The Great Gatsby

If you went to public high school some where in the United States, then chances are that you have probably read The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It's a book that has been subject to many adaptations and creations over the years, and is slated for a new movie coming out in May 2013.

Source

Directed by Baz Luhrman, the trailer has a very Moulin Rouge feel to it which (depending on who you talk to) is either insanely awesome, or slightly offputting. Either way, it's sure to cause a lot of buzz when it comes out. While this modern adaptation is certainly interesting, I found something that I consider much more exciting.

This is the trailer for The Great Gatsby movie that was created in 1926 and is reported to be the only lasting video footage from the movie that has survived. It's amazing to think that we can take such old art and digitize and preserve it. It would be interesting to compare the book to silent film to 1974 movie to 2013 movie and see the differences that take place as the audience changes. So many things get shifted and tweaked that the entire mood of the story can change from the 1926 silent black and white film trailer to the 2013 big band glitzy movie trailer. So many things change, but it's great to see that certain books and certain stories can span across generations and across media.

I'm often disappointed by movies that are taken from books because the story the movie tells never compares with the depth and investment that the book gives. Nonetheless, I'm excited to see The Great Gatsby (if only for Leonardo DiCaprio and Carrie Mulligan on the screen) and I will definitely be sitting in audience to witness another transformation for this great story.

Remember, Remember...

It's the 5th of November, and you know what that means!~

Not only is it the anniversary of Guy Fawkes Night, but for all the crazy folks doing Nanowrimo "Remember Remember the 5th of November" is easily ended with "because you should have 8,335 words."

For those of you who don't know, NaNoWriMo is short for National Novel Writing Month where people across the world (who are usually slightly insane) set a goal of writing 50,000 words worth of a first draft novel all during the month of November. That amounts to 1,667 words each day. I am one of those insane individuals, and with a word count of only 2,300, I am somewhat behind.

This is my fifth year doing nanowrimo, and it's always a crazy time of year. I've only won 2 out of 4 attempts, but getting to meet new friends online and at writing events is always a highlight. Birmingham has a flourishing writing community with groups that frequently meet at the Homewood library, and a dedicated group that takes over a local coffee house each weekend of November.

Despite being slightly sleep deprived and kind of eccentric by the end of the month, I think nanowrimo is definitely worth it. At the end of the month, you have 50,000 words of a would be novel that's barely finished and pretty awful since it's only a first draft, but that accomplishment is a first step to telling a story that only you can tell.

Send Silence Packing

While walking to lunch today, I was met with 1100 backpacks laid out across the green as part of the Send Silence Packing initiative. This display travels to campuses all over the country and lays out backpacks and bags that have biographies and letters attached to them that represent the estimated number of college students who take their lives each year.

It was chilling to see such a tangible display of suicide, and reading the bios was very touching. I've known many people who self harm and a few who have turned to suicide, so it was touching to see that this whole project has been created to raise awareness and to make it a less taboo topic for those who need help. As one of the signs posted said, "Seeking Help Shows Strength." If that message reached at least one person who was hurting today, then I think it was successful. 

Alabama Leadership Academy

This weekend, I was blessed to get to spend almost 48 hours with some of the greatest people that I know at YMCA Camp Cosby. The annual Alabama Leadership Academy trip is something that our Circle K International organization looks forward to every year, and it's always amazing.

Everyone crammed into the bonfire meeting area - S'mores were delicious!

CKI Clubs from all over the state of Alabama, including Troy, UNA, UA, and others, get together for a weekend of awesome bonding, cheesy skill building activitites, and bonfires (with s'mores, of course). The atmosphere was carefree, the people I met were all wonderful, and it was truly an awesome bonding experience.

Just look at how crazy our leadership building strategy games got:

Crossing a lava pit that looks a lot like normal grass

Making it across the triangle with your partner

Untangling a human knot

Throughout the whole weekend, we were reflecting on the qualities of a leader that we appreciated in others and in ourselves. My small group kept coming back to the theme of "silent leaders": those who allow others to speak and contribute creatively even while they're in charge. As we were discussing things, it seemed novel that someone would give up their own voice to let others have their input, especially since we think of powerful leaders as those who are commanding and delegating. However, the more you think about it, the "silent leaders" are the ones who are able to motivate others to step into leadership and inspire others to take on responsibility. The machine works better when everyone is contributing and cooperating creatively. Sure, there's a place and time for the militant dictator to take charge and dish out orders, but many times a project would be much smoother if the leader looks for ways to promote others. 

I likened it to teaching. (of course, being an education major... this happens a lot). A teacher is one who has full authority over the classroom, but giving students the creative license to contribute, discuss and cooperate during the lesson brings depth to what the student learns. They're being given responsibility. It's not a militant anarchy where the teacher lectures and threatens and delegates, but instead it's a collaboration where learning happens spontaneously. Leadership is key, but there are so many styles and approaches and ideas for what a "leader" truly is. 

After this weekend, I think a lot of us were inspired to be more cooperative leaders. It was an eye opening learning experience. 

Circle K International at UAB!

Photos Courtesy Kris Metcalfe 

It's My Birthday!

I feel like I should start this blog off with a completely self indulgent post. So, I'm going to ramble and rave about the most selfish topic of all: my birthday! This was a particularly momentous occasion since I am now 21. That's right! I can now apply to adopt a child, rent a car whenever I so please, and of course supervise a minor while they learn to drive.

I didn't get to exercise any of my new freedoms, but I did have a wonderful weekend that was very very full of celebration.

On Saturday afternoon, we went to Ruffner Mountain right in the heart of Birmingham and had a nice hike to Turtle Rock.

The rock was huge and we got to enjoy a nice picnic there before yellow jackets chased us back onto the trails. The weather was wonderful and it was the perfect amount of sun to stream through trees and make everything beautiful. I'm a huge nature person, so it was great to spend time with a few close friends. 

Later that night, I and two other friends went to see Amanda Palmer (of The Dresden Dolls fame) in concert in Atlanta. It was one of the most entertaining shows I've been to in a while, replete with crazy 80s saxophone players, spoken word recordings and audience participation stage diving. Also, lots of glitter. 

A very red Amanda Palmer

The sheet backdrop projected pictures that fans had taken and sent in before the show. It was a  cool touch.  

All said and done, I had tons of unconventional 21st birthday fun. It was definitely a weekend to remember!