I realize that it's probably poor form to blog about therapy.
In the course of conversation, my therapist and I agreed that I have a hard time differentiating between choosing to take something on because it's what I want to do and when I take something on to be accepted.
2010 has been a year filled with really amazing highs and really crappy lows. I have been blessed, both personally and professionally, to have lots of awesome opportunities. Among other things, starting in January I'm spending six months in a leadership program put on by the American Library Association.
It seems to me that there are two problems with not being clear on why I choose to add things to my life:
1. I have a lot of things going on--some that I care deeply about and some that I don't. And it's hard to know which is which.
2. I end up not being able to give anything my full attention because I'm so busy doing everything. Doing everything half-assed is not as good as doing some things with my whole ass.
I have a sense of the things that drive me, give me personal satisfaction, and (to be cheesy) nurture me:
--creating: writing, crafting, cooking
--absorbing: reading, watching movies, listening to music
--learning: service to others, professional development, taking classes
I want 2011 to be about personal transformation. I want it to be about becoming clear on what's important to me and learning to say no to the things that I'm not passionate about.
Change is hard. Inertia is easy. But if you're not 100% happy with who you are and 100% satisfied with the life you lead, change is the only answer.
Look for more writing here in the coming year, both review-related and otherwise. And look forward to journeying with me and holding me accountable.
Question: What do you want 2011 to "be about" for you?
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Rest assured I was on the internet within minutes registering my displeasure!
10 observations about the Degrassi: The Boiling Point finale:
Spoilers, ahoy! Don't say I didn't warn you!
1. Generally, I felt like it was kind of 'meh.' They built up to this episode for like a month and that's what we get? I feel like the writers built up to a point when all that was left was to kill Eli but they couldn't do it because everyone liked him too much. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled that Eli didn't get the 'Rick' treatment or go the way of 'JT,' but for all of the "we go there" boasting that Degrassi does, it felt like they took it 90 yards, but just couldn't take it to the logical end that they were building up to.
2. Eli is totally the new Craig.
3. Drew hooking up with Bianca clearly violates the 'bros before hoes' rule. Drew already has a girlfriend. Or had, maybe, it depends on how mad Alli is at him. Did he forget how Adam was crushing on her? If he did, they might want to check him for football-related brain trauma because it was two episodes ago and he got in a fight over it. Seriously, dude. What's your damage?
4. PS--What's the deal with everybody being hot for Bianca? She's like a skankier, sluttier version of Mia.
5. The HollyJ strip tease? I feel conflicted. I love the HollyJ/Sav pairing even more than the HollyJ/Declan pairing, so I was cheering for them. On the other hand, I feel like the Shark in the Water was actually the shark that Degrassi was jumping in this episode.
6. On the subject of hooking up: What kind of school do these kids go to that they can just run off to the boiler room or the band room to hook up?
7. Zane and Riley totally deserved to win homecoming kings. Who in their right mind ships Alli and Drew? I like the Zane/Riley pairing, and it's nice that we're not playing 'Trapped in the Closet with Riley' anymore. But I feel like Zane and Riley are like two episodes away from turning into the boring couple that Marco and Dylan turned into.
8. If they wanted to up the awkward to 11, they should've crowned Jenna and KC. Hey...where were Jenna and KC in this episode?
9. I love Clare. She's the new, more sympathetic version of Emma. She's adorable, even if she basically ruined everything for everyone for the rest of the season by setting off that ridiculous Rube Goldberg machine-esque chain of events that ended with Fitz not killing Eli. But she did it for Eli, who is pretty much the Lloyd Dobler to her Diane Court.
10. I miss Declan. When is Declan coming back?
Spoilers, ahoy! Don't say I didn't warn you!
1. Generally, I felt like it was kind of 'meh.' They built up to this episode for like a month and that's what we get? I feel like the writers built up to a point when all that was left was to kill Eli but they couldn't do it because everyone liked him too much. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled that Eli didn't get the 'Rick' treatment or go the way of 'JT,' but for all of the "we go there" boasting that Degrassi does, it felt like they took it 90 yards, but just couldn't take it to the logical end that they were building up to.
2. Eli is totally the new Craig.
3. Drew hooking up with Bianca clearly violates the 'bros before hoes' rule. Drew already has a girlfriend. Or had, maybe, it depends on how mad Alli is at him. Did he forget how Adam was crushing on her? If he did, they might want to check him for football-related brain trauma because it was two episodes ago and he got in a fight over it. Seriously, dude. What's your damage?
4. PS--What's the deal with everybody being hot for Bianca? She's like a skankier, sluttier version of Mia.
5. The HollyJ strip tease? I feel conflicted. I love the HollyJ/Sav pairing even more than the HollyJ/Declan pairing, so I was cheering for them. On the other hand, I feel like the Shark in the Water was actually the shark that Degrassi was jumping in this episode.
6. On the subject of hooking up: What kind of school do these kids go to that they can just run off to the boiler room or the band room to hook up?
7. Zane and Riley totally deserved to win homecoming kings. Who in their right mind ships Alli and Drew? I like the Zane/Riley pairing, and it's nice that we're not playing 'Trapped in the Closet with Riley' anymore. But I feel like Zane and Riley are like two episodes away from turning into the boring couple that Marco and Dylan turned into.
8. If they wanted to up the awkward to 11, they should've crowned Jenna and KC. Hey...where were Jenna and KC in this episode?
9. I love Clare. She's the new, more sympathetic version of Emma. She's adorable, even if she basically ruined everything for everyone for the rest of the season by setting off that ridiculous Rube Goldberg machine-esque chain of events that ended with Fitz not killing Eli. But she did it for Eli, who is pretty much the Lloyd Dobler to her Diane Court.
10. I miss Declan. When is Declan coming back?
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
10 observations about Degrassi: The Boiling Point
My love for Degrassi: The Next Generation is deep. I've watched it from the beginning (I know I'm 31. Shut up.) and kind of lost interest midway through last season. But since you can take a break from Degrassi, but you can never truly quit it, I got sucked back in this Summer.
Teen Nick is doing this Telanovela-style airing of of Season 10 and calling it "Degrassi: The Boiling Point," which shall be known from this point on as DTBP. I'm lazy...that's why.
If you watched the promos for DTBP, you heard them say that it's leading up to the most explosive thing that's ever happened at Degrassi.
*record scratch*
Seriously? Did you forget about that time that JT got stabbed? Or what about the time that Rick shotJimmy Drake Jimmy?
Seriously DTPB...you need to bring it to top the drama of the past 9 seasons.
Anyway, I have a few observations I'd like to make. There are DTBP spoilers in here, so tread lightly if you aren't caught up.
Ahem...
1. Claire is the new Emma. I guess this means that Eli is the new Sean. And yet...that doesn't quite feel right. Either way, I want Eli to put the moves on Claire so badly that it hurts. I yell at my TV every time they're in a scene together and he doesn't kiss her.
2. Ali is the new Manny. Which makes Drew the new Craig, I guess. I can see that, kinda, except that Craig is cute and plays the guitar which totally makes up for the fact that he's kind of a jerk sometimes.
3. I'm ready for Riley to come out already. I know he's all 'I can't play football and be openly gay,' but dude...Dylan played hockey and and was out. And hockey is way more popular in Canada than football.
*spoiler alert! spoiler alert!*
4. I totally called the upcoming storyline about Adam. As in, I texted a friend and said 'Adam is trans, right?'
5. I don't care about KC at all. Or Jenna.
6. I like Sav. I hope that he gets some better storylines ASAP. Between the fake pregnancy and the stolent truck, he is heading toward Toby territory. And we know how that turned out.
7. I lied. Drew isn't the new Craig--Declan is. He's a messed up hottie with (I think) a heart of gold.
8. I also don't really care about Dave and his two sidekicks. I care so little about them, in fact, that I don't even know their names.
9. I feel like Fiona is the newer, richer version of Alex. I keep waiting for her to make out with Holly J. Because, of course, Holly J is the new Paige.
10. Who is that one girl who kind of looks like Mia? Yeah...I still don't know.
Teen Nick is doing this Telanovela-style airing of of Season 10 and calling it "Degrassi: The Boiling Point," which shall be known from this point on as DTBP. I'm lazy...that's why.
If you watched the promos for DTBP, you heard them say that it's leading up to the most explosive thing that's ever happened at Degrassi.
*record scratch*
Seriously? Did you forget about that time that JT got stabbed? Or what about the time that Rick shot
Seriously DTPB...you need to bring it to top the drama of the past 9 seasons.
Anyway, I have a few observations I'd like to make. There are DTBP spoilers in here, so tread lightly if you aren't caught up.
Ahem...
1. Claire is the new Emma. I guess this means that Eli is the new Sean. And yet...that doesn't quite feel right. Either way, I want Eli to put the moves on Claire so badly that it hurts. I yell at my TV every time they're in a scene together and he doesn't kiss her.
2. Ali is the new Manny. Which makes Drew the new Craig, I guess. I can see that, kinda, except that Craig is cute and plays the guitar which totally makes up for the fact that he's kind of a jerk sometimes.
3. I'm ready for Riley to come out already. I know he's all 'I can't play football and be openly gay,' but dude...Dylan played hockey and and was out. And hockey is way more popular in Canada than football.
*spoiler alert! spoiler alert!*
4. I totally called the upcoming storyline about Adam. As in, I texted a friend and said 'Adam is trans, right?'
5. I don't care about KC at all. Or Jenna.
6. I like Sav. I hope that he gets some better storylines ASAP. Between the fake pregnancy and the stolent truck, he is heading toward Toby territory. And we know how that turned out.
7. I lied. Drew isn't the new Craig--Declan is. He's a messed up hottie with (I think) a heart of gold.
8. I also don't really care about Dave and his two sidekicks. I care so little about them, in fact, that I don't even know their names.
9. I feel like Fiona is the newer, richer version of Alex. I keep waiting for her to make out with Holly J. Because, of course, Holly J is the new Paige.
10. Who is that one girl who kind of looks like Mia? Yeah...I still don't know.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Craft Leftovers
I aspire to be significantly more crafty than I currently am. I also aspire to live more sustainably than I currently do.
I suspect this is why Kristin Roach's blog, Craft Leftovers, appeals to me so much.
Craft Leftovers is all about being creative and crafty with the space and things you already have. The life that Roach advocates for is thrifty, it's sustainable, and it's awesome.
Roach doesn't just focus on crafty stuff. She talks about how to make one's space more aesthetically pleasing and how to make stuff to solve everyday problems. She also focuses on how to be more thrifty in the kitchen.
Craft Leftovers is peppered with tutorials and at least once a week I'm inspired to try something new.
If you're crafty, thrifty, eco-friendly, or just looking for some inspiration, I encourage you to give Craft Leftovers a look-see.
I suspect this is why Kristin Roach's blog, Craft Leftovers, appeals to me so much.
Craft Leftovers is all about being creative and crafty with the space and things you already have. The life that Roach advocates for is thrifty, it's sustainable, and it's awesome.
Roach doesn't just focus on crafty stuff. She talks about how to make one's space more aesthetically pleasing and how to make stuff to solve everyday problems. She also focuses on how to be more thrifty in the kitchen.
Craft Leftovers is peppered with tutorials and at least once a week I'm inspired to try something new.
If you're crafty, thrifty, eco-friendly, or just looking for some inspiration, I encourage you to give Craft Leftovers a look-see.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Be the change you want to see
Being a teenager sucks. A lot. I am not so far removed from my teenage years that I have magically forgotten how hard it was to be me as a teenager.
The thing I remember most vividly about my teenage experience was that I was sure that I was the only person feeling how I felt. I was sure that my classmates had it together and that I was the only one falling apart on the inside. I assumed that my pain was different, was special.
When I heard the premise of MTV's new series, If you really knew me, it is being kind to say that I was skeptical.
BTW--If you want a cool recap/review of If you really knew me, I recommend KBestOliver's review at Mamapop. She put it better than I ever could.
MTV is known for shows that exploit the pain of teenagers(16 and Prenant, anyone?) or glorify bratty teenagers' love for excess (I'm looking at you, My Super Sweet 16). So why would a show that chronicles the experiences of teenagers as they go through Challenge Day be any less exploitative?
The thing is, MTV found a way to melt my icy, jaded heart with this show and I think it has more to do with the awesomeness that is "Challenge Day" than in MTV's careful treatment of the experience of Challenge Day participants.
The Challenge Day experience speaks to me for three reasons:
1. It gives students permission to stop feeling shame. The students do an exercise called 'If you really knew me' where they get to tell the people in their group what it's like to be them. It doesn't really matter what you're going through or how your pain compares to the person sitting next to you. The exercise gives students the chance to speak their truths. And naming your pain is the first step to turning off the shame that resonates inside of you.
2. It teaches students that they are not the only ones experiencing the things they're going through. The students do an exercise called 'Crossing the line' where the Challenge Day facilitator reads a series of statements and students are asked to cross the line that is taped to the floor if that statement applies to them. Crossing the line shows students that there are people in their school who face the same demons that they do. And those who don't cross the line are encouraged to flash the sign for 'love' to show support for those whose situations they do not face.
3. It asks students to become the change they want to see in the world. In the first episode, Challenge Day ends with the facilitators asking students what they will do to change their school. Challenge Day assumes that each student has within them the power to affect change and asks students to take responsibility for that power.
I would be lying if I said that this show didn't affect me. And honestly, I don't know how the teenage version of me would've reacted to seeing this show. It certainly appeals to the 31-year-old version of me that passionately believe in Becoming the Change you want to see in this world.
This show filled me with so much love, so much hope, that I forgot it was an MTV joint. Well played, MTV.
What did you think? Did you love it? Hate it?
The thing I remember most vividly about my teenage experience was that I was sure that I was the only person feeling how I felt. I was sure that my classmates had it together and that I was the only one falling apart on the inside. I assumed that my pain was different, was special.
When I heard the premise of MTV's new series, If you really knew me, it is being kind to say that I was skeptical.
BTW--If you want a cool recap/review of If you really knew me, I recommend KBestOliver's review at Mamapop. She put it better than I ever could.
MTV is known for shows that exploit the pain of teenagers(16 and Prenant, anyone?) or glorify bratty teenagers' love for excess (I'm looking at you, My Super Sweet 16). So why would a show that chronicles the experiences of teenagers as they go through Challenge Day be any less exploitative?
The thing is, MTV found a way to melt my icy, jaded heart with this show and I think it has more to do with the awesomeness that is "Challenge Day" than in MTV's careful treatment of the experience of Challenge Day participants.
The Challenge Day experience speaks to me for three reasons:
1. It gives students permission to stop feeling shame. The students do an exercise called 'If you really knew me' where they get to tell the people in their group what it's like to be them. It doesn't really matter what you're going through or how your pain compares to the person sitting next to you. The exercise gives students the chance to speak their truths. And naming your pain is the first step to turning off the shame that resonates inside of you.
2. It teaches students that they are not the only ones experiencing the things they're going through. The students do an exercise called 'Crossing the line' where the Challenge Day facilitator reads a series of statements and students are asked to cross the line that is taped to the floor if that statement applies to them. Crossing the line shows students that there are people in their school who face the same demons that they do. And those who don't cross the line are encouraged to flash the sign for 'love' to show support for those whose situations they do not face.
3. It asks students to become the change they want to see in the world. In the first episode, Challenge Day ends with the facilitators asking students what they will do to change their school. Challenge Day assumes that each student has within them the power to affect change and asks students to take responsibility for that power.
I would be lying if I said that this show didn't affect me. And honestly, I don't know how the teenage version of me would've reacted to seeing this show. It certainly appeals to the 31-year-old version of me that passionately believe in Becoming the Change you want to see in this world.
This show filled me with so much love, so much hope, that I forgot it was an MTV joint. Well played, MTV.
What did you think? Did you love it? Hate it?
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
2010=Made of awesome
To commemorate how awesome 2010 has been so far in music, I made a list. Want to hear it? Here it goes...
Good:
Gorillaz--Plastic Beach
Neon Trees--Habits
Black Keys--Brothers
Better:
The Hold Steady--Heaven in Whenever
Drive-By Truckers--The Big To-Do
Best:
LCD Soundsystem--This is Happening
The award for most overrated release goes to: Vampire Weekend for Contra, their 'meh' followup to their eponymous debut.
My husband will tell you that I should've put the Big Boi album on my list. Go bug him about putting up his own list and tell him I sent you.
There are some albums that I want to check out but haven't yet:
High violet (The National)
Treats (Sleigh Bells)
White crosses (Against Me)
Shout it out (Hanson--blame The Sound of Young America for this one)
Culdesac (Childish Gambino)
What are your favorite albums of 2010 so far? Leave a comment!
Good:
Gorillaz--Plastic Beach
Neon Trees--Habits
Black Keys--Brothers
Better:
The Hold Steady--Heaven in Whenever
Drive-By Truckers--The Big To-Do
Best:
LCD Soundsystem--This is Happening
The award for most overrated release goes to: Vampire Weekend for Contra, their 'meh' followup to their eponymous debut.
My husband will tell you that I should've put the Big Boi album on my list. Go bug him about putting up his own list and tell him I sent you.
There are some albums that I want to check out but haven't yet:
High violet (The National)
Treats (Sleigh Bells)
White crosses (Against Me)
Shout it out (Hanson--blame The Sound of Young America for this one)
Culdesac (Childish Gambino)
What are your favorite albums of 2010 so far? Leave a comment!
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Veronica Mars movie isn't dead yet (it's just sleeping)
In this blog post by Michael Ausiello, he talks about how a Veronica Mars movie might still be a possibility. Apparently Rob Thomas (the TV dude--not the Matchbox 20 frontman) has a pitch and a treatment and everything.
And, as Thomas points out, the franchise does have an expiration date. Read: Kristen Bell ain't getting any younger. He does talk about how he would be interested in seeing Mars as a grownup which, I suppose, extends the movie's shelf life a little bit.
I don't usually recycle links from the interwebs on my blog, but I wanted to toss this one around a little bit. I loved the first season of Veronica Mars. If you've never seen it, you should. For me, it was the freshest, most inventive show with a teenage lead since My So-Called Life or Freaks and Geeks. Veronica was complex, troubled, and snarky. And I loved her.
I felt way less strongly about Seasons 2 and 3. Without getting all spoilery up in here, I basically felt like Mars was way more detached from both of those "mysteries" than she was with the one in Season 1. Season 2 gave us Mac, played by the lovely Tina Majorino, so it wasn't a total loss.
The idea of a Veronica Mars movie kind of turns my stomach. If I knew it could be as interesting and engaging as Season 1, I'd be down for it. But if it's going to be a good-in-concept trainwreck like the rest of the season, I'd rather just leave the Veronica Mars gang in the past and see Thomas bring a new set of characters to the big screen.
And, as Thomas points out, the franchise does have an expiration date. Read: Kristen Bell ain't getting any younger. He does talk about how he would be interested in seeing Mars as a grownup which, I suppose, extends the movie's shelf life a little bit.
I don't usually recycle links from the interwebs on my blog, but I wanted to toss this one around a little bit. I loved the first season of Veronica Mars. If you've never seen it, you should. For me, it was the freshest, most inventive show with a teenage lead since My So-Called Life or Freaks and Geeks. Veronica was complex, troubled, and snarky. And I loved her.
I felt way less strongly about Seasons 2 and 3. Without getting all spoilery up in here, I basically felt like Mars was way more detached from both of those "mysteries" than she was with the one in Season 1. Season 2 gave us Mac, played by the lovely Tina Majorino, so it wasn't a total loss.
The idea of a Veronica Mars movie kind of turns my stomach. If I knew it could be as interesting and engaging as Season 1, I'd be down for it. But if it's going to be a good-in-concept trainwreck like the rest of the season, I'd rather just leave the Veronica Mars gang in the past and see Thomas bring a new set of characters to the big screen.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Brooklyn by Colm Toibin
I'm not a big fan of the "literary novel." In fact, with few exceptions, I tend to steer clear of them. My taste in literature trends toward the more...inane.
I stumbled across Colm Toibin's Brooklyn, the story of Eilis Lacey's journey from Ireland to Brooklyn and the new life she makes for herself there, quite by accident. And for the first 50 or so pages, I wasn't sure I was going to stick with it.
But somewhere along the way, Eilis' story captivated me in a way that I wasn't entirely prepared for.
Eilis' prospects in her hometown of Enniscorthy are few and far between. So when her older sister, Rose, meets Father Flood, a Brooklyn-based priest visiting home, at the golf club, a plan is put into motion for Eilis to move to Brooklyn. Once there, her life begins to flourish in unexpected ways. A job, an education, and a romance all begin to transform Eilis from a meek girl into a capable young lady.
Toibin captures not only the essence of the Irish immigrant experience, but also the development of our young heroine from girl to woman. I'm not a big fan of male authors writing female characters, but Toibin does so with great skill.
A short read at only 262 pages, Brooklyn is well worth the investment of time it would take to read it.
I stumbled across Colm Toibin's Brooklyn, the story of Eilis Lacey's journey from Ireland to Brooklyn and the new life she makes for herself there, quite by accident. And for the first 50 or so pages, I wasn't sure I was going to stick with it.
But somewhere along the way, Eilis' story captivated me in a way that I wasn't entirely prepared for.
Eilis' prospects in her hometown of Enniscorthy are few and far between. So when her older sister, Rose, meets Father Flood, a Brooklyn-based priest visiting home, at the golf club, a plan is put into motion for Eilis to move to Brooklyn. Once there, her life begins to flourish in unexpected ways. A job, an education, and a romance all begin to transform Eilis from a meek girl into a capable young lady.
Toibin captures not only the essence of the Irish immigrant experience, but also the development of our young heroine from girl to woman. I'm not a big fan of male authors writing female characters, but Toibin does so with great skill.
A short read at only 262 pages, Brooklyn is well worth the investment of time it would take to read it.
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