Just watched Justin Bieber's "Boyfriend" Video. Think I lost some brain cells.

I recently read that it was nominated for some award or something and was intrigued (don't ask me why). In a few short minutes, it singlehandedly degraded all of woman-kind and was probably the most pointless thing I have done all day. It opens with him talk/singing with those waxed eyebrows of his (that is sarcasm there, not respect). And it pans out to show that it was being watched by two girls who are wordlessly nodding to each other in agreement. At this point I shake my head. But it only gets worse from there - I'm surprised I made it through the whole thing. A sort of party is happening on a rooftop with a gaggle of people dancing and cars parked around in a circle. The boys are all blinged up and sagging. The girls...well...they just aren't wearing anything but strategically placed strips of cloth.
The Biebs is sitting in his car as if he just drove up, but his car is surrounded by a few other cars on either side, and it looks as if he was just sitting in his car with his hand on the wheel for some time. Don't ask me how these cars got on the roof in time for the party. It takes him a good thirty seconds to get out of his car...what with every single girl checking him out. His hair, sticking a good several inches off of his head looks like it took him a long time to prepare, and it apparently works. A girl with an emotionless face and revealing toddler shirt approaches the Biebs, and they apparently hit it off. I will note that she is a good few inches taller than him, despite his hair.

After this amazing moment, the party continues in a montage of carefree and tan teenagers dancing with each other and their varied expensive cars. Then the Biebs whips out his guitar and serenades the girl he has bewitched as she nods sort of and continues to not show emotion. True love. Then the video ends with a still of their faces; obviously leaving the viewer with a wonderful visual as to how to effectively win the heart of Justin Bieber.

Ione Skye

I just read somewhere that this random person (the author of whatever I was reading) was and undeniably always will be, incredibly jealous of Ione Skye (ask me to read that name in any other context and I would pronounce it like "lone", as in, "lone wolf"). I was surprised because I just watched Dream for an Insomniac and loved her eyebrows but felt she wasn't too stellar, especially when compared to Jennifer Aniston, of whom I am undeniably more jealous of. Now I've never seen Say Anything (I know), but I promise to soon see it and then jump to conclusions.

But isn't that interesting. Everyone, and I mean everyone has those that they admire and/or can't stand because of raging jealousy. I wish that I could cut my hair super short like Emma Watson one minute and another I wish I could wear it long and proud like Selena Gomez (before she lost her mind, put purple in her hair and started aligning herself with Justin Bieber). But just like we have preferences to the males we prefer (some like Zack, some like Cody), we all have preferences of the most stunning and beautiful women to idolize.

I once had a friend who told me she wasn't interested in any of the guys we went to school with. I almost spit out my milk; since I basically had (have) a crush on every guy I saw (see). She was all about the way a guy was one the inside, like, his personality, whilst I could base all of my attraction on appearance. The same sort of categorizing occurs when we subconsciously pick our role models.

When this topic comes to the surface in conversations I always throw out  that I can't stand Anne Hathaway. This usually stirs up some thrilling debates over her incredible performances in The Princess Diaries and Ella Enchanted. I shake my head and bring up some of her other roles, where she was helplessly exploited at the hands of mediocre cinema. Havoc. If you've never seen it, I wouldn't recommend it. I felt like I was slowly dying. Love and Other Drugs. Would've been good; it starred Gabriel Macht and Jake Gyllenhaal, but she revealed it all and it failed to develop her character at all. Not one to watch with the family. Then there's Bride Wars and One Day. I have got to say, if you enjoyed those movies, just stop. There are plenty of other movies out there for you to see.

Needless to say I'm sure she has a lot of "gentleman" callers. But then bring up Carey Mulligan. If you don't know her, shame on you. She  knows what's up. I love her choices in movies (always classy - take notes, Anne Hathaway). An Education made me fall in love with her innocence and acting ability, Pride & Prejudice showed off her versatility, and Drive, well, Ryan Gosling.

And this coming year we'll all be glad to see Mulligan star alongside DiCaprio in The Great Gatsby. I'm proud of her.

I Love to Ruin Movies

Yes, that's right. I love to ruin movies. They remain to be one of the best things I've ever discovered on this planet; aside from Scottish accents, new sharpies, and french fries. A movie is a captivating story incorporated with music and handsome actors.
I have many  favorite movies.
In case you still have to get a gift for that special someone, these movies are great choices.
I'll try not to ruin them for you.

This one is called Ruby Sparks. It's about an author who writes about his dream girl and she comes to life.

It starts with him writing about her so he can be close to her - and then she appears in his house. It's a really cute movie about unrealistic things happening and has a very realistic ending. I loved it.

This next one is called Burn After Reading. It's one of the most hilarious movies I've seen a long time. Worth the struggle to attain - as getting movies these days is like trekking through the rain forest in search of a specific plant. You're going to have to settle for what you don't want; unfortunately. But take your time and find this gem.

I'd love to say that Brad Pitt singlehandedly makes this movie, but in actuality, he simply adds to it. He plays an enthusiastic personal trainer - very different from the other roles he plays. And it suits him.

This amazing cinematic experience is called Almost Famous. During my initial viewing, I fell in love with it's incredible attention to detail and felt like a huge hipster. This Christmas I've purchased it for my German exchange student, Franzi, because I want to share some American culture with her. If this qualifies as American culture since it's set in the '70s. Whatever.

This one gets three pictures because I couldn't choose which ones I liked the best. You don't mind, do you?

This one is called Me and You and Everyone We Know. I first had some hindrances since it isn't the most well known and was sort of random, but there were parts where I was laughing uncontrollably and parts where I was leaning very far forward in my chair.

This is a shot from the movie of the woman who directed it. She also starred as a main character - a concept I have never really understood - like the producer also being a main character. But she works it.

This one's called American Beauty. It's about a father's mid-life crisis involving exacting revenge on his wife for her affair and falling in love with his daughter's best friend - ending in his inevitable death. See, I just ruined it for you.

And Kevin Spacey's in it, so yay.

No matter your opinion of Tom, you have to love Risky Business.

It is just so much more than that one scene of him dancing in his underwear to Old Time Rock N Roll - it has all the ups and downs and a happy ending like any movie does. It also has an amazing soundtrack and score - it made me fall in love with Tangerine Dream and Phil Collins.

Now that's just the tip of the iceberg - there are so many more movies I'm obsessed with. Maybe I'll do a part 2.

The Benefits to Wes

As I have seen more and more movies (and trust me I watch a lot of movies) I have decidedly narrowed down what I enjoy.
For starters, my favorite director is Wes Anderson. He is a cinematic genius.
His movies are so distinctly his that it makes me laugh. He has a way of accomplishing something while making it seem like he has accomplished nothing.

The Royal Tenenbaums was the first movie of his I ever saw. I was instantly in love. He developed all of the characters in the best way - they wore clothes that told of their personalities and left a lot of the deducing up to the viewer. It was an experience.

It started with the main characters as children and gave an explanation as to why they are not only strange, but estranged. Margot, as pictured above, was an exceptional playwright and achieved major success when she was in her early teens, as her two siblings. From watching the introduction, one learns quite a bit more than is explicitly stated.

The story also seems to unfold almost uncontrollably before your eyes. Everything seems to go awry, until all of the loose ends tie themselves right up. The Royal Tenenbaums was definitely one of the best stories I have heard in a long time. And as always, great stories make great films.

Anderson's most recent movie, Moonrise Kingdom, was had striking similarities to The Royal Tenenbaums, so I absolutely loved it.

Moonrise Kingdom had similar themes and even reoccurring characters. In both movies, one of the two lovebirds is depressed, someone is having an affair, the romance involves two people that probably shouldn't be together, and the main female character wears an obscene amount of eyeliner. I imagine it is just part of the illusion.

Anderson always uses clothing and inanimate objects to portray time period and the personalities of the characters.

Even though the love story involves two twelve-year-old's, you still root for them.

So if you haven't already ordered both of these movies in order to watch them and experience their power yet, I would encourage it. It'll certainly be an interesting afternoon.

How to be Honest

Narration

There are many synonyms to the word "honest". Among these are: authentic, genuine, decent, ethical, fair. When I was in kindergarten, I believed I was all of these things. I had been raised right and had no reason to lie to my family. But having a reason to lie can come in an instant and my answer to, "Are your teeth brushed?" was always the one that left my teeth unbrushed.

Description

Being honest is a hard thing to be. The choice between calm and clammy, in trouble and not in trouble. Sweaty palms with fingers crossed behind your back; praying your lie will pull through for you. I'm sure for some being honest is easy. They speak their mind and have no fear of hurting the feelings of others. But since I am a "yes" person, I don't like to disappoint and I definitely don't like confrontation.

Example

I guess there are benefits to telling the truth. Like when your mom asks if you washed the dishes (you have), and you can confidently answer that you did. No worries there. Or when your parents ask for the truth and you reluctantly tell it to them, they value your honesty and give you more leash. The results of being truthful are never flawless, but you can bet they never will be if you aren't.

Comparison/Contrast

Being honest means never telling a lie. Being a pathological liar means never telling the truth. One of them gives you a good reputation and the other makes you lonely. Honesty comes and goes and most people are a combination of the two. Unfortunately for lies, no one likes to receive them and you will not be well received if you are known for being a liar.

Process Analysis

Being honest is a difficult thing to learn, but will be easier with time. It starts with living honestly and not doing things that don't match up. Example: Don't answer the telephone pretending to be your mother and promise to do things. That will be indefinitely hard to explain. Then, attempt to be kind to everyone you encounter. Being insensitive and dishonest go hand in hand. Finally, you will have no reason to lie and everyone will love you!

Classification/Division

There are many different kinds of "honesty". First, there are those who tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Second, there are those that withhold part of the truth in an effort to save the feelings of others or, unfortunately, themselves. Third, there are those who avoid talking about the truth altogether. They don't outright lie, but skate around the actual topic. I would suggest the first. If you need more explanation, Google Abraham Lincoln.

Cause and Effect

If you are honest, the world will become a wonderfully sunny and guilt-free place. You won't have any worries or concerns to dwell on and thus, will have a lot of extra free time. Being known as an honest person will get you very far in life and will benefit you for as long as you live. Those who are dishonest will see major consequences in every aspect of their life.

Definition

To be honest means to be honorable in principles, intentions, and actions. Everything you have will have been gained or obtained fairly. People can trust you and rely on you for help. Even unimportant lies have consequences. In fact, there is no such thing as an unimportant lie. Anything apart from the truth can have an affect on someone in some way.

Argument/Persuasion

I urge you to go out into the world and try, just for one day, to tell the truth. It may be difficult at first, but nothing in this world comes easily - make it a force of habit. We fall into the rut of lying to avoid having to do what we need to do and lose our sense of dignity and self-worth. Imagine flipping it around and being truthful to both ourselves and others. Today is the first day of the rest of your life.

Dislike with a Passion

One word I would rid the English language of is "hate".
I know, you just got a little inspired there.
Hate [heyt] verb, hat-ed, hat-ing, noun
verb (used with object)
1. to dislike intensely or passionately; feel extreme aversion for or extreme hostility toward; detest: to hate the enemy; to hate bigotry
2. to be unwilling; dislike: I hate to do it.
3. intense dislike; extreme aversion or hostility.
4. the object of extreme aversion or hostility
Synonyms
1. loathe, despise, detest, abominate, dislike, disgust, unworthy, etc.
Antonyms
1. love.
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hate?s=t)
This word is currently one of the most overused and misused words (apart from like, but we all know that one) in the English language. Not only is it used to categorize the people in your life, it is a heavy word; predestining your enemies for the worst punishment. To hate someone is, in a sense, wishing they were dead. It is one of the most offensive and unneeded words that I have ever come across, and shouldn't be used casually. Similar to the misuse of the word love, many people claim to "hate" stubbing their toe and "love" chewing bubble gum.
I believe that a step towards a more peaceful and forgiving world (forgive my beauty pageant talk) is a world without words whose only purpose is to put people down.
My mother would always yell at me whenever I would claim to "hate" something or someone and always advised me to instead say, "dislike with a passion". This in a sense has the same literal meaning but is less derogatory.

Pink as a Flamingo

When you are a kid, usually after you start school and before you hit puberty, you think you know it all. You don't, of course. This is the time in your life when you will embarrass yourself the most, but probably won't realize this until later because again, you don't know anything.
This fact came to my attention in small doses; quick visions of the overwhelming truth. I'd like to think that I have a handle on my immaturity, but just by thinking that I probably don't.
When I was young, probably seven or eight, I was afraid of taking showers. Don't ask me why - I don't have a rational explanation for it. So naturally, I took baths. My bathroom was fully stocked with bath bubbles and those colorful little balls you can toss in to make the water...special, I guess. I never normally went near the stuff - it was much to fancy for me. One day, when I was feeling particularly bold, I ran the water for a bath and, after struggling with the plastic packaging, managed to break open the bottle of pink and purple bath balls. I tossed a healthy handful into the running water and climbed right in. I got all nice and fresh, stepped out of the bath, dried off, and got into my pajamas. I went to the kitchen to bid my parents farewell for the night. They took one look at me and were speechless. My mom came over and told me to look at my legs.
I did.
They were pink as a flamingo - my favorite color in fact.
Turns out that one bath ball does the trick. Who knew that if you put more than one in your legs will turn pink? My mom rushed me up the stairs and started running the shower, all the while yelling, "You must have been taking a bath in lotion!". I imagine she was worried about my sheets getting covered in pink.
I was worried that I had to use the shower.

Artificial Fire

One thing it has appeared that I have learned is that I love language. Words have power and when put together, they can do it all. My deep appreciation for what words can do probably stemmed from my deep desire to read - which started probably from birth. I was hopelessly behind when it came to math and those awful multiplication tables (when the teacher sets the timer and you try to do as much as you can in one minute) that seem to hate me. But when it came to learning to read, I was the one all my classmates were impressed with.
More recently, I have discovered the gravity of speaking.
This past summer I worked as a camp counselor at a Christian camp. They taught me a lot of things about how to handle homesick campers, make a fire, and tell my testimony. One thing they never teach you is how to lead a group in prayer. This may seem easy, but it was my greatest weakness. Picture ten girls all standing in a circle holding hands. The counselor says a prayer; different every time, catered to whatever happened that we can be thankful for. You make it up on the spot and do your best to sound knowledgeable and wise.
I would find myself stumbling over my words; thanking the Lord for our food and the fellowship we have together, and finally ending with an amen and the friendly squeeze of the hands I am holding. Diction plays a big part in praying because you have a main point to get across and there are some words you can and cannot use.
This past summer I also took a trip to Paris with my friend, Erin, and her mother. None of us spoke French all that well. This wasn't that big of a problem and we were able to navigate the city quite well. Erin has cousins in France that offered to have her stay for a few weeks and the three of us spent a week in Paris to see her off.
I believe that French is just about the most beautiful and interesting language still spoken to this day. Erin's cousin Diane spent a few days with us and I would sit with her for hours learning words and writing them down. I don't remember a lot of them, but I do remember "feu de artifice" (Fou-Day-Art-Tea-Feece) and "libellule" (Li-Be-Lou). The first translates to "artificial fire". When Diane was trying to explain what it meant, she kept talking about artificial fire and using her hands to show explosions. After some time, I realized she was talking about Fireworks. The second means "Dragonfly". We were sitting outside and a Dragonfly flew by. She asked first what I called it and I replied, "Dragonfly". Then I asked what she called it. She answered, "Libellule". After some time of both of us repeating the word the other had said we came to realize that neither of us had quite understood the other. She had been repeating "Jack-and-fly" and I had been repeating "Libellulule" like it was Hawaiian or something.
So maybe one day I'll speak French as well as Diane.
We all can dream can't we?

Maddie