Lyrics that hit

Over the weekend I popped in a forgotten-about mixed CD in the car. It’s funny when you don’t hear a song for a while, it’s sometimes like hearing it for the first time. This time it was “On the Radio” by Regina Spektor, and this part of the song hit me in a new way:

This is how it works
You’re young until you’re not
You love until you don’t
You try until you can’t

You laugh until you cry
You cry until you laugh
And everyone must breathe
Until their dying breath

No, this is how it works
You peer inside yourself
You take the things you like
And try to love the things you took

And then you take that love you made
And stick it into some
Someone else’s heart
Pumping someone else’s blood

And walking arm in arm
You hope it don’t get harmed
But even if it does
You’ll just do it all again

It really spoke to me that living life is a choice. I like the idea of choosing to be youthful, not because of your age; choosing to push through the pain (“cry until you laugh”); choosing to love who you are, and choosing to love others even when it can hurt. That’s good stuff.

Aww, aww, oh, aw, aww, aww.

Added to the Library

I recently joined Swap Tree a book trading site. It’s pretty great. Get rid of the books you don’t want and trade them for what you do. My recent arrivals: American Wife and In Her Shoes. I’ve seen the big screen version of In Her Shoes many times and am drawn to the story line although I don’t have a sister. I also recently found out that the author, Jennifer Weiner, is a former journalist. So I wanted to check out her writing style and the original story line of In Her Shoes. I’ve really enjoyed her ability to write about the women in the story, and how they view themselves. Though you may not specifically identify with the characters, their struggles are relatable and interesting. In her first description of Maggie (played by Cameron Diaz in the movie), it shows how she sees herself in relation to her sister Rose, a successful, but frumpy lawyer:

SHE, Maggie, had something of worth, something rare and precious, possessed by few, coveted by many–a terrific body. One hundred and six pounds stretched over five feet and six inches, all of it tanning-bed basted, toned, plucked, waxed, moisturized, deodorized, perfumed, perfect.

I think Weiner hones in on the fact that many women want to be this, and achieve this “perfection.” When I encounter women who fit this description, I often wonder what they hope to achieve by appearing so put together. What are they really in need of? Weiner shows how Maggie uses this look as her “weapon” of proving her worth, even though she’s miserable on the inside. By the same token, Maggie’s sister Rose is described as the exact opposite, but feels as though she’s less worthy because she doesn’t have the outward beauty like her sister:

WHEN she looked in the mirror, she saw nothing but an ordinary girl, a plain Jane,  a grown-up bookworm with a decent wardrobe–size fourteen, brown hair and brown eyes, thick straight eyebrows, and a chin that jutted forward slightly as if to say, You and what army?

It’s not something I’m able to do very often, but I find it fun to read a book for the purpose of seeing how the author pieced the story together, and taking note of what storytelling tools are employed. I’ll plan to post more on other good morsels found in this book.

The Yellow Handkerchief

This last weekend I saw The Yellow Handkerchief. I didn’t know anything about the plot and I was surprised to find myself hooked into the story and it’s characters right away. Three strangers meet up to drive across Louisiana. Kristen Stewart played a needy teen looking for affirmation. The other young man I had not seen before, but his vulnerability and awkwardness was appealing. And William Hurt played a lonely

On the open road

man with flashbacks and some kind of hidden secret. It was hard to tell where the story would go, and if all these strangers were safe with one another.

I’m not sure if this is an indie film or not, but it did not have the look or feel of a sparkly Hollywood flick. I get tired of those. The lighting, the scenery, the wardrobes, were all very natural and non-assuming, reflecting a hardscrabble life and characters with hardened emotions. I really appreciate a movie tells a story where the characters go through a journey, and by the end are somehow changed. This is that kind of story. All three begin to open up to each other in their own way, and except where the others are at. Especially as Hurt’s Brett opens up about his past, it is clear how stuck he is in his head, and desperate he is to be free of guilt.

So if you get a chance, and you too are tired of the same fare, give this one a try. It opens in wide release this month.

Beauty in the kitchen

When I first encountered Giada on the Food Network a few years back, it didn’t take long for me to get hooked on “Everyday Italian”. Her energy, her enthusiasm for food and a huge smile to top it off–what’s not to love? I recently discovered that Target is carrying a line of kitchenware and gadets branded after her. However when I saw this ad, the oh-so-subtle marketing technique stood out to me. I don’t think many disagree that Giada is gorgeous. But now, the everyday haggard woman has the opportunity to cook as beautifully as she does. Or wait–is it that we will cook beautifully, or will her products actually make US beautiful–perhaps even as beautiful as she is? When I watched her show I would many times wonder how she had such perfectly manicured nails, great hair, and not one olive oil splotch on her cute outfit. Perhaps if I purchase her pots and pans, I will be TV ready too? A name behind a brand can be a powerful thing, especially when consumers want the idealism and fantasy of being like the person behind the product. What purchases have you made hoping to be like a star?

Forgotten children

I just saw a fascinating series of videos and stories at New York Times.com on runaway kids living on the streets. What a critical discovery made concerning how the recession has impacted our country. I love when journalism works like this–uncovering truth in society that can be ugly and raw, yet beckons citizens to be aware and informed. Even, perhaps, inspire them to make a difference after reading something like this. It was devastating to find out that many kids run away from home as early as age 12, and are not reported missing. Here is an excerpt:

Over the past two years, government officials and experts have seen an increasing number of children leave home for life on the streets, including many under 13. Foreclosures, layoffs, rising food and fuel prices and inadequate supplies of low-cost housing have stretched families to the extreme, and those pressures have trickled down to teenagers and preteens.

And later in the story:

In Adrian, Mich., near Detroit, a 16-year-old boy was secretly living alone in his mother’s apartment, though all the utilities had been turned off after she was arrested and jailed for violating her parole by bouncing a check at a grocery store.

In Huntington, W.Va., Steven White, 15, said that after casing a 24-hour Wal-Mart to see what time each night the cleaning crew finished its rounds, he began sleeping in a store restroom.

Check out the rest of the package here.

Image from nytimes.com

Amelia the star

 

Swank as Earhart

 

There is something captivating about women who know no boundaries, and who even seem reckless in pursuing what they believe they are created to do. Amelia Earhart (pronounced more like “Air-heart”) is a prime example and worthy of the recent biopic in theaters. In seeing this film, I knew Amelia would be showcased as an awe-inspiring female hero, similar to the strong-willed Becky in Director Mira Nair’s Vanity Fair with Reese Witherspoon. Two history-making women played by two Oscar-winning actresses. 

Hilary Swank did a fantastic job once again in becoming completely lost in a character. She is a hardcore actress with some serious gusto. But what really stood out to me was how celebrity is explored in the film. Amelia became  a celebrity because her eventual husband, publisher George Putnam, made her a star and gave her a book deal. Amelia’s first feat in the public eye was crossing the Atlantic as a passenger while two other men sat in the cockpit. She was the navigator, but not the captain. She was hailed an inspiration, but wrestled with feeling like a hoax. She was already a star, but she wanted to prove to herself that she was capable of more. She wanted to see the world, and she knew she wanted to see it as the driver, not the passenger. 

The film provided an interesting commentary on how celebrities are created–not just for themselves to become famous, but for the publicists, PR execs and agents who are pulling the puppet strings to become wealthy off of that individual’s fame. Mr. Putnam was frank with Amelia from the get-go: He wanted to create a star, and he wanted to make money. Following her epic flight across the Atlantic came the marketing tactics: Amelia Earhart luggage, a clothing line, a camera, and of all things–a waffle iron. 

The real Amelia

 

Now it is so common for just about anyone to become a celebrity and land their own reality show and fragrance. Have the Kardashian sisters achieved anything of importance? What about Kendra or Paris Hilton? None of these stars have done anything particularly extraordinary, yet are all household names. Will they ever work to fill in their big celebrity shoes by doing something of significance? Should we expect this of them, or are we okay with letting them get by with mediocrity? 

It is admirable that Amelia wanted to prove to herself what she was capable of, rather than be a star in name only, as so many “celebrities” are content with doing today. The goal may have been to make her a star, but she achieved that stardom by taking risks and facing her fears head-on. It is inspiring to me that she worked hard, and did not give up; that she chose a path that others may not have understood–but they couldn’t help but root for her victory.