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whiterosebrian · 4 years ago

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Heritage

I oppose Folkism. I understand Folkism to represent a very ugly parody of the pre-Christian religions that neopagans have been working to revive. I understand neopagan paths to be open. When the old gods call Black or Asian followers, we should let those people answer the gods’ calls.

The reason why I made those statements up-front is that I’m about to delve into a topic whose discussion will require much nuance. I’ve made an effort to write this in such a way as to keep my intentions consistently clear. However, there could still be a possibility of taking many of the following statements out of context, whether by Folkists wanting validation, mainstream people who don’t know much about neopaganism, or Christian-Right propagandists. I’m about to discuss old spiritual heritages of people of European descent.

I may need to touch upon what Folkism is before going on with that discussion. Folkism, in the most basic sense, is the notion that certain old European practices and religions are the sole provinces of their associated cultural groups, whether Celtic or Slavic or, most notoriously, Germanic. It derives from the Volkisch movement which purported to revive Germanic traditions and the people’s connections to their lands. The Thule Society, in particular, laid the groundwork for Nazism. The Nazi regime retained the occultic influences—though I should note they weren’t the dominant strain and the party rose to power by appealing first and foremost to Christian culture (which is yet another historical fact that raises hard questions of what Christianity looks like in the real world).

Today’s adherents of Folkism exploit the discourse around cultural appropriation, though in a mendacious and vulgarized form. Sometimes well-meaning allies do unintentionally vulgarize said discourse as well. One part of appropriation is swiping elements of other people’s cultures willy-nilly—though there are two other key aspects that should be kept in mind. First is the fact that elements of cultures are often taken with little acknowledgement of or gratitude towards the originators. More importantly, there is a context of colonization, marginalization, and erasure.

Even if you haven’t followed me for a while or read my journal entries before, you may be aware of the elements of Asian, African, Native American, and even Jewish spiritualities within the New Age movement. It’s quite clear that a number of people, disenchanted with historic Christian culture for any number of reasons (including extremely serious ones), look elsewhere to find genuine spirituality. Actually, those trends were also present in Europe during the peak of modern imperialism in the nineteenth century, evidently influencing today’s New Age movement.

To my understanding, Buddhists and Hindus are very willing to share elements of their spiritualties—but too often those elements are half-understood, ripped out of context, and watered down anyway. Native Americans have seen their spiritual practices outlawed until fairly recently, which is why they resent those practices being commercialized or taught outside the proper contexts. The Jewish people have faced persecution for many centuries and similarly seen their mysticism suppressed—and they resent mangled or incomplete versions of Kabbalah floating around metaphysical circles.

You may recall the interest that I actually once had in Kabbalah. I did genuinely want to learn from the Jewish people. I had abandoned Catholicism and wanted to learn from its Jewish roots (though I probably underestimated how far Christianity deviated). I was actually ready to start delving more deeply into Kabbalah after reading introductory texts of admittedly varying degrees of quality. I was under the mistaken impression that Kabbalah was now being opened up (though in fact Kabbalah is still considered a closed practice, due mainly to requiring an intensive grounding in Jewish scripture and practice). However, some Jewish users on Tumblr and PillowFort convinced me to rethink my interest. I soon decided that Judaism in general wasn’t for me, much less Jewish mysticism. I didn’t think I could even devote myself to the religious law (however different movements within Judaism interpreted it).

I also had some interest in my own Northern European heritage. That is part of what led me to examine Heathenry in more detail. What finally led me to devote myself to the Heathen path was animism, or a relationship with nature as well as the spirits within and the very powers of life. Sometimes, spiritual practitioners of color heartily exhort white seekers to look into their own ethnic heritages to find their own gods, medicines, rites, and modalities. What ultimately prompted this essay is a video from a healer who goes by “heart of Hamsa” on Instagram; they (I’m using the apparent preferred pronoun) are of Vietnamese and French descent.

They speak of the need for greater respect towards and gratitude for Asian practices. They speak of how they delved into their own heritage. They touch upon the distinctions among cultures and peoples—most certainly not in any exclusionary or purist sense, but in the sense of deepened understanding and appreciation. They speak of a need to give back to the peoples who inspire us, especially in light of colonization, with Vietnam as a prominent example that they cite.

Hamsa goes on to speak of white people who are ashamed or fragile (often understandably, giving rise to the “white guilt” that neo-Nazis maliciously mock) and chase after what they view exotic and foreign, only to fail to do justice to reiki and ayahuasca and the like. They essentially ask people to restart by looking into their own ancestors and uncovering histories. They exhort viewers to set roots and share their own inheritances before looking outside, much less making smorgasbords. Basically, Hamsa asks people to remember who they are and be themselves first and foremost.

How does that apply to a man of Northern European descent born on a land that was stolen from indigenous people? Occasional tweeters will remark that white people have no culture except for banal capitalism and arrogant colonization. Irish, Italian, and German immigrants eventually assimilated into the hegemonic American culture after facing their share of prejudice (my father’s family actually used to be named Koch before becoming Cook during the First World War). The old Christendom may have initially been a union of different Christianized peoples, but at some point (I can’t say exactly when) it became a more-or-less homogenized bloc of Christian colonizers. If even the Irish faced domination at the hands of Englishmen, the Christian European powers were sure to dominate other peoples in worse ways.

Hamsa does speak of “blood” and “bloodline”, which admittedly can raise hackles for good reason. Folkish neopagans also speak of “blood” as in “blood and soil”. Obviously, as you can see from the above context, Hamsa is using “blood” in a subtly though crucially different way. Perhaps, then, Folkism is a distortion of a truth—that truth being a rootedness in personal bloodline and heritage. The kind of “meta-genetics” that people like Stephen McNallen and Stephen Flowers promote is indeed Nazi-leaning bunk—otherwise, learning about the pre-Christian past would not be so difficult or involve so much ambiguity and guesswork. I can accept that white supremacy has influenced the pagan revival to some extent, particularly in its early stages. Did the original Volkisch movement deal with the trauma of enforced Christianization (and the later rise of an increasingly ruthless capitalism) in a very unhealthy way? I don’t have enough historical education to really answer that.

In any case, I’m very pleased to see neopagans seriously work on disentangling that influence. Improved historical scholarship in recent times has been a blessing. Perhaps European-Americans who take the time to learn from such scholarship as well as experienced practitioners might find many boons. It’s possible that the old gods of Northern Europe called me back into their embrace. Indeed, as I began to seriously consider training myself to be a magician working with Odin and Freya, I began to get a sense of a homecoming. My Scandinavian, German blood, and Anglo-Saxon bloodlines ultimately aren’t major factors, but they still are factors in a homecoming. While figuring out a spiritual path, I increasingly wanted to work with divine power as a magician—it turned out that I wouldn’t do so through Kabbalah but through animistic Heathenry.

The question of what a settler is supposed to do among the many settler communities on a continent stolen from its original inhabitants remains. I most certainly have a responsibility to those who lack what privileges I have. I hope to find stronger opportunities to aid the indigenous communities, especially those within the Great Lakes, the region of Turtle Island where I live. For that matter, I hope to find stronger opportunities to aid other communities.

In general, I understand a need to participate in the work of decolonization in some manner. I understand a need to take part in breaking down what has become whiteness. Those who think that they are being broad-minded in taking from so many cultures (and I would have also thought so even a few years ago), it seems, unintentionally contribute to colonization and white privilege. Maybe I will start learning from other peoples after gaining a very firm grounding in a revived Germanic magic, though maybe they will tell me to keep up with that. There are indeed many different paths for people to take to the divine. Some of them are closed (or at least require formal initiation) for very good reasons. Kabbalists and Jewish mages deny that Judaism is for everyone—they might speak of other gods who call to their peoples while the presence of the supreme Godhead remains with the gentiles. People like Hamsa speak of honoring and reinvigorating diversity among the human shards of divinity within today’s world. Thus, demagogues who fearmonger over the One World Religion for the New World Order show themselves to be paranoid fools. There certainly isn’t a Jewish conspiracy to take over the world!

I will take my time in building relations with Freya and Odin, contemplating the runes, training myself to connect to Yggdrasil, and looking forward to meeting elves and various ancestors who have walked my path before. I hope to be of great service as a Germanic magician among the Great Lakes. I also wish to gradually build up stories of diverse people seeking truth, goodness, beauty, joy, and spirituality as a novelist (and possible comic artist). I struggle with lethargy and a troubled heart, but I do believe that I have a calling. You are all welcome to support me and, perhaps better, find your own mystic paths.

#spirituality #cultural appreciation #paganism #heathen #pagan #long text post #mysticism #social justice #colonization #religion #magic #text post #personal essay #writing

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positivity-studies · 5 years ago

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I know, I know, every year I say “I’m back!!” and then I post once and disappear forever. But I do really love the studyblr community and posting on a regular basis keeps me accountable for my own productivity, so I am committing to keeping this blog active from now on : )

So much has changed since the last time I was active on here, besides the obvious. I changed my major from Information Technology and Informatics to Journalism and Media Studies, which was definitely a struggle to do as a second semester junior, but I’m doing everything I can to make it work, and I’m really excited!! I had to adjust some of my plans for the rest of college, but I know it’s for the best and I know it’ll be worth it. I’m really enjoying my new classes so far, and I feel so much better. So, moral of the story: if you know what you’re studying isn’t right for you anymore, don’t just stick with it and suffer!! Do your best to find another way because your happiness is worth it. Feel free to ask my questions about that whole process if you’d like - I’m happy to respond!!

I also recently bought a new planner (not the one pictured - that’s my old one) that I’m absolutely in love with and it’s really been helping me re-organize and feel less constantly overwhelmed by the world and everything I have to get done. It’s called a Passion Planner and it’s basically everything I love about bullet journals without the daunting aspect of starting from a completely blank page. It’s so customizable and it leaves so much space to be creative and I love using it. Stay tuned for so many pictures of it in the future.

With all of the coronavirus stuff going on and the major changes to everyday life that we’re all dealing with as a result, I know I’m going to need the accountability of this blog more than ever. I’ll be posting daily updates of something positive and productive that I’ve done, or “corona boredom cures” as I’ve taken to calling them. I’m on spring break right now, but once classes start up online next Monday, this blog is definitely going to help me stay sane as I deal with the transition to online classes as someone who absolutely learns way better in person.

I’m really looking forward to writing for this blog again and I can’t wait to keep getting better and better over time.

Thanks for bearing with me, and feel free to follow along with my daily social distancing shenanigans on my Instagram @melanieraush!!

Hang in there, everyone -

Melanie

Here’s an old photo that I’m really proud of that I took a couple months ago in preparation for reviving this blog!!

#original #studyblr #studyspo #notes #i've missed this community so much oh my gosh #i'm so happy to be back

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kazziemuse · 7 years ago

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Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie - Review!

My History with Hey Arnold!

Hey Arnold! It’s about time! Before I dive into the Jungle Movie itself, a note from history and the person writing this review. At the time of this writing, I am 29 years old. Yes, I am a late 80’s baby! And with that, I grew up in the 90’s…When we didn’t all have cell phones, the internet, online multiplayer gaming, and going outside to explore was daily life. What else was good about the 90’s? The cartoons…and, one specifically? Hey Arnold.

I remember at the time, Hey Arnold was a new thing in 1996. It would air during a two-hour time slot dedicated to after school cartoons called CITV. My Nan would pick me up from school at 3:00pm, and we would be home by 3:30pm, just missing the first cartoon. That was ok though, because beyond all else, my favorite by far was Hey Arnold. I used to sit with my Nan watching, and because Hey Arnold was SUCH a real-life show, it got my curiosity running wild. There was so much in this show that grabbed me, that taught me and that made me feel certain emotions for the first time. I would spend hours thinking about episodes and bugging my nan with questions about what we just saw. It must have driven her crazy.

In the many years that I watched CITV after school, not many cartoons from that time period stood out to me as well, apart from of course…Hey Arnold. And, I have fond memories of watching it with my Nan who, sadly passed away in the year 2000. I was 12 years old.

Hey Arnold “concluded” a few years later. And while I still loved the show, I was starting to move onto other things. Still waiting for TJM which, never came. In those early days of dial up internet, it was hard to find information if you didn’t know what you were doing. And thus, I entered my teenage years with the Hey Arnold book closed…But, for how long?

Fast forward to my early mid-twenties. OMG life, right? Real life? This sucks. Crisis after crisis…Let’s try and dive back into something that gave me some good feelings and thoughts. I know! I will dive back into some cartoons…Lets rewatch some childhood favorites, such as Recess and Hey Arnold.

Re-watching the Hey Arnold series as an adult was like watching a different show entirely. The emotion, the truth about how life can be so cruel, the real world problems these characters faced and most of all, Helga’s undying love for Arnold which of course, I shipped immediately. After finishing the Journal, I was devastated to find out the story of TJM being cancelled. I researched, signed the petitions and with little hope of Hey Arnold ever coming back…I counted my blessings and moved on into other fandoms, which would consume the next 5-6 years in terms of obsessions.

It wasn’t until about two years ago, I stumbled across the news that TJM would happen. And honestly? I was excited but not ecstatic. I had moved on and completely obsessed with other fandoms. More TJM information started to fly around, and I slowly started to become obsessed again. It’s only really in the last year or so, that I have re-watched the whole series, followed the news and subscribed to YouTubers. And with that, I’m hooked again.

Leading up to The Jungle Movie

So, with my history with Hey Arnold covered, was that really important? Yes! Because like many of fans, it’s a story of growing up with this show and how returning to the things you loved can bring back the same happiness. But now it’s time to dive into The Jungle Movie!

Where to begin? Craig gave us so much insight to this movie to get one internally screaming! But, at the same time, he didn’t reveal too much as to give us the whole plot. The balance was truly perfect. We would have the answers that we wanted. Where are his parents, and would Arnold and Helga ever be?

SDCC 2017. The first sneak peek is shown and boy! I remember that afternoon so well. My heart was skipping beats watching. Look at this! Look at the animation, how spot on the voices are, look at how true they are to the original characters. It felt like an absolute dream! No revival can be this good? Can it? The more and more footage and screenshots that got released…The more and more I got obsessed and excited. Honestly, at first I wasn’t too keen on Arnold and Helga’s animation. I felt at times it was too different from the main series, especially Helga. That point aside, we were still getting The Jungle Movie soon! And I’m sure it’s not going to ruin anything for me. Hell, it might even grow on me!

In the leading months and weeks to TJM being aired, it had become my main obsession again. Craig’s weekly to daily Instagram posts became something I kept checking my phone for; the previews got me running from my desk at work to a toilet, so I could watch and fangirl in private. This was amazing! I knew this ship would soon be canon! But also, we would find out the answer to the biggest Hey Arnold Mystery of all time: Arnold’s parents.

By now, I was part of Facebook groups, being as active as possible in YouTubers live streams, meeting other fans at ComicCon, and the best part…Making friends within the Hey Arnold community. I was so ready for The Jungle Movie.

The Jungle Movie

As a 10-year-old watching the show back in season 1, I would’ve had a glass of orange juice. Now, as a 29-year-old watching the premier of The Jungle Movie for the first time, I had a glass of wine in hand. The movie kicked off, and the palpitations in my heart were disturbing my comfort. But I didn’t care, Arnold was back on my screen for the first time in many years.

The first dream sequence was painful and emotional. He finds them, but they keep leaving him? This must be a huge fear for him. The wine is needed and straight away this film is grabbing me, it had my emotions from the first scene. Buckle up girl…It’s going to be a long night! Arnold subsequently wakes up, and the main plot of the film is evident. But, this is a cartoon! Cartoons are meant to be funny! Luckily, Hey Arnold has that balance of comedy and emotion, because here enters Grandpa and Grandma to smooth over that first hill of feels. The boarders haven’t changed apart from a slight change in voice, but nothing that’s upsetting. And a pig eating bacon? No I quite agree, that is not ok haha!

With Arnold meeting Gerald on his stoop with friendship thumb wiggle, accompanied by familiar backing of jazz music, it’s apparent that Hey Arnold has kept that original vibe. And I couldn't be more excited to see what was in store! Like bumping into Helga in the next scene. Classic! Helga’s introduction into the movie was our typical old Helga. Leaving her temporary home at the beeper emporium while arguing with her father Bob.

The Jungle Movie has aged with the current time in terms of technology. The characters are only a year older from the original series. Beepers (or, pagers as they are known here in the UK) are not a ‘thing’ anymore with the ever-growing cell phone industry. A small but clever gag was Phoebe explaining what a beeper actually was to our younger audience watching. On another note, Bob’s company is failing as beepers are now obsolete. You get what you deserve Bob!

We see our main characters bump into each other just like tradition. Helga’s behavior hasn’t changed (thankfully). She is still love struck, but quickly raising her defensive walls (shout out to Francesca Marie Smith for keeping her character so true). But one thing that really struck me about this encounter was Arnold. He was reacting to her differently as he would in the original series. Instead of his normal frustration at Helga scolding him, he just smiles, offers to help her up and laughs to her attempts to push him away. “Whatever you say, Helga” with an almost flirtatious look on his face. Wait WAIT, why is he acting like this? Is this a call back to him knowing her feelings after the confession at FTi? Very interesting!

We move onto what seemed like a classic episode of Hey Arnold. Arnold and Gerald working as a team to win a contest. Helga scheming to help then win in a hope to win his affection, and ultimately them winning leading onto the main plot of the movie. I thought this was an incredibly clever call back. It was like being back in that Hey Arnold magic. It felt so true and pure to the original series.

Arnold Shortman, A 10-year-old signing his passport and confirming a long term mystery of his surname. Which was right under our noses for the last 20 years. So, Mr. Shortman, you promised your Grandpa not to search for your long lost parents. Your grandma is hilariously dressed up as a Jungle explorer. Keeping her wacky antics is nothing but a pleasure to watch. Are you ready to go? What could possibly go wrong?

Olga is coming! What could possibly be worse for Helga? Again, the writing stays true to the original show. Helga living in Olga’s shadow and being neglected by her father in favor of Olga. Sad but true. I feel that the amount of neglect Helga experiences from her dysfunctional family reflects on the way she feels her emotions so strongly. She has a lot of love to give and just wants to be loved in return. She is so used to disappointment and neglect which is why she puts up her defensive walls and bullies people away. She doesn’t want to get hurt. The only thing she can express is anger. I feel that is why it is so difficult for her to show the real love filled Helga. She is expressing herself in the only way she knows possible that will keep her safe. But over time we see her brave enough to let her true self seep through…More on this later!

We see our favorite class of PS 118 saying goodbye to parents and loved ones. A huge call out to Mr. Simmons, who is saying goodbye to his gay partner. We don’t see LGBT awareness much in cartoons. As someone who is part of the LGBT community myself, I felt this was a very warming addition. Thank you Craig and team! On the subject of Mr. Simmons… How hilarious was he with his agenda? From the fictional city of Hillwood, to the fictional country of San Lorenzo, my friends, welcome to the jungle.

Here we are guys, after how many years, speculation and imagination…We are finally here with Arnold and his class in San Lorenzo! But remember to be at the docks at 3:00pm to catch the boat down river. Our captain is Eduardo; anything suspicious about him? Many of us from the get-go were suspicious about “Eduardo.” Now here he is, in front of us ready to pilot this boat, and straight away he is fixated on Arnold. And what the hell did he say about tuna anyway? (Yes, I know it was Fortune ;)) Sure, it COULD be his parent’s best friend. We don’t actually have any recent images of him and he may have aged…I mean…He seems friendly, welcoming and genuine. So far anyway, right? But we all know…this “Eduardo” fellow has a huge part to play and we all know it’s not going to be in Arnold’s favor.

It’s our PS118 students as funny as they were 15 year ago. And, I for one am so happy to see them keeping us entertained with their old antics. Arnold, however, is away from his friends and with “Eduardo,” speaking of his parents and hoping to find some answers. But remember, he promised not to go looking for them and Arnold is a boy of his word…right?

I felt Arnold was more out of character than anyone in this movie. But who can blame him? He has the opportunity that he has waited for his whole life: to find his missing parents. With such an opportunity, Arnold takes a risk under false assumptions, which inevitably leads himself and his friends to danger.

Speaking of Arnold being out of character and his development…something stuck out to me and few other fans about his behavior towards certain friends. We see Arnold obviously concerned for his friends’ safety and how he is struggling to keep composed after he is sworn to secrecy by “Eduardo.” Gerald, his best friend of whom Arnold never hides anything from, is the first to confront him. And to my shock, Arnold hides the truth even though Gerald is not oblivious to the fact something is going on…Arnold?

Instead, Arnold opens up to Helga…HELGA. And poor Helga…she has struck up the courage to finally (and again) confront Arnold about her feelings. Hoping that her efforts to get him there to San Lorenzo had nudged at his heart strings, Helga is frustrated when Arnold opens up about his fears of getting his friends in danger while he plans to look for his parents. Again, he opens up to Helga, and not Gerald. Is this maybe a sign of his feelings and trust in her?

We can understand Helga’s frustration and feels of rejection when Arnold dodges out again of her confession. Even though technically, they were having two completely separate conversations. Helga takes this as the last straw. To all of our gasps, she gives up all hope of Arnold retuning her feelings and destroys the most precious thing in her possession since day 1: her heart shaped locket of Arnold. Devastating right? Brainy?

The vibe of the movie is certainly starting to take a turn into unfamiliar territory. Craig Bartlett said, “Friendships will be tested,” and I guess, these are those tests. When you think things couldn't go anymore wrong for our gang, well…it does. They are attacked by river pirates. Eduardo, claiming Lasombra is behind the attack, tells Arnold to hide and forget about his friends…hmm…still trust him, Arnold? By this point, any trust I had in this guy was completely gone.

Epic sword battles, fights and rapids. Our PS 118 friends take the most dramatic journey of their lifetime. Clinging on for dear life, we are all on the edge of our seats hoping that no one falls overboard…Even Curly, who is having the time of his life up on the crows nest. After a rough ride, we end up ship wrecked. We can breathe a sigh of relief that no one is thrown overboard, apart from poor Eugene. But who didn’t see that one coming? But never fear, He’s ok! As he is his own lifeboat.

With some truths coming to light about Arnold being involved with why the attack happened, trust and friendships begin to suffer. It was heart breaking seeing Arnold being avoided by his friends…Only “Eduardo” there to help him up during their long-suffering hike to the safety of the camp. But for me, Rhonda absolutely stole the spotlight here… Come one, We are all Rhonda…taking selfies, refusal to part with one’s luggage and being absolutely traumatized at the thought of hiking through the jungle. Her reactions and deliverance had me laughing so hard. That is certainly something I would like to see more of in Hey Arnold future.

The montage of our PS 118 class traveling through the jungle was a chance to demonstrate some of our characters individually. It was fun to see Nadine having the time of her life collecting weird and wonderful bugs, Sid crying on the floor after the unfortunate demise of his beetle boots (good call back there), and Rhonda struggling to just do…well anything. These kids never fail to make me laugh, even today! They all have something special and individual about them.

We are about halfway through the movie now, and if you made it this far, thank you for sticking with me! Now, let’s move on to what we have suspected all along…“Eduardo,” right? Wrong…if you didn’t suspect something of this guy, then go back and watch again, because this guy had something about him from the get-go. Our “Eduardo” is actually none other than the film’s villain…Lasombra. DUN DUN DUNNNNNN.

We then learn the true intentions of the class trip to San Lorenzo. It was all a scheme conducted by Lasombra just to get Arnold there. Unfortunately for our football headed amigo…he’s already put a lot of his trust in this guy. And he was wrong to trust someone who won’t give out a Wi-Fi password.

As the story continues, I felt nothing but mixed emotions. I found myself laughing, and then soon wiping tears from my eyes. We have so many sad moments that tug at our heart strings. Helga’s monologues expressing her love for Arnold have always been some of the most rewarding scenes from the whole Hey Arnold series. The writing and deliverance from Francesca is nothing short of spectacular, and let’s face it. We’ve all been there! Arnold giving up whilst in-prisoned hit me so hard. His voice was full of regret and defeat. Arnold, the boy who is always so optimistic, has given up.

It takes Helga to talk him out of his depressive state, and to accept the challenges ahead of them. Helga is already sticking to her guns and coming out of her comfort zone to assist Arnold. Seeing her comforting him and really being there to offer her support, which Arnold accepts is just so heart-warming! A sign of things to come with these two? Maybe.

Secret pathways, using beepers to create a homing beacon, and a pig eating shrimp cocktail in first class? The only thing missing from this movie is violence…wait no, it’s got that as well. I was surprised to see such brutal deaths of Lasombra’s guards. Although it’s kept fairly ‘clean’ with no blood (thankfully), we do see a guy getting hit by multiple arrows, one guy plummet to his death, and another bunch of guys getting crushed by rocks. That’s quite a few on screen ‘implied’ deaths. Who said TJM had no action?

I doubt this movie could mess me up more than it already had, but boy was I wrong. The emotions were about to kick into overdrive, and I have only had 1/4 bottle of wine left by the time Arnold, Helga and Gerald had found the Green Eyes. The answers to all our questions of the past fifteen years were soon to be revealed. As a long time fan of the show, it was so special getting to see these mysterious beings for the first time. The way they acted, spoke, lived and looked was something one could only imagine for all this time. Not only were we about to get our answers, but so was Arnold.

The hidden city of the Green Eyes was absolutely spectacular. The animation and the amount of detail put into this habitat was an eye saw which dropped jaws. We soon learn of the heartbreak that happened to this society: the adults were all asleep…for the past nine years! While nine years of sleep sounds like a luxury to most of us, joking aside, for these kids they have been functioning on their own for all that time. We start to learn about the final moments recorded of Arnold’s parents: the murals. WOW, was this hard-hitting. It’s the first sign of his parents that this poor kid has had in years, and you can tell just how desperate he is for answers.

The final pieces of the puzzle were starting to fall in place. It was just down to Arnold to do that final act. The problem being, it’s still a puzzle. And Arnold has no idea what to do. Before he can even start to figure it out…yep, what we were all waiting for: Lasombra.

Now, how many of you expected a young chief to throw a blade at Lasombra…A BLADE. I mean how badass was that? Followed by our trio and gang of Green Eyes kicking the wind out of this guy, unfortunately he was armed with a sword, and no one wants to go up against that unarmed. So, we all know what’s going to happen now. Lasombra is going to take what he came for with Arnold in tow.

Dragging an unwilling Arnold by his side, Lasombra reaches the (classic) rickety old wooden footbridge with the certain death plunge below. As they cross, we see Helga and Gerald appear behind them. Despite Arnold’s warnings and pleads, Helga and Gerald continue without any considering for their own safety. I mean wow, this thing is hanging by a thread, and these two kids are attempting to cross just to save Arnold. Can we get a round of applause for completely bravery and loyalty here? But this is a cartoon, that bridge won’t snap right? RIGHT?

Arnold has a dilemma in front of him. He has to solve this puzzle fast before his friends plummet to their deaths. OK that’s cool…it’s not like I’m already on the edge of my seat or anything. Arnold faces the Corazón with his amulet in tow. Sweat pouring down his head and full of determination to save his friends, we see his green eye tracing the steps needed to unlock the treasure inside. Once unlocked, Arnold is pushed to aside and Lasombra looks directly at the heart of gold in all of its pure beauty. Unfortunately for him…he is not as pure and ends up with a poisonous dart in his forehead.

Screaming in pain and heading for the cliff edge which, he inevitably falls off, (yeah byeeeee). Arnold is finally free to help his friends who are still clinging on for dear life. Our hero slips, falls and only just manages to grab onto the same plank Gerald and Helga are clinging onto. Now, top up that glass of wine here guys, because this is where is I almost downed a whole glass. Arnold and Helga meet each others eyes and they just widen. You didn’t need any dialog to know what was going through their heads here. Arnold was finally seeing Helga for her true self, her bravery, her loyalty and that she really does love him. Here they are about to die, and all of this is too late to act upon. They just stare at one another waiting to die, talking only with their eyes. Would somebody please throw them a life line before I jump at my TV?

That life line is finally delivered from the REAL Eduardo, and I can finally breath. There is hope! One thing that grabbed me about what happens next, while Eduardo starts explaining what has happened and how he has been following them. Helga is taken in by the Corazón. Now, I remember back in The Journal, Miles stating to not to look directly into it because they say it’s too sacred. But yet here is our girl Helga��mesmerized and staring directly at it with her hands placed on her heart. No poisonous darts being fired at her. Yes…I was worried for a moment there.

Of course, Lasrombra isn’t dead and climbs his way back up the mountain to finish what he started. With the two fully grown adults getting into a fight over a mustache, pushed and thrown. Helga is the first to run in to assist dragging a bag to place over Lasrombra’s head and using her fist “Old Betsy” to smash him in the face a good few times. This girl is just outstanding and an overall badass. Unfortunately, we see the Corazón fall off the cliff edge to be lost(?). Lasombra finally meets his ends once the poison takes its final effect and he once again falls to his death. “He died like he lived, full of poison.” 10/10 for the sass there Eduardo.

From one heart wrenching scene to another. Now, with Eduardo in tow, he is able to translate the native Green Eye’s language. Once back at the hidden city, Arnold is finally told his parents are there, and that the Green eyes will take them to where they lie. Um, Excuse me? Where they LIE? Could that mean? No…you can’t do this to me…after all these years and the last hour of pure emotional feelings. You’re now going to tell me they are laying there peacefully? I honestly by this point was on invested into the story being told that I hadn’t put two and two together like most of you have already. Instead, I was off my sofa bitterly nose to my TV in suspense to finally find out what happened. As Arnold entered the room, seeing them there pale-faced, sleeping so peacefully hand in hand…I whispered no to myself while a stream of tears started running down my face. I was literally Arnold by this point. After all those years here they are…And here is Arnold seeing them for the first time.

“Are they-?” No, It’s the sleeping sickness. OF COURSE! Wait that means…they are alive? They are alive? I actually laughed as I let out a small laugh in relief. And no, I really didn’t catch on that they had caught the sleeping sickness, not in 15 years. As it was explained that the Corazón was the cure, my heart fell again. But no, it can’t end like this, There HAS to be a way right? Seeing Arnold crying over his parents’ lifeless bodies while Helga and Gerald look on in complete shock was heart breaking. But of course, our girl Helga has a solution.

I honestly didn’t know how Helga would fix this. They knew what they needed and what they had to do. But, they had lost the Corazón. When Helga approached Arnold with a possible solution, I fully expected her to hand him the Corazón. I thought maybe she had taken it while she was staring at it. That was the only thing my mind could muster in those few seconds. I never expected her to open out her hands and present Arnold her golden locket with his picture in. That object that has been a huge symbol of her life for so many years, she is sacrificing so much in that one moment. It’s not only her most precious possession, it’s her true identity. Everything she has kept hidden and inside for so long was out on offer to help Arnold.

This selfless act was causing more and more tears to flow from my eyes. I later thought about this more in depth and theorized the following: Helga mentions her locket is just gold plated and it’s not pure of heart. Now, how would Helga know the Corazón was a pure heart? And anything in its place would need to be pure? Because she stared into the Corazón and felt that pureness. This is why I think she didn’t get a poisonous dart shot at her. Because of that connection with pure hearts, and Helga’s heart is a pure as they get.

Helga doesn’t think highly enough of herself to feel that her locket will work. It takes Arnold to give her that push in confidence and guys, this couldn’t have been more cuter or tear jerking if they tried. “I think your heart is more pure than you know.” He finally understands her.

Pure hearts, loyalty, dedication, love, friendship, determination and Brainy being a saint in retrieving Helga’s locket got us to where we are now. We are about to witness what we have all wanted from Hey Arnold in so many years. Helga’s locket worked, and the cure rains down upon those in deep slumber. Butterflies start to flourish as the cure takes effect. Does that mean? Arnold runs to his parents’ chamber with the most dramatic heart sobbing music in the background. This was it, finally the moment we had all be waiting for, his parents…Arnold parents, of whom have been missing for nine years with no contact. In front of Arnold eyes, they wake from a deep slumber and the first thing they see is their baby. Hey, Arnold. His eyes replicate my own as he runs towards them. He did it, and I couldn’t be more happy even though I was a sobbing mess with no wine left.

The story was concluded. The mystery which lingered for over a decade was now solved. Arnold stood with his parents and celebrated along with the Green Eyes. Miles and Stella’s work was finally complete. It’s a sight we all wished we could see for so long. But our hero wasn’t there? And even after just being reunited with his parents, Arnold noticed Helga sneaking off. Helga was trying to retrieve her locket, which I thought was both a funny and sweet touch. Because after everything, that locket still symbolizes so much to her. After being interrupted by Arnold, Helga still tries to put on her tough girl front and hides her true self still, but Arnold is no longer blind to who Helga really is. With his words, we know that Arnold is seeing through her, seeing the real Helga and finally, after seeing her being so brave, loyal and willing to give up so much for him, he is ready to accept her love.

Even though Arnold didn’t outright say how he feels about Helga, I am a true believer of actions speak louder than words. We have seen how Arnold has acted towards Helga his entire movie. He silenced Helga, she literally had no come or no way out for the first time ever. His act of confirming how he feels about her is sweet beyond words. He takes her hands and offers her a mutual kiss like a true gentleman. The two of them share a moment with their lips locked, and it couldn’t be more beautiful. I was almost angry when Gerald walked interrupted the moment.

The adventure was over. Arnold wakes up in his bed and he is immediately concerned. Oh no you don’t, do not tell me that was all a dream. I am screaming profanity at my TV whilst a near identical scene is played from the beginning of the movie. Was that really all a dream? Please for the love of raspberries no. Please, please no. Arnold’s eyes widen and fill with tears when he thinks that it was indeed just a dream. But they wouldn’t do that to us…and in come Miles and Stella with breakfast for our forever moaning group of boarders. We have never seen Arnold so happy, Wide smiles and dancing on the spot at the sight of his parents back home. I must admit, I really did hold my breath for a second there!

Seeing Miles and Stella home and comforting Arnold is something I never thought I would see. And here it was. It was the sweetest conclusion and satisfying conclusion to the longest story. I would love to see them spend time together, but it’s the worst day of school. Repeating from one of the first scenes of the movie, we see Arnold and Gerald meeting Helga and Phoebe on the corner. But THIS time, things are a little different. There’s no classic bumping into one another. Gerald and Phoebe lead the way hand and hand leaving Arnold and Helga wondering if they should follow suite. While Arnold does attempt this making Helga (and all of us watching) swoon. Helga still ups her defenses and grabs her hand back. I can understand why people would questions her actions here, but I’m kind of happy they left that part of Helga in. This is still her character and she is not going to change overnight. She still keeps her guard up and she has a lot to learn in accepting Arnold’s effect in public. Still, the fact that she smiles as she walks off is a huge development. And don’t worry folks, Arnold isn’t put off by her…he runs after her with that same flirtatious smiley face.

A nice final touch is Arnold’s parents missing him and offering to walk him to school. That final look from Arnold as he enters his school with all his friends and Mr. Simmons declaring he still has a job after the jungle ordeal…that look in his eyes, looking back at his parents looking for him, waiting for him. And that smile knowing that they are never going to leave him again. THAT my friends is how you end a movie.

Conclusion

Nothing is perfect, but the Jungle Movie sure offers some closure. Every time I watch this film, I notice something new. The amount of detail in the background is admirable. They are like paintings. The texture, the colour, the ambience of them is just beautiful. The background animation of characters is incredibly detailed. Instead of just having a still image, I constantly found background characters to be animated and reacting, especially Helga.

The music in this film was gripping, and well suited for the story. A mixture of classic Hey Arnold style Jazz and hip-hop. South American Latin, full orchestral pieces. The emotion was most certainly intensified with the music backing. Hats off to Jim Lang. In cartoon revivals, one thing that is difficult to recreate are those voices. I can honestly say the returning cast and new cast did an absolute fantastic task of both recreating and advancing the characters. It was like watching an old and new show at the same time.

Overall, The Jungle Movie was everything an old school fan like myself could have hoped for. I am not only incredibly satisfied with what we have been given but, I am also thrilled for those who worked on this project for so many years. The creator, Craig Bartlett and his team and the fans who campaigned to make this happen. It’s a fine example of determination, love and appreciation for one another, which isn’t expressed much in today’s world. I am so happy with The Jungle Movie, and I finally have my closure from this epic story.

I can bet, if my Nan were still around today, she would be the one asking me all the questions. And, while I type up my final words, I feel a small part her sitting with me for the first time in many years.

#hey arnold #hey arnold tjm #hey arnold the jungle movie #hey arnold season 6 #arnold shortman #helga pataki #nickelodeon #craig bartlett #the jungle movie

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moonlightcrossfire · 5 years ago

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HOW I GOT MYSELF TOGETHER ?

HOW I DECIDED TO GET MYSELF TOGETHER?

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16

Hey guys! I know it's been a quite while I haven't posted anything here, it's just I've been through extreme moment of indecisiveness and doubt with plenty plenty plenty of breakdowns, hesitation and fear.

Fear of what? Of not being able to get myself together and make everything move through the correct path. If you're a huge procrastinator, a reluctant soul that has that hidden glow that's afraid to step outside, hope this helps you and be your sign to get your shit together.

Don't you ever get that feeling in your insides that makes you feel strange? Makes you feel there's something wrong? Or most likely, can it be a sign that'll push you to change your life?

I got that feeling that twirled my insides and let guilt build through me and sneak into my blood, it was screaming that I was wasting my time and indeed I was. Then, I automatically smiled and I felt clips of my future self flashing in front of my eyes, I realised back then that I didn't want to be that girl who spends her day in her sweatpants watching TikToks or scrolling through Instagram watching people reach places when I know I can reach the same places, does it make sense?

PSA: Sweatpants will always be the greatest piece of clothing ever made for women.

When I got that vibe, I knew my energy wouldn't lie to me. My mood changed real quick, from depressed and doubtful to someone who's sure of what she wants to do and where does she want to reach.

In a night full of stars, here's how I decided to change the way I lived:

1. Wake up early everyday, even on weekends.

All those who know me know that I run to my bed as soon as the clock says 9:00 PM, sometimes 8:30. They'd be like, "What makes you go to bed so damn early?" "The night is still in its beginning, at its finest, why would you want to sleep now?" Etc etc.. and my answer would be that I'm exhausted or I don't like staying up late, boring answers I know, it's just the way it is. However, it's been scientifically proven that sleeping early and waking up early increase your life's longevity, and sleeping for less than six hours will make you susceptible to illnesses. The health benefits of sleeping early are endless, do your research! The point is, waking up early doesn't only have you ready the day with positive energy but it makes you more organised if you're a busy person occupied with school, career, hobbies or interests. Take advantage of sleeping early!

2. To Do lists are your new best friends.

The best timings to write your to-do lists are either before you go to bed or after you wake up. To Do lists are known for keeping you on track, it helps you plan your day and accomplish things you postponed to go out with your friends or ignoring what you gotta do to finish another episode of your favourite show and end up forgetting what you have to do. Get a journal or a planner and take it EVERYWHERE you go, jot down reminders, appointments, chores, anything that won't make you forget your duties. By doing that, you'll feel responsibility has grown to be a part of your existence, neatness and organisation as well. Personally, in my To Do list I writ down tasks that I believe I can finish in a day. For example, doing homework, writing a new chapter for the new project I'm writing, make character maps, take pictures for my VSCO, write excerpts to post on MoonlightCrossfire, etc etc. When I write my first to do list I tried my hardest not to procrastinate, it was quite difficult not to procrastinate but I accomplished 70% of what I wouldn't have done if I was on my phone all the time. So, start writing your first To Do list right now!

3. Read affirmations, pray, set goals.

I've heard that reading affirmation boosts your mood to a certain extent. I believe it's what law of attraction is about. For who doesn't know what Law of Attraction is, it's the law which uses the power of the mind to translate our thoughts and turn them into reality. Specifically talking, if you think positively, the positive things will come to life. Reading affirmations such as calling yourself beautiful or believing you can do whatever you want to do or striving to love yourself more and being grateful for whatever God has given to you will make you see thing from a bright perspective. Try calling yourself beautiful in front of the mirror, our conscience will hug you and warmth will contaminate your skin.

Praying for a beautiful day or a better life or a respectful job or a happier self by means making your relationship with God a genuine relationship even if you aren't religious will turn your tables. Whenever you get the chance to pray, do it for yourself before anyone else.

Setting goals whether they're near goals or future ones will make you feel more stimulated by clinging more to them as passion eventually strengthens, that's when you know that you should never give up on things you find your peace of mind into and unleashes your true self to.

4. Focus on your education.

I'm an average student, my grades are like rollercoaster, I reach high highs and get unfortunate grades, it's pretty normal. I maintain a good score by giving my best to subjects I love and find myself flexible in studying such as literary subjects, as for scientific subjects however I don't mind a passing grade. When you study the subjects you love and feel like shining in them, you'll study them with so much effort yet so relaxed because you are aware of your abilities in these subjects. On the other hand, the subjects that you feel like you study them for the sake of passing, you need to build a mentality that you know passing these classes will bring you closer to achieve your dreams. You have to know that the path to reach your dream life will be full of thorns and and barriers to reach the sunshine and butterflies.

5. Eating healthy + moving more.

Sleeping early isn't enough for a drastic life change if you sleep with a mouth full of chocolate or a bag of chips or a burger. I'm NOT saying you should kill your evil cravings, but try to do a little bit of swapping. Pinterest is full of recipes and swaps that will statist your craving and at the same time revives you instead of slowly killing you. I've realised that a little bit late and I felt something blocking my throats that I won't eat as much McDonald's as I used to, but we have to let go of things that makes us happy sometimes. (McDonald's is the love of my life :/) Healthy food isn't as bad as people make it look like, we convince ourselves that they're not flavourful to run back to fast food and satisfactory foods.

If you're a lazy person like I am that moves from a couch to another and considers it a workout, you might want to read this. Doing chores will have move automatically and as you move you are helping your body become more flexible, you burn calories and you feel lightweight. At school or work or stuff, try to walk as much as you can, it keeps you alive.

Last but foremost, when I write my to do list, I write a water tracking list that makes sure I drink 8-10 cups of water a day. Water is your life saviour, it keeps you hydrated, helps you lose weight, keeps you in the bathroom so you won't get involved with bullshit and drama + it clears your skin. Who said detox water isn't recommended as well? Water with lemon and mint is my favourite water detox combination, you can add pomegranates too!

6. Limit distractions and use of electronics.

Your series can wait, your friends can wait, your lover can wait, your family can wait but your future doesn't wait for you. Why? Because you chase your future, it is not your future that chases you. It is preferable to limit the use of electronics while working or studying. I'm teaching myself to get used to not be on my phone a lot, I'm teaching myself to focus without looking at my phone and surrender to surf social media, I'm teaching myself to resist it. You should learn resistance, too. Try to use your electronics when you're 100% done with all your tasks on your to do list, you won't have anything to carry on your shoulder and you can check your friends' posts and stories or watch some celebrity tea.

7. DON'T KILL THE VIBE, CREATE PLAYLISTS!

Ever since I downloaded Spotify I made different playlists for different moods and I honestly love them all and vibe to them with my heart like I can't explain how I am passionate about my music taste. The fact that people make fun of the music I listen to because I don't listen to what they're used to listen to, not because the music I listen to makes me superior, it's just a matter of taste. When you listen to music you love, your happiness hormones boost your body, mind and soul. When your body, mind and soul are full, your creativity becomes limitless. I listen to music pretty much all the time specially when I'm writing, it gets me in the mood and I get so inspired by the stories every song holds. If you're a lover of music, you're forever young.

To sum up this blogpost, planning your life out and finding yourself and getting your shit together are major keys to reach your purpose. It will make your life much easier, enjoyable, satisfactory and pleasurable. Who doesn't want that? Then, learn to live your life the way you want to live it. They say you only live once, right? Live by this motto.

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morethanjustmediocremusings · 6 years ago

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Your Spring Break Horoscope Is Here!

Good evening scopers, and welcome to my first futile attempt at writing horoscopes. But alas, here I am, coffee in hand, and kimono tightly wrapped around my frame… its horoscope time baby!

Aries

Hey there trailblazers and happy birthday! Spring break is your time to break free. School and work can be suffocating and your fiery energy has been contained for far too long. Let loose Aries babies, have some fun in the sun, hike the intimidating mountain that even Instagram influencers fear, have mimosas at breakfast on a weekday, cut your hair into spring’s latest bob. Get out there and have fun this is (quite literally) your time to shine!

Taurus

Phew, we made it. Your strong work ethic has pushed you to success and now is time for some much-needed R&R. Head to the beach, hot or cold the negative ions will recharge your emotional battery and prepare you for an exciting spring season. This week of chilled out vibes, good company, and exploration is the perfect time for journaling. If you don’t already have one, buy one! Write about your day, write about the butterfly you saw while walking to Zumba this morning, write about the perfect new pair of spring boots you just added to your wardrobe. It doesn’t matter what you write, just as long as ink flows onto the page, you must be doing something right.

Gemini

Gemini, you just can’t sit still, can you? For spring break, you should run. Its marathon season, and training starts now! Weather your path takes you to your local park, or to San Francisco’s iconic Bay to Breakers, strap some sneakers on your feet and hit the pavement. Not only will the fresh air cure some of the S.A.D. blues, but it might even clear your head. Constant communication can seem appealing in today’s technology-driven society, but taking that hour in the day to focus on you and your own progress will do more than a group chat about Miley Cyrus ever will.

Cancer

Although overrun with patriarchal messages, its time to take a trip to Home Depot. Yes, you read that right. The land of orange aprons is calling your name. With a cart full of succulents, ceramic pots, tulip bulbs and some Miracle Grow, spring break is your time to create life. Plants keep us alive, metaphorically and otherwise, watching your little sprouts turn into teenager sprouts is one of the single most gratifying parts of spring. So Cancer, get out the shovels and dirt-covered gloves, this spring break is a time for nature.

Leo

Leo, oh Leo! Spring break is your ideal staycation. Put your hone in airplane mode and explore your city. Take the time to be a tourist in your own town, find a new coffee shop, wake up early and check out the farmers market. Pull out your widest brimmed hat and relish in your home. Switching perspectives is an important exercise, for everyone, but especially you, Leo. As headstrong and confident as you are, taking a second to look around and smell the roses right in front of you can revive the sparkle in your eyes just in time for the new beginnings often associated with spring.

Virgo

Pamper yourself this spring break. Make some appointments to freshen up your look. Always taking acre of others, spring break is the time to focus on you! DIY facemasks and red wine count as self-care this week, so open up a bottle of wo buck chuck, re-watch season two of New Girl, paint your nails, and cake your face with manuka honey because this spring break is all about you, Virgo!

Libra

Constantly in motion, your balance is hard to maintain. If you haven’t bought your Coachella tickets yet, today is the day. Sure, the lineup didn’t hit tabloids in the most positive way, but the experience of visiting Indio with your best friends is reason enough to plan some risqué festival outfits. Balance out all the hard work you’ve put into the year with a weekend in the desert. Check out some Palm Springs Airbnbs with your besties, plan the caravan, and get the tickets. Coachella is now on your schedule, get pumped.

Scorpio

Have your heard of Big Sur? It’s essentially a Scorpio’s perfect hangout. Moody forests and brooding seas allow for deeper connections with nature. Take a trip down the coast and lay low for a while Spring break doesn’t have to be booze, babes and boys all the time, sometimes a nice peaceful escape is needed to rebalance yourself within the constant whirlwind of today.

Sagittarius

Its margarita time baby! Pack your carry on with bikinis and tanning oil. Cabo is calling. Grab your girls and head down south, spring break is your time to take some risks (within reason). Chase the tides until sunset, mojito just became your middle name, matching friendship bracelets are a must, but be weary of inland sushi, no need to crush the happy vibe with food poisoning. Be careful Sagittarius, but most importantly, have some fun!

Capricorn

It may be spring break but your head is already looking at summer. Whether planning a vacation abroad or moving apartments, spring break is the perfect time to plan your summer travels. Book changeable tickets, spend hours grazing Pinterest for the best pho in New York. Pin down some details to make your summer the best it can be. Getting caught up in tomorrow can take away from today. Make sure you take some breaks and hang with old friends, make unexpected lunch dates with those you haven seen in years, they want to say hi too.

Aquarius

Ditch the watery dwellings for an inland escape this spring break, I’m talking road trip! There is so much to discover out there, so many Wes Anderson scenes to recreate in the back of a vintage car, so many ice-pops to melt, and red lipstick to be worn. Be daring this spring break, trust our instincts and ride high with your girlies. Look to Baz Lehrman for aesthetic inspo and Lana Del Rey for attitude coaching. Sassy and fierce you will ride into the sunset of a fantastic spring break.

Pisces

If there was ever a time to create Pisces, spring break 2019 is that time. Choose your medium and get going. Passion runs through your veins like water headed downstream, canvas, clay or otherwise get your hands dirty in doing something you love. That old film camera you got for graduation, now is the time; thinking about starting a bullet journal, carpe diem; aspiring film maker, move it or lose it. There is no time like the present Pisces, don’t overthink it, just get going.

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davidriddell · 5 years ago

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The perils of smartphone life (and how I thought about avoiding it)

A very stressful period of my life (culminating in some time off work) led me to have a think about the various stresses I have and how life used to be a lot simpler. Years ago I used to carry a book around with me, write in the paper journal that I had in my bag, make lists on various post it notes. It just seemed easier than when I have two phones vibrating in my pocket (work and personal), with multiple communication channels on each, and seem to feel the need to take out my phone whenever I have a moment. After having a few days break I noticed that I had been ignoring notifications and just swiping them away, letting my email build up and processing messages that weren’t important in batches (because how many messages that we receive are actually important?). So this led me to wonder if life without a smartphone might actually be easier.

When I first started work there wasn’t email (although it arrived pretty soon after) and there certainly wasn’t the incessant number of emails that I seem to get just now. I may write another blog post about work email culture and the fact that sending an email is often a brilliant way to get something off your to do list and onto someone else’s but it’d be digressing from the point just now.

Back in the day (around 2000) I had what, at the time, was my ultimate mobile phone, the mighty 8210. With a 650mAh battery (less than a sixth the size of most modern smartphones) it lasted a few days without charge easily and fitted very nicely in a pocket. Yes making calls on it was an exercise in avoiding hand cramp and it lacked any features that we’d expect nowadays but it worked, was perfectly acceptable for calls and you could send texts (remember when an unlimited text package was quite the contract feature).

Whilst I’d love to go back to something like that for just carrying around, most of my communication is on WhatsApp rather than text now so I’d just be cutting myself off from the benefits of (a limited number of) group chats. So what’s the answer for me? I figured that it may be a lower spec smartphone than I’d normally have, probably with a 5” screen or less, and a massive battery (>4000mAh ideally but 3000mAh may work) that had a limited number of apps installed. My vision was essentially a dumb phone but with WhatsApp - what I started calling a ‘dumbish’ phone. I’d get all the benefits of a modern phone (WhatsApp, camera, calendar) but with none of the distractions. I’d also buy a tablet, preferably with a pen, that I could use for email, Twitter etc. and tether to the phone when necessary. I figured that it would all cost about the same as a smartphone replacement (in my world that’s around £500 - 600).

So where did I get to with this? Whilst there were a lot of positives in my mind (and in others after reading some blogs) there were also downsides. The positives mainly revolved around a lack of distraction, beginning to take focussed time to deal with email and social media, and living more in the moment. But the negatives started to mount up:

The number of apps that I’d want on the phone started to increase. For example Spotify, a podcast app, maps, Instagram (makes it easier to post images)...

I actually use my phone a lot to pay for parking so I’d need to carry around lot more change (remember how much of a pain that was, particularly for work expensed parking?)

What about loyalty cards? I’d need to revive the little card carrier for those.

What 5” phones are there actually for sale nowadays? Maybe I didn’t have that good a look but I didn’t see many (that weren’t bloatware ridden Samsungs anyway)

Looking at the costs it’d work out quite expensive. For a decent 10” tablet I’d be looking at £500ish, more if I wanted a pen. I have an expensive MacBook that I don’t use enough so I’d struggle to justify around £1000 for the Google Pixel Slate.

An incidental finding from my research: I wanted to stay Android as but I’ll give it to Apple that they have cornered the market for a small phone and a combatively inexpensive tablet that work well together. But I have a very old iPad so have used iOS and just couldn’t face learning a new ecosystem.

So what was the conclusion of my thinking about this? Basically it all just seems a lot of money for very little benefit. Financially I’d be better keeping my current phone going for a while longer and then just replacing it with a not huge but decent smartphone. The big conclusion was that what I needed to do was to turn off all unnecessary notifications to minimise the distractions - pretty much everything aside from WhatsApp, texts and phone calls. I’ll carry around a paper notebook and write in it and set aside some focussed time for dealing with email (I already try to do this at work so why not at home?). Also I’ll carry around my MacBook when I am planning on doing some writing and try to not spend my time trying to do stuff on a 5.5” screen.

Time for a new phone is due in a couple of months so we can see how i get on until then. A delayed GWR train on Saturday evening gave me time to turn off all the app notifications and, three days in, it all seems to be working. I guess I’ll find out!

#smartphone

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toomanysinks · 6 years ago

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The future of news is conversation in small groups with trusted voices

Chikai Ohazama Contributor

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Chikai Ohazama is the founder and CEO of Muxgram, which offers messaging products like the upcoming Sunday Beagle. He previously co-founded Keyhole (Google Earth/Maps) and held leadership roles at Google for 11 years.

When I first came out to California, one of my favorite places to go for sushi was in downtown Mountain View. They had these little boats that would float around the bar, each carrying some sushi on a small plate. You just sat down and started picking out the ones you liked, and began eating — very efficient and also a little bit of fun.

I feel like my news consumption these days is like those sushi boats. I sit down and the news just streams by and I pick out the articles I like and read them. Very efficient and also a little bit of fun. But I’ve been stuck at the sushi boat bar of news for far too long, watching the same imitation crab rolls go by. I need a better way to consume better information.

As you probably guessed, that “sushi boat bar of news” is Facebook, Twitter and the like. The algorithmic nature of news feeds tends to target the lowest common denominator, and it can often pander to people’s baser instincts. That being said, it does have its place, and provides a glimpse into what is capturing the general public’s attention — but it can’t be the whole meal, and that is what it has become. It’s like people who eat McDonald’s for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s tasty, addictive, but very unhealthy in the long term.

So what can you do about it, how can you make a change?

Email newsletters have been making a resurgence in popularity, but they are hard to manage and sort through. Christopher Mims of The Wall Street Journal tweeted about this problem:

if everyone has an email newsletter and someone gets the brilliant idea to consolidate them in one place where they can easily be followed or unfollowed wouldn’t that realize the dream of an open standards-based, surveillance-free alternative to Facebook?

And then Steven Sinofsky had a witty response:

And let us name it is RSS.

Indeed, another “old” technology like email that people have been gravitating toward as an alternative to get their daily news. Wired has proclaimed that “It’s time for an RSS revival” and it has resonated with well-respected thought leaders like Brad Feld. But RSS has had a tumultuous past, mainly used by professionals who need to keep up with their respective industries, not by the average consumer.

If email newsletters or RSS were to become the replacement, it would need a new approach or framework, not just a rehashing of past products. But that is only half the problem. In this day and age, we have become accustomed to having our friends and other people around when we read the news. Even if you don’t make any comments yourself, news exists in a public conversation and people’s reactions, whether they be from your friends or celebrities, are often part of the news itself.

Now these public conversations can be very toxic and are the very reason people are fleeing and looking for alternatives, but I don’t think people want to turn the dial to zero and go back to the days of reading the newspaper by yourself over breakfast. I think people still want others around — they just want it to be safe and free from trolls.

I think people are seeking relief from the barrage of social media, not knowing who to trust any more and wanting a better channel to the truth.

When the web first started taking off, information propagated via the web and hyperlinks, and that world was dominated by Google web search. As Facebook and Twitter grew into prominence, information started to propagate via social networks. And now people are starting to get more and more of their information via messaging, which is looking to be the next step in the progression. You can already see this transition happening in places like India with WhatsApp, where it is becoming a major source of misinformation. And there are interesting experiments out there like Naveen Selvadurai’s README on Telegram, where he posts articles into a Telegram group.

But for the most part there hasn’t been much evolution or progress on the messaging side of the equation to adapt it to become more of an information propagation medium. It’s still mainly about casual conversation and has little overlap with the “news feed” use case. But given how things are changing, now may be a good time to push the boundaries of what messaging could become. I think people are seeking relief from the barrage of social media, not knowing who to trust any more and wanting a better channel to the truth.

I’m pretty confident that closing the circle to a closer, trusted group would be welcome by most people. It doesn’t necessarily mean just friends, but it could include trusted experts or voices in the community that can help shepherd people through the noise and distractions.

Mike Isaac recently started a newsletter called “Brain Dump” wherein he wrote about his thoughts on the privacy post by Mark Zuckerberg, but what caught my attention was a paragraph near the end:

this is at least in part why i started this newsletter. the form is a kind of weird semi-private hybrid — a public newsletter, sent directly to inboxes, which occasionally elicits one-to-one conversations with some of you (that i greatly enjoy). it makes me feel much better than scrolling through twitter and watching performative nastiness.

A public forum with a positive audience interaction model. Even Fred Wilson noted that his readers often email him directly with comments that lead to one-to-one conversations. I wonder if Fred enjoys it as much as Mike does.

I’m sure this doesn’t scale very well, but it provides an interesting starting point that aligns with where we are heading. The modern equivalent of one-to-one email conversations is private messaging, which is squarely where Facebook has declared that it is headed, and it is also where people spend most of their time communicating these days, especially with the advent of mobile. The email newsletter also needs a modern equivalent, and maybe it can learn something from podcasts, which is seeing a major rebirth these days.

As it so happens, podcasts have adopted RSS as a de facto standard for providing feeds to podcast aggregators. It has its shortcomings, but it’s doing the job well enough that it continues to be used and has become a requirement for any new podcast that wants distribution. Even though it may seem like an esoteric protocol from the internet days of old, RSS is woven more deeply into the fabric of the web than you might think.

So if we think about who could shepherd us through the noise and distractions, could people like Mike Isaac or Fred Wilson be the right voices that help guide us toward understanding the truth of what is happening in the world? They are two very different types of people with two very different motives, and sometimes they are at odds with each other.

Mike Isaac is a journalist for The New York Times, a publication that recently did a campaign with the slogan, “The truth is more important now than ever.” We live in a time where world-class journalism is dying and yet it is desperately needed. The free press has always been a watchdog for democracy and, as The Washington Post says, “Democracy dies in darkness.” Journalists are probably the most obvious group of people that can guide us, since it is at the core of who they are and it is their job to expose the truth.

Fred Wilson is a venture capitalist for Union Square Ventures. He has a financial interest behind much of what he writes about, but that doesn’t necessarily disqualify him from being an important voice in the community. There are many people who are often the subject of the articles written in The New York Times that should have a voice of their own. “The Players’ Tribune” is a media company built entirely around that concept, giving athletes a platform to connect with the world on their own terms. The critics are skeptical that this just sugar-coats their stories, but you can’t ignore testimonials like the father trying to get his son to enjoy reading and how Steph Curry’s story connected with his son like no other sports publication could.

So I believe it will have to be a diverse group of voices that will guide us, just like reading only one publication these days may not always give you the whole story. It will likely start with one-to-one conversations between those voices and their readers, but that will only be the beginning.

People are starting to wake up to the reality of the digital world we live in and realize they are not safe.

Just like teenagers will resort to using Google Docs as their chat application of choice at school, the olds are using whatever tools they can get their hands on to find a safe way to understand the truth of what is going on in the world today. There is a product waiting to be built that is optimized for this purpose, and I’m sure companies large and small are trying to figure it out. For some like Facebook, it is an existential question. For publications like The New York Times and The Washington Post, it’s an opportunity to re-establish themselves after the wake of the internet revolution. And for the entrepreneurs, it could be the chance to use the thin edge of the wedge to work their way to a larger success.

The reason this is happening now is that people are starting to wake up to the reality of the digital world we live in and realize they are not safe. If you use Eugene Wei’s framework, social capital has grown to be enormous, but that by itself is not the concern — it is because social capital has become a fungible asset that can be bought, sold and used in whatever manner you choose.

It was all fine when it was just YouTube and Instagram influencers peddling products and making money, but when you can use that same social capital to influence elections, it started to make people feel very creepy and unsafe. The game is changing from one of status that Eugene Wei so articulately describes in his post to one of trust. We’ve fallen down a couple of levels in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and safety has to be taken care of first before we can get back to esteem.

But we want to get back to trust and safety in a sustainable way, and for that we have to have the right business model. The tricky part is that trust tends to be inversely related to money. The more money you have, the less people trust you. I don’t think the general public trusts the billionaires to look out for their best interests, and the growing income disparity has only made it worse, spawning protests like “Occupy Wall Street” and political slogans like “We are the 99%.”

Ironically in the case of trust, a bank is a good analogy. People need to trust the bank to keep their money safe. If people trust a bank, more people will put more money into it. If they don’t trust the bank, then it will create panic and there will be a run on the bank.

In the context of social media, the currency is people’s attention and the bank is what is keeping people’s attention. People are losing trust in the current “attention banks,” so they are moving it out and trying to find a new more trustworthy place to store it. Again, to use Eugene Wei’s framework, the difficulty in migrating off of a social media platform will depend on how much social capital they have accumulated in the “attention bank” and if they can’t transfer that social capital easily, it will be much harder to leave. But for the average consumer, I don’t think they have much social capital, so it will be easy for them to leave. And when enough of the average consumers leave, there will be a mass deflation of the social capital value on the platform, so it will be easier for those “rich” people to leave also.

Now coming back to the business model. Just like banks make a profit by keeping other people’s money and lending it out to others, social media makes money by keeping other people’s attention and lending it out to others. The medium by which people’s attention is captured has moved from the printed page to an online web page, then an online web page to a social media post. And if the progression toward messaging is fully realized, then attention will migrate into a conversation, which would require a transformation of how people’s attention is lent out to others.

Keeping a dialog going between all parties, whether you like them or not, will only help us get closer to the truth.

This transformation is an opportunity to reinvent the business model. It still may fundamentally be about lending out people’s attention, but it may become much more tangible. If you go back to print media, when you purchased an ad in a magazine, you had to use the size of the readership as a proxy to gauge how much attention that was lent to you. If what you get instead is a conversation with a potential customer, it is much more valuable. A good indicator that this could be a good business model are companies like Intercom, which are creating tools to immediately engage in conversations with customers instead of just taking them to a landing page.

Now if you bring this back to people needing a better way to understand the truth of what is happening in the world, can we have frank and honest discussions about a product that may put the company that makes it in bad light, yet still have that company willing to advertise on the platform?

The answer to this question lies in private messaging. On a platform like Facebook and Twitter, where it is a public conversation, a “town square” as Zuckerberg calls it, then it is more likely to be a problem. But if the conversation is private or in a small closed group, then it is less likely to be a problem. If done correctly, it could be an opportunity to change people’s minds or clarify misunderstandings.

As we said before, it will require a diverse group of voices to guide us to the truth, and companies should have a voice in the conversation where people are talking about their products or services. It’s not too dissimilar to Yelp giving businesses a way to respond to reviews and defend themselves. I think it’s the fair thing to do, and what’s important is not who is right or wrong, but the conversation itself. Keeping a dialog going between all parties, whether you like them or not, will only help us get closer to the truth. Shutting them down will not. They just need to be safe and with people we trust.

If you walk down Harrison Street in San Francisco’s Mission District, you’ll come across a store front with blacked-out windows, right across from the award-winning restaurant Flour + Water, (where Steve Jobs famously got denied a table). The only writing you’ll find is on the front door, which says “By Reservation Only sasakisf.com.”

You would never know by looking at it, but it is also an award-winning restaurant owned by Masaki Sasaki, who earned a Michelin star when he was the chef at Maruya and also consulted for many other omakase restaurants in San Francisco. The restaurant seats 12 people and they offer only one prix-fixe menu nightly. When I want the best sushi both in quality and overall dining experience, this is where I go. Each bite sends you to another world and you can’t help but close your eyes to fully enjoy the experience. It is fitting that omakase is all the rage these days; an intimate experience with only the highest-quality fish, hand-crafted by a master chef.

I think this is where we are heading with our daily news consumption — private groups, only the highest quality, curated by experts that we trust. You can see this change already happening in people’s behavior, partly in reaction to recent events, but also because people are starting to educate themselves on how all of this technology works and what it means to them personally.

With that understanding will come action and people will begin to make different choices depending on how they feel about what they have learned. And that action will lead to opportunity for new and existing companies to provide a service that people want given what they now know.

source https://techcrunch.com/2019/04/07/stuck-at-the-sushi-boat-bar-of-news/

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avaycarter · 7 years ago

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They wore Black to the @goldenglobes and this New Yorker loved every minute of it! For the first time ever we are discussing #GoldenGlobes and #Fashion #TIMESUP #WhyWeWearBlack #MeToo

THIS IS NOT SPONSORED/COMPENSATED!

Award Show season is in full swing my butterflies.

For the history of my blogging career before and after most award shows I get a ton of news releases asking me to share what designers were worn, what makeup was used on who even what shampoo and haircare products were used.

I rarely blog about award shows and when I do it is usually not because of the Fashion, or the makeup, or the haircare products or the jewels they wore.

I rarely write about celebs on these pages either, when I do it is because of a charitable initiative or way they are giving back.

In December I blogged a bit about The Kennedy Center Honors for many reasons, including our President's notable absence from the ceremonies, which has been attended by The President of the United States since the inception of the ceremony, in case you missed it, my blog about it can be found HERE.

For the first time I am blogging about Fashion Choices at an Award Show, because They Wore Black and WHY they wore black:

Above: Left: Nicole Kidman, Allison Janney, Kerry Washington and Far Right: Penelope Cruz - this was borrowed directly from Golden Globes Website, and someone really should let them know they have this captioned wrong they have Penelope Cruz captioned as Salma Hayek - for shame Golden Globes, you need a new Editor!

#whywewearblack is a hashtag that was actually trending BEFORE the Golden Globes. The entertainment industry's most prominent female voices in the industry made a statement of solidarity with their Fashion choices and the #metoo movement strongly influenced the Golden Globes. The CNN has a great article on how the #metoo movement was coloring the Globes ahead of time HERE - it compiles some of the posts made by celebs who used their social media platforms to raise additional awareness. While the Golden Globes is an award show that many celebs have used their acceptance speeches in the past to share about causes they were passionate about, this year you knew those causes not only with a pin, not only in their speech, but the moment they stepped out on that carpet, it was a POWERFUL display of solidarity. I remember watching a recent Dave Chappele's Comedy Stand up Special, where he said something I had a recent conversation on, after all these allegations have come to light, if women don't keep up the momentum things will get that much worse and that much harder. On that I very much agree. And this Red Carpet was just that show of solidarity and strength I would love to see continue and grow bigger. I am a born and raised New Yorker, the color black is almost a daily uniform here, but to see that ocean of black on the red carpet of The Golden Globes filled my heart with pride. I live in a city where many woman have experienced sexual harassment, not just in the workplace but on the commute in the subway, just walking down the street and it is NOT acceptable. It has got to stop!

"We wear black in solidarity with men and women asking for equality, respect and meaningful change within all industries." ~Amy Schumer Rosario Dawson did a great job with her instagram video (follow her while you are there) in support of the efforts of Times Up Now and the Times Up Legal Defense Fund who utilizes the monies raised to subsidize legal support for men, women, disabled persons, LGBTQIA who have experienced sexual harassment, assault or abuse in the workplace. I also love her makeup free delivery on this one as well, way to go Rosario! She also thanks others who have come forward with their stories.

"It's time to celebrate each other - not just the nominees on our film and television screens but our storytellers who have bravely come forward and courageously shared their stories and liberated so many of us too." ~Rosario Dawson

Reese Witherspoon, Kerry Washington, Brie Larson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Tessa Thompson and Rashida Jones posted a video and you can find that one on Instagram as well on Kerry Washington's Page HERE (follow while you are there!) The group's efforts has driven donations to the legal fund which has raised over $15.7 million to date!

"Wondering #WhyWeWearBlack ?!?!?! Because we stand with YOU! We stand in solidarity. Together we can end harassment, discrimination & abuse. And create safety, inclusion, equity & parity! FOR ALL PEOPLE. ACROSS ALL INDUSTRIES" ~Kerry Washington

Above: Gal Gadot at the 2018 Golden Globe Awards

It annoys me to no end that the only thing people are focusing on about Gal Gadot is her $6 lipstick, I would rather focus on her solidarity to the cause instead. (And secretly admit that I hope the rumors are true about Lynda Carter joining her for Wonder Woman 2)

Women Empowering Women is how 2018 has begun, and this momentum needs to continue. And while it is sometimes a sore spot in personal conversations with parent friends, I am going to use my platform to remind women who are mothers with sons, that YOU need to teach your son how to be a gentleman, the way he treats women later has much to do with how you raise him NOW. Teach your son to wash his own dishes and laundry, sew his own buttons, iron his own clothes, seek a partner in life because he loves her, not because he needs a replacement mother. Be careful with music videos and listen to how his circle of friends refer to girls and young women, you can set good foundations. Women can't keep complaining about sexist pigs when they are raising them! We have to do better!

As Fashion has always been the yardstick by which women have been measured and let's face it how we often measure ourselves and each other, for women to turn the tables and turn their fashion on the most watched moment of the year on it's ear and use their very fashion - the thing men notice about us - and use it to make such a powerful political statement is one of the most amazing ways this year could have started in my opinion. While my Facebook feed has been filled with people 'who just wanted to see pretty dresses' and didn't want 'politics mixed in with their entertainment' - sorry, not sorry to all of you but wake up. Get Woke. If women don't stand up and fight for their place, fight for the respect they deserve and the equality they deserve in the workplace and beyond, we are going to be in trouble, these are going to be the longest four years in history with the person who wants to take us back to the 50's. That was the point of the show of solidarity people, we are not just stick figure Barbie's who need to dress pretty and put on a show, we are hard working human beings deserving of respect. And there is also the talk of Oprah Winfrey running for President. I have no idea whether or not she will or she won't, but I can tell you we need to use this impetus to channel and funnel it into a woman taking the White House in 2020. That is not going to be easy. But think about this, for any Presidential Election, it takes someone with smarts and resources (or the ability to drum up quite a bit of funding) - Oprah is smart, resourceful, always put her money where her mouth is, doesn't back down and has her own school for pete's sake, trying to think of a male candidate in the history of the Presidential Race who came into the game already having built schools.....can you think of one? In my opinion Presidential Elections have never been more than deciding who the lesser of two evils is. Don't you want your vote to stand for MORE than that? Don't you want to vote for a candidate that is smart, savvy, generous, informed and actually gives an eff about people and this planet? I know I do.

Above: Far Left: Tarana Burke, Social Activist and founder of the #MeToo (2006), Right: Michelle Williams, Actress at the 75th Annual Golden Globes. Aside from wearing black, many actresses also chose to walk the carpet with activists. This year entertainment reporters were tasked with more than just the "what are you wearing question", it was the "who you are with". And it often made them uncomfortable. But when the pre-carpet arrivals included Debra Messings talking about the wage gap at E! while being interviewed by E!, twitter was LIT and it was amazing to see! It is the #MeToo movement that colored this whole thing. Tarana Burke founded the movement in 2006, and at a very early age she was the victim of sexual assault, the movement picked up momentum again when Actress Alyssa Milano tweeted about it in response to the Harvey Weinstein Allegations unaware of the earlier movement. The movement was born when Ms. Burke met a young woman named Heaven who had shared with her a story of assault and Ms. Burke regretted not telling Heaven, 'Me Too' and sharing her story with that young woman, and that is how the movement was born. And now the movement has become a force to be reckoned with. I hate still seeing commentary that focuses on who started the movement, Tarana did. I hate the commentary talking about Alyssa taking anything away from women of color, she didn't do her research, that she didn't know the movement already existed. She posted as soon as she learned about it, and quite frankly if her tweets revived the IMPORTANCE of this movement, I'll take it. Women need to be outspoken and bring these stories to the light. When it took off again on social, women on my Facebook Feed shared their stories. It was incredibly moving and made my heart hurt to know so many women I actually know have been victims of assault or sexual abuse.

Above: This was me the year my #MeToo happened. While I only wrote #MeToo as a status update, I never really shared my story. I know many found it odd, I have been in journalism for over 20 years now. I'm a Bronxite. A New Yorker, and I am incredibly outspoken, especially about causes I am passionate about. (I started backwards so to speak, first as a Television News Writer, then Editor for a popular Newspaper, then went to Magazines, then when I went Digital in 2008 I was blogging for a high end handbag line before starting my own blog shortly after in 2009). I know many people were waiting for the whole story. Some sent Direct Messages, others just taggged me on their stories after seeing my status update with the hashtag. It seems only fitting to share my story now. As a College Sophomore I was attacked on Campus. I lived at home, that school has no dorms, and while I fought off my attacker and he did not succeed, it shook me to my core. At the time I was studying Taekwondo and while I am sure my Martial Arts Background worked to my advantage in taking back the control despite the element of surprise, it remains with me to this day. I have had a gun held to my head on a subway train although that was an attempted mugging, also not successful for my attacker, and incidents like this rob you of feeling secure in the places you visit everyday. The places you can't avoid, the places where you should always be safe. My Take:

I did not miss the annual pre-carpet Fashion Show one bit, I did LOVE the pre-carpet showing women standing up for women. Showing women highlighting the work of amazing activists, of women sharing their passions and not just the name of a Fashion House. MORE OF THIS, YES PLEASE.

And because I want you to be very careful on your responses, I was NOT wearing what I was wearing in this photo on either occassion, NOT that it should matter, I selected this photo because I am wearing a black dress and that is the year the incident occurred.

I hope PR firms do not even bother with their press releases about who was wearing what dress, what makeup, what shoes, what jewelry, again I focus on empowerment, all those other things are nice and have their time and their place, but please understand this award show and it's 'red carpet' was WAY more than that. WAY MORE THAN THAT.

Butterflies - Do you have a #MeToo story? Do you know someone who has a #MeToo story? If you posted yours be it your blog or your social channel, please share and by all means post the link to your story as well.

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post, all opinions are 100% my own! I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway & Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure. Things that lure this butterfly out of her cocoon: Technology, Travel, Fashion, Beauty, Spirits (Sparkling, Champagne, Prosecco, Sake, Bourbon, Craft Brews), Foodie Fun - really I'm such a *simple girl*.

They wore Black to the @goldenglobes and this New Yorker loved every minute of it! For the first time ever we are discussing #GoldenGlobes and #Fashion #TIMESUP #WhyWeWearBlack #MeToo published first on http://ift.tt/2ClTz23

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