastation, which was a HUGE part of book one. This of course could have been due to the pathetic attempt at acting I mentioned earlier.
I also noticed the extra flamboyant movements the benders need to preform in order to use their element. On the topic of bending, this film exaggerated Katara's water bending ability, and Aangs difficulty in learning water bending. Not to mention it appeared that the fire bending soldiers could only manipulate fire, and not create it, which is why they were so surprised when Uncle Iroh was able to generate fire. Maybe, perhaps I over looked this, but it was my understanding that fire benders could generate their own flame. Overall I thought this movie was seriously lacking, I give it a score of 25/100; Rotten Tomatoes score of 6.
The Last Airbender: After hearing mixed reviews about The Last Airbender, I finally decided to watch the movie. I had followed the television show Avatar: The Last Airbender from the beginning, and although I don't care for anime (yes, the show blended anime with American style cartoons) I really enjoyed this show. This movie however, severely disappointed me. In my previous post I talked about how a weak story line ruins a movie in my eyes. Well this movie had a storyline already written. I know M. Night Shyamalan couldn't incorporate the entire first book in his screenplay but he could/should have executed the parts that he did use well.
Let me start by saying that I couldn't take this movie seriously; the acting was horrible....HORRIBLE. I did not believe there was a shred of emotion (other than laughter) in what anyone said. I was also not pleased with the character development in the movie, this aspect I don't believe is dependent so much on acting, but on the script. I felt character personalities were changed. Uncle Iroh, for example, was such a good natured and jolly character in the animated series. But in the film he appeared cold and upset. I also did not feel that Aang felt any remorse or guilt that he had neglected his responsibilities, and allowed the fire nation to cause such devastation, which was a HUGE part of book one. This of course could have been due to the pathetic attempt at acting I mentioned earlier.
I also noticed the extra flamboyant movements the benders need to preform in order to use their element. On the topic of bending, this film exaggerated Katara's water bending ability, and Aangs difficulty in learning water bending. Not to mention it appeared that the fire bending soldiers could only manipulate fire, and not create it, which is why they were so surprised when Uncle Iroh was able to generate fire. Maybe, perhaps I over looked this, but it was my understanding that fire benders could generate their own flame. Overall I thought this movie was seriously lacking, I give it a score of 25/100; Rotten Tomatoes score of 6.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
After thought
I've been super reflective the last couple of days.Without going into too much detail, I've learned a very valuable lesson. Unfortunately, this lesson I learned very early in life and somewhere I forgot to apply it. I know that overall this is a very important lesson, and I am now a better person for it. The only problem, is that this lesson came at the expense of something very dear to me. However, I promise to never forget this very important lesson again, and hopefully I will be able to rectify what has already been done.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Everyone's a critic
I consider myself a tough movie critic; I rarely ever give a movie 5 stars on Netflix. In today's movie culture, the emphasis has been placed strongly on visual effects that the storyline often suffers. Don't get me wrong, I greatly appreciate the special effect feats that have occurred over the last 20 years, but I don't think any amount of special effects in HD can compensate for a weak story.
It's a running joke in my household that I like depressing movies. I, however, beg to differ; I like emotional movies. I like the kind of movies that send you on an emotional rollercoaster, the ones that can make you laugh and cry within minutes of each other. For me, the best movies are the ones where you can strongly identify with the characters, their pain is your pain, and their joy is your joy (Joy Luck Club, Stepmom, Up).
This isn't to say that I don't like comedies or thrillers (psychological thrillers are some of my all time favorites), but my taste in comedies is complicated at best. Being a typical girl, I love romantic comedies, but I feel like I have grown out of the types of goofy comedies that I have become so popular now a days. For example, I hated Superbad, and as mentioned in a previous post I dislike most movies Michael Cera is in. I once thought American Pie, and Scary Movie were funny, but have since changed my opinion on them. However, to my surprise I enjoyed The Hangover, and A Night at the Roxbury is still one of my favorites.
I do not pretend that my taste in movies follows any sort of rubric or that it actually makes sense, but since subscribing to Netflix two years ago, I have noticed that my movie choices have broadened. I am open to watching most movies as long as the description seems interesting (or the picture is pretty, haha).
I recently watched Life as We Know It, and The Last Airbender, reviews to come...
It's a running joke in my household that I like depressing movies. I, however, beg to differ; I like emotional movies. I like the kind of movies that send you on an emotional rollercoaster, the ones that can make you laugh and cry within minutes of each other. For me, the best movies are the ones where you can strongly identify with the characters, their pain is your pain, and their joy is your joy (Joy Luck Club, Stepmom, Up).
This isn't to say that I don't like comedies or thrillers (psychological thrillers are some of my all time favorites), but my taste in comedies is complicated at best. Being a typical girl, I love romantic comedies, but I feel like I have grown out of the types of goofy comedies that I have become so popular now a days. For example, I hated Superbad, and as mentioned in a previous post I dislike most movies Michael Cera is in. I once thought American Pie, and Scary Movie were funny, but have since changed my opinion on them. However, to my surprise I enjoyed The Hangover, and A Night at the Roxbury is still one of my favorites.
I do not pretend that my taste in movies follows any sort of rubric or that it actually makes sense, but since subscribing to Netflix two years ago, I have noticed that my movie choices have broadened. I am open to watching most movies as long as the description seems interesting (or the picture is pretty, haha).
I recently watched Life as We Know It, and The Last Airbender, reviews to come...
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Froyo anyone?
Almost a year ago I expressed my excitement of my then new T-Mobile myTouch. A couple of months ago, I began noticing deficiencies in my android phone. Comparing my T-Mobile myTouch to the Samsung Behold II, and the HTC Hero, I felt like I had gotten the short end of the android stick. Although, I did take into account that my smart phone was older (months) than the other phones, I couldn't help but feel envious over some of the features other phones had that mine lacked.
Some of the features about my T-Mobile myTouch that I disliked included:
Not only did it provide me with 2 additional home screens (5 in total), but also revamped my camera with several different filters and 2.6x zoom. My contact list is now more organized and my contact icons are larger when calling or receiving calls. My gmail app, is improved, and now it is easier to add other existing accounts to my phone. The android market now allows me to have my apps automatically updated, instead of updating them manually (I currently need to update 23 of my apps).
There is now a shortcut to the browser and phone dialer, at the bottom of the screen, which wasn't entirely necessary, but is nice to have. I also received a new app called Car Home, which simplifies my phone for use while driving (I do not encourage or support cell phone use while driving, its illegal....though I will admit I do it occasionally). Even my twitter app received an improvement, and I no longer need to click on links to view web pages or pictures. The icons to standard programs or services have also been changed (ex. messaging, contacts, camera, gallery, etc).
Other than some color scheme dislikes for certain features, overall I love Android 2.2. The new OS addressed some issues I was personally unhappy with and has given new life to my faithful android. I look forward to future updates and features, keep up the good work Google!
Some of the features about my T-Mobile myTouch that I disliked included:
- My phone had three separate home screens - other android phones had five
- Although my camera took amazing pictures, I had no zoom
- When receiving calls from others the contact picture was incredibly small
- The apps I had downloaded appeared that they needed constant updating
Not only did it provide me with 2 additional home screens (5 in total), but also revamped my camera with several different filters and 2.6x zoom. My contact list is now more organized and my contact icons are larger when calling or receiving calls. My gmail app, is improved, and now it is easier to add other existing accounts to my phone. The android market now allows me to have my apps automatically updated, instead of updating them manually (I currently need to update 23 of my apps).
There is now a shortcut to the browser and phone dialer, at the bottom of the screen, which wasn't entirely necessary, but is nice to have. I also received a new app called Car Home, which simplifies my phone for use while driving (I do not encourage or support cell phone use while driving, its illegal....though I will admit I do it occasionally). Even my twitter app received an improvement, and I no longer need to click on links to view web pages or pictures. The icons to standard programs or services have also been changed (ex. messaging, contacts, camera, gallery, etc).
Other than some color scheme dislikes for certain features, overall I love Android 2.2. The new OS addressed some issues I was personally unhappy with and has given new life to my faithful android. I look forward to future updates and features, keep up the good work Google!
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Nice to meet you
I've decided that since I was on hiatus for nearly 6 months, it would be a good idea to get reacquainted. List time! This list is definitely not exhaustive, and is arranged in no particular order. These are a few of my favorite things...
Movies (excluding Disney, I LOVE too many)
Candy - let it be know that I have a sweet tooth
Movies (excluding Disney, I LOVE too many)
- Rocky IV
- Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas (animated version)
Candy - let it be know that I have a sweet tooth
- Sour Patch Kids - I like sour candy in general, but this is my favorite
- Reese's Peanut Butter Cups - Peanut butter and chocolate is a match made in heaven.
- PayDay - I'm not a big fan of caramel BUT everyday could be a PayDay :)
- Westside Story - one word MAMBO!
- Mary Poppins - I didn't watch this movie until I was 17 but I fell in love
- Grease - I love this movie so much, my parents took me to go watch the 20th anniversary re-release...I fell asleep :(
- Red - Go Trojans! Fight On! :)
- Teal - I've loved this color since 2nd grade. Thank You Crayola.
- Purple - I love combining purple and teal. But I prefer a darker purple, like a plum color
- Liev Schreiber - I can't explain it, but I'm in love! I especially liked him in Defiance
- Bradley Cooper - He's gorgeous, and I like his boyish charm
- Vince Vaughn - His movies always put a smile on my face. My favorite, Wedding Crashers
- Dexter - The season 4 finale was amazing!
- Weeds - I like dark comedy
- Psych - I think this show is hilarious
- Pistachio - I really can't explain it but it's always been one of my favorites
- Rocky Road - Chocolate + Marshmallows = bliss
- Apricot Mango Sherbet - It's a Thrifty's brand ice cream, delicious
Monday, October 18, 2010
Change of Heart
It comes as no surprise that change is inevitable. Although there is still more than two months left in 2010, it's safe to say that this year alone, I've dealt with more change than ever before. I worked at a known television channel, wrote the biggest/longest paper I've ever written, graduated from school, my boyfriend of 5 years and I broke up, and now I'm looking for a job. I will be the first to say that I've never been a fan of change. Well that's not entirely true, I openly embrace change when it is towards something I like/want. I don't believe it's so much change that I am uncomfortable with, more like the uncertainty of not knowing what comes next.
Uncertainty has always made me uncomfortable, not knowing if everything will turn out okay in the end. However, over the last couple of weeks I have made a sincere attempt to welcome change and uncertainty with open arms.
I am sure everyone at some point as been told that "everything happens for a reason," now whether you find comfort in this saying may depend on religious views or faith, but for me, this saying held no comfort...until now. I understand now that change and how someone deals with it, shapes who they've been, who they are, and who they will become. The basis of human progress is dependent on how people have lived with change over time. Where would we be now if everyone would have been resistant to the telephone or democracy.
I am fortunate enough to say that I have a good life. I never faced any real hardships that some people face everyday. I have a loving family who has/will always support me and I've been fortunate enough to have experienced many diverse and amazing things. I am definitely not against experience of any kind, because as a student of psychology, I believe that experiences make up the majority of who we are. Throughout 2010, I have been be given to opportunity to experience many new things, both good and bad. But I suppose the trick is to learn from all experiences. Sure some are easier to swallow than others, but in the words of Mary Poppins, "a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down."
It's easy to allow one negative experiences to overshadow hundreds of positive ones, but it's important to remember that it is those negative experiences that make the positive ones that much better.
Uncertainty has always made me uncomfortable, not knowing if everything will turn out okay in the end. However, over the last couple of weeks I have made a sincere attempt to welcome change and uncertainty with open arms.
I am sure everyone at some point as been told that "everything happens for a reason," now whether you find comfort in this saying may depend on religious views or faith, but for me, this saying held no comfort...until now. I understand now that change and how someone deals with it, shapes who they've been, who they are, and who they will become. The basis of human progress is dependent on how people have lived with change over time. Where would we be now if everyone would have been resistant to the telephone or democracy.
I am fortunate enough to say that I have a good life. I never faced any real hardships that some people face everyday. I have a loving family who has/will always support me and I've been fortunate enough to have experienced many diverse and amazing things. I am definitely not against experience of any kind, because as a student of psychology, I believe that experiences make up the majority of who we are. Throughout 2010, I have been be given to opportunity to experience many new things, both good and bad. But I suppose the trick is to learn from all experiences. Sure some are easier to swallow than others, but in the words of Mary Poppins, "a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down."
It's easy to allow one negative experiences to overshadow hundreds of positive ones, but it's important to remember that it is those negative experiences that make the positive ones that much better.
I'm back!
After nearly six months, I have decided that my sabbatical is over! I realize now that those six months have flown by, but after I graduated in May, I spent sometime thinking about and writing my treatise (similar to a thesis). So to acquaint everyone with what has happened in those six months would be both impractical and exhausting. I am happy to report, however, that my treatise was approved, and I have officially obtained my masters degree.
Since then I attended a USC football game, and teared up when the band took the field. I was saddened by the loss of a most beloved activity. I then wrote a an open letter to the TMB which I will soon post.
Recently, I have rediscovered my love of drawing and photography, although my talents are not anything to boast. I have also developed an obsession/fascination with makeup which I have not had since I was about 16. I cut my hair last week a little longer than shoulder length, which is incredibly short for me but to my surprise I LOVE it.
I suppose that will be all for now, I've felt dizzy all day and out of spirits, but I promise to return tomorrow :)
***I have just realize that my beloved background is gone! I'm in the process of finding another, or if I'm extremely luck I'll find my old one. I did love that background.***
***Background success! well kind of, so I found my background but unfortunately it's a triple column rather than a double, but it'll do :D***
Since then I attended a USC football game, and teared up when the band took the field. I was saddened by the loss of a most beloved activity. I then wrote a an open letter to the TMB which I will soon post.
Recently, I have rediscovered my love of drawing and photography, although my talents are not anything to boast. I have also developed an obsession/fascination with makeup which I have not had since I was about 16. I cut my hair last week a little longer than shoulder length, which is incredibly short for me but to my surprise I LOVE it.
I suppose that will be all for now, I've felt dizzy all day and out of spirits, but I promise to return tomorrow :)
***I have just realize that my beloved background is gone! I'm in the process of finding another, or if I'm extremely luck I'll find my old one. I did love that background.***
***Background success! well kind of, so I found my background but unfortunately it's a triple column rather than a double, but it'll do :D***
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