My Zoo

My mom is an animal lover. I grew up with puppies upon puppies running around the house. We had 5 that we considered "ours" and each of them always had a litter on the way. 12 years later and the average number of legs in my household is much closer to four than two. I have two chihuahuas that have survived the numerous moves and changes we've been through. They're elderly and can hardly get up the stairs, but they've made it pretty far for their breed. In the past five years, I have also adopted LOTS of cats. At the moment I have 4, but one is an outside cat that prefers the neighbor's food to ours. The other three each have their own room that they rule and ignore each other. They dominate the house and know they are in charge. Lastly,  I have Duke and Daisy, two flying squirrels who only want to leave their cage. They have just had a son named DJ and he is the tiniest thing.
I have been taught to love animals and it's come easy to me. I see them as roommates, friends and dependents. I care for them as deeply as I care for my family. I see them growing and learning and I feel a sense of pride.
I see myself as a cat lady in my near future. I love to surround myself with animals and I love the ones I have. I couldn't imagine leaving them behind when I have to. I have grown up with a pet by my side always. I imagine a home without animals is a very lonely one.

I wrote this to brag about how much I love my pets and how many I get to love. I am an animal person through and through. 

New Experiences

Over this weekend I attended GLSEN's LGBTQ Prom. This was a prom for students that didn't feel comfortable going to their school's prom or didn't feel comfortable bringing their date. I was invited by a friend of mine to attend for moral support. I went and it was one of the best times of my life. It made me think about things I had otherwise ignored. The room was filled with a general understanding of nonjudgement. Everyone was themselves and comfortable being that way. It was a new way of thinking and it felt like a pressure had been lifted. There were no rules to conform to and everyone felt at ease with the people around them.
I experienced things I would never have the chance to experience without this opportunity. There was a stage with performances by drag queens. I have never seen a drag queen in my life, but they walked around in their characters completely happy and confident. There were many performers and it was hard not to be amazed by their talent in makeup and dancing.
There was a wall filled with letters written by guests at the prom. Every piece of paper contained something heartfelt or funny. Each one came from a special place in people's heart. It was obvious how many people came to this event because their life at home or in their own school wasn't accepting as this event was. People poured their heart into pieces of paper that were simply torn down at the end of the night.
The overall feeling of acceptance was what really shocking. There was no way to judge others because everyone was there to support each other and find a place where they feel comfortable. It is difficult to look at someone and think negative things in such a positive. uplifting space.
I want to thank GLSEN for not only creating an event that helped give people that are often left out and overlooked a place to feel comfortable but for taking such huge steps to uplift queer and minority groups.

Are Books Better than Movies?

A new age of movies h as begun. Companies like Disney and Dreamworks have noticed a recent lull in people going to cinemas to enjoy their movies. Why waste the money to go out or buy it when it'll be on Netflix soon enough? This dilemma has caused a shift in the way movies are made. The quality has increased and a bit of nostalgia gets thrown into each one. I see all over my feed on social media lists upon lists of movies based on books being released. 

Book lovers will argue that they're intentionally ruining books they love and selling them for less than their worth. they'll believe that the movies are wrong and inaccurate. Fans will rave about how much better the book was, how much more detail was included, how it felt so much more realistic in their head. 

I've fallen victim to all of these. When a title I recognize is coming to theaters I must see it in live-action. I used to enjoy the comparison. Setting each scene next to each other and nitpicking every detail. Comparing what the book did well and what the movie did better. Lately, the movies have become less and less similar to their paper counterparts. It is difficult to look at them as imitations of another person's work. It is easier to look at books as the inspiration for the screenplays. They use the same characters and even the same scenes or dialogue, but they take these ideas and they turn them into something you can watch rather than experience with the character

Thinking of movies this way makes watching them easier and more appealing. It isn't necessary to compare them, but rather analyze each for what it is by itself. Rather than being pieces of each other, they are simply similar and of the same inspiration.