Obama II: Moving Forward

Movies by nature are designed to entertain but on a deeper level they carry subtle messages and themes, which explain the dreams, ambitions, and fears of the cultures that create them. I recently stumbled across an article in the New York Times titled, "Movies in the Age of Obama" The piece was placed in the entertainment section but provides a fascinating cultural analysis of American film under the Obama administration. In the past four years American film has painted a picture of a country struggling to redefine itself following economic turmoil and a decade of war.

During President Obama's first term the American public's perceptions on controversial issues changed drastically. These ideas were reflected in some of the big movies in the past four years. Topics top of mind included race relations, war, Black men, and climate change. Many factors contributed to the American public's new perceptions but most notably the Great Recession and the election of the country's first Black president played crucial roles in shifting ideology.

The most notable shift can be seen in the American public's view of Black men. Always a hot topic, Black men have evolved in film from savages in "Birth of a Nation" to become heroes and even sex symbols in modern day movies. America's complex relationship with Blackness reached a turning point in the election of Barack Obama and was the culmination of the civil rights movement and carefully crafted images displayed on silver screens.

A similar transformation is taking place for the LGBT community. Gay characters in film have begun to become more complex and are no longer limited to stereotypical representations. Given the country's rapidly changing perception on Gay rights and Obama's vocal support of LGBT issues, it wouldn't surprise me if queer ideas make a big splash on the silver screen in the next four years. Only time will tell but if history is any indicator, the cultural war surrounding LGBT issues is coming to a close. Similar to other cultural issues such as interracial marriage, race, and gender equality; media is helping reshape our values and creating dialogue about once difficult topics.

As a whole Obama's first term had the makings of a blockbuster movie itself. From the big bailouts in the beginning to the shooting in Newtown at the end, Obama like many characters in film changed significantly from when he first entered office. Now starting his second term, it should be interesting to see what his presidency brings the American people in terms of policy and film.

[Photo courtesy of Digital Traveler]

Sitting in on The Last Lecture

Life doesn’t come with a manual but if you look carefully there are plenty of easy to follow lessons left by people who figured out how to do it well. I recently came across such a lesson in my family’s book collection titled, “The Last Lecture.” This real life story focuses on Randy Pausch, a Carnegie Mellon professor diagnosed with cancer who’s determined to leave an enduring legacy for his loved ones. He does this by giving a last lecture – an exercise where professors reflect on what’s important to them and share their last words as if they were dying tomorrow.

Randy uses the first few chapters to outline his life to date and the rationale behind giving a last lecture. At first it seems as if the story will just be a paper copy of his live performance. A few chapters in however the book jumps from its straightforward narrative and shifts focus to important life moments for Randy. Each mini story reveals a lesson the professor learned when encountering life challenges. At this point Randy begins to reveal smaller thoughts regarding daily life that are focused on a grand narrative. Like life the book is filled with many lessons that when combined come together to showcase a complete story.

Ultimately there are many lessons to take away from this book. Below are a few I found meaningful:

• Make opportunity – “…If you can find an opening, you can probably find a way to float through it.”
• Never give-up – “…Don’t believe in the no win scenario.”
• Default to positive – “The park is open until 8 PM.”
• Brick walls aren’t dead ends – “Brick walls are there for a reason. They give us a chance to show how badly we want something.”
• Function is greater than perfection – “Not everything in life needs to be fixed.”
• Create to-do lists – “You can always change your plans, but only if you have one.”
• Learn from failure – “Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted… Be the first penguin.”

“The Last Lecture” is a quick read with lots to teach. The title is deceptive in the fact that while it’s focused on Professor Pausch’s last lecture, it’s easily a whole quarter worth of knowledge crammed into 200 pages. It’s not required reading but the story is perfect for those looking to get a new perspective on life and its daily challenges.

Status Update - 1.13.13

Life slowly returned to normal this week following Fuzz’s departure the week before. Traditional routines reemerged and I found myself gaining a bit of traction in discovering what's next on the professional front. Thanks to a handful of great conversations about potential new ventures and life advice, my outlook for the year remains positive.

On a more personal level, I’m making progress in achieving some of my goals for this year. A few noteworthy ones include being physically active frequently, building my own Website and reading regularly. I'm very excited to be learning HTML and looking forward to hitting publish on my site next month. I also purchased a few sessions at a boxing/muay thai gym in Belltown that I'm eager to try.

The year is off to a good start so far. And as a former sprinter, I’m well aware of the importance of a good start. Out of the gate, it’s time to make things happen! Hello 2013, you're looking great.

[Photo courtesy of Flickr user bacherfamily]

2013 Goals

Admittedly, I am a bit behind in posting these but wanted to share my major goals for 2013. There are two reasons for doing so. First, I’ve found from experience that it’s easy to forget goals when they don’t take physical shape. Secondly, I’m striving to generate more original content in 2013 and this is a step in the right direction. I’m in the process of determining a good home for all of my posts but for now I’m going to make use of Facebook notes.

Below are my major goals for the year:

• Master four new cocktails
• Be physically active three times a week
• Save $10,000 for a major life event
• Blog once a week
• Create a personal Website
• Make more time for family and friends
• Read a new book once a month
• Be timely and organized
• Attend two networking/educational events a month
• Visit a major U.S. city outside of the Pacific Northwest