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Friday, February 28, 2014

The Lego Movie: A Movie Review (Possible Spoilers)



I wanted to see this movie the minute I saw the trailer. The film looked fun, creative and brought back memories of Lego building when I was a kid. 
First of all, I want to say that you should go see this movie. I don't care how old you are, or what you even think of Legos or children's films. This movie has so many good qualities and it's just a fun story. 
Emmet, the main character is someone that I believe we all can relate to. He's the archtypal underdog, trying to fit in and be noticed. He wants to be special, to be remembered and to make a difference. He follows the instructions and does what everyone else does. But he is meant to be more than that, because he is the hero of a prophecy that will save all of Lego world. Once he is brought to the Master Builders, the creative heros of the lego world, Emmet begins his journey on discovering what he is capable of. But Emmet isn't the hero that everyone's expecting, and he begins to realize that not only is he different from the crowd that he tried to fit in with, he's different from the Master Builders and what the Master Builders expected him to be. He begins to doubt himself, and he tells himself that he doesn't have the ability that they do, to be creative. Even when the wizard Vitruvius tells him to believe in himself, he doesn't. So through the first act of the movie, he watches the other master builders, but once he creates something, and it works, his confidence in himself and his abilities steadily grows until he becomes a leader. 
Now I want to talk about the antagonist of the movie, Mr. Business. He wants everything to be perfect, and his idea of perfection is order. He brainwashes his citizens through television, keeping them distracted from any originality, and he wants total and ultimate control over everything and everyone. His obssesion becomes a madness that doesn't paint him in a good light. 
But this movie is more than it seems. It's not just a story about Emmet becoming a hero. It's not just a story about Legos. Once the movie takes a quite dramatic, and yet familar turn, you will understand what is really going on, and why Mr. Business is obssesed with perfection and order. 
In fact it was the final act of this movie that moved me the most, because it all made sense: Emmet feeling like he didn't fit in, The corporate versus the creative and the reason behind the prophecy. 
This movie is fun, inspirational and has a wonderful message. 
"The only thing anyone needs to be special is to believe they're special." - Vitruvius
From that belief alone, a web of ideas grows and you discover who you truly are, and what you are capable of. Sometimes we forget this when we focus on a goal or a dream. We compare ourselves to others, tell ourselves that we're not good enough, and we get wrapped up in what we believe is reality. This film has something for everyone. With character cameos, clever jokes, great voice acting and a wonderful story, The Lego Movie is a film worth watching. 
I give it five out of five Unikitties. 

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Transition




Sometimes life will hit you all at once. One thing after another doesn't go as planned. Unexpected events occur and surprising revelations come to you. You're on an unstable path, jumping from one illusion of security to another, all the while trying to accept each situation and be able to move on. 
There's a saying: "the darkest hour is just before the dawn." Just when you think all is lost, the light will shine through and show you the way. 
This is the point of transition. When things fall apart, it's a sign that things will change. But, if you don't accept or believe things will change, then you will be caught in a cycle of misery and disappointment. 
I have to be honest. I'm in this stage right now, and I'm afraid I haven't been able to stay strong, and I haven't been able to deal with anything. 
Yes, I still believe in that light, but my path is a mess! I have a lot of choices to make, internal and external. Life is pulling me in all kinds of directions. But I need to be strong. I need to get through this. 
I'm sure that there are many people out there who have worse situations than I do, but I also know that I can't hide how I feel or what I need. 
This is the point of change, transition, and a defining moment on the hero's journey. It's time to face my dragons head on. Time to get up and move! Time to take charge, and time to discover who I truly am. This is no one's fault but mine. 
This time, I will make the change!

Friday, February 21, 2014

Beauty and the Beast



Beauty and the Beast has been on my mind lately, since it's Belle French month on tumblr, and a new film adaption has been released in France, the country of the fairy tale's origin.  I even began writing my own adaption of this story.  So I wanted to write about the original tale, and why it means so much to me. 

            There is a reason why I love the fairytale Beauty and the Beast. It is the most realistic fairy tale that I know when it comes to explaining true love. 
            There are so many messages that the story is associated with. One being that you can never judge a book by its cover, and another that to truly love something, you must set it free. 
           But for me, the story is deeper than that. The story shows that love, true love is not something to be rushed, and it is not as simple as falling in love at first sight. It is a combination of the good and bad of both souls. Whether one may seem more pure or dark than the other, neither Beauty, nor the Beast are ever anyone but who they truly are. 
           The Beast, because of his appearance, is immediately judged to be fearsome and cruel. In many ways, Beauty is also judged by her appearance, and is almost taken for granted by her looks and personality in the story. But neither of these protagonists is ideal or perfect. Both are lonely. Beauty by being sent away from her only home, and Beast by being locked away in a self made cage. 
            It is their loneliness that brings them together, but it is their love that keeps them together. Beauty is naturally loving, and her personality is even put to the test with much of the Beast's behavior. But the Beast is also loving, even though he doesn't realize this. He never wishes to harm Beauty, and he doesn't keep her prisoner there for the rest of her days. His ultimate act of love is setting Beauty free, and Beauty's ultimate act of love is returning to his side. 
             This does not make Beauty a prisoner. She chooses to go because she loves her father, and she chooses to return because she loves the Beast. It is Beauty's ability to love that defines her freedom. It is Beast's ability to love that defines his freedom. 
             They are both prisoners in society because they are both different. Beauty is different through her personality, her kindness, which rivals even her beloved father's actions. The Beast is obviously different through his appearance. Both of their differences come together and create the psychological and symbolic formula of true love. They both save each other. Beauty saves the Beast from his curse, and the Beast saves Beauty from her cruel sisters, in the original fairytale.
             True love is the art they create, even while they believe they are trapped in their lives. And that is the story of most relationships. We are told that if we are single, we are incomplete, and we all feel very different from the crowd. But once we fall in love, it is the desire to love one another that sets us free from daily routine. A relationship is more than just being attracted to someone, it is loving their faults, accepting their flaws and wanting to be there for them. This is why Beauty and the Beast is my favorite fairy tale. And I believe it is the reason Disney deems it "the most beautiful love story ever told."

Here are some of my favorite book adaptions/versions: 

Beauty and the Beast by Madame Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont

Beauty by Robin McKinley

Beastly by Alex Flinn

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Heart's Blood by Julliet Mariller

Similar Novels: 

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

East by Edith Pattou

Sun, Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George
If you love this story, or have recommendations, feel free to share them here in the comments. 


Thursday, February 20, 2014

How to go after what you want in 5 steps



Step 1. List what you want- this may not be as simple as it sounds. Sometimes we find that we don't actually want something as much as we thought we would. Listing the things you want gets them out of your head and into the plan. 

Step2. Make a plan- Yes, this is a lot of work. Planning takes patience, time and effort. Also, you have to be realitsic and honest. Some steps are instant while others involve waiting and watching for opportunity. 

Step 3. Believe that you can achieve what you want- this is the hardest one for me. It's difficult to shut up the constant critic or even the echoes of nay sayers. But you can do this, especially if you believe in yourself. 

Step 4. Prepare for rejection - the harsh truth is that barely anyone gets what they want on their first try. You have to look at each rejection as a challenge instead of an obstacle. 

Step 5. Go for it! - Once you are moving, don't let anything stop you. Build your confidence and be sure to stay focused. How far are you willing to go to get that dream? To achieve that goal? 

"It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that things are difficult." - Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Monday, February 10, 2014

Erased

How am I supposed to feel

if I've cherished someone

who didn't 

cherish me?

Once it became 

too difficult

to keep in touch,

I was simply gone

from their mind.


How can I be 

invisible?

How could I be

wiped from their life

because I didn't matter

that much?


No goodbye.

No well wishes.

Just a mask

and an act 

disquised as caring.


Was I not part of their story?

Was my name even mentioned

in their tale?

No. 


They only kept

the parts of me

that they wanted.

They only remembered 

the times that 

I was their ideal.


Yet I . . .

miss them. 

I am sad 

that they are no longer

a part of my story. 


While I didn't exist in their tale,

they existed in mine. 


Why do I care more about 

people who don't care for me?


How could I have been

erased?




Saturday, February 8, 2014

Heartsong of the day: A New Life by Debrah Cox


Lyrics:

A new life,
What I wouldn't give
To have a new life
One thing I have learned
As I go through life
Nothing is for free
Along the way!

A new start
That's the thing I need
To give me new heart
Half a chance in life
To find a new part
Just a simple role
That I can play

A new hope
Something to convince me
To renew hope!
A new day
Bright enough to help me
Find my way!

A new chance
One that maybe has
A touch of romance
Where can it be,
The chance for me?

A new dream
I have one I know
That very few dream
I would like to see
That overdue dream
Even though
It never may come true! A new love Though I know there's no
Such thing as true love
Even so,
Although I never knew love
Still I feel that one dream is my due!

A new world
There's one thing I want
To ask of you world
Once before it's time
To say Adieu, world
One sweet chance to
Prove the cynics wrong!

A new life
More and more I'm sure
As I go through life
Just to play the game
And to pursue life
Just to share it's pleasures
And belong
That's what I've been here for
All along!
Each day's a brand new life!



Lyrics curtesy of http://www.lyricsfreak.com/l/linda+eder/a+new+life+from+jekyll+hyde_20491046.html

Friday, February 7, 2014

How to Hurry Up and Wait



So now you've put in that application, done that interview or taken that test. 
Despite how calm you try to be, you get restless, waiting for that call, email or opportunity to knock at your door. Your friends and family have already given you advice. "Hurry up and wait." But what does this mean?

You're in a transition, and taking another step forward in life. How do you deal with waiting?

Here are a few ideas to keep craziness at bay: 

Slow down: Take a walk, listen to your favorite playlist, read a book or just take a few deep breaths. Worrying over things won't make them happen, and now that you've taken the first step, you should take a moment to relax. 

Make some plans: Whether it's in the far future or just next week, planning can calm you down. Instead of worrying about the future, you're mapping it out as best you can.

Have some fun!: Call up a friend and hit the town. Go to your favorite haunts and celebrate! You're allowed to be proud of moving forward. 

Get to know who you are: Ask yourself some big questions, and try to answer them as honestly as possible. You may not have all the answers, but you can discover something new about yourself. 

Try not to expect anything: Don't be too optimistic and don't be too pessimistic. This is difficult on both ends, because it's easy to get caught up in your excitement, and if you're feeling down, it's easy to tell yourself that it won't happen. 

Accept where you are now: You weren't here two years ago were you? You've come far, and you'll go far again. Try to enjoy this time of indecision before life decides for you. What are all the positives in your life currently? After all, they don't call it the present for nothing. 

Whether you're going through a major or minor change, these tips can help you stay on track. 

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Souls of Light and Dark ( A Cruel Beauty Fan mix)



Based on the novel Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge. 

Writing Prompt 62: A glimmer of hope




Prompt: A picture is worth a thousand words. Write the story behind this one. 

       The great stone castle surrounded me. I walked its paths everyday, yet nothing seemed familiar or comforting. I was here for my family, locked in an extravagant cage. I was here because he wanted me to be. This strange Beast. 
       Every morning I walked the palace alone. Every evening he asked me a question, and then left me to the shadows. I began to feel lonely, and I knew that my heart was breaking. Being isolated from all I knew had its own freedoms, but today it felt stale. It was as if my very act of defiance had condemned me to sorrow. Confusion clouded my brain. 
       Why was I here if I was not needed? And why did my heart long for a creature who ignored my presence until he wished for my company? 
       Memories haunted my dreams. My few friends when we lived in the bustling town. My family in our peaceful cottage by the river. Loneliness eventually became emptyness. A bird does not belong in a cage, no matter how beautiful it was. And I was already letting him see too much of my heart. 
       I became desperate for his company, and I scolded myself when I acted like one of those flitty girls who giggled like idiots when a man walked toward them. 
       Was I falling for him?
       My heart already knew the answer. 
       Yes. Yes I was. 
        I found his attempt at conversation endearing. He was always polite, and never interrupted me, even when I belived that I was boring him. He always bowed before dinner and afterword once I answered his question. 
        I noticed that he did have emotions, but they were very well hidden. The way he watched me while I accidently knocked over a salad fork or a bowl of strawberries because I had never learned proper ettiquette revealed a touch of amusement. When I told a joke poorly, he supressed a laugh by muffling the sound with his napkin. Even the slight pause he made before answering my questions revealed a nervousness I couldn't understand. 
        Each answer he gave me brought more questions. Questions I knew he wouldn't answer. Why was he like this? What caused him to live this way? How long had he lived with loneliness? Why was he the nervous one when I was the guest and he the master of the castle? 
       So, that night, I decided to do the unevitable. I invited him to walk with me. The rose garden was finally in bloom, and no one should miss such a sight. I was bored of the cold walls and dry halls. I longed for fresh air and a step in the sunshine. 
       To my surprise and delight, he agreed. 
       The next morning, as the fog crept over the hills, a gentle knock sounded on my door. 
      "I know it is early," the Beast said, "but I thought the garden was best before the fog leaves."
       I followed him to a stone stairway, and we walked into the hazy air. The walkway was a maze, but the Beast offered his arm, and I took it, entranced by the beauty of the flowers dancing in a soft mist. The walkway ended at a bridge made of stone, and that bridge lead to another stone building. 
      Light graced this area, and the building had tall windows with wooden frames. The forest reflected in them now, with fog shrouding the edges of the glass. A set of wooden doors stood before us, as we crossed the bridge. 
     "It's beautiful." I told him, "What is it?"
     "The library." he said, "Would you like to see?"
     I nodded eagerly, and a weight lifted in my chest. While the castle was cloaked in shadow, and the garden in a hazy fog, the sun shone on this building and the flowers surrounding it. It was a glimmer of hope.