Monthly Archives: October 2015

My 5 Favorite Movies

5) Harry Potter (any of them) – I know it’s kind of cheating to pick 8 movies instead of 1, but there is no way that I could possibly pick just one. Besides, they are all part of the same story. It would be impossible to separate one from another.

4) The Usual Suspects – Kevin Spacey is phenomenal in this one. He’s a brilliant actor, and I can’t imagine any other actor playing The Gimp. The writing is ingenious – the way the story twists around itself. This movie has one of the most surprising “aha” moments of any I’ve ever seen.

3) Love Actually – I love a sappy, feel-good movie as much as the next chick, and this one really takes the cake. You get to take a front-row seat while an entire cast full of characters go about their holiday. Hugh Grant brings a human touch to his role as Prime Minister. An added bonus is figuring our how all of the seemingly unrelated people are connected.

2) The Sound of Music – This has been one of my all-time favorite movies for so long. I can’t remember a time in my life that I wasn’t singing along with Maria or the children. When I was younger it was difficult for me to understand the true story, but I always knew that I wanted to be just like Maria when I grew up (except for that whole nun part).

1) Hudson Hawk – This one is a bit unfair since I love absolutely everything Bruce Willis, but Hudson Hawk is so quirky how do you not fall in love? It allows you to see more of Bruce WIllis’ true personality and humor. During an awards ceremony he admitted that it was his absolute favorite movie. The whole story line makes so much more sense once you realize that all the main character wants is a cappuccino.

Extraordinary

Amid the hustle and bustle of every day life it is easy for me to overlook the ordinary things in life. Right now I’m sitting on the dark grey leather couch that I painstakingly chose for it’s comfort, color, and wide upholstered arms. My feet are propped up the long red ottoman that I occasionally turn longways into a make-shift chaise lounge. To fight off the sudden chill in the air, I’m wrapped up tightly in a grey and white wool blanket that depicts a wolf standing at the top of an outcropping of rocks, howling into the night.

I don’t usually think much about these things. They are a part of my usual routine of getting comfortable for a bit of TV, reading, or knitting. Today, the stillness of the winter day causes me to pause and reflect on my surroundings. It’s a feeling that inevitably overcomes me this time of year.

The grey and white throw, affectionately known as my “wolf blanket”, has been with me for over twenty years. It belonged to my twin brother, David, for a very short period of time. My brother was an enormous fan of all things wolf. At sixteen years of age he wrote letters to organizations that were threatening the habitat of grey wolves. Protecting these beautiful creatures had become a mission for him, and he would send any extra money to help conservation efforts. So many of his t-shirts were of howling wolves, lone wolves, and gorgeous wolf faces staring back intelligently. When the doctors discovered David’s brain tumor he went immediately into the hospital where he wore drab hospital gowns and drank out of plastic cups. Instead of his beloved outdoors and wildlife, he was surrounded by cold walls and attached to beeping equipment. After a few weeks a man who worked with my father, a man neither my brother nor I had ever met, purchased a stunning grey and white blanket to keep David from getting cold in the drafty hospital room. He loved his blanket so much and was always tucked in underneath it.

Only a few short months later David passed away. Twenty years later I still have many things that belonged to him including notes to friends, his journals, and the high school class ring he only wore once. The most beloved thing I have of his is this well-loved wolf blanket. It keeps me cozy when I’m sick or down. It helps me look forward to the winter time when I can curl up underneath it. During the coldest months it stays piled on top of my bed so I can burrow inside. Underneath it, I am warm and safe and loved. It is an absolutely extraordinary blanket.

Self Discovery

Originally I started this blog so that I could write about my attempts to get back into running, and exercise in general. I wanted to be able to inspire someone in the way that I have been inspired by other posts and blogs. After writing just a handful of posts I’ve come to realize that although I love exercise and running just about as much as I love anything, it is not the full scope of my passion.

When I was younger I had dreams of becoming either an art teacher or a music teacher. I have always been very passionate about the arts and sharing them with others. Teaching would allow me to inspire so many young minds, allow them to have the same creative outlet I had growing up. Art is a form of self-expression unlike any other. When I shared my dream with my grandma she hatefully told me that I needed to pick a real career, something that I could depend on. She said that when schools begin to cut budgets the first thing to go are the arts. I was absolutely devastated. Not only did I not have her support, my dreams were already a bust.

So, I drifted for a while. After graduating from high school I took a year, or six, off before having the resources to make  higher education a reality. It was hard work, and I still wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but I could at least get started on the basics. During the six years it took me to get my bachelors, I only changed my major once. Inspiration comes in many forms. Mine came from a single man, the sole “IT guy” in a small firm, who unknowingly reminded me of my passion for technology. So, I switched majors and started taking IT classes. It was a match made in heaven. Not only did it allow me to use logic to understand programming languages, it brought out a type of creativity I never knew existed. For any program there are a number of correct answers. I was instantly hooked.

Years later I am working at a dream job, doing what I love. Occasionally, I even get to teach classes to other IT professionals. It is a great feeling to be able to help others by sharing my knowledge and experiences.

I believe that is what I want from this blog. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not going to start writing about programming languages and networking capabilities. Instead, this blog will be about my journey of self-discovery. Through my journey I hope to inspire others to try new things, take risks, and be true to themselves no matter the cost. Art comes in many different forms; a painting, a piece of music, a new building design. It can also be much simpler. The way you choose to live your life can be a piece of art. I choose to live freely, recognize beauty, take chances, and live outside of my comfort zone. I am destined to become an old woman with no regrets. I hope to inspire others along the way on my journey of self discovery.