Clowning Around

It is essential that everyone become acquainted with his or her inner clown.  In my acting class this week, we did some clowning. However, this was not at all what I thought of as a traditional clowning class.  We would come up in pairs and say the worst insults we could think of to each other.  Our teacher stressed that the most essential feature of a good clown is his or her refusal to let humiliation or insult keep them down.  After the bead drops, the clown finds his or her way out of the negativity and has the grace to regain self esteem without becoming angry at or resentful of the person who put him or her down.  I believe it was Eleanor Roosevelt who said, "no one can make you feel inferior without your consent."  Strange as it may seem, these words never rang more true for me than during clowning class!  The strength also to not become angry and sink to a bully's level is also inspiring to me.  Many times, I have allowed my energy level to rise to that of someone who was intentionally being spiteful or hurtful towards me.  One challenge I am giving myself this month is to more consciously bring myself out of negative emotions or hurt I feel as a result of others' actions (intentional or unintentional).  

Oldies but Goodies

Last night I watched Meet Me in St. Louis for the first time in at least a decade.  Judy Garland singing "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" makes me ball every time.  There is something about old movies that is just so much more uplifting and powerful than the airy teenage movies or romantic comedies we get today.  Don't get me wrong, I love a good teen movie and am a sucker for The Notebook and Pride and Prejudice.  However, I think the movies Hollywood churns out today are indicative of a very fascinating cultural shift we've undergone.  Society today is scared senseless of emotions.  Why?  Because they are associated with all things feminine and irrational.  They are not at deemed masculine or rational.  I think this is why many (though not all) movies we get today are generally less emotionally charged than older films, or if they are, they are rarely the most popular movies.  For instance, many more of my friends have seen the latest Harry Potter movie then have seen Winter's Bone, The King's Speech, or True Grit.  Even The King's Speech, however, does not depict the depth and range of emotions that The Godfather Saga or Doctor Zhivago do.  This is why I have much stronger reactions to older films and I can't help but wonder if it is the negative reputation emotions have suffered at the hands of their association with femininity that is to blame.  

Spring Cleaning

I enjoy creating order out of chaos.  It gives me a sense of accomplishment.  This week, I have been exceptionally meticulous about cleaning my room and keeping things in order.  The result?  I am so much better able to focus on my work and have been more active in general.  Why this matters?  I have been able to devote a lot more time and energy to my own wellness and my ability to maintain balance in my life has greatly improved.  So my number one reccomendation for the day, clean something!  Do anything that gives you control over your situation.  I gaurantee that if you focus on the doing those things you can control, you will be so much more prepared to take the big tasks head on and perservere in the face of life's more daunting hurdles.

Winter Wonderland... Not!

I am sick of snow. Correction, I am sick of New England snow. I am in earnest when I say winter is my absolute favorite season in the whole wide world! However, New England snow is awful. It was nice when it was fresh and powdery and there was little moisture in the air.  Now that it is beginning to melt and the humidity is again rising, I am sick of staring at black, muddy, icky, dirty snow banks as I walk around Western Mass. I would much prefer to be back out West in Utah where I could be skiing on fresh powder and enjoying a dryer climate that did not make the transition between winter and spring so loathsome. What's more, I cannot comprehend why Massachusetts natives insist on using sand on ice. It may be better for cars and less corrosive, but my inner Utahan finds salt much more effective. I also hate the constantly grey and cloudy sky. At least in Utah, the sun shines during the winter! Anyway, that's my two cents about this weather. Upside: it is slowly becoming sunnier and warmer each day. Hopefully, spring isn't far off, plus I will be home in exactly one week for spring break.