Bosses versus Employees

This article which compares how satisfied bosses are with their lives and how satisfied employees are with their life interesting as it shows bosses are usually more satisfied.

http://bigthink.com/big-think-edge/bosses-have-more-fun-its-time-to-spread-the-joy-around

And Then There Were None

So, rehearsals for Herricks High School's production of And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie have begun. I got the role of Sir Lawrence Wargrave, or Judge Wargrave. This role is quite different from the roles I received in the past. Wargrave is evil and a much darker character than the characters I have played in the past. I usually receive the role of the boyfriend, love interest, husband, or the man from the military. Judge Wargrave is no where near those type of characters. I'm excited to play a role that's different, it provides a new challenge and a new experience. Overall, I'm looking forward to another great show!

Meditation: A Method of Relaxation

I found this article on meditation useful for people who are often stressed.

http://bigthink.com/big-think-edge/improve-brain-function-through-meditation

Overworking

Being a diligent worker is something truly great but overworking yourself is the exact opposite. Sometimes, I overextend myself beyond what I can handle. I try doing a lot of activities and work all at the same time and it eventually gets to me. It all becomes stress. So, I've slowly been learning how to lower the amount of work I do so I can get to place where I don't feel so stressed. Wanting to do a lot is fine but how much you do at the same time matters. It makes the difference between enjoyment and illness.

You Say You Know About Something, but Do You Really?

People say they know what something is but sometimes they really don't. For example, I knew what Alzheimer's disease was, a memory loss, but in fact, there is so much more than that. This article goes into what the disease truly is. 

http://bigthink.com/ideas/what-is-alzheimers-disease 

How Being Sick is a Nightmare

So, I have nasopharyngitis once again, but to a lesser degree. Long story short, this is a viral infection of the throat and of course, I'm not allowed to sing when I have this virus as it makes the virus worse. It has been about a week since I have done any singing and it's torture. When you have such a passion to do something and you're unable to do it, it's as if a part of you is missing. I went to see Newsies the musical this past Friday, and I wanted to sing along so badly but of course I couldn't because I can't sing. I should be able to sing in another week or so but it is definitely not easy not being able to sing.

The "They All Look Alike" Comment

I occasionally hear people saying "oh, they all look the same." Well, apparently, there have been studies discussing how people differentiate each other and this article goes into detail about a few hypotheses.

http://bigthink.com/experts-corner/they-all-look-alike-the-other-race-effect

Filming

I've always noticed that I have a blinking issue when I'm filming and I don't know why. It never occurs when I'm on stage. I don't know if I feel more pressured because there is something right up in my face watching my every move but all I know is, that I need to fix it. Although I would like to pursue musical theatre in the future and this issue doesn't apply there, I may very well go and dabber in some films and I can't have this problem. I will probably have to think about not blinking, as crazy as that sounds but whatever it takes to get rid of this problem, I'll do.

Insomnia Curing Depression?

I saw this article and I found it quite surprising. I have doubts about insomnia curing depression because when you have insomnia, you stay up for hours upon hours thinking about whatever is on your mind and if you're depressed, chances are what's bothering you is on your mind and it's going to make your depression a lot worse…

http://bigthink.com/ideafeed/can-insomnia-cure-depression

Some Childhood Phrases Hold to be True

I find the old childhood phrase, "If you don't have something nice to say, don't say it all" to be very true. Sometimes, you don't know what people are going through. They could be emotionally stressed, have a family issue, etc and the last thing a person needs is to be put down. In our time, children are constantly encouraged to be positive and that's a wonderful thing. But let's face it, no one is going to not say there negative comments like they've been taught to. Children don't know how to deal with drawbacks. The recent shooting in a school of where a boy was demoted from the debate team and he went to shoot his teacher is an extreme example but that's what will happen if we don't teach our children how to deal with drawbacks. Sometimes in life, something bad is going to happen to you but that doesn't mean you give up. That's the time where you have to be stronger than ever. Admitting to your failures doesn't make you a failure. It makes you stronger. It gives you the opportunity to succeed again.

Anxiety

Teenagers have a lot of anxiety whether people choose to admit it or not. We may not have the same anxieties as adults do but they are anxieties nonetheless. I have a lot of anxiety over everything and for those of you who are like me, check out this article. 

http://bigthink.com/in-their-own-words/anxiety-uncertainty-x-powerlessness 

The Difference Between Enjoying a Film and the Film Being Good

I feel as if most people get the difference between enjoying a film and the film being a good one confused. I used to do the same thing. Everyone does at some point. One can enjoy a film even if the film itself is awful. For example, action packed films are always really fun to watch because of all the fight scenes and the explosions and the special effects but really, is the film that good? Take away all of the special effects, what's the story to it? It seems like it's all action. There sometimes is no true plot. You may even start to question why there a fight sequence actually occurred and how it really didn't need to be in the film. Films may be fun to watch but at times, the film itself may not be good.

Advice on How to Stop Smoking

Smoking leads to lung cancer and that's one of the world's number one killers, which most everyone knows. Many people want to quit but don't know how. I found this article interesting as it gave a way to stop smoking that I have not heard of before. 

http://bigthink.com/in-their-own-words/my-best-advice-on-quitting-smoking 

Mousetrap

It's that time of year where the straight play at Herricks High School has been announced. This year's straight play will be Mousetrap by Agatha Christie. Knowing her reputation, the show is bound to be excellent. Now comes the time to research and prepare for the auditions. This time is crucial for an actor because the better your understanding of the show and the better the understanding of the character you are going for, the higher the chance you have of getting the role you want and impressing the director. Watching the show, researching the role you wish to audition for, and perhaps getting a copy of the script of the show will be most helpful and these are things I wish to do in the next week or so.

Better Understanding of Disease

I am one that is extremely concerned with the horrible diseases out there. I found this article interesting as knowing that the world is finally getting a better understanding of where these diseases originate from and how they can be traced in DNA gives me a higher hope that we can prevent such diseases from killing that human.

http://bigthink.com/in-their-own-words/our-better-understanding-of-disease-has-vindicated-the-human-genome-project

Waiting For Godot

I am extremely late with this post but better late than never. Before seeing waiting for Godot, I couldn't comprehend how a show could have great actors and the show not be great. Well, now I understand it. Sir Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart were brilliant in Waiting for Godot but I couldn't get into it. There essentially was no driving plot. I am a very plot oriented person I guess and if the plot doesn't grasp my attention, I zone out. I zoned out several times during Waiting for Godot only to be brought back by the crack of whip. The acting of the actors was incredible but the show itself, not my cup of tea. Overall though, I am glad I went because seeing Sir Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart act together on stage is truly a treat.