The Cuban: If Memory Serves Review by: Alycia Ripley Its opening credits scatter like colorful ink blots, an early hint to the importance of memory to the plot and themes of writer Alessandra Piccione and director Sergio Navarretta’s film, The Cuban. Mina, a young pre-med student, begins working in the nursing home in which her…
Creativity can help transform a “negative” into a worthwhile advantage. The pandemic is a solid time to consider our self-concept and the way we’d like to be treated by others. How many of us know frequent boundary-busters? Or those who start unnecessary arguments via text? Or aren’t respecting our safety measures for COVID19? We all…
Inspiration can make its way to us in strange and hilarious forms. I recently came across a fantastic sign referring to the series of Sharknado films always shown on the Sci-Fi channel, particularly during Shark Week in August. When the first one was released I was amazed that something so cheeky and full of total…
Watching the 2020 Prince tribute concert was a reminder of how Prince could do anything Write a new song per day, play multiple instruments, dance, choreograph, arrange music, create careers for other artists, and claim the color purple. He was raised by a musical family to excel in different venues. Many talented artists can accomplish…
We all know someone who can’t wait to check out, photograph, or Instagram the seasonal cherry blossoms. There are groups dedicated to celebrating their festivals, even remote and virtual festivals during the time of COVID19. I’d bet the rush relates to how short-lived the buds are—how small a window we have to experience them. They…
One of the best things you can do when looking to achieve any goal is…START. Sketch an outline, consider necessary materials, maybe create a team to help you. Beginning a task can feel overwhelming. Sometimes having the opportunity to do a mini-version of that task or goal can help us move forward with confidence. When…
Whenever I feel stuck, overwhelmed, nervous, or lost, I return to my drawing board. For me, a drawing board serves as a motivator from way back when: a line, visual, or situation that created a lasting imprint. Often people forget these early motivators or feel they hold little relevance in adulthood, as if inspiration has…
The past few months have felt like the movies Outbreak or Contagion. I thought I was a strict hand-washer before? Nothing compares to the scrubbing and moisturizing brought on by COVID19. This pandemic shook anyone with a sense of empathy—the loss of life has been tragic and mandates for human interaction change daily. It’s strange…
Birthdays. Some folks dread them, others can’t wait to celebrate. I say, put them to work. What does another year mean? What can it offer us? The day should feel special— like a re-charged battery, a newly focused, prioritized list of goals. Twenty-nine was a nerveracking age—I couldn’t believe my twenties were over because, what…
Don’t be afraid to be an underdog. I recently came across this instruction, written by me, on a notebook within a bin of my elementary school artifacts. There’s many things I don’t love about modern times. Those of us born between 1978-1981 are considered to be Generation Y. We may be a small group in…
I’ve never been one to resign myself to maturity, believing adult life is improved by large amounts of enthusiasm, laughter, and adventures. However, social media is one area where it helps to behave like adults and often when we least wish to. Giving into passive-aggressive temptation, as fleetingly triumphant as it may feel, retains us…