Comcast Sucks in Denver- what do you think?

When it comes to Comcast in Denver I have NEVER - I mean NEVER had good luck getting a good technical representative or anyone for that matter to help me.  I only seem to have good luck reaching them when I want to buy something or add service.  Lately I have been thinking of completely removing cable and going dish - of course, I read all the horror stories with Dish and Direct TV and wonder why cable companies like Comcast have monopolies over such a service.  Shouldn't this be competed out? 

Today I called three separate times because the download speed I pay for is not the one I am getting at home- go figure!  What suffers? My voice over IP (voip) along with Internet speeds.  It is a frigging nightmare and what happens when I call Comcast?  NOTHING!  I am beyond frustrated with Comcast and their illiterate customer service reps.  I can only hope they improve or there is another way soon -- because honestly, it seems wrong to "settle" for a service simply because its the only game in town.  So frustrating!  If you have suggestions on how to get cable or TV service without dealing with Comcast, please do share.  Or, alternatively tell me what you've done with Comcast to maybe "make the relationship work?"  Thanks!

Wicked!

By sheer luck, I scored two tickets to go see the Broadway musical Wicked on tour in Denver. I got quite lucky because when I realized I wanted to go and started to look for tickets, it was already sold out. They were doing a lottery for each showing 2.5 hours before each showing but what a pain and of course, you'd have to wait and get there early. As a nursing and working mom, I really do not have spare time to go and wait and a long line just to find out my name was not picked from a barrel of 150 names. So, as the final weekend of the show came, I accepted my fate and realized I would have to just catch it another time.

On the Friday of the final weekend, just by luck a co-worker mentioned someone in the office was sick and wanted to get rid of their ticket for less than face value. Imagine my luck! I got one ticket when another co-worker also felt ill and could not go along so I ended up scoring two tickets. I could not believe it! In any case, I was excited and saw Wicked on Friday November 13, in Denver at the Buell Theater.

The evening was cold and rainy but cleared up and turned out to be cold - a wicked evening. It is the untold story of the Witches of Oz. If you have seen the Wizard of Oz, and know the story, you will definitely enjoy Wicked. It was very well done with set props that rival large productions and a plot that is well thought out and flows very well. We were sitting in Mezzanine level and had a great view and with binoculars, I caught a peek at all the main characters. I had a great time and was really glad I got to attend. If it comes to a theater in your town, I highly recommend this musical production. As far as musicals go, I have seen Chicago, Bollywood Dreams, Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, Mamma Mia and Phantom of the Opera, and I was happy to finally see Wicked!

Signs of the Times - Cartoons & Children's programming

As a result of working from home and entertaining my 2-year old daughter, I have come to watch a lot of children's Television and I have found most of it quite interesting and often a diatribe of the times and what is going on in society.


A few months ago my daughter was really into Sesame Street. My mother started her off on Sesame Street at the ripe age of 18 months so my daughter was quite familiar with characters like Zoe, Elmo, Rosita, Cookie Monster, Oscar the Grouch, and Big Bird. They have added characters to that show since my days of watching it. Zoe, the orange monster turned ballerina is new and so is Rosita, the blue furry, Hispanic monster. As times evolve, so has Sesame Street. Themes have changed too. An adult can watch Sesame Street and find just as much humor and satire a child does - of course, both will get different messages. They do spoofs on "deal or no deal", "CSI" and other popular shows and of course, there are the subtle political messages that only adults would get and appreciate.

Yesterday though, I watched Dora - lately, my daughter dislikes Sesame Street and is into DORA and DIEGO (Dora's cousin - I had no idea til I watched). Anyway, Dora is a little Hispanic girl who goes on adventures presumably at the tender age of 5, through spooky forests and the hills of her village with her pet monkey, Boots, and her love able forest friends. This is where it gets interesting. I have never been an advocate of an official second language in America. I think English should be it but alas, I think it is inevitable that Spanish is unofficially becoming the second language, which is fine. With our neighbors to the South of us and the growing latino population, it is no surprise that I saw an RTD-Denver bus the other day sporting an entire advertisement in Spanish  I could not understand it so I am assuming that I was not the target audience of that ad. 
In any case, with the growing popularity of learning Spanish, it is no surprise that I am learning plenty of it from my daughter's programming. From Sesame Street and Dora, to Diego and the Spanish channels on both TV and radio, I am actually picking up Spanish even though I took French in high school. Anyway, the point I need to make is that children's programming should show the adaptability to both cultures and languages. I think the character on Dora that was the funniest and reflected the sign of the times was the squirrel named Tiko. This squirrel is a the only character on Dora that speaks only Spanish.  So, basically, Dora and Boots, through their responses to Tiko, kinda let you know what Tiko is saying without a direct translation. It was interesting for me to watch this and watch my daughter' reaction too. She has a short attention span so she just tuned out when she could not understand Tiko, the rapido Espanol-speaking squirrel. It was obvious that they were not teaching Spanish like other shows may but I got the distinct feeling that the creators were making a point through the use of Tiko, the squirrel. It is not a message that kids would get but I sure got it. Maybe my daughter can teach me Spanish some day soon because I think very soon, English will be the second language which is fine - I just hope I can learn a new language and keep up with the times.

Another interesting show is Spongebob Square Pants. I always wondered what the Focus on the Family controversy was with this show until I watched it. I guess I can see concerned right-wing Christians taking to the streets of Colorado Springs over the one episode where Spongebob takes in a little oyster as a child with his friend, Patrick, another male. The 15-minute episode is all about the trials and tribulations of being a parent and what they go through until the oyster regains his strength and flies the coop. Spongebob and his friend, Patrick, distraught over saying goodbye to their baby, cry and wave good bye. Could this be an episode on gay marriage and the ability of gay partners to adopt and raise kids? hmmm... maybe. That is how I saw it. My 2-year old, of course, did not see it that way. As I watch this programming with my daughter and try to find some entertainment with it, I have noticed a subtle trend in children's programming to make a point - whether political, social, or otherwise and believe it or not, it keeps me wanting more and helps me kinda stay in touch with the times so, stay tuned for more reports soon!

Facebook - the new recreational drug

These days, you do not have to look far to find someone on facebook. "Everyone is doing it." In fact, if you are not on facebook, you are already left behind. My husband mentioned how many moms are on facebook and are addicted - he's right. Moms spend their days at home with crazy, often disobedient, younger kids. Facebook ends up being a happy place- a sweet escape. Just when you thought it was alcohol, caffeine, or drugs- no! The new escape is safer and more fun - FACEBOOK. The Internet is a modern phenomenon - if our parents had it, we would have all turned out weird. Which of course, makes me wonder how our kids will turn out. We've all done it, parents... we need a quick escape, an adult to "chat" with, and we turn to... you guessed it - our computers! With a quick move of the mouse, we are on, wireless and able to move freely throughout the house. With my click of the mouse, I have eyes in the back of my head- That's right, folks, the webcam built-into my laptop can see behind me and I can watch the kids play while I stroke the keys to type a message and write on my friends' walls.

I can take pictures and upload them with ease and "publish" -- so many comments and writings on my wall follow- hours of entertainment and banter with friends without any interpersonal contact. It's nice. It is like I am spending time with them without actually dealing with annoyances like changing my clothes, showering or driving to meet them. Yes, Email is a good escape but Facebook is so much more fun. It is addictive and a stay at home parents' best friend - it is the new, modern, safer recreational drug.

Born Lucky

Based on the movie, Osama, which I saw recently, I really got to thinking about how lucky we are to be born in a certain country, to certain parents, and the opportunities we receive along the way in our lives. More importantly, I felt very lucky to be born a woman here in America.

I am not saying other countries are beneath us or have nothing to offer. I am merely appreciating the opportunities, rights, and privileges that I have here that perhaps women and men in other countries do not get to realize. This movie is eye opening and paints a picture of life in a Taliban-run Afghanistan and all the restrictions and horrific things that happened as a result especially to the people of Afghanistan. People were not allowed to celebrate weddings, dress in beautiful garb, sing, speak out against the Government, and women were not permitted to show their feet, hands, and ultimately, while the movie ends tragically, it really paints a picture of how horrible it was and still is to live under this regime.

Sure, every religion has its share of issues and a history of causing death and destruction but it made me realize that even in modern day, religion makes people do some pretty horrible things including stoning, death by firing squad, and worse. In this movie, they also showed the harsh reality of some cultures - wedding extremely young girls to very old mullahs or older men. In the name of religion, people abuse others and think it is acceptable to lower the self worth of others. Of course, I feel blessed to be born in a country where I can be what I want, wear what I want, and my self worth is not defined by my religion, caste, or my gender. It is a worth watch movie but definitely troubling on many levels and made me think of my young daughters and how lucky they are too. There were some good portions of the movie where people help each other and cover for each other especially when the Taliban are coming down hard on people for just living life. In any case, it was an eye opening movie to watch to understand how the Taliban devalues women in turn, disrespects God and Allah himself through their actions. Like some movies stay with you, Osama will stay with me for sometime to come.

Appreciation

My husband and I recently saw a movie that my brother recommended - called Slumdog Millionaire. Odd name, I know- a name that would not have dragged me to the movies. It was only playing at one theater in Denver- the Landmark Esquire. A theater, I do not really care for. They charge high prices and if you do not sit in the middle, you get a crick in your neck but unfortunately, the only theater in Denver that takes on arty, film-fest, award-winning films that mainstream theaters for some reason do not show.

I really enjoyed the movie but more than enjoying it, for me, I dissect a film weeks or months after seeing it especially if it made an impact on me. This one did. I have a daughter and one more child on the way and I could not help but wonder after watching this movie, how much I have and how much I have to be thankful for. It is strange for me to think I have done something in a previous birth or somehow been rewarded by heaven to be born into a family that loved me and took good care of me. From education, housing, and food to other items, I have not had a want for anything and have been very fortunate. This movie reminds us that not everyone experiences that and that there are less fortunate people in the world who have a want for the basic necessities in life. The focus is the slumbs of Mumbai near the airport - it is hard to miss flying in or out of the airport - they are to the left, to the right, and surround the runway. People live in these conditions daily and this movie is a bitter sweet tale of a young boy who grew up in the slums, his experiences, and how he tried to rise above it. It was a very well done movie and I have to say in retrospect, as I dissect the movie, it left me very thankful for what I had and the joys in my life.

If you have not seen it, I highly recommend it. If you have seen it, I urge you to reflect on it - there is more than a message of hope. I think there are messages throughout the movie to not want for things. Greed actually plays a huge role in the downfall of several characters while hope, faith, and trust are virtues in the movie which help other characters succeed.

It is hard to come by films which make you truly think these days and I am glad we came across this one. It is a definite must-see!

Reality v. Fiction

We watched a movie last night called “untraceable” which highlighted a problem I think is very prevalent in our world today – people who are very curious about everything and anything except for their own lives. It was a disturbing movie (maybe that is what kept my daughter up at night) about how people log into a website because people are being killed on it – tortured and killed, live on the internet streaming into your home, your ipod, your blackberry, and so on. It was disturbing because so many people seemed curious about watching someone else suffer a horrible painful death and then, die. It made me start to realize that this fictional movie is not far from reality at all.

As a kid growing up, we had a few channels of TV but hardly ever heard of or even knew what reality TV was – it was just not done. Sure, there were cute game shows like the NEWLYWED GAME, FAMILY FUED, or the GONG SHOW, but there was nothing like what you see today – people living in a house trying to hurt one another emotionally or cut each other down, or worse, WIFE SWAP where wives are swapped from household to household to give people a taste of something worse or better. WHAT!?? Really?! Are you kidding me? The sad truth is that people tune in by the millions to watch this spectacle take place. People tune in and sit on the edge of their seats as the next heart throb picks his leading lady on the BACHELOR. It makes people feel good to watch these shows which is frightening really. The scary thing is that my daughter is growing up in this screwed up world.

Needless to say, beyond truth and fiction, and beyond the boob tube, people in real-life are curious too. I witnessed another guy almost swerve off of I-70 this morning because he was too busy looking to see what was happening on the shoulder: a cop was helping in the final stages of what appeared to be an accident. However, there was nothing to see- quite literally – NOTHING but this man was so enthralled with the flashing lights and the fact that people were walking, he could not help himself. I thought to myself, how is that his or anyone else’s business. Maybe if the people who got in the wreck had paid attention to what they were doing instead of worrying about something else, maybe that accident never would have happened. Maybe if people worried about their own lives, tried to spend more time with their kids, with their spouses, instead of watching useless reality shows and trying to get involved in their neighbors’ or co-workers’ lives, we would not have the problems we have in society – high divorce rate, high rate of unemployment, high rate of unhappy miserable people, and a high rate of abuse of drugs and alcohol by children. Obviously, we cannot solve all our problems in a day or a week or even a decade but here’s to hoping that we become a society of people who can focus on what matters instead of things that really do not.

Fabulous!

I finally had the opportunity to see Sex and the City (SATC)- the movie. It was … fabulous. As you may or may not know, the character Carrie Bradshaw from SATC is what inspired me to start this blog. I called myself Clueless in Colorado because I thought it was fitting. In 2003, I turned thirty, was in a new city and a new state and wondering whether I wanted to stay in the career I was in. There I was, trying my hand at writing because writing is something I have always enjoyed. I even took creative writing my senior year in college because I knew I would love it – I did, I even enjoyed the quirky, horn-rimmed glasses-wearing professor who seemed to say the most inappropriate things at the most inappropriate times. I loved everything about the class – I had 100% attendance, and of course, got an A. So, Sex and the City – the series – was just the thing I needed to inspire me to write.

As I reflect on SATC- the series, I realize that I first got introduced to it by a quirky, fun, single girl named Melissa in St. Louis . It was 1999 and I had just moved there and met a group of people who lived in the city and were single – I still remember a Christmas gift from her to all the girls were pirated copies on videotape of SATC – 10 hours on each tape. I was hooked after episode one and could not stop watching. Then, I left the country. It was hard to be overseas because I knew I was missing SATC but I had awesome friends tape it and ship it for me. As the series continued, my dating life continued as well and evolved. It was SATC that saw me through some very tough relationships, long distance relationships, and of course, the wonderful relationship I now call my marriage. SATC saw me through my engaged period and all the drama that brought to my wedding-planning world.

Seeing SATC, the movie brought back a lot of memories and made me realize how much I missed Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, and Samantha in my weekly life. I could watch each episode of the series several times and not get bored because true to life, the drama often portrayed reality. As I watched the movie, I realized how much my life had changed as well - I had gotten married, gone through some serious adjustment issues, got adjusted to a new job, a new life, had a baby, and the baby was now a toddler! As I watched SATC, the movie, I kept wondering what time it was, because I could not wait to be home, back with my daughter. As I watched, I slowly realized, I was not the same person then that I am now and I was not sad about that either. I loved SATC but I did not need to look back, I was happy where I was … I was, simply put … just fabulous!

The Boob Tube Nonesense

I was home last Monday and watched a little bit of morning TV. I started out watching Martha Stewart’s show which was on make-up and the tools necessary to apply make-up.

An expert make-up consultant from an expensive New York salon was on the show sporting the products they recommend for make-up and make-up application. Primarily, they were focusing on the brushes to apply foundation, make-up, blush, eye shadow, and other items. Not a big make-up fan or wearer of make-up, I was thinking, “what is the big deal? It’s make-up for God’s sake. You do realize you are currently being broadcast to millions of women who are at home with their kids right or retired or not working because they were laid off?” So as I am watching this, the lady talked about this BRUSH you had to have – it had its own carrying kit and Martha was like, “yeah you need this – it is a must have and at only $90, it is a steal.” WHAT?!! Are you kidding me? I thought to myself, “$90 for a make-up brush!” Are you out of your BLEEPING mind!? I do not spend that much on my shoes or slacks much less a brush to apply make-up! I do not care if it lasts a lifetime, I am not spending $90 on something I can get for $10 at Wal-Mart. They also talked about cheap products like eyebrow application pencils and the like – I was not impressed at all. The show, I am sure went on but I could only take about 10 minutes before I had to change the channel, thinking I would find something better on the Boob Tube.

Of course, I did not find anything better. I went from that show to a bunch of screaming hysterical, opinionated women on the View who all seem to talk over each other and at the same time- someone’s idea of a good show. What were they talking about? Yes, of course, politics and racial issues in America but of course, they went on and on and made no sense and the conversation had no beginning or end, just a lot of ideas thrown in so I felt frustrated. I changed that channel feeling more confused than when I started. I felt like I was losing precious minutes of my life- I was!

I changed the boob tube to the Regis and Kelly show which oftentimes has some weird antics too but there was a guest on the show and it was boring too. I was resolved to watching Drew Carey hosting Price is Right, accepting my fate, when my baby cried and woke up from her morning nap. She never sounded so sweet to me and I was so thrilled to turn the Boob Tube off and spend some time playing with my lil one. Thank Goodness she was up to keep me occupied so I could be relieved from the mindless daytime shows. Could I have stopped watching on my own? Sure, but who can stop themselves from watching a train wreck voluntarily?

Needless to say, we had a fun afternoon together until Oprah started… that is when I saw the story of the pregnant man? Yes, folks, the nonsense continued. A man was allegedly pregnant. Well, it was not really a man- HE was a SHE and became a HE so, technically HE was really a woman- wow! What a day! I am glad I work during the day or am otherwise occupied. At least I got to spend time with my daughter and take a nap so it wasn't so nonsensical after all!

The Fondue Experience

Yesterday, my husband and I went to the Melting Pot for his first fondue experience. Now, keep in mind that he does not do dairy and I do not eat meat so this was interesting to say the least but I wanted him to experience what I experience with my girlfriends all the time so, off we went. We were celebrating my birthday which is rapidly approaching this weekend. We thought it would be perfect to go to the one near my daughter's daycare provider so we could eat a quick meal and then be off! Quick meal? Are you crazy? The fondue experience is not for those who want to be in and out or even for kids. We imagined our daughter sticking her hands into the pot or getting injured with the skewers. As we sat in the waiting area for 15 minutes and what felt like an eternity we were thinking, if they would just seat us, then we could get started. Anyway, at precisely 505pm we were seated and I realized we had only one burner so I asked if we could have two - my husband eats chicken and I do not and I generally am not thrilled at the thought of chicken with my veggies but alas, it was futile! We could only have one pot. So we fondue'ed on. Since it was my birthday and I am in the birthday club, I had a coupon for free dessert fondue (a $15 value) if entrees were purchased so I decided to forego the yummy cheese since my hubbie could not partake and try (for the first time) the vegetarian entree. This entree consisted of raw veggies such as potatoes, mushrooms, broccoli and squash (the ones that come with all entrees) and ravioli, asparagus, tofu, artichokes, portabello, and eggplant. I had to get my veggies into the broth first, and then my husband got to cook his meat. Of course, I grew impatient while he ate cause I had already scarfed down my food which was yummy. Their dipping sauces really make the meal.

I think my husband was amazed that he had to cook the food himself. When he thinks of fine dining, he thinks cooked food brought to the table. Needless to say, the evening was fun - we used my new cell phone's stopwatch feature to time the cooking of the meat and veggies in the broth. Of course, our daughter was approaching almost 11 hours in daycare so that made me a little anxious. I think we definitely should save meals like this when family is watching our girl but all in all, from start to finish, we were done in 2 and a half hours which in Europe is a SHORT meal. So, I say we did good.

I have to end this blog on the dessert fondue. We went with Flaming Turtle as our dessert fondue and what a sweet treat! It was a little too sweet - the caramel really sweetens the entire thing. I think my husband enjoyed the rice krispies, fruit, and other assorted items that came with our meal. I felt like I had eaten too much. I do not know how I do the four courses when I go with friends: cheese fondue, salad, a side of veggies in the broth, and the dessert fondue. Seems overkill but I enjoy the fondue experience. I only wish I did not feel rushed these days - seems like after work, all thoughts I have turn to my daughter and how I want to spend time with her. A note for those who are planning a fondue outing- plan on spending at least 3 hours start to finish and do not eat a big or late lunch. Happy Fon-DO to you!

Repetitive Mistakes

I recently saw a movie which really got me thinking. Thinking? What!? Yes, a movie I saw recently really got me thinking. I saw "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind." What a neat idea. When you are fed up with a relationship or really burdened with something, just have that chapter of your life erased from your memory, leaving you free to live the rest of your life. Wouldn't it be neat - I mean think about it. I am at this crossroads now in my life. How easy it would be to just erase my relationship or my career and then that would enable me to pick one or the other because I would not know about the other. Confused?

What's ironic about erasing your mistakes, your scary and not so good moments, is that you forgot you went through that. You no longer have memory of making the mistake, or going through the pain and therefore, you are more liable to make those same mistakes over and over. The more you erase, the more you are liable to repeat in love, career, and life in general. While the general concept of removing feelings toward a person we had sounds quite exciting for some of us gals who have had difficult break-ups into our 30s, I think to myself what my life would be like today if I did not have the memory of the loser guy I dated last year who bordered on abusive behavior. What if I had erased the memory of how it felt when I was stood up for a date, or what if I did not have the memory of responding appropriately to a potentially unethical situation? I think how much different my life would be because I would still be out there meeting the same types of guys, making the same mistakes, and of course, never learning from them or becoming a better person.

This movie, although aggravating to watch at times, really got me thinking about how important it is to know yourself, and part of getting to know yourself is of course, through life experiences. When we erase bad memories or hurtful memories, we are depriving ourselves of the opportunity to grow and learn and become the higher level beings that evolution teaches us we should be. So, next time you are wondering how you can get that guy out of your head, or the pain out of your heart, embrace the image, take on the pain and let it go through your body. Release it by using what you have learned in future relationships or future career decisions. Eternal Sunshine of a spotless mind? I think not!

TV, Movies, and Media - good, bad or indifferent?

Hollywood plays an important role in shaping our lives. In a way, it evolves us into the society we are - good, bad, or indifferent. How many times have you quoted lines from your favorite movie, sitcom, or dramatic series? I have a friend who quotes Dr. Phil and Oprah. I, in turn, make jokes using "yada yada yada" from Seinfeld and quote what the friends on Friends would say. I always find myself in a situation that George, Jerry, Kramer, and Elaine were once involved in. Then there is the HBO drama, Sex and The City. I own all the seasons and can watch them over and over again . You can buy a shirt that says, "I'm a Carrie" or "I'm a Samantha." I know who I am - I am a cross between Charlotte and Miranda. Countless men and women throughout the world characterize themselves as their favorite character. Hollywood: helpful or harmful? Do we see characters in our favorite sitcoms or movies, and then emulate them? Do we seek out parterns in real life who would meet the expectations of our fantasy heroes, only to be disappointed when they do not come close? Are we so enamored with our favorite characters and/or celebrities that we are forgetting to be ourselves?

Media portrays life in a pretty skewed way. For example, my favorite show is HBO's Sex and the City. In this show, we see an attractive, single woman in her 30s who writes a sex column and still manages to buy $400 shoes, $10 cosmopolitans, fancy dinners, and maintain a rent-controlled apartment in Manhattan. In her column, she analyzes relationships, the sexual revolution, and so many other topics near and dear to a woman's heart. We learn that being single and promiscuous in your mid 30's to late 30's is okay. We also witness single parenting, divorce, and how to deal with situations true to life. Four complete opposites with different personalities become soul mates. However, none of them ever appear to cook, do real work, or take on the stressors of life that most of us experience daily. But women and men alike who watch this show become disillusioned. We start becoming the characters and quoting them. One guy I dated during Season Four went as far as to call himself "Richard" from the show - ya know, the romantic, rich guy Samantha works for who tells her he loves her, romances her, buys her nice gifts, and then is caught eating another woman's "sushi"? Is this what we are coming to? We can not be ourselves so we tell people we are characters from shows to make ourselves feel more important. Well, true to life; watch which character your guy picks, ladies. My "Richard" was not so nice to me either.

The season finale of my other favorite show, "Seinfeld" concluded with our favorite characters on trial for failure to save a man from being robbed. Four uncaring, self-absorbed friends undergo a trial for not caring about society. We can quote the season episodes of Seinfeld we loved so much - man hands, the low talker, the close talker, master of your domain, the maestro, and more. In the end, do we become the uncaring, self-absorbed, mean, and yet hilarious characters we love so much? Or, do most people know when to draw the line - fact/reality v. fiction/fantasy.

What happened to the days of reading novels for fun, reading the works of Shakespeare, or reading poetry and emulating the characters in Jane Austen's works? What happened to the days of pacifying a crying, intolerable child with a pack of crayons and a coloring book? In the world of portable DVD players and watching TV on your laptop, how can we separate fact from fiction? What is the difference between good TV and bad TV? The key is in the eye of beholder - do we believe everything we see? Do we live our lives as ourselves and try to be better people because of something in our moral fiber, or do we become the characters we love - good, bad, indifferent?

In the ever changing digital world of media - TV and movies, we need to be mindful of what is good, bad and know the difference between a movie character and reality - after all, our favorite characters are wearing the mask of good editing, and speaking the words of great writing. We have to write our own stories and act them out according to our own moral compass.