To My Daughters

To My Daughters,

Sometimes you won't need advice, but just someone who will listen. Someone who might not understand the situation, but who will understand you and you will find comfort in knowing that no matter what, someone loves you. I hope that this someone is me (or dad) and that we can keep that relationship forever. So, as I am sitting here and thinking about my mark on the world, I realize that my mark on this world will be you and the things that I have taught you and I hope to whatever higher power is out there, that whatever it is you learned from me is some or all of what follows:

1. Life is unfair. That doesn't mean you get to give up. That doesn't mean that it isn't fair sometimes too. I hope that you learn to take the unfairness and spin it into gold. Like someone smarter than me once said, "When one door closes, another one opens."

2. Love is tricky. Lust will dress up like love and sometimes it is so convincing that we are fooled into believing that it's the real thing. Real love is kind, helpful, reciprocal, unconditional. It's ok to be fooled every once in a while. It means that you are learning.

3. Make some mistakes. It's not ok to repeat the same mistakes. We are creatures who learn. (At least some of us.) If you aren't learning, then you aren't paying attention and that is no way to progress through life.

4. Enjoy the process. Your dad told me before we got married and when I was up to my eyeballs in planning to "enjoy the process." He was right. I wanted to remember the process as a happy one, not as a race to the finish and because of that sound advice, I look back fondly and smile.

5. Take pride in everything you do. Even the most menial task is an extension of you, so do it well.

6. Grammar is important. Language is ever changing but it never hurts to understand the proper mechanics of your language.

7. You are beautiful. You. As you are. There is only one Josie. There is only one Reese. I saw a viral video on Facebook not that long ago and the man in the video was spot on when he said, "You are perfect for the heart that is meant to love you." Society is cruel. People are mean and small and hide behind their insecurities and keyboards. They reach to pull down those who are soaring above them so that they can have company in the bog they wallow in. Stay above it, loves. You are amazing in your own right and they have none to take it from you.

8. Always build. Build your future, build your present, build yourself up. When you are up, reach down and build others up as well. Be a social justice crusader. When you see those who have fallen and others are stepping over them, stop and help them back up.

9. Read. Reading opens your very specific world and allows in the stories and experiences of others to teach you, inspire you, make you feel. Everyday I am reminded of all of the things about the world that I don't know and I chase after the knowledge because, as silly as it sounds, knowledge really is power.

10. Speak loud, walk tall and be proud of your ideas. Be proud of your heritage. Be proud of yourself and all that you have accomplished and all that you will. You really are special, and you deserve happiness and love.

I love you both more than anything in this world and I am so excited to see the world through your eyes. I am so excited to be more proud of you with each new adventure you embark on. I am so lucky to get to be your mom and I hope that I can teach you to love yourself first so that you can expand your heart to encompass those who deserve it.

Love,

Mom

"I don't feel I have to explain my art to you, Warren."

This quote popped into my head and made me reminisce about Empire Records. If you haven't seen it, you should. It's insane and I love it.

This is Warren. He's a shit.

 I love it for many reasons and none of them at this particular moment have anything to do with film, but maybe I will explore that a bit here...we'll see.

• I love it because it reminds me of my BFFs Robyn & Rick
• I love it because at the time, I could identify with at least one or most of the characters
• I love it because AJ is still cute
• I love it because in grade school me and my friend Jenny Roberg were obsessed with Grease 2 and Rex Manning is in Grease 2
• I love it because of this:

This is GOLD.

• I love it because every once in a while I will see an actor from this movie and it takes me right back
• I also love it because ole pucker face Renee Zellweger's character sucks in this movie and she sucks in real life...hmmm

Reasons I love Empire Records as a film (forgive me if this rambles, I have never really thought about it in an arty way):

• Who doesn't love a movie about a bunch of fucked up misfits who find community within their own group?
• The soundtrack is amazing and I still find myself singing some of the songs from it
• Ethan Embry is hilarious as Mark and the part with Gwar still makes me laugh - lovable stoners woot! (Also LOVE him in Can't Hardly Wait, maybe that will be my next post)
• It's simplicity is what makes it awesome - the whole movie pretty much takes place inside of Empire Records, it is their home, their hell and their sanctuary all in one. No matter how much they fuck up, they don't get fired and they are stronger as a group because of it
• Great ensamble story - writing ensambles is HARD. Like, really hard. I am trying to write one now and it takes a lot of work and you really have to know each character intimately to make it work.

I am sure there are many, many more reasons I could come up with, but I will have to watch it again and then bore you some more with my reasons. 

Ahh sweet reminiscing...