Occupying the Highway to Hell

Okey, I am going to tell you a little story about a boy named Charlie. Charlies family was very poor and had a hard time putting food on the table. One day, word went out that golden tickets were being hidden around the world inside Willie Wonka chocolate bars. The tickets would allow the finder to spend a whole day in the fantastic chocolate factory. As time went on, the tickets were found all over the world until there was only one left. One day, after school, Charlie decided to buy a chocolate bar. He was elated to find a golden ticket inside the wrapping! He was just about to run home and show his family when, suddenly, a group of angry people came parading down the street. The crowd was screaming at Charlie that it was unfair that he got that ticket and that he should give it to them because they didn't have it.
"But," said Charlie, quite confused, "It's mine. I bought it."
"But we have as much right to it as you do!" said the crowd.
Hmmmmmmm. Sound familiar to anyone? Anyone at all? Lets put into context. Instead of Charlie, it's "the rich." And the golden ticket is the hard earned money. And the angry crowd is... well... pretty much the same. This is pretty much what is going on right now with Occupy Wall Street. Only, I find it quite ironic/ hypocritical that their leader is the main guy who is taking our hard earned money and flushing it down the toilet.
According to these people, "the rich" are just lucky and are people who didn't earn their money. When actually these people worked hard to get to where they are at and are still working hard while the Occupy Wall Street dorks are taking a vacation to "express their anger."
As far as these people can see, you have no right to your money because they don't have it. You should just give all your money to them. Why? Because they deserve it. Why do they deserve it? Good question. What America is built on, or at least was built on, is hard work. It is pretty sad that, in America today, people assume that they should get what you have just because they don't have it. It is absolutely despicable and just plain sad. If this is what is to be the future of our nation, we had better get into our crash positions.

The Time Away From The Munchkins

One of the traditions I have grown up with is going to California every summer to visit my grandparents. Usually, only my little brothers, Joshua and Elijah, and I take the trip while our parents stay home. The boys and I always look forward to our little vacation. However, this year, I was unable to go with the boys on out trip. I was asked by my dad if my feelings would be hurt if the boys went to California without me. My first thought was, "No way! House to myself for 3 weeks! Woot woot!" I figured it was a win-win. And it was. I did enjoy my quiet time to read and the privilege of watching whatever I wanted without brothers harping on me to change the channel. But on the last few days before their return, I am finding myself watching many of the videos we have made and realizing just how much I missed my munchkins. Even though I know I will miss my alone time when they get back, I can't help but smile at the thought of hugging them when they get home. I do know that there will be times in the future when I will want to send them back to California in an instant. But now, I am feeling a sense of longing as a sister for the exploding/ gunshot noises that they make, the random pictures they draw, and the times that they ask me how to make toast. They will be home in a few days, and I will be glad to have them home. It will be good to have my brothers back.

The Few Things I Have Learned About Movie Making

Lately, I have found out that I really enjoy making movies. Short ones for now, but I would like to make full length movies someday. Movie making is one of those things that you learn (well, it's the way I learn) by observation. You can watch movies done by great film makers, see how they did things, think about how you would have done them different, and various different things like that. I often worry that I bother my friends by getting into how the camera work was terrible when they just asked what my favorite part was. By observing how some of my favorite movies were done, I can put the ideas I get from those and put them into my own short movies. Of corse, I do not have the resources that paid directors do to make their movies. However, I have found ways to make the ideas work in my own creations.

But just like I learned what things I can put into the movies at the beginning, I learned some things I need to add to future movies that I left out of others. For example, I learned that dialogue is very important to stick to. For the few movies I have done with important dialogue, I have just improvised the lines. It is probably a better idea to write them out, but who has that time? Anyways, in one of our earlier movies, Sid vs Nurf Ninja, an important part of the story is that the master is the brother of the evil Nurf Ninja. I didn't realize I had forgotten to indicate that relationship until the movie was done. In the newer movies we have made, we have been more careful about the dialogue.

Another thing I have been more careful about is putting the main inspiration of the title into the movie. Even better yet, let the title come after the story. In another one of our movies, Friday the 13th Jason Takes Art, we didn't really indicate the reason he was an artist instead of a, evil killer. Another thing to gather from this is not to let the title define the movie. That is, in fact, backwards. The story and the plot of the movie is supposed to shape the title. The title is supposed to be something that draws the audience to the story.

I still have a lot to learn before I can be a pro director. For the time being, I am gonna stick to my little camera and my brothers as my main cast of characters.

The Job Of Being A Sister

When I was younger, I had always wanted a little sister. Today, I am not too sure why I did. Maybe I was because I wanted a girl to play with or a closer companion. Now, I realize that I wouldn't have been able to survive with a sister. This is true for a few reasons: 1) I get my own room no matter where we live 2) sharing the title "sister" just wouldn't work for me 3) I could never ask for better siblings. As time went on, I discovered that I was meant to have little brothers. My brothers helped make me who I am. I have learned so much from them and I take joy in teaching them. I have found that I really enjoy being one of the teachers in their lives. As time goes on, I know that they will become great adults and I am happy to know that I watched them grow.

The Idea Of A Birthday

When we are younger, say 5 to 10 years old, our birthday is a very special moment. We are counting down they days until the big day and we make a list of things we want. When we are a little older, lets say teen-agers, we are of corse exited about our birthday but we are also sort of neutral on the celebration. Unless of corse you are one of those people who had been planning their sweet 16 since they could write their ABC's. But for the most part, we are pretty calm about the subject. And then there is the time when you are, eh, several years older than 29. By that time, you either don't care about your birthday, forgot, or are hoping everyone else will forget. Well, atlas that is what I have scene. Of corse, this is very stereotypical. I am just asserting what interests me.

So, why is this distinction of interests so fascinating? When you are little, you cant wait until you are one year older. When you are older, you are exited but you are pretty neutral on the idea. And when you are much older, often you would rather not celebrate. Is it because you are becoming another year older? Maybe. Is it because you are spending time with friends and family? Possibly. Is it because you are usually getting stuff you want? Sure. Birthdays are a great thing, and the celebration should be spent with friends and family. No matter what the age.

When The Masses Rise....

I have recently seen many examples of "protesting" in my life. Or, at least the people call it protesting. However, protesting may not be the appropriate word depending on the situation. The things I have seen can better be described as throwing a fit or rebellion. When students all over Texas walked out of school because they were angry about their teachers being fired was just stupid. This was stupid for a few reasons: 1) there was nothing the teachers or school board could do about the problem 2) more than half of those students didn't care what they were doing, they found the opportunity to cause trouble and took it. The world is full of idiots, ignorance, and laziness. When there is an opportunity to cause problems that can be called as freedom of speech, those people will usually take it. Even though there are some people who actually care about the situation at hand, they should learn to show how they feel the right way! I know that banned together, we can accomplish anything. Well, get together with the right people who actually know what is going on and who care about it.

When Nothing Works Out The Way It Should

Everyone has been there. That time when what was supposed to be the best day ever turns into a bummer. And when that time comes, our first impulse is to sulk. That is just the way we are as humans. A grate majority of us are just naturally negative. I'm not saying that we are all like, "by winning the lottery we took money from someone who could have used it to buy a new car." What I mean is that we don't always look at the bright side of every situation out of sheer reflex. And in the most distressing times, the brighter side can make us want to shoot the person who pointed it out. One thing I have learned is, not just to give the brighter side a glance, but to think that there will most often be good things in the end.

For example, you are moving and you are not exited at all. People may be telling you, "Oh come on. You will make lots of new friends!" You're thinking, "zip it, buddy." I know that moving away from the thinks you have come to love is hard. But the thing is, you will come to love new things wherever you go. The brighter side may seem annoying on the dark side, but when you come out of the dark there will be new and good things.