Top 10 Movies I Can’t Wait to See

Since I didn’t see any movies this weekend, I thought I’d write a list of some of the movies I am highly anticipating during the next 12 months.

1. The Dark Knight – Now who ISN’T anticipating this one? I don’t think I’ve heard one negative thing about this movie yet. I know it comes out this upcoming weekend, but this will be the LONGEST week ever!

2. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince – I am currently 3/4th the way through this book and so far it’s GREAT! Look for it November 21, 2008

3. X-Files – I Want to Believe – I was a HUGE fan of the TV show (owning some of the series on VHS too), I am stoked that the original actors agreed to this new installment. The best thing though is that the movie is supposed to be an independent story, so even if movie goers weren’t huge fans of the late-90’s series they can still enjoy the sexual tension and sci-fi twists that made it famous in the first place. Release Date: July 25, 2008

4. Angles & Demons – The precursor to “The Da Vinci Code”, Dan Brown’s Vatican city novel is on the big screen. Full of the same controversies that The Da Vinci Code brought on, this book poses even more challenging because it takes place in Vatican City as well on the actual grounds of the Vatican itself. Tom Hanks is the only familiar face but Ron Howard is bringing in Ewan McGregor to round out the cast. Release Date: May 15, 2009

5. Twilight – This makes the list because of my dearest friends who are obsessed with the novels by Stephenie Meyer. This teenage vampire saga has received a lot of attention from the MTV youngsters, but has also got those of us in their 20’s and 30’s reading as well. The series, made up of 4 books has been on the New York Times Best Seller list for 47 weeks, will now be making huge grounds on the big screen. Release Date: December 12, 2008

6. Eagle Eye - Shia LaBeouf stars as a guy who is suddenly being ordered around by some mysterious woman on the phone who can see his every move. This truly do or die flick looks very intense and I have a feeling it’ll have a twist no one is expecting. Release Date: September 26, 2008

7. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – This just looks interesting, like a very unique story. Release Date: December 19, 2008

8. Australia – Finally Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman don’t have to fake American accents since this is a movie about their home country. It’ll be nice to see these two highly talented stars make a film together about their homeland. Release Date: November 14th, 2008

9. Mamma Mia – Theater was my minor in college, so it’s always a pleasure (well not always) to see an acclaimed production in movie theaters. This energy filled play seems to have a cast that loved making the movie, so it’s sure to be filled with high impact acting, singing and dancing and let’s not forget – romance. It only has the unfortunate fate of coming out the same weekend as “The Dark Knight.” Release Date: July 18, 2008

10. Tropic Thunder – Really, all I have to say is Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr. Oh wait let me add something – Tom Cruise, Matthew McConaughey, Tobey Maguire, Mickey Rooney, Nick Nolte, and Bill Hader. Enough said. Release Date: August 15, 2008

What are you looking forward to within the 2008/2009 film season? Did I miss anything?

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The Domino Effect: ADD & Conversation

I wasn’t diagnosed with ADD until I was 19. That was a lot of time to go by without understanding how my own brain worked in conversations. Needless to say, I got a lot of “that was random” and “where did that come from” comments from friends during conversations pre-diagnosis. And they were completely justified in making those statements. I would say comments that, to them, would seem to be out of the blue, but to me seemed logical and relevant. Now that I know more about ADD and how it can affect life skills and conversation abilities, I am reminded of an age old theory called “The Domino Effect” and I can now see how it relates to conversation skills and the ADD brain.


So a conversation starts with topic A (a.k.a. Domino 1). Everyone’s sharing their ideas and stories and something sparks a side thought in the ADD person’s brain bringing that person slightly away from the original topic and creating Domino 2. From there this person thinks of something else (Domino 3), then something else, then a different thought (Domino 4) and so on and before they know it they are at Domino 7 or 8. Before I understood ADD I would just spout out Domino 7 or 8 as part of the conversation because to me it made sense. However, to those who were still discussing Domino 1 it sounded like a completely new topic. This was when I would get the “that was random” comments from others (and a reputation as the “dumb blonde”). Now, however, I think about what I am going to say to make sure it relates to Domino 1. I can keep my focus on Domino 1 and if that focus waivers, I’m aware of it and the fact that only I will be able to make sense of the resulting thoughts because the thought process is only in my brain. If I do have one of my “random statement moments” I know that I can simply say “Oh, here’s how I got to that idea” and explain these thought processes to the others in the group. I really think that awareness is 55% of how to cope with AD/HD. Just simply being aware that this is how my brain works and it may not be how others' thought processes work gives me a social skill abling me to adapt to and incorporate my thoughts and ideas into any conversation and explain to others my random statements should they occur.

What are your "random statement" experiences? Do you find that your brain can sometimes do a Domino effect as well?

“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.
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A Great Workplace Starts At The Top

The truth is I’ve learned a lot in my time within the corporate working world. And I have found that the most influential person (or people) on your daily workload, the attitude in the office, etc. is the leader, the head honcho – your boss. Here are a few observations and suggestions about making the daily grind a little more bearable.

- Don’t show panic or frustration to employees because then they won’t know that there’s anything to panic or be frustrated about. Has this ever happened to you, you see your boss red in the face storming back to their office only to shut their door for another 20 minutes with no explanation? It’s worrisome, right? Bottom line, if it doesn’t directly affect staff (ie moving cubicles) then they probably don’t need to know or even be aware of any problems.

- Micro-managing is a surefire way not to be liked. Inherently, micro-managing inspires resentment. Really, what difference does it make if an employee spent 5 minutes reading an article on Yahoo! news if they still got all of their work done and at their best quality level? Backing off can go a long way. It shows trust.

- Chat with employees – emerging from an office a couple times a day to talk with employees/coworkers can really boost moral. This allows everyone to relate on different subjects other than work, it gives everyone a quick break from work, and gives everyone a chance to laugh (that alone can do wonders!), among other things. This creates a more enjoyable atmosphere and set the boss up as more than just a boss.

- Reward employees for accomplishments and go easy when they make mistakes. Feeling like you might be fired over a small little error does not create the best environment for which to work effectively. If errors are brought to attention in a non threatening tone and manner it opens up a situation in which the employee is more receptive to the correction instead of feeling bad about making a humanistic error. And rewards let employees know that their hard work is being noticed and is appreciated by more than just themselves. Simple things like saying “Nice job on the ABC report” or “Take an extra long lunch since you worked so hard on preparing for that meeting” are quite easy to hand out.

What does being a good boss/manager/leader mean to you as a boss or as an employee? What are some good ideas for rewards or suggestions as to handle pointing out mistakes to employees?

“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.
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"Hancock" Review

“Hancock” is a good character story and Will Smith perfects his "pissed off" look. Although, I think the film was marketed incorrectly, which is where most of the disappointment is coming from, it’s a good movie and definitely worth seeing on the big screen.

Pros:
- A twist you are not expecting (again, I love when movie makers do this! The trailers, marketing, interviews, etc., none of them even HINT at the twist - YES!).

- Jason Bateman – enough said.

- A great transformation of Smith’s “Hancock” – you see Hancock's realization of how making himself a better person can benefit society but you also see his stubbornness of not wanting to change (who wants to change, ya know?!).

- We see the social pressures of what it means to be a “super hero.”

Cons:
- The story of an ideal super hero turning a leaf to better the world is enough. The movie looses it I think when they start to incorporate a hurried and convoluted back story. It messes up the rhythm (although worst things have happened to a movie).

- I agree with critic Brian Chen, “The movie's best as a comedy and worst when it tries to get serious.” So true!

Unique Qualities:
- A really compelling story at heart, but maybe a two-parter instead of smooshing it all together.

- Smith is terrific as always, Bateman is tremendous as always, and Theron is excellent as always (well I guess that’s really unique – but it’s a great cast, a good mix of talent all in one film).

“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.
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What I Clearly Inherited From My Parents

This blog post has nothing to do with work, movies or ADD, so we will file it under the “Random Thoughts” section. I was inspired as I was listening to the radio yesterday and the DJs were talking about the traits they inhereited from their parents. I thought this would make a really interesting blog post – to dissect myself and take a look at what my parents graciously or not so graciously bestowed upon their eldest child.

Theater (both) – I did theater all throughout high school and made it my minor in college. Both parents did theater when they were in high school and that’s how they met actually, while doing a show.

Driving (dad) – This one is funny because recently I scratched up my car in the exact same place my dad had scratched our mini van just a few weeks ago. I took it to the same repair shop and the shop owner made a comment like “You must take after your dad.” And I said “Yes, actually, is it obvious he’s the one that taught me to drive?” My mom did a little as well, but I definitely inherited my dad’s road rage and the tendency to stare at drivers who are acting stupid as I drive past them on the highway.

Laugh & sense humor (mom) – My mom and I laugh at the same things and in the same tone of voice. The laughs don’t match exactly, but it is quite clear that she was the contributor for that gene.

Piano (mom) – My mom plays the guitar, always has. She’s pretty good too! I play the piano. Haven’t always, but I am pretty average, so I think I inherited some musicality from my mommy.

Voice recognition & (minor) success in the voice over business (dad) – My dad is a radio DJ. He has been my whole life. So that’s what I know. This has somehow got to be related to my ability to recognize voices. I play a little game sometimes with commercials; I try to see if I can recognize the celebrity doing the voice over. I also got into doing voice work myself and did a couple commercials here and there. Pretty sweet gig, it is just too bad my real job moved to a different city and I can’t make it to the recording studio anymore.

ADD (mom) – I see a lot of AD/HD traits in my mom. She’s much more functional than I am and the traits only pop up occasionally, but I definitely got it from her (love you Mom!!).

Love of movies (dad) – My dad is the movie and trivia master, so naturally it was worked into our lives. My memory stinks, so I’m terrible at trivia, but damn do I love my movies.

My looks (both) – If you looked at me, then my parents, and you didn’t know we were related you would probably not match us up as parents and kids. But if you dissect my features, it’s obvious who I got them from. My eyes – mom; Nose – mom; Height – dad; Face shape – dad. Now the rest…the rest is kind of a mish-mash of features from other relatives. I know, weird right?

Now it’s your turn!

What did you clearly inherit from your parents? Any funny stories about people pointing out those same traits? Are you proud of the genes you got or do they cause more embarrassment than anything else?

“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.
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Why Does AD/HD Medication Get Such a Bad Rap?

I am in no way shape or form a medical expert or related to the medical field in any way. The messages in this blog posting are purely my opinions. Please consult a medical professional for advice.

I have been taking medication for Adult ADD for six years. I have never sold it, I have never lost any weight while taking it, and I’ve never seemed “over medicated”. These are some of the negative connotations AD/HD medications get and it bugs me every time I see a news story on what terrible things these medications are doing to people. I’m not saying that bad things don’t happen, however, it would be great to hear a story about how these medications have transformed someone’s life in a positive way as opposed to ruining it.

So, here are some thoughts I have about AD/HD medications’ “bad rap”.

- It starts with a proper diagnosis – when I was diagnosed it fit perfectly into my life. It answered a lot of the questions I had asked myself throughout the years. However, if it hadn’t been that way, I would have sought a second opinion. No medication is going to work if it’s treating something that isn’t there, so if AD/HD doesn’t seem to quite be there, a second opinion is definitely and is always an option.

- Medication interaction – before ever putting one pill into my mouth I looked up the new medication’s information on the FDA’s website. They have medication information sheets that lay out, plain and simple, what drug interactions occur as well as any health conditions that should prevent someone from taking a medication. I really like the site because it’s incredibly user friendly and the information is in layman’s terms so everyone can understand the warnings.

- Side effects – just as with any medication (for example, birth control pills) there are possible side effects. This is where the weight loss issue associated with AD/HD medications comes in, I think. From my experience both with AD/HD meds and birth control pills, within three months, the side effects were gone. So, I say, give it three months! If the effects haven’t worn off by that point, then it’s time to talk to a doctor.

-Alternatives to Medication – Adderall and Ritalin are not the only ways to treat AD/HD. Some other treatments include a multitude of therapy options, social skills training, diets and supplements and some experimental treatments. Also, there are more than just two medications out there to treat AD/HD. The best way to go, according to most articles and books I’ve read, is taking a medication in conjunction with therapy. It's a great combo.

- College kids selling Adderall to help friends study – Well this is just stupid. It is the abuse of these medications that will be harmful. So, really, this comes down to being responsible and accountable for a potentially harmful drug in one's possession.


What do you guys think? Do AD/HD medications get a bad rap? Do you know anyone that’s had a TERRIFIC experience with Adderall or Ritalin?

“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.

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