When I read this tidbit, I knew exactly where I was 10 years ago: driving around Vegas trying to find a Barnes and Noble to buy Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
I am not part of the target audience for Harry Potter. I'm not much of a fantasy person, but I do like science fiction. I've never read The Lord of the Kings and don't even remember if I saw the movies. I haven't watched or read Game of Thrones.The first Harry Potter was actually given to me by a boyfriend. He thought I would like it due to a conversation he had with another law student. The year was probably 2001. Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone sat in my room for months before I picked it up one night because I couldn't sleep. I read the entire book that night (it is a children's book). I bought the second, third, and fourth books of the series the very next day. So after furiously reading those four books, waiting for the 5th book was extraordinarily hard. I was a Harry Potter addict. J.K. Rowling weaves a meticulous story of magic, bravery, and the line between destiny and choice. The end of the fourth Harry Potter shows the return of the supreme evil into the wizarding world. This explains why, during a 2003 Vegas trip for my parents to watch Celine Dion, I ended up driving around Vegas suburbs trying to find the Barnes and Noble where I had reserved the Order of the Phoenix. I procured my copy and ended up reading most of the book that very night in our hotel room. To say I hate The Order of the Phoenix is probably an overstatement, but I believed it that very night 10 years ago. It remains my least favorite book of the Harry Potter series.
Why do I hate it? Well, everyone in The Order of the Phoenix is just depressing. Terrible, stupid people are in charge of the wizarding world in The Order of the Phoenix. Also my favorite character gets killed off. I actually can't think of a redeeming quality in The Order of the Phoenix. I even just googled the wiki page just to make sure. I haven't re-read it (even though I've re-read every other Harry Potter book at least 5X) because why would I subject myself to that?!?! Nevermind the fact I actually lent my copy to a friend and never bothered to get it back. My Harry Potter book collection is incomplete yet I kinda like it that way.
However, I almost bought The Order of Phoenix last weekend because I was buying the Divergent series (well, at least Divergent and Insurgent which are books 1 and 2). It seems a little weird to be hating the book so much after 10 years. Maybe I should re-read it and I needed to buy something to get free shipping from Amazon. In the end, I bought whiskey stones instead of The Order of the Phoenix. I guess I need the whiskey stones so I can drink whiskey while re-reading The Order of the Phoenix. At least this time, I'll be prepared.
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Warby Parker
I've previously promoted Warby Parker on my Facebook page. Since Clark Kent is sporting Warby Parker frames in Man of Steel, it is appropriate I revisit the subject again.
Some background: my graduate research was on vision. Specifically on rhodopsin, the protein which senses black/white (essentially gray) vision. Rhodopsin is very sensitive to small amounts of light. This is the protein mammals use to see at night, i.e. when there is very little available light. Consequently this is why at night, everything is a gray hue. I could go on and on about our sense of sight :) It is an understatement to say vision is close to my heart.
Yet so is fashion. I am slightly near-sighted, so I require glasses to drive. My last pair of glasses I bought were Gucci frames mostly because I loved them and everything else I tried on paled in comparison. Let's just say I could buy 3 (maybe even 4) Warby Parker frames with the amount I paid for my Gucci frames 8 years ago. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
So what is Warby Parker? It is a company started by 4 friends who wanted to build a different type of business. They partnered up with factories who make designer frames and curated their own collection. Their glasses start at $95. If you are unable to visit a Warby Parker showroom, you can go to their website and request a home try-on kit. This is a free service they provide where a customer picks up to 5 frames they would like to try. Warby Parker will ship the frames for free and provide a return shipping label as well. The best part: for every frame sold, they provide a pair of glasses to someone in need. They are not the same pair of glasses a customer buys. Warby Parker partners with non-profits to provide this service.
As evidenced by Clark Kent in Man in Steel, Warby Parker frames are incredibly pleasing. I don't need a pair of glasses (I won't buy another pair until my Gucci ones are practically falling apart), but my sister did use the Warby Parker try-on at home service. It worked exactly as promised. I even tried on the frames and found a style I liked on myself. They now sell sunglasses. I tell everyone I know to try Warby Parker.
TOMS, the shoe company who gives a pair of shoes to someone in need for every pair of shoes sold, also has a vision program. TOMS sells sunglasses and for every pair sold, TOMS will provide sight (in the form of eyeglasses, surgery, or medical treatment) to someone in need. I own 3 pairs of TOMS and thoroughly support their endeavor into vision philantrophy.
It should be noted that Warby Parker and TOMS are both for-profit companies. Not that they stand to makes billions due to their altruism. Just keep in mind both are companies with business plans that include doing good in our world.
Finally, please take care of your eyes! Wear hats in sunny California. Buy polarized sunglasses. Eat lots of carrots or anything with beta-carotene. We interact primarily by using our sense of vision. It is truly amazing to see.
Some background: my graduate research was on vision. Specifically on rhodopsin, the protein which senses black/white (essentially gray) vision. Rhodopsin is very sensitive to small amounts of light. This is the protein mammals use to see at night, i.e. when there is very little available light. Consequently this is why at night, everything is a gray hue. I could go on and on about our sense of sight :) It is an understatement to say vision is close to my heart.
Yet so is fashion. I am slightly near-sighted, so I require glasses to drive. My last pair of glasses I bought were Gucci frames mostly because I loved them and everything else I tried on paled in comparison. Let's just say I could buy 3 (maybe even 4) Warby Parker frames with the amount I paid for my Gucci frames 8 years ago. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
So what is Warby Parker? It is a company started by 4 friends who wanted to build a different type of business. They partnered up with factories who make designer frames and curated their own collection. Their glasses start at $95. If you are unable to visit a Warby Parker showroom, you can go to their website and request a home try-on kit. This is a free service they provide where a customer picks up to 5 frames they would like to try. Warby Parker will ship the frames for free and provide a return shipping label as well. The best part: for every frame sold, they provide a pair of glasses to someone in need. They are not the same pair of glasses a customer buys. Warby Parker partners with non-profits to provide this service.
As evidenced by Clark Kent in Man in Steel, Warby Parker frames are incredibly pleasing. I don't need a pair of glasses (I won't buy another pair until my Gucci ones are practically falling apart), but my sister did use the Warby Parker try-on at home service. It worked exactly as promised. I even tried on the frames and found a style I liked on myself. They now sell sunglasses. I tell everyone I know to try Warby Parker.
TOMS, the shoe company who gives a pair of shoes to someone in need for every pair of shoes sold, also has a vision program. TOMS sells sunglasses and for every pair sold, TOMS will provide sight (in the form of eyeglasses, surgery, or medical treatment) to someone in need. I own 3 pairs of TOMS and thoroughly support their endeavor into vision philantrophy.
It should be noted that Warby Parker and TOMS are both for-profit companies. Not that they stand to makes billions due to their altruism. Just keep in mind both are companies with business plans that include doing good in our world.
Finally, please take care of your eyes! Wear hats in sunny California. Buy polarized sunglasses. Eat lots of carrots or anything with beta-carotene. We interact primarily by using our sense of vision. It is truly amazing to see.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Update on Summer 2013 movies
I've only watched two movies this summer: Star Trek Into Darkness and Before Midnight. I kinda missed the boat on Iron Man 3. Apparently Hangover 3 is a rambling mess. I should watch Fast and Furious 6 in the theatre, but I was too excited about Before Midnight. Man of Steel previews confirmed my membership to Team Bruce Wayne. When I really thought about movies I wanted to see this weekend (perhaps with my dad), I realized I would rather just watch Star Trek Into Darkness and Before Midnight again.
Star Trek Into Darkness did not disappoint. Something about the movie appeals to everyone. Whether it is hard core Star Trek fans, BBC Sherlock fans, summer blockbuster action fans...it has everything. It probably appeals most to people like me: a Star Wars fan who appreciates Star Trek and thinks Chris Pine is super cute. Some had problems with the end (there's a chase scene between Spock and "John Harrison"), but I enjoyed it because Spock wasn't in control of his emotions. In many ways, there doesn't need to be a third movie. A part of me hopes they don't make a 3rd movie yet I know I will feel short-changed if they don't. Complicated are my feelings about this (sorry, couldn't help myself).
Before Midnight is a marvel. What happens when you do end up with a true love? The final argument between Jesse and Celine in the hotel room (it was hard not to be distracted by a topless Celine) was so painfully real. These type of arguments are built on frustration, love, and have no answer. Yet you remain hopeful that together you may find an answer. Not just for Jesse and Celine, for everyone. I am grateful to Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, and Richard Linklater for continuing this story. Thank you for sharing.
I recommend Star Trek Into Darkness and Before Midnight to anyone. Let me know if you need company to watch either, I'll totally come with.
Star Trek Into Darkness did not disappoint. Something about the movie appeals to everyone. Whether it is hard core Star Trek fans, BBC Sherlock fans, summer blockbuster action fans...it has everything. It probably appeals most to people like me: a Star Wars fan who appreciates Star Trek and thinks Chris Pine is super cute. Some had problems with the end (there's a chase scene between Spock and "John Harrison"), but I enjoyed it because Spock wasn't in control of his emotions. In many ways, there doesn't need to be a third movie. A part of me hopes they don't make a 3rd movie yet I know I will feel short-changed if they don't. Complicated are my feelings about this (sorry, couldn't help myself).
Before Midnight is a marvel. What happens when you do end up with a true love? The final argument between Jesse and Celine in the hotel room (it was hard not to be distracted by a topless Celine) was so painfully real. These type of arguments are built on frustration, love, and have no answer. Yet you remain hopeful that together you may find an answer. Not just for Jesse and Celine, for everyone. I am grateful to Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, and Richard Linklater for continuing this story. Thank you for sharing.
I recommend Star Trek Into Darkness and Before Midnight to anyone. Let me know if you need company to watch either, I'll totally come with.
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