R Rated Movies

Being raised LDS, viewing R rated movies was discouraged in my family, but not for some of my LDS friends. Recently, several of my friends and their parents have commented on how incredible the movie, American Sniper, was. It posed an interesting debate in my mind of why it is or is not okay to watch rated R movies. I am tempted to see it because of the reviews it has been getting, but I personally don't think I could sit through 100 something f words. I will admit I have seen three R rated movies, the Patriot, Slumdog Millionaire, and Bridesmaids, but I have never seen them all the way through. I would catch edited clips of them on tv and flip back every once in a while to watch them. I believe that there are several moments in R rated movies that can be hilarious, powerful, or uplifting. I've heard people say that they don't look at the rating as much as they do the content of the movie. I personally have never looked up the content of an R rated movie and thought, ya I'll go see that. I also find it interesting that most movies nominated for Academy Awards/ Oscars are usually rated R. I honestly don't know how reliable the rating system is; there are some PG-13 movies I won't even watch. I do believe that people perhaps have different sensitivities to media. I don't think I could sit through more than four or five f words or a lot of violence, but maybe others have different thresholds for certain things. Because it can be a grey area, I think it makes for an interesting thinking exercise. What are the reasons behind our choices, whether we choose to view certain media or not? 

Jack Johnson

Jack is my all time favorite artist. I listen to him in the car, when I'm getting ready in the morning, when I'm doing homework... I love how calming his music is (his voice and his lyrics). It makes me feel like all is well, which is something I frequently need during college! I can honestly be so stressed about something, listen to his music, and feel so much better after. I love the positive power that music can have on us. This is one of my favorite music videos of his. I love how he includes so many scenic, every day places in Hawaii (the beach, a random dirt road, a shack). I have an uncle in Hawaii so I have visited a few times and absolutely love it there. His videos are such a refreshing break from music videos that include clubs, nice cars, and wealth in general. I also love how it looks like it was filmed with a normal camera, not a super nice one. It makes me see him as a normal guy rather than a big star, where clips are perfectly edited. I love being able to listen to his clean, feel good music in an industry that is mostly dominated by vulgar lyrics and videos. Jack's the man and I WILL meet him one day!!

Instagram Boycott

My roommate and I decided to boycott Instagram for as long as we could. We both felt like it was taking up too much time and we felt good about the idea of only opening up Instagram if we were going to post a picture. We made a deal that the first one to cave had to deep clean the kitchen and bathroom.. We both made it for a month and decided to cave when she got her wisdom teeth taken out. Instagram was a usual part of my daily routine (cruise on it before bed and when I wake up in the morning). Without Instagram, I would fall asleep quickly and had more time to get ready in the morning. I also liked not knowing what other people were doing. It's easy to compare yourself to other people and the vacations they're taking, husbands they're marrying, and the cute clothes they're wearing. Most people will only post the best pictures of themselves, which may distort our perception of reality (cute outfit with hair and make-up done versus baby throwing up at 3 am). Although Instagram keeps me connected with many friends that I haven't seen in a while, it's also an opportunity to make comparisons and draw conclusions, which isn't always healthy. I've been back on Instagram for a few weeks now and I think it's time for another fast!!

F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

January 14, 2014

So Friends came on Netflix.. My roommate and I have started watching it from the beginning and I forgot how funny it was. I don't have to think hard when I watch it and it is such a great break from school and work. I love how I am starting to relate to some of the characters, now that I am about to graduate college and find a job. However, I also realized how sexual it can be. It's interesting how I think 20 years ago the media was conservative compared to now, which I am sure is partly true, but I am surprised how much content they let into episodes. Now a days, sex is everywhere so I wouldn't be surprised if the show was being filmed today... it's just something I wouldn't entirely expect from 20 years ago.