"The Movie Just Wasn't As Good As The Book"

No sh!t, Sherlock!!

I'm Annoyed:
One of my biggest pet peeves is the title of this post, or some rendition of it.

"The movie just didn't give the book justice."

"I think the movie was great, but it left some things out from the book. It's a little upsetting."

You know what? Shuuuuut uuuuuppp!

I've Been Waiting for this Moment:
I have been wanting to post this for quite some time now. But I wanted to wait for the perfect time. And with the new Hunger Games movies out now, I feel this is it.

In the history of time, have you EVER heard someone say, "Wow! That movie/tv show/webisode was WAY better than the book. Ugh! The book is terrible in comparison!"

No.

No.

Just... No.

It doesn't happen.

You know why?

You can put more detail into a 600 page book than you can a 2 hour movie. When reading a book, you get into the characters' heads. You feel for them. You grow with them. You have more time to process their story. You can visualize the scenery, imagine the smells, you have so much more autonomy to create the story as you see it in your mind. You can take the 3 chapter walk through the woods and walk through the plot development.

If you wanted a movie to portray your book page by page, then it would end up being and 8 hour movie. Can you sit through that? I know I sure as heck can't!

Do you really expect to enter the movie theatre being blown away by the verbatim script from the book? Do you really expect that the director isn't going to try to make it Blockbuster worthy? They're trying to win awards, not copy someone else's work line by line!

Do you really want to hear intrapersonal dialogue of the main character?

"I saw the twig lying in the middle of my doorstep, and I knew at that moment someone had come to my door. But no one was around. So I instead went back into my house and made a sandwich." 

I don't know about you, but If I'm watching a movie, I'd much rather see Character open the door, look around, and shrug her shoulders as she walked away. It's a lot less annoying and a little less time.

This is why, I just don't read the books first. Especially if I know they'll be a movie. But by then, I've been annoyed that it's become more of a fad than anything and I don't want to read it anyway. But I know that's not the case for you, because you little to be fashionable. But that's another post (maybe).

You know you'll be disappointed in the movie, so why not wait for it to come out, be blown away, then read the book, and gain an uber amount of respect for it. This way, you don't get let down by other and you can appreciate both as separate entities, instead of getting your hopes up and becoming crushed later.

Doesn't that make So much more sense?!

It does to me.


Thanks for reading again y'all!
<3 Tawny

HATE

Hate is such a strong word. Such a terrible word. It's a scary feeling. An all-consuming emotion.

It starts with a tiny flame brought to life by a bad idea, and it festers, it burns, it snuffs all of the oxygen from your spirit. It causes you to tremble with rage with a flicker of thought, or sight. For some, it inflicts an uncontrollable need to sob the pain away. It hurts. For some, it causes illness. For many, it's an overbearing desire to scream, yell, punch, hit, kick, pull, and push. This flame, this fire, that has taken over your mind and body, goes by the name of hate.

Yet so many people carry hate in their lives.

Whether it's the fact that you hate a musical artist, a vegetable, a "type" of individual, or even yourself, it's a horrible thing to hold in your heart.

What Exactly Is Hate:
 According to Dictionary.com, the first definition for hate is, "to dislike intensely or passionately; feel extreme aversion for or extreme hostility toward; detest"

Synonyms listed are: Loathe, Execrate, Despise, Abhor, Detest; Abominate.

Do we really want to feel this way?

Is this feeling necessary?

On A Personal Note:
I know I say that I hate a certain number of things, but it fills me with guilt as soon as the word exits my mouth. I try my hardest not to use that word, but sometimes it's difficult, because it gets thrown around so often. Like the word "Love," it's difficult to define it, to know when it's true, or if it's just a heat-of-the-moment situation. For the most part, I'll use words such as despise, or I may really not like something, but do I really hate anything? Do I really hate anyone? I don't know if I could.

I mean, the slightest whiff of pickles will make me want to spew the past three days of food all over the place, but I don't hate pickles. I've never even eaten one I don't think. I just can't stand the smell!

I'm terrified of spiders and creepy-crawly bugs. I don't hate them, on the contrary, I find them fascinating! Every once in a while, I'll look one up on the computer and when I can't take it anymore, because I've just subjected myself to terror, I'll stop. When I see one in real life, I become paralyzed temporarily and my heart will race. But I don't hate them. I've just had a Lot of bad experiences with them. (Maybe another post.)

There's just too much love and appreciation for this world in my heart that I have no room for hate. It doesn't really exist. It's just a word that I accidentally toss around on occasion.

What About You:
Tell me, why do hate whatever/whomever it is that you do so much? What's the reason? Is it sufficient? Is it reasonable? Is it necessary to spend you time hating it when you could utilize that energy to love someone/something more?

In my opinion, it takes more effort to hate a brand of chips, than it does to love three human beings. So why not make room in your heart for that? I bet you'd feel a lot happier with life, work, friends, and whatever have you if that were the case.

Take some time to think about it.

Is hate what you're really about?
Is that what you want to be known for?
Is that how you want others to see you?

Thank you for reading,
<3 Tawny

StrengthsQuest and Personal Growth

First off, I know not all of my readers are well-versed in the world of StrengthsQuest. So I will briefly explain it.

What is StrengthsQuest:
So basically, you take this really in-depth test that's about 160-175 questions long. It takes about 20-30 minutes to complete. It asks questions such as, "I would much rather take charge in a situation than sit back and observe." Then it calculates your answers to some fancy unknown algorithm. and out of 34 different possible strengths, it tells you your top 5.

It was created because many professionals and career fields are often driven by the thought of needing to improve their weaknesses to remain competitive. According to researchers, this notion goes against the reality of what we're able to do. The fact is, our weaknesses are just that. They will always remain that way, and that's okay, we're human! Sure, we can work to improve, but they will remain inferior to our stengths.

What the test does is highlight those strengths and provide some tools for us to highlight those Strengths in our everyday life. Whether it be school, work, families, etc, we can be better people and more productive in our lives when we know what we can do well. It's an amazing tool and is slowly becoming the norm in colleges and universities alike.

My Strengths:
I originally took a StrengthsFinder test for RA training needs in the summer of 2010. Back then, my results were:
1.) Consistency
2.) Positivity
3.) Harmony
4.) Developer
5.) Communication

(I won't go into depth with these because they're old. But I just wanted to show for comparative purposes.)

For my new job, we were required to inform our supervisor(s) of our strengths. I didn't think my old strengths reflected my personality today, so I decided to take it - three years later, and this is what I got:
1.) Connectedness
2.) Maximizer
3.) Communication
4.) Developer
5.) Individualization

When I saw the new results, I was surprised initially. But after a few moments of reflection, it made a lot of sense. With just eight words, I saw a flash of the past three years and how I've grown as a person.

What Does It Mean:
First off, there are lengthy, in-depth definitions that I could provide, but then you would be reading forever. So I will say what I think/feel about each one. I've also provided the link if you want more information on what all 34 Strengths are/mean.

Connectedness: It means I'm a believer. I believe that everyone and everything in our world is intertwined together in some sort of fashion. I believe that everything has a purpose and everything happens for a reason, great or small. I take this as a very philosophical-based concept, and that's how I base my entire life. So, it makes sense for it to be my number one.

Maximizer: This one is my favorite. When I first read that this was in my top 5, I was upset. I thought, "Oh great, I've just been labeled as a perfectionist..." No one wants to be labeled as that. But after these past few months of me taking the time to appropriately reflect on what it means, I LOVE IT! This terms says that I make things better. I find a process, product, thought, or idea, and improve it. I seek out the strengths in individuals and help them highlight their own abilities. How great is that?!

Communication: This one has been in my top five both times, which means it holds a lot of strength for me. Also, seeing that it's gone up in the list means saying that I value communication in real life actually holds true. "Ideas are a dry beginning. Events are static. You feel a need to bring them to life, to energize them,
to make them exciting and vivid." It's so true.

Developer: I think this one is perfect and goes hand in hand with Maximizer. This is also something that has been of constant value of mine through the years. Basically, it says I love bringing the best out of people and working to develop them as an individual. (I think this also means I'm in the right profession.) Which brings me to my next and final Strength.

Individualization: I hate labeling people and can see unique qualities in each and every person. It also says I'm a great gift giver (even though I find it to be one of the most stressful things for me). I love that I have this Strength, because I really think it ties all of my Strengths together. I love people, and even though I often say that I can't stand them, I don't. I truly love people, and I think there's beauty in everyone - some are just more difficult to find than others.

Why Share All of This:
Long story short? Comparing my current Strengths with ones from three years ago, I can see in an instant the amount of growth that has occurred in me as a person. I can see my motivation, my drive, how I want to develop myself even further in the next couple of years while I'm still in graduate school. When I become a true professional in the field. I use my Strengths everyday at work, in my personal life, and I've seen them come to fruition throughout my class work this semester.

My Challenge to You:
Whether you've taken the test or not, take some time to evaluate your Strengths. Do you know what you're good at? Do you take advantage of them?

If you're a professional, did you take the test, think about them until the day after, and let them gather dust in the back of your mind? Or do you take the time to implement your Strengths in your everyday work? If you're a strategic thinker, and you're sitting in a meeting not saying anything, unhappy, maybe you should utilize that amazing quality within yourself and contribute! Ask questions! I promise you'll be a lot happier. A lot more satisfied. You'll feel useful, valuable, important.

You are those things. You just need to feel it yourself. Everyone else already does. Utilize your strengths. Stop focusing on the 'I can't's,' and more so on the 'I can's!"

I dare you.

Thanks for reading,
<3 Tawny

Is Training Truly Effective?

This post will be a little less personal than usual, but still something I want to talk about.

I have a bachelor's degree in Human Resources -- hiring, firing, recruitment, training, payroll, insurance, etc.

My current job works solely with recruitment and training. I mean, it's in my job title. Honestly, those were two of my favorite things to learn about in my undergrad classes, so this job is perfect for me.

But I was having coffee this morning with a colleague and we were talking about training. At Tech, each residence hall complex has, to an extent, the autonomy to decide how things are run. When we go through training, we learn the overarching goals, policies, and general key points. Which is great, in theory... but is it enough in actuality?

"Training provides you a swimsuit, but it doesn't teach you how to swim.":
As soon as he said this, I thought, I need to talk about this.

It's so true, in many aspects. For my first professional staff training, it lasted 3 weeks. But not being an in-hall staff member, I felt that the training was geared towards those folks in particular. Whenever the question was asked, "What about those who aren't in-hall?" the answer was, "I'm not sure." I've simply found that most of what I learned just doesn't apply to me. Next semester, I begin on-call duties. I'm never in the residence halls. I don't know how I'm going to make it out alive! I don't remember where everything is. I don't remember all of the procedures. I'm just praying to God that the on-call binder is easy to maneuver, because that thing will not be leaving my side.

But what about those folks swimming in their halls on an everyday basis? Each hall is different. Each hall runs their desk differently, each hall holds Complex Council differently, and each hall Looks different! Yes, there are policies that everyone has to follow and deadline that reign over the entire department, but as for everyday procedures, No one does it the same way. They've got their swimsuits, but like babies, they're thrown into the pool with the expectation of learning to swim in an instant. I'm not saying the parents are careless or not watching, but there's just that underlying expectation of their children.

As for student staff, for Spring training, we're planning on fitting everything into ONE day. One day. I'm curious to see how well this works out for everyone. But I have to say, I'm not sure I like it. Fall training lasted one week. ONE. WEEK. At my undergrad, our training lasted 2.5 weeks. Yes, we had to be back super early for school, but I felt prepared going into my job. I don't know if one week is feasible for students to learn the intricacies of such a demanding position.

Feeling Empowered:
Then I hear about a lack of motivation, time management, commitment, adherence to policies, and respect for their job. I'm not saying this doesn't happen at every institution with some folks, or that it's Everyone here, but I can't help but wonder. Are we being effective in preparing our students for the jobs we expect them to do? Is there more we can do? What can I do in my position to improve our processes? Don't worry, I am working on it. I keep mental tabs on what I hear from in-hall staffs, from students, from central staff, I relate them to my experiences, and trust me, I fight for what I think is right. I'm hoping to help improve training.

I want to make sure we all know how to swim before being thrown into the deep end of the pool. But I know I can't do it on my own. And that's where the Maximizer in me starts to feel defeated.

Am I overreacting? Maybe I just don't have the full story. Maybe this is just how things are here. Doesn't mean I won't try though. To quote one of my mentors from undergrad, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it... but that doesn't mean an upgrade isn't worth it."


Thanks for reading y'all,
<3 Tawny

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Your supported is appreciated more than you know! :D

The Pressure to Eat Healthy

I started writing this post last night, soo as to make I didn't forget to express myself today. And, so while I'm at work waiting for my video file to finish processing, I shall finish it!

Backwards List of Food Intake As of Sunday:

As I am writing this sentence, it is 10:56pm. And I just ate a peppermint patty.

For dinner, I had a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal.

For lunch, a quesadilla.

No breakfast.

Background Info:
I just, don't like eating 'healthy'. I eat what I want, where I want, when I want. I will eat in my bed, I will eat past 10pm, I will drink my milk, and I love fried foods. I'm from Wisconsin. At our state fair, we have fried butter... among other things.

In our professional development sessions, we learn how to take better care of ourselves. In one especially we got talked to by a Registered Dietitian. She told us about all of the foods we could eat, shouldn't eat, and definitely weren't allowed to eat. It was scary, it was depressing, it was demotivating. My first meal after though, I was determined to eat something healthy. It didn't work out too well. It was unknowingly spicy, and I had no milk to wash it down, because milk is naughty. After that, I. Was. Done. Forget about it.

Nothing ever works. I even saw that Food documentary, the really gross one that turns die-hard carnivores into vegans? The only thing I thought about during that film was, "Man, I could go for some fried chicken right about now." Does that make me heartless?

Why I Refuse:
It's not just because it's hard, or it doesn't taste good, or it's too expensive.. It's because of the pressure! If I choose to eat healthy, then it's a consistent effort to be conscious of my food choices! But if I manage to succeed at it, and then slip as soon as I crave a BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger with Sauteed Mushrooms, I become a failure. Then the guilt comes.

I gave in to temptation. Now I have to start all over. What will society think of me? Am I being judged? Would someone shun me for my poor food choices? I know it's weird to think this, but it happens!

Also, I'm lazy. I will come right out and say it. I. Am. Lazy. I hate working out. And I'm not athletically coordinated, so it's not like I have a creative outlet for my energy. My idea of a workout is walking up the stairs to class every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. (Those stairs will even knock the wind out of in-shape folks!) I don't even own a pair of tennis shoes. I don't want to spend $60 on a pair of shoes! Also, what happens when I Do go to the gym? That place is one giant room of intimidation. No way. I'm good where I'm at.

There's just too much pressure. But these not the only reason why I refuse.

Body Image:
I used to be terribly self-conscious of every aspect of my body. But I can tell you about all that later. That's not what this post is about. At this point in my life, I love my body. I've got great curves. I look and feel like a woman. I may be short, I have a bum that is next to impossible to fit a pair of jeans over, and I may only be able to shop at a few select stores shirts made big enough for my boobs, but small enough for my waist... but that's fun for me!

I wouldn't trade my body for anyone else's.

So why should I have to eat and act healthy for society? Why should I have to worry about eating brown rice versus white rice? Why should I not have both of those donuts? And why in the HELL, would I ever give up bread?! I have no allergies, I don't get headaches, my metabolism is great, I'm rarely sick, and I'm going to take advantage of my blessings for as long as I have them!

I'm totally and completely healthy!

To me, telling me to worry about what I put in my body and that I should be more active only worsens my body image. To me, making my feel guilty about eating the peppermint patty before bed, makes me feel unnecessarily guilty. To me, this is just another fad that I'm supposed to buy into! Well, let me tell you, I can't afford to make this purchase at this point in my life.

Courtesy of the "Being Liberal" FaceBook page.

Leave me alone.

Also, I'm ready for lunch number two. Or pre-dinner. Whichever you prefer. Either way, I'm digging in to some leftover Panda Express as soon as I publish this.

Don't tell me what to do!! >_<


Thanks for reading,
<3 Tawny

True Love's Kiss

Everyone know that I Love fairytales, stories about princesses, and terribly romantic love stories. What can I say, I'm a hopeless romantic and secretly also a princess. Okay, well, I'm not, but I want to be one.

When I was a little girl, I dreamed about falling in love with some wonderful boy who would sweep my off of my feet.

Since I was 12, I've thought about what I would name my future children. Yes, I do have some up my sleeve, but I shall not tell! It'll ruin the surprise... if it ever happens.

Since about high school or so, I lost track on the timeline, I've been "planning" my future wedding. Now, I'm not one of those crazy girls who's Pinterest is loaded up with 18 boards on wedding ideas alone. No. I would do everyone a favor and slap myself for you. *shiver* But I have thought about general ideas that would be interesting to have if the day ever came for me. I do have a Pinterest bored, it's called Someday, but it's not filled entirely with obsessive wedding details. Just a few, and most of it has nothing to do with even that!

Why Am I Telling You This:
Today, I watched 27 Dresses. A story about a girl who's been waiting for her day since she was 8 years old. Then, she watches the love of her life almost marry her little sister, and she goes crazy. All the while, there's a guy who she had no interest in whatsoever, and at the end of the movie, they get married. Ah. True love. Romance. Perfection. Beauty. Makes my heart swell up. With happiness. For a fictional character.

Then, I watched Enchanted. I love this movie. Who doesn't? But here's what always throws me for a loop. Giselle is about to marry Prince Edward. Tragedy strikes and she meets another man. You can tell they fall for each other, yet throughout the entire movie, she can't wait for the man of her dreams to find her so that they can live happily ever after. Then, as soon as he does find her, she really doesn't want him anymore. She want New Dream Man! But he's taken. In fact, he's been taken for about five years(?). Yet at the very end, he throws that relationship away for a chance at happiness with Giselle. And they... they trade partners basically. Is that weird or what? Nope, not for them, because the Prince can be married now and the girl can escape her reality of being broken up by someone who was about to propose to her for a girl who destroyed multiple sets of curtains in his home! I don't get it.

Moral Of The Story:
If true love is this important, magical, powerful force of nature, how can it be found, released, and traded to easily? Falling  in love is difficult to do but but falling out is easy? (Or is it the other way around?) Was it really ever love then? Was it really ever true? Or was it just a means to an end? Maybe I'm pulling from past experiences, but really, if it's such a loose ideal, why do we wrap ourselves up in it?

I'm not saying we should or shouldn't, I'm simply saying we should ask ourselves why? How do we know if what we have is what we really want? What we need? How do we know?

I love thinking and dreaming and hoping for my happily ever after, and who knows, maybe I will get it, maybe I have that now, I won't know until it's happened though. But I realized this a while ago. I can't, and won't focus on the laters. At this stage in my life, yes, I have those future children names picked out, but I'm not clinging to them as my only options. They're just daydreams.

Do I think about my future wedding every once in a while? Yes, I do. I won't lie. I am muy guilty of it. But, I don't spend hours lost in thought about the color scheme, the location, the dresses, the lighting, the music, and whatever else. If and when I do have a wedding someday, it won't be just mine, it'll be his too. So I want to leave the planning up to the two of us and our incomes, cuz that shtuff is expensive as heck. Remember ladies, it's not Your wedding... you wouldn't have one if he wasn't there.

Just some thoughts I wanted to ponder with y'all.

Now, excuse me while I swoon over more love stories and drama in Once Upon A Time. ;)

Thanks again for reading,
<3 Tawny

Self-Inspiration - Don't Ask How

I was hanging out at Barnes and Noble, not always the best idea for me, and I almost got out of the store without splurging on some random book, game, toy, or whatever. But then I got to the checkout area.

Right before it, you know, that area where it has random crafts and interesting items that don't fit in anywhere else in the store? Where Everything is always on some kind of markdown?

Well, you see, there was this sketch book. I bought it. So cute! Plain, tan colored book, says the word "sketch" on top and has 240 pages for me to draw/doodle in. It was $7. I think that's a darn good deal!

As soon as I brought it home with me, and began drawing random lines and swirls and was asked, "What are drawing?" I had no idea. Until I was about 3/4 done with the page. Once I finished, a poem was inspired within my brain. Never had that ever happened before.

Usually, when it comes to poems, something cool will pop up in my brain, and I'll write it down. Then, if I try to make a poem or limerick out of it, it sounds like a four-year old's poem. I can't rhyme, I don't have rhythm, I'm not creative with my diction, I'm just no good!

But, this one, not too shabby. So, I am willing to share, not only my drawing, but also my poem with you. Especially since I have not had recent bloggable inspirations, I figure this will be a good way to get back in the game.

Both the picture and the poem are called, LIFE.

Life, is like a burning fire.
Causing destruction wherever it goes.
Filling your heart and mind with ire.
Yet after it's gone, new life, it grows.
And sometimes through the thick, black smoke,
The most delicate things in life survive,
Tending to be as strong as the great white oak.
Nothing in life strictly defined,
Chaotic as the Devil's mind.
Free to explore, yet imprisoned by space,
It thrashes around, yet stays in place.
Somehow, still full of wonder, and grace.
Sometimes as fragile as a ribbon of lace.
Constant and thriving no matter which stage,
Yet never looking the same as before.
Sometimes it rains and sometimes it pours.
It's shocking, terrifying, full of undying rage.
And even through the never-ending war,
None will ever reach its core.
Life, it will shine with beauty, once more.
Just like a burning fire,
Its passion will always be admired.

There's a lot going on, and there was really no reason for how it came about. I just wanted to break in the book and wanted to create something fun. And somehow I managed to inspire myself, and break through this creative barrier I've been facing lately, and really dig into some thoughts and feelings that have been sitting in the back of my mind gathering dust.

I've shared a piece with you all that I don't share often. It's a different kind of art that I'm not used to putting out on display, but what's the name of this blog again?

Oh yeah, Private Thoughts Gone Public.

I hope you enjoyed this,
And I hope this brings me back to regular blogging. (Darn grad school!)

Please comment if you thought this was at least okay. If not, then I will go back to my regular rants and keep the drawings and written work to myself and close(r) friends.


I appreciate you,

<3 Tawny