Social media laziness

The world wide web puts a never ending amount of information right at your fingertips, but some aren't taking advantage of it. In fact, another product of the www, social media, has made people lazy. It is extremely easy to find the answer to just about any question on the web, and answers to the more difficult questions are discoverable with a bit of effort. However, since we're such a connected society it seems people now expect to not have to search for answers. When they have a question they just post it on Facebook or ask about it on twitter. When a person reads something they don't understand on social media they don't bother to open another tab on their browser and conduct a simple internet search. I implore you to put the limitless knowledge contained on the web to use. Find answers for yourself instead of just believing what someone else says. If your only source of information is your peers then you'll never have to make up your own mind. When you see something that is puzzling or a mysterious word just look it up yourself.

Movie review: The Way Way Back

Directed by: Nat Faxon, Jim Rash

Starring: Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Sam Rockwell, Maya Rudolph

Rating: A-

This coming of age movie has a strong message. As the lead character becomes more and more upset with his life he finds an outlet, and through that outlet he finds a new way of being. During this summer at the beach house of his mother's boyfriend, he learns he doesn't have to do or be what is expected. The movie is very relatable, as even if you haven't been through a similar situation you can understand. There is a very visible and palpable transformation in Duncan and many others, with the exception of Steve Carell's character. Man, that actor can play a terrible dickhead like no other. While I was rooting for certain characters as the end neared I kept hoping he would get hit by a bus. I know this is the type of reaction Carell and the directors were hoping for. Bravo! As for Toni Collette's character, any viewer could see the growing strain on her face and the more agitated way in which she carried herself. These changes in her character all lead to the climax and then the resolution, and which while we don't exactly know what will happen once the ride from the beach house is over, we have an understanding and assumption of what will happen. It is the outcome we have been hoping for.

Lies Shells told me

I like to tell colorful stories. Some say I lie, but that's not how I label my theatrics. I would call it a lie if I didn't start laughing and ruin the whole bit in the middle of my embellishment. I would call it a lie if I made the story more plausible and therefore seemingly accurate. I recently started reading Lies Chelsea Handler Told Me, which is a hilarious book in concept and in word. Although I do not always think Chelsea Handler is funny and I think she uses words that are insensitive and vulgar, this book is funny. The book is written by hear friends and family, each taking a chapter to detail the biggest and worst lies Chelsea ever told them. I think what I find most humorous is the lengths she will go to in telling a lie and how long she will carry out a certain lie, sometimes even forgetting a lie was told. My friend Amelia (named changed to protect any purported sense of innocence) bemoans how much I lie. I like to think she likes it because they're harmless lies; my lies never make her look bad. So, I told her I was reading this book and she should maybe be afraid of the scheming ideas I will come up with. (Cue evil laughter) bah haw haw haw.

Showing your age

The other day, the ladies on The Talk did something very brave. They wore their ages printed on their t-shirts. This is brave because we are in a society where women often lie about their age and people will spend great amounts of money trying to look younger than they are and trying to fool themselves into thinking they are younger than they are. It is also brave for someone in the entertainment industry to admit age because there is a thought that once you hit a certain year you are no longer castable. Does letting people know your real age make you suddenly vulnerable? To other it may seem this way, but it actually appears to be empowering. The women on The Talk embraced their numbers and wore them proud.

Throughout life, I have set silly little milestones or deadlines. The first was that when I turned 30 I would get botox. This idea grew out of my days as a news producer working long hours and not getting much sleep. It was starting to show. However, after ramping up my skin care regimen I decided that I could and should skip the indictable birthday present to myself, I just didn't need it. So, I said I would put off that appointment until age 35, but at that time I think I will feel the same. I am pleased with my skin and my aging. I seem to have fewer wrinkles than many people my age or younger and any signs of age that do show are displayed with grace, or so I hope.

I have also wondered if, and at what age, I will ever stop telling people my real age. Many people have an age they are stuck at. They purposely celebrate their 29th birthday over and over again. Sometimes when younger people find out how old I am they give me the head tilt and an "oh." As if to apologize for my being so old. This gesture always makes me laugh. I view my age as a badge of honor. I have done many things in life, accomplished many goals, and I have many fond memories. I would not trade them in for anything, including a different date on my drivers license. When I get that sort of reaction I generally do the same thing in my head toward my younger peer. I feel a bit sorry for them for being so young and naive and for thinking that I have something to be ashamed about because I have lived a few more (full and active) years than they have. I don't have a scary age, so I doubt at this point that I will start lying soon. I do not fear turning 35, or 40, and so on. So, this year I will proudly display 33 candles on my birthday cake!

Movie review: Jack the Giant Slayer

Directed by: Bryan Singer

Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci

Rating: C


This is a lack luster movie that isn't poorly done, it just doesn't successfully deliver to any demographic. Actually, one is left wondering what movie going segment this film targets. It's definitely not suitable for children as there are points when the giants eat humans in their entirety and spit out the bones (cue the KFC ad slogan, "I ate the bones. I ate the bones!"). It definitely wouldn't be interesting for teenage girls, and it is missing some key elements teenage boys would be interested in. While it is an action film there are no cars, or explosions, sexy scenes or women. For those reasons, this movie isn't bringing in men. As for the key purse string holding demographic of women, they are not drawn because the story isn't identifiable. The women aren't able to transport themselves to the plot line, nor do they want to. Harry Potter's magic and Twilight's intrigue are due to people feeling swept away. They feel like they're a part of the story even though they're just watching from their seat. Furthermore, this movie had hints of Lord of the Rings without capitalizing on the epic proportions and grandeur of the tale. Everything just fell short. It gets a very average rating because while it wasn't great, it wasn't poor. It is very forgettable.

Movie review: Girl Most Likely

Directed by: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini

Starring: Kristen Wiig, Annette Bening, Matt Dillon 

Rating: A-

This is a very charming, comedic movie that documents the depressive spiral of Imogene's life and how she eventually and painfully comes to terms with her new reality. The story is witty and is filled with subtle humor. Much of that humor surrounds things that are not said, but instead the clothing the characters wear or the situations they are thrown into. It makes you scratch your head for a moment wondering if there are really families like that in American, but then you think there must be. In all their eccentricities, families like that do and must exist. In the end, those families with the anecdotal stories grow closer and stronger through adversity.

Investigating food allergies

In my battle against allergies I am trying a new tactic. For months I have been trying to figure out if I have a banana allergy. I have been in denial actually. I don't want my diet to lose another food. There's already so much I can't eat! My latest go-round with the tree fruit resulted in a slight, but increased reaction. I noticed a burning sensation on a spot on my upper lip. I also felt a loss of sensitivity there. My banana reaction reminded me of how my apple allergy used to manifest. Many have said that allergies can get worse with each exposure. So this is concerning.

My new smartphone app will test for changes in my heart rate as a way to indicate if I may have a food sensitivity. "Bulletproof Food Sense" takes a user's heart rate in the morning for a base rate and then at increments after meals. Backers of the tool say the heart rate can increase long after you've eaten, so it is important to check back more than just right after you've finished. Your after meal heart rate can be compared to your base rate to figure if your rate increased after eating a certain food or foods. The app can also take a before bed rate so you can hold it against your morning rate to see if there is an environmental allergy that may be giving you trouble, for instance a certain fiber in your pillows.

The app takes the heart rate several ways. It can be hooked up to a heart rate monitor like those used by fitness buffs. You can take your pulse manually, a method which requires much concentration and no interruptions (I tend to lose count easily when doing this). The method I use is built right in to my iphone. There is a sensor in the flash of my camera. I simply hold my index finger over the flash for a minute as it measures my beats.

I have recently started using this app, and thus I haven't come to any conclusions yet on whether I find it useful and worth my time. Only frequent use will tell. Actually, I'll probably test my banana theory with the pulse counter to see if there is any change. There are some other areas of the app that I will experiment with as well, like the relax tab.

Robin Roberts has courage

Robin Roberts is a courageous woman, and she's being recognized for it. Roberts was awarded the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the Espys, although she's long been heralded for foraging ahead through health obstacles. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007 and MDS in 2012. MDS was a side effect from her cancer treatment; she needed a bone marrow transplant to survive. Roberts fought these battles in the public eye as a journalist and host of Good Morning America. I can imagine it would be incredibly difficult to go through such a major life event on such a large stage. Everyone is watching you at all times, talking about you and judging you. It shows bravery and courage to allow yourself to be so vulnerable to so many people who look up to and admire you, people you don't even know. As a public figure, she also became a spokesperson of sorts for breast cancer awareness. She was thrust into this position, but accepted it and thrived in it. Her kind of courage is inspirational.

Missing out on the moment

At a recent concert Beyonce got in a fan’s face about his camera use. The fan was recording the concert and Beyonce told him to put it away, expressing to him that she was singing right at him, but he didn’t notice because he wasn’t in the moment. Now, Beyonce may have overreacted, but her message is a good one. Sometimes we are trying so hard to record and capture life that we miss it. We want to capture memories instead of creating moments. Instead of being present we spend our time looking through a lens. Those photos or videos are likely not things we will spend much time looking back at. After all, who needs ten minutes of a third grade class warming up for a spring sing. Aren’t the memories better?

On the afternoon show “The Talk” the hosts shared insight on this topic. They, as mothers, say they have backed away from trying chase every milestone with a camera. They will spend a limited amount of time recording and then they’ll put the camera down or remove their face from the viewfinder. That way they get to enjoy what is going on and they will also have a memento of the occasion in case they do want to view it again. The mothers said those shorter videos are things they go back to more often because they trigger the memories and feelings they had while watching that event.

This discussion applies not only to cameras and recording, but also to nocializers who are on their phone while out with friends. I tend to get annoyed when I’m out with someone and they are consistently on their device. It is offensive. It makes me feel like I am not good enough for their full attention. Or I feel like they think what we’re doing isn’t interesting enough. If Facebook, Twitter, Four Square, etc. are that happening I would rather that person go home and give social media their full attention instead of trying to divide it with me. It doesn’t make me feel bad about myself, but instead I feel like my time is being wasted. I also wonder what is wrong with that person that they can’t enjoy their time and are always looking for something else. A friend introduced me to a new term recently, FOMO—fear of missing out. I think many nocializers have this problem. I think they’re also afraid of socializing. They may think it is easier to live vicariously through our “friends” and “followers” than to actually live our own lives.

Recipe review: Rosti

This has been called the national dish of Switzerland. I chose to use Switzerland for a school project on a comparative look at health care policies. Recently, I received an invitation to a pot luck of sorts with every invited student was asked to bring a dish from their selected country. This got the wheels turning in my head and I wanted to come up with something that wasn't cheesy and expected, like fondu. That's when I found cheese rosti on the All Recipes website.

6 large potatoes
6 table spoons butter
8 ounces swiss cheese, grated
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
2 table spoons hot water

Cook potatoes in boiling water until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and let cool. Once cool, peel and grate. Melt 3Tbs butter in a large non stick skillet. Add a layer of potatoes and a layer of cheese, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Repeat layers. Dot each layer with remaining butter. Sprinkle hot water over the top layer, cover and saute at low to medium heat until bottom layer browns. Turn with spatula and brown the other side.

For recipe modifications I used frozen hash brown shreds (thawed) due to a lack of time. I also used white pepper instead of black pepper, which produces a more mild flavor and is less visible in a dish.

No photos on this one. The recipe didn't turn out picture perfect, but it was pretty delicious and worthy of another try. I will make several changes to my process in hopes that the rosti sticks together and comes out in one piece instead of turning out like cheesy hash browns!

Recipe review: Quiche de Aubergine

One of my favorite recipes is my quiche. I call it Quiche de Aubergine not because it has eggplant in it (Aubergine is French for eggplant), but instead because it is my recipe and my French name in high school was Aubergine. As with many of my creations, I started with a basic quiche recipe and added my own ingredients. This will work for you too if you don't like the quiche stuffings I have selected. This recipe is very easy to alter.

1 unbaked pie crust
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green olives
1/4 cup feta cheese
1 cup cheddar cheese
4 eggs slightly beaten
1 1/3 cup milk
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/8 tsp white pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Bake crust for five minutes
Remove from oven and set temperature to 400 degrees
Cook onion over medium heat
Sprinkle onion over shell and alternate with olives, feta, and cheddar
Blend eggs, milk, and seasoning and pour over the filled pie crust
Bake for ten minutes
Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 30 to 35 minutes
The quiche is done when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean

Movie review: The Heat

Directed by: Paul Feig

Starring: Sandra Bullock, Melissa McCarthy

Rating: B

This is a greatly funny movie and it pairs two very jovial actresses for a dynamic duo. Bullock and McCarthy are unlikely partners of law in this comedic flick. Their characters begin as opposites and neither is fond of the other. Slowly the characters remove bricks from their walls as they get deeper in their case and realize they will be better off working with each other. There is a lot of swearing in this movie, but it is appropriate within the context and does not ever seem out of place or excessive. There was a lot of laughter in the theater through out the movie, as the unexpected happens and the story unfolds. There are definitely moments that are amusing and surely unscripted, the actresses bring their own improv talents to the story. I greatly enjoy watching Bullock in comedies; she is great with physical humor.

Movie review: Despicable Me 2

Directed by: Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud

Starring: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Benjamin Bratt
 Rating: A-

Despicable Me 2 follows the hilariously fun trail blazed by the first Despicable movie. The sequel is charming, clever, funny, and believable. The characters, although some pretend to be evil scientists, are genuine. It is easy to understand their motivations. Their emotions are very clear through both inflection in their voices and the artful illustrations. The lines are delivered with great comedic timing, which leaves the viewer hanging on (although one doesn't have to wait long) for the next masterfully written line. The evolution of Gru is very interesting. In the first movie he is fully involved in evil schemes and his heart melts over his orphan girls, whereas in the second he ends up investigating nefarious plots and falling for a woman on his crime fighting team.

Shells guide: Wedding appropriate clothing

As I prepare to watch a friend walk down the aisle I am reminded of my own wedding attire rules and the moronic looking people who do not follow said rules. There are certain guidelines one should follow as a wedding guest to make sure you don't become the center of attention.

1. Do not wear white. Do not wear off white. Do not wear cream unless said cream has colored accents to obviously differentiate between your dress and that in which the bride, bride's mother, or someone in the wedding party would wear.

2. Do not wear red. Really this rule applies more to funerals, but why not weddings too. Red is a very bold color and it conjures different emotions in different people. Unless you want to be seen as the ball buster, sex pot, or attention seeker, do not wear red.

3. Find out what color dresses the bridesmaids will wear and stay away from that color card. This especially goes for those who think they should have been invited into the wedding party but were not and/or family members. Do not wear a similar color unless you are asked to by the bride herself.

4. Watch your neck/hem line. You are not trying to be the sassiest person at the reception, are you? Keep the skin in check!

5. Do not up stage the bride! If you follow rules one through four there is a good chance you will side step this problem, but still when all else fails try the dress on and look in a mirror. You should not look dazzling. That means watch the sequins. Watch the frill, rosettes, tulle, etc.

As a wedding guest it is not your role to look awesome. You want to look good, but not so good that people are looking at you instead of the bride. She will notice and probably resent you for it for a while. I'm not much for asking my friends what they're wearing before I go out, but weddings are an exception to this philosophy. Ask! Then, if your wardrobe idea is too far away from the general trend you should think again.

Recipe review: Jalapeno cornbread muffins

    I love to cook and bake, but what I really do is mess around in the kitchen. Often cooking is more fun because I don't have to follow a recipe quite as exactly. However, I recently obtained a muffin tin, something I had been yearning for, and I decided I should start testing it out. My Jalapeno cornbread muffin recipe is fun and tasty! I found it on a blog, "Bake with Love and Butter." I was a little confused as I was making it though. The recipe didn't call for any milk. How odd is that? Oh well! The muffins turned out great. Here's the recipe:

1 jalapeno pepper diced
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 egg
1 4.5 oz can of chopped green chiles
1 8.25 oz can of cream style corn
1 8.5oz box of corn muffin mix

Mix wet ingredients in a small bowl (egg, chilis, corn).
Add jalapenos and cheddar.
Empty corn muffin mix into a larger bowl and create a well in the center.
Pour wet mix into the well and fold in dry mix.
Stir until blended well.
Pour mixture into greased muffin tins.
Bake at 400 degrees for 13 minutes.