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.

When Nostalgia Sets In

            Reflecting on the past is normal; getting nostalgic over the past is also normal. I don't know how good it is to seriously dwell on the past for extended periods of time, but I do think reflection and nostalgia help our brains process what has happened and is happening. I never really realized how nostalgic I get until recently and thank goodness I'm not the only one! I'm still pretty young so I haven't experienced a ton, but I have lived long enough to build up a solid foundations of good memories. When I hear a phrase, a voice, a song that I remember or smell a familiar scent, etc.-- it takes me back to that time. And that is when nostalgia begins to set it.

            How is my first year of college over already? It feels like it just started a few months ago. Albeit, it was definitely not the year I had envisioned when this all started, but in some ways it was so much more. I got to hold on to a few of my closest friends and met some really awesome people. Which sounds so cliché, but it’s true! Words cannot possibly describe how much I've grown to love these people and what kind of influence they've had on me. Now that we've all (mostly) parted ways for the summer, I've started to remember how many good life choices I've experienced with everyone. I'll hear a lil bit of the Lord of the Rings music and I'll be there: watching the Return of the King, eating ice cream, wading in the water, and doing gymnastics in the grass. Or I'll ride with my sunroof down and smell the fresh night air... and I'll be back driving a car full of people back to Calvin after a spontaneous trip to get bubble tea. And then I'll start to miss that and those people.

            Going to my high school's orchestra concert also sparked some of this nostalgia inside of me. For the most part, my orchestra experience in elementary through high school was great. Granted, there were times I kind of wanted to throw my cello at a wall and give up on orchestra, but I'm glad (now more than ever!) that I didn't. Being back in the 5-12 concert venue made me realize just how blessed I was. Memories from middle school orchestra music filing "parties" and skipping AP Calc (with permission of course) senior year for full orchestra rehearsal came flooding back. I got real nostalgic. College orchestra is probably the best thing that happened to me at Calvin, but there's something about high school orchestra that I miss dearly. Knowing everyone's name and being so close knit with the whole orchestra is something that can't really be achieved in a college setting. More than the atmosphere I began to really miss the people I got to make music with-- and all the fun experiences we had together, like festival and after-festival-out-to-eat experiences.

            I hope that I have many great, fun-filled, good-life-choice-filled years ahead of me in college and beyond. But sometimes it's fun to look on the past and remember. I can't wait to see what God has in store for me and the people around me. It's literally so exciting to get to fellowship with beautiful people and see how they are really going to be make a wonderful impact on the world. Maybe nostalgia isn't such a bad thing after all. Maybe it lets us pick things from our past and use them to influence our future. Maybe it's best to remember the past and look forward to the future at the same time.

Remember

Since I have a Calc exam in just under two hours, this will be quick... Finals week is stressful! I've found myself studying for hours and still feeling like I remember nothing from the whole semester. I think it is good to stop every once in a while and remember:

You are NOT your GPA. Sure, it is important to some extent but it does not define who you are. Do your best, put forth effort, take care of yourself, and care for others. Let what happens happen. 

Look for the positive. Maybe through the struggles, academic or otherwise, you'll learn something about yourself, who God is forming you into, and His plan for your life.

Learn from your failures. Use them to improve both your strengths and your weaknesses. Don't get discouraged because something doesn't go as well as you were hoping. Pick yourself back up and try again.

Be still. Be still and know that He is God. (And that we are not). Papers, projects, speeches, juries, tests, exams do not determine your identity. He uses all of them to work in and through you in some way. He has a plan-- a plan to give you hope and a future.

Let Him have the reins and do your best to follow His voice. Everything will be alright in the end.

A Nerd's Escape

            18 years old and finishing up my first year of college. It's a weird feeling; sometimes I feel really like "18! Holy cow, I'm an adult!" and sometimes it's more like people telling me, "18!? You're such a little baby adult." Either way, the end of the semester is super hectic. I'm convinced there's not enough hours in a day to do everything, even if I cut out eating and sleeping. And I know that anyone who went to college or just knows anything about college knows this, but it's definitely something you really learn from experience.

"I have how many papers to write? Wait and you want me to do visual presentations on top of them? Plus, I should probably practice for that concert on Sunday (because I haven't all semester)?  Oh, and regular assignments too? Then you want me to spit out everything I've learned all semester onto a final exam for three hours? Who's smart-aleck idea was this? But wait, there's more! I only get a week and a half to do all of this? AND I get to work a part-time job? No, that's not overwhelming at all."

            I really want to escape from all the schoolwork and pressure; just go and eat some good food, watch a movie, and maybe stargaze a little bit with my friends. Not much sounds better than that. I can come up with a few comparable (albeit impossible) alternatives. I had an epiphany and figured out why fiction, sci-fi, and fantasy stories are so popular. They are an escape from the real, the literal, the possible, to the imaginary, the unreal, the impossible.

            Who wouldn't want to go exploring all of time and space with a mysterious man with two hearts who has lived over 900 years? In a police box that's actually a time machine, nonetheless. Sounds like the perfect escape to me. I may be just beginning my journey down the Doctor Who road, but I can see why it is so popular (and has been on television for 50 years! That's a long time.). There is so much history and humor and emotion associated with the Doctor. I had seen a couple dozen episodes of Doctor Who at the time when I fell in love with the show. At the end of an episode entitled "The Rings of Akhaten" the Doctor gives this speech that reveals just how old his soul is. The whole thing is pretty long, but I do want to give you a little snippit:

"I have lived a long life, and I have seen a few things. I walked away from the last great time war, I marked the passing of the Time Lords, I saw the birth of the universe and I watched as time ran out. Moment by moment until nothing remained—no time, no space, just me! I walked in universes where the laws of physics were devised by the mind of a mad man and I have watched universes freeze and creations burn. I have seen things you wouldn’t believe; I have lost things you will never understand." 

            He might have a bit of a god-complex going on, but when you boil everything down, he knows he's not God. The Doctor has such an old soul, and I think that-- in combination with his quirks and humor-- is what's really attractive about the show and the character. Just in this scene you can feel the weight of his loss and his pain poured out in every word. He began to share just a piece of what he's experienced with Clara, his new companion, and being a new watcher of the show myself, it felt like I was kind of in Clara's shoes.

            Who could pass up an experience like this if given the chance? I don't think I could. It might be risky, but it would be exciting and... there's just something about sharing a part of someone's life that is mysterious and amazing. Not like in the marriage context, although that's good too, but just being a friend to someone. To be able to be part of someone's life. Being able to make them smile and share in their excitement and joys and sorrows. We all need companionship, and if it happens to be with a Time Lord with a British accent, then so be it. Find a friend.  Find an escape.

PS- That was a lot of me ranting, sorry! Also slightly sorry about the total nerd-fest over how awesome Doctor Who is... but not really. It is a splendid show! Call me a nerd, I don't really care.

Charming Cellos

              The days directly following big events kind of depress me; everything that I've been looking forward to and preparing for is suddenly gone. Although the finished product is often super amazing, it feels kind of sad that it's over. For the past 4 months, I had been looking forward to last Saturday. This past Saturday was the premier of Calvin's Charming Cellos in our Cello Cabaret.
              I was very hesitant to get involved in it at first, because I didn't know if I could handle the time commitment and didn't want to be judged because I'm not exactly the most amazing (or dedicated) cellist out there. It's not that I'll flake on what I've committed myself to, I just don't have the passion to go and seek out tons of opportunities to play. I'll do my best with what I'm involved in for sure, but I'm definitely no genius cellist. But, with the influence of a few lovely cello ladies, I decided to be a part of it. Who could pass up an opportunity like an all cello recital?

All 12 of us!

            The concert opened with the Klengel, and it was amazing. Just the effect of having 12 cellos playing all together was awesome, even while on stage it was hard not to get distracted listening to the beauty of it all. I think my favorite part was the fact that it encompassed wide range of technical ability— everyone from cello enthusiast to cello prodigy.
               Then came the Vivaldi. Surprisingly, I don't have much to say about it... other than we gave it our best shot! Overall, I think it was one of the best times we had ever played it. Even better was the fact that I got to meet and get to know some really quality people through the process. Rehearsal usually isn't my favorite thing; it's tiring and sometimes frustrating. These rehearsals were so much fun though, even if I was tired and frustrated— we grew together as musicians and as people and we had fun doing it.

Vivaldi Cellists after the Cabaret.

                For the majority of the rest of the concert I got to listen to the great amount of talent that was found onstage playing Bach, Led Zeppelin, Popper, Metallica and so much more. I do have to say I thoroughly enjoyed the rendition of Bad Romance. Cellists, being clever characters, always have to throw in a twist. To the audience's surprise, the song ended out with a chorus of kazoos played by the rest of us Charming Cellos hanging out on the balcony. It probably sounded terrible, but the audience's reaction was highly entertaining.

             The program listed "You Know What" by "You Know Who" as the second to last piece. Every cellist despises Pachelbel's Canon in D, but we decided to make the best of it and maybe poke a little fun at it. Filled with dragging chairs, a little heckling, Jesus Loves Me, bridesmaid-type entrances, cello being played like a violin, and interpretative dance this number was definitely not run of the mill. It was pretty funny and the perfect segway into Nearer My God to Thee. The traditional hymn in a cool new arrangement was really powerful and left you to revel in the glory of cello.
            I honestly loved every second of it. I'm not a natural performer, but getting to play with these amazing people helped calm the nerves a bit. I know some better than others, but I think that all of them are talented people and am really blessed to get to know them and perform with them. There's a sense of unity between us all, even though we're all super different. It's like we're all one big cello family! I am thankful now more than ever that I play cello; all the fun little things we've done and the friendships formed have made this year a little easier. And I can't wait to see how God is going to use us individually and as a group of cellists, with or without music, for His own glory.