I've just discovered that it was 7 years ago TODAY that Harry Potter and the Dealthy Hallows was released. I went to the WalMart in Urbana because I heard that it would be far less crowded than the local booksellers and by that time, I wasn't interested in dressing up - I just wanted to read it. I picked up my copy, went home, locked the doors, turned my phone off and read all night. I finished the book sometime after noon.
Prior to this, I would reread the Harry Potter series habitually. Probably a couple of times a year, if not more. After this, I put the books down for nearly 7 years. 4-6 weeks ago I picked them up again.
The magic never died, I just walked away for a while. When I picked the series up again, it was incredible. I keep having these OMG moments, where I suddenly understand why Snape was SO mean to Neville. And I keep having these wonderful moments where I see something in a new light. For example, I'm curious if "sunshine, daisies; butter, mellow; turn this stupid fat rat yellow," is actually a made-up spell OR is it a legit spell but just didn't work because Scabbers wasn't actually a rat?
I'm picking up on things I never saw before. Neville's abilities improve immensely in the latter books. In Order of the Phoenix, Neville's wand is broken and he admits to Harry that it was his fathers. Perhaps Neville wasn't very good at spells because the wand belonged to his father and not to him. The wand picks the wizard after all, and Neville's wand didn't choose him.
FURTHERMORE (and please don't call blasphemy on this because I'm just merely curious) was Dumbledore the "greatest wizard of all time" because his wand was in fact, the elder wand - the most powerful wand of all time? Or was his natural ability simply enhanced even further by this great wand.
I'm not going to finish the books before we get to Universal on Thursday, like I was originally hoping. But we only have one movie left to go and I think we can knock that out tonight and tomorrow night. I'll definitely finish the series though. I absolutely cannot believe I only read the last book ONE TIME. What is wrong with me? I can feel the anticipation growing again, but this time I can just dive right in. I simultaneously can't wait to devour the book and want to take my time with it, savor every word.
Monday, July 21, 2014
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Simplify
I saw a Bruce Lee quote this morning and it struck a chord with me.
I came across this image on Pinterest. I was shocked when I read it and realized...IT'S ALL MAKE UP. I thought this was somebody's morning routine: wake up, shower, blow dry, etc. It is not. This is a single day's make up routine. And if I had to guess, I'd say it's a normal day. Not a wedding, photo shoot, or party.
"It's not the daily increase but daily decrease. Hack away at the unessential."
This is more or less what I've been attempting to do for a while now. Decrease the debt (paid off the car loan), decrease the clutter (clean out the closet and get rid of old clothes), decrease the worry (stop working towards a "goal weight" and start working towards "feeling healthy.")
I came across this image on Pinterest. I was shocked when I read it and realized...IT'S ALL MAKE UP. I thought this was somebody's morning routine: wake up, shower, blow dry, etc. It is not. This is a single day's make up routine. And if I had to guess, I'd say it's a normal day. Not a wedding, photo shoot, or party.
I am still quite astonished that women spend so much time putting on massive amounts of make up to "highlight their features" or "hide blemishes." I've never been a heavy make up wearer, even on my wedding day I think my make up took 20 minutes. And that felt like an eternity!
About 6 weeks ago, I quit wearing make up altogether. I didn't wear much to begin with, but I wondered if my skin would clear up if I stopped covering it up. I wish I could say that was the outcome, but sadly it was not. I still break out, but that's completely normal. I have yet to meet a person my age who can say, "Oh I never break out. Ever." And the acne I get does seem to clear up faster than when I was covering it up with foundation or powder, so that's something.
What I did find however, was that my morning routine became significantly shorter. I stopped obsessing over the puffy eyelids, weird lines, or acne. Because everybody experiences those things and I am my own worst critic. Nobody else even notices 90% of the things you see on your own face. As a matter of fact, I'm wearing brand new glasses today! They feel incredibly obvious to me, having worn contacts pretty regularly since I was 12. It's mid afternoon and 3 people have noticed them.
Along with quitting make up, I have also been on a quest since January to stop abusing my hair. I went from washing it every day, to washing it every 2-3 days. It feels generally healthier and more natural now, which is pretty cool. Not to mention when your hair gets long, it takes FOREVER. So that's another extra 15 minutes I get every other day. I've also been attempting to blow dry it less, less heat damage means healthier right? Right. I still curl it most days, but I do it in large chunks and fairly quickly. Just enough to give it a bit of shape.
My point here is that the upside to being more natural and simple in my "beauty regime" is twofold. One benefit is I save myself about 2 hours a week on average. That's two extra hours to read a book or watch Netflix, my favorite relaxation activities. The other benefit is realizing that most other people are so wrapped up in their own lives, they're unlikely to notice the little things about yours. Your work colleagues probably didn't notice that your eyes are a little puffy today. If they did notice that little zit on your chin, I sincerely doubt that they care very much about it.
Friday, June 13, 2014
What motivates you?
What motivates me? Food. I used to say this half-jokingly, but recently I've come to realize - it's completely true. Food is a major motivating factor is basically everything I do. As my Grandpa Baker says "Us Bakers are always thinking about our next meal."
Friends and colleagues of mine always tell me how impressed they are that I work out so much. I'll be honest, part of it was finding a form of exercise that I really enjoy. Gymnastics was something I always wanted to do as a child, but for various reasons never did aside for 6 months in kindergarten. About a year and a half ago, I found an adult gymnastics class and was basically hooked. Furthermore I found that supplementing the technical skills with strength and endurance training, I got better! So yes, I go to the gymnastics gym twice a week. I also go to a regular gym about twice a week to jog or lift weights. Cool story, bro.
Lots of people will say, "you have to find something you love," or "it helps to have a workout buddy." And while yes, both of those things are true, it also helps to have motivation. Such as, "If I go to the gym, I can have a bacon cheeseburger, fried cheese curds, and ice cream for dinner." People laugh when I tell them this, but they don't realize just how serious I am.
Denying yourself the things you love is not healthy. And if you love food, then who's to say you can't enjoy that? Now, I don't eat cheeseburgers all the time. I have a carefully structured diet plan. I call it the Two-Thirds Rule. Ready? It's pretty complex....
As long as I'm eating healthy for two-thirds of my meals, I allow myself to eat the things I crave for that last third. Also - MOVE. Walk, bike ride, run, lift weights, dance, gymnastics, whatever it takes to get you moving for 30-60 minutes 3-5 times a week.
That's it. That's truly it. Some days my husband and I will ride our bikes to dinner. We'll choose somewhere that's a couple of miles away so we don't feel bad about eating out for dinner because we had to work to get there.
What's amusing to me is realizing that good food has been a motivator for me all my life. When I accepted my current position in the Library, I requested a start date 3 weeks in the future. My previous job was a check-in clerk at a clinic, so the two week standard would have been sufficient. I said I wanted to give three weeks notice so they would have more time to fill my position because we were really busy at that time...while that wasn't entirely untrue, it wasn't the real reason either. There was an annual company breakfast in 2.5 weeks and I wanted the free bacon.
Going back even further, when I was probably 6 years old the daycare I attended had some sort of 8 week challenge. The details are fuzzy, but basically it was for 8 weeks you have to try a new food each week. If you try all 8 new foods, you get a giant cookie at the end. I wanted that giant cookie. REALLY BAD. I loved chocolate chip cookies, and everybody knows giant cookies are only made from the best chocolate chip cookie dough. I was also a very picky eater. But I gagged my way through 8 new, foreign foods. If I remember correctly, my body actually rejected one of the items. It might have been cucumber or brussel sprouts, I don't remember. Luckily I got points for TRYING. And at the end of the 8 weeks, I got my cookie.
So yes, find something you love and pursue your passion. My passion happens to be food.
Friends and colleagues of mine always tell me how impressed they are that I work out so much. I'll be honest, part of it was finding a form of exercise that I really enjoy. Gymnastics was something I always wanted to do as a child, but for various reasons never did aside for 6 months in kindergarten. About a year and a half ago, I found an adult gymnastics class and was basically hooked. Furthermore I found that supplementing the technical skills with strength and endurance training, I got better! So yes, I go to the gymnastics gym twice a week. I also go to a regular gym about twice a week to jog or lift weights. Cool story, bro.
Lots of people will say, "you have to find something you love," or "it helps to have a workout buddy." And while yes, both of those things are true, it also helps to have motivation. Such as, "If I go to the gym, I can have a bacon cheeseburger, fried cheese curds, and ice cream for dinner." People laugh when I tell them this, but they don't realize just how serious I am.
Denying yourself the things you love is not healthy. And if you love food, then who's to say you can't enjoy that? Now, I don't eat cheeseburgers all the time. I have a carefully structured diet plan. I call it the Two-Thirds Rule. Ready? It's pretty complex....
As long as I'm eating healthy for two-thirds of my meals, I allow myself to eat the things I crave for that last third. Also - MOVE. Walk, bike ride, run, lift weights, dance, gymnastics, whatever it takes to get you moving for 30-60 minutes 3-5 times a week.
That's it. That's truly it. Some days my husband and I will ride our bikes to dinner. We'll choose somewhere that's a couple of miles away so we don't feel bad about eating out for dinner because we had to work to get there.
What's amusing to me is realizing that good food has been a motivator for me all my life. When I accepted my current position in the Library, I requested a start date 3 weeks in the future. My previous job was a check-in clerk at a clinic, so the two week standard would have been sufficient. I said I wanted to give three weeks notice so they would have more time to fill my position because we were really busy at that time...while that wasn't entirely untrue, it wasn't the real reason either. There was an annual company breakfast in 2.5 weeks and I wanted the free bacon.
Going back even further, when I was probably 6 years old the daycare I attended had some sort of 8 week challenge. The details are fuzzy, but basically it was for 8 weeks you have to try a new food each week. If you try all 8 new foods, you get a giant cookie at the end. I wanted that giant cookie. REALLY BAD. I loved chocolate chip cookies, and everybody knows giant cookies are only made from the best chocolate chip cookie dough. I was also a very picky eater. But I gagged my way through 8 new, foreign foods. If I remember correctly, my body actually rejected one of the items. It might have been cucumber or brussel sprouts, I don't remember. Luckily I got points for TRYING. And at the end of the 8 weeks, I got my cookie.
So yes, find something you love and pursue your passion. My passion happens to be food.
Thursday, May 29, 2014
This neighborhood is for the birds...
We have a bird problem. Specifically, a territorial robin.
I'm sure the neighbors think I'm relatively unstable since I've shouted into the backyard "Eff you! You don't pay rent! This is MY house!" on more than one occasion.
It started a few years ago. We noticed a birds nest on the back patio porch light, immediately adjacent to the back door and next to the grill. I'm sure the bird thinks she's quite genius, securing a primo nest location that's covered by a bit of roof and kept warm by a 60W light bulb that is on intermittently.
We've attempted to set blocks on wood on top of the light, to ward off the birds. They just build on top of the blocks. We tried setting one block at an angle on top of the other block. They knocked down the angled block and built the nest anyway. We tried moving the nest, but guilt made us put it back.
This year, either Momma bird is more territorial or I've noticed it more now that I have a garden. My garden is conveniently located 3 feet away from the area in question. We knew there were eggs in the nest, as we tried to grill out a few weeks ago and were subsequently squawked at and dive-bombed by Momma bird. Since then, we have more or less left her alone. As much as I hate this bird, I can't hate babies who didn't ask to be born into this feud between Momma bird and me. I took the long way around the house to water the garden. I pulled weeds while Jon was mowing, safety in numbers...and noise.
But when we returned Monday evening from a 3 day camping trip, the situation escalated. Momma bird was dive bombing us with a noticeable malice, squawking the whole time. Like everyone else this winter, she must've been getting busy because there were no less than 4 tiny, baby robins peeking out of the nest. Crap. I could have dealt with it, had I not seen her feeding her babies that evening. The feels overcame me. I resigned to giving up my backyard until these babies had flown the nest. I even did some research on robins (I learned they were indeed robins) and found out the babies take an extra few days on the ground before they fly away.
Last night, tragedy struck. I came home to discover that the nest, block of wood and all, had tumbled 6 feet from the light and onto the concrete patio. It was a grizzly sight, which made me feel sad and nauseous. I didn't want them to die, I just wanted them to let me tend to my yard without being attacked. Jon came home shortly thereafter and we were discussing what to do with the nest. Momma bird was surprisingly still and quiet as we assessed the scene. Then one of the tiny, baby robins moved. Out of four, one of them survived the crash and was pinned beneath the nest and block of wood. It would be heartless to ignore it, so Jon put some gloves on and used a spade to put the block of wood inside a plastic crate, place the nest back on top of it (as it had been on the light) and gently move baby into the nest. The others we placed in a planter nearby...the reasoning was that I thought Momma bird might think we stole the others or need to mourn a little longer. I don't know, it felt cruel to just toss them in the trash.
The baby bird (who I accidentally named Herbert and from here on, I shall refer to him as such) chirped a few times to let Momma bird know he was okay. Momma bird immediately began chirping back and dive bombing us away. So we went back inside and took a bike ride to get dinner. I checked on them again when we returned and Momma bird was perched nearby, observing the situation with caution.
This morning when I checked on the nest, Momma bird was nestled in keeping Herbert warm. She squawked and put up a bit of a fuss when she noticed me watching from the window, but she never went far. Later I watched as Papa bird fed a worm to Herbert, then Momma came back and nestled into the nest again before I finally left for work. Oh and I really wanted to do something for the bird family...so I tossed a few raisins out onto the patio quickly before they could fly into the house and peck my eyes out.
I just want to state for the record, I DIDN'T KNOCK THE NEST DOWN. I wasn't even there and I'm pretty sure it was probably one of you not understanding how physics works. Please stop attacking me, I don't hate you quite as much as I did before and rest assured I will do my best to make sure little Herbert survives into birdhood. However, I warn you that once that day comes - you will be evicted. Chicken wire, blocks of wood with nails coming out, pepper spray, whatever it takes.
For now you have my sympathy, and a temporary truce. But this IS my house, my garden, and my (okay, my husbands...) grill and I WILL NOT be terrorized by a cocky, jerkoff robin.
"The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every bird of the heaven," Genesis 9:2
I'm sure the neighbors think I'm relatively unstable since I've shouted into the backyard "Eff you! You don't pay rent! This is MY house!" on more than one occasion.
It started a few years ago. We noticed a birds nest on the back patio porch light, immediately adjacent to the back door and next to the grill. I'm sure the bird thinks she's quite genius, securing a primo nest location that's covered by a bit of roof and kept warm by a 60W light bulb that is on intermittently.
We've attempted to set blocks on wood on top of the light, to ward off the birds. They just build on top of the blocks. We tried setting one block at an angle on top of the other block. They knocked down the angled block and built the nest anyway. We tried moving the nest, but guilt made us put it back.
This year, either Momma bird is more territorial or I've noticed it more now that I have a garden. My garden is conveniently located 3 feet away from the area in question. We knew there were eggs in the nest, as we tried to grill out a few weeks ago and were subsequently squawked at and dive-bombed by Momma bird. Since then, we have more or less left her alone. As much as I hate this bird, I can't hate babies who didn't ask to be born into this feud between Momma bird and me. I took the long way around the house to water the garden. I pulled weeds while Jon was mowing, safety in numbers...and noise.
But when we returned Monday evening from a 3 day camping trip, the situation escalated. Momma bird was dive bombing us with a noticeable malice, squawking the whole time. Like everyone else this winter, she must've been getting busy because there were no less than 4 tiny, baby robins peeking out of the nest. Crap. I could have dealt with it, had I not seen her feeding her babies that evening. The feels overcame me. I resigned to giving up my backyard until these babies had flown the nest. I even did some research on robins (I learned they were indeed robins) and found out the babies take an extra few days on the ground before they fly away.
Last night, tragedy struck. I came home to discover that the nest, block of wood and all, had tumbled 6 feet from the light and onto the concrete patio. It was a grizzly sight, which made me feel sad and nauseous. I didn't want them to die, I just wanted them to let me tend to my yard without being attacked. Jon came home shortly thereafter and we were discussing what to do with the nest. Momma bird was surprisingly still and quiet as we assessed the scene. Then one of the tiny, baby robins moved. Out of four, one of them survived the crash and was pinned beneath the nest and block of wood. It would be heartless to ignore it, so Jon put some gloves on and used a spade to put the block of wood inside a plastic crate, place the nest back on top of it (as it had been on the light) and gently move baby into the nest. The others we placed in a planter nearby...the reasoning was that I thought Momma bird might think we stole the others or need to mourn a little longer. I don't know, it felt cruel to just toss them in the trash.
The baby bird (who I accidentally named Herbert and from here on, I shall refer to him as such) chirped a few times to let Momma bird know he was okay. Momma bird immediately began chirping back and dive bombing us away. So we went back inside and took a bike ride to get dinner. I checked on them again when we returned and Momma bird was perched nearby, observing the situation with caution.
This morning when I checked on the nest, Momma bird was nestled in keeping Herbert warm. She squawked and put up a bit of a fuss when she noticed me watching from the window, but she never went far. Later I watched as Papa bird fed a worm to Herbert, then Momma came back and nestled into the nest again before I finally left for work. Oh and I really wanted to do something for the bird family...so I tossed a few raisins out onto the patio quickly before they could fly into the house and peck my eyes out.
I just want to state for the record, I DIDN'T KNOCK THE NEST DOWN. I wasn't even there and I'm pretty sure it was probably one of you not understanding how physics works. Please stop attacking me, I don't hate you quite as much as I did before and rest assured I will do my best to make sure little Herbert survives into birdhood. However, I warn you that once that day comes - you will be evicted. Chicken wire, blocks of wood with nails coming out, pepper spray, whatever it takes.
For now you have my sympathy, and a temporary truce. But this IS my house, my garden, and my (okay, my husbands...) grill and I WILL NOT be terrorized by a cocky, jerkoff robin.
"The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every bird of the heaven," Genesis 9:2
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Recharging Humanoid Batteries
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| Photo Credit Will Arnold (what a swell guy) |
We spent 2 full days and 3 glorious nights in the company of our fabulous friends hiking, exploring, cooking with fire, swimming, playing, singing (not so much me...but I enjoyed listening!), and generally ignoring technology and electronics. It was AMAZING. I had my phone with me, but only to take pictures. I was not once tempted to check facebook or text. I did not realize how badly I needed to disconnect until after I did it. It was liberating.
Our friends three daughters were an absolute joy to be around. They're energetic, imaginative, polite, creative, intelligent, I could go on and on. We really enjoy spending time with them, and were super happy to spend a weekend with them exploring and adventuring. We even started the "Adventure Scouts." More adventure, less drama, no scout left behind.
I returned to work yesterday actually refreshed. I had a great weekend and I was NOT ready for it to end. I wish I was back there right now. But instead of being sad that it's over, I'm happy that it happened. And I'm inspired to make sure it happens again. We're making plans to take other hiking and camping trips this summer.
There's just one thing I can't wrap my brain around. On Saturday I hiked 9 miles, and I was ready to go for more. Sunday my legs ached, I hiked another 5 or 6 miles and still could have kept going. Yesterday I sat at a desk for 8 hours and was absolutely exhausted. I suppose it has something to do with being adventurous. My job is not so adventurous. I do enjoy it, but it's not exploring caves and waterfalls.
"Life is pure adventure, and the sooner we realize that, the quicker we will be able to treat life as art." - Maya Angelou
Monday, May 12, 2014
6 Merry Months of Monogomous Marriage for the Marvelous Meilike's
I like alliteration.
Jon and I have officially been married for 6 months today. I know 6 months might not seem like a big deal (especially if you're on the other side of a year+) but I enjoy recognizing milestones. It makes the everyday less mundane if I can find something to celebrate. A lot can happen in 6 months! For example, we have now been married longer than the following celebrity couples:
Dennis Rodman and Carmen Electra
Britney Spears and some guy she grew up with
Drew Barrymore and Tom Green
Pam Anderson and Kid Rock
Not to mention we have been married for longer than the Kosovo War and the Second Balkan War lasted (5 months and 3 months respectively.) AND we have been married longer than William Henry Harrison was president!
I'll admit, our first half a year has not been terribly exciting. We celebrated Christmas at home, mourned the loss of my grandma, grumbled about the winter, took a trip to Schaumburg, grumbled about driving in cities, did A LOT of laundry. Time seems to be moving a little faster now that we are no longer under the icy grip of the polar vortex. We're getting outside more, working in the garden, trying to keep the lawn alive, evening bike rides.
But after spending a year planning a wedding, I think we deserve a little bit of mundane-ness. We've enjoyed ourselves, and we're figuring out what marriage is supposed to look like. We fight less, are slower to get upset, eat dinner together at the table almost every night, talk about the future. We're excited for the summer and for warm weather adventures. Most importantly, we're excited about our life together.
I'm not really good with big, flowery shows of affection...so I'll just say that I love my husband a whole lot and that I am eternally grateful that God and the cosmos saw fit to unite us, our lives and our families.
"The grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, someone to love, and something to hope for."
-attributed to Alexander Chalmers, George Washington Burnap, and Joseph Addison separately...I can't find a reliable source to tell me where it originated.
Jon and I have officially been married for 6 months today. I know 6 months might not seem like a big deal (especially if you're on the other side of a year+) but I enjoy recognizing milestones. It makes the everyday less mundane if I can find something to celebrate. A lot can happen in 6 months! For example, we have now been married longer than the following celebrity couples:
Dennis Rodman and Carmen Electra
Britney Spears and some guy she grew up with
Drew Barrymore and Tom Green
Pam Anderson and Kid Rock
Not to mention we have been married for longer than the Kosovo War and the Second Balkan War lasted (5 months and 3 months respectively.) AND we have been married longer than William Henry Harrison was president!
But after spending a year planning a wedding, I think we deserve a little bit of mundane-ness. We've enjoyed ourselves, and we're figuring out what marriage is supposed to look like. We fight less, are slower to get upset, eat dinner together at the table almost every night, talk about the future. We're excited for the summer and for warm weather adventures. Most importantly, we're excited about our life together.
I'm not really good with big, flowery shows of affection...so I'll just say that I love my husband a whole lot and that I am eternally grateful that God and the cosmos saw fit to unite us, our lives and our families.
"The grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, someone to love, and something to hope for."
-attributed to Alexander Chalmers, George Washington Burnap, and Joseph Addison separately...I can't find a reliable source to tell me where it originated.
Friday, May 9, 2014
Catfish vs. TalHotBlond
I've been on a documentary kick lately. Big time. Space, history, social constructs, if it's well done, I'll watch it. Just today, as I'm lying in bed warding off the general yuckiness I've contracted, I watched "Talhotblond."
Now to fully explain my train of thought I need to back up a few years. When Jon and I were first dating, we caught (what we thought was) an indie horror film at the local Art Theatre. I had been a big fan of Blair Witch Project as a teenager, at least until I figured out exactly how fake it all was. I was still intrigued by the premise of a documentary gone wrong, even if it was fake. I was hoping "Catfish" would be more of the same. This was probably late 2010. So we go in, sit down and watch. "Catfish" takes us on a journey documenting the online relationship between two people who have never met in person. They eventually decide to meet and things start to get weird. (This is where Jon and I were hoping a chainsaw wielding psychopath would appear.) What we find out is that Nev (the narrator) believed he had been talking to a young woman named Megan, when in fact she didn't exist. Or at least not in the way he thought she did. "Megan" was a fictionalized personality that another, middle-aged, heavy-set woman had created, seemingly out of boredom. One of several personalities she had constructed as an escape from her unfulfilling life. It's an interesting story, but the film has been questioned to it's authenticity...even by Jon and myself as we left the theatre.
Fast forward back to today, when I decided to watch a similar documentary called "Talhotblond" Which is extremely similar, except that both parties are not who they claim to be and a young man (who is the only honest one amongst the threesome) gets caught up in the middle. It does not end well for him. This film...was released in 2009. Catfish was released merely a year later, in 2010.
Seriously people, all you have to do is watch "Talhotblond" to realize that "Catfish" is about as authentic as the Blair Witch Project. But far less interesting. If they were going to copy it, they should've kept more of the original story (that ACTUALLY HAPPENED) because it's far more interesting.
This felt like a big realization for me, so I wanted to share it. I'll gladly elaborate when I'm feeling back up to speed (came home sick from work today.). For now, I think it's nap time.
Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out. Proverbs 10:9
Now to fully explain my train of thought I need to back up a few years. When Jon and I were first dating, we caught (what we thought was) an indie horror film at the local Art Theatre. I had been a big fan of Blair Witch Project as a teenager, at least until I figured out exactly how fake it all was. I was still intrigued by the premise of a documentary gone wrong, even if it was fake. I was hoping "Catfish" would be more of the same. This was probably late 2010. So we go in, sit down and watch. "Catfish" takes us on a journey documenting the online relationship between two people who have never met in person. They eventually decide to meet and things start to get weird. (This is where Jon and I were hoping a chainsaw wielding psychopath would appear.) What we find out is that Nev (the narrator) believed he had been talking to a young woman named Megan, when in fact she didn't exist. Or at least not in the way he thought she did. "Megan" was a fictionalized personality that another, middle-aged, heavy-set woman had created, seemingly out of boredom. One of several personalities she had constructed as an escape from her unfulfilling life. It's an interesting story, but the film has been questioned to it's authenticity...even by Jon and myself as we left the theatre.
Fast forward back to today, when I decided to watch a similar documentary called "Talhotblond" Which is extremely similar, except that both parties are not who they claim to be and a young man (who is the only honest one amongst the threesome) gets caught up in the middle. It does not end well for him. This film...was released in 2009. Catfish was released merely a year later, in 2010.
Seriously people, all you have to do is watch "Talhotblond" to realize that "Catfish" is about as authentic as the Blair Witch Project. But far less interesting. If they were going to copy it, they should've kept more of the original story (that ACTUALLY HAPPENED) because it's far more interesting.
This felt like a big realization for me, so I wanted to share it. I'll gladly elaborate when I'm feeling back up to speed (came home sick from work today.). For now, I think it's nap time.
Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out. Proverbs 10:9
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