Firewatch

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It takes a lot to get me emotionally devastated by books, movies, tv shows, and video games. The new game, Firewatch, broke my heart and made me shed a tear just 10 minutes in. The player plays through the eyes of Henry, a man with a lot of problems. The first 20 minutes is mainly text with very little interaction. In this prologue, you go to a bar where you quickly meet the love of your life, if there is such a thing. The dialogue goes through several life events leading up to the point where your wife is diagnosed with early onset dementia. She is 41. Life goes on and she gets worse. The player has to decide between taking full care of her or sending her to a home. Unbeknown at the time, whatever the player chooses, her parents will come and take her to their home with them. A week before he was supposed to go visit her, he sees a job in the paper. He takes the job of being a fire lookout, starting the game. The player never sees or meets the wife, Jules, and only knows her through the information given in the prologue. There is still a strong connection with Jules, established from the start. Immediately after the soul crushing prologue, Henry arrives at Two Forks Lookout, his new home for the summer. After entering the tower, Henry is welcomed by Delilah’s lovely voice. She is his boss, working in the next closest tower. Delilah introduces herself while intoxicated. Henry is in constant contact with her throughout the game. Delilah is a character that is never met, but a big relationship is built between the two. They are both escaping reality by coming out here. Throughout the whole game, there is some strange stuff going on. For a while, they try to ignore it but it gets worse and worse; someone is recording all of the conversations the two share. If Henry doesn’t get to the bottom of this Delilah won’t just be out of a job, but may have to go to prison. The complex dialogue allows the player to connect to Delilah as much as they want, creating a unique atmosphere that the player is involved in. This was the best story game and the best plot I have seen. I had high expectations for this game and they were all met.

 

Star Wars Spectacular

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A few weeks ago my friend Hanna and I decided to go see the latest installment in the beloved Star Wars series. I had only seen one of the movies previous to this, so I really had no idea what was going on. I walked into the theatre thinking it was going to be a super nerdy movie about bizarre looking alien-like creatures

I walked into the theatre thinking it was going to be a super-nerdy movie about bizarre looking alien-like creatures who fight each other with laser beams.

Although I was somewhat right, I loved every minute of it.

I have been turned into a total Star Wars fan, I have been watching the older movies in the series, obsessively.

I enjoy the action and adventure of the series, similarly, I also adore Indiana Jones and James Bond, but who would have thought I would become a Star Wars geek.

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Sorry Men Suck

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Uber is a blessing. Uber saves lives, but this month every girls worst fear about Uber came true for the daughter of director Kevin Smith. Harley Quinn Smith posted on Instagram the details of her scary encounter.  

Harley, who stars in her father’s newest movie Yoga Housers alongside another famous celebrity offspring, Lily-Rose Depp, wanted to warn the people of Los Angeles about her almost life threatening run-in. 

“I was just standing outside a Starbucks in Brentwood” Smith wrote on Instagram, “There were two white men (age 20-30) in the driver (blonde hair) and passenger (brown hair) seat with an uber sign on their front window, but they were most definitely not uber drivers.” 

Harley Quinn asked the two men who the Uber was for to make sure it was for her and when they couldn’t answer they began grabbing her .  Thankfully she got away and they drove off.

Naturally, Harley was flustered by this event and her Father made her feel better in the best way ever-in the form of a chocolate cake with “Sorry Men Suck” frosted on the front.  

The 16 year old wrote,”Just when I was about to lose faith in humanity after almost being kidnapped today, my dad got me this cake and made me remember that some people, like himself, make the world a lot better,” 

 

Hallmark Day

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Happy Hallmark Day.

Or more commonly known as Valentines Day, which is right around the corner. This Sunday, the world will come together to celebrate (or not) this holiday, falling victim to colors like red and pink, and hearts as far as the eye can see.

Photo Credit: http://www.clipartbest.com

Hallmark holidays earned their name from their sole purpose of existing for commercial reasons, as opposed to commemorating an important event or tradition. Go into any given department store, and flashing signs point to isles of mushy cards and pink, glittery decorations. Although said to celebrate love, some argue that Valentines Day is a money-maker for stores, marketing thousands of cards and mass amounts of chocolate.

Don’t get me wrong – I think celebrating love is great, and important to do. However, an emotion that should be constantly expressed shouldn’t be stressed on one specific day just because a holiday is devoted to it.

This annual holiday puts a large stress on love and relationships, with demands like flowers, candy, and expensive jewelry. For most, relationships aren’t about material goods. One’s love is not measured by the amount of money spent on a partner, or the number of material items given.

Love can be celebrated every day, and doesn’t need to be shown through cheesy cards and cheap (or very expensive) chocolate. It can be sweet, but it shouldn’t be a representation of love, or a relationship itself.

Whether Valentines Day is celebrated lavishly or strongly ridiculed, there’s only one thing that remains important. This Hallmark day, full of stuffed bears and chocolate hearts, should never be the basis of romance.

Ever changing love

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Love has changed over the years

Back in the day when our parents were falling in love, there was no “good morning” text messages that are now so sought after

There were no “Happy Anniversary” posts on Instagram

Their love was genuine, their love didn’t just exist behind a screen

Today, most people drive up to their partners house and send a “here” text

“Netflix and chill” was not a date

Love letters aren’t in the mail boxes anymore, instead we get e-cards in our inboxes

Cupid’s arrow now comes from a text bubble

Love isn’t the same as it was 30 years ago

 

 

A Different Kind of Valentines Day

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Valentines, a time for chocolate, roses and an overwhelming amount of bitterness from the people who don’t have a significant other to share the Hallmark holiday with. 

Sure, Valentines day is a corporate holiday created to make money but it seems like it’s here to stay, so why not make the best of it. 

Valentines day doesn’t have to be just about romantic love, but also the every day kind of love.

 The love you feel for the barista who makes your coffee every morning, therefore saving you from the sleep deprived sadness that was about to strike at any minute.   The love you feel for scary movies and peanut butter sandwiches and wind chimes may not make your heart beat faster, but they are things that make you happy. 

Love doesn’t have to be measured in overzealous romantic gestures but in the little things that make your day a little bit better. 

The contents of my 6 year old purse reveal the things I love: crumpled coffee receipts, a ticket from a movie I saw with my dad and my favorite red nail polish.    

The lack of romantic love in my life isn’t a negative for me.  While most girl yearn for the unrealistic romances straight from the pages of a Nicholas Sparks movie, this Valentines Day I want to be doing something I love.  I will be with my family this year, which for me is better than any Ryan Gosling or Channing Tatum.

 

The Nefarious Pastry

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French macarons. Instantly recognizable, coveted. A pastry to instill child like glee in the hearts of all.

If the sight of those perfectly round little sandwiched pastel cookies does not evoke some sort of emotion, specifically respect, in you then you, yes you dear reader, have absolutely no soul.

These deceiving angelic and simple looking cookies are probably Satan’s tea cakes of choice. All those french pastry chefs regardless of Michelin star status are hand-picked by Satan for his person entourage.

Why I make such a large deal of them you may ask yourself. Well in truth perhaps I exaggerate a tad, but still.

French macarons are notorious in the pastry world.

The batter is temperamental on an exceptionally good day, piping a load of tears, and not to mention don’t even bother showing up if they aren’t perfectly round and smooth enough to make a baby’s butt look like sand paper.

Again perhaps I exaggerate.

But despite my dramatic air the parameters of a good macaron are truly satanic.

This is why my head nearly spun round, detached itself, and did a jig when I tried to bake these infamous cookies for the first time this weekend.

The reason I almost exorcised my self is because the first batch I have ever made turned out looking like this:

Photo Credit: Emily Burns
Photo Credit: Emily Burns

Bragging aside it was surprising to say the least. After hearing horror stories from my baking partners past attempt, I was prepared for blood sweat and tears. Too say the least I’m frickin proud of me and my dear baking buddy.

The world of baking is endless and the grandma just got adventurous.

Junior Size Stress

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I officially feel like an upperclassman.

This past week was the busiest of my life. I don’t want to go into great detail about every assignment, but let’s just say that I had about a week’s worth each night. Seriously.

I had one paper or major project due every day, along with smaller daily assignments. On top of that, I had the ACT on Saturday which I had to study for.

I didn’t wear makeup one time – and while that’s not of great importance to me, I think it serves as a visual representation of my stress.

This weekend isn’t any better – with the combination of my test and homework for next week, it’s just as busy. Next week is already set up to be the equivalent of this past one. I can’t catch a break!

Everyone always says how junior year is the hardest – there’s the most work, it’s the most stressful and of course, the most important. I can now say, with complete assurance, that I finally understand.

Photo Credit: cliparts.co

Fashion Week is Coming

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Photo credit to: special-hairstyles.com

Fashion Week is coming. Some may regard it as the best time of the year (I know I do). Luckily, the best time of the year actually comes two times a year, in fall and in spring.

When Fashion Week kicks off February 10th the clothes, models, designers, and fashion icons take over the streets of New York City.

They then move on to London, then Milan, with a grand finale in Paris. This beautiful madness lasts a month before the fashion editors race to choose their favorite looks, and decide which pieces will grace the covers of Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, and more.

Fashion Week is also the habitat for new trends to form, new street style stars to be launched into the fashion-fame-stratosphere, and for new models to dominate catwalk, billboards, and magazines alike.

While this flurry of fashion may only last a month, it decides everything in fashion, until the next fashion week at least. Yes, it is the greatest time of year. 

It is finally here my friends

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Hello my fellow lactose intolerant friends,

If you haven’t heard, I am happy to announce that Ben & Jerry’s has created four new flavors… DAIRY FREE!

Yes I am talking about the same Ben & Jerry’s that makes the amazing Phish food ice cream, that melts in your mouth. Yes, the same Ben & Jerry’s that is always there for you no matter what; anything from a birthday to a breakup.

I cannot express to you how excited I am to sink my spoon into these four new flavors. Due to my extreme excitement I have already decided what order I will try them in.

  1. Coffee Caramel Fudge
  2. Fudge Brownie
  3. Chunky Monkey
  4. P.B. & Cookies

They are marketing these new flavors as “Vegan”. Typically I stray away from the whole vegan trend. However, I am willing to over look that so I can enjoy my new dairy free ice cream.

To me this is a huge step forward in accommodating those who simply cannot stomach all the real thing.

I am extremely hopeful that these new flavors will be just as good as the others. I am ready to be able to eat ice cream without a stomach ache… However if these flavors do disappoint, I am willing to suck it up and deal with the stomach ache.

Photo credit to: media.philly.com