35mm creative inspiration

So I have been uninspired lately.  I'm a photographer and I have been in a creative rut which makes me very unhappy.  The other day I took out my 35mm film camera and started shooting.  I found that I got more creative shooting with my film camera compared to my DSLR.  There is something thrilling about capturing something on film without knowing what it looks like until its developed.  The images are raw, unedited, pure, natural...  You can't alter film images as much as you can alter digital files.  I developed my film and was complete re-inspired.  Sometimes its good to get away from technology and get back to the roots! 

Christmas in October?!?!?!

Today I was driving one of the kids that I nanny for to hockey.  I was scanning the radio channels and I heard "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" on Oldies 103.3.  As soon as the little girl recognized it, she screamed, "It's October! We haven't had halloween yet and I'm hearing Santa music!"  I think October 27th  might be the earliest I've heard Christmas music on the radio.  I also think stores get ready for Christmas earlier and earlier each year.  I have already seen a few Christmas commercials on television as well.  What does this say about our country?  Are we becoming even more materialistic when it comes to holidays?  Christmas isn't about competing with other stores decorations or sales, christmas is about being with loved ones and if you are religious, it's about the birth of Jesus.  Christmas comes once a year and I think stores and the media drag it out so long that by the time December 25th comes around, we are sick of it and can't enjoy our family.

But seriously, Christmas music already?!?!

'Tis the season to be slutty?

I went costume shopping with a friend over the weekend and I was horrified by how short and revealing the costumes are.  Since when did Halloween be an excuse for women to dress in a way that, I believe, is demeaning to women?  As I was watching TV last night, I saw commercials for the Halloween episodes that will be on this week. One girl was wearing a "black cat" outfit that clearly was a headband with ears, low-cut dress with a short hemline.  I'm really starting to sound like my mother.  I don't understand why women think they have to dress this way!  What happened to being creative with costumes? 

Globalization and Slums

*Warning* Please do not be offended by the music. If you are offended by someone talking about church, God or any Christian views, I suggest you do not watch it.

I went on a mission trip on 2006 to the place in this video. I worked at the orphanage in this village and saw how these people live. It was an extremely humbling experience. After watching Slumdog Millionaire, I wanted to share this video with the people in this class. We are all so tied up in our media driven lives that we don't appreciate the things we have. These families have little to nothing that belongs to them and are the strongest and happiest people I have met. I know Americans that get upset when the power goes out because they can't check their e-mial or facebook. To these people, those are foreign concepts and useless in their lives. God Bless.

FANTASMIC!

Sorry to be blogging about Disney this week but... Tonight, I saw Fantasmic at "MGM" and it was Fantasmic (waka waka as Fozzie Bear would say).  Anyway, it might be the coolest show at Disney.  There's fire, water, fireworks, boats, projected images on water, a stage show and of course, MICKEY! The part that is the most awesome has to be the movie parts they project on the fan of water.  There are clips from all the Disney movies and its crazy how a single line can bring back the entire movie.  I enjoyed the clips of songs from the movies and how I can remember all the words and plots from all! It was a complete nostalgia night.  I do blame this class for making me think about Godzilla every time I see Bambi.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmJ1LTdbTfY&feature=related
^^ This is a little taste of the 30 minute show. Pocahontas is my favorite princess and this is the only place in all four parks where you can see her. I am also a fan of Disney villains. All the movie parts are projected on water.

Carousel of Progress

Today at the Magic Kingdom I went on a ride that I have never been on.  It is called the "Carousel of Progress" and it goes through four different eras in the "typical American family."  As soon as I heard "progress," I immediately thought of President Obama and his campaign.  It was more about the progress in inventions and not the government, after all it is Disney. I did read something, somewhere, that Walt Disney was racist and I could really tell since the "typical American family" was portrayed as a white family.  The mother was portrayed as a stay at home mom throughout the four eras, one of which was renovated in 1994 to resemble the future.  This didn't sit too well with me.  I had to let it go since the ride was Walt Disney's own idea and he doesn't have the same views and values as we do today. I did think it is funny that the people in the "future" were dressed as if it were the 80s and thought we could talk to our kitchen appliances today.

Carousel of Progress (wiki)

Hello from DISNEY!

I'm in Disney for the week!  Today, I went to Disney's Hollywood Studios (to me it is MGM and always will be MGM!).  While I was there, it got me thinking about media.  We are all so involved with media in every aspect.  MGM is a whole park dedicated to media.  You can go on The Great Movie Ride, where you are surrounded by all these great films in a variety of genres.  I noticed how the park is set up to be very interactive. Everyone can be involved, from filming something with special effects on the Back Lot Tour, watch a taping of American Idol Experience, or being picked out of the audience at Indiana Jones.  The park wants to take you behind the scenes, get a grasp of how movies are made and gain an all around appreciation for film.  It is my favorite park out of all the Disney parks. Who doesn't love an indoor roller coaster that goes upside down and has an Aerosmith theme?

Magic Kingdom tomorrow! What type of media related topics will I stumble upon next?

                                            (I took this from my last trip down!)