Talent that Inspires

RIP, J.D. Salinger. The Catcher in the Rye is one of my favorite books, and it's one of the reasons I'm a writer. There's something so innately beautiful about a novel that can bridge generations and maintain extreme and classic relevance. It's truly inspiring. Salinger has achieved immortality through this work, and all the works that have come into existence because of it.

The writing community has lost a great soul, a great talent. But because of Salinger, there will be more like him.

Words to Live By

For all of you out there who are joining this program already in progress, I'd like to quote a fellow blogger who has some words of wisdom for us all:

"Stand on the roof in a thunderstorm holding up a rake. You never know when lightning will strike, but you can improve your odds."

I just love this. Writing can be such a precarious thing. For those of us who are writers, it's not something we put out there lightly; that's a little piece of ourselves going out into the world. Being a writer means taking chances and putting yourself out there. Give yourself the opportunity to brush up against something great.

You can't control how other people are going to view your words, but you can control how you feel about them. If there's anything I've learned in the past three years, it's that the only expectations you should have to measure up to are your own.

That being said, ethics are going to come up. There is no filter here, nobody telling me what I can and can't say. I'm on my own code of ethics here. I need to keep my blog in accordance with what I feel is appropriate and respectful. Genius is genius, but everyone has an opinion. Sometimes, it's best to play by the rules.

Just stretch 'em a little.

Ethics + Journalism...still a working equation?

It's a world where journalists are hated as much as celebrities are emulated and stalked.

It's a world where fabrications and exaggerations are the only things that keep people interested in a good story.

It's a world where people care more about Kate Gosselin's new hair than the new healthcare plan.

(I'm leaving the earthquake in Haiti out of this, because it has truly shown that we are capable of doing wonderful things with both our political and star power.)

The American people want their news, and they want it any way they can get it. CNN.com, Twitter, Facebook, Yahoo!, AOL, and MSNBC are just a few of the hundreds of thousands of news outlets out there on the web. And now, anyone can be a journalist, thanks to blogs not unlike this one.

But there is still an age-old question that hangs in the air even as print journalism morphs into cyber-journalism: is it ethical?

My new communications class this semester is all about ethics. The first article we had to read was a tragic story about two 10-year-old boys who viciously murdered an innocent 2-year-old after luring him away from his mother at a shopping mall in England. When covering the trial, the UK press refused to release the names or backgrounds of the two offenders, leaving the door open for them to later be paroled and given new identities.

The American people? Not so okay with this. The press over here released both names and backgrounds of the boys. The UK claims it was protecting the boys and their families from harm. So who was ethical--the US or the UK?

Personally, I'm on our side with this one. There is a responsbility to report the news to the public, names and backgrounds included. Yes, the offenders were 10, but they had committed an act so horrific and atrocious, I find it hard to muster any sympathy or concern for their "privacy." Minors in age they may have been, but minor this crime was not.

Either way, it raises a question that sometimes causes people to talk in circles. Who's right? Who's wrong? Are the standards of journalism changing as cyberspace and blogging evolve?

I guess I'll just have to stay tuned this semester to find out.

Can YouTube Ruin Your Life?

YouTube is a phenomenon. It's crazy. Miss a part of a television show or live broadcast?

YouTube it.

YouTube has become a verb, like Myspace and Facebook before it.

"He facebooked me!"
"You know what, just facebook it. It's easier."
"I can't believe you missed that! Youtube it!"

Point made. Moving on.

I think people forget that when something is put on the internet, it stays there. Forever. This isn't the age of burning embarrassing VHS footage of your 6-year-old dance recital or losing soccer game. The internet is the most permanent thing you can invest in. It sure as hell isn't going anywhere. It's only getting bigger.

Things that you blog, post, write, and share on the internet stays there. You can't take back insensitive comments, bad pictures, or embarrassing videos.

Just ask the "Star Wars Kid," the single-most viral video on YouTube. The video was posted without his consent, and received over one million hits. Could you imagine that happening to you? The humiliation that must ensue? I, for one, don't even want to think about it. We think it's funny, but in reality, that was someone's life that became a laughingstock on the internet. And now no matter what he does, every job he applies for, everywhere he goes, that video will follow him.

Is it worth it? The internet is a great place, with amazing advances in technology and radical steps in social media. But sometimes, enough is enough. You can go too far, and you can never take it back. Sometimes, it's no joke. It's someone's life.

I'm pretty sure you don't want to be next.

Old Idol Flashback

Below is a video of American Idol judge Simon Cowell on the Ellen show. I adore both of these people, and the subject matter in this interview is just too funny. Check it out!

MEN.

Now, don't get me wrong. I love me some men. But my mom forwarded this to me via e-mail, and it's just too funny to keep to myself. If you're ever having a particularly bad moment with a certain someone in your life, check this out. It's guaranteed to make you laugh and feel just a little bit better about that complete-asshole-who-also-happens-to-be-the-love-of-your-life.

A couple is lying in bed. The man says, "I am going to make you the happiest woman in the world." The woman replies, "I'll miss you."

"It's just too hot to wear clothes today," Jack says as he steps out of the shower. "Honey, what do you think the neighbors would think if I mowed the lawn like this?" "Probably that I married you for your money," she replies.

Q: What do you call an intelligent, good looking, sensitive man?
A: A rumor.

Dear Lord,
I pray for wisdom to understand my man; love to forgive him; and patience for his moods. Because Lord, if I pray for strength, I'll beat him to death.
Amen.

Q: What does it mean when a man is in your bed, gasping for breath and calling your name?
A: You did not hold the pillow down long enough.

Q: Why do men whistle when they are sitting on the toilet?
A: It helps them remember which end to wipe.

Once again, I'll say that I love my boys. And I've met one or two that have proved these few jokes wrong. Now, if only we could get them all to catch on....

18 Best Movie Quotes (According to Me)

I'm a huge movie buff. I've complied a short list of some of my favorite movie quotes of all time. Feel free to comment with some of your own, and I'll make an amended list!

1. The shit hath hiteth the fan...ith. 10 Things I Hate About You

2. I made you a painting. I call it "Celebration." It's sexual and violent. I thought you might like it. Wedding Crashers

3. Bitch hit me with a toaster. Scrooged

4. Hello. My name is Indigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die. The Princess Bride

5. We're supposed to do the show in three days. You won't show me lifts, and I'm not sure of turns. I'm doing all this to save your ass, when what I really want to do is drop you on it. Dirty Dancing

6. All you need is for one person to think you're cool, and you're in. Everyone else will be too scared to question it. Never Been Kissed

7. You're my exception. He's Just Not That Into You

8. Brick: [while coughing] Cough. Look over here.

Veronica: Yes, what is it Brick?

Brick: I would like to extend to you an invitation to the pants party.

Veronica: Excuse me?

Brick: [struggling] The ... party. With the... with the pants. Party with pants?

Veronica: Brick, are you saying that there's a party in your pants and that I'm invited?

Brick: That's it.

Veronica: Did Brian tell you to say this, Brick?

Brick: No. Yes. He did.

Anchorman

9. Do you remember that metal plate in my head? Every time Catherine revved up the microwave, I'd piss my pants and forget who I was for about half an hour or so. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

10. Remember a couple of years ago, every other boy was named Jason and the girls were all named Brittany? Hercules

11. Aunt Voula: What do you mean he don't eat no meat?

[the entire room stops in shock]

Aunt Voula: That's okay. I make lamb.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding

12. Suit yourself. I'm easy. Young Frankenstein

13. Me? I'm scared of everything. I'm scared of what I saw, I'm scared of what I did, of who I am. And most of all, I'm scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I'm with you. Dirty Dancing

14. We need you. Hell, I need you. I'm a mess without you. I miss you so damn much. I miss being with you. I miss being near you. I miss your laugh. I miss your scent; I miss your musk. When this all gets sorted out, I think you and me should get an apartment together! Anchorman

15. Me and Jenny goes together like peas and carrots. Forrest Gump

16. Nah, I get em custom-made from the guy that put the tattoo on my ass. Miss Congeniality

17. Hey, be careful with that hammer....the sea monkey has my money....yes, I'm a natural blue. Finding Nemo

18. You mean like sleep over? Okay....but I get to be on top! Big

So, there's my small list. I'm sure there are a million other quotes I left out, so give me a shout!

My La-La Land

When people ask me what I plan to do after graduation, I always pause. I love the way their faces crinkle in confusion after their automated statement of "Oh, so you're going to teach, then," is answered with a definitive "no." I sit back and smile as they think harder.

"Law school?" I shake my head.

"Journalism?" Not exactly.

I wait another moment and then put them out of their misery.

"I want to work in publishing. I want to be a book editor someday."

I watch their faces relax, their relief palpable that I'm not planning to write the next great American novel while living in my parents' basement and letting the thousands of dollars that went into my degree go to waste. They'll pat me on the shoulder and wish me luck, all the while wondering exactly what someone can do with an English degree.

I recently applied for an internship at a publishing house in Philadelphia, and while I anxiously await a response, I've found myself writing more than I have in a while. What I don't tell people is that their initial instincts are exactly right.

I do dream of being a writer, a true-blue, New York Times Bestselling author. I've recently started writing my first novel, and I'm trying to be as optimistic as possible. I've been writing for as long as I can remember. I've written poetry, short-stories, and songs since I was 14 years old. It's the one thing I've always been able to do. It comes naturally; I don't have to even think about it. My fingers just move.

My next semester will start in a week, and I know I won't be able to spend as much time free-writing as I would want. But I promise to keep at it anyway. It's my dream, my little la-la land.

The WTF Blanket

This is hysterical. I do not have, nor will I ever have, a Snuggie. This is genius.

Resolving to Resolve

Here we are: the year 2010. The ball dropped in Times Square almost two hours ago, and my brain is already a-whirlin' about my resolutions for this fresh set of 365 days. I make resolutions every year, and by the end of the first week, I've effectively tossed them out the window. I want to do things a little differently this year, and I mean actually sticking to my resolutions. So, in order to make sure I don't chicken out once again, I'm making my list short, sweet, and simple.

1. Smile. I need to learn how to laugh at myself and smile instead of frowning. I need to stop taking myself so seriously and have a little fun. I have a pole up my ass when it comes to grades, and the end of the semester never goes well. This past semester, when I finally said, "Screw it" and just did my best, I got straight-As. I may be onto something there. Even when all I want to do is throw my iPod in my ears and listen to Avril Lavigne scream about how unfair life is, I must not. I must smile.

2. Spend as much time with friends and family as possible. There's nothing like surrounding yourself with the people who love you the most. I made some amazing friends this past year, and being home on my winter hiatus of a month has left me missing them terribly. Being around them will only enforce my resolution #1, so it's all good.

3. Shape up. Under the stress of last semester, I didn't spend as much time on me as I wanted. I let my gym regiment fall by the wayside, and I miss my endorphin release. Getting back on the wagon will not only help me feel better, but I may look better as well. Even though this aspect of my life always finds a way into my New Years resolution, I'm not making it the center. I'm not going to obsess over fitting into a certain size jean. I love running, and I've missed it. It's the best time for me to think. It's not all about looks anymore.

4. Go for it. I've spent a lot of my life on the sidelines, waiting for something great to happen to me. I've never been confident enough to go after something; I've always had this crippling fear of rejection. This year: no more. I'm determined to go out there and find what I've been looking for. I've had my heart broken, like every other person out there. I've taken the fall and paid a hefty price. But for whatever reason, that hasn't stopped me from falling anyway. Sad to say, I've fallen again. Hard. And if 2010 brings me anything, it better bring me the confidence to go after this one.

So, my New Years resolutions have four different facets. I've decided that when I set my goals too high and too specific, they always fail. This year, they're more broad. Failure-proof. They all involve me going out there and doing something. Not just thinking about it, but doing it. Taking action. Surrounding myself with positive energy.

Let's see just how far that takes me...