Project for Awesome and Veronica Mars

So much news in one post. My new article about Veronica Mars is live on the geek girls website.

"Now that you know about the current buzz surrounding Veronica Mars, let's discuss the show's beginning. Kristen Bell plays Veronica, a female Sherlock Holmes type character that solves mysteries by outsmarting her opponents. The crimes are everything from stolen nude photos to finding dognappers to solving murders in fictional Neptune, California. The series opens…"

Next, my Project for Awesome video is live. This year I discussed Pangaea Poetry. I submitted a poem called Ribbons and Self to their online poetry slam earlier in the year. They are trying to raise money so that they start producing content year round.

For the Project for Awesome I donated 15 knit bunny rabbits. You can watch a time lapse video of me making one of the rabbits below.

You can click here to vote for your favorite charity and click here for the indiegogo campaign.

#9: Turn off tv and Play a game

I went to a friends birthday birthday party last week. It was a fun low key affair after work. About 15 people were there and we played board games. My favorite of the evening was Werewolf, which is the more complicated version of the kids game Mafia. In both games the townsfolk go to sleep, but as they are sleep someone (werewolves or the mafia) comes and terrorizes the town, killing innocent people. In Werewolf some people have added abilities letting them outsmart the werewolves. It was great fun.

*originally written Oct 10, 2014

Freelancing 101

     I've been freelancing for over a year now and I'd like to share some tips that I wish I had known when I started. First figure out how you work best. In a short essay, Paul Graham described people working in two ways, as a maker or a manager. The maker is task oriented and needs large chunks of time to complete something whereas the manager breaks up time by the clock. These two types of people are at odds with one another and can be a source of conflict is you're a maker trying to work in a managers schedule and vice versa.

1. Set goals for yourself
Without anyone imposing structure on your life, it is really easy to do nothing. The night before I'll set a goal for the next day. Tomorrow is a writing day and I hope to write two articles for this blog. Or tomorrow is an editing day and I hope to finish editing _____ video.

2. Set rules for yourself
I set rules so that my day runs smoother and so I'm interrupted less. I will check my email (and social media sites) in the morning and the evening and maybe once in the middle of the day, but that's it. Same thing with phone calls, I only return them (if I must) first thing in the morning or in the late afternoon. I  won't check throughout the day because it really ruins my flow.

3. Eat
Working from home, it is very tempting to just graze all day and not eat a proper meal. Of if you're like me, forget to eat all together. Please eat at least one proper meal per day. When I make my work schedule for the day, I will write in a lunch time or a dinner time because if I don't I'll forget.

4. Schedule a day off
I know it sounds silly but with no one overseeing that you have time off, that job falls to you. My rule of thumb is for every 6 days I work I must schedule myself a full day off. For me a day off is a day to relax and recharge, not a day to catch up on household chores. I realize there will be exceptions to this rule but time off is really important.

5. Keep Notes
I keep track of how many hours I work, where I work, and how much I am paid. These notes have been crucial in figuring out how much I am actually working versus how much I need to work to support myself. And when I'm asked to give a day rate I have data to inform my decision about how much to charge. It also helps to know where I'm going when because in any given month I work anywhere from 2-12 different places.

6. Speak Up/Learn to Say No
There is nothing wrong with turning down a job; it doesn't mean that you will never get another job again. Not every job is worth the aggravation. It also means you have every right to contact your employer if you have not been paid in a timely fashion. If I haven't been paid in over a month since the job ended I will usually send the company an email asking about it. I've waited as long as 4 months for payment. Don't be afraid to follow up.

7. Value your Time
My relationship to money has drastically changed. I was always good with money and budgeting/saving for things. However, I always had a safety net aka my parents and student loans. For the longest time the money I earned was for extra things like going to the movies and not for bills. Now most of my money goes towards supporting myself. If I don't value my time no one else will. Valuing my time means I rarely work for free anymore.

8. Comfortable chairs
When I'm working from home I spent an inordinate amount of time in front of the computer and so having a comfortable chair makes a huge difference. If you are working outside the home, having a good sturdy pair of shoes can make a huge difference.

9. Leave the House
I went stir crazy the first few months because I was always in my house. Go outside. Go to the park. Take a walk. Have coffee with a friend. Anything to break up the monotony of the day.

10. Have Fun
Again, you are you're own boss, so make sure you schedule in time to hang out with friends or go out. My work schedule constantly changes so my off days don't always line up with my friends' off days. It is more effort to schedule this time but it is well worth the effort.

There are several books that I found helpful about the topic. As suggested by Rosianna on youtube, Creative Inc by Meg Mateo Ilasco (and it's companion Craft Inc) discussed how to turn a creative venture into a business, how to find clients, how to write an invoice and Important tax info. I've found the book invaluable. I just started reading Craft Inc. My second suggestion is The 4 hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss. Yes I work more than 4 hours per week but the book did force me to think about how I work best and ideas about how to work efficiently and productively. Most of these books are available at public libraries in print and ebook form.

I hope this helps and if you have any other suggestions please leave them in the comments below. If you've read any of these books, What did you think of them?

#8: Interesting Facts

Find out an interesting fact about a store clerk. I'm not very good at small chit chat. I don't find it enjoyable and I never quite know what to say. My first attempt I opened my mouth to say something then stopped exhausted by the process. However, last night I had a five minute conversation with the store clerk as she price checked a few items for me. I found out the store is the tester store for a new computer system even though there was nothing wrong with the old system. She lives with a very masculine male room-mate who loves fruity/floral scented candles. He is straight, is very tidy, and likes to vacuum daily. She loves candles but finds them to be too expensive.

*originally written Dec 2013

Dawson's Creek

This month's article on the geek girls website is about Dawson's Creek.

"Rewatching the pilot episode, I realized how much has changed. This show aired before cell phones and DVDs were ubiquitous, before Facebook was invented, before we became so digitally connected. It felt quaint that Dawson and Pacey work at a video rental store that rents VHS tapes. It’s even funnier to remember that Dawson’s Creek was viewed as the scandalous new teen show during its original airing…" More

#7: Take a bus to the end of the line

     I struggled with this task. I grew up in and still live in a car city. And when I say that, I mean there is practically no public transportation to take. At my parent's house the bus only goes to most of the stops once per day. A busy stop is three times per day. To get to the bus stop I must drive there and park my car.

     To fulfill this task, I adjusted it to mean a new/unusual form of transportation that I wouldn't normally take aka a bike carriage. It was fun and different and not too expensive. (And I was able to get to and from where I was going without getting stuck).

Asexuality Awareness Week

     Last week was Asexuality Awareness Week (Oct 26-Nov 1) so I wanted to talk about it.

     What is asexuality? It is when a person does NOT experience sexual attraction.

     Discussing asexuality brings up many different types of attraction from romantic to sexual to emotional to aesthetic to sensual. They are all different and they do not all have to line up. For instance, a person can be romantically attracted to the opposite gender and sexually attracted to the same gender and that's okay. Hank Green made an amazing video discussing sexuality, posted below.

     You can experience all of these attractions at once, making it difficult to discern at times. For a more comprehensive list of definitions check out anagnori's tumblr.
Romantic Attraction is when someone has a crush on someone else and wants to be in a relationship with that person.
Sexual Attraction is when someone wants to have sex with someone else.
Sensual Attraction can be platonic and it's about nonsexual physical intimacy so hand holding and cuddling.
Emotional Attraction is when someone makes and emotional connection with someone else.
Aesthetic Attraction is when you find someone else pleasing to look at, like a painting.

     All of this exists on a spectrum and is fluid. You can change whatever label you identify with at anytime or choose not to identify with a label at all. The most important thing is that YOU decide how you label yourself, no one else. Ashley Mardell made a great video discussing sexuality as a spectrum, listed below.

     It can be really complicated and confusing but there are plenty of resources out there to help. Tumblr is a great place to learn more by searching the ace, asexual, and asexuality tags. Many people have made great videos also discussing this topic. A new collab channel just started called AceSpace.

Film Review: Saving Mr. Banks

     Saving Mr. Banks (2013) chronicles the tenuous relationship between Walt Disney and author P.L. Travers as they try to turn Mary Poppins into a musical film in the 1960s. Tom Hanks stars as Walt Disney and Emma Thompson as P.L. Travers.

     I was surprised to learn that Mary Poppins was a series of books first published in the 1930s. Mr Banks is one of the characters in the books as well as in the film. The film is an interesting look into a time period in Disney history that I know very little about.

     The film is beautifully crafted with stunning landscape shots and period piece costumes. Emma Thompson as P.L. Travers is impeccable. It's lovely to see a strong character willing to speak her mind and stand up for herself, even if it drives Walt Disney mad while also providing for a lot of humor.

     I did not feel that the film lived up to all of the hype. The film moved very slowly, similar to The King's Speech. Had I watched the film at home and not in the cinema, I don't know if I would have watched to the end. If you love all things Disney with a strong character development than I think you will like Saving Mr. Banks.

*originally written Jan 2014

Outfit of the Day: Red

I'm really enjoying making these outfit of the day posts. I've purchased several new dresses that I just want to show off. I purchased this dress at H&M.

I realize that the angles here are kind of wonky. It's really difficult to photograph yourself, especially for a full body shot.

I wore this dress to a friends birthday party. I looked nice without being too fancy. The best part is this dress is an easy way to look cute without tons of effort.

 The pattern is just gorgeous. To get in the right mood and to match my dress I blazed Taylor Swift's Red album as I got dressed. The album instantly put me in a better mood.

These are my dreamcather earrings. I don't remember where I purchased them but they add a unique touch to any outfit.

I had my hair in a dutch braid (also known as a crown braid). The tutorial I used can be watched here. It's a fun easy hairstyle that makes my hear look nice while also functioning well during the hot summer months.

Film Review: Gone Girl (SPOILERS)

This review contains SPOILERS. Proceed at your own risk.

courtesy of moviepilot.com

I went to see Gone Girl last night and just Wow. I have so many thoughts that I cannot fathom into constellations. See what I did there. A not so subtle John Green reference.

Gone Girl is directed by David Fincher and based off of the 2012 book written by Gillian Flynn. This film really reminded me of Fatal Attraction. Both women go crazy in such an unexpected and profound way. The first half of the film you are on Amy Dunne's (played by Rosamund Pike) side but as soon as you realize she planned this, your sympathies shift towards Nick (played by Ben Affleck).

Rosamund Pike
courtesy of insidemovies.ew.com

Like in all relationships, everything is subjective. The more we learn about Nick, the more unsure we are of his character. He cheats on his wife and has several moments where he abusively lashes out. But just because he lashes out doesn't mean he killed his wife. Or does it?

By the third act, neither of them are reliable narrators and it really messes with your head. When they are suddenly untrustworthy, who do you trust within the story. In this world, the answer is No One.

Fincher really plays with and subverts gender roles and expectations. When Amy suggests that her husband is abusive, the police in world and the audience automatically believe and sympathize with her, no questions asked. But if the roles were reversed and it was a man accusing his wife of abuse, I suspect there would be a lot of hesitation. I was really uncomfortable with the fake rape and abuse accusations. It served the story well to show how crazy and dangerous Amy is and it was an unexpected plot twist. But it also perpetuates the idea that most rape accusations are false, which is NOT true.

courtesy of blog.bennettandbennett.com

The media plays a huge role in how rape cases are viewed both in the film and in reality. As the more information comes to light, the media switches sides so fast I'm surprised they don't have whiplash. Just as scary it is to watch the media's portrayal in the film, it is just as scary to be the one in the center of the media storm. Nick lost privacy and his sense of safety, essentially becoming a prisoner in his own home. The news reported gossip because it was a more interesting story instead of reporting the facts. Whenever I see things like this, it really makes me reevaluate what I think I know about high media cases. There's no way to know all of the details, but the information presented is extremely biased and vicious in creating stock characters instead of viewing people complexly. The presence of the media turns an intimate story of a husband searching for his missing wife into a series of circus acts with each performance pushing the stakes higher and higher. "All the world's a stage" (Shakespeare) and Amy and Nick give the performance of their lives.

Casting Neil Patrick Harris and Tyler Perry was a brillant choice because it allowed Fincher to play against type. When Tyler Perry is in a film I automatically think comedy and NPH tends to be the good guy. When NPH is brutally murdered, I was even more shocked because as an actor, he is not the one who usually dies.

The soundtrack by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross really helped set the mood. It felt eerie like rolling fog on a dark night. When NPH was killed the music was gongs. I've come to expect drums during a killing and the gongs mixed with the beautiful, almost balletic editing made that scene captivating. Even the opening sequence created a feeling of unease by cutting away from the establishing building shots just a half a second too soon.

courtesy of myfanatic.com

I left the cinema feeling icky, like a chill went up my spine. The performance for the camera is over, but the performance of their lives continues.

#6: Give Something Away/Cleaning

*originally written March 2014

     I always lived in organized chaos. I was never dirty but kept things in unusual places. My jacket and shoes are always left in front of the door when I come home at the end of the day. Non perishable groceries sit under the kitchen table for weeks. When I moved into my current place I decided to try and be an organized minimalist. Everything has a place. Instead of buying more storage when my dressers were full, I'd get rid of some clothes.

     I've been cleaning out my house for the last week or so. Throwing away old electronics boxes, expired food. In the midst of this, I heard a quote "Clearing the clutter out of your space will clear some of the clutter in your mind." I spent one evening listening to an audiobook and tidying the living room. Afterwards I did feel better. It's amazing how much stuff one person can accumulate.

     While clearing the clutter I also did some cleaning. I always found the prospect of the cleaning the entire house at once exhausting. I usually would cycle through cleaning. For instance I'd vacuum the whole house one day, then clean the bathroom a few days later, then dust a few days after that. The result is a space that is never spotless but also never filthy. I cleaned the entire bathroom and kitchen in the same day.

*I wrote this post last night. It is now the next day. It's really nice coming home to a clean house after work.

Safety on Set

Sarah Jones
courtesy of deadline.com

Sarah Jones was an assistant camera operator working on the film, Midnight Rider, when she tragically lost her life due to unsafe work conditions. Currently the producers and first AD are being sued for involuntary manslaughter and criminal trespassing. Click here and here for more information about the case.



Something positive thats come of this is a new app (pictured below) that allows anonymous reporting of unsafe conditions onset to the proper authorities. The app is available for both IOS and Android phones.

courtesy of nofilmschool.com

courtesy of nofilmschool.com

                  

Horror Films

In the last 6 months or so I've made two horror films, both in post right now. The second film I shot is called Blood Moon (Facebook page here). Below are some of the stills from the shoot.

Blood Moon Tagline: Will and Emily's evening of romantic stargazing leads to terror under the light of the moon.

Everyone on the shoot was lovely. It was so much fun getting to be a filmmaker again. I keep forgetting how much I love making films until I'm back on set.

We filmed all night two nights. The second day of filming it rained and we thought we might have to cancel the shoot because most of the shots that day were outside.

I'm really fond of this shot. It looks so eerie and creepy.

I'm quite proud of this film and I will let you know once it's online!

Farmer's Market

I finally made it to the farmers market. Here is my bounty.

I went with the intention of purchasing some plants for the garden and some fruit for the week.

It isn't pictures here but I also purchased a few ears of corn.

In honor of Halloween, I bought a cute pumpkin as decoration. There was the cutest mini watermelon.

Pictured above is strawberries, garlic, onion, sage, and thyme.  

I rarely buy flowers for the house but today I decided to splurge and bought sunflowers.

Writing Endeavors

Hi everyone. I know I haven't posted in a little while. I have good news. I am now a contributor on the +5 charisma blog on the geek girls website. I will be writing tv retrospective article on the second friday of every month. The first article is live and it's about Gilmore Girls.

Francais Semaine 5: Esther Earl

This is an excerpt from the book I'm currently reading, This Star Won't Go Out by Esther Earl. All punctuation is as it appears in the text.

ORIGINAL

dear, Parents…
(Merry Christmas!)…

I wish I was better at describing my feelings, because there are so many things I would like to say. First of all, I'm sorry if my writing is hard to read: I try, and, like, epic fail, but I think it's translatable. : ) Secondly, it feels great to be here, 2 years (plus) since being diagnosed, and many insane thingys later. I mean, not all of them were insanely bad, some were good. ; )

TRANSLATION

cher, Parents…
(Joyeux Noël!)…

Je souhaite que j'ai été mieux à décrire mes sentiments, parce que il y a beaucoup de choses que je veux dire. Premièrement, je suis désolée si mon écriture est lire difficile: j'essaye et j'échoue mais je pense que vous comprenez. : ) Deuxième, il se sent bien d'être ici, deux ans et beaucoup de choses fou plus tard depuis le diagnostic. Pas de tous était mauvais, certains était bons. ; )

TRANSLATION BACK TO ENGLISH

dear, Parents…
(Merry Christmas!)...

I wish that I was better at describing my feelings, because there are a lot of things that I want to say. First, I'm sorry if my writing is difficult to read: I try and I fail but I think you understand. : ) Second, it feels great to be here, two years and a lot of crazy things later from diagnosis. Not all was bad, some was good. ; )

Français Semaine 4: Art is Dead (Pt 1)

Art is Dead 

by Bo Burnham

Instead of putting the direct translation back to English next to every line, I will only put it there if my translation is a bit different than the original. Part II coming soon.

Art is Dead, Art is dead, Art is dead, Art is dead
Entertainers like to seem complicated
But we're not complicated
I can explain it pretty easily
Have you ever been to a birthday party for children?
Where one of the children won't stop screaming
Cause he's just a little attention attractor,
When he grows up to be a comic or actor
he'll be rewarded for never maturing
For never understanding or learning
That everyday, can't be about him
There's other people you stupid asshole

L'art est mort, L'art est mort, L'art est mort                (Art is dead)
Artistes aiment fait semblant d'être compliqué           (Artists like to pretend to be complicated)
Mais nous ne sommes pas compliqué                        (But we're not complicated)
Je peux l'expliquer assez facilement                           (I can explain it pretty easily)
Avez-vous jamais été à une fête d'anniversaire pour les enfants?
                                                                            (Have you ever been to a birthday party for children?)
Où un petit enfant n'arrêtera pas crier                        (Where a little kid won't stop crying)
Car il adore l'attention,                                               (Because he loves the attention)
Quand il grandit pour devenir un comique ou un acteur
Il sera récompensé parce sue il n'a pas maturé            (He'll be rewarded because he never matured)
De ne jamais compréhension et apprentissage            (Never understanding or learning)
Chaque jour ne peut pas être à propos de lui               (Each day can't be about him)
Il y a d'autres personnes, Vous connard stupide          (There's other people, You stupid asshole)

FUN FACT: Canard=duck, Connard=asshole

Consent

Just a reminder. Consent is an ongoing uncoerced and enthusiastic YES. Consent can be revoked at anytime, even if you’ve done this thing before. It is still required if you’ve been in a long term relationship or are married. Consent is required from both parties every time. If someone pressures you into doing something, if they threaten or coerce you, if you say nothing and look uncomfortable than it is NOT consent. SILENCE is NOT consent. YES is CONSENT.

Here is a great essay about the problems with silence as consent and how it perpetuates rape culture.

Sex Ed Resources:

Tomska’s sex ed video
Hank Green’s video
Lex Croucher’s video
Sexplanations 
Hannah Witton

PotterMoosh Emotiotional Manipulation

Bunnies!

Thanks to this video I learned how to knit a bunny rabbit.

CalNerdCon

     I am a nerdfighter. I love vlogbrothers videos and many of the other channels it has spawned. Through being a nerdfighter I've met some amazing people. Jenny, the creator of CalNerdCon, decided to share group members content each week and this blog was mentioned in the inaugural post. : ) You can find it here. If you like youtube related things and hanging out with awesome people, I highly suggest searching for (or starting) a nerdfighter group in your area.
*Originally written May 2014

     As a follow up to the above piece, I am part of the IGGPPC (International Geek Girls Pen Pal Club). It's a website/community where you can freely express you love of any and all geeky things, as well as sign up for a pen pal. Jenny mentioned my youtube channel as well as several other geek girls. You can check out the article here.

Thoughts on HBO's Girls (Spoilers)

      I fell in love with season 1 of Girls. The pilot episode epitomized my life as a 20 something recent graduate struggling to find her way. The female characters were fully fleshed characters that made mistakes but weren't bad people. They all had goals and none of them solely focused on finding a boyfriend. They had a complicated yet loving friendship with each other. I found truth and universality in each episode. I found the show refreshing.

      Hannah Horvath began as an unpaid intern and was being financially supported by her parents. Marnie was no longer in love with her longterm boyfriend. Shoshana was a university student. And Jessa was a free spirit needing the support of her friends after accidentally getting pregnant. Season 1 was about sex and jobs, both places a battleground for trying to define yourself. Between Season 1 and Season 3 there has been a huge tonal shift. It's gone from a heavy dramedy to a straight drama. Gone are the light hearted moments and funny quips in the face of adversity, replaced with serious problems with even more serious consequences.

      I don't recognize these characters. All of these women have been vicious and downright mean and self centered in a way that doesn't seem redeemable. Their pursuits have been more focused on the men in their lives and the men keep taking their crap. I feel they have been irrevocably harmed and the show feels less and less grounded in reality. There's now been a coke episode, an assault, rehab, and other tried and true staples of a soap opera. Gone is the discussion of post collegiate life and replaced with much heavier issues. I value discussion, however this wasn't the show I originally signed up for.

      I don't need to be shocked by every episode. Instead I want to know how these people are paying their rent and how are they able to move so often. Why is no one calling them out on the stupid things they are doing? It feels less like a continuation of Tiny Furniture and more like a completely different project by the same creator.

      I don't blame Lena Dunham. This is her show and as an artist she can do what she chooses with
her art. I'm just disappointed because I thought this show would continue to be about the smaller embarrassing moments and less about grand sweeping gestures and fantasies coming true. If season 3 was how the show started, it would not have resonated with me as strongly.

Curtains

I was a carpenter at work today. It was quite fun. I helped make a door and put trim on the houses. I didn't realize how much I missed using power tools and making things. When I got home from work I wanted to keep working so I made some curtains for the windows. 

The other curtains I had made were only supposed to be temporary but ended up being there for 3 years.

I really plan to keep this up because I feel so accomplished right now.

NYT: Digital Bestseller

     The NYTimes had an interesting article last week called "I was a Digital Bestseller."

     Tony Horwitz wrote the digital bestseller, Boom, and was still broke, which begs the question, if a bestselling author can't earn a living who can? He kindly broke down some numbers. 

     I was offered an initial fee of $15,000, plus $5,000 for expenses, to write at whatever length I felt the subject (Keystone XL pipeline) merited.  Editors said that the first installment I had sent was “a ripper” and that Byliner thought we might sell up to 75,000 copies, with me getting a lofty cut of the profits.

     Then things fell apart as the philanthropic entrepreneur in Australia funding the company and thus his book was severely hit by the financial crisis. Funding was pulled (including his initial fee) and everyone was scrambling. 

At this point I called my literary agent, whom I’d foolishly failed to involve in the project. (Another fantasy of the digital world: Writers can do it themselves and dispense with all those middlemen.) Late that Friday my agent brokered a deal between Byliner and me. The advance was only $2,000, but my work would be available by Monday, for $2.99, and I’d get about a third of the proceeds once my advance was paid off.

     His book was published as an e-book, however no one in the company was promoting or marketing the book. So he began promoting the book himself.

My month of self-flackery seemed to work. In the sales rankings on Amazon for Kindle Singles, “Boom” broke the top 25, and almost all the titles ahead of it were fiction. In categories like “Page-Turning Narratives,” my work often ranked No. 1. I was a nonfiction digital best seller!

It was also the kind of story that could bankrupt a writer. I’d now devoted five months to writing and peddling “Boom” and wasn’t even halfway to earning out my $2,000 advance (less than the overrun on my travel). The cruelest joke, though, was that 700 to 800 copies made “Boom” a top-rated seller. What did that mean for all the titles lower down the list? Were they selling at all?

     The article ends with him discussing his latest writing venture. He wants to go through traditional publishing channels for his next book because at least he has something physical that will last, even if he makes no money.

     Reading this article and others about the publishing and music industries, it sounds more and more like everyone is getting a few pennies but no one is making enough to support themselves. I really hope this model shifts because otherwise we as a culture will lose out on some incredible art because the artist can no longer afford to make it.

Consent

     In light of events online and in my own life I wanted to say something and hopefully add to the conversation. First off I want to applaud all of these brave young woman for coming forward. For being so bold and vulnerable discussing abuse and manipulation. Abuse is never okay and it is NEVER the victims fault. 

     Pottermoosh made an amazing video discussing emotional abuse/manipulation.

   
     Vidcon started a task force to come up with ideas about how best to combat these issues and stop abuse from happening in our online communities. If you'd like more information, they can be found at the You Coalition. There will be a booth with information and resources about abuse at Vidcon this year and the convention issued a code of conduct. Misconduct will not be tolerated.

Review: The Fault in Our Stars (Spoilers)

     I had the privilege of attending the Night Before Our Stars-a one night promotional event on June 5. The event included an early showing of the film (at 5:30pm instead of midnight), a poster, a bracelet, and a live q&a after the film. 

     It was really cool but also strange seeing the movie with so many other people who also loved the book because I found reading the book and watching the vlogbrothers videos such a individual activity. Seeing the magnitude of this film was overwhelming. I didn't realize so many people knew we (as in nerdfightaria and hank and john and the book) existed. 

      The theater drowned in tears but also floated with laughter and joy. The audience was extremely vocal by clapping and cheering in all of the right moments. It really was a communal experience more akin to seeing a play than being at the movies. Many people had okay, okay shirts on and brought there copies of the book with them. There were no car crashes, no explosions and yet everyone was enthralled by and connected to this very human story. Sitting in the theater I felt so much pride for John Green and his success. As a nerdfighter it's been an amazing privilege to watch his career from the inside and share this journey with him.

SPOILERS     SPOILERS     SPOILERS     SPOILERS      SPOILERS      SPOILERS

      The adaptation was beautiful and incredibly faithful to the book. I felt the same way watching the film as I did the first time reading the book. Although this is a cancer story, it's not about cancer, it's about life and finding joy in life, no matter what your predicament. 

     There was so much humor. One of my favorite scenes from the book that translated even better on screen was when Augustus was flirting with Hazel as Isaac smashed the trophies. It beautifully showed the ridiculousness of life and the dichotomy of new love beginning as an old love withers.

     I was skeptical of Ansel Elgort as Augustus because he did not look as I imagined Augustus would look like but he did a great job. I believed him. I believed his confidence and charm and his vulnerability. I believed him when he said some of my favorite lines with so much charisma.

      Shailene Woodley (played Hazel Grace) looked like a normal girl. She wore simple clothing, very little make up and her cannula was always visible. It was amazing to see a sick protagonist as a fully fleshed out human being who is important and deserving of love.

      The sex scene was perfect. It was shot beautifully but not fuzzy. It was awkward but still full of humor and levity. Hazel's shirt gets wrapped around the tubes as she tries to take it off. Augustus clearly looks at Hazel's breasts and feels them. It's an expression of caring and not just a hook up. 

      The q&a began and ended with musical performances by Birdy and then Nat and Alex Wolff. I had no idea Nat could sing or who Birdy was but the music was beautiful. The performances were quiet and simple, just a musician and an instrument. The simplicity really matched the vibe of the film.

      In the q&a one of my favorite answers was from Ansel. The question was did the cast feel more empathetic and understanding of what it's like to have cancer after having played these characters? Both Ansel and Shailene said no they didn't really because it's such a complex insurmountable thing to try and wrap your head around. But he did say the cancer informed some of the behaviors. He said Augustus' confidence at the beginning of the film came from defeating cancer.

      Someone asked John if he struggled with killing off characters and his response was perfect. He said I don't kill people in books or in real life, especially real life which I pride myself on. People die in real life and in this book I dealt with reality. Everyone will die at some point.

      The last question of the evening was “What do you hope people take away from the film?” Nat said, I hope people want to go tell those they love that they love them. That's how I felt walking out of the cinema. I wanted to run home and tell everyone I loved that I love them.

Book Review: Eleanor and Park

"You just look like you with the volume turned up"

      Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell is a young adult novel set in 1986. It follows the story of two 16 year old teenagers as they fall in love for the first time. Each chapter alternates points of view. Eleanor has frizzy red hair and is a bit overweight. She is mercilessly bullied by the other students in school and by her step dad. Park is a half Korean student who is grappling with identity and parental expectations.

      Rainbow Rowell beautifully describes the intensity with which you can fall in love. The characters love starts with comic books then expands to include music.  The small magnified details really make the book relatable. Not knowing where to sit is a huge nerve wracking situation in school.  I could relate to the feeling of uncertainty and nerves about walking into a new environment but I couldn't relate to that specific scenario. Reading the first half of the book made me feel like I missed out on a huge cultural experience of riding a bus. Where I grew up in the suburbs, there was (and still isn't) any school buses to take to get to school. Your parents drop you off and pick you up. Most people live too far away to walk. But that sense of community of living near school and your peers and taking a bus was such an important part of this book that I never experienced it. Up until I went to college I didn't know anyone really took a bus to school in this day and age. I thought it was a nostalgic relic for a time that no longer existed, like a John Hughes film.

      I realize this isn't a film however it broke a big rule at film school which is never show the falling in love because it's boring. If you've ever noticed the falling in love scene is usually a montage. However, this book makes the falling in love portion interesting and important. All of the questioning and uncertainty that occurs when your in a relationship is beautifully explored throughout this book.

      The story, however, fell apart near the end. I wasn't satisfied with the ending of the book and the events leading up to it seemed to come out of nowhere. I was confused by the shift in character relations and the sudden tonal shift. The secondary characters didn't receive a conclusion. All actions have consequences, good or bad. The consequences in this book didn't pay off. Considering we had so many details about each moment of their relationship, the ending felt rushed. The the book ends with no further explanation.

"She didn't realize that their were things worse than selfish"

Outfit of the Day: Patterns

 We've been have lovely summer weather. This is a cute dress I found in the back of my closet.

Français Semaine 3: Paper Love

Paper Love by DoddleOddle

Original:
Let's make a paper boat
Go to the river and see if it floats
Let's make a paper plane
It doesn't fly but that's no shame

I made you a paper heart
Colored it red and stuck all the parts
I hope that you'll give me one too
There's so much paper stuff to do

Traduire:
Faisons un bateau de papier                               (Let's make a paper boat)
Allez à la rivière et voyez s'il flotte                     (Let's go to the river and see if it floats)
Faisons un aeroplane de papier                           (Let's make a paper airplane)
Il ne vole pas mais je ne me dérange pas            (It doesn't fly but I don't mind)

Je t'ai fait un coeur de papier                               (I made you a paper heart)
Ajoutez rouge et collez toutes les pièces               (Add red and stick on the pieces)
J'éspere que tu m'en donneras une aussi                (I hope that you will give me one too)
Vous pouvez faire beaucoup de choses avec du papier  (You can make many things with paper)

Tardis

Watercolor of a TARDIS from Doctor Who