I wanted to love the shit out of The Avengers.
“I don’t see how that’s a party”
I wanted it to become the baseline movie that every other comic movie will be compared to and copied from (“it was good, but it wasn’t no Avengers”). Basically, I wanted it to be the kind of movie I will want to go see a dozen times in the theaters (but will eventually be stopped at about three screenings by my rational mind).
I have spent an entire weekend in the company of my bf’s extended family, resting and relaxing near the beach. His grandfather is on the verge of celebrating his 90th birthday – so the clan has gathered, to eat, drink and reminisce. The guest of honor can no longer remember most things properly, so the main event, oftentimes felt as though they were telling him the story of his own life, him sitting there not being able to contribute nor tell if the stories are accurate to not. The atmosphere could have been maudlin, but it was anything but. Literally. Continue reading
Today is my 28th name day. Usually, when you have arbitrarily assigned dates to commemorate they bring forth a yearning for introspection. Last year, my birthday was, in all honesty, situated in a time of change. I had been discharged from the army, I had moved into an apartment with my boyfriend (sans roommates), and I was on a new and exciting academic path.
On the surface, this year felt like baby steps, nothing monumental happened, nothing extraordinary to write home about. But when I dug a bit deeper I realized that when people ask me how I am, I can answer truthfully that I am well. Continue reading
Some Hunger Games “fans” were outraged upon seeing that one of the more beloved characters of the first installment, Rue – a twelve year old tribute from District 11 (you can guess what happens to her, so I don’t have to spoil it – although the book has been out for about four years, and it’s about a bunch of kids killing each other, but I digress) – is portrayed by Amandla Stenberg. Why? If you said because she’s african-american then you’re right on the money. Continue reading
During the weekend I went to catch a screening of Martin Scorsese’s depiction of George Harrison – Living In A Material World. George has always been my favorite Beatle, I’ve admired his unique but alas too rare contributions to the Beatles’ seemingly endless catalogue. When Sir Paul McCartney played here in Tel Aviv, the most meaningful and resonating moment for me was when he brought out a ukelele and did a rendition of Something, dedicating it to George.
Even knowing the movie was intended to be a two-parter (and has a running time of 208 minutes) and yet the cinematheque was insisting on showing it back to back with no intermission, did not deter me. All the reviews I had read were filled with praise and Saturdays at noon time are meant for this sort of outing. Continue reading
Two weeks ago I declared 2012 to be the year I consume less and become less materialistic. The main reasons being money and some sort of amoral imperative
I can’t articulate without sounding like a pompous asshole. I have since realized that I seem to be a bit late to the party. People world-wide have been implementing all sorts of schemes to overcome our basic urge to have. Yielding the conclusion: nowadays, we tend to crave access and not ownership. And here Collaborative Consumption comes into play. It’s something we all do on a regular basis but at a small scale, lending to other people and borrowing when needed, instead of buying. Continue reading
I hereby proclaim 2012 to be the year I stop buying crap. I’ve always been more of an emotional eater than buyer, but still I do buy quite a lot of useless junk (I didn’t mean you, my trusty laptop, please don’t make a fuss and breakdown now, you’ll only be proving my point) and as income drops, cuts need to be made. 
But this is also a deeper, more complicated issue, since materialistic society has driven earth dwellers to a situation that few would argue is better off. Materialism tends to lead to exploitation and depression, as the impulse to always want more becomes embedded in our day to day life.
I already have more than I can chew at the moment: a macbook, an ipod, a smartphone, a desktop computer, countless books and cds, enough clothes to not do laundry for more than three weeks. I think I’m set.
I’m gonna try and instead of having a 30 day challenge, which will inevitably be followed with extreme shopping at the mall, to actively change my lifestyle. No buying of anything that is not imperatively needed. I’ll try to make whatever I own work and to be a better consumer. Scratch that, from now on I cease to be defined as a consumer.
I wonder how long this will last.
