Entertainment

May 2015 - Posts

• RED Hearts: Entertainment: A Friendship That Speaks Worlds

  By Zulay Regalado, 26, reporting from Miami on an inspiring new book about the power of the pen (pal)

  I Will Always Write Back is a beautiful, sometimes tragic, moving and inspiring new book, the true story of a friendship across continents that turned into something greater than expected.

  In 1997, when Caitlin Alifrenka chose Zimbabwe for her school’s pen pal program, she couldn’t even locate the country on a map. Of course, a typical 12-year-old girl living in suburban Pennsylvania has things on her mind other than southern Africa—such as choosing the right outfit for school and decoding her complicated friendships.

  A bright 14-year-old boy named Martin Ganda received Catilin’s letters in a completely different world from hers. Martin was living in one of Zimbabwe’s most impoverished slums and aspiring to one day obtain a scholarship to college—something his mother too truly pointed out as his “only hope” to getting ahead in life. His limited circumstances of course made it difficult for him to relate to Caitlin’s middle-class American girl lifestyle, all roller skating and teenage angst. Despite this difference though, Martin was excited to get to know the girl who became equally intrigued by his faraway culture. Zimbabwe’s crippling economic state and Martin’s lack of resources often threatened his chances of continuing his correspondence with Caitlin.

  However, Martin vowed to never let these obstacles get in the way of exchanging letters with the person who was slowly and unknowingly changing his life.

  Caitlin and Martin’s bond was at times difficult for those around them to understand—myself included, as a reader. But in a way that’s the power of their connection; it kind of excludes others, and we all know how rare it is when you find that with another person.

  I’m not going to tell you how it ends—or where. They could be anywhere. That’s ultimately the powerful message woven into the pages of this intricately-narrated story: Despite the fact we all live in different worlds, there’s so much to be gained if you just allow yourself the chance to learn about someone else’s, and invite them into yours.

  I Will Always Write Back is now available for purchase in stores and on Amazon.

  Posted May 31 2015, 01:57 PM by admin with no comments

• RED Hearts: Entertainment: All You Need To Do To Your To-Do Lists

  By Lisa Chau, 26, reporting from Pompano Beach, FL, on an organizational system that really works

  

  I am obsessed with making lists. I make all sorts of them, from daily to-do’s to my top five spirit animals (sloth, penguin, cat, otter, and sea cucumber, in case you’re wondering).But lists can get out of hand pretty quickly. I used to be scattered. Post-its were everywhere and my super important thoughts were held on crumbled scraps of napkin in my purse. I’ve sifted through all the “Top 100 To-Do List Apps” and basically have tried out every organizational approach ever created. But I couldn’t customize the way I wanted, and the sheer number of choices was overwhelming.

  Then I discovered the Bullet Journal, which is hands-down the best way to keep track of all your daily endeavors, all in one place. I’m not kidding, I’ve told everyone and their mothers about it. Greatest thing about Bullet? All you need is a pen and a notebook. It’s analog and it’s not selling you anything—beyond a supersmart system for you to make your own.

  Here are the basics: You begin by indexing topics at the beginning of your journal, much like a table of contents in a book. Then you add as you go. These can be anything your little heart desires—exotic foods to try, karate moves to learn, or just a classic monthly calendar.

  Bullet Journal offers clear, simple icons to represent certain types of entries: checkboxes for tasks, bullets for thoughts and ideas, and circles for events. At the end of each month, you just consolidate the things you haven’t completed and carry them over to the next month. If even this level of organizational order makes you want to rebel, know that it’s up to you from there. You may like grid paper or ruled. You can create your own icons. You can use pencils or colored pens. You can draw otters.

  I’m strictly a black Sharpie and large-squared Moleskine notebook kind of girl. I like to keep track of general things, like how much I exercise or when I got sick. I also like documenting events that are fun to read later, like, “Lost my stun gun at the beach” or “Got 12 mosquito bites on my foot.”

  Regardless of how you decide to set up your Bullet Journal, as long as you follow the basic strategy—dump and consolidate—you’ll always have a record of what you’ve done in the past and the awesome things you’re going to do in the future.

  Posted May 03 2015, 07:57 PM by admin with no comments