Father's Day at Dick's

     Recently I watched a commercial advertising Dick's Sporting Goods. The commercial directors used Father's Day as the theme of this advertisement, and I think they did a superb job. They effectively showed to role of a committed father and showed just how huge the role of father is in a child's life. The commercial ran in chronological order, showing the Father's son at birth, and then at several other stages until his senior year in high school. I enjoyed how the father in this commercial was portrayed, and I think he filled the "traditional" father role very well. He was present in his son's life along his entire football journey, and a heart wrenching hug at the end ensured that he was very proud of his son an his accomplishments on the field. I think the commercial could have included more of Dick's Sporting Goods because I had no idea what the commercial was for until the very end when they included the logo. However, it was still a very satisfying commercial.

Explosion Exercise

     It's Monday morning, and my blaring alarm clock has been off for 30 minutes now. Luckily the sun was shining through my cheap blinds. I scrambled out of bed just to find all my work clothes in the hamper. Maybe a good breakfast will make up for this crappy morning. I scurried to the fridge to find nothing of my interest. Frustrated, I left my house with unbrushed hair and dirty clothes and went on my way to work, hoping to make it on time. Instead, I sat bumper to bumper on the road. I didn’t even have breakfast to occupy me during this slow ride. Finally it cleared up. I sped up, still optimistic that my boss wouldn’t be too angry. I was almost there and some jerk flew by me cutting me off. I swerved into oncoming traffic and my heart was racing, but I made it out alive. Arriving at work, late of course, I sprinted to my desk only to find the dreaded note from my boss. I went to her office as she requested, and stood there panting like a dog as she handed me an envelope and said thank you for my services. I had no energy to cry or even react. I immediately left and returned to my car to go home. The drive home was much quicker, giving me no time to think about what just happened. It wasn't until I didn’t have to set my alarm for the next morning that I realized that I am now unemployed. 

Clueless

     Clueless is an older movie but definitely one of my favorites. My sister introduced me to this movie many years ago, and I've shared it with many of my friends since then. The setting of this movie is your typical high school setting, containing the jocs, the popular kids, the emo kids, the nerds, etc. Cher is the main character and is your stereotypical Barbie, living in a HUGE house with her very successful father who is a lawyer. She is very materialistic and would rather have a new pair of shoes and be popular than get good grades. She is spoiled and knows how to manipulate people in order to get her way. Tai is a new girl that shows up at Beverly Hills High School. She is VERY different from Cher and her bestfriend Dionne. She has more of a grungy artistic look, and its not caught up with the superficial life like Cher and Dionne. With the help of her friend Dionne, Cher gives Tai a makeover to help her "fit in".. According to their standards I guess you would say. Cher continues to be very manipulative, and tries to pursuade Tai into liking one of the "popular" guys, Elton, over her skateboarder crush, Travis. Tai has a near death experience in the mall, when some guys hang her over the railing on the second floor. This story got around school faster than you would think, and Tai ends up surpassing the popularity of Cher. I bet you can guess her reaction to this. She is not happy, and goes shopping to clear her head. A series of events go wrong for Cher after this, making you feel bad for her. However, in the end, her and her crush, Josh, express their feelings for each other. At the end of the movie, Cher catches the bouquet at a friend's wedding, foreshadowing that she will be the next to get married.

    This movie expresses the typical problems and dramas that many high school students go through. Trying to fit in and be popular is a goal for most people. This movie runs though the tough times many students experience, and shows that Cher's life isn't as perfect as it seems on the outside. It also shows the new girl growing in popularity, which is hard to do. I think it is interesting how the roles reverse in this movie, but nonetheless, both Cher and Tai end up being happy in the end. It shows that life is so unpredictable and many things can be thrown your way that you would never expect, but that doesn't mean you wont end up successful and happy.

Soul Surfer

     Soul Surfer is an inspiring movie based on a true story of a girl named Bethany Hamilton. Living in Hawaii, it was no coincidence that she picked up the sport of surfing at a very young age. At the age of thirteen; however, her life changed when her entire left arm was taken by a 14-foot tiger shark on Kauai's North Shore. She lost over half of her blood, but somehow managed to survive the accident after many surgeries and avoiding infection. This tragedy didn't stop her though. She was determined to surf again. Her parents were a nervous wreck with her decision to get back in the water, and it caused small arguments between them. Bethany started losing hope and was aggravated at her parents. Her parents came to realize that surfing was what she loved, and that they should continue to support her. With continuous dedication and effort, Bethany Hamilton soon became a professional surfer, and did it all with one arm. Her story is inspirational to all ages. She had to go through the trials and tribulations of re-learning how to perform daily-life activities, such as driving and changing clothes. Bethany is so motivational to me because she kept pursuing her goal, when many other people would have quit and used it as an excuse. Even cutting a sandwich became troublesome for her, along with many other simple things you would never think of being a challenge. This movie, like most others, has a happy ending. She didn't win first place in the competition like you would initially expect, but she did place, and she was satisfied. She didn't have to win to feel successful and happy. She was able to surf again, and that is what she loved. The fact that she could push up her body weight on a moving surfboard using only one arm is amazing, and being able to stay up and balance through the waves was even more incredible. Even though you expect happy endings from most movies, they keep drawing you back and you keep watching them. I am not a huge movie man, but the fact Bethany Hamilton really exists and that this tragedy actually happened to her keeps pulling me in. Also, I feel this movie is not a "chick flick" and that guys would enjoy watching it as well and also feel inspired and motivated by the perseverance of this young soul surfer.