Movie Review Monday: To Be Takei

Welcome to another awesome edition of Movie Review Monday!

This week's movie is the recent documentary, To Be Takei, examining the life of the fascinating and one of a kind, George Takei.

For those uninitiated, George Takei played Sulu on the original Star Trek television series and subsequent movies. He has transformed over the years into an Asian American and LGBT icon through his tireless work to advocate for the rights of both groups, speaking from his personal experience in a Japanese internment camp as a child as well as his efforts to have his marriage recognized with his partner Brad.

This film is a small look into Takei's life, which is as busy as ever even though he doesn't do any major acting any more. He has numerous speaking gigs, signings, brief cameos, and produced the musical play Allegiance about Japanese internment which premiered a few years ago in California. People love George Takei and they support him wherever he goes, even in the digital realm where he has millions of fans from all over the world.

I enjoyed this look into George Takei's life. It feels very raw and real, and you see intimate glimpses into his and Brad's marriage as well as the authentic opinions of those around Takei. If you you're a Star Trek fan, you owe it to yourself to check this movie out. It's a light, fun, and unique treat and a fine way to honor an amazing man who is sure to be remembered for generations to come.

You can check out To Be Takei, streaming right now on Netflix!

Thanks for stopping by!

What I'm Geeking Out About This Week - 01/23/15

Hey there! Here is what's going on in my world!

• ACPA 2015 Convention

I've finally got to booking everything (with the help of my institution) for my trip. I'm excited to check out Tampa and have a bit of a professional vacation as it were. I'll be presenting at the conference with my colleague from Rutgers, Krista Kohlmann, about our Rutgers Changemakers initiative that I had the privilege of working on with her. I recently had a thought (especially since last year's convention) about how expensive these endeavors can be for professionals so I think I'm going to try to quantify my trip to give a glimpse of how inaccessible these conferences are for the average professional (and graduate student or undergraduate student even). Be on the look out for this blog post to come!

• Spring Semester

I had a wonky and long weekend here at my institution, as we had RA training, spring move-in, and spring orientation all over the span of a few days. This whole past week has felt long and I haven't been in the same groove with the blog as I had been the first few weeks of this month. Once I have the weekend to recuperate and devote to some upcoming posts, I'll be back with it. I am excited to get back to work and see my first spring semester here. The fall was an interesting glimpse into parts of the higher ed world I haven't seen or been a part of before. I feel like I'm learning new things all the time and developing my professional demeanor with every meeting and decision I am making. I definitely need to reflect on this first year once it is all said and done!

• Adulting

Something I have had the chance to do recently (even with the aforementioned wonkiness) is buy some things for my place to make it feel a little more like home. I've hung up some more stuff on the walls (courtesy of my lovely partner), and I ordered some furniture from IKEA (a first for me). For some reason I always grumble about getting stuff like this or delay needlessly but once I get the stuff and put it up, it makes me happier. I suppose I am content with what I have and don't think I need anything else, but once I have the new thing, I can appreciate it. I think I'll need to get better with this since I have a lot of old stuff that needs replacing or just more adult things like better cookware, furniture, and better bedding.

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Pocket These Podcasts: What I'm Listening To Lately

Podcasting has been experiencing a renaissance recently. With the continued success of some foundational shows and the current breakaway success of some few shows, podcasting has become more mainstream in a big way. The quality is increasing, the topics or more nuanced and deep, and the audience is growing exponentially. I've been a fan of the medium for years now, and I'd like to share a few of the awesome new shows I've been listening to lately.

Startup Podcast

I was recommended this show by the incomparable Tom Krieglstein and have enjoyed following along with the story. It is basically the journey of a guy (Alex Blumberg) following his heart, starting a business (podcast network in this case) and his trials and tribulations. He is authentic and reflective throughout the whole process. He makes some mistakes, fumbles a bit, but eventually reaches his goal. It is a great look into how a startup might come to be today, and has some great tips for those interested in doing the same. Even if you're not thinking about starting a business, the story is still entertaining to listen to, so I definitely encourage you to check it out.

Invisibilia from NPR

This is a relatively newer show compared to the others on this list. As the name might suggest, the show examines the invisible forces that influence our lives. While there have been only two formal episodes, you can find a guest episode on This American Life and the two episodes that have been released are fascinating. The premiere episodes was on thoughts, their power, and the history of our understanding of them. The most recent episode is about fear. I'm really intrigued to see where the show goes from here!

Nerdette Podcast

I'm not sure how I originally stumbled across this show, but I'm glad I did. It's a NPR podcast out of Chicago that is a short snippet of interviews, nerdy Q&As, and their signature segment, nerd confessions from their audience. The confessions range from the humorous to the deeply emotional and are amazing since their listeners feel comfortable enough to share them out with the world on their show. If your into smart, nerdy things and good conversations, check this show out. It's light, engaging, and perfect for a listen on your commute or during your lunch break.

Honorable Mentions: Serial (obviously), Nerdist, How Did This Get Made?, School of Greatness, Smart People, This American Life, Freakonomics, Invisible Office Hours, Reply All

Top Movies I'm Looking Forward to in 2015

2015 is looking to be a standout year with some awesome big films on the horizon. While 2014 has its triumphs, the slate of movies coming down the pipeline have me really excited. Only time will tell if I still feel the same way this time next year, but for now, here is what I'm looking forward to this year in movies:

Avengers: Age of Ultron

This is pretty much a given. The two trailers we've gotten so far look amazing and I'm a big fan of what Marvel has been churning out lately with their movies and television offerings. Ant-Man has me curious but doesn't make the list since I have only seen the one trailer and have no basis for the character. Once some early reviews come in for that one I might come around but for now, Age of Ultron is going to be my big movie for the year that I know should be great.  If you haven't kept up with Marvel's movies and television shows, I recommend you catch up since this should be the movie event of the year!

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2

After seeing Part 1 this past fall, I am very eager to watch this final chapter. The previous movie did a good job of setting this one up for success and I have really gotten into the whole Hunger Games universe. It's an engaging, smart, mature story that is something good for young adults to explore. I haven't read the books so I don't know how it ends, but I have heard the ending isn't great so I'm curious to see if it is changed for the film at all. I didn't really expect to like this film series but after three solid movies, I'm hooked!

Inside Out

A new original concept from Pixar, Inside Out is about those emotional voices inside our heads and how we make decisions based off them. As many others also do I'm sure, I have loved pretty much all of Pixar's movies. The Toy Story movies, Up, and Wall-E, are some of my favorites of the bunch. This premise looks like it could be really good so I'm excited to check it out. I'm glad they're making some unique like this too, since something like Monsters University was good, but felt like a good concept was there that could have stood on its own without the Monsters Inc universe hovering over it.

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

While this one should be another given, I'm still cautiously optimistic about this one until I see a full trailer. The teaser did get me excited but we still don't know a lot about the movie or characters. I'm always stoked to head back into the Star Wars universe but this movie could end up not being able to live up to the high expectations it has just like the Prequel Trilogy, and perhaps now it has even higher stakes because of the lackluster former movies. It has to be amazing in order to reclaim all the lost faith in the franchise, it can't just be okay. We'll see what comes of this soon as we see more and learn more about the film.

Pitch Perfect 2

The first film was a breakaway success, especially amongst the college aged crowd I am privileged to serve everyday. I enjoyed it as well, as it was a fast, fun, and smart movie with a great cast. While comedy sequels have classically struggled, I am willing to give this one a chance. Anna Kendrick is always awesome and I have faith she can carry the movie through well. This may be the most shaky movie on the list but I really hope it is good!

Thanks for stopping by!

Movie Review Monday: Inequality for All

Welcome to another awesome edition of Movie Review Monday!

This week's movie is the 2013 documentary, Inequality for All from former US Labor Secretary, Robert Reich.

I've seen Robert Reich on television often, on such programs as The Daily Show and other talking head news shows. I've always found him engaging and have thought what he has had to say is very relevant and quite spot on. This documentary captures his essence well and is worth a watch to get a good snapshot of where the American economy is at currently. Reich is able to explain things clearly and uses some good visuals to make the topic more palatable.

The documentary blends together Reich's classroom lectures, interviews, and clips from his life as Labor Secretary under President Clinton. We see a bit of a day in the life of Reich and learn about his story amidst the rest of the content. It is never too much and they make it all relevant to the topic at hand.

The economy is a complicatedly simple issue. It encompasses billions and trillions of dollars and millions of people but there are simple concepts that are proven to be necessary for an economy to thrive. Reich is able to simplify the complex and quantify everything so that you see both the big picture and the personal side of the plight of income inequality. I recommend this documentary to everyone, because we all have a stake in the American economy, and we should be informed about what has happened and what needs to happen next.

You can watch Inequality for All streaming right now on Netflix!

Thanks for stopping by!

What I'm Geeking Out About This Week - 01/16/15

Hey there! Here is what's going on in my world!

• Legend of Korra

This television centric post will start with a series I just finished recently. Legend of Korra (for the uninitiated) is the followup series to the popular Nickelodeon animated show, Avatar: The Last Airbender. Both now stand as some of my favorite shows of all time because they are fun, action packed, and deal with some important, serious concepts for a children's show all while having an awesome, strong female lead. I would probably lump these shows into "young adult" fare, but they both seem to try to broadcast to a wide audience. Nevertheless, I'd recommend both of these shows to anyone. Legend of Korra had an awkward distribution (it went from airing on television to being dumped online at the end) but it at least got to tell the story it wanted to share. The ending (no spoilers!) was a great way to send off, further cementing it as a show ahead of its time. You can find The Last Airbender series around popular streaming services and Legend of Korra is on Hulu/Amazon Prime.

• Parks and Recreation

This beloved NBC sitcom just came back for its final season this past week. The premiere was great and made me happy we were going to have this awesome (albeit short) farewell to the show. It could have ended several times before but the quality has been consistent so I'm happy to see more of it for a short while longer. With the series doing a time jump, it allows for a fresh take on the show, which could have easily gotten stale. I look forward to seeing more of my favorite old characters in Pawnee one last time and have the show go out on top. You can stream the entire series on Hulu Plus, Netflix, and (mostly) on Amazon Prime.

• Agent Carter

Speaking of awesome & strong female leads (Leslie Knope & Korra fit this bill), Agent Carter premiered recently and I watched the two-part event with my partner this past week. This Marvel series serves as a followup to the events of Captain America: The First Avenger, as well as a spiritual prequel to the current series, Agents of SHIELD, which has already connected itself to this new show's titular character. Peggy Carter has been a fan favorite character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as she stole scenes in First Avenger as well as had her own excellent "pilot" in the Marvel One-Shot that accompanied the Iron Man 3 home video release. I enjoy her character a lot and the series shows some good promise from the outset. I'll be sure to give more thoughts when the mini-series is through in a few weeks.

Thanks for stopping by!

How the #SASearch is Just Like Dating

 

"So while you brush up your resume and cover letter, maybe you should also watch some romantic comedies while you're at it."

I was hanging out with some of my fellow graduate school friends the other day while I was back around Rutgers. We were talking about the job search we went through and how other folks are about to go through it which reminded me of a great metaphor I kept sharing with my cohort while we were all trudging through applications and interviews. It is how the student affairs job search process is a lot like dating when you think about it.

From the very first stages of perusing job postings to the campus interviews, it is the same process that one goes through for dating. I'll go through this chronologically how either of these situations would typically happen, and you can immediately see what I'm talking about.

So when you decide you're ready for something new, you figure you'll go see what's out there and who is looking for somebody. You have your standards that you aren't willing to negotiate and maybe some that you are. You might try to send some signals at the beginning to get their attention, and then you'll lay out who you are with some zing and zest. You both hit it off and you start leaving little notes and treats for each other. They might ask to see you again, you start meeting people they know, and it feels like it's all getting to be pretty serious. They eventually invite you over to see their place, you see where they live, and you can really feel like this is a match. You can really see yourself here together. They ask you to move in and then it's happily ever after. Well, until you see how they really are, and after a few years you might be ready to move onto the next one.

So while you brush up your resume and cover letter, maybe you should also watch some romantic comedies while you're at it.

Thanks for stopping by!

A Geek's Guide to Being a Man

"As a geek, I've often felt like less of a man because I'm not a brash, cocky, man of action."

I tend to not get a long with guys my age. Whether it is not being super into sports, not being very big, or tending to be a bit more soft spoken, I'm not what most people would think of as "masculine". Nevertheless, I think what it means to be a man today is far more complex and nuanced than what most people make it out to be. I've been reading a lot of the amazing articles on The Good Men Project, watching the informative videos from Real Men Real Style, as well as becoming versed in the social justice education granted to me by being engaged in the student affairs realm. All of this amounts to this humble geek having a better understanding of what it means to be a man today, and here are some general tips on how to get there.

Style

So, a piece of what I mentioned before about being a man has to do with how you present yourself in terms of your dress and your style. I see a lot of young men who don't have any sense of style, which I define as the timeless rules of men's clothing. They wear gym shorts and old sneakers most of the time. Real Men Real Style has a plethora of advice on this topic, with videos on everything from ties and scarves to shoes and socks. I'll let them detail the specifics, but there is nothing to be ashamed of with men dressing well. If you want to be successful and taken seriously, you need to know how to present yourself. I've come a long way here myself and I really feel that my impression on people is always positive since I dress well and make sure to do my best in this regard no matter the occasion. It is a big step for being a mature man to move past the clothes and style you've had since you were a teenager.

Wellness

Being a humble, insecure geek, I've struggled with some bouts of depressive feelings since I felt like I wasn't connecting with people in the ways I wanted to. I felt left out, lonely, and unwanted. I also didn't take care of myself by eating well or working out. In the past several years, I've started to take care of my body and my mind by being conscious of what I eat, drink, sleeping more, being as active as I can, and most importantly, being an advocate for my own mental wellness. Most men would probably just try to grit their teeth and suppress their emotions. I've had an emotional awakening as I work to explore my feelings and embrace them rather than ignore them. Men need to accept this human part of themselves. They need to be well mentally and physically to be the best parents, partners, and people they can be. They need to be emotionally available, stable, and considerate. In this way, they'll be able to act in a more empathetic way towards other people.

Attitude

My partner has been showing me a fair share of feminist literature. I'm intrigued to explore more, but on this point, it is important (especially for me as a cisgendered, heterosexual, white male) for men to acknowledge their privilege, when they have it, and use it to be a powerful ally to those in need. Men need to change their entitled, privileged attitudes and be a part of the solution, not the problem. Men need to be intellectually curious, open-minded, and patient. As a geek, I've often felt like less of a man because I'm not a brash, cocky, man of action. I'm a humble, considerate, man of thought. While I'm not trying to make those who are unlike me out to be bad, I do think that we need more of a balance in the world, where we all don't feel like we have to be something we're not. There should be fair opportunity for everyone to be whoever they want to be. This could mean how they dress, where they work, where they live (and who they live with), and who they love.

The picture above is of David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor (my personal favorite Doctor). He is a fine role model for men I'd say. He balances the different parts of himself well. He's emotional, decisive, kind, considerate, and abhors violence. He solves problems in a thoughtful way that doesn't hurt anyone. However, if someone hurts people he cares about, is acting selfishly, or simply behaving in an evil, senseless fashion, he responds with a just anger (and rocks a fine suit the whole time). Most men could learn a few things from this Time Lord. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Movie Review Monday: The One I Love

Welcome to another awesome edition of Movie Review Monday!

This week's film comes to us via Netflix and is 2013's The One I Love featuring Mark Duplass and Elizabeth Moss.

I was recommended this movie by a friend, as well as by the algorithms of Netflix so I figured it would be something I was interested in. It is a small, independent, unique, romantic comedy with some light sci-fi elements, so once I knew all that, I was in. However, after I was done watching this movie, I was very frustrated and let down. I will say as a precursor, it felt much the same way as when I finished Mr. Nobody. Still, this movie seemed to be confused about what it was and what it was trying to say, so in this muddled narrative, I think it lost a lot of its punch.

The basic premise is that Duplass and Moss (Ethan and Sophie respectively) are married and their relationship has hit a rough patch. They decide to go on a weekend retreat to a beautiful house away from the world to work out their problems. They soon realize, however, that the house is more than meets the eye. I actually would liken the strangeness of this movie to another Duplass movie, Safety Not Guaranteed, which in some ways is a far better movie. I don't want to spoil the movie, so I won't explain it any more than this, but the hook is an odd one when it is all said and done.

When I finished this movie, I had to immediately process it and find other theories of the movie's plot and what it all meant. I found some articles that shared my confusions and frustrations but also helped me understand the movie better (SPOILERS: here, here, and here). Some were a bit less contrarian to the film than I was, some even praising it for the ambiguity. They captured much of my thoughts better than I can articulate them and give some different perspectives, so I won't reiterate or repeat them. Definitely check them out after you watch the movie so you can process everything see some diverse perspectives on everything.

Nevertheless, this is a hard movie for me to recommend. It seems to fit the bill of all the types of things I like about movies as I mentioned before, especially random ones I find to stream. If you want a movie to think about and process, this can be a good one to check out. It's not too long and the pacing is good so it won't feel like a drag. I just feel like it might be a film to think about and dissect in the wrong way, since the point of it all seems unclear to me.

You can check out The One I Love streaming right now on Netflix.

Thanks for stopping by!

What I'm Geeking Out About This Week - 01/09/15

Hey there! Here is what's going on in my world!

• Google's Inbox

I've been using this new way to manage your Gmail for about a week now and I love it. It helps simplify my messages and get my email out of my way. The ways it compiles common emails and messages of the same type as well as allows for easily snoozing, pinning, and archiving messages. You have to get invited (I can invite you!) or request access from Google (which takes some time) but it is definitely worth it. There is a free app for iPhone and Android, and you can also access it via the Chrome web browser. I definitely recommend you check it out if you love Gmail!

• Band of Brothers

I just finished this mini-series on Amazon Prime, where it is available to stream alongside many other HBO series. The story surrounds Easy Company and their journey in Europe during World War II. It came out over a decade ago but still holds up well. The series spans over two years worth of time in the matter of ten episodes so the story does sacrifice character development and some nuance for this fast pace, but the emotion and action are still definitely there. This is a great series for any American history fans like myself, and you'll even see a lot of familiar faces before they became major celebrities, which is fun.

• Perspective

"Follow the trend lines, not the headlines." I saw this quote recently in an article and it resonated with me. Too often we get caught up in the little things right in front of our face we forget to look at the big picture. The world is getting better and safer all the time, but people don't see or can't realize the incremental change and improvements that are happening. Change takes time and with marriage equality now available to the majority of Americans, I know this is true. I lived to see this happen over the course of my short lifetime, so I know we can make a difference if we all rally together. The aforementioned article does a great way of explaining this point of view, and it's a perspective like this that helps me stay positive and motivated to keep working hard.

Thanks for stopping by!