Divergent: To be or not to be

            Divergent is a Veronica Roth’s 2011 bestseller. Now, the film adaptation of the novel has people on different ends of the board. People loved it. People hated it.

            Peter Travers from Rolling Stone magazine definitely did not like it. Patricia Garcia from Vogue magazine is a fan. Who do we believe?

            Travers cuts straight to the chase by dissing the movie in his lead claiming it couldn't stir palpitations in shut-ins and calling the movie bland and lifeless. The word burn appeared in my head in capital leaders and in flames.

            While he’s in favor of the choice of Shailene Woodley playing the protagonist, there was no onscreen chemistry between her and Theo James who plays her love interest.

            Travers blames director, Neil Burger for failing to perk up the script.

            Now on to Divergent’s cheerleader from Vogue. Garcia claims that Divergent appeals to all audiences like “science fiction nerds,” “those suffering from Ryan Gosling withdrawal,” “indie film snobs,” “Spotify addict,” and the “Hunger Games freak.”

            Garcia compares Divergent to the novel Brave New World. I have to respect this claim because in Divergent citizens are split up into groups based on their personalities. Brave New World runs on a divided up class system. This comparison gave the cheerleader a brain.

            “Divergent will definitely appeal to those who crave a little more postapocalyptic conflict in their lives.” And this is where Garcia’s brain disappeared. A dystopian world and a post-apocalyptic world are two different things! A dystopia is the opposite of utopia. It is an undesirable society, while a post-apocalyptic world is a world after an apocalypse. 

Sizzling Winter Soldier

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

                Being an avid Marvel fan, I had to read this particular movie review of all the reviews in Rolling Stone. I expected blood or a more in-depth review. I was disappointed, but at least I know I will love this movie because Peter Travers is in favor of it.

Travers was definitely a fan of this movie. He seemed as if he wanted to keep writing about the movie, but to avoid spoilers he stopped himself. Readers like me wish he kept writing.

                There’s romance, action and Captain America trying to catch up on 70 years of icy sleep. What’s not to love? Oh, yeah. 3D.

                Thirty-Second Tangent: 3D hurts my eyes and gives me a headache. The only movie I have ever watched that was made specifically for 3D was "A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas." Any other remake or blockbuster hit that has a version in 3D is just to make some extra cash. It doesn't actually provide you with a whole real-life experience.

Travers first starts off the review by giving a little background information on Captain America’s character and the movie Captain American: The First Avenger.  He lets readers know that many of the unanswered questions about Captain America’s life post frozen, which The Avengers neglected to recognize, are answered in The Winter Soldier.

Travers explains the only reasons why Captain America: The Winter Soldier even made the cut because Chris Evans who plays Captain America and the rest of the cast did such a splendid job that they conceal the plot holes within the movie. Yes, there are a still few unanswered questions even after watching this movie. 

Alas, the review ended. I was left craving for more. I can't wait to watch this box office buster and Chris Evans rock hard abs. You were thinking it too!

The Beard that Bleed on George Clooney's Couch

Now that I have your attention, it's time to get started.

The beard in question, Chris Jones of Esquire magazine graced my campus with his presence last night. Chris's dear friend and my professor, Luke Cyphers is responsible arranging this get together and for the laughter that reverberated off walls.

Jones walked up to the podium wearing a t-shirt, a sweater and a pair of jeans. His scruffy beard had grown since the last I saw him on Skype during one of my classes with Cyphers.

Jones was candid and random in the beginning, but we held on to every pointless word because later he began pouring liquid gold into the minds of journalism crazed journalism majors.

"People think they can write their way out of reporting," says Jones. What are the odds? Cyphers said the same thing yesterday in my magazine writing class!

Coincidence? I think not.

Jones stresses reporting is the most important thing because "the writing will come" later. Even though he didn't get much reporting done while dazed and bleeding on George Clooney's couch. That's all you need to know about that story.

But my generation. Please. "Everyone's a special snowflake," says Jones. We are talkers and not listeners.

I am apart of the Y-generation according to Pew Research. We are the generation that is lazy and think everything will work out in the end.

We have to be curious and care if this is field we want to be in and succeed.

I have one question: Clooney! Did you notice?

Travel with Purpose

I have had itchy feet for some time now. No, I do not have athletes foot. I'm referring to the itchy feeling that makes people want to move around and experience life outside of their comfort zone and home. Verge magazine's article, Top Jobs for Itchy Feet has supplied me with 10 solutions to my problem, but I shall only share five that I'd actually do.


"Become an au pair" 
I love kids. Well, sometimes I love kids. All I keep imagining is that cheesy movie called Au Pair and its obviously about an au pair who originally thought that she was going to be an assistant, but turns out she really signed up to be a nanny. Whoops. Let's just say her relationship with the children got off on a bumpy start.

But I have 4-year-old sister, countless younger cousins and I was a after-school program counselor, so I can handle anything.

"Join the seasonal workforce at a special event  or in the tourism industry"
This seems more like a person who moves around from country to country or city to city. I would be sticking it in one place for awhile, but this seems perfect. Signing up to help with random events seems like a perfect way to spend my 20's.

"Become a travel writer"
Well, I am a journalism major... Maybe Verge magazine will take my stuff?

"Work on international development"
Being a part of something bigger than myself is something I've always to do. Going to a different country and helping others while seeing the world and learning about life outside of my New York bubble would be an incredible experience.

"Become a Travel Guide"
I went to Italy in my senior year of high school as a graduation present (I didn't sweet sixteen, so this is where those funds went). I remember most of our tour guides were maybe a few years older than I was at the time, and were all American. I thought to myself, "I could do this! I love history," which I do. I'm a history minor. I love walking around and talking about stuff I know too much about.

Perfect fit? I think yes.

What I really love about this service article is not only does it explain what you can gain out of these jobs, but it gives out websites or ideas where you can start searching!

A service article that actually supplies a service! Who would've thought!

How To Deal With Filler Articles

Neil. F******. Patrick. Harris.

Handsome, stunning, gay (happy and homosexual), talented, comical, and captivating are the words that describe Neil Patrick Harris and not this article.

The article in question, “Neil Patrick Harris: Playing Hedwig on Broadway Is Bringing Up Insecurities” from People magazine is neither good or bad. It’s a dud.

It talks about Harris’s upcoming Broadway roll, how he feels about it and that’s pretty much it. There is nothing enticing or angry rampage worthy to write about.

Therefore this blog will be entirely about how to deal with articles such as these.

Number One: Find the silver lining. When an article has bored you to tears, find something in it that you could get a happy feeling from. Harris was my silver lining. He stars in one my favorite shows, “How I Met Your Mother,” he’s a huge gay icon, and he’s hilarious. What’s not to love?

Number Two: Take a deep breath and click the refresh button in hopes it has gotten better in the last five minutes. Wait, whoops. That won’t happen.

Number Three: Click to the next article!

To those who write space-filler articles and don't put any effort, you should be ashamed of yourselves. 

I Will Watch "The Americans"

When clicking links and going page to page, I was thinking “let me choose something heavy for this week.” That is not the case anymore.

Instead of writing this blog, I seriously want to go pop some popcorn and binge while watching “The Americans” after reading this article from the New Yorker.

When I first saw the commercials for “The Americans” I thought, “Eh. Doesn’t look that captivating.” I knew the topic was interesting: two soviet spies in America that are pretending to be everyday people. I blame the trailers and commercials for not conveying the awesome clearly.

The title "Watch 'The Americans'" immediately shows the readers this is going to be a positive review. After the first sentence, you know that this person is absolutely in love with “The Americans.” It was practically a love letter.

"It’s not a critic’s job to be a P.R. flack…We’re supposed to maintain healthy boundaries, gazing at art from an Olympian distance. But there are certain TV series that bring out the evangelist in any writer,” wrote Emily Nussbaum.

She has such a comedic tone throughout the article that constantly made me smile, so how could I not want to watch this show while she’s singing its praises? 

She does give away a few things to readers like how one of the main characters was raped at a young age and how another seduces and marries an F.B.I secretary. To potential show viewers like me, I don’t want to be told this! I want to watch and be surprised. Now all I want to do is get to those episodes where that information is revealed.

But then how else would have she caught my attention?

Then when in doubt, the next paragraph states the show is filled with sex and violence. Just those two words piqued my interest. Let’s face it, everyone knows sex sells. And violence, well that goes back to human nature. Some of us, myself included love the rush of a good fight scene and can’t wait to see who comes out on top.

                                          This image alone implies seduction and violence!

By the advice of Nussbaum, I shall proceed to ignore the following: my work, my roommates and the pile of clothing siting on my desk chair. Time to binge. 

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2014/02/watch-the-americans.html

Student Abroad

For my intro to magazine class I have to research a specific magazine and find out their ins-and-outs . The magazine that will receive nonstop calls from me is Verge magazine; therefore I should do a little reading on my publication of choice.  I chose the first article I saw on their homepage: “Convince Your Parents to Let You Study Abroad.”

                Being a college student who wants to travel around the world and live in a foreign country, this stood out to me. Personally my mother doesn’t need convincing because she wants me to get the entire college experience (and we already went to Italy). It’s only a matter of finances in my situation, but that’s a different blog entirely.  I do know students whose parents have the leash on so tight that it’s practically suffocating the students. So students who are currently gasping for air, this is for you.

                Number one: Safety First
                                Well this is pretty self explanatory and predictable. But it gave the emergency number of Europe and Australia. I was not privy to this information prior to reading this, so this is very useful. Also the writer pointed out to have medical insurance all figured out before going abroad. I would’ve never thought of that! I’m just imagining eating biscuits, sipping tea and exploring the Tower of London, not twisting my ankle while crossing the street to Buckingham Palace, which sounds like something that would happen to me.  

                Number two: Money
                                BUDGET! BUDGET! BUDGET! The pound is worth over twice as much as our dollar. Our dollar doesn’t count for didley-squat. I would feel like I’m paying Britain to convert my money into their money! That is all.

                Number three: Staying Connected
                                Thank god for technology is what this portion should say. Although, it didn’t shed light on how high your bills will be if you don’t get an international plan! SKYPE can only do so much for you.

                Studying abroad is pricey and risky, but that is what’s fun about it. It’s like going on a vacation without your parents, but you sit in a class room taught by a teacher with a rather thick accent. I’ve only been to Europe once, and I intend on going again, but this time without my parents and maybe some medical insurance for my clumsy self.

                 

If you would like to read this little how-to, here is the link: http://www.vergemagazine.com/magazine/study-abroad/convincing-your-parents-to-let-you-study-abroad.html