Another one of my favorite films that I can watch over and over again is The Sound of Music. This is just one of those movies that sort of transports you and really makes the audience feel like part of the movie. The soundtrack is iconic and always invites for a sing-a-long while viewing. 

I was probably first introduced to this movie when I was very young- I probably could not even pinpoint an age. This was one of the movies that my grandparents had on VHS that my grandmother would always put on while watching me and my sister. I think it is because of that, that this movie transports me back to childhood any time I watch it. 

If you have not seen this movie, I would be shocked, but I will provide a slight summary to help paint a picture of the imagery in the movie. It is Austria during the late 1930’s when Fascism and the Nazi movement was starting to spread from Germany. The story starts off looking at Maria (Julie Andrews), a disobedient nun who is sent to be a governess for the von Trapp family. The family consists of seven children and a widowed father (Christopher Plummer) who is very militant and strict on his children. 

Maria is anything but strict, she always has a goal of making sure the children are having fun. Things start off a bit bumpy, but the main turning point of the children’s trust in Maria comes during a loud thunderstorm when the children are very scared and need cheering up. 

Throughout the movie Maria and the children form a very tight bond surrounded by music and leisure activities. When Captain von Trapp returns from visiting the baroness, his love interest at the time, he comes back to find his children in very high spirits and is disappointed that they fell out of regime. He is very quick to fire Maria, that is until he hears his children sing to the baroness, and asks her to stay. After this point, it became clear to the audience that the harsh captain is beginning to open up. 

Without giving the whole plot away, the rest of the movie follows the love story of Maria and the captain, along with the family fleeing Nazi reign. While it is a rather long film, it really feels like there are almost two stories in one.

I have only ever seen the movie, but I think it would be rather fun to see the play version of the same story, so that will definitely be on my bucket list! I also believe that they have themed bus tours that go around Austria and visit all of the backdrops shown during the movie, which sounds very enticing. 

This movie just has that cozy factor that makes it feel so comforting. I have seen this movie so many times that it is a story I feel so familiar with. Also of good note, my grandmother has a strong resemblance to Julie Andrews, so my family and I always make that connection. The Sound of Music is one of my favorite films and I deem it a must-watch!

          The likelihood of a pregnancy resulting in identical twins is about 1 in 250, or 0.5%. However, that ended up being the reality for my parents when they least expected it. From day 1 of my life I was dubbed “one of the twins”. Being an identical twin is essentially in my DNA, well, and my sister’s, since we share the same exact genetic makeup. Navigating life as a twin is hard to describe since I know nothing else. Yet, it can be hard sometimes trying to create differences between the two of us. I believe that differences can be found, even when something is scientifically proven identical. Through the exploration of changing environments and developing self-expression is when these differences can be observed. 

            I always grew up being asked questions regarding what it was like to be a twin, but at the same time I could ask them what is like not being a twin. It is hard to try and explain what it’s like to be seen as one person when really we are two different people. More times than I can count my sister and I were lumped together and while it makes sense, it can be frustrating at times. When it came time to pick where to apply to schools, is when I felt the most different compared to my sister. For example, she applied to one school, I applied to ten. She ended up at a small school known for a more educational setting, whereas I attend a large school associated with a vibrant social scene. I will always distinctly recall when we were starting the journey of college applications. Many people hastily assumed that we would stay glued at the hip and go through another phase of life conjointly. We quickly decided that going to college together was not what we wanted, or needed. I started school a few weeks prior to my sister, which is of rather important note. Our first few days apart were filled with the deepest fears and paranoia that we had made a completely, desperately wrong choice in going down two different paths. However, with time, I have come to believe that this time apart was beneficial. This part of our lives is where we really started to notice these differences in our personalities that were hidden for so long. While there are many aspects of our preferences that stayed static, for the first time in our lives we were experiencing different environments, and responding to stimuli differently. 

             It certainly was not easy coming face to face with the reality that we choose for ourselves. We were together almost everyday for 18 years, but I think that this change was something that simply needed to occur. In order to see our differences we needed to be viewed as our own individuals. This applies to so much in life. Change is effectively scary for many people, I know that change is something that terrifies me for sure. It was not until change when my sister and I, two people who are scientifically, 100% the same, started to take notice of the differences within ourselves. In many ways, I almost have a sense of liberation from the feeling of constant comparison. I love being an identical twin, I often consider it to be the best thing that could have ever happened in my life, but there is something so freeing about being able to express our differences while apart. 

            That is why I believe that simply stating people as being identical almost always ends up being false, for they must have some differences. No matter what the data or society says, two things that are viewed as the same almost always have distinction. Whether it is represented through other relationships such as apples of the same type, or even dogs of the same breed, these conclusions of similarity are almost always debunked. It is not until the apples from the same tree or until the dogs are separated from their pack that these variations can be noted. Change sparks the search for adaptations, without change it is easy to succumb to labels such as “identical”. I may be a twin, but I am one of a kind.

For this post on the civic issues thread I will be exploring one of the aspects of government that is not very representative. That aspect will be the age of the representatives. 

I feel as someone who has a youthful perspective, this is an issue that I have felt and witnessed firsthand. The problem of age is best highlighted in the legislative branch, composed of the House of Representatives and Congress. The current average in congress hovers right around 60 years old. However, the oldest member is currently 89. I look at that number and wonder how much different someone of that age is and someone who is freshly 18 are. 

Looking at the 2020 election data, the last presidential election, is very telling of the patterns currently happening during elections in general. The issue speaks for itself, the older generations, specifically those aged 65-74 had the highest percentage of voters for their age bracket, 76%. Adults in the U.S. between the ages of 18-24 saw the lowest turnout at 51.4%. 

These voting patterns help to explain why there is such a lack of younger members, older voters tend to gravitate towards the candidates they see themselves in. Knowing they went through and experienced the same events creates a bond between generations. With all of these votes going for older candidates, the younger generation really has no way to compete. 

Of course, older people looking at this data would see nothing wrong. However, many of the representatives and members that are being re-elected each year are carrying the same ideas that they had since the first time they ran. 

Outdated legislation is being passed that the new generations simply do not support anymore. As the times are changing and society is becoming more and more diverse, new, fresh ideas are required. 

I truly believe that the older members of Congress and the House are a bit out of touch with what the public wants. As touched upon in the first post on this thread, the representatives are meant to be the spokesperson for the public. This large age gap stunts that from being the truth. 

It is also important to note that as social media is becoming more and more prevalent in our day to day lives, it might be more of a payoff to have people be able to connect with the younger demographic creating the bills. 

A solution is simply not to push everyone over the age of 80 into retirement, that would be slightly ageist, but rather bringing down the average to something more around 50, even 45. 

With the current political system being very split, it is important that all voices are being heard. Especially when it is clear that the younger generations have many beliefs on issues that are currently being debated. 

This helps call attention to the fact how important getting out to vote is. Since there are no term limits in the legislative branch, it is imperative that the vote is truly showing what the whole range of the public wants. Age is so much more than just a number.

As I continue to mention some of my favorite movies, highlighting what makes me enjoy them so much, I would like to put it out there that while I have seen many movies, my favorites may not seem to be too sophisticated. 

To me, being able to watch a movie over and over again means that it is something that is not too emotionally draining. While I am not opposed to those types of movies, and I find many of them to be very well filmed, my favorites tend to be more lighthearted. With all of that being said, the movie that I will discuss in this post is You’ve Got Mail. 

You’ve Got Mail is a perfect movie to watch in the fall, or if you’re sad and in need of comfort. The plot follows two main characters Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) and Joe Fox (Tom Hanks). Right from the opening scene, the audience is made aware of the characters’ exchanges in an online chatroom. However, the chatroom is anonymous, so neither party knows the other respondent. 

Out in the real world, Kathleen owns a small bookstore that was passed down from her mother, who passed away years prior. Joe Fox’s family own a large chain of books that poses a threat to Kathleen’s shop when they move into a large department store down the street. 

Kathleen fears that she will have to close her shop down, but remains hopeful that they will pull through. Kathleen and Joe often run into each other and start this sort of feud and rivalry. 

All the meanwhile, and unbeknownst to the characters, they have been connecting through this chatline, seemingly falling in love with each other. As the story moves forward, and without giving too much of the ending away, Joe and Kathleen finally get together in the end, just when the audience thinks it to be over. 

I was first introduced to this movie by my mother, who has loved it since its release in 1998. There is a strong theme of mother/daughter love in the film, so that translates pretty well to the relationship between my own mother and I. 

What I think makes this movie so endearing is the side characters. Too many times in movies the side characters end up being annoying and deterring the plot from where the audience wants it to go. However, in this movie, the side characters add a level of comedy and really help to give the movie its cozy appeal. 

With that, the ending is just one of those endings that always gets me. It is so pure and, well, beautiful in many ways. The entire movie the audience wonders when the secret will be revealed, and just when you think that the happy ending is not going to happen it happens in the most sincere way. 

Also, the soundtrack for this movie is very good and I think it really adds to its charm. All of those elements make it just the perfect movie to throw on during a rainy day and embrace a funny and endearing story.

For my Civic Issues blog thread I have decided to explore the lack of representation within politics. In a previous class where we focused on the political foundation of the American government, it came up continuously how many groups feel a lack of a voice within the government. 

Feeling helpless in the world of politics is nothing new, but in a day and age where many other areas are slowly trying to bring in more cultures and diversity to the table, it should only be right that the government changes too. More and more people, especially those who are young or in a minority, are turning their backs to the government and losing any trust that they had. 

If we take a look back to when the American government was initially being created, the idea of representative democracy is an idea that comes up quite a bit. The people elect the candidate they see fit through a processed election. James Madison, author of The Constitution, believed that these elected officials should “refine and enlarge” the views of their constituents so that “the public voice … will be more consonant with the public good.” 

It is made clear from the foundational years of the country that those who are elected are meant to be the so-called spokesperson for the general public and community that they are elected from. 

Though, when looking at the current representatives not only in the federal government, but also leaders of the state government, there is a clear lack of diversity. 

After many large waves of immigration, America is seen as a large “melting pot” of people from many different backgrounds and cultures. It is important to remember that to be a successful democracy, direct partisan participation is a vital component. Voices from minorities being heard in elections is difficult. In some states, such as Alabama, it is increasingly more difficult for people of color to vote due to very strict voter-identification laws. It is harder for those less fortunate to make an impact on the government. 

If these elected leaders, who are meant to be speaking on behalf of thousands of Americans, do not truly show all the voices in America, then the policy that is being created/enforced does not align with the true wants and desires of the public. The public is supposed to trust those who are elected, but that is simply not the case anymore.

 People need to see someone who looks like them, is the same age as them, and comes from the same place as them, in order to have faith in the government. For those who do not see that familiarity, they are less likely to even want to participate in elections, or politics in general. 

Diversity does not only just include the race and ethnicities of the representatives, but also factors such as age and race. Throughout my Civic Issues blog thread I would like to deeper look at the flaws with representation within the U.S. government, and possibly suggest ways to be more inclusive.

For my passion blog this semester, I have decided to veer slightly away from my previous topic. Last semester I chose to feature some of my top artists and my favorite songs. This semester I will stick in the media realm and talk about 5 of my most loved movies. I have always been enamored by pop culture and I pride myself on my knowledge of social happenings and culture.

 Music and film are two large components of the media field, so it feels only natural that those should be my two passion blog threads. I have seen many movies during my days, but there have only been a few that I continually want to go back and rewatch time after time. This first post will focus on probably my favorite film ever, Ocean’s Eleven. There are two versions of this film, one that was released in 1960, and one in 2001. I would like to specify that I am talking about the Oceans franchise from 2001. 

Ocean’s Eleven follows a crew of thieves that set out to carry out elaborate heists. The first movie focuses on Danny Ocean, portrayed by George Clooney, being fresh out of prison, where he drew up an idea to rob three of the biggest casinos in Las Vegas. Ocean enlists the help of his close friend Rusty, played by Brad Pitt, to partner with him and bring the heist into reality. Together, the friends create a group of highly talented individuals, with each person being specialized in one area. 

This ensemble is made up of many other very well known actors. For example, Matt Damon plays a character that is very skilled at pickpocketing. As hinted at in the title, when the group is finalized it is made up of 11 people. 

It is later revealed in the plot that Ocean is motivated to steal from the three specific casinos because they are owned by his ex-wife’s (Julia Roberts) boyfriend. There is some friction that is then created among the group when they find this out. Just when you think they are going to give up, the plot surprises you. 

What I find most enjoyable about this film is the way it ends. I find it to be so satisfying how everything works out in the end. As soon as you think they got caught, they somehow get out of it. I will not go into complete detail just in case you would like to see it play out for yourself for the first time. 

Also, I love it when a large system runs due to each player being an integral part of the plan, each character bringing something new to the table. This concept is something that, perhaps oddly, has always been very intriguing to me. For example, the body runs on each organ and features carrying out a task, or in an animal/plant cell, each structure has a specific function that they are responsible for. I think that is one of the main reasons why I love watching this movie over and over again- it never gets old!

The image I selected is one of the gruesome images that was captured on 9/11, a very tragic day in American history. I think looking beyond the obvious tragedy that was occuring, there are several elements of the image that speak to deeper themes. 

I was able to find some of the backstory behind the image, such as who took the photo and who the individuals in the photo are. However, when I first saw the image I had little clues to what was actually going on, so I will be using my initial observations paired with the background knowledge that I now possess. 

One of the first components I noticed when viewing the image, and the main reason why I chose it, was the different array of people photographed in the image. 

In the forefront, there is a civilian pictured helping out. Also, there are firefighters and police officers working to bring the injured individual to safety. When taking a deeper look at the firefighter on the left side of the image, he is wearing jeans, unlike the firefighter pictured in the background, who is in full uniform. 

This idea speaks to the fact that on this day, any firefighters and people who were able to lend a helping hand, did. The man was likely off duty, but started working again so that he could help out the city when it needed him most. 

Images that came out of 9/11 are very powerful, but I think this one speaks to the sense of community that was built due to the catastrophe. Very few events can bring all walks of life together to unite and help those who are hurting. 

After knowing the backstory of this image, it feels even more of a powerful capture. The injured fellow is a priest that was helping to give out final blessings, but unfortunately became one of the first recorded victims of the attacks. While he was helping out his community, his community also had his back and was able to honor him in the most powerful way there is. 

A very interesting thought that was included in the description of the image is how the individuals are arranged in the photo, almost as if it were staged. Unfortunately, as we know, the image was not staged. Though, the heroes in the photo are arranged almost has angels in a way, though not planned, speaks to the message behind the image. 

While this day was certainly one of the most brutal in American history, the community was united like never before as demonstrated by the very powerful image captured on that day.

*Image can be gruesome, viewer discretion advised*

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For my last passion blog post I will be doing a reflection on my journey of describing my music playlists! 

There can be great benefits to reflections, as they show what was learned or gained in a certain experience. Blogging about a particular passion of mine has made the assignments fun, which is a change of pace from some of the work in my other classes. Everytime a passion blog was due I almost looked forward to picking out which artist I would write about. 

I started, of course, talking about The Beatles (plus George Harrison’s solo career)  and how I found comfort in their nostalgia-inducing music. Segueing not too far off, I then discussed Oasis and how much I care about their songs. After that I talked about artists such as The Smiths and The Smashing Pumpkins which point out my taste is more alternative music. I also highlighted artists such as Queen and Elton John, two artists that have acted as sort of a gateway in more classic rock hits. 

Through each of these artists, in one way or another, I have reaped the benefits of being a listener and subscriber of their lyrics. In my opinion, this is why music is such a beautiful thing. As listeners we are exposed to new ideas, or in my case, different time periods that can help us see new sides of the same story. 

I also gained the experience of writing while keeping an audience in mind. Each time I sat down to write a post I wrote from the position of introducing a certain artist to a new audience. Obviously everybody knew who these artists were prior to reading my blog, but I found great joy in describing each artist through my own eyes. 

Writing without limitation is an enticing way to test new ideas, whether it be trying to find a voice or even just employing new grammar into your writing. I feel like blogging refreshed my liking of writing and exposed me to tapping into my more creative side without having to worry about perfect structure. 

All in all, blogging has been a wonderful experience! I have lots of other artists that I did not mention that I do also love to listen to. I would love to incorporate my love for music into a more academic paper or project in the future. I hope that maybe a new artist was introduced, or highlighted that can be a new favorite for someone else to enjoy. I hope you enjoyed reading my blog!

For this blog post I will be talking about the band Queen. I had a really big phase with this band around the beginning of high school, so it will be a blast from the past, but I do sometimes still listen to this artist. 

Queen was one of the first musical groups where I really spent a lot of time listening to and discovering the deeper songs on the album. Also propelling my listening taste into certain genres of music. 

The revival of Queen followed quickly with the release of the biographical film Bohemian Rhapsody. Now personally I think it was a good movie, a bit dramatized, obviously that was done for the movie, but other than that I think it inspired a new wave of listeners. 

I really found myself drawn to the earlier albums and time frame from the band’s career. I would say that there definitely was a shift in the discography around the turn of the 80’s, so I do tend to sort of think of the band’s career in two different shifts. Nevertheless, Queen are a great example of a band with longevity that really went until they could not any more. Even though Queen is still touring now they have a different lineup, so this post will only be focused on the first, original lineup. 

The first album I will be mentioning is A Night At the Opera. The 1975 release is a really great album because in many ways it is very complex with many of the songs having many overdubbing layers and harsher lyrics. On the other hand, other songs are rather simple and focus on more rudimental aspects of life. This pairing makes for a very interesting listen. My favorites off this album are “Love of My Life”, “Seaside Rendezvous”, and the obviously epic “Bohemian Rhapsody”.

The album that follows A Night At the Opera, A Day At the Races, was heavily criticized during its time, but I still really enjoy that album, depending on the day, even like it better than its predecessor. 

News of the World, debuting in 1977, is also such a great album and features one of my favorite Queen songs. “My Melancholy Blues” is a beautiful ballad. It is a rather slower song, but the melody that rings through the song is unlike anything I’ve listened to prior. 

Queen is such a great band, they have so many hits, but also so many hidden gems that deserve just as much attention!

The topic that I have selected for my ‘Evolving Ideas’ project is the shift in how individuals consumed news over time. 

I plan to spend my time focusing on 5 main eras. While many of these ideas overlap with one another, the idea is that one of them is the most prevalent at that certain time. The first era will start in Colonial America in the 17th century with verbal, or face-to-face, communication. This took place in town squares, churches, and on the streets. This was typical for many years, simply because of the lack of technology. 

The second era will focus on the newspaper. A news source that dominated America up until the early to mid 20th century. At a point in time most American households incorporated reading the newspaper into their daily lives. 

The third era will show the introduction of radio news broadcasting. This was the first sort of challenge to print news. A bit similar to the radio is televised news, the fourth era. Televised news broadcasting started in the 1940’s but really overtook newspapers around the time of JFK’s assaination in 1963, where most people reported relying on TV rather than print for the first time. 

With the emergence of computers and the internet in the 1980’s came digital news sources. This brings us to the current day where the majority, 8 in 10 people, get their news from their phones or computers. 

I think each of these eras speaks to not only the shift of how people read news, but also the steady rate of technological advancements implemented in daily routines in American history. 

The book I have selected to aid me in my research is “Compact History of the American Newspaper” by John Tebbel, a once highly respected player in the publishing industry. The book helps to narrow focus on such a large empire by providing lenses to interpret the industry in. Also, the book provides an insight into the rise and the beginning of the fall of print newspapers. 

I chose this topic mainly due to my interest in the publishing industry. I would someday like to work in that field, so learning more about a large aspect of it would not have hurt. 

Reading and spreading news has always been such an integral part of society as a form of communication between people and countries. Keeping that in mind, I think it is valuable to recognize how that has evolved and become so much more efficient over time, since it is such a key part of life.