On another note, my friend and I spent New Year’s Eve dining in Heaven, otherwise known as Panera Bread where we began our lists of resolutions. We are planning to frame them and although she is sticking to the timeless tradition of trying to accomplish each of her goals, I’m planning to frame mine without glass so that I can cross each resolution off throughout the year as I break it. The fact that this goal is much more achievable, I find myself inspired by the possibilities. We closed the night out with a viewing of the film, Black Swan, and let me just tell you, this sexual-psycho drama is an absolute must-see. With a great cast, the acting is phenomenal and I love what another reviewer said about Nina’s (Portman’s character) mother being the “creepiest on-screen mother since Sissy Spacek’s performance in Carrie.”
The music is haunting and the film, in general, effectively portrays the psychological mayhem that is the disturbing world of ballet from eating disorders, the ignorance of physical pain and injury, and dancer rivalry’s all in the name of perfection and competition, to the reality of a very short-lived career that can end without a moment’s notice for various reasons including age, weight, injury, or a ballerina’s worst nightmare, a more talented dancer. To give this film a one-worded review would be easy, brilliant. Don’t walk—run to the theater to see this.
The same friend with whom I spent New Year’s Eve with gave me a book for Christmas titled “Life is a Verb: 37 Days to Wake Up, Be Mindful, and Live Intentionally.” I began flipping through this book yesterday and read the introduction. The author wrote this book after her uncle had been diagnosed with lung cancer and given 37 days to live. The poignant and profound experience she had “helping her uncle live and die” prompted her to begin living each day as though she had 37 days to live.
She stands firm with this number, aside from sentimental reasons, because she states that this is just a brief enough time for people to truly want to act on their lives and not long enough to allow them to forget that they are “dying.” The entire book is a challenge, complete with inspirational quotes, writing assignments, reading samples, etc. to shake people out of their ordinary and mundane lives. I have accepted this challenge and will keep you posted on my progress, posting any writing challenges, and/or reflections here.
In addition, my lengthy resolution list includes an idea that I stole—like a pirate—from Tiffany, my New Year’s Eve date, to do something new everyday. Of course, I decided to adopt this resolution as my own on January 2nd and although I’ve wracked my brain, I can’t think of anything new that I did on the 1st. So I started this resolution on the 2nd, but it’s all semantics anyways. I made steamed shrimp for dinner for the first time on January 2nd and found it to be so easy, quick, and delicious that I made it again for lunch on the 3rd. On January 3rd, I created a 2011 Movie Theater Listmania on Amazon to track and review the films that I plan to watch throughout the year. So far, so good on at least this resolution, but we’ll see how it goes.
For your viewing pleasure, My 2011 Movie Theater Listmania:
http://www.amazon.com/lm/R3HKTPADR0BR3D/ref=cm_rna_own_lm
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