Parks and Recreation

I’m sure many of you have heard of the spectacularly hilarious character known as Ron Swanson. If you haven’t, you should Google him right now and finish reading this review later. He’s stone-faced, he’s old-school, and he tells it like it is. He has some of the best one-liners in television history. Basically, he’s a riot. And he’s just one of the many wonderful characters on NBC’s Parks and Recreation.

Parks and Recreation is a mockumentary-style TV show showcasing the lives of local government employees in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana. Leslie Knope, the main character of the series, works in the Parks and Recreation department and sincerely tries to improve her town. But Pawnee is a very unique place with very unique issues like being one of the nation’s leading cities in obesity and a pack of rabid raccoons.

Leslie is aided by her best friend Ann Perkins, who is probably the most normal character on the show and serves to juxtapose Leslie’s hilarity. Other characters include Ron Swanson, Leslie’s boss; Tom Haverford, the young Parks employee obsessed with the latest trends; Donna Meagle, the department’s diva; Jerry Gergich, the scapegoat; April Ludgate, the apathetic intern; and Andy Dwyer, the goofball played by Chris Pratt, who is becoming one of my favorite actors. Adam Scott and Rob Lowe join the series in later seasons as Ben Wyatt and Chris Traeger, and they really round out the cast.

My favorite thing about the show other than the cast is its self-awareness. This is a show about local government, and it really points out a lot of the quirky things that go along with local government. There’s immature backstabbing and ridiculous under-the-table deals. The show even parodies current events such as the “soda tax,” Pawnee’s own version of New York’s limit on how big a soda can be.

If you thought of The Office when I mentioned that this show was a mockumentary, then you already have an idea of what Parks and Recreation is like. It follows the same format, and a lot of the jokes are delivered through interviews just like on The Office. But even though it has the same format, it doesn’t always have the same comedy, and it is definitely it’s own show.

If you decide to give Parks and Recreation a chance, be warned: The first season is not very good. NBC ordered it as a midseason premiere just to see how it would go. The first season consists of six episodes that kind of lay the groundwork, but once you get past those episodes, the show really takes off. It’s hilarious, and you won’t be disappointed.

Parks and Recreation is now in its sixth season, and for a while, its future was in doubt. But the president of NBC recently announced that Parks and Rec will definitely have a seventh season, and that’s good news. It shows that NBC really believes in the show, which is surprising given how many shows NBC has given up on lately.

The show’s best asset is its cast. They portray hilarious characters who play off each other really well. That said, the plot is also very good. There are some overarching elements to the show, and it does take some twists and turns throughout. If you give Parks and Recreation a chance, you will be hooked. It’ll make you laugh episode after episode.

Parks and Recreation airs Thursday nights at 8:30/7:30c on NBC. Previous season are available for streaming on Netflix.

Nostalgia

A couple of weeks ago, I was up late because I couldn’t sleep. So naturally, I got on Facebook. I started scrolling through my profile, and before I knew it, I had looked at years of statuses, posts from friends, and photos on my timeline. It was overwhelming to experience all those memories at one time. And when I was finished, I was left with a very strong feeling of nostalgia.

We are all familiar with nostalgia, a deep longing for the past. I remember growing up listening to older adults reminisce about the past and tell me stories about things they did when they were younger. But nostalgia isn’t just for older people anymore. My generation has had an early onset of nostalgia that is starting in the late teens and early twenties. I don’t think previous generations experienced this kind of nostalgia at our age, but if they did, they certainly didn’t voice it the way we do.

Because of new technologies like social media, people my age are not only able to go back and look at memories from their past more easily (which may lead to an increase in nostalgia), but they are also able to voice this nostalgia more freely. And we’ve definitely made some noise. Popular children’s TV channels like Nickelodeon and the Cartoon Network have started re-airing shows from the early 90’s in order to appeal to people who grew up during that time and want to re-live those memories. Throwback Thursday is a weekly tradition for many people my age where we post pictures of ourselves with friends from years ago and reminisce.

So for better or for worse, we are surrounded by nostalgia. If you haven’t experienced it yet, I’m sure you will someday soon. Here are a few things that I try to keep in mind when I’m hit with a case of nostalgia.

1. Memory isn’t perfect.

Nostalgia can be positive or negative. You can either reflect happily on good times or miss those good times to the point that it makes you sad. And when you’re forced to re-live unhappy memories, it usually brings up some negative emotions. But it’s important to keep in mind that the way we remember things may not always be exactly correct.

In An Abundance of Katherines, famous young adult author John Green writes, “You don’t remember what happened. What you remember becomes what happened.” This quote has some truth to it. Our brains aren’t objective video cameras recording the exact details of what happened to us in the past. Our memories are influenced by the way we experienced the event when it happened, and they can also be affected by the way we feel when we’re doing the remembering itself. A fond memory may seem even better than it actually was if you’re remembering it when you’re sad. Our memories are tricky like that.

I am in no way trying to downplay anyone’s memories. We’ve all had some really happy times and some not-so-happy times. But I think it’s important to keep in mind that the good things we remember probably weren’t quite as good as we remember them to be, and the bad things we remember probably weren’t quite as bad. There will always be exceptions. But I know that I personally have a tendency to idealize the past, and I have to remind myself that my memory isn’t perfect. Doing so has helped me avoid some unhealthy nostalgia.

2. That was you.

This one may seem obvious, but when you’re in a state of nostalgia, it actually may be harder to realize than you think. When I was scrolling through my Facebook reading all of the things I said and the things people used to say to me, I felt detached. I felt like I was reading about someone else. I barely remembered a lot of the things I was reading, and it hardly felt like they applied to the person I am today.

But the truth is, that was me. As distant as that time may seem, as different as I may seem now from the person I was then, that was still me. Anything I admire about the person I used to be is still inside of me somewhere. The things I regret are a part of me, too. The relationships I had with people, even if they aren’t maintained anymore, still happened. They still had an effect on me. And they are all still a part of who I am. The same goes for you.

3. You’re not the same.

But on the other hand, there are a lot of differences, too. There is a level of disconnect between who I am now and who I was then, and that’s why I feel somewhat detached from that person when I look back. I don’t look the same. I don’t act the same. I don’t hang out with the same people. My preferences have changed. Even though I’m still the same person, I’ve changed. And so have you. It’s a part of life. As we experience new things, we adjust and we grow. Without that change and growth, we wouldn’t be able to experience nostalgia in the first place.

I think this fact is important to keep in mind becuase it can help release us from our past mistakes. Have we done things we regret? Yes. Should we own up to those things, try to make up for them, and learn from them? Yes. But do we have to live the rest of our lives feeling bad about stupid things we did in the past? No. Not at all. Because we’re not the same. We’re all growing and learning together, and it’s OK that we make mistakes. If we handle them correctly, we can turn them into positive learning experiences and then let them slip into the past as we continue to grow and learn and change.

4. You’re not finished yet.

And that brings me to my last point. Nostalgia is fun sometimes, but it cannot be a way of life. We were meant to live in the here and now, to try to improve ourselves and the world around us. If we allow ourselves to get stuck in the past, then we inhibit ourselves from acting in the present, and we limit what our future can be. No matter where you’ve been or what you’ve done, you’re not finished yet. There is still more for you to do. Don’t get stuck in nostalgia. Go out and live your life in such a way that when you look back years from now, you’ll have something to be nostalgic about.

I think nostalgia can be healthy. It’s good to remember where you’ve been. It helps you figure out where you need to go. But I’ve learned to be careful about nostalgia, and I try to handle it by keeping these four things in mind. So when I’m looking back, I can remember that things were good, but not so good that I should spend all my time missing them. The things I like about my past self are still there, even if I can’t see them in myself now, and I can bring them back if I choose to. But I am a different person now, so I don’t have to feel bad about mistakes I’ve made (or how obnoxious I was when I was 17). And I always remember that when the time for reminiscing is over, I’ve still got a future ahead of me. There are many more memories to be made. And I can’t wait to be nostalgic about them.

DuoLingo

In junior high, my Spanish teacher taught us a joke that I’ll never forget. It goes like this: What do you call someone who speaks three languages? Trilingual. What do you call someone who speaks two languages? Bilingual. What do you call someone who speaks one language? American.

Like most jokes, this one actually has a hint of truth to it. There are too many people in our society who do not see the point in learning a second language, and so they just don’t. But studies have shown that there are cognitive benefits to learning a second language, and the earlier one starts, the better. It’s also nice to be exposed to a different culture and open oneself up to communicating to a whole new group of people. And if that’s not enough to convince you, then maybe this will: Employers are looking for potential employees who are bilingual. Learning a second language has a lot of benefits.

And it’s really not as hard as you think. There are a lot of resources to help you learn a new language. You can take a class at your local college. Or you can try out the Rosetta Stone software. But both of these options can be expensive. Fortunately, there is a free, convenient way to learn a new language, and it’s called DuoLingo.

DuoLingo is a language-teaching software that’s available on just about any device. They have a website that you can access on any computer, and they also have apps for iOS and Android. DuoLingo makes it easy to learn a second language even when you’re out and about. Plus, it’s totally free and doesn’t have any pesky ads!

I really like DuoLingo’s approach to teaching. They treat it like a game. You earn experience points, level up, and work your way through different stages as you learn. It really makes the experience fun. But it’s not just fun and games. You’re actually learning. DuoLingo is set up in a way that teaches you the basics and then builds on them to reinforce past words while learning new ones.

And this learning is meant to be long-term. DuoLingo rewards you for keeping up a daily streak. All it takes is just a few minutes everyday. And the app encourages you to review past lessons periodically to remind yourself of what you’ve learned. The whole system is set up to help you succeed and actually learn the language over time.

I’m personally using DuoLingo to re-learn Spanish. I took a couple of Spanish classes in high school, but I had forgotten a lot of it, so the app is serving as a nice refresher. I’ve really enjoyed using DuoLingo so far, and I’ve actually learned a lot. I would highly recommend DuoLingo to anyone wanting to learn a new language or get a refresher on a second language one hasn’t used in a while. Learning a second or even a third language is a worthwhile goal to pursue, and DuoLingo can help you achieve it.

DuoLingo offers lessons in Spanish, French, Italian, German, and Portuguese. You can sign up for DuoLingo on their website or download the free DuoLingo app on the iOS App Store or Google Play.

I Am Not a Brand

Lately, I’ve been hearing a lot of talk about “personal brands.” People who want to gain online credibility are encouraged to treat themselves as brands and their content as products. They adopt marketing strategies similar to big corporations and try to convince people that what they have to say is worthwhile. All of this is very concerning to me.

I am not a brand. I am a person. I don’t have an expensive logo or a witty catch phrase. I’m not trying to “sell” my thoughts, opinions, and beliefs to anyone. I’m not trying to establish myself as an online authority on anything. I don’t spend hours a day thinking up ways to get more people to pay attention to what I have to say. I’m just trying to share my life with people in a meaningful way.

I think seeing oneself as a brand threatens that. If all you’re doing is trying to gain as many followers as possible, then you’re going to end up selling out and just sharing whatever you think will draw attention to you. That’s not what social media is about. Too many people get caught up in the statistics. They live to reach the next big goal in their quest to gain as many followers as possible. Personally, I would rather have a few followers who are actually interested in my life than hundreds of thousands of people who could care less who I am.

The truth is that things are changing. People—my generation, at least—are getting tired of corporations telling them what they should do or think or buy. We live in a world of Kickstarter and Indiegogo, where creators don’t go to big corporate sponsors to support their creative endeavors. They go to the people who really, truly care about what they’re doing, the fans, and they find the support they need from them. This system really empowers the everyday person to have a say in what gets made and how it’s made. It’s really incredible.

I know this change is slow, but I see it happening. As people get more and more tired of traditional marketings schemes, companies are having to change their tactics. And all the creative commercials in the world aren’t going to change the fact that people want something more than that. Eventually, companies are going to have to offer something substantial. Maybe they’ll actually offer better products or more ethical practices. Something real.

Because that’s what matters. And that’s what social media should be about. Marketing techniques aren’t going to change the world or people’s lives. But real people sharing their lives, their interests, their thoughts, and their experiences with others in an honest, open way? That could make a difference, and that’s something worth following.

So you won’t be seeing any advertisements from me. And I won’t spend hours and hours strategizing how and when I’m going to use social media. But I will be sharing my life with you in the most real, honest way I know how. And if it makes a difference for a person or two, that’s enough for me.

The Lego Movie

Last week, my friends and I went to see The Lego Movie. When I first heard about it, I thought the idea was stupid. But as soon as I saw the first trailer, I knew this movie was going to be something great. The Lego Movie has so many good things going for it. If you’re wondering whether or not you should see it, the answer is definitely yes. Here’s why.

The Lego Movie tells the story of Emmett, a construction worker living in a Lego utopia, who accidentally gets involved with a rebel group trying to bring down President Business, the leader of the seemingly perfect society Emmett lives in. For the most part, the plot is straightforward and easy to follow, but that doesn’t mean it’s dumb. It will suck you in and keep you interested for the full 100 minutes the film lasts.

I think the best thing about The Lego Movie is that it’s truly a film for all ages. Because it is based on a children’s toy, it only makes sense that the movie would appeal to kids. And it does that really well. It’s totally clean and something kids will enjoy seeing. But it’s not just a kids movie. Unlike most kids movies that try to throw a few “higher-level” jokes in to appeal to adults, this film is just as enjoyable for adults as it is for kids. The humor is deep at points, and I spent the entire time laughing along with the kids in the theatre. I think people of all ages will find this movie enjoyable.

It’s also got a really great cast of characters. I’m guessing that Lego slipped in a clause about movie rights in the small print of all of their deals with the various brands they work with, because the Lego movie has a vast array of characters. All kinds of DC comic books characters are in it, including Batman as a main character. There’s a great scene between Dumbledore and Gandalf, something only Lego could make happen. And they even threw in a surprise cameo that I won’t spoil. I’ll just say that it will make most adult viewers very happy. Lego used all of their available resources to make this movie, and it turned out to be really cool.

But the animated characters wouldn’t have been nearly as enjoyable if it hadn’t been for the amazing voice cast. I really don’t know how Lego managed to get as many famous people into their movie as they did. Chris Pratt voices Emmett, and his performance was simply perfect. Will Ferrell voices the villain, and again, it was spectacular. Other big names include Elizabeth Banks as the female lead Lucy, Will Arnett as Batman (whoever came up with this idea was a genius), Liam Neeson as a cop with a personality disorder, and Morgan Freeman as an old wizard. It was so cool to hear all these people’s voices in one film, and all of the casting fit perfectly. I was very impressed.

But as funny and star-studded as The Lego Movie is, it also has a lot of heart. I won’t give any major plot points away, but as you watch the film, you slowly learn that there’s more to it than just a bunch of Lego people fighting the bad guy. The Lego Movie actually brings up some deep issues and offers some answers that are universal and very satisfying for a viewer of any age. Ultimately, it gives a really positive message that adults and children alike will benefit from hearing, and it presents that message in a compelling, entertaining way.

The Lego Movie is in theaters now, and I can say with 100% certainty that if you go see this movie, you will enjoy it. Take your kids if you have them. Take your significant other if you have one. Take one of your grandparents if you want. I really do think this movie has a universal appeal that most movies cannot achieve. The Lego Movie is going to be on the list of best movies of 2014, so do yourself a favor and go see it. I promise you won’t regret it.