When I Grow Up...

It's hard to believe that I have just finished up my first month of employment; a day I was starting to think would never come unless I gave in and took a random retail job.

At the same time, I'm thinking of where I was a year ago; a college kid on the brink of graduating, scared to death of leaving childhood behind. And the months in between then and now? A LOT of time for self-reflection and growth, learning experiences, and some recently appreciated time off to do absolutely n o t h i n g before beginning life as a "real" grown up.

When I was 13, I used to try to imagine what I'd be like at this age. Would I grow up to be pretty? Successful? Talented? Or would I still maintain the same awkwardness I had then? (Thankfully yes...I embrace my awkwardness now). Would I have liked the person I grew up to be?

I think my 13 year old self would be pretty happy with how I turned out. That has always been very important to me; that as a kid, I would like the person I've become.

That, to me, is success.

FINALLY.

Being an advertising major, I'm always keeping an eye out for fantastic new campaigns. Because, truth be told and as contradictory as it sounds being that I study advertising, I hate most ads. Hate hate hate. But this...Kotex ad, of all things, finally got it right. Witty, sarcastic, perfect. And worthy of its very own post!

Apology. U by Kotex.

Sweet Dreams...Or...A Beautiful Nightmare?

My friend and [more relevant to this post] former roommate found a blog that is right up my alley: Sleep Talkin' Man.

Aptly titled, it's a woman's hilarious journal of the funny, ridiculous, and often crude things her hubby says in his sleep, made only funnier by his British slang. This struck a particular chord with me because I am quite the chatterbox in my sleep. Apparently, I have talked about enjoying the musical stylings of a firetruck parked outside of my dorm, I've tried my darndest to warn the inhabitants of an island that they should leave [swatting motions included], and I've sat up in bed, trying to determine the philosophical difference between "the good" and "the....kermit".

Now that I'm back home, sleeping in my room solo, I have no idea what adventures I've recently embarked upon in my sleep.

I guess this is less of a legitimate, well written, bloggy-blog post and more of a plug for someone else's. It's worth a read though. Enjoy!

Burn Out Brighter

Disclaimer: I can't say I'm skilled in the art of photography. I've just been figuring out my Nikon D40, haven't had a car to really get out there to shoot, and haven't had any formal lessons. Yet. Being snowed in all day yesterday gave me time to play around with some photos I snapped that I kind of like, and play around with them in Photoshop.

...Drum roll...

So here are some of my faves.

My goal is to eventually have some amazing shots I'm really proud of on here.

Reality TV: The Final Frontiers

BUMP is a web series that follows women facing unwanted pregnancies. The catch? At the end of the episode, viewers decide whether or not their reasons should warrant an abortion. Pretty heavy. But wait- -it's just another mock-reality show. The women are all actresses portraying situational pregnancies. The reality portion comes in when the viewers are included and encouraged to participate.

Social experiment taken to a new extreme? Or an outrageous ploy to grab attention in a world where viewers are so desensitized?

Let's back track to 2000 when Survivor, arguably one of the first major reality shows, was inescapable on television screens across America. The popularity of the extreme game show brought an onslaught of reality shows: dating games, pranks on celebrities, fist pumping and testosterone filled Italians down the shore, etc. Seemingly ordinary people are being shot to stardom left and right; the reality star-making-machine is a force to be reckoned with.

Reality (and I used that word loosely, since several shows these days are anything but reality based) programming is a dime a dozen now. Anyone can have a show, essentially. While I won't deny being addicted to a multitude of said shows, I just have to wonder: will the trend ever stop? More importantly, what lines haven't been crossed yet? Nothing seems to be too over-the-top yet. It's going to take more extreme measures to keep the heart of reality television beating before viewers start getting bored.

But the idea of the public voting whether or not a woman has enough reason to abort a baby for the sake of television entertainment just seems....a little creepy and strange to me. Creators say the point is to "humanize" the very controversial topic. I see it more as a ploy for attention, and a subject a little too sensitive to be used for mockumentaries.

I'll sit this one out and stick to Jersey Shore, thank you very much.

She Saw The Bright Lights

My mom (with the help of some insight from my photography-friendly boyfriend) gave me a Nikon D40 for Christmas, much to my happiness. I'm no photo wiz, so I've been fiddling around with it all day, using my sister as a (sometimes unwilling) model. It is super fancy but also super fun! I'm really excited to take up a new hobby to fill my days.

I've been researching loads of information about photography, different methods and different effects people can use. One that I think is ridiculously fun is light graffiti pictures. I haven't looked into the method much yet, but I've been browsing different forums and blogs. It's definitely something I am going to dabble in. Here's a few really amazing and creative samples I found thanks to Abduzeedo:

Green Is The Word

The move towards sustainability and eco-friendly is one that has, over the past few years, been slowly and gradually catching on...a bit of a trend, if anything. After reading an article on AdAge, 2010 may bring some fresh ideas to the table in order to turn this fad-like consciousness to more of a social awareness for consumers. Here's a couple I thought were dandy and relatable to the younger crowds.

Green Celebrities

Green is the new black for a lot of celebrities. Stars such as Leonardo DeCaprio, Alicia Silverstone, and Lindsay Lohan have been strutting their eco-friendly stuff by way of documentaries, eating habits, and fashion choices, respectively. Even Twilight stars are going naked for PETA. Celebrities = the trendsetters of America. The more celebrities that go green, the more hip and it will become, and the more exposure for being environmentally-aware it will bring.

Green Media

For decades, there have been countless groups and campaigns fighting for a greener tomorrow. Now, add the ever-growing madness of the internet and social media to the mix. The internet and media has the ability and power to bring awareness to an entirely new level, and social networking sites are becoming more integrated with our every day life by the nanosecond (a little scary, when you think about it). Eco-friendly organizations are working their way into every facet available to get your attention and pound their message into your skull.

Green...Prices?

Perhaps one of the most important steps to converting people to buying more green products? The price has to be right! Duh. Right now, many products are priced much higher than their non-green counterparts. Making them more affordable will certainly be more attractive to consumers. If you have the choice between, say, the green dishwashing soap and the generic dishwashing soap, both priced the same, which one would you choose?

I will admit, I haven't been the most environmentally friendly girl. Hopefully in 2010, I can start making l little changes to my day to day routine and purchases to help the world just a little bit. Yesterday was a start...I lugged the pizza box to the recycling bin...

Here's to a happy and green 2010!

Did You Know...

...today's date is a palindrome?

01.02.10 REVERSE is 01.02.10...FYI.

Vampires, Zombies, and Michael Bluth, Oh My!

With a new year comes a ton of new movies and shows. Here are a few that make me feel all tingly just thinking about them...

Arrested Development: The Movie

So the possibility of this becoming a movie isn't even definite yet, but it seems as though in 2009 some serious strides were made. In 2010, I'm simply looking for confirmation that it is 100% going to happen. Hands down it was one of the funniest (though severely under appreciated) series on TV. When it was cancelled, the faint glimmer of hope of a movie lifted my spirits. It no doubt has a ton of faithful followers that will ensure its box-office success. Get it together, people! The world is missing the never nudes, hot cops, and chicken dances.

Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland

Three of my favorite movies are Edward Scissorhands, Big Fish, and The Nightmare Before Christmas. What do they all have in common? Tim Burton. I was never a huge fan of AIW (yes, i just made an acronym), but anything Burton makes is twisted into something fiendishly fierce and creepy. Adding Johnny Depp in is cherry on top of the cake.

The Return of Vampire Diaries and Glee

Vampires and satirical High School Musical-inspired quirky comedies are so hot right now. While Glee is wickedly funny (mainly thanks to Jane Lynch), the Vampire Diaries is simply wicked: it's my inner teenager's guilty pleasure. After mid-season hiatuses, I could not be more excited for two of 2009's best shows to come back. Although I almost forgot about both of them...whoops.

Jonah Hex

All I'm going to say about this movie is: voodoo, army of Confederate zombies, and Megan Fox.

Note: shameless self-promotion plug.

Another thing that would be great in 2010 is...a job! My dad has been subtly dropping hints that a convent would be a great place to spend my post-graduate years. Help.