Okay, okay, let me explain myself. I recently decided to start growing out my nails again, and the only real way for me to do this is to make sure my nails look pretty and painted at all times. If they’re not painted I find myself chewing away at them. It’s a terrible disgusting habit that I needed to break, and I am doing pretty well so far!
Aside from fabulously painted fingernails, I also have found that rings help make me want to have nice fingernails too, who wants to wear a pretty ring with ugly nails, right? Anyway, enter my new obsession: Statement rings! Below are just a few examples of my recent statement ring purchases.
My Lia Sophia statement ring
Oh, and the nail polish is OPIs A-Toupe the Space Needle…love it!
Did you know that 13-17 year olds make up over 10 million of Facebook’s users? But, do these 13-17 year olds know the laws surrounding the social networks they belong to? According to a fellow classmate’s presentation on this subject the answer is a definite no. What is even more shocking is that the parents of these teens hardly know what is going on themselves.
What does this mean? Well it means that teens are posting and sharing images and videos that are not their own on social networks which isn’t such a big deal because a lot of people do this. The problem with this is that as time goes on and they need to begin creating works of their own, they will think it is okay to use others works in these ways. It seems that it is engrained in our culture that anything on the Internet is free for our use. Not true.
I would argue that for not only the reasons I mentioned above but for many others there should be Social Media Literacy classes, or at the very least seminars or workshops to teach students what is right and wrong in regards to their online lives. Now, for many schools having an entire class for this sort of thing just isn’t possible – lack of funding etc etc. But, I believe that these changes can be implemented into regular classes.
For example, Dove had a beauty campaign a few years ago where they show a model going from her dressing room through makeup and then what the final ad looks like. They show, in about thirty seconds the transformation she goes through to be seen as “beautiful” in American standards. So, why not show a video like that in middle school Health classes? It’s a simple find on YouTube, and it may help some girl realize that she’s normal. Likewise the dos and don’ts of social networking can be covered in technology classes. This information can also come in the forms of seminars, assemblies and workshops.
These changes don’t have to be all that drastic, and they can be completely free but they just need to be paid attention to. What do you think? Should these small steps be taken in classrooms or is it unimportant?
I’m so excited for this! This is one of my favorite books, “Something Borrowed,” by Emily Giffin that has been made into a movie. I can’t wait to see it. I only hope they stay true to the book. Check it out!
“Hi, I’m Patty Wittenburg and I have an Internet addiction.”
No, but seriously I might have begun to develop a slight problem. I came to this realization while reading “Hamlet’s Blackberry,” this week for my Media Issues class.
The first step is to admit that you have a problem, right? Well allow me to confess a slightly embarrassing thing I’ve recently realized about myself:
Lately, when I see my phone ring, I become instantly annoyed. How dare someone actually call me on my phone. The audacity. I don’t have time for that! I’m just so busy that it seems to be a waste of my time to chat aimlessly on the phone.
My generation grew up with technology. I’d bet that most people my age would rather text than call someone and I’m definitely a product of my generation. In my world I have a million things to do, therefore I better be multi-tasking in order to get them done. Companies know this. Apple, AT&T and Verizon all have iPhone commercials explaining how customers can surf the web while talking on the phone.
I can still remember a time, though when I had to actually talk to people. I didn’t just have to, I actually wanted to. I remember getting my own phone line in my room. It was probably the most exciting thing to happen to me at the time. My phone was red, and I loved it. I would talk on that silly red phone for hours and hours.
Times have changed. My little sister is almost 16, and she doesn’t have her own phone line in her bedroom, she never did. From as far back as I can remember she’s had her own cell phone, so why would she need a landline? And just like I’m a product of my generation she is a product of hers. She’s constantly Facebook chatting and texting her friends. They almost never call to actually speak to her on the phone. This makes me wonder, though. How deep and meaningful are her relationships? Okay, I know she’s 16, so they probably wouldn’t be that meaningful to begin with. Still, though, she’s missing something that I got from my coveted red phone. I’m sure my conversations at the time weren’t all that meaningful, but they did teach me important communication skills that simply can’t be attained in a 160 character text message or using an emoticon.
The long, late night conversations my sister and her generation are missing out on are something they don’t really know about. I do though. So what happened? How did I go from wanting to talk on my little red phone for hours and hours to barely ever talking on the phone? In fact, I talk so little on the phone that I just reduced my monthly minutes to the lowest possible amount my phone carrier offers. How did I go from getting so excited when my red phone would ring, to getting annoyed when my iPhone rings?
I think it’s a domino effect. When I got that red phone I stopped having to go to my friend’s houses to talk to them. When I got my first cell phone I didn’t need the red phone anymore. When I got text messaging on my cell phone, I didn’t need to call anyone anymore. When I got my iPhone, I could chat with my friends through a messenger, or text them, or write to them on their social network. All the while, technology was moving me farther and farther from actual human interaction.
I began this saying I have an Internet addiction, and that might be a bit drastic, but I don’t think I could part with my iPhone for too long. I love having all of that information at my fingertips. There are things, though that take us away from our technology and I think they are useful. Writing in a notebook, for instance, using a physical planner or flipping through an actual photo album are all things that I wouldn’t want to give away to technology. Sure, at times i use the technological equivalent of those things but I’d much prefer the real life versions.
Of course, I’m not worried about the toll technology is having on my relationships: I’ve been friends with my best friend since the first day of 7th grade, before the days of the red phone. I know she isn’t going anywhere. I do, however, see how it could become a slippery slope.
Bottom line: sometimes it’s nice to actually physically do things. I know it may sound crazy, but sketch in notebook. Make a to-do list on the back of a Target receipt. Take a long walk. Meet a friend for coffee. Pay for that coffee with actual, paper money not an app. And don’t check into Foursquare when you get there. Put down the technology. Just for a little bit. Trust me, your Twitter Feed isn’t going anywhere.
Now, if only I could find the time to follow my own advice.
I thought I’d kick off my blog with one of my favorite subjects -Movies.
Everybody has them – the movies that they simply cannot pass by. They are addictive and time consuming – but I wouldn’t have it any other way! They’re not necessarily the best acted or movies with the best plot in some cases they are just addictive and never get repetitive. In a world where I am constantly going and multi-tasking these are the movies that can get me to sit still for a few precious hours time and time again:
Mean Girls – “Boo you whore.”
A silly, guilty pleasure but you have to admit that this is a teen chick flick at it’s finest. We have Rachel McAdams and Amanda Seyfried before they really hit it big, and Lindsay Lohan before she hit the big house. What more could you ask for? Maybe Lacey Chabert and Tina Fey? Throw in some slutty Santa outfits and you are on your way to movie bliss!
Forrest Gump – “I’m not a smart man…but I know what love is.”
I feel like I don’t need to say too much about this movie because it speaks for itself. Six academy awards. Can’t be too bad, right? Actually it’s wonderful and touching. Not to mention the soundtrack is phenomenal. Also, the scene transitions are to die for – if you’ve never noticed I dare you not to watch in awe next time!
Little Miss Sunshine – “Do you know what a loser is? A real loser is somebody is so afraid of not winning they don’t even try.”
Another all star cast with Toni Collette, Steve Carell,Alan Arkin, Greg Kinnear and of course little Abigail Breslin. This family is dysfunctional at best, and bankrupt thanks to the father’s get rich quick schemes but they are determined to get their daughter to the “Little Miss Sunshine,” pageant in their VW Bus. Breslin plays the daughter, Olive just beautifully. Her family notices early on that Olive isn’t anything like her competitors in the pageant but that doesn’t seem to faze her at all. Her confidence and innocence are truly inspiring and who can’t respect confidence? She is just the cutest in this movie and I laugh so hard I cry when she does her dance routine.
Almost Famous – “I always tell the girls, never take it seriously. If you ya never take it seriously, you never get hurt. If ya never get hurt, you always have fun. And if ya ever get lonely, just go to the record store and visit your friends.”
Early in the movie it is clear that William’s mother is just way too controlling. They aren’t allowed to listen to rock and roll music and his sister (played by my favorite, the adorable Zooey Deschanel) runs away from home to become a stewardess. She leaves William her most precious possession – her record collection. When William gets older, he gets the chance of a lifetime – the ability to write a piece about Stillwater – an up and coming band, for Rolling Stone Magazine. He gets to follow the band on tour and in the process he breaks free of an overly controlling mother and in the end finds his own voice. Through his journey William meets Penny Lane played by Kate Hudson, a free spirited groupie (that’s Band-Aid to you) who really helps him to loosen up. Go ahead try not to smile and sing along during the “Tiny Dancer,” scene.
Shawshank Redemption – “Not a day goes by that I don’t feel regret. Not because I’m in here or because you think I should. I look back at the way I was then. A young stupid kid who committed that terrible crime. I wanna talk to that kid. I wanna talk some sense into him. Let him know the way things are. But I can’t. That kid is long gone, this old man here is all that’s left. I gotta live with that. Rehabilitated? It’s just a bullshit word. So you go ahead sonny and stamp your form and stop wasting my time. Because to tell you the truth, I don’t give a shit.”
Andy, an American banker in the 1940s in sentenced to two life sentences for the murders of his wife and her lover. Andy is immediately disliked by his fellow inmates but through his years in prison he gains their respect, especially that of fellow inmate, Red. Red and Andy become great friends. What seems like a simple prison movie really shows the hope that exists in even the grimmest of circumstances. I love the ending of this movie. It just goes to show that people change and things aren’t always, as they seem.
Just Friends – “You’ll always be fat to me Chris!”
If you know me well it’s no secret that I love Ryan Reynolds. (I mean, what is there not to love? He’s great looking, very funny and his abs don’t hurt his case) and I think that Anna Faris is also great so this movie is a match made in my own personal comedy heaven. Reynolds plays Chris Brander a Jersey boy that used to be overweight and tormented in high school. His best friend, Jamie Palamino (Amy Smart), and also his long time crush kept him in the “friend zone,” as he tried desperately to win her heart. After High School Chris leaves and moves to LA where he becomes a fit, womanizer. When his plans go awry and he is stuck in Jersey for Christmas Chris has to come to terms with his past and Jamie all the while having to deal with Samantha James (Faris) a crazy singer. The sarcasm is non-stop and it’s set in Jersey at Christmas time – what’s not to love about that? Nothing, I say!
A League of Their Own – “ Are you crying? There’s no crying! There’s no crying in baseball!”
Set in the time of war, this movie is a about an all female baseball league. As sports lover, it is impossible not to root for these women on their journeys as they navigate their ways through a professional sport. Most of these women have men at war and that is another integral part of the movie. The thought of loss and lost dreams really come full circle in this one. If you’re American and haven’t seen this one, you better rent it today!
Blow – “You’re my heart, kid. Now, can I live without my heart?”
Based on the true story of George Jung the man who established the American Cocaine underground market in the ’70s. This movie gets me crying every time. I love Johnny Depp and he plays a brilliant father who is also a drug dealer and addict. It is established early on in the movie that George (Depp) grew up in a dysfunctional family. His father couldn’t provide and his mother was never happy. He promises himself that his family will never have to go through that so he does what he believes he has to in order to support his wife, (Cruz) and his daughter. His relationship with is daughter is really what gets to me it’s absolutely heartbreaking. I always say that a great movie is one that gets you rooting for the person you wouldn’t normally in real life and in Blow just that happens. A must see.
Goodfellas – “You know, we always called each other goodfellas. Like you said to, somebody, “You’re gonna like this guy. He’s all right He’s a good fella. He’s one of us.”
Goodfellas follows Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) through his entry into the Italian Mafia. We see Henry’s many rises and falls in this tricky lifestyle. Joe Pesci does a great job playing the slightly psychotic, and completely unpredictable Tommy and De Niro plays the protective Jimmy Conway. The three men are seemingly in the mob lifestyle together and for many years they are there for each other until they plan their biggest heist. Tensions slowly build as others get involved and the FBI becomes more and more suspicious. By far my favorite Scorsese Movie.
10 Things I Hate About You– “Listen, I’m down, I’ve got the 411, and you are not getting jiggy with some boy, I don’t care how dope his ride is! Momma didn’t raise no foo!”
This movie was my first introduction to Health Ledger and I immediately fell in love. It is a take on Shakespeare’s play “The Taming of the Shrew,” set in a modern day (1999) high school. Cameron (Gordon-Levitt) is new to school and he immediately sets his eyes on Bianca, a beautiful popular Sophomore. He tries his hardest to win her over but there are just a few problems with his plan. The biggest one? Her dad won’t let her date until her sister Kat (Stiles) dates. Kat is seemingly one of the most angry girls in school. Enter Patrick (Ledger). Cameron pays Patrick to take Kat out on a few dates. All is well for a while. A silly teenage flick? Yes, but sometimes those are the best in my opinion.
For Keeps – “How could you name our baby Theodosia? It sounds like a Greek fishing boat or a crater on the moon.”
This movie would most definitely not be on most people’s favorite movies list but it happens to be one of my favorites. It’s not the best movie ever, I’ll admit it but it’s so bad that it’s good. Darcy and Stan seem to have it all. They’re young, in love, and entering their senior year of high school together. That is, until Darcy finds out she is pregnant. What to do? Move out, get married and have the baby of course! All seems perfect in paradise until the baby cries all night, the couple has no money and they end up fighting all of the time. Darcy’s postpartum depression doesn’t help the situation either. All in all this is an 80s movie made at the height of Molly Ringwald’s success. It’s not her most well known movie but honestly give it a chance…you just might find it a guilty pleasure like I do, too.
Close Contenders:
Anything funny -Office Space, Billy Madison, Old School, Wedding Crashers, The Hangover. It’s just nice to be able to laugh out loud? Who doesn’t like a good belly laugh? Nobody I want to know!
It’s A Wonderful Life – Such an incredibly wonderful movie. “No man is a failure who has friends.” And don’t you forget that George Bailey!
Any Tarentino Movie – Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Ingolious Basterds etc. – I happen to think that Quentin is a genius. He is by far one of my favorite directors. Everything he creates is just mind-blowingly awesome. Yeah he’s so good I used a term like “mind-blowingly awesome” to describe him. That’s got to be pretty awesome.
Juno – Michael Cera and Ellen Paige just light up the screen in this film. It is every bit light hearted and comical as it is serious. One of my favorite scenes is when Juno’s stepmother gives it to the Ultrasound Tech. It’s great and the end always makes me cry. If you’ve read this whole thing you are probably thinking that I cry a lot by now. You would be right.
500 Days of Summer
Two of my favorites – Zooey Deschanel and Jason Gordon-Levitt star in this one. Summer (Deschanel) is this adorably charming girl that it’s hard for the audience to not love and hate all at the same time. If you haven’t seen it I suggest you rent it. It’s so true too. Everyone has been in a relationship before where they just weren’t on the same page as their significant other. There are ways you want to see parts of the relationship but in reality they just aren’t that way. I’ll leave you with this sugary sweet scene from the movie – try not to get a toothache.
What do you think? What are some movies you just can’t change the channel on?
A League of Their Own – “ Are you crying? There’s no crying! There’s no crying in baseball!”
Goodfellas – “You know, we always called each other goodfellas. Like you said to, somebody, “You’re gonna like this guy. He’s all right He’s a good fella. He’s one of us.”
For Keeps – “How could you name our baby Theodosia? It sounds like a Greek fishing boat or a crater on the moon.”
It’s A Wonderful Life – Such an incredibly wonderful movie. “No man is a failure who has friends.” And don’t you forget that George Bailey!
He is by far one of my favorite directors. Everything he creates is just mind-blowingly awesome. Yeah he’s so good I used a term like “mind-blowingly awesome” to describe him. That’s got to be pretty awesome.
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