8.29.2008

The Positives to Having ADD


Learning and knowing one’s personal strengths is important whether you have AD/HD or not. Understanding Attention Deficit Disorder can help offset some of the negative aspects of the disorder, but who wants to talk about that? Not me, not right now anyway! So, instead, here is a list of some of the positive personality characteristics and traits that those of us with ADD or ADHD bring to our lives, our friends and families and our work environments.

Creativity – most articles about the positive traits associated with ADD mention creativity. That’s because it’s true! Creativity is seen in a variety of ways, be it through humor, inventive ideas, writing, design, etc. In a work environment, thinking outside the box (which is not a very “outside the box” way of saying it), is appreciated. Unconventional thinking and new points of view are great for everyone involved because this enables fresh ideas to work their way into conventional situations. The ADDA-SR web site says that people with ADD “can find success in most fields utilizing creativity, mechanical, technical and service-oriented jobs.”

Problem Solving Skills – We’re inquisitive, perceptive and original thinkers, so we are at our best when trying to solve problems. Are you the go to person for your friends or family when they have problems? I am! And I love it! The ability to be helpful due to astute troubleshooting skills makes us great helpers (we just have to work on our listening skills sometimes).

Brain Storming – A rapid fire thought process combined with creativity make a great comedian or improve actor (i.e.: Robin Williams). Whether they are good or bad, we can come up with lots of ideas in one sitting if inspired. We can keep conversations going due to fast paced thinking or what I call the “Domino” effect.

Multitasking – my claim to fame. Yes, I am the Queen of multitasking. As long as we can follow through, working on multiple tasks at once is one way we fight boredom, but for others, it’s a way to get us to be productive. “To Do” lists are quite helpful here (and I’m the Queen of those as well, in addition to being the Queen of Post It Notes).

Flexibility – if you’re used to doing more than one thing at once, it’s nothing to just pick up and do another. Unless you’re like me and you like your schedule, ADDers are probably the ones to give the less grief about a major change of plans.

Quick Learner – This one is a little iffy, because it depends on the type of learning going on. I think with most ADDers it is hands on or interactive learning that makes information stick right away. You show us what to do and we can do it. This also includes learning from mistakes, which, personally, is how I learn the best (sometimes this is not such a good thing though).

Quirky – As Mary Jane Johnson wrote in her article “Eight Ways to Handle Impulsivity” – she mentions that ADD people can get “overly excited” which is definitely a quirk of mine! But this is a good thing – we bring uniqueness and positivity to situations. An article on the ADDA-SR site says that another quirk is that “feelings are expressed openly and actively. Impulsivity and activity are expressed. One with this type of ADD can usually succeed in sales, entertainment, entrepreneurship, or another fields utilizing quickness and high energy.” So we bring energy and excitement to everyone’s lives. Woohoo!

We seek “high-stimulus situations” - Edward M. Hallowell says that this characteristic can get people in trouble, but can work to our advantage by making us high energy and highly productive (http://www.add.org/articles/whats_it_like.html). But we are also attuned to the fact that the situation is high stimulus, bringing in a multitude of other special personality traits such as “See[ing] unique relationships between people and things” according to Suite 101 writer Darcy Andries. This is certainly one of my stronger, positive characteristics.

Hyper-focusing – “One with this type of ADD can usually succeed in the military, accounting, or another field utilizing computers and attention to detail and precision.” (ADDA-SR). Thank goodness for hyper-focusing! We are great multitaskers but in our attempt to overcome a lack of attention span we’ve somehow developed an ability to over compensate occasionally too. However, in situations that require exactness and remarkable attention to detail, we can really shine and show off our skills. It's great!

What are your positive personality traits as someone with AD/HD? Do you have the ones mentioned above or none of them?


“Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra
So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.
http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/


Read more!

8.23.2008

"Vince Vaughn's Wild West Comedy Show" – A Hilariously Touching Documentary


I love standup. So when I heard that Vince Vaughn was making a documentary about his 30 days on the road with comedian friends Ahmed Ahmed, Peter Billingsley (Ralphie from “A Christmas Story”), John Caparulo, Bret Ernst, Sebastian Maniscalco, Keir O’Donnell (“Wedding Crashers”), Justin Long (Mac from the Mac and PC commercials) and Jon Favreau – I immediately started looking for showings at my local movie theaters. Somehow I missed it. And I was not happy – until it showed up in my mailbox straight from NetFlix.

Pros:
- So funny! – This is a quality cast of truly funny comedians. The clips of their act are all of original bits, improv skits, songs, audience participation excersices, etc. Standup isn’t easy, and these comedians are terrific examples of the talent making the comedy club rounds.

- It’s more than comedy – there are sections of the documentary that focus specifically on each comedian. They discuss their families, the adversities they’ve overcome (ie – “being a Muslim comedian in a post 9/11 America”), gain new perspectives (part of the tour was to go through New Orleans but then Katrina hit. The guys visit a camp where hurricane victims are living and give them free tickets. They take the profits from a number of shows and donate them to the Red Cross for hurricane relief.), and other misadventures give us a peek into what it takes to be a comedian on the road as well as the gratification and frustrations that make up a career.

- Introducing… - It’s not all about Vaughn. If anything, he’s the least seen throughout the documentary (much to my dismay), but in return we are introduced to four comics on the verge of making a name for themselves. What we get are fresh jokes, fresh deliveries and really just a distinctive selection of punch lines.

Cons:
- A lack of Vaughn – Vince Vaughn, the title person of the documentary, isn’t in the film a whole lot.

- Stick with it – the beginning is a little slow. They introduce everyone and establish what the film and road show are about.

- It isn’t all standup – Don’t expect to watch 4 men’s standup routines the whole way through because that’s not the sole focus (but that’s a good thing too).

Unique Qualities:
- It’s a documentary about 5 comedians and their random friends on a bus for 30 days – that’s pretty darn unique in and of itself.

I am really impressed with the flow of the documentary and the amount of one of a kind jokes the featured comedians perform. It’s also interesting to learn more about life on the road in general and follow the guys through radio phone-in interviews, publicity appearances, nights where jokes bomb, nights of standing ovations and the celebrities they run into.


Are documentaries of this nature (ie - life as a comedian, life as a politician, life as a tightrope walker, etc) interesting? Have you seen "Wild West Comedy Show?" What did you think?


“Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra
So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.
http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

Read more!

8.16.2008

“Pineapple Express” – Review


Pineapple Express” starring Seth Rogan and James Franco can’t decide if it wants to be a stoner movie or an action movie and until the end, that sort of in between state works. So, what happens when two paranoid potheads aren’t really that paranoid about being chased by a drug lord? Hilarity!

Pros:
- It’s really funny! – It combines pothead high jinx (no pun intended) with pothead high jinx as an action movie, which makes for some for unexpected, laugh out loud, never-thought-they’d-get-into-that-situation moments.

- Great dialogue – Between moments of “high” clarity and just random rambling and screaming (ie – the car chase), the conversations between Dale and Saul are full of stoner stupidities and actual rational thoughts.

- Buddy chemistry – These two start out as almost strangers, but in the midst of running away from drug lords they bond to become BFFs. Franco’s Saul is sad in a way because he’s hurt when Dale calls him simply his “drug dealer.” But those moments are what make “Pineapple Express” not your ordinary pothead film.

- Action! – There are two sections of this movie, the funny parts and the end. At the end “Pineapple Express” turns into a full blown action movie complete with bad guys with bad aim and great timing by the under dogs. Plus the car chase is entertaining and suspenseful (cars flip, pedestrians dodge out of the way, shattering glass – what more could you ask for)!

- Mobsters – Gary Cole and Rosie Perez make up the bad guys chasing Dale and Saul. Perez is a crooked cop and Cole is a powerful drug lord whom Saul bought the rare Pineapple Express from. They make a comedic team (probably because both actors are known for comedies and not dramatic roles such as crooked cop and drug lord). It’s a little difficult taking them seriously, but it’s a movie, so suspension of disbelief comes into play and if the actors had been cast by serious actors they could have turned out to the downers of the movie.

Cons:
- Selling drugs to high schoolers – couldn’t the pot smoking and selling just have involved the over 18 year olds? I know that high schoolers are sold and smoke pot, but I really didn’t need to see it.

- Dale’s (Rogan) high school girlfriend – Umm, yeah, this was just weird. Angie (played by Amber Heard of “Alpha Dog” and “Friday Night Lights”) is sweet and normal, but we don’t get to see enough of her to know if she’s really more mature than her actual age (the justification Dale gives for dating a girl still in high school). So really, he’s just dating a girl in high school and we’re left crossing our fingers that she’s 18.

Unique Qualities:
- It isn’t typical or what you would expect from a “stoner comedy.”


As a buddy comedy, a pothead comedy and an action movie, “Pineapple Express” delivers a ton of funny lines and images that will definitely make you laugh at loud. The overdose of action doesn’t come until the end and even that has its more lighthearted moments (but its a bit long). Franco and Rogan make a great comedy team and it’s nice to see Franco in a role like this because we haven’t seen him in a comedy in recent memory. At any rate, I definitely recommend seeing this movie (even if you wait until DVD), because it promises some good laughs and a great new addition to the Judd Apatow team.

Is this your typical pothead movie? Am I over reacting to the pot and high schoolers scene? Did the action part of the movie play well or was it a bit out of place?


“Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra
So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.
http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

Read more!

8.14.2008

Review for “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2”


This is a love story on many, many levels. And it is most definitely the epitome of a “chick flick.” The sequel and book adaptation staring America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn Alexis Bledel and Blake Lively explores life, death, family, personal growth and true friendship. I’ve read a lot of reviews comparing “Sisterhood” to “Sex and the City,” but really these films have just one thing in common – 4 talented leading actresses. The acting and characters are warmhearted and their relationships are genuine making this an emotional roller coaster from opening credits to closing.

Pros:
What family means to four different girls – from babies to gaining new perspectives, the family centric situations presented in the movie are refreshing.

Without these specific actors, it wouldn’t work – they have a combined chemistry that brings the four plotlines together (when they’re in the same scene with one another) and this is a glimpse of the future of Hollywood!

Not a lot of pants, but a lot of adult decisions and discoveries (ie – visiting an estranged grandmother, a pregnancy scare, forgiveness – 4 fold, starting to become independent, etc, etc.). The pants are worn by each girl, but barely. But that’s fine and makes sense by the end of the movie.

It’s not about the men – As a woman, I appreciate the fact that a girly movie doesn't have to solely revolve around finding Mr. Right or marriage. In this way it differs from a lot of “chick flicks.”

Realistic portrayal of that “limbo” like time when you decide where you want to go in life – remember when you were in your early 20’s and trying to decide what direction to take your life in? That’s this movie!

Cons:
“Julia” – Julie is a character that brings Carmen (Ferrera) to a theater internship and is passed over for a leading role in a play for Carmen. In the beginning, she was a “Pro” because, despite her disappointment, she encourages Carmen. However, the writers, or whomever, couldn’t help themselves but to bring Julia down to the mean girl level by the end. It’s very disappointing.

It’s a little long – run time 117 minutes.

Unique Qualities:
The first rate acting is clear from each actress. They work well as a team, but each meets the challenge of taking the lead in their own scenes. The acting feels true, making this a unique quality in the context of a summer full of big action, comic book movies.

Can you compare “Sisterhood” to “Sex and the City?” What do you think of “chick flicks” not involving men? Did you like this sequel?


“Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra
So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.
http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/


Read more!

Does the Nation’s Down Market Affect the Hollywood Market?

You can’t go 10 minutes without someone bringing up the hard times American’s are in right now with regards to the economy. Which makes me wonder - is the state of the economy affecting Hollywood?

In a Disney (which includes Miramax Films) press release, their April, May and June quarter’s profits decreased by 2% (profits equaled $1,433 million) from the previous quarter. They are also down 2% from the same quarter last year. They released “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian,” “Wall E” and “Smart People” to name a few.
http://corporate.disney.go.com/investors/quarterly_earnings/2008_q3.pdf
http://corporate.disney.go.com/investors/quarterly_earnings/2008_q2.pdf
http://amedia.disney.go.com/investorrelations/2007_q3.pdf

Paramount/Viacom's (which includes DreamWorks and Paramount Vantage) profits are up 35% for the April, May and June quarter from the same quarter in 2007. By this quarter’s end Viacom’s filmed entertainment profits totaled $1,771 million. They are up 55% from the previous quarter. A huge contributing factor of course was the theatrical release of “Iron Man” which held the top grossing spot until “The Dark Knight” came along. Other films included “The Ruins,” “Shine a Light,” and “Kung Fu Panda.”
http://www.examiner.com/p-203802~Viacom_Reports_Second_Quarter_2008_Results.html

Time Warner’s press release stated a 14% increase for the April, May and June quarter over the same quarter in 2007 (“The Dark Knight” was not in theaters for this quarter). Profits for filmed entertainment totaled $2,564 million, a 9% decrease from the previous quarter. Films released: “Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay,” “Speed Racer,” “Sex and the City” and “Get Smart.”
http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/TWX/383851792x0x218746/44385332-ffd3-4157-8ccf-b774958797b1/q22008earnings.pdf
http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/TWX/383851792x0x192025/73b19957-4e6f-4e1e-af79-6cd605e71629/q12008release.pdf


NBC Universal (GE) profits are up 7% from 2007’s April, May and June quarter and up 8% from the previous 2008 quarter. Total revenue for April, May and June equaled $3,882 million. Films released “Baby Mama,” "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," "The Strangers," "Wanted" and "The Incredible Hulk.”
http://www.ge.com/files/usa/company/investor/downloads/webcast_04112008/earnings_press_release_04112008.pdf
http://www.ge.com/files/usa/company/investor/downloads/webcast_07112008/earnings_press_release_07112008.pdf

20th Century Fox – The April, May, and June quarter showed total profits at $220 million, a 16% decrease from the previous quarter. Surprisingly though, their profits only equaled $106 million from the same quarter in 2007, which are up significantly now. Films released – “Nim's Island,” “Street Kings,” “Deception,” “What Happens in Vegas...,” and “The Happening.”
http://www.newscorp.com/investor/download/NWS_Q3_2008.pdf
http://www.newscorp.com/investor/download/NWS_Q4_2008.pdf

With the exception of Disney, none of the studios were consistently down in the cash flow areas. As an incredible summer of blockbusters and A List ensemble casts comes to a close, it seems that although Wall Street is a buzz with red down arrows, Hollywood is a buzz with millions of green ones – just maybe not as many as they were hoping for.

Are you still going to just as many movies now-a-days even though ticket prices are rising? Do you think the economy is affecting Hollywood and film makers?

“Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra
So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.
http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

Read more!

8.13.2008

“Step Brothers” Review


I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that not ALL the funny moments in “Step Brothers” were revealed in the trailers. Surprised?! I decided to go into the movie not expecting a whole lot and when the movie was over I wasn’t all that disappointed! I’ve noticed a lot of reviews are giving it a hard time for its f-bombs and repetitive one-liners. But what else can one expect? You have to go into this movie anticipating the normal Will Farrell and John C. Reilly high jinks or else you are just expecting way too much. With the right mind set, “Step Brothers” will happily entertain you and you will soon forget you even saw this movie until you rent it and it dawns on you that you saw it in the theater. Anywho, here are the Pros and Cons to “Step Brothers.”

Pros:
- It’s short. Run Time 95 minutes.

- Mary Steenburgen and Richard Jenkins – the parents of the 40 year old man children deliver a realistic portrayal of conflicted parents who love their boys, but are at their wits end.

- The occasional great quote – like the other Reilly and/or Farrell movies, the script supplies the audience with a few quotes to store away and use for months to come. (i.e. – “You have the voice of an angel. I mean, it's like Fergie meets Jesus.”)

- The ending – lessons are learned, under dogs succeed and the man-children get to stay man-children. (heartwarming sigh)

Cons:
- The F-bomb – I’ve officially reached my f-bomb quota for the year since seeing this movie.

- It’s not going win an Academy Award this season – although funny in its own Will Farrell, Adam McKay and John C. Reilly way, they really just fall into a “comedy” category of their own, not to compete with the “The Devil Wears Prada,” “Juno,” and recent “Pineapple Express” comedies.

Unique Qualities:
- It is what it is. So, sit back, relax, you definitely won’t have to think and just enjoy the insanity.


“Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra
So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.

Read more!

8.07.2008

"Long Way Round" - A Documentary That Everyone Will Love

“Long Way Round” is a travel documentary BBC series following Ewan Mcgregor, Charley Boorman, their videographer and film crew as they motorcade LITERALLY around the world with motorcycles and 4 wheel drive vehicles. Whether you love motorcycle travel or just travel in general, the “off the beaten path” locations, problems, solutions, locals and candid moments that Mcgregor and Boorman encounter on their 18,887 mile road trip will captivate any one.

Pros:
- It’s appealing to everyone, not just those who like motorcycles – When I first heard that this was a documentary about motorcycle travel I loudly said “yuck” at the suggestion of watching it. To my surprise, I stayed up until about 4 am watching the whole thing (then bought the DVD set the next day).

- Here’s what’s fascinating:
- The “getting ready” process (they essentially start their own business just to prepare).
- The locations – they don’t ride to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, oh no! They visit neighborhoods and areas not usually on a tourist’s agenda. It’s nice to see new sights from countries including Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Siberia and others.
- The problems and their solutions – For example, at one point someone’s bike breaks down. Being resourceful, the team comes across a local man who uses his collection of tools to fix the bike. And at no charge, I believe. Other issues that pop up – border crossings, gasoline in the eyes, bug bites, a flipped over SUV and … oh yes, unpaved roads and no roads at all.
- The locals – most of these people don’t speak English and you get to watch as everyone tries to communicate. Complete strangers, who have no idea who either actor is, invite them into their dwellings (I say dwelling because some live in tents, mansions, brick buildings with one room, trailers, etc.). Each country brings new characters onto the stage that are not characters at all, but real human beings.

Cons:
- The preparation takes a little long (which usually makes me hit fast forward), but stick with it, because once they’re on the road, the adventures begin and you won’t be able to stop watching.
- The DVD shows the opening sequence and credits between each episode, which is a little annoying.

Unique Qualities:
- This whole series is unique. How often do you get to see an A list star in the most un-Hollywood of landscapes such as the Road of Bones in Russia?! Um, never, ‘til this amazing travel showcase came along.
- Mcgregor and Boorman are always fun to watch, but the rest of the crew members are just as entertaining and resourceful.

Have you seen this documentary? Did you see “Long Way Down” on July 31? What are your thoughts on travel documentaries? Any you can suggest?

“Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra
So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.
http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

Read more!

8.06.2008

Why Internet Marketing is the Way to Go

Search traffic is up by 11% in June 2008 from May 2008 and is up by 44% from June 2007. (http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?press=2356). People know it’s easy and convenient to shop or find information online and that’s where a lot of consumers are turning. Even if you can’t sell and ship online, there are still people out there looking for your products, whether it’s food, clothing, theater tickets, etc. If you don’t have a website, then customers who hear about you, either through word of mouth, other advertising, etc, can’t look you up or learn about you.

Some aspects are free – who doesn’t like free? Organic search doesn’t cost a thing, so a well optimized site has the potential to rank for relevant searches without paying for anything other than your website and whoever is doing the optimization. This could also help lower the cost of customer acquisition, which in this day and age, is always a plus! And by mentioning your website in other advertising you will bring in visitors who learn your URL and can bookmark it making them a potential frequent customer.

It’s Easy (mostly) – most web hosting companies have created simple to use platforms that are easy to edit to create your own unique content.

Local search – there’s a growing trend of searchers using physical location to find stores, dealerships, realtors, restaurants, etc. Unless you’re a site such as Amazon.com or Zappos, it is to your benefit to market your website and products locally, just as you would with TV or radio. Google, Yahoo! and MSN all have their own “local” or “business” search sections that should be utilized (and are free!).

Measurable – by using tracking phone numbers specific to your site, free website traffic tracking software as well as a “Contact Us” form, you are able to keep a measurable record of sales leads, visitor traffic, etc. from your website.

What are some other benefits to having a website? What are some of the reservations for not having one?

“Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra
So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.
http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

Read more!