The Pressure of Being a Blum

Growing up, I had the picture-perfect childhood. My parents were liberals and raised my brother and I open-minds, and the impression that we were capable of achieving our biggest dreams, no matter how impossible they seemed. My brother and I were also lucky enough to witness my parents practice what they preached. I watched both my parents grow incredibly successful as the years progressed. Today, I call my parents and my older brother the “Dream Team,” since they are still living their dreams and still casually walking the road to success. And then there’s me: almost ready to graduate college, and not quite sure if I'll make the team. The only problem is I’m not too sure I’m capable of making the cut. Let me explain my story of the ‘Dream Team’ and then maybe you’ll see what I mean.

My father, Michael Blum, was born in Israel and moved to America when he was eight. My father and his family had a difficult time assimilating to the new culture and language, as well as struggled financially, while living in Long Island, New York. In school my father was bullied because he was unable to communicate and understand what the teacher was saying. Well, my father turned his unhappiness and insecurities into motivation to learn English and over-achieve in school. My father even skipped a grade and got a full scholarship to college. To make a long story short, my father ended up becoming a successful businessman for big name corporations, such as IBM, Hewlett Packard, etc.  And he has even given lectures at prestigious Ivy League schools, such as Harvard. Currently, he is the Vice President and Global Leader Banking for Wipro Technologies, a leading technology company from India. Yes, he had the classic “rags to riches” story.

My mother, Saundra Blum, grew up as your typical all-American girl. She grew up in a wealthy community in Long Island, New York, known as Great Neck, but she claims her family was one of the poorest in town. My mother was nominated as homecoming queen in both high school and college. At first my mother was a special education teacher, then she had her share in the business world as a corporate figure for an insurance company, but for some reason she was convinced that there was another career for her out their that would fill her niche. My mother found that career, and it turned out to be a very different career than we all expected, but she has thrived in success with it. Today, my mother is a hypnotherapist/ past-life regression therapist and is very well-known in the alternative-medicine community. Recently, she released a relaxation Cd, which is being sold on Amazon.com.

Then there’s my brother, Jordan Blum, who is six years older than me. He is that rare kind of person that has known what he wanted to be since he was five years old- a film-maker. He is the biggest movie-buff I know and his imagination is somewhat overally creative. He went to film schools during the summer, had his first job as a camera-man for Fox News at just 18-years-old! In college, he directed a mini-series that aired on the university’s channel. In his junior year of college, he entered a film contest for MTV, and won a VIP pass to the movie premiere of the “Phantom of the Opera,” and his short film was featured on national television. Before he even graduated college, he got an internship at MTV reading scripts. Finally he landed a job as a writer/ production assistant/ Executive Assistant for the hit show, ‘American Dad!’ Recently, he wrote two full episodes, by himself, for ‘American Dad!’ The episodes will air in the spring. Next week, my brother is pitching a new cartoon series to Fox, which he co-created with one of the creators of ‘American Dad!’ Oh and I forgot to mention, his film career looks like it’s going to take off any second, since DreamWorks is considering one of his movie scripts and my brothers long-time hero, and creator of marvel comics, Stan Lee, is also reading his script. Did I mention my brother is only 28?

The Blum Family has experienced success-after-success, which only makes me uneasy to think about how the heck I’m going to live up to all this. I can’t help, but stress since I’m not even totally sure what I want to do with my life yet. I know I want to write, because writing is my passion, but what kind of writing? I haven’t a clue.

 Next December I will be graduating with a degree in Journalism and my minor is Women’s studies. The only problem is, over the last 4 years, I’ve realized journalism isn’t really my thing since my strength is creative writing, and the rules of journalism don’t really allow for any imagination or creativity; in other words, I’m screwed. It’s stressful being a Blum, and I may struggle finding my place in the world... But, at least I have connections. 

The Hanukkah Lesson

          Growing up, I belonged to one of the few Jewish families in my town. I’ve become rather used teaching   my non-Jewish friends the traditions and beliefs of Judaism. One of my favorite things to do is to bring my non-Jewish friends to my family’s annual Hanukkah party.

Over the weekend, my roommate, Danielle, and my friend, Lauren, decided to come with me to New York and attend the Hanukkah party. Since they’re both Christian and haven’t really been exposed to Jewish culture before, I decided to give my friends a lesson in Hanukkah.

Latkes

When I think of Hanukkah, my grandparents immediately come to mind. Let me start with my blatantly Jewish Safta (grandmother). My Safta has the thickest Israeli accent, it sounds as if she just came off the boat from Israel. The best way to describe my Safta… Dr. Ruth. She’s a very tiny, petite woman, with blonde hair, small eyes that smile behind her glasses, and has does not have filter when it comes to talking about inappropriate things. She also has mastered the art of 'Jewish guilt' to the point where she could probably teach a course in it. Although, I must say the woman sure can cook! During the Jewish holidays, you can find my Safta in the kitchen with a glass of brandy in one hand, and a wooden spoon in the other. I don’t know what she does or how she does it, but the end result is a delicious traditional Middle Eastern meal that you’re taste buds will never forget. Safta is famous for her mouth-watering Latkes. Over the years, the demand for her incredible Latkes has grown outrageously at our Hanukkah parties, because no one can get enough of them. This year, my Safta made a record-breaking 30-pounds worth of latkes.

My Saba (grandfather) also has a heavy Israeli accent and frequently makes terrible grammatical errors, which has caused many people to scratch their heads in the past. My Saba is the type of man who often feels the need to comb over the mere three strands of hair on his balding head. He is a humble and quiet man, only because he can barely get a word in with my chatty Safta around. When he is able to get a word in, it’s usually a witty one-liner that has us all laughing hysterically. After meeting my grandparents, I think Danielle and Lauren were a bit overwhelmed.

The clock hit 4:00pm. One by one, our family and friends, both old and new, began piling through the door. Soon our house became more crowded, louder, and definitely more fun. I decided to teach Danielle and Lauren how to play Dreidel, a traditional Hanukkah game. “Dreidel, is pretty much gambling for kids,” I said. “We each get a collection of chocolate coins, otherwise known as Hanukkah gelt. First everyone needs to put one coin in the middle. Then we take turns spinning the dreidel. If it lands on ‘Gimmel’, you get to take the entire pile of gelt in the middle. If it lands on ‘Hay’, you get to take half of the pile. If it lands on ‘Shin’, you need to put another coin into the pile. Finally, if it lands on ‘Nun’, you don’t take anything and you don’t give anything.” Once my friends got the hang of it, the game of dreidel grew rather intense. The game grew even more intense, and we all became bitter when my eight-year-old cousin joined the game and spun a ‘Gimmel’ every time it was his turn. In retrospect, our competitiveness and bad-sportsmanship with an innocent eight-year-old may have been a tad bit inappropriate and pathetic. But anyways, dreidel was a big hit, especially with the girls.

After our friends and family gathered around and we lit the Menorah, we then introduced my family’s own Hanukkah party tradition. For 25 years, we have had our guests write their name, the date, and a little personal message on a strip of paper, and we then attach it onto our Hanukkah Chain. The chain has become our special and most valued decoration during Hanukkah, since it contains memories of our dearest family and friends, some who are no longer alive today. The Hanukkah Chain has become so long, it circles around the perimeter of our living room twice!

I watched Danielle and Lauren proudly decorate their link to the chain. I could tell they felt touched to be a part of our family, our tradition, and experience a culture so different from what they are accustomed to. I think it’s safe to say my Hanukkah lesson was quite a success, since the girls already confirmed that they’re attending the ‘Blum Hanukkah Party’ next year. 

Plataforma Churrascaria: Meat-Lover Heaven

The day after Thanksgiving is usually spent recovering from the massive amounts of foods consumed the day before, or it is spent shopping because of ‘Black Friday’. I spent the day after Thanksgiving eating yet another monstrous feast in New York City. My brother and his wife came in from L.A., as well as his mother-in-law and sister-in-law, who are from Ohio. We wanted to give everyone a good taste of New York while they were in, so we went into the city, walked around the crowded streets of 5^th Avenue, watched the ice skaters at Rockefeller Plaza, and went sightseeing around Time Square. For dinner we went to Plataforma Churrascaria Rodizio, a wonderful Brazilian Restaurant.

The Salad Bar

          At Plataforma Churrascaria, They serve a wide variety of different cuts of beef, pork, lamb, chicken, etc., in succession, to each diner individually right at their table, thus there is not a traditional menu. The restaurant features a fixed-price continuous tableside service. Also, it’s very difficult to not fill up on the amazing salad bar, which contains an assortment of beans, salads, sushi, and other special appetizers.

            At the table there is a round card at each setting, which has a red side and a green side. When you’re ready for the waiters to bring around the huge cuts of meats, you flip the card over on the green side and let the meat fest begin. If you are a meat-lover, then this restaurant experience is pretty much the closest thing to heaven on earth. My favorite is the prime beef, it’s so tender, juicy, and flavorful- it melts in your mouth. Another favorite of mine happens to be the chicken wrapped in bacon- it’s to die for!

Caipirinha

            For those who are of the legal drinking age, I recommend Plataforma Churrascaria’s famous specialty beverage called “Caipirinha.” This drink is a concoction of fresh limes, sugar, ice and "Cachaça" - Brazilian liquor made from raw sugar cane, martinis and many non-spirited beverages. It’s delicious! 

            Once you turn that card over on the green side, it’s very hard to turn it back over onto the red side. The food is so scrumptious- no matter how uncomfortably full you are- you still just want to keep eating! If you are ever in New York City, Plataforma Churrascaria is a must! Most all-you-can-eat places tend to have a crumby quality of food, but not Plataforma Churrascaria! It’s a 5-star restaurant all-around, with a fixed price of $50 per person! I highly recommend Plataforma Churrascaria because it’s an eating experience you will never forget!

The Jersey Reality Show Invasion

'Jersey Shore' cast

It feels like just yesterday New Jersey was known as the “Garden State,” and/or the “smelly state.” Today, New Jersey is associated with the “Jersey Shore” and other reality shows. It seems you cannot escape the Jersey fever. They are all over the media, on every TV channel, and talked about/mocked all the time. So, why are there so many New Jersey Reality shows? And why have they become so popular all over the world?

They sport a fake golden tan, which resembles somewhat of an oopa lumpa. Their closets mostly contain Ed Hardy clothing. The girls poof the front of their hair, while the guys either have a prickly waxy sculpture on their head, or they have an exceptionally perfectly landscaped buzz cut. They always have a drink in one hand, and fist-pump with the other. Yes, that’s right, I’m talking about the 'Jersey Shore,' the hit MTV reality show that started the Jersey Reality Show Invasion in the first place.

            For those who aren’t avid watchers of the show, let me introduce the cast of the ‘Jersey Shore’. First there’s JWOWW, a young woman who is not afraid to reveal her personal assets, as well as her aggression with disrespectful girls. There is the “loyal” couple on the show, Ronnie and Sammi “sweetheart”. There’s Pauly D who defines the meaning of a Guido, with his spiky hair, DJ abilities, Fake tan, and love for his women. Then there is Snooki, the tiny, cute, and precious one whose personality makes up for her height. Vinny, the most "normal" of the group and is naturally entertaining. Finally there’s Mike “The Situation”, who’s one of the most entertaining of the group. No one can get enough of his chiseled abs, and his limited vocabulary use, which usually involves the word “situation.” These colorful characters, who have been called “modern-day greasers,” have forever changed the way we see New Jersey, and they have influenced a craze that just won’t seem to fade.

            The ‘Jersey Shore’ has become a guilty pleasure for many people. For those who aren’t familiar with or exposed to the Guido culture, the show is exceptionally entertaining and rather hilarious. One of my favorite things about the show is the collection of Guido terms that the cast has created. There’s “GTL,” which stands for gym, tanning, and laundry (the guys’ daily agenda). T-shirt Time; The point in time in which all the guys in the house put on their t-shirts before they go out to the clubs. Beatin' Up the Beat: Tribal, ritualistic exercise of literally pounding on the floor along to music until one ascends into a full-blown fist pump. The Blowout; a typical hairstyle for the male cast-mates, which requires a good ten pounds of hair gel, and the end result looks as if they stuck their finger in an electrical outlet. A Bomb; a stubborn female, who cannot be seduced by a male cast mate, and tends to ruin everyone else’s fun.  MVP; nickname assigned by “the situation,” which stands for Mike “The Situation”, Vinny, and Pauly D., and is typically used when they hit the club scene. There are countless more creative Guido terms, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they came out with an official “Jersey Shore Dictionary” one of these days.

            After the first season of the ‘Jersey Shore’, the Jersey Reality Show Invasion transpired. An overload of ridiculous drama, heavy Jersey accents, tough personalities, hair gel, and even more fake tans erupted on TV. On vh1, they aired the unsuccessful reality show ‘Jerseylicious,’ which follows the personal and professional lives of the owners and several hair stylists and make-up artists in Green Brook, New Jersey who work in the Gatsby Salon. And, there’s a fresh batch of Jersey Reality shows coming to a TV near you: ‘Jersey Couture’ on the Oxygen Network, and ‘My Big Friggin’ Wedding’ on vh1.

'The Real Housewives of New Jersey' cast

 The Real Housewives of New Jersey on Bravo became the next big hit. The series follows sisters (who happen to be married to brothers) Caroline and Dina Manzo, their sister-in-law, Jacqueline Laurita, long time family friend, Teresa Giudice and the always unpredictable Danielle Staub. Each episode is jam-packed with intense drama, gossiping, and these ladies never hesitate to be over-the-top, because after all, that’s the Jersey way.

            Some people can’t get enough of the Jersey Reality Shows, while others find it to be a bit excessive now. My question is why are people are so obsessed with these mindless show? When I asked my friends, who are all avid watchers of both the “Jersey Shore” and “Real Housewives of New Jersey,” they said it’s because these people are nutty and hilarious, and well, just plain entertaining. One of them said she watches it because it’s almost hard to believe that these people are for real and actually exist. So will the invasion of Jersey reality shows die out? Or, will we be fist pumping till the end of eternity? To be continued…

Ronald McDonald is a World Traveler

Today I talked to my father who’s currently in India for two weeks on a business trip. Since his job entails international business, my father has been traveling the world since before I was born, and is able to adapt to different cultures quickly and easily. However, my dad does have some difficulties adapting to India’s spicy foods. According to him, every meal in India (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) is loaded with strong spices. My dad told me he spotted a McDonalds there and was nearly overwhelmed with joy; even though he would never touch fast food in America, he was desperate for a normal meal that wouldn’t burn his tongue off or have his stomach grumbling. Salivating at the thought of a juicy burger, my father literally ran to the fast food joint. Unfortunately, the cow is seen as a holy animal in India, according to religious beliefs. They aren’t allowed to eat burgers, or any kind of beef, and chicken isn’t the safest thing to order at a McDonalds in a third world country (especially India).  So, my father was totally out of luck. A McDonalds that doesn’t serve burgers kind of sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it?

Yes, I felt terrible for my dad, yet I was also fascinated at the fact that there was a Mickey D’s in India! I had no idea that Ronald McDonald has gone international! I decided to do some Google searching about this and found out that McDonalds offers a regionalized version of their menu in different countries. According to Wikipedia, “the Veg ‘McCurry Pan’, the famous dish is very popular and is an original creation of McDonald's across India. It starts with a rectangular shaped crust that is topped with a creamy sauce, mushrooms, and vegetables including broccoli, baby corn, and red bell pepper. It is then baked until the crust is crisp and the toppings are hot and bubbly.

  I found out that there are McDonalds located on almost every continent! In Arabia, the popular item on the menu is the McArabia of course, which has two versions: Grilled chicken, and grilled Kofta (beef with spices). Both are served with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and garlic mayonnaise in addition to two small patties of grilled chicken or Kofta, all wrapped in an Arabic style pita bread.

"McHombard"

In Canada you can enjoy a Mclobster roll, or “McHombard” in French. You will find an Ebi-Filet-O (shrimp burger), Koroke Burger (mashed potato, cabbage and katsu sauce, all in a sandwich), Ebi-Chiki (shrimp nuggets) and Green Tea-flavored milkshakes in Japan. In hong Kong, the people love their rice, so why wouldn’t their happy meals contain Rice Burgers, where the burgers are in between, not burger buns, but two patties of glutinous rice. In Malaysia's capital of Kuala Lumpur, breakfast at McDonald's includes the Bubur Ayam McD. In Singapore, it's called Chicken SingaPorridge, which is a cup of porridge with bits of chicken, ginger, shallots, onions, and chili peppers.

The list of strange foods go on and on. I must say, I’m actually pleasantly surprised to see these countries have their own unique McDonald menus that stay in accordance to their regions culture. I’m just glad that the western world hasn’t influenced a menu of greasy unhealthy foods that are responsible for the growing problem of obesity in America.

            

The "Black-out" in a Can

It’s no secret that most college kids love to party and drink alcohol. And these days, if you go to a college party, you may happen to see several students drinking a fun colorful can with the name “Four Loko” on it. Yes, the new craze, which has been called “black out” in a can or “liquid cocaine,” is an alcoholic caffeinated energy drink, which has caused college students to black out everywhere. Why is this drink so popular among partying college students? Simple- it only cost $2.45, and all you need is barely one can of it and you’re on your way to a wide-awake inebriation.

At a recent Kid Cudi rap concert at URI, it was reported that 34 students needed medical-attention, and 11 ended up in the hospital, due to alcohol-related issues. Although what these students drank, was not reported, some of my inside sources, who happen to be students that attended the concert, said many of the students were drinking Four Lokos at the event.

            Just today I received an email that declared that the  University of Rhode Island has officially banned Four Lokos.  URI is the third college to ban Four Lokos. Prohibiting this stimulant-alcoholic-energy drink seems to be a fast growing trend among colleges throughout the United States.

 It’s no mystery to why Four Lokos are dangerous, since these 23-ounce cans contain 12 percent alcohol, not to mention that the caffeine has a way of masking the effects of alcohol, which gives drinkers a false sense of sobriety. Doctors also claim that this drink is dangerous since it's a combination of stimulants and depressants which can be extremely detrimental to your health.

            Health officials are investigating Four Lokos further, to see if there are anymore dangerous effects of this beverage, and whether it should be taken off the shelves and the market for good. But in the meantime, students are grabbing it while they can, despite the fact that the drink may cause serious health issues. I have witnessed firsthand, students who claim the medias making a big deal over nothing, and they believe Four Lokos are completely harmless. Actually, since Four Lokos have been getting a lot of attention in the news, I've seen even more kids drinking it than ever before.  I’ve even heard of a “Four Loko Party” or “Four Loko Contests,” which involves people competing to see how many Four Lokos they can drink before reaching complete unconsciousness. Scary, I know.

         This danger0us craze is quickly growing all over the nation. Even underage high school students are drinking it, and many are ending up in the hospital from it. If there's one thing that can be said about it all, it's that FOUR LOKOS are causing young America to go LOKO!

            

The Sound of Music is One of My Favorite Things

Just the other day, the hills came alive with the sound of music on the Oprah Winfrey show. That’s right, the cast of The Sound of Music reunited on the show for the first time in 45 years, since the movie first came out in 1965.

Besides being a winner of 5 academy awards, including Best Picture, The Sound of Music quickly became a Hollywood classic, and is still the most popular movie musical in the cinematic history.

For those who have been living in a cave for the last 45 years, The Sound of Music is the story about a young vivacious nun who leaves an Austrian convent to become a governess to a wealthy widowed Naval officer and his seven children. The Von Trapp children had a history of being little troublemakers, and caused many governesses quit their position- but not Maria. Maria was tough and full of spirit, and eventually brought songs, music and fun into the Von Trapp family household.

Liesl, Louisa, Friedrich, Kurt, Brigitta, Marta, and Gretl all walked onto Oprah’s stage when Captain Von Trapp blew his infamous whistle, as seen in the movie. It was quite strange to see the Von Trapp children, no longer as children-they are all grown up now!

We all remember Captain Von Trapp who appeared to be hard and strict at first, but eventually Maria was able to reveal his soft loving side. The memorable role belonged to the handsome actor Christopher Plummer. Although Plummer just turned 80-years-old, he is still charming and sharp as ever. In fact, the talented actor admitted that because of his age, he’s been getting more work now than he’s ever gotten. Just last year, Plummer landed his first Oscar as Best Supporting Actor nod for his role as Leo Tolstoy in ‘The Last Station.’

 And, let’s not forget the one and only, legendary musical icon Julie Andrews. There’s something about Ms. Julie Andrews that gives me that warm fuzzy feeling inside. When I first saw The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins, I dreamt of Julie Andrews coming to my house and being my nanny- I still do to this day. There’s something so comforting and genuine about her angelic voice, and that big radiant smile, and that enchanting sparkle in her eyes. Unfortunately, Julie Andrew’s also talked about the devastating tragedy of losing the one thing she loved and treasured most about herself- her singing voice. While doing a Broadway play, the dame suffered from a throat condition, which is harmless and common for many singers to get. However it was a botched surgery that permanently damaged her vocal cords and silenced Julie Andrews from singing ever again. Losing her extraordinary gift in singing did not put the star out of show business; she continued Broadway shows, and films, such as the Princess Diary movies. The 68-year-old even played the animated queen character in Shrek 2. In addition to her busy acting career, Julie Andrews partnered up with her Daughter Emma, and has written over twenty best-selling children’s books, The Julie Andrews Collection.

            I’ll never forget the first time I saw The Sound of Music, and that one scene when Julie Andrews is spinning in lush green fields of the Austrian Alps, as the camera pans in, and then Julie Andrews belts out: The Hills are Alive with the sound of music. Right at that moment, I felt goosebumps all over, and to this day, despite having seen it a trillion times, I still get goosebumps when I watch that scene. The Sound of Music is still the most popular movie musical ever made. Why? Because it never its magic, its fun, and its ability to lift your spirits no matter what mood you’re in. 

Tech-savvy Toddlers

When I first got an iPhone I suddenly realized how far we’ve come in the evolution of technology. I can’t imagine life without my iPhone, nor could I ever get a different phone ever again. Currently my iPhone contains 51 apps- because if I need to look for a good restaurant in my area, or want to listen to free Pandora music, or want to convert length to distance, or want to hang a picture up straight on the wall, or want to learn Italian, or want to watch you-tube videos, or want to find my way by a GPS- There’s definitely an app for all of that. The iPhone has influenced a revolution in technology and telecommunications. It has become one of the most popular and best selling cell phones on the market.

Not only do adults use the iPhone- now it has become a popular toy for you children, especially toddlers and preschoolers. I was reading the New York Times the other day and read an article called, “Toddlers’ Favorite Toy: The iPhone.” The article talked about how more and more parents are using the iPhone as a “tool to mollify a fussy toddler.”

So what does a toddler do with an iPhone? Well, there are plenty of apps for that! Many iPhone apps on the market target preschoolers, which are usually labeled as “educational.”

There’s the app “Read Me Stories-children’s books,” which is a talking picture book, every day teaches your child new concepts, new words and how to say them. There’s the “Toddler Teasers: Shapes,” which asks the child to tap on a circle, triangle, or square. The Pocket Zoo, which streams live video of animals at zoos around the world. There’s also baby flashcards, which teaches how read and spell. The number of apps that are aimed at young children grow tremendously, everyday.

It seems iPhones are a great educational tool for young children, especially those in early learning development. However, this new “toy” is also stirring up some controversy many people. According to the New York Times article, “Along with fears about dropping and damage, however, many parents sharing iPhones with their young ones feel nagging guilt. They wonder whether it is indeed an educational tool, or a passive amusement like television. The American Academy of Pediatrics has long advised parents not to let their children watch any TV until they are past their second birthday.”

Sure, the iPhone is a favorite toy for many kids, but now the iPad is becoming the “it” accessory for young children. In the media, we see more and more children of celebrities playing with iPads. Even the daughter of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, Suri, was spotted playing with her own iPad.

Suri Cruise and her iPad

Although iPhones may act as a quick way to pacify fussy kids, I don’t know if it’s exactly the best thing for them. Personally, society is already disconnected in terms of human-connection; due to the dependency and addiction we have to technology. It seems unhealthy and unnatural for children to be technology buffs at such a young age. I think parents shouldn’t always rely on the iPhone to keep their children quiet and distracted. I’m not opposed to children using it, but they should not be playing with them for long periods of time. 

The Search For A Perfect Halloween Costume

Since Halloween is approaching, my three roommates and I were trying to figure out what we’re going to be this year. This is our senior year of college so we want o make our last Halloween here epic. We are all pretty creative girls, however this year it seemed difficult to come up with the perfect clever and original idea. I spent hours googling “famous foursomes,” yet nothing really jumped out at me. I was going to have to rely on my own imagination for this one.

The first idea I came up with was "Ghostbusters," since I haven’t seen many girls dress like that for Halloween; however, my roommates were opposed to the idea because they wanted to be something more feminine. One of my roommates came up with the idea of being Barbies, but I argued that it has been done before, and it’s a bit too feminine. Some other ideas were: the Spice Girls, the girls from “Sex and the City”, and Disney princesses. One of my roommates even suggested that we should dress up as the Beatles, but I couldn’t imagine wearing a Moptop wig for the entire Halloween weekend.

Just as we were about to give up, my friend was flipping through the TV channels and landed on the western channel. Suddenly a light bulb lit up above my head… How about cowboys and Indians? Except we’d be cowgirls and Indians! When I told my roommates, they were completely thrilled. Sure, it’s not the most original idea, but it just seems like it would work!

A Passionate Cook

The sweet savory smell of chicken, mushrooms, green peppers, olive oil and delicious spices filled my house yesterday. My roommates call me “Chef Bree”, come dinner time. I have always loved to cook! It’s funny because I never really follow recipes, but I’ll look through cookbooks for inspiration. It’s so much fun to be creative and experiment with different combinations of ingredients and spices when cooking. In addition, it’s also very relaxing and therapeutic for me.

When I was little, my mother would be cooking dinner and I always wanted to cook too. I didn’t really care what I was making or if it was edible by the time I was finished with it- I just wanted to mix, stir, and pretend I was a chef. These days, I still enjoy the whole mixing, cutting, dicing, mincing, stirring, etc., and this time the end product is edible and tends to be rather delicious! (Not to brag or anything).

I’m a huge fan of the Food Network. My favorite chef on that network is Guy Fieri because he's like a rockstar chef, and makes cooking look cool! Plus, his recipes are easy and scrumptious. I’m also addicted to the show "Top Chef" on Bravo. Just a couple of weekends ago, they had a "Top Chef" marathon on, and I literally sat on my couch for 8 hours watching every episode.

Last night, I decided to make a huge feast and I wanted to make something I never made before. I found this DELICIOUS recipe for chicken cordon bleu. Usually I don’t follow recipes exactly, but with this dish I had to because the directions were very particular. I was inspired by a spinach, asparagus and goat cheese salad I found online, and I made my own dressing. In addition I made a fantastic risotto and mushroom dish, which was inspired by a recipe I saw in my roommate’s Rachael Ray cookbook. Finally for dessert, I made an old fashion batch of Pillsbury brownies with powdered sugar sprinkled on top. It was a feast to remember! 

The "Billy Elliot" Experience

Last weekend I went home to NY to see the Broadway show, “Billy Elliot”. I sat in the audience and watched a 13-year-old sing like an angel, dance like Mikhail Baryshnikov, and act like an experienced Broadway actor. Yes, you can say I felt a tad bit threatened by such talented youth.

The story takes place in a small mining town in England during the 1980s. One day after boxing lessons, Billy, played by Peter Mazurowski, stumbles in on a ballet class, and discovers he’s got a natural talent and passion for ballet. Eventually, Billy’s beautiful talent inspires his family and whole community. It's a story of passion, hope, and acceptance.

The music was fabulous, fun, and beautiful; you can’t expect anything less when the songs are written by the legendary Elton John. The cast was brilliant and extremely talented. This may sound strange, but one of my favorite parts of the show was listening to everyone’s heavy British accent. There’s something contagious about British accents; I cant tell you how hard I had to fight the urge to speak in a British accent for the rest of that nice.

I’ve been to many Broadway shows in my life, but “Billy Elliot” was definitely the best Broadway experience that I’ve had. Throughout the show, I felt somewhat involved in Billy’s life. When Billy talked to a figment of his beloved deceased mother, I cried like a baby. When there were quick witty moments of humor, I laughed out loud. When Billy’s father was livid after finding out his son has a passion for ballet, I was scared for poor little Billy. And, during the moments of triumph and happiness, I was sincerely overjoyed. Not to sound like a complete advertisement, but “Billy Elliot” is a must-see Broadway show, so get your tickets now people!

The Facebook Frenzy

It’s what we look at when we’re bored during classes. It’s what serves as our procrastination for doing homework. It’s the only place we can somewhat stalk our exes, friends, and friends of friends without being totally creepy. It’s the only website that makes us wonder how we just wasted the last four hours looking at tagged pictures of ourselves and friends. Yes, I’m talking about the social media site- Facebook- otherwise known as the addiction of most college kids. It’s hard to remember the days before Facebook since it’s become such a huge part of this generation’s life. This social network has allowed us to stay connected, reconnect, and make new connections with all our friends.

We turn to Facebook when we want to showcase our lives so that others can stick their noses in our business. The typical college student’s Facebook page contains collections of pictures and videos that document the raging parties they have attended and some proud and not so proud drunken moments in their career. Unfortunately, I’ve known many people who have graduated college and their own controversial Facebook media came back to haunt them when they applied for jobs. According to an article from The Greater Lansing Business Monthly, “the number of employers using social media sites to screen job applicants numbers in the thousands. Those who search social networking sites to obtain information about job applicants readily admit that they have made hiring decisions based on what they saw on those social networking sites, largely to the candidate’s detriment.” Because of many employers screening applicant’s Facebook pages, I’ve seen many of my friends change their Facebook account names, so businesses can’t find them under their first and last name.

College kids aren’t the only users of Facebook- many parents, even grandparents, are getting their own Facebook Pages, too. In fact, and unluckily, my own mother decided to join Facebook. I regret the moment I hesitantly accepted her Facebook friendship. The other day, which was a Wednesday, my Facebook status said I was going to a party with my friends. Later that night, I saw my mom left a comment on my status which said: “Going out on a Wednesday?! Briana, you should not be partying during the week!” I’m thousands of miles away from home, and yet my mother can still see what I’m doing and yell at me for it. Thanks Facebook!

So what’s the story behind this social media site that even President Obama has joined? Well, the tell-all story is in a movie that just came out, called “The Social Network,” which I am anxious to see. Jesse Eisenberg plays the Facebook founder-and former Harvard student- Mark Zuckerburg in the story about money-hungry and backstabbing nerds and conflicting truths behind Facebook. Also starring in the film, Justin Timberlake and Andrew Garfield. This Facebook movie has sparked some controversy, concerning how valid the film actually is. However, the movie has been getting great reviews, including Entertainment Weekly- calling the movie, “the Must-See Film of the Fall.”

Facebook has changed the way we connect and communicate with other people.It has its pros and cons. In my opinion, Facebook has started somewhat of a social media revolution, and I honestly believe people will find many different and useful purposes for social media sites. I think Facebook has more to offer than just being a website where you can creep on your friends and display pictures of your neighbor's keg party. 

Where Did All the Boy Bands go?

The other day my friends and I were talking about all the things we miss about the 90’s; Side ponytails, Tomagotchi, Nirvana, The Wonder Years. And then I thought about my own personal favorite element of 90’s pop culture… the boy bands. Whatever happened to all those precious boy bands? You know, the Backstreet Boys, 98 Degrees, O-Town, and of course my favorite *NSYNC? It like all boy bands disappeared over night. They’re somewhat like pop culture dinosaurs now, completely extinct, but their CDs are still buried in the closets of former teenyboppers everywhere.

 Boy bands from the 90’s were pretty much all the same. None were any better than the other, all of their music all sounded the same, and they usually did a synchronized dance on a cheesy music video. The formula of a typical 90’s boy band consisted of: the good-looking lead singer who usually had the big personality and frosted hair; the cutesy shy one; the rebel that usually sported a few tattoos on his muscular arms; the ugly one that acts goofy, but ironically everyone always forgets he’s in the band; and then there’s the one that looks too old to be in a boy band, however he’s usually a favorite with the moms.

The two most popular boy bands were *Nsync and the Backstreet Boys. Some might say they were rival boy bands. No girl could ever be a loyal devoted fan of both *Nsync and the Backstreet Boys. It’s like baseball; you can’t be a Yankee fan and a Red Sox fan, too… The universe would explode. I, for one, was Team *Nsync. If I ever heard a girl say that the Backstreet Boys were better than *Nsync, I would always be the one to speak up and passionately defend my boys.

I can remember my friend and I would spend hours in front of the mirror, singing into a hairbrush, and perfecting our choreographed dance to “Bye Bye Bye”. The walls of my bedroom were covered with *Nsync posters and I even had a bed set with all the band members printed on it. One of my fondest memories from the 90’s was when I attended my first *Nsync concert (my first concert in general), and I thought I died and had gone to teenybopper heaven.

Every girl had a favorite member of a boy band; the one she would fantasize bringing to the school dance and eventually marry. Of course my favorite member of *Nsync was JC Chasez, “the cutesy shy one.” Many girls loved Justin Timberlake, but I thought he was just cocky and loud. There were times I really thought I would meet JC one day, and become Mrs. JC Chasez. 

So where did these teen heartthrobs go? Well, these boys are not boys anymore- they’re men. In fact, most of them are now husbands and fathers, and too old to be singing and dancing around stage for young teenage girls. Today, boy bands are extinct, and pop music is slowly fading away due to the popularity of Hip Hop and other fresh modern music genres. Many people might think boy bands from the 90’s were just a bunch of cheesy, goof-ball, teenage boys with hardly any talent; But, not me. Boy bands from the 1990’s were once the hottest thing on the market. They were loved by billions of girls all over the world. And yes, they have been the butt of many jokes, however, they are still the ones laughing all the way to the bank. 

Let Kids Be Kids!

The other day I was babysitting for this little girl named Danielle and her older Brother John. After two hours of playing with Barbies that had their hair chopped off by an 8-year-old hairdresser, and smashing toy trucks into the couch, we took a break to watch some TV. We set up a picnic on the living room floor and dipped our Oreos in milk until they were soggy enough to eat. I looked through the list that their mother made of the TV shows that they're allowed to watch. Little Danielle’s favorite show “Dora The Explorer” happened to be on. For those who are unfamiliar with Dora, let me introduce you to her. Dora is an adorable little Hispanic girl who wears a backpack, plays a wooden flute, and her best friend is a monkey named Boots. Each episode, Dora and her monkey best friend rarely spend any time inside because they’re too busy going on new adventures, which usually involves finding people or helping someone find a certain place. She asks her tiny viewers to join her on her expeditions and participate in tasks, such as using a map. I forgot to mention that Dora also teaches her young viewers how to speak Spanish. I thought “Dora the Explorer” was a good educational experience, but there’s only so much exploring you can do in a day, plus Dora kind of scared me with how exceptionally patient and nice she was. I don’t know if Dora is on Prozac or what, but this girl never showed a sign of anger or fear- even towards the villains on the show. Her limited and unrealistic displays of emotions would probably even make the Teletubbies cringe. Unfortunately the other shows on the list weren’t much better: “Bob the Builder” and some other show with dancing animals that solved mysteries.

            This list of only educational shows made me kind of upset and it really got me thinking: Is there such thing as “too educational”? Or, are parents too restrictive in what they let their children watch, hear, or do? I’m all for educational kid shows, and I understand they are appropriate for children with young developing minds, but maybe these shows are too educationally aggressive and they might be somewhat of a learning overload. When I was a kid, there was a balance of educational and mindless entertainment. I remember everyday after school, my brother and I would watch Rocko’s Modern Life, Rugrats, Hey Arnold, Aaahh!!! Real Monsters, and other shows that contained hysterical anecdotes about farts, burps, armpits, and other grotesque bodily functions. Personally, I believe kids should be allowed to laugh at an inappropriate fart joke because it can help kids develop a sense of humor.

That night, I went home and watched some TV before I went to bed. There was a commercial that came on selling one of the most disturbing gimmicks I have ever heard of called “Your Baby Can Read”. Limiting your children to only educational shows is one thing, but to speed up your baby’s learning development is a whole other messed up thing. According to the commercial, the people from “Your Baby Can Read” will send you a kit that contains flashcards, videos, and a book of techniques that will teach your 3 month old baby how to read. That’s right, 3 months old! So basically your baby will be reading Harry Potter books before he/she is potty-trained or able to walk! I don’t get it. What’s the rush? What happens when they reach the second grade and the whole class is reading Dr. Seuss books, while the kid who used “Your Baby Can Read” is finishing his leisure reading selection, “The Catcher in the Rye”. That kid is going to be so damn bored. What will that prove? Again, what is the rush? Einstein never used “Your Baby Can Read” and he turned out just fine.

My fondest memories are of my childhood. Long summer days, playing in the mud, playing with creatures we found in the neighborhood pond.  I remember chasing the ice cream truck down the street to get our hands on a Hershey’s ice cream swirl. Playing kickball in our bare feet, treasuring every grass-stain we got on our white clothes. Loving our awesome and rebellious babysitter for letting us watch scary movies and watch late night shows. There’s something beautiful about being a kid; not knowing everything and living in a world of innocence and fantasy. Life is too short and we need to slow things down in this fast-pace society. Let your kids enjoy being kids because they only have one chance to do so.