Embracing 2014: My New Years Resolutions

#DailyWings: “Nothing truly innovative, nothing that has advanced art, business, design, or humanity, was ever created in the face of genuine certainty or perfect information.” -Jonathan Fields

For what might possibly be the first time ever, I feel like it's time for a new year. So much happened in 2013 that it seems only natural to "turn the page" and start a new chapter of this book that we call life. (Technically, "Chapter 2014" refers to the 2014th year of the Gregorian calendar rather than that of my personal life...I'm 21, not 2014, years old after all!) Note - this doesn't necessarily mean I'm ready for 2014. On the contrary, my body experiences all sorts of physical reactions - my arms quiver, my heart palpitates at an alarming rate, my mind goes into panic mode - whenever I even think about life after college. There's one more semester left. Graduation is in May. Anything beyond that is up in the air. 

As much as I consider myself a fan of spontaneity, the truth is that I'm much calmer when everything is planned out accordingly. Besides things like birthday surprises, I like to know what's going to take place in the future (except for movie and book spoilers...talk about party poopers). What I would like to happen may indeed be the total opposite of what actually happens. Thus, I hope to be flexible in 2014. To stay open-minded and not get discouraged if things go awry. 

I have been an adamant goal-setter since 2008 when I started making new years resolutions using an incentives system and Chris Guillbeau's annual review spreadsheet. If you're a planner like me, you might be interested in my guide: 5 Steps to a Resolution You'll Stick With. You can find out if I met my 2013 goals here. 

Once again, I've compiled a list of New Years resolutions and gleaned from it my top 10. Here they are: 

Ultimately, this year will be a transition period for me. For the past eight years, I've been focused on things like my education and social life and independence. The falls and springs have been marked with numbers - class grades, grade point averages, standardized test scores - that determined where I would go next. Summers were spent either in China or Chapel Hill for internships and extra classes. But not this summer. For once, I'm going to have time (!) to think about who I want to be and what comes next in my book. Not what should come next according to social expectations, but what I want to come next. 

The book of my life (all 21 chapters) has been continuously written for me - until now. Whether I like it or not, this is the year that everything changes. This is where the real writing begins.


Wendy Lu

What are your New Years resolutions? If you could give 2014 your own theme, what would it be?

Embracing 2014: My New Years Resolutions

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The Senior Year Experience

#DailyWings: "This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

I've started a new blog post several times (each with its own headline and Daily Wings quote), but it wasn't until multiple friends came up to me and said, "You haven't updated your blog in a while," that I realized my hiatus had to end. 

Even though it's already September, my mind is still stuck somewhere in July. This summer was supposed to be a chance for me to mentally catch up with the past three years of college and figure out what the hell I'm going to do with my life. In the end, I only got busier. 

Since the June 30th flood, which many Chapel Hillians are still recovering from to this day (including myself), I have completed summer school, an internship at Personify and a freelancing job with Raleigh Public Record. Thanks to the awful storm, the carpets and drywall in my apartment were all removed; for several weeks, I was forced to live in three different places, including a hotel as well as another house and flat where two of my friends were kind enough to let me stay. It's hard to believe I hopped homes for nearly a month while still managing to drive 45 minutes to and from work every day after class. Despite everything, I've made it to my final fall semester of college. 

Although I'm pretty content with the way things are sailing right now, it wasn't like this at the beginning. Back in August, I was eager not to let the aftermath of the flood prevent me from living the "perfect" senior year and doing everything on the typical UNC college bucket list that I never really did as a first-year, sophomore or junior. Participate in Week of Welcome. Attend Sunset Serenade and Relighting of the Bell Tower. Take Zumba. Go rock climbing in Rams. There was something about checking off these items right here, right now as a senior that seemed sacred to me. They weren't things you could after college. I mean, you could – but it wouldn't be the same. 

Due to apartment issues, I was met with great disappointment and ended up doing none of these things. I was bitter for days. I blamed the world for ruining senior year for me. The bitterness turned into resignation and an all-or-nothing attitude: If I couldn't enjoy Week of Welcome, I might as well abandon my expectations for other special moments that are supposed to make up "the senior year experience" (like Senior Bar Night and taking before graduation/after graduation photos by the Old Well). 

The thing is, after I stopped worrying about missing out on stuff, life got much easier and more enjoyable. I've been able to focus on classes and things that are really important to me, like journalism. One week after school began, I was appointed to co-editor of The Durham Voice, which has been an incredibly rewarding experience for me so far. I'm also a guest columnist for DIY MFA now, and work with a passionate, talented team of writers. I've even started researching and writing my senior honors thesis, which focuses on the gap between people's online social media personas and readers' perceptions of those personas. 

It's taken me three months to realize that I am doing everything I've ever wanted in college. Co-lead a major local publication. Work for one of my long-time favorite writing websites. Write a book. And last night, I emceed for the first time for CUSA's Mid-Autumn Festival. It was terrifying to think that there were more than 200 people watching me sputter out lines on stage – but when the audience burst into laughter, right on cue, I knew I was doing something right. Sounds corny, but it felt like a dream. Best of all is something I did not anticipate: I've found an amazing boyfriend who is as nerdy and awkward as me. He's always there with a joke or John Green reference and a twinkle in his eye. 

Exec board members of CUSA (Chinese Undergraduate Student Association) cheesin' after cube painting for Mid-Autumn Festival
Photo Credit: Amy Yang

All this time, I've been chasing this ridiculous list of must-dos without ever thinking about whether they're things I actually want to do – or if they're things I'm expected to do in college. Just because my bucket list is different from the norm doesn't mean it's insignificant. And some of the best things that have happened to me were totally unexpected.

Even though it seems like seniors are supposed to have everything figured out by now, I guess I'm still learning how to be flexible and open to change. I constantly have to remind myself to work hard but go at my own pace, because the truth is, the future will always be looming like some ominous inevitable. The trick is to not look ahead and remember that there is always room to grow. 

So far, senior year hasn't met every expectation or standard. But it's been packed (to say the least), surprising and, above all, wonderful. 

The obligatory couple photo in front of the Old Well
Photo Credit: A kind stranger

Wendy Lu

The Senior Year Experience

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When Everything Good Happens

#DailyWings: "Life has many ways of testing a person's will, either by having nothing happen at all or by having everything happen all at once." -Paulo Coelho

A person's mood is like the waves of an ocean, a cosine graph. It fluctuates in a gradual manner. We all have our bad days, brought forth by a spilled coffee or perhaps traffic. And then there are great days, when everything seems to be falling right into place and we can't help but smile at the good fortune this world has brought us. 

Lately I've been living on a high. Wonderful things have happened, left and right -- an editorial internship at Chapel Hill Magazine's THE WEEKLY, reunion with my closest friends, excellent fall semester grades, beautiful 70 degree weather, a position as Arts & Entertainment Editor for Blue & White magazine, inspiration for poetry, enjoyment of the masterpiece that is "The English Patient". I can't help but wonder how I have been able to deserve this good life. (Or rather the past two good months, at the very least!) 

After weeks of straight studying for exams that never seem to end and pitching stories and tackling writer's block, it's incredible to see what has come out of it all. I feel like I'm moving forward. Then again, it could be that typing this all down will lead to a jinx. *crosses fingers* 

To ponder over Paulo Coelho's words: Last semester, it seemed like nothing was happening. Every day was just about the same, with minor changes such as in pizza toppings or class seating; I didn't do much about it except keep going. Now that everything has happened all at once, what is next for me? 

There is so much to look forward to, so much to learn and do and experience. With opportunity comes a certain level of anxiety, of course, but it's the good kind. The kind that has you shaking with anticipation of what's to come. 

I know this high will, at some point, start to descend; nothing good can last forever, after all. Eventually, a bad day will come round. Inspiration will run out, exams will return and deadlines will creep up like shadows in the night. I am wary of the downward spiral that is bound to come sooner or later. 

Perhaps the best thing to do when everything good is happening is simply appreciate. Enjoy and give yourself credit. Do all that is possible to keep the ball rolling, but once it begins to slow -- and it will -- be resolved to tackle the imminent obstacles head-on. 

When was the last time you felt the most alive? What would you do if all your dreams came true? Conversely, when you're down in the dumps, how do you pick yourself back up again?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Crescent City Connection in New Orleans

As curriculum developer for Everyday Ambassador, I also wanted to take this chance to share an awesome opportunity with you all: Want to win more than $350,000 in prizes and launch your next big idea? Enter the Dell Social Innovation Challenge by Monday, Jan. 28, 2013! All semi-finalists will have help creating a fundraising platform and be eligible for a matching grant. 

The first place winner (of 45 award winners!) will receive $60,000. The Everyday Ambassador team will be posting a few guides to help you enter the challenge during the next two weeks. Also, be sure to enter EA on the referral/promo code field! 

This is a great way to get your ideas out into the world. What do you have to lose? You have a vision -- how far will it take you?

Wendy Lu

When Everything Good Happens

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Never Settle For Mediocrity

I had awesome plans for this weekend -- a new recipe to try out, the N.C. State Fair, a Hinder concert, a picnic with my CUSA friends. In the end, none of these things made my agenda. Instead, I holed up in my apartment and pored over career assessments and personality tests. Lame, right? 

Certainly, other factors prevented me from going to these events (relatives and friends visited for a day), but I could've chosen to do other fun things during my spare time, like go on Franklin Street. I didn't, because I felt like I deserved to stay home until I figured out what the heck I'm going to do with my life. 

The Myer's-Briggs Type Indicator (note: my second time around), Strong Interest Inventory and Focus 2 Career Exploration alone took about an hour to fill out. And then, there I was, having filled out three assessments and then some, still without a single clue. My interests are clear: I love writing, psychology and helping others. I actually know what I want to do, it's just fitting it all in one career that stumps me. 

When the assessments failed to serve as my own personal Magic 8 Ball, I resolved to hash out a "life plan" for the next 30 years: what post-college degrees I would get, the potential publications I'd want to write for, the cities that appealed to my lifestyle. Doing this was supposed to make me feel more grounded, but all it did was make me more frantic. The what-ifs automatically began to form, and the big question mark still hung in the air. I felt like a mess. Surely by junior year of college, people should have an inkling of their future! 

But today on tumblr, I came across a passage that woke me from this naive perspective:

For more great quotes, check out my tumblr and #DailyWings

When I read this excerpt, I instantly felt peace within me. How beautiful words are, and how wonderful it is that the right words always seem to pop up when I need them the most. Perhaps this big old question mark isn't some puzzle to solve on a deadline. Perhaps the question mark is the journey itself, for if we choose to live every day not knowing what's ahead, then things will unfold as they were meant to. 

Had I planned everything out for the next 30 years--down to the very street I'd live on--then there would be no wiggle room for pleasant surprises and unexpected forks down the road. Each day would be geared toward fulfilling those goals, those career aspirations, until they were reached. And what then? My writing wouldn't be about the writing anymore, but rather would become a job that I'd planned for myself. Learning would no longer be about the learning, but a degree etched in gold on a diploma--just another line of text on my resume. Life would be mediocre. And I swore to myself that I'd never settle for mediocrity. 

Moving beyond a mediocre, day-to-day routine, I have devised a short list of to-dos (ironically) in an effort to brood less and live more.

1) Observe others. If people-watching was a career, I'd be all set to go. I learn so much simply by noticing the child walking down the street, tiny hand clutching his mother's pinky, and the man of Chinese-Japanese descent with fingers flying across the piano in Hanes Art Center. And by observing others, I realize I'm not the only one to feel the way I do. These feelings of uncertainty, fear and doubt--they're universal. 

2) Try something different. A few weeks ago, I wrote a historical feature for the first time. I thought it was going to be boring, but through my research, interviews and in-person observations, I discovered a whole new character within a place--something that never occurred to me could exist. Writing about these moments of discovery made me feel excited and alive, and that story assignment has turned out to be one of my favorites. 

Also, a couple days ago, I signed up for the Halloween House of Horrors blogfest. I have written scary stories before, but not "romantic horror." The story idea for this blogfest has yet to be formed, so I guess you'll just have to wait and see what I come up with on Friday, Oct. 19! 

3) Plunge into a challenge. It's no secret that I love NaNoWriMo, but I haven't officially won since 2008 when I was a junior in high school. The point of challenges isn't to win, but to see how far you can push yourself. This November, I'm pushing for 50,000 words. I won't settle for less. 

How do you spice up your life on a daily, weekly, monthly basis? Do you consider yourself a planner, or more on the spontaneous side?



Wendy Lu

Never Settle For Mediocrity

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Carolina Basketball On My Mind

QOTD: What's your favorite winning-game moment in basketball history? Share a Youtube video of that moment if it's available!

Yesterday, I had one of those surreal moments when something really exciting happens, but then after that moment passes you aren't sure if it happened at all. I was playing weiqi (围棋) with one of my friends in the Pit, which is the heart of UNC-Chapel Hill campus culture, after my last class of the day. A pomegranate Jamba Juice smoothie in hand, I was contemplating my next move when Kendall Marshall emerged from around the corner. 

It is not news that, following the Tar Heels' defeat in the Elite Eight and a short but intense period of fans waiting for an answer, Harrison Barnes, Kendall Marshall and John Henson all decided to enter the NBA draft. In fact, they announced their decisions yesterday, right before Marshall walked through the Pit, and I didn't even know the waiting game had been over until after he left and my friends told me. 

When I looked up and saw the tall, looming figure of Marshall walking in our direction clutching his own large Jamba Juice smoothie, I glanced at my friends with a sort of shocked, panic-stricken look on my face and then scrambled to my feet. 

I think I said something along the lines of, "I'd like to introduce myself. I'm Wendy," and then asked him how his day was after shaking his hand. There's no telling how often this happens to him on a daily basis, but Marshall introduced himself (I think? Again, it happened so quickly) and seemed pretty cool with all of this. And then, I told him that we were all extremely proud of him and what he had done for us this year. He thanked me with a smile, and I requested to take a photo with him. 

People of the world: This is Kendall Marshall, former point guard on the UNC-CH Basketball team! (Photo Credit: Marquis Peacock)

This was honestly the most exciting moment of the entire year for me so far. I never would have thought that I'd be lucky enough to meet one of the Tar Heels' best basketball players, much less get to talk to him and tell him how much he means to the Carolina community. Because even though there are a ton of local, state and national fans who are upset with Barnes', Marshall's, and Henson's decision to leave UNC-CH, I think inside all of us are proud of the way they have represented Carolina during their time here. 

Here is a confession: I didn't even know what Harrison Barnes looked like last year, or what our coach's name was (I know now, Roy). As a freshman, I still didn't really feel like I belonged at Carolina, much less care about UNC sports. It wasn't until this year, when I went to my very first basketball game and we won against Georgia Tech, that I learned my first lesson: Basketball isn't just about basketball. 

It's not just about how the crowd roars when Barnes catches a rebound or when Tyler Zeller makes a slam dunk. It's not just about the ominous cheers of Go to hell Dook! or I'm a Tar Heel born, I'm a Tar Heel bred, and when I die I'm a Tar Heel dead. And, believe it or not, it's not just about winning. It's about all of this taken together, and when the clock strikes 0:00 and the crowd rushes the court, it's about everything the team has done to get to that point. It's about how hard the Tar Heels have worked to get to where they are now.

We may not have won the NCAA tournament this year, but Carolina is still number one--and not just for the sports. I became hooked onto UNC Basketball this year after I realized how well our team members know each other--both on and off the court. Marshall was a good sport in deciding not to play in the Elite Eight due to his wrist injury, and I have seen the players be nothing but supportive of each other this entire season. In the end, it was the team's remarkably effective communication and clever strategies (aka Roy's coaching) that led us to beat Duke by 18 points earlier this month. And really, what else matters? 

Kendall Marshall in the UNC-Duke game on March 3, 2012. 
Carolina won 88-70. 

Many--but not everyone--see this move by Barnes, Henson and Marshall as quitting, but I don't see it that way. Don't get me wrong--I am also pretty disappointed that I won't be able to see these big three lead us to incredible wins next year. And I may still be a newbie to UNC sports culture, but if there's anything I know it's this: If you have the determination to go for your dreams and do what you think is best for yourself even when everyone else is telling you otherwise, then that says something. Our team did the best it could with the time and resources given to the players and despite the injuries. We've won five NCAA championships, including the 2009 tourny, and this sounds blasphemous, but we don't need to win every single year. 

Barnes, Henson and Marshall are all moving on to bigger dreams. We should too. 

And anyhow, who says UNC-Chapel Hill can't win next year? If anything, their departure will give way to a brand new team with fresh, talented players ready to make 2012-2013 our year. I see you, McAdoo and Strickland. We're counting on y'all to make some Carolina blue magic happen on the court. No pressure or anything. 

Thanks to Barnes, Henson, Marshall and Zeller for making me truly feel like I belong here as a UNC student and as a Tar Heel fan this year. We will miss them, but I have a feeling we'll be seeing them a lot on television. Besides, they'll be back to visit--like Kendall Marshall said, he will always be a Tar Heel at heart. 

Carolina Basketball On My Mind

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The F-Word We All Love and Hate

QOTD: What are your long-term goals, and how do you stay focused on them?

No, I'm not talking about that f-word. There's another one I'm talking about, and lately this little f-word has gotten my heart pumping, the thoughts in my mind racing and my palms sweating. (It's still not that one, you guys.)

The f-word I'm talking about is future. 

As we think about the future, it's easy to love when we know what it entails. We may not know where we will be in 10 years (alert: hallmark interview question), but if we're on what  seems to be the right pathway and love what we're doing, then the future seems a bit more promising. But when we have absolutely no idea what our future holds, a fear develops inside of us. It's frightening, not knowing what's going to happen or if things will be okay. And what's scariest of all is thinking that the things you are doing now are a waste of time and won't help you get to the next step toward your goals. 

David Sipress

There is a myth that you get used to college after the first few months... and, surely, by the middle of your sophomore year you're a pro at this whole college scene. You know the sneakiest shortcuts for getting to class quickly, which days of the week Sitar is open at the dining hall and which bathroom stalls to avoid (i.e. bottom of Lenoir...you Tar Heels know what I'm talking about). You know what the dealio is. You get used to the independence, the resources, the expectations. 

But the truth is, you never do. Maybe it's just me, but college life is constantly unpredictable. You never know what's thrown at you, no matter what year you are. I'm a sophomore, but sometimes I still feel like a freshman and don't have any idea what's going on in class, in Congress, in life. Only sometimes, though. 

I was making small talk with one of the girls in my psychology class today, and we both agreed: We all have our freshman days. And that's okay, because the best part about being a freshman is that you get to learn things you never knew, and you grow. 

College isn't like high school. During the first 18 years of most of our lives, the plan was laid out for us. Learn the ABC's. Attend grade school and then get through those crazy middle school years. Live through childhood and stumble into adolescence. Experience high school. Sign up for AP classes because your mom told you to, go to prom, take the SAT and apply for college. Get into college. Graduate. 

And then...and then what? Once you get into college, there's not really a plan you follow along with everyone else. Sure, you've got your advisers and your parents and your friends to refer to for guidance, but essentially you are on your own. What you make of yourself is up to you, and that responsibility is terrifying. There are hundreds of majors, minors and classes--the possibilities are endless. The number of research opportunities and extracurricular activities available is mind-blowing, so much that sometimes we lose sight of our interests and our goals that we just 'grab and take.' In that way, it's easy to lose focus about what really matters to us. 

There's pressure to be well-rounded and unique at the same time. There's the need to find something you personally love to do, but will also fulfill society's definition of 'successful.' Then comes the other f-word that we hate (we don't love it, you know), which is failure. And I'm not going to even talk about this one because it tends to send shivers down one's spine. And causes breakdowns. 

The truth is, this whole week I have felt a little lost. I prioritized which extracurricular activities are most important to me, and figured out what internships I want to focus on for the summer. I discovered that I actually like statistics and research, and I have no freaking clue what to do with this information. Ultimately, I am deciding what I want to do with the rest of my college career and how my decisions will be time-efficient and beneficial for my future. 

Basically, I'm striving for perfection - and I am failing. Since the beginning of August 2010, I have flirted with pre-medical studies, pharmacy school, biology, psychology, journalism, creative writing, journalism and finally both journalism and psychology. (I know, I'm such a player.) But now, the question is: What do I want to do with those majors? What fields do I want to concentrate within the area of journalism (Electronic media or Reporting? Design?), and what will my focus be in psychology (Child Development or Abnormal Psychology? Clinical therapy or research?). I don't even want to start thinking about graduate school (or if I will be going at all). 

I know I will make a lot of mistakes between now and the end of senior year. There will be peer pressure and other students in my fields of study who look like they know exactly what they're doing. But I am beginning to realize that the key to success does not depend on comparison, but personal efficacy. If I believe in my passions and my ability to pursue them, whatever they may be, then I am already halfway there. 

College is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, much like your first love or the publication of your first book. You never really get to experience that mixed rush of euphoria and confusion and excitement and fear all at once after it's over. Whether you're a freshman in college or smack in the middle of law school or a newbie in the corporate world, embrace the line of possibilities...all the better if you can't see the end of that line.

The F-Word We All Love and Hate

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A Look Inside My Subconscious

Question of the Day: Is there a question you would like to ask ME? =P If so, feel free to leave them in the comments below.

In my last post, I reviewed "Inception," one of the biggest must-see hit films of 2010. My previous Question of the Day was: Are you a heavy dreamer? Do you ever know when you are dreaming or not? Do those dreams ever come back to you in the morning? Some of you said that you often do not remember your dreams in the morning, while others of you said your dreams can get pretty intense sometimes.

And what about me? I suppose one of the reasons why "Inception" sticks with me so well and really made an impact on me is the fact that I also have very vivid dreams. There are times when the Dream World I'm trapped in is so animated and detailed that I believed the dream to be true. During my most dynamic and dramatic ones, my mind is very active and I am still thinking while dreaming...it almost feels like I AM awake, yet I cannot actually wake myself up.

Dreams have always fascinated me, and I really believe that they tell us so much more about ourselves than we realize when we're awake, and if we choose to let them, our dreams can help us understand ourselves, how we think, and our innermost thoughts and feelings that we repress so deeply inside.

A-hem. Sorry to get all Freudian on you today. I'd like to share with you a few of the most bizarre dreams that I have ever had in my life. None of them are made up at all...which is definitely hard to believe once you read them. Take a peek...

On a scale from odd to wild to bizarre to insane:

#4) I don't know what I'm standing on. All I know is that there is a surface below me. But the longer time I look down, the farther away the bottom surface seems to be. I keep my eyes locked on that surface below, willing for it to come closer to my feet. But I look down so much that eventually I begin to fall, fall, fall. My heart leaps into my mouth, and I wait to hit the bottom, the surface I'd stared at for so long. But it never comes. I just keep falling.

This probably has to do with the fact that I am deathly afraid of heights and hate the feeling that I'm going to fall. But maybe these heights stand for something else, another more abstract fear...perhaps I am scared of not being in control? Maybe.

#3) It is night time. I am pacing along the streets of the neighborhood I grew up in, the one in Boston, MA. My breath quickens, and somehow I know I am running away from someone. Something. No, multiple things. I hide behind and between tall trees that had once been my refuge as a child, and every time I look back I can see Disney villain cartoon characters (again, I'm not joking; I dreamt this) pursuing me. I dodge them for a good while, getting even more scared by the minute because these bad guys look like they mean business. Finally, I trespass into a run-down apartment building. It is all dark. Suddenly, the lights flicker and a disco ball appears. One by one, the villians--Jafar and Cruella De Vil most memorable--come in, pick up glasses filled with punch, and begin to party. The entire chase was a joke.

To be honest, I have no idea what to think about this dream. I do not fear Disney characters because they are not real, and when something is chasing me I usually take it very seriously, it's not a joke at all. So what can you make out of it?

#2) Somehow I was lost or running away or something of that nature, and in the dream I discover what seems like a whole new civilization. The culture is similar to Indian culture in that the citizens are all brown-skinned and wear paint over their bodies, which are only partly clothed. But what's amazing is that it includes a completely new population living in a sort of utopia. They have all sorts of colors and foods never used before by mankind, but they're all beautiful and delicious. The citizens welcome me into their civilization with open arms and I started to live like them, with them. I discover that they never get sick, develop diseases, or are born with disorders. Something in the way they live keeps them extremely healthy. The civilization is small though, and most of them live in small tribes with teepee-like homes. They do not have school systems or anything remotely complicated like what we have in the real world; instead, everyone lives in a small, close-knit community where all the children learn together in one place. Everyone works together, there is no disease, famine, or war.

I don't remember much of this dream anymore, as you can tell from the lack of detail, but I do remember it really felt real and I almost wished I didn't wake up. When I first came to, it was SO vivid all the images almost left me instantly because there was so much.

And the "Most Insane Dream Ever" Goes To...

#1) My sister and I are travelling through a mansion, a gigantic house full of different corridors, parlors, closets, and hallways. It's almost like a maze. It seems as though the house is deserted, for there is nobody else but us. We are trying to find a way out. My sister and I constantly run to and fro throughout the house, trying to find the door to lead us outside and free. The house is a mansion, and it is beautiful. Finally, we find a staircase and quickly start taking steps up and up and up. As we zoom past with every level of stairs, I glance around briefly and different rooms pop up. One of the most distinct ones I remember is a dining hall, but there was kitchenware and silverware and a magnificent feast already in place, waiting, it seems. It almost seems like one of those doll houses I used to set up when I was younger. I wonder where the owners of this house are. With every level, up we go, an earthquake begins. The higher we go up, the more intense the earthquake becomes. We become more frantic, more desperate of finding a way out. The climax of the dream is reached when I realize the truth: we're trapped in a house, a doll house to be exact, and my sister and I are the owners of this mansion. We are the dolls.

If there was ever a horror dream to make you scream in the middle of the night, this was it. Now I didn't scream bloody murder, but I remember waking up and being extremely sweaty and forgetting where I was. It literally took me at least five seconds to realize I was at home and that my dream hadn't been real.

A couple of these bizarre "subconscious adventures" happen to deal with being chased. In fact, in over 50% of my dreams, I am being chased by something or someone. Hmm, I wonder what my subconscious is trying to tell me.

At what point does a dream become an all-out nightmare? What is the most bizarre "subconscious adventure" you ever had? If you give me enough information, I will try to interpret it for you. =)

P.S. Don't forget to vote in the poll to your right! Tell me what you'd like to see more of on TRA blog.

A Look Inside My Subconscious

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"Inception" Movie Review

Question of the Day: Are you a heavy dreamer? Do you ever know when you are dreaming or not? Do those dreams ever come back to you in the morning?

I have watched Inception a total count of four times so far. Not only is that about seven and a half hours worth of oogling atLeonardo Dicaprio, but also of viewing a spectacular film dealing with the human's subconscious. I personally would categorize this movie as a "psychological thriller," but it's generally known as "science fiction". I suppose it's both in a way. :)

Inception is one of those movies that you HAVE to see more than once. I've seen it, like I said, three times and each of those times, I understood so much more and took something out of the movie, if that makes sense.

It's been a while since I've done a movie review (see "Alice in Wonderland"), but I promise this won't be as long as the last one! I will still be dividing the review into sections and rating each section from 1 to 5 stars out of 5. Oh, and I won't give away any spoilers. Promise.

Short Summary: Since I'm a Journalism major and journalism is all about taking a lot of information and squeezing it into shorter, concise statements, let me try to "briefly" describe Inception in one sentence. "Inception" is about a spy named Cobb (Leo) who agrees in a deal takes on a highly dangerous job of entering dreams to extract information as well as perform "inception" in order to go back home to his children in America. (If I was allowed another sentence, I would ALSO say that..."He constructs a highly talented team to assist him with the task, but there's a part of Cobb's own subconscious that just may disrupt their plan for good.")

Story: To me, the story of a movie is the world that it was set up in. Rating the story of "Inception" is kind of hard since they move so quickly between reality and dream worlds. The idea of inception and extraction through the subconscious and people interacting in their dreams are all very intriguing ideas, but not unheard of. However, the fact that they were able to pull this off realistically (in an ironic sort of way) in a movie is magnificent. Being able to change things in a fake reality however you want it? Move roads and make glass shatter and build a bridge simply by will? Innovative? Hell yeah. Rating: 5/5

Plot: Loved it. There was the main plot (mentioned in the summary), but there were also subplots that balanced evenly very nicely. As the team of dream experts are constantly trying to go deeper and deeper into their victim's subconscious, Cobb himself has an inner battle going on within himself. What's so crazy and brilliant about this is that while Cobb is the master at screwing around with minds, he can't even control his own. The reason why you have to watch "Inception" multiple times is that nothing is really revealed until the last half hour of the movie or so. Everything about the secrets of the plot suddenly becomes clear, and then you're like...wait what? and you HAVE to go back and watch it again to understand everything. The plots are twisted together so well. And what I really like is how they balanced out Digital Design (see below) and Plot. A lot of movies have excellent visual effects, but they don't have an equally strong Plot (a possible example could be Tron: Legacy, which I've heard is just like that) . I feel that this movie could have easily been a bad one, but the filmmakers did an outstanding job. Rating: 5/5

Characterization: Cobb is obviously the main character, and I don't think anyone could have pulled him off as well as Leo did. Without giving too much away, what I really like about the movie is how they entwined Cobb's personal life into the bigger mission. I do wish that there had been a bit more background information about the other characters, especially Ariadne and Arthur, Cobb's partner and great friend. Apart from that, I think the filmmakers brought together a wonderful medley of characters, each with his or her own unique talents that are imperative to the mission. Rating: 4.5/5

Costumes: Since there's nothing much to be said about this section, I'm going to go ahead and give it a full rating. :) 5/5

Acting: One of the factors in making this a total movie and [probably] Blockbuster Netflix hit is the fact that it is made up of an incredible international cast. With actors like Leo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt (who could forget "Angels in the Outfield"?), Ellen Page, Ken Watanabe, Pete Postlethwaite, and so many more, how could the acting not be good? Although Ellen is an excellent actress, I'm still debating within myself whether she was right for the part of Ariadne. The acting, when paired with the incredible script, made the characters, the situations they went through, and their reactions to be very believable. The audience is able to identify with the characters, and that's extremely important in films (and books, for that matter). Rating: 5/5

Script: Truly excellent. The script is extremely important in understanding the entire film. Not only do the characters explain to each other (and thus the audience as well) about the dream world (Aye! Who wants to take a vaca at Limbo?), but the constant repetition of the same motifs, in script as well as images, helped everything make sense in the end. You wouldn't know why some characters whispered certain words, even though they seemed to be very important, but as the plot developed and mysteries were unfolded, there's always a sense of deja vu that comes back. The words come to haunt us as they haunt the characters. Rating: 5/5

Action/Drama: What I thought was really clever was how the movie taught us everything about the dream world in the first part, and then in the entire last part everything we had learned came into play in the end. While the characters were pretty much informing themselves about the way inception worked, they were also indirectly informing us, the audience. Without giving away too much, "Inception" definitely brings "fast-paced" up to a whole new level. You jump at the edge of your seat, and by the time the main climax comes around, you are already so connected with the characters and who they are and their situations that it is so nerve-wrecking and mind-blowing to constantly see them in danger. A lot of incidents make you truly realize how important this mission is, and every one of them is willing to do anything to make sure that the team saw it through. Rating: 5/5

Digital Design: It is freaky what amazing things technology can do for the cinema these days. Instead of gushing to you about this, I'll just let you see the trailer for yourself...

Rating: 5/5

Direction/Production: Even though the thought of entering dreams and everything that happens in "Inception" is totally unreal, the movie was created so well that you are made to believe it is real. And even then, you really don't know what is real and what is not because of how fast the movie is and scenes that are placed in random spots, and several times you think, what the hell is going on? The movie is very confusing if you don't pay attention, but by the last third of the movie everything falls into place and finally makes sense. Perfection. Rating: 5/5

Overall Quality: Currently, "Inception" is nominated for the Oscars in the categories of Cinematography, Music Score, Art Direction, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, Visual Effects, Writing (Original Screenplay) and Best Picture. I hope the movie wins all of them. xD

One word....this movie was fantastical. Overall rating: 4.9/5 (according to my calculator)

If you haven't watched this movie yet, I highly encourage you to! Come on....just take a leap of faith....

"Inception" Movie Review

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No Kiss Blogfest: The Day Chloe Gets Her Smooch....well, Almost!

Question of the Day: Would you rather kiss a goldfish or a turtle?

Hurray! Frankie is hosting her 2nd annual No Kiss Blogfest, in which all participants should post an entry from a book/movie scene involving an almost-kiss! How could I not sign up? Kissing scenes are so fun, but almost-kissing scenes are as intense to read as it is to write them! Of course, I just had to pick the scene from Smallville's finale in Season 1 where Chloe finally gets to go to the spring formal with Clark Kent. As some of you already know, I am a total Superman fan. :) During the first big half of the series, even though Clark's drama with Lana keeps our attention at a max, we still can't help but hope for "Chlork" to happen...

Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville. The series belongs to the Alfred Gough and Miles Millar.

The Day Chloe Gets Her Smooch...well, Almost!

The jamming music of Remy Zero drums and guitars suddenly eased to a slow, mellow tempo. The soft tunes of Perfect Memory began to fill up the gym. My jaw dropped and I uttered to my girlfriends in surprise, "Oh my gosh, I love this song!"

In the near distance, I could see him walking towards me, his eyes fixed on mine. Yes, there he was in all his beauty and perfection. Clark Kent. My friends melted away into the shadows as he came approached me with that huge, goofy grin of his.

"May I have this dance?" He said, hooking his arm around mine. Even as he said those words, I still couldn't believe that this was real. Was it all just a dream? Or was it truly a dream turning into a reality? I couldn't begin to count how many times I had imagined this moment.

"Of course," I replied, not able to stop myself from smiling up at him. Perhaps it was the way Clark was looking at me, but I somehow knew that it was him who had requested the song. As we walked to the middle of the dance floor, he touched my hand, the one that was woven around his arm. The incredible warmth of his fingers seemed to send a jolt through my body. I couldn't help but bring my other hand up to clasp those fingers that had held me, and saved me, so many times in the past.

We laced through the millions of couples that were slow-dancing, and a few of them were even in a lip lock. Seeing those couples together made my heart pound....would that be us in a few moments?

Clark pulled me close to him, and I put my hands around his wide, muscular shoulders. He was still the sweet, farm boy I'd always known, but here was a side of him I'd never seen before.

"Clark Kent, man of mystery," I said. "Just when I think I have you figured out, you surprise me."

"How's that?" He asked, his eyebrows scrunching up together.

"The song...the tux....Tonight."

"And I'm still here," Clark pointed out.

"Yeah, you are." He was right. He was still here, just like I'd hoped, just like he'd promised. He was here with me, not with Lana or anyone else. Clark was here with me, and we were together.

He held me closer, and I wound my hands around him to close the embrace. I bent my head down and could feel his cheek pressed against my hair. I'd done this so much in the past...his body was so familiar to me. But during all those other times that I'd hugged him, Clark had been my best friend, and I had been his.

This time, it was so much more different and nerve-wrecking and exciting. For the first time, I was letting myself open up to him and show those feelings that I'd held within me for so long. I'd liked, even loved, Clark for so long. Ever since I knew him. How many times had he saved me from peril? I didn't know how he'd been able to do it, and I still didn't know now. For once, it didn't matter to me. He was, and had always been, my own personal superhero. And I knew now that he cared for me. That was what mattered.

I wrapped my hands around him, holding all the more tighter. I didn't want this night to ever, ever end.

Clark gently pulled back, and I looked up at him. His nose was inches from mine, and I could see his chocolate-brown eyes moving across my face, from my eyes to my lips. Oh gosh, this was it! Clark was finally going to kiss me.

My heart thudded faster and harder than the wings of a hummingbird. He tilted his head to the side, and so did I. I closed my eyes, waiting for the moment I'd been waiting for for years. Just before his mouth touched mine, the loud piercing sound of a microphone interrupted.

"Stop! Stop the music for the just a moment please. Uh, can I have everyone's attention please," the dance coordinator said from the stage. "Uh thank you. The National Weather Services just issued a tornado warning. Apparently three funnels have been spotted heading towards Smallville." Clark and I exchanged worried glances.

"Now, please everyone stay calm," the man continued. "The twisters are gonna set down south from here. For your own safety, nobody will be allowed to leave the gym."

"The bus station's south from town," said Clark. His eyes widened in alarm. "Lana's there."

My heart plummeted all the way down to the depths of my stomach. I found myself shaking my head. "Clark don't worry about it...I'm sure she's home by now." Was I saying that to keep him clam, or to convince myself? "You know what, I'll go call her on my cell and you wait here, okay?"

I immediately spun around to retrieve my purse from the gym doorway, but something in my mind whispered for me to look back to make sure my dream-come-true was still there, and would surely be waiting for me even after I got back.

I turned and, sure enough, Clark had pulled one of his signature disappearances. I looked this way and that, so fast that everything was a blur. No, no, this wasn't happening, I thought to myself in panic. He promised. He'd promised me he would stay with me.

People pushed by me, confused and shocked and nervous. None of them were Clark Kent.

~~~

There you go! I hope you liked it. :) Be sure to vote in my "Rate & Review TRA" poll on the right. I'd love to receive some feedback about how I can improve the blog in 2011!

No Kiss Blogfest: The Day Chloe Gets Her Smooch....well, Almost!

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Reading Between the Lines

Question of the Day: What song inspires you? Why? Is it the rhythm, the lyrics, or something else special about it?

I'd like you to me Mr. Duke. He's a nice guy....been hanging out with me for a good while now. He lets me tell him anything I want. Very good secret keeper, I must say.

Mr. Duke is my Quotes Book. He's filled with a bunch of treasures and jewels in the form of words. Quotes, beliefs, inside jokes, famous sayings by famous people, song lyrics, Facebook statuses, you name it .

Whenever I'm lonely or just need a pick-me-up of inspiration, I turn to Mr. Duke. Because he's just that cool. :)

Today I'd like to share little tidbits of entertainment, inspiration, and insight that I've picked up over the past couple of years. I figured this was appropriate especially since 2010 is slowly saying farewell to us. It's nice going back and seeing what I've written and added to Mr. Duke. =)

(drag the image to your URL bar to make it bigger)

I hope you enjoy and that you find something to laugh over, smile about, and ultimately think of throughout the day. :) Which line is your favorite?

~TRA

Reading Between the Lines

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G'Day Fellow Bliggity Bloggers!

Question of the Day: What do you enjoy the most about springtime?

I apologize for my lack of bliggity blogging* the past few days. I have finally decided what I want to do with my life! After much pondering and discussing with my family, I have chosen which university I would be attending for the next four years of my life. HURRAY! Thus, my little transition into college has officially started, but it's come with A LOT of To-Do's.

I will be majoring in Journalism & Mass Communication and minoring in Psychology.

I will also be a premedical student.

I hope to become a gastrointestinal doctor as well as journalist for either a cultural magazine, a healthy living magazine (maybe Self!), and/or a medical journal.

It's the busy life for me! :]

Since I chose my pathway, I have had to work on several things, including registration for orientation, registration for housing, registration for my very last SAT Test (Subject Test: Level 2), and pre-planning of my classes for next year. It's been a load of work, but I've gotten a lot out of the way so I feel like I deserve to take some time and blog more now!

I have also been working on my super duper special writing project! I have finished two sections of it in one week, which really makes me happy. Even though I still have at least ten or so sections to go, two sections is already a big chunk! A spoonful of encouragement and a dash of Go Wendy's! would be loved. :)

In addition, I attended an International Festival today in the town commons, which was a lot of fun! Sadly, I did not take any photos because I didn't think the owners of the different tents would let me. But I'd be glad to illustrate the festival to you!

• There was a lot of interesting food, ranging from Chinese to Greek to Indian to Polish cuisine! I decided on Indian food and ate some delicious Chicken Curry and Naan. If you've never had Indian food before, you must try some!
• Many performances took place in the amphitheatre right smack in the middle of the town commons area. Most of them were cultural instrumental, dancing, and singing. It was pretty neat!
• Lots and lots of homemade goodies were being sold in the various tents! I saw a lot of amazing jewelry handmade with the most beautiful glass and wooden beads I've ever seen before. I wish I could've taken pictures to show you all! I did not buy anything but the Indian food, however.
• The festival lasted from 10am to 4pm. My mom helped out in the Chinese tent! I was able to hang out with my boyfriend and some of our other friends from school that we ran into.
• It was a ton of fun. =D

Tomorrow I will be blogging a detailed pro-con post about China's one-child policy. My next post after that will be about the amazing Self Magazine! Stay tuned! As always, thanks for reading.

~TRA

*The term "bliggity blog" is from 350 Lights.

G'Day Fellow Bliggity Bloggers!

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In the Spirit of NaNoWriMo

Every year, the National Novel Writing Month takes place in November. For those of you who have never heard of this contest before, let me introduce you to the basics:

• write a novel or part of a novel of 50,000 words
• write these 50,000 words within the course of 31 days
• Quantity v.s. Quality = QUANTITY WINS!

Sounds pretty crazy, I know. And impossible. But guess what? After 3 years of attempting to reach this crazy, impossible goal, I finally won NaNoWriMo during November 2008. Literally minutes before the deadline. I am living proof that writing a novel of 50,000 words in one month is, in fact, possible.

And I'm not the only one. There are several people (see http://www.nanowrimo.org/) who have successfully written novels by surviving through this contest and have gone even farther to publishing their NaNo novels and becoming real authors.

I'm not here to persuade you to participate in NaNoWriMo. (Not yet.) It's way too early for that...it's only February, after all! But last night my father found my NaNoWriMo novel on Amazon.com and bought a copy. That sparked my idea for this blog entry. Let me introduce you to my NaNoWriMo 2008 Winner Novel:
Click to Buy "Sophie" and Read More!

When I saw my own book up for sale on Amazon.com, it really made me feel nostalgic as I thought about the entire process that it had taken me to complete it. All 124 pages of it. The click clack of my keyboard as I fervishly wrote all I could day in and day out during November, that drunken feeling of staying up sinfully late at night as I try to squeeze in just 1,000 more words, the crunch, crunch of Chewy granola bars, the only thing that was capable of keeping me going hour after hour of writing nonstop.

The addicting swell of my chest and the swift pumping of my heart as I closed yet another finished chapter of my slowly-progressing novel. The priceless exhilaration that I felt as I finally validated my online NaNoWriMo word count so that it read 50,000 and watched the words flash before my eyes: Congratulations! You won NaNoWriMo 2008! on my computer screen. Thinking, "I did it! I wrote a 50,000-word novel in one month! I DID IT!!"

You get the point. It was awesome. There's something about the feeling of accomplishment that makes us feel like we're on top of the world. It makes our pride and self-esteem go up about 120% and we go smiling for days on end. It's an emotion we don't often get to experience because either we are too busy to accomplish something that big and bad, we don't think about accomplishing something that big and bad, or we're scared.

Reasons Those Excuses Suck:

1) Busy. You have that huge biology mid-term coming up, two weekly baby-sitting jobs, sixty pages of history to read every week, and weekly calculus quizzes. You have two babies to tend to, your position as Vice President of the local Parents-Teachers Association to maintain, and a job that your family is depended on for food and shelter. However busy and burdened you may be, there is a time when you need to STOP and just rest. Take a few moments to admire that red cardinal singing harmoniously outside; it's never too late to appreciate life's little things, the things that make it beautiful and worth living. Then, finally, squeeze some time right before bed or while you drinking your morning coffee (or when your babies just happen to be snoozing for their afternoon naps) to outline some realistic dreams you have. Choose the one you want to achieve the most and make a plan to spend a little time each day towards that dream. Being so busy, you'll WANT something to help you get away from life's little chores. It'll make you happy. =)

2) Routine Thinking. For many people, each day is a routine. You wake up, go to work or school, come home and do homework or outline your next work project, eat a snack, play Spider Solitaire, make and eat dinner, go to bed. In between one of those activities, stop and think about what would really make you happy. What is it that you would love to accomplish and would make you feel successful and like you're living in the moment? Whether it be creating a beautiful painting for your mother's birthday, mapping out your dream home (I did that a few weeks ago and it made me really excited and truly stretched my imagination), or writing a 50-000 word novel, choose a goal and stick to it using a plan. You'll be surprised by how amazing you feel once you actually complete it. And it's a great way to open your mind to new possibilities of how to break from your calendar routine and, instead, make life interesting and truly enjoyable.

3) Fear. In worst case scenario, you don't accomplish your goal. Is that what you're afraid of? Failure? Pshh. Well, actually...I have a confession to make. That's my fear too. Fortunately, there is a saying that's very true: "I try 99 times, and the 100th time I succeed." That definitely hit the money when it came to NaNoWriMo; losing that contest 3 times was awful, but I built up the courage to try again each year, and I finally won the 4th time. Another great quote that I absolutely live by is: "Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure." It's true. Throughout NaNoWriMo 2008, all I kept thinking to myself was...You are your only enemy in this one. And it's the same thing with you. The only person stopping you from accomplishing your goal is you. You are the only one who can control your own actions, thoughts, and decisions. And even if you totally blow it the first time, that failure is all the greater reason and motivation for trying again. And again. Each time you fail, you build up another degree of happiness that you receive when you do finally succeed.

Accomplishment is bliss. It's like our happy drug, only it doesn't kill you (usually). NaNoWriMo is my drug. What's yours?

~TRA

In the Spirit of NaNoWriMo

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