Fiction Touches Reality

       Growing up in an era where all forms of media and pop culture were so accessible made it easy to find movies and television programs that had wonderful plots and relatable  characters. Part of what I think makes fiction so incredible is how the product of someone's imagination can connect to the audience. And we, as the audience, begin to get attached to fictional characters. This happens to me, to some extent, in nearly every piece of fiction I encounter. Even more than just relating with the characters, sometimes I think I begin to "look up" to these characters, as if they were real people who could teach and mentor me. However, I've realized that just because they aren't real doesn't mean I can't learn from them. Looking over the items of pop culture that have grown close to my heart over the years, I found four characters who have influenced me most and will probably stick with me longest.

Wendy Darling (Peter Pan, 1953)
       

       When I was little I loved Wendy simply because she was the girl who accompanied Peter Pan in some of his adventures in Neverland. In fact, I was very envious of her for that reason. She was the girl who believed in fairies, in Peter Pan, and in Neverland. She was the girl who with a little "faith, trust, and pixie dust" soared past Big Ben to the second star to the right, meets all the Lost Boy's in Hangman's Tree, and is rescued from the grasp of Captain Hook. Now that I'm older, I appreciate Wendy because she is given the chance to stay a child forever (which may often sound appealing), but accepts the call of adulthood. She embraces its virtues head-on, but keeps a little piece of that child-like wonder and magical belief in her heart.

Laura Holt (Remington Steele, 1982-1987)
       The idea of this character is truly brilliant: a woman private investigator who no one would give a second thought to because she was a woman. So she invented a man to be the name of her company, while she did all the investigative work. Brilliant. Until a mysterious man rolls around and assumes the role of Remington Steele and she is forced into a P.I. partnership (but that's a blog for a different day). Laura Holt is first and foremost, clever. She is a strong, independent woman, but doesn't step over the line into full-on feminism. I love how quick-witted and intelligent she is, but also how caring she is. Plus she has gorgeous hair and a cool hat. She is the kind of person I think I want to embody the most of the four: brilliant, resourceful, determined, loving, faithful, passionate and kind-hearted.

Dr. Temperance Brennan (Bones, 2005-Present)

       Brennan (aka "Bones") is one of the most unique characters I've ever seen. She is a genius-- like IQ through the roof with 3 Ph.D.'s. She had traumatic teen years and is also quite socially awkward, but at times it's humorous. It is ironic that a woman who knows so much about science, and can figure out so much given someone's bones cannot grasp sarcasm or a widely known pop culture reference. What I do admire is her tenacity for truth and her ability to reason well. Also, I especially like that I, as the viewer, can see her character grow so much over the course of nine seasons. She starts out being this very rigid and bitter, hard-science-only, emotionless investigator. As the seasons roll by, she begins to empathize with the victims and their families, learns how to compromise and conjecture, and ultimately is in the process of really learning how to love her partner (both work and romantic partner), Booth, and her daughter.

River Song (Doctor Who [New Series], 2005-Present)

       River Song. I've only recently been introduced to this character (unlike the others who I've "gotten to know" quite in depth for the past 5-15 years). I was immediately intrigued by the character, and not only because her story is so crazy and slightly confusing. River is just a cool person. She's mysterious and beautiful, sassy and charming. Others have described her as "like a female Indiana Jones" and I mostly agree. She can stand up for herself (and I think she enjoys the feeling of a gun in her hand a bit too much), but she trusts the Doctor with every fiber of her being, even though she knows that trust could one day kill her. Aside from her personality, I think she dresses really unique and elegantly and I love her curly hair! All in all, River is a great balance of classy and on the edge of scandalous, and of fierce and tender. 

Grand Rapids, the Beautiful

           I am and always will be a Grand Rapidian at heart; I was born and raised here and I wouldn't have had it any other way. Grand Rapids, Michigan is a lovely city (and I'm not just saying that because I live here). I don't know if I want to live here forever, but I would not be opposed to living in GR my whole life. For those of you who are from Grand Rapids: here's my take on the best parts of the city. For those of you not from GRap, here's some reasons that I absolutely love my city.

• ArtPrize: A city wide art-festival that showcases art in all its forms from artists in all walks of life. It literally takes over the city from the middle of September to the first week in October. One of my favorite times of the year (the weather is more or less perfect in the fall) and a lot of the art is really cool. Some of it is interactive, which is really fun to play with; some are the most detailed and gorgeous paintings or sculptures you've ever seen; and of course some of it is just weird, but variety is the spice of life, right?
• It's (more or less) affordable! As a Dutch-by-culture college kid with a less than exciting assortment of employment, I love the fact that you can get by in Grand Rapids on not a ton of money. Granted, you could spend a fortune if you wanted to, but places like the GR Symphony and Opera, the GRAM (Art Museum), even Celebration Cinema offer moderate to awesome student discounts. A lot of restaurants have half priced appetizers during "Happy Hour." Some things, like Ice Skating in the winter and Swing Dancing in the summer at Rosa Parks Circle are free! If you know how to get around and where to get good deals, you can have a great night on just a few bucks.
• Local gems: Every city has it's locally owned businesses-- restaurants, coffee shops, stores, attractions that you as a customer just fall in love with because of their uniqueness. They make you proud to be from such a wonderful community that can produce places like these. Some of my favorite places in Grand Rapids: The Bitter End  Coffee House, NW side of town on Fulton-- it's a teeny little shop, but the coffee is amazing and the atmosphere is one of the best in town-- plus it's open 24/7. The Electric Cheetah, a buzzing restaurant in East GR on Wealthy Street that serves delicious sandwiches (mainly, but they have lots of other things) with an urban feel AND 28 flavors of root beer. Robinette's Apple Haus is an orchard on 4 Mile that has some of the best cider and donuts I've ever had, which are especially good on a cool fall day. That and the giant pumpkins, corn maze, huge plastic-y apple sculpture, and old house turned gift shop full of trinkets make this one of my favorite autumn places. John Ball Zoo is exactly what you think it is: a zoo-- it's pretty large and has some fun stuff like a zip line and monorail (well the monorail is coming soon). Olga's Kitchen, although I've only ever eaten appetizers and soup at Olga's, their "snackers" are one of the best things I've ever eaten. They definitely make the trip to Gaslight Village worth it (while you're there be sure to check out Jersey Junction for ice cream!).
• I've only listed a few of my favorite places to visit in Grand Rapids; there are many many more, and there also a bunch of places and festivities that I've never been to, but want to go. Like Sanchez Tapas Bistro, the Grand Rapids Art Festival, Marie Catrib's, Madcap Coffee, etc. [Update: As of 7pm, 8 June 2013, I have been downtown for Art Festival and it's super cool!]

So go check these places out! I don't think you'll be disappointed! Also, have I missed anything that makes Grand Rapids so fabulous? Let me know!

Just for copyright purposes: I do not own the photo at the top, I just found it on Google images. All credit goes to Cory Smith, the photographer. Here is the link just in case: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nightfoxphoto/4796938755/ .

Possibilities

        The "Multiverse" theory of time travel/ the universe in general posits the idea that there are an infinite number of parallel universes. Every single decision you make alters the future of the current timeline; everything from eating Froot Loops for breakfast instead of Rice Krispies to deciding to move to Finland to pursue a career instead of staying in your hometown. If time travel were possible and this multiverse theory proved to be true, you could go back in time and literally do anything. This would cause time to continue on in a new timeline totally different from the one the traveler came from, although that one would still exist in a parallel universe. Although it would technically exist, the traveler would never be able to return to his or her original time line. But, with an infinite number of parallel universes to try, there's got to be one close enough (maybe one where you just end up a half inch shorter or something).

        So now go with me, for a moment believe that this is true. There are an infinite number of you's and me's in an infinite number of parallel universes running on an infinite number of timelines. What are some of the other me's like? So long as my family tree survived long enough for me to exist and all my ancestors met at the correct time and place to get my DNA 100% correct, I'm out there in all different kinds of situations. And I find that fascinating- wondering what all the other potential me's are like.

        In one, all of my grandparents decided to move to Morocco and my parents met and got married there and I'm some sort of Moroccan-European modern poet. And in another, I'm studying inner city development in Pennsylvania while living in a quaint, but roomy house with my best friends and earning my black-belt in jiu-jitsu. In a third I could be exactly where I am today, but with different people making a big impact on my  life (for good or for bad I don't know).

        If given the choice would I choose one of these alternate timelines to live in? One where I could pick and choose everything to be just the way I wanted? The selfish part of me says "Of course." If I could have the "perfect life" with the job, school, car, house, and relationships that benefit me most, why wouldn't I want it? The part of me that looks at the grand scheme of things cannot take what I, one human, want and change everything that God has put in place in the whole of the universe to make myself happy. What if having the house and car I selfishly want causes some to go without food and clean water? I couldn't do that with a clear conscience. I believe we are living in this universe, in this timeline for a purpose. Although it may not be clear in my life, or in your life, yet: He has a grander plan. So be content in this universe that God has so carefully put together and given to each and every one of us.