Another late review, I know...but this, unlike its Twilight predecessor, isn't for lack of words. I LOVED UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING. Plain. Simple. To the point. Admittedly, I'm a fan of the Selene character, played well by Kate Beckinsale. She's a tough, smart, strong female hero who also looks amazing in tight, black leather jumpsuits. What's not to like???

I knew Len Wiseman didn't direct this time around--not because I read it in the credits, but because the film lacked his overall intuitive directorial touch. Wiseman did, however, help write the storyline, produce, and is the creator of the characters themselves. Wiseman and Beckinsale are a good team, on and off screen. The two are married, currently living in L. A. Beckinsale was reluctant to don Selene's black-leather again for reasons anyone should be able to imagine. But in the last decade of the 21st century anyway, audiences love a continuing storyline. Throw in a hot vampire chick, some werewolves and a dystopian future (complete with V for Vendetta's Stephen Rea), and you've got a hit made in Hollyhood-heaven! Kind of like Beckinsale and Wiseman. AWAKENING is currently the highest grossing film worldwide at just under $80-million dollars, and only two weeks after its premiere!

Mans Magnus Marlind, the Swedish film director, took on the directorial reins in 2010 during pre-production; the film is the first in movie-making history to be shot in Red Epic, a new kind of digital camera tool released in 2010 from Oakley-founder, Jim Jannard. Many of 2012's new releases like Bryan Singer's Jack the Giant Killer, Peter Jackson's The Hobbit and Ridley Scott's Prometheus will be shot using Red Epic; future pics using it include Avatar 2 by Titanic-sized director, James Cameron.

Using British Columbia as the backdrop, the film began shooting at Simon Frasier University. What was perhaps weirdest about the whole thing was the achived footage of Scott Speedman, who played Michael Corvin in the first two films in the franchise. He announced in 2010 he wasn't going to reprise his role as Michael for the fourth film...so what was he doing instead? Playing a much smaller role in this month's THE VOW? I threw my hands up in the air, too. I. Don't. Get. It. A stand-in played the shots of Michael toward the end of the film. 

The most impressive part of this film wasn't just Beckinsale's performance as Selene--though it was entirely mesmerizing, even Variety agrees with me on that one--it was the addition of another female-supernatural-hero-juggernaut, that of Selene's daughter, Eve.
 
Yes, that hot sex scene in the second film between Selene and Michael was the foreshadow I hoped it would be. Just as Selene and Michael try to make their escape from a world gone mad after the knowledge of vampires and werewolves becomes public, the two are captured and put on ice, literally, for twelve years. Luckily, Selene's daughter is just as feisty as her mother. She's the ultimate hero in the film.

In her first role in a major motion picture, India Eisley, also known for her role in ABC Family's The Secret Life of the American Teenager, plays the most powerful living creature on the planet. A hybrid like her father, Michael, and the last living descendent of Alexander Corvinus, the original immortal, she is remarkable strong, smart...and, psychically connected to her parents.

Newcomer to the franchise, Theo James, known for his role as the unfortunate, if not roguishly handsome, Kemal Pamuk in Downton Abbey, plays David, a vampire who aids Selene in the brave new world she awakens to. The 27-year old British actor-philosopher is a good match to 38-year old Oxford-trained Beckinsale on screen. Even if Michael is eventually written out of the storyline, audiences would enjoy seeing Selene and David develop their budding relationship in future films.

Non-stop action from beginning to end, UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING earns a 9/10 on the Housel-scale. If you haven't seen it yet, go and enjoy the 3-D thrill ride while you can. If you have already caught it once, consider going a second time. Its big-screen worthiness and all-around entertainment value is in the large-scale supernatural action...more so than any other movie in early 2012.

See you at the movies!!!

Your Pop Culture Professor bent space and time to be on the scene for all the Golden Globes gossip...what a fabulous way to kick off award-season! The stars were certainly shining that afternoon, like being around 200 of Stephenie Meyer's sparkly vampires in the sunlight, minus the fangs. The clothes, the jewelry, but best of all, the movie tid-bits picked up for the next year...that's what after-parties are really all about. Do I have the low-down on the next 007-flick? You betcha! And what about the LOTR franchise? Maybe a little Dark Shadows action via Tim Burton and Johnny Depp??? Hello! LA was all a-twitter on January 15th. And I have the dirty details...just for YOU!

Let's begin with March, as we're in mid-January already. If you've been to the movies at all during the holiday season, chances are good you've seen the trailers for upcoming flicks this month and next, like Haywire--which looks AMAZING by the way and was listed as on of TRIBECA's top picks for January 2012. Steven Soderbergh directed...and has directed a number of upcoming flicks for 2012, including Channing Tatum's film, loosely based on his own life, MAGIC MIKE--which is scheduled for release in June, and has Tatum and Alex Pettyfer (I AM NUMBER FOUR) practically naked for the majority of the film. So is it any good? Who cares??? Channing Tatum. Naked. Nuff said.

Remember how Johnny Depp made it big? It was a late 80's television "crime" drama called 21 JUMPSTREET. The show was really just a venue for hopeful tall, dark, and handsome actors. Depp got lucky. Of course, he's talented, too. That helped. Now, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs co-directors, Chris Miller and Phil Lord head up another silly caricature, minus the animated meatballs. Though there's no telling what may happen on screen; Jonah Hill is co-starring in this 80's remix. Hill's silly persona is off-set by Channing Tatum's solid presence. Worth the price of admission if you're nostalgic for the 1980's, or, if you're hoping to see Tatum shirtless before Magic Mike premieres in June. The film opens on March 16th.

Globes Gossip: Tatum, whose Native American heritage contributes to his good looks, and his wife of seven years, Jenna Dewan, practically glowed on the red rug. Tatum gushed about his goddess in green, discussing how his wife clocked him in the face while teaching her about on-screen fight scenes. You go, girl! Cute couple. Makes me want to go to every movie Channing Tatum stars in from now on. His abs may have something to do with it, too...maybe. Tatum is also in pre-production on a GI Joe sequel, GI JOE: RETALIATION, reprising his role as Duke. You can see Tatum in HAYWIRE this month and a definite Valentine's Day flick, THE VOW, with Rachel McAdams, being released on February 10th.

Competing for box-office dollars on March 16th is MIRROR MIRROR, directed by Tarsem Singh and starring Julia Roberts. This fairytale adaptation of Snow White, the first of TWO for 2012 (the second stars Kristen Stewart and Charlize Theron, opening in June), also stars Taylor Lautner's flame, Lilly Collins (ABDUCTION). Basically, the film is more of a story about not getting your mommy's approval, no matter how hard you try, or how innocent you look.

THE HUNGER GAMES, the adaptation of Suzanne Collins' wildly popular YA novel series, hits silver screens on March 23rd. Gary Ross directs and Jennifer Lawrence (X-MEN: FIRST CLASS) and Josh Hutcherson  (THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT) star  as competing teens in a weird apocalyptic totalitarian dystopia...disturbing enough for you? Ross says that it was even weirder on set, seeing kids next to all these deadly weapons. Sounds like a light-hearted pre-spring jaunt. No? Well, I tried.

April's got a few fun flicks, like THE THREE STOOGES and an AMERICAN PIE reunion, aptly named AMERICAN REUNION. Oh, and TITANIC will be re-released in early Aprill as well...in 3-D. Sigh. 

Not gonna lie--just thinking of May's movies gets me wet. Girl-wood! Am I allowed to say that??? The thing is, it's true. THE AVENGERS opens on May 4th. Hello?!?! The Pop Culture Professor is one of the pioneering female scholars in the States to look at comic books as more than just a bunch of "low-culture" entertaining scribbles. And, the film is written and directed by--wait a sec, gotta get a towel--Joss Whedon!!! My geek-heart be still.... Fellow brain tumor survivor, Mark Ruffalo plays the Hulk; RDJ is back as Iron Man; ScarJo plays Black Widow; Hawkeye is Jeremy Renner and vice-versa; Chris Evans continues to play the Cap; and last but never least is Aussie-talent, Chris Hemsworth as Thor. Yeah, I'm totally unobjective about this movie. Don't trust a thing I say. Because if it were up to me, it would be mandatory for every American citizen to see this movie in order to maintain citizenship. Yup, I'm THAT passionate about it. Wooh. Was it as good for you as it was for me??? Probably not. Awkward. Moving on....

Johnny Depp and Tim Burton team up again for what should be a fun romp down memory lane, an adaptation of DARK SHADOWS, opening on May 11th. And where would Depp and Burton be without Helena Bonham Carter? She plays the part of the female doctor, in this version, a psychiatrist, while the always beautiful Michelle Pfeiffer is one of Barnabas Collins' descendants. Chloe Grace Moritz (LET ME IN and KICK ASS), one of The Pop Culture Professor's favs, also joins the star-studded cast. Even more fun? The screenplay was penned by Seth Grahame-Smith, author of 2010's Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.(which hits theatres in June, btw). I'm pretty psyched for this Gothic remake. You should be, too!

Globes Gossip: The DARK SHADOWS comic book based on the original television series is getting a facelift with a fresh face, Mike Raicht, newcomer to the series, but not to comics (Raicht has contributed to Wolverine, X-Men and other Marvel comics as well as the graphic novel series,THE STUFF OF LEGEND). The first storyline by Raicht promises a potential "cure" for Barnabas...so stay tuned! You can see Raicht in person at GraniteCon this June.

More Globes Gossip: Helena Bonham Carter is playing Miss Haversham in an adaptation of GREAT EXPECTATIONS directed by Mike Newell. Word on the red rug is that the flick will hit theatres in fall. And, that Bonham Carter is as crazy as ever...just the way we like her!

May 18th sees Taylor Kitsch in BATTLESHIP, an adaptation of the once-popular board game. Hey, if PIRATES of the CARIBBEAN can turn a corny carney ride into box office gold, who knows???

Rounding out the start of the summer box office season is (yet another) MEN IN BLACK film...number three in the franchise. Josh Brolin plays a young-version of what was formerly Tommy Lee Jones' role. Will Smith promised fans after WILD WILD WEST that he wouldn't make bad movies again. Disappointed! But like WWW, MIBIII will make millions and Josh Brolin's gotta do something to avoid being mistaken as George W. Bush, or, cast in a second Jonah Hex movie.... The film opens on May 25th.

June. The real summer blockbusters begin. On Cruise-control is ROCK OF AGES, starring Tom Cruise as rocker Stacee Jaxx in an effort directed by Adam Shankman. And Tomcat can really sing! See it on June 1st. Sharing the opening day is SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN, the second of two Snow White flicks of 2012--but for my money, this is the one to make box office gold. Charlize Theron plays the evil queen; Kristen Stewart is Snow; and Chris Hemsworth is a dishy, if not conflicted, Huntsman. Rupert Sanders makes his epic directorial debut on June 1st. This sinister film will be worth the price of admission.

Globes Gossip: Kristen Stewart dropped Hemsworth like a big, blonde sack of potatoes during rehearsal of a fight scene! Girl power? Hell's yeah!!!

June 8th sees PROMETHEUS open, an ALIENS pre-quel by, you guessed it--Ridley Scott. If you're of the same opinion as I am, you'll love this fictionalized account of who spawned humanity...oops. I wasn't supposed to say that. Sorry, Mr. Scott. That was Globes Gossip that shouldn't have left the coatroom!

June 22nd is a shared premiere of ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER and Pixar's 13th film but first featuring a strong female hero, the well-named, BRAVE. See them both, then, see BRAVE a second and third time. It ROCKS! Brenda Chapman and Mark Andrews share BRAVE directorial credit. HBO's Boardwalk Empire actor, Kelly McDonald, voices the BRAVE-star.

July's got the usual run-of the mill superhero flick's, starting with a new THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF SPIDER-MAN on July 3rd and ending with the last of the Dark Knight movies, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, with Christian Bale as an equally dark, angst-ridden Bruce Wayne.

August 2012 sees THE AVENGERS Hawkeye, Jeremy Renner, in the latest Bourne flick, THE BOURNE LEGACY and Collin Farrell starring in a remake of TOTAL RECALL, both opening on August 3rd. 7500, directed by Takashi Shimizu, opens on August 31st; True Blood's insanely adorable Ryan Kwanten stars in this horrible horror of a movie, taking place mainly on an airplane crossing the Pacific. But don't worry, there won't be any snakes on this plane. 

The biggest haps in September is a re-release on the 14th of FINDING NEMO, in, you guessed it--3D. Double sigh. And, another Taylor Kitsch film co-starring Gossip Girl, Blake Lively, in SAVAGES on September 28th.

Other flicks include to-be-annouonced fall releases of GREAT EXPECTATIONS with Bonham Carter and Keira Knightley as ANNA KARENINA, an adaptation of the classic novel by acclaimed Russian writer, Leo Tolstoy.

One of the biggest fall pre-holiday season releases is happening on November 7th. SKYFALL, the 23rd Bond flick, stars Daniel Craig losing faith with M, played by Dame Judi Dench.

Globes Gossip: Dishy Javier Bardem is playing the bad, bad boy (very bad!) and Albert Finney and Ralph Fiennes also star in super-secret agent roles. Sam Mendes directs his first Bond film in the 50-year old franchise. Fiennes makes his own directorial debut in this month's CORIOLANUS, a Shakespearean adaptation in which he also stars.

Not that it needs any sort of mention, but BREAKING DAWN II opens  on November 16th, the final film in the TWILIGHT franchise. GRAVITY ironically follows starring George Clooney and Sandra Bullock...in space, and, in 3-D. More sighing ensues. But, Alfonso Cuaron's directing. And, it's George. Clooney. Mmm-hmmm.

LES MISRABLES opens the December literary adaptation season with Hugh Jackman and Dark Knight alum, Anne Hathaway. Baz Luhrmann directs  Leo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan in THE GREAT GATSBY, but ten days before on the 14th, audiences get to see Peter Jackson's long-awaited, THE HOBBIT. Speilberg will surprise audiences in December with a yet-to-be-announced LINCOLN starring Daniel Day-Lewis, about Abe Lincoln as the 16th President...NOT as a vampire hunter. Ang Lee directs LIFE OF PI, an adaptation of a 2001 novel by Yann Martel, the hit of all women's book groups that year, opening December 21st. The same day, audiences can skip down to see Brad Pitt fighting...zombies? WORLD WAR Z competes with the Apatow family film project, THIS IS 40...40-year olds everywhere should avoid this film like the plague or risk puking up your milestone birthday carrot cake from that swanky little bakery in Haight-Ashbury.

But wait! The saving grace for this holiest of holy movie seasons is from film-Jesus, Quentin Tarantino, with his Christmas gift to the world--the reason for the season--DJANGO UNCHAINED, starring Jamie Foxx as a 19th century slave-turned-bounty-hunter in Mississippi. DJANGO opens on December 25th.

Naughty, or nice, I'll see you all at the movies in 2012!

2012 is a year of fresh starts. In November, we'll be voting for our next President. But this year isn't just about making political change, it's a chance to get ourselves back on track as well.

In 2011, gold reached an all-time high, and the American dollar, an all-time low. Diamond-prices increased last February, and will only be going up from there. There were natural disasters and global social unrest that stunned the world in 2011. But today is January 10, 2012. ALL of that is over. It's time, then, to look ahead as we face 12 new months to set personal, financial and professional goals that will move us FORWARD. 2011 felt like a year of back-tracking, missteps, and utter falls. 2012 doesn't have to be the same. There really is a choice. Even if it doesn't always feel like it.

The first step is assessment. Where do you want to be personally, financially and professionally in one year? Be realistic when you answer the question. Assess what you can do to acheive your goals--things you can accomplish over the next year--again, being realistic is key. I give my students a warm-up essay based on a quote by Gandhi about imagining your life without failure, except in my assignment, it's a question of realistically assessing what one might do given a year of guaranteed success. Ten days into 2012, you have the same benefit. Now, you just have to begin to imagine what to do with it.

Fear is a powerful enemy. An enemy we create ourselves. Others help it along, true, but ultimately, the choice is always ours in how we deal with it. Bad things can and do happen--with no rhyme or reason. It's not God punishing you. It's simply being a part of the human equation. We have sensitive psyches, fragile bodies--we can be broken in many different ways--and that makes us vulnerable to all kinds of pitfalls. BUT, it also makes us vulnerable to perfect joy. To feeling empowered and therefore, helping others feel the same way. To using our vulnerability to bring peace to some, courage to others. And most of all, using our humanity to move ourselves upward, onward, keeping pace as we traverse into the unknown. There is a great deal of fear, but cowering your way through life only brings misery. And that's a long journey to undertake in horror. Bravery is always the harder choice but if you put one foot in front of the other, even if scared, you will see yourself through even the worst of circumstances...and be all the better for it.

Make 2012 the year you recognize your fear and move forward anyway. Fear makes it difficult to see things clearly. So recognizing its influence on your life is an important first step in moving forward. From there, you can begin to set goals to make 2012 your best year yet!

Every month, you need to be able to see your progress toward your goals. If one of your goals is to save $10,000 in 2012--a reasonable goal if you're employed and have no debt--you will need to put about $800 in cash in a savings account each month for the next 12. That may mean changing your spending habits, or finding a part-time job to supplement your savings. Maybe $10,000 is too lofty a goal--about $400/month will see you $5,000-richer by 2013; $200/month will see you $2500 richer. Even if all you can afford to put aside is $50/month, over 12 months, you'll still be $600 richer than you are right now.

Saving money is one of the easiest ways to see how cumulative efforts can add up to positive change. But what about professional goals? That's not always as easy to add up.

If you're not happy with where you are in your career, nothing can change until you do. If you've been frustrated with the job market--which has been VERY frustrating since 2008--think of how you might use your body of skills differently. Maybe you'll need to take a few classes at your local community college, or hire a resume doctor to help you revamp your job materials. Regardless, if you do nothing, there can be no change. One of the best ways to test the employment waters is by CASTING A WIDE NET. What does that mean?

Essentially, you have to think outside of the box. If you've been applying to the same kinds of jobs with nary an interview in the last year, it's time to change your focus. Continue applying to every job that interests you, but try to see where else you might use your experience in this job market. Make an appointment with a career counselor at a local college. Find out what options may be available to a person with your education and experience. Get an assessment of what more you might need to enhance what you have for today's job market. DO NOT network with your friends. Your friends are most certainly in a similar position to you. You can let your friends know of your efforts; anyone who can help will offer. Otherwise, look to your professional circles to network and move forward; LinkedIn is a great resource to do this. Consider applying to jobs outside of your current city. Look at the employment pages of universities, colleges and hospitals or health centers. There are a myriad of broad-ranging jobs needed to make these employment hot-spots run. Your skill-set may fit better than you think. Another tip for professional change is to consider taking a lower-paying job in a company you want to work for. The idea of working your way up in the company may not be appealing, but in order to move anywhere in any company, you must first get your foot in the proverbial door. Shoot for finding and acting on 2-5 opportunities/week every week for at least 3/4 weeks each month in the next 12. If you do this, along with casting a wide net, getting some career advice and boning up on your education and experience, you WILL find that by 2013, you'll have made great strides toward acheiving professional change...and, success.

Personal change isn't as easy. Maybe you're goal is to get out of debt. That may seem like a financial goal, but if you're over-spending because your emotions--your fear--have taken over, it's personal. You may have had a bad stretch over the last several years. Maybe your health has taken a hit or three; perhaps you're one of the hundreds of thousands of Americans who lost your job in 2008-2009 and haven't been able to get back into the earning game since. Maybe you've dealt with a family health crisis, depression, divorce, bankruptcy...any number of these viable reasons--alone or in combination--are solid reasons to have sustained debt-damage in the last 3-4 years. The first thing to do with revolving debt that is $10,000 or higher is to review your resources. Using things like low-interest, fixed bank loans to consolidate your debt and/or using retirement savings to pay it off or down are your first lines of defense. You cannot use cash savings if you're unemployed because you need to maintain whatever cushion you have--without a steady income, cannot replace it once gone. Look around your house, see what you can sell on eBay or Craig's List that might earn you some dollars to pay off your debt. That, and not spending. Everyone has to eat; if you're buying your groceries with a credit card that has a high balance because you would starve otherwise, it may be time to look into food stamps. Government programs may not be something you want to use, but if you've been unemployed for 3 or more years, you may have to. 

If you worked for ten or more years prior to your unemployment, you contributed to government programs--just for this reason. Think of it as a stop-gap measure to keep you afloat without accumulating more debt. Your fiscal health and responsibility is worth the temporary hit to your ego. Life is long. Keep your debt short.

Things like student loans should be deferred if you're unemployed. Yes, you will accumulate interest but you can pay the interest while in deferrment--and that is much more afforable on say, $60,000 in student loans--about the average for 21st century students, which roughly equals $700/month in pay back over a ten-year period or $350/month over 20 years. 

You can find more hints and tips on spending and savings under the "21st Century Etiquette Series," including how to deal with maintaining social connections while spending drastically less. But if you need a new car in 2012 and are on a fixed income or have no income, and  if you have cash savings, use some of it for a downpayment on a used car with less than 35,000 miles. Something like a Hyundai offers economic options with warranties that are for 100,000 miles or ten years. Car insurance is less on used cars and though a lease is tempting, you have to put down $2,000 every 2-3 years to replace the car. Over a decade, that's $6,000 in down payments alone. If you put down $2,000 on a used car with less than 30,000-miles, you'll own the car in 5 and will enjoy no further payments for at least 3-5 years more. Over the course of a decade, that adds up to anywhere from $9,400-$13,000 in savings. Cha-ching!

Getting that pesky fear in check is not as easy; if that's the root of the blockade on your personal, financial and/or professional goals, it's time to find a good therapist to talk out your fear(s) on a weekly or monthly basis. Don't worry about people making you feel like you're crazy for seeking help; seeking help isn't crazy. Doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results is. Remove the obstacle and support your efforts by incorporating 60 minutes of cardio and strength training 6 days a week--you don't need to join a gym or take expensive classes. Turn on the radio and dance. Take a hike in a park. Walk in your neighborhood. Add a pair of 15-lb hand weights, and you're on your way to better physical AND emotional health for a $10 investment. Incorporate meditation; learn how by doing an internet-search. Start with 5 minutes of meditation a day, working your way up to 20 minutes over the next year. All for FREE. Your fear will be under control, and your life will follow.

No matter what you want to change in 2012, and no matter what your circumstance, you can move your life forward if you recognize your fear(s) and assess the actions needed to make positive change. Begin your journey toward getting richer, being happier, and acheiving career success. 2012 WILL BE a banner-year!

So what are you waiting for??? 

Go!

I do try to write something upbeat and positive at the beginning of each new year. This year, it's particularly difficult for me to do. If it were as simple as making a few New Year's resolutions, I'd be a happy girl. But for me, and hundreds of thousands like me, our lives, for the most part, are out of our own hands.
 
It's interesting and strange how talk of New Year's resolutions puts my stomach in a twist. As if life may be imporoved by losing unwanted weight or making good on the promise to yourself to take that watercolor class. Some people greeted the year with a cancer diagnosis. Or the loss of a job. Or are entering their third year of unemployment since the 2008 crash that is still sending economic reverberations around the globe. Some people face 2012 after the loss of a child, or, with a sick child. Others may be in the process of bankruptcy, divorce, or trying to deal with a seemingly unending pile of personal debt--related to any and all of the above. My point isn't to make you feel badly if you don't have similar problems; it's to simply raise awareness that not everyone can sparkle and shine with the newness of the New Year. Much like every holiday, the New Year suffers under the weight of the contiuing cultural discourse of distraction. Distraction is a proven economic motivator. Apple's "i" products are a great example.

The iPad 3 will be release between February and March 2012; the next newest iPhone--not the recently released iPhone 4S, but the iPhone 5--will be released in fall. These products will cost anywhere between $300-$700...not exactly a drop in the proverbial buccket. Or at least, it shouldn't be. But every Apple store from coast to coast to coast will have L-O-N-G lines of people practically begging to give hundreds upon hundreds to Apple for the latest "must-have" gadget...or, DISTRACTION.

Why distraction? Because it's easier than trudging through the deep sands in the desert of the "real." Things are bad. Very bad. Japan was hit with an unprecedented 9.0 earthquake in 2011; the quake caused ruptures in their nuclear power plants. The tsunami-sized waves that joined in the destruction along Japan's coasts destroyed homes, and people's lives along with them. People died in the quake. Many more were injured. And the rest were left to clean up, living in the nuclear fall-out, the radiation from which has a half-life of one-thousand years. A crystal ball dropped by Lady Ga-Ga at midnight isn't going to help Japan in 2012. But it did help you...to forget.

A recent call about the passing of a friend's parent started off with "Hate to be a Debbie-downer BUT...." Why the apologetic reference? Because humans, in their continued interest in distraction from reality, don't like to hear "bad" news; it's a "downer." Puts a harsh on your mellow. Well, isn't that too bad. You don't want to hear, or even talk about, difficulty because it makes you sad? Pathetique, as the French would say. People make fun of the French for their political swings with popular opinion, but the French are actually an evolved culture. Enjoying life, or "joie de vivre", is an integral part of French philosophy. And somehow, the French still manage to deal with death as part of life--"c'est la vie"--despite having distractions far richer than the latest tech gadget that will be outmoded within 12 months. Look at their wines, cheeses, breads and pastries, art and architecture, long expanses of mediterranean beach, fields of lavendar, and of course, Paris. It's no wonder famous authors like Hemingway spent time there. French life is a truly full life. Which is in sharp contrast to the celebrity-focused, rather vapid American sensibility that values appearance above all else, willingly investing in turn-over technology that implies spending thousands every year just to have what everyone wants...it's wasteful. And it's no wonder that we live in The Wasteland.

No matter how much we all wish, hope and dream 2012 to be "better," "peaceful," "healthy," "whole"...we will, inevitably, be disappointed.  Wishing doesn't make things real, despite what The Secret says. You know what will? Hard work. Putting our collective noses to the grindstone. Valuing things below the surface might be a good start. Which is exactly why it will never happen. In another twelve months, people will be singing the same songs, pretending that anything is possible if you just believe. Disney World is a fiction. Fairy dust isn't real. And there are no lost boys who never age and know how to fly. We need a revolution for change. Not a political revolution. Not a technical revolution. A psychological revolution--one that ripples through society in an unprecedented way. One that, in its greatness, will transform the way humanity interacts with not just each other, but with the Universe itself.

I know. Tall order. But I'm only 5'4" tall and still managed to have a son one-full-foot taller, so have high expectations. Do you???

There's a saying about how even an eagle can be a chicken, never learning how to soar, if it's raised in the barnyard eating feed with the other chickens. That's not true. An eagle will always fly; and chickens will never look up.

Which one are you?  

You all have my best wishes for 2012: 

Be introspective. Learn and take complete part in the process and pride of true inquiry. Seek good health by using your body at least one hour a day, everyday. Go out into the sunshine as much as you can. Learn how to meditate. Find a good therapist. And get rid of the cigarettes, soda, and processed foods. Open your mind. Let your heart follow. And then, perhaps, 2012 will not just be a good year, it will be GREAT.

Happy new year....

I saw the latest in the Twilight film franchise at its New York premiere. That was November. So why I am I writing about in January? Good question! If you're a fan of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight saga, you may not like the answer:

Part of the reason why I'm known as The Pop Culture ProfessorTM, is because of Twilight & Philosophy, a book I co-edited with J. Jeremy Wisnewski, now published in seven languages and sold in about 20 countries world-wide. The e-book and audiobook are both available on iTunes. And in that book, we discuss basic philosophical tenets found in the Twilight series as a whole, including elements from the film franchise. So I know Twilight. Backwards, forwards, you name it. And when I saw the fourth film in the franchise in November, one of two parts adapted from the original Breaking Dawn novel, I found articulating my thoughts and feelings on the subject...difficult.

Kristen Stewart plays an extraordinarily gaunt Bella. While there was certainly good usage of CGI in the film, both with Bella's physique and the later birthing scene, it was clear that the actress--already too thin to be healthy--had lost some weight for the role. So not only is the basic message of Twilight that feminine fulfillment can only be found by changing yourself for a manm now, the visuals of this particular adaptation are cueing the female-audience about body image, perpetuating a negative stereotype that comes directly out of patriarchal discourse.

Fans will love the heterosexual matrix, or love triangle, between Bella, Edward and Jacob. It still exists, and in full force. Make-up on the set continues to evolve, trying to take the white pancake from the vampire faces this time around, and doing a good job there--kudos! But Rob Pattinson is clearly frustrated with the stiff role, wanting, desperately, to flesh out an otherwise flat character. Taylor Lautner's Jacob is always very "real," and pulls on the audience's emotional heartstrings. If Aristotle were here today, he might congratulate writer Melissa Rosenberg for her good use of pathos in persuading the audience to the under-wolf's favor.

The cinematography was excellent this time around. I am a HUGE fan of Guillermo Navarro's work in film like I AM NUMBER FOUR, HELLBOY, and of course, PAN'S LABYRINTH. The wedding scene was gorgeous, lush, and had an etheral quality only possible through the magic of cinema. The wardrobe had equal aesthetic appeal, with Bella's gown designed by Carolina Herrara, one of the most graceful designers of the century. 

The direction by Bill Condon, whose last film was 2006's DREAMGIRLS, was quite good. Though Meyer's basic storyline may be lacking, the film adaptation added dimension and visual conplexity where there was none. Condon has also recently directed two episodes of Showtime's The Big C with Laura Linney. The 56-year old director has heart. And it shows in BREAKING DAWN I.Condon is directing BREAKING DAWN II, being released in fall 2012. Expect good things! 

The music in the film was by Carter Burwell; Burwell, who has worked with the Coen brothers, has done the music for some really terrific films like No Country for Old Men and Burn After Reading. The Harvard-educated Burwell's musical ingenue was no more apparent than in A Knight's Tale, where he combine musical elements like David Bowie's "Golden Years" with the medieval setting. He also directs the music for HBO's newest edgy series, Enlightened, starring the indomitable, Laura Dern. Burwell was in charge of the muic for the first TWILIGHT film. Glad you're back, Carter!

Melissa Rosenberg had written a piece that appeared in Entertainment Weekly before the 2011 film premiered, asking fans to forgive her for various omissions or changes necessary for adaptation. What most people don't understand is that a typical film script for a two-hour movie is about 90 or so pages. The original novel was some 700 pages. It is IMPOSSIBLE to create film from a book and include EVERYTHING. As a writer, I disagreed with Rosenberg's PR tactic; why try to appease? I've NEVER seen any male writer do anything like that. Women's brains produce neurotransmitters that result in apologetic behavior in efforts to maintain vital social connections. It's basic machinery of the human brain. With more than half of Rosenberg's family being therapists, you'd think someone might have advised her otherwise. Because she had NOTHING to apologize for. Her script was good; it allowed for some rather awkward moments, like the vampire birth and the imprinting between 17-year old Jacob and the infant, Renesmee, to look almost normal. Not an easy feat, I assure you.

Overall, the film itself earned a healthy 8.5/10 on the Housel-scale. Everyone involved in the project put A+ efforts into turning a book with simplistic dialogue, settings, and characters into full-blown entertainment in living color and sound. But you don't need me to tell you that--the film has grossed close to $300-million world-wide.

So, television is not exactly the best in December...unless you like Hallmark Channel Christmas specials, in which case, TV's great! Most of the new hot shows are restarting after their mid-season breaks in January with some returning favorites beginning new seasons like SyFy's Being Human. However, there are things like the New Year's Parade and a number of great new release DVD's to take you through the $61.2 billion-worth of winter wonderland a la the December holidays. And just in case you need a hat on your pop-cultural cocktail, here are some recipes that will help you jingle all the way through 2012....

Santa's Little Helper

In a cocktail shaker, combine 1/2 ounce Kahlua mocha with peppermint (special edition Kahlua sold only during the holidays...), an ounce of cooled decaf espresso or coffee, 1/2 ounce of Godiva milk chocolate liqueur, and a 1/2 ounce of Stirrings Espresso liqueur. Add 4-5 ice cubes ice to shaker and a tablespoon of skim milk. Vigourously shake for 2-3 minutes, or, blend in a blender for 30-60 seconds to make more of a shake consistency. Pour into martini glass; garnish with chocolate-dipped peppermint stick and enjoy!

Non-alcoholic version: Take one ounce skim milk, one ounce cooled coffee, a tablespoon of Hershey's syrup, and a teaspoon of peppermint flavoring. Put in blender with 4-5 cubes of ice and blend for 30-60 seconds or use a whisk to mix ingredients without blending. Pour in martini glass and garnish as above.

Kentucky Eggnog

This is a no-brainer. Buy your favorite eggnog from your local dairy or grocery store. For every four ounces of eggnog, add 1/2 ounce of Maker's Mark Kentucky bourbon. Blend on low for 60 seconds or use a whisk to until bourbon is full incorporated. To lighten your nog, add ice cubes to blender (3-4); it will make a frosty-dessert like drink post-Christmas festivities or to be served with New Year's brunch! Pour into martini glasses and garnish with a sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg...yum! It's like falling in love all over again.

For the non-alcoholic version, add a teaspoon of Nielsen-Massey vanilla to every three ounces of eggnog; prepare as above. Enjoy!

HINT: To thin out your eggnog before preparing the above recipes, add 1/2 ounce of skim milk to every 3 ounces of eggnog; prepare recipes as above.

THE Cheese Plate

Simple is key during the holidays, but you want things to be special as well. Buy a baguette (which your bakery or store can pre-slice for you), wedge of manchego cheese, wedge of drunken goat, block of 2-year aged cheddar, and a wedge of medium brie. Arrange on a large platter with cutting knife and spreading knife. Add a wedge of fig-almond loaf--this can be found in the cheese shop of your local grocery store or specialty store. If you can't find it, use halved fresh figs on the platter. In a separate snack bowl, add Marcona almonds. Serve the baguette slices with the cheese platter either on platter or on a separate plate. It's not your average mild cheddar slices with wheat thins and a cluster of grapes--which is also great, but it's the holidays. Give yourself a break and keep the appetizers and snacks simple. For the carnivores, add some specialty hard salami from Italy or shave some prosciutto to go with the cheeses. If you want to pair a wine with this cheese plate, I recommend a garnacha from Spain or a reasonably-priced red bordeaux from the Medoc.

This wraps up another year of Pop Culture Cooking! Thanks to all the fans for your support and encouragement. From my home to yours, best wishes for a happy, healthy holiday season and beyond. See you all in 2012!!!

Your friend is diagnosed with cancer. A relative is facing a recurrent health issue. Perhaps it's a neighbor, your minister, or a colleague. People get sick. And chances are extraordinarily good that if a person has a chronic disease--which can include anything from the autoimmune category, like Lupus, to diabetes, to cancer--other health issues will follow. Sick people need sensitivity; sick people need support. Sick people do not need to be reminded they are sick. Believe me, they know. The sick are suffering levels of hell that healthy folks can't imagine, but that doesn't excuse insensitivity. Ever.

School is out. Luckily for you, the Doctor is in.

The twenty-first century has brought with it international unrest, a rise in negative social attitudes like anti-Semiticism, natural disasters the likes of which haven't been seen in hundreds of years, a global economic down-turn, wars, terrorism, increases in violence against women on a mass-scale described by the World Health Organization as a "pandemic"--and even more terrible, monstrous things. And yes, some good has come out of the new century, the most important of which are technological advancements. Improving technology helps promote mass communication, education, and of course, medical research. While all of these things are social-positives, it should be noted that though "new" cures for things like cancer seem to be on the verge of discovery every ten years or so, there is still no cure. Nor is there a cure for diabetes. Heart disease. Or things like seizures. There is, however, a global rise in all chronic disease. In other words, you may hear about how less people die from chronic disease because of new medical research, but that is not an indicator that diagnoses have diminished.

So, more people--not less--are sick. And will continue to be. The chances of the average healthy person having to write a get-well card or email, or make a sick-visit to a relative or friend, is quite high. About 50% of you will have to do this unpleasant but necessary social-task in 2012. And when you do so, you should be aware of what to say, and, when to shut-up. Because nothing feels worse than being sick, and while sick, having to deal with socially-inept imbecilic behaviors from "well-meaning" people. If you actually mean someone well, make the effort to learn how to appropriately do so. Otherwise, don't bother. Pity is never a friend to anyone.

First, make the effort to send a card or email immediately. Not a week later but right away. Follow up your card with a phone call. Not everyone has the time to visit, and that's perfectly understandable. Not acknowledging the sick-person's suffering is not. When you do pen that get well card or email, be sure NOT to say how "terrible" or "horrible" it is that the person has the disease. They already know and do not need any reminders from you. What they do need is a compassionate statement of acknowledgement: "I'm so sorry you're dealing with this; I can only imagine how difficult it is. Please let me know what I can do to help."

If you do add in that last offer to help, again, follow up with specifics: "I'm free on Tuesday night and can bring dinner for the family," or "This Wednesday I have the day off and can do your grocery shopping when I do mine." Don't over-extend yourself; that helps no one. But making a specific offer to help tells the sick-person that you recognize how the sick person's life is being effected while also understanding that the sick-person has enough to deal with and will not be able to respond to a vague offer--which in reality, isn't truly an offer at all.

Never say, "I know how you feel," or "I know what you mean," if you yourself have never experienced the same diagnosis as the sick-person. Never. It's insensitive; it's an untruth, and worse, it's incredibly rude. You also want to avoid judging the sick person's progress, or lack thereof. Doctors may give a general time-frame for when a person should begin to heal, or feel better, or complete a prescribed treatment, but medicine isn't a literal art. Basically, one size DOES NOT fit all. So be positive and encouraging, no matter what.

During your phone call or email or in-person visit, do not burden the sick-person with your problems or overwhelm them with negativity from your life. Doing so is like mixing the sick person's food with the contents of some petrie dish contagion or injecting the sick person with slow-acting poison--essentially, you and your negativity are toxic. Sterilize yourself and neutralize your negative "germs" before doing your good deed. The sick-person is a captive audience. Taking advantage of this fact is reprehensible. DO bring your smile. DO help the sick-person to see beyond their suffering by asking about positive future goals or
plans, or paying the sick-person compliments about their home and family to remind the sick-person there are still good things in this world. Something easily forgotten when sick.

And keep track of the sick-person's progress, even after your visit, call, and/or email; check in either through email or by phone every three days or so. Don't forget about the sick-person. Being sick is socially-isolating. Maybe the sick-person is bedridden at home; maybe the sick-person is in the hospital. Whatever the case may be, the sick-person is stuck. The ENTIRE reason behind having a society is not so that we may all be selfish gits getting on with our own business; other people are our business. We tend to forget that sometimes in 21st century life.

"Do unto others"...because without them, health (and wealth) are meaningless.

When you go into the mall this holiday season, or a restaurant, or a theatre...who do you see? How many physically-disabled people? Any physically-disabled working in the stores? Restaurants? Theatres? How many physically-disabled patrons are there? What about in your own work environment? There's always the token guy in a wheelchair or senior with a cane employed as a public statement of EEOC compliance. So even if you have one or two visibly disabled people at your workplace, how many more are not? In other words, what is the percentage of physically-handicapped in comparison to non-handicapped? One percent, or one physically-handicapped person for every 100 non-handicapped? I'm close, aren't I? And I bet that you're thinking you never really noticed that before.

Neither did I. Until I became part of the 1%, and no, it's not the same kind of 1% people have been protesting in the "Occupy" movement all over the States.

Maybe you feel that there are no physically-handicapped people qualified for the job. Maybe you believe there just aren't that many visibly disabled people in the world today. Maybe, but you'd be dead wrong.

Now you're thinking, "But don't physically-disabled people have social security? Why do they need to work?" First of all, social security isn't like winning the lottery; the average monthly income for a person on social security is approximately $1,000/month. Could you live on that? Of course not. It's absurd to even think so. Secondly, not all disabled people want to be on social security; what we want is to work. Our bodies may look different, but that doesn't lessen our intellect or ambition...or, sense of pride. But sometimes, a physically-handicapped person truly cannot work. Yet social security turns down 60% of the applicants claiming permanent disability. The thought that physically-disabled people are taken care of by "the system" is not only entirely naive, it's outright ludicrous. The irony of our social security system is that it's being crippled by people who have been declared permanently disabled...and the majority of those people are not physically-handicapped. They are depressed. Depression can be debilitating; I've experienced it myself. But it's rather different than someone who say, can't stand up in the shower, cross the street, or walk without assistive equipment like a wheelchair or walker. There's no anti-handicapped drugs. Nothing to "abilify" a physically-disabled person's paralysis.

We are a society who judges mainly on appearance. Even the idea behind a college degree is to earn a piece of paper that provides the appearance of being an expert. Have you met any graduated college seniors lately? Half of them can't find the local mini-mart without using some variation of electronic device, like a GPS, let alone use a simple map to find a street one town over...and these people are experts??? Surely not. But that piece of paper says so. That piece of paper, along with a nice suit purchased for them by their mothers, makes unprofessional people seem, well, professional. It's all about how things look on the surface. If it weren't, there'd be no need for advertising or staging or any kind of aesthetic sensibility at all. The size of your car or home wouldn't matter. Make-up would be non-existent and fat women would be supermodels. 

I ask you once again, WHY is it  that there are tiny percentages of visibly-disabled people working? WHY is it that there are slightly larger but still infinitesimally small percentages of physically-handicapped patrons in malls, restaurants and theatres? 

I know, I know...you're too embarrassed to answer. Please, allow me: The physically-handicapped aren't pretty to look at. Some of us are rather a mess with shriveled limbs, disfigured faces, and all kinds of mechanical paraphenalia getting in the way of "normal" folks. Having a pitiful handicapped person like I describe in your store or restaurant or theatre is depressing; no one wants to see human wreckage on display. Face it. Because if you don't today, you'll have to tomorrow.

Ah. You may be thinking: "But I won't be disabled." Hopefully not. But take a look at your hand. Is there flesh covering those protruding bony extensions we call fingers? Yes? Then you're human. And being human means being vulnerable. One day, you may find one of your legs shriveled. You may look in the mirror and see your face disfigured. That hand you just glanced at--gone.

Welcome to your physical humanity...and mine. Now that we've established the vapid nature of humankind and the innate vulnerability, therefore, very real possibility that one day, you, too, may be disabled--let's get to the main point:

To run a marathon for someone with two healthy legs is not remarkable; to run a marathon with one leg is. To live each day whole and still manage to be happy doesn't deserve congratulations; to live each day with a broken body and still smile does. It takes incredible resourcefulness, creativity, innovative thought, moral character, courage, and personal strength to live with a physical disability. To shun us from productive employment, discourage us from the public sphere and generally perceive us as less-than because you think we're ugly is not only a total fallacy, it's an outrage.

Our physical appearance doesn't make us ugly--but you judging us for it is.

We need to not only redefine physical disability, we need to recognize it for what it truly is. Because though you may believe you're somehow exempt from the human equation--unless you die tragically young--you're not. Your candidacy for becoming physically handicapped increases with every year you've lived. So if you're a healthy 25, you have a 25% chance of acquiring a physical, and therefore visible, handicap over the course of your lifetime. If you're 45, a 45% chance. And when you do become physically-handicapped, do you think you will somehow be a different person? Do you suppose you will cease to know or feel all that you do now simply because your body works differently? Do you believe you'd enjoy less entertainment? Do you imagine you'll no longer need  to earn? Because of your physical difference, will you no longer be able to think or work within established moral principles?

The absurdity of how physically-disabled people are not only seen, but thought of, spoken of, and treated is despicable. Plain and simple. To ever give a visibly-handicapped person anything but the utmost respect is not only ethically-corrupt, it's a pathetic statement that speaks to an immense lack in societal self-esteem. In short, it's social bullying. Or, putting down those who are more physically-vulnerable than you are to make yourself feel better. And I, for one, am tired of being bullied by people who may appear whole, but lack more substance than I, or any other physically-handicapped person, ever will.

If you doubt a single syllable of what I'm saying, do this experiment: Go to a public restroom. Put a chair in front of the door. Now, try to open the door from your seated position. Public restroom door handles are made to be opened from a standing position...but why, when not everyone can stand? The reason: Putting a bathroom door handle where only "normal" or non-handicapped people can access it is blatant social discouragement and oppression, like having only four handicapped parking spaces at a multi-plex movie theatre, or creating store displays that leave less than three feet of maneuverable space around them, or, creating pub seating in a restaurant so that the tables are too high for someone seated in a wheelchair to actually reach...you know, for the purpose of eating. It is a restaraunt, after all. 

Once you start to see the truth, you won't be able to stop looking. Have courage! And open your eyes...before they are opened for you.

-Dedicated to the indomitable spirit of Christopher Hitchens, 13 April 1949-15 December 2011-

The holidays. We eat too much, drink too much, spend too much. And why not? It's the American way. Capitalist consumerism at its finest. Part  of the merriment of the month of December is the sending and receiving of holiday cards. Joy to  the world! The cards have come....

Some cards are heartfelt wishes of hope, health and happiness for the holiday and new year, while others
are vehicles of shameless self-promotion, like the ever-popular picture cards and my personal favorite, the holiday letter:

"2011 started with a bang when we flew off to some tremendously expensive and fabulous vacation that you can only dream
of--wish you were there! Then, the job promotion--too bad you lost yours two years ago. Oh, and our kid got accepted to Harvard--sorry yours flunked out of community college...blah, blah, blah...we're winners! Too bad you're not. Happy holidays!"

Right.

Holiday greetings are truly wonderful; they offer a physical presence in the homes of family and friends sending wishes of happiness and love. But have you noticed that in the last three years--the last three years where joblessness has reached
an all-time high and the American dollar, an all-time low--that holiday cards contain less cheer and more sneer???

So here are the rules of holiday-card engagement...because less really is more in the 21st century:

1) Don't send all your family and friends a group email to say, "Merry Christmas!" The only thing a group-email says is: "You don't matter enough to me to take the time, effort and energy to actually send an individual card or email."

2) It's great to wish your Facebook friends everything merry and bright in a status update, but that DOES NOT count as a holiday card. Do not pass go. You will not be collecting $200. Try again.

3) If you choose to send a holiday card--a gift in and of itself these days--be sure postmark it before December 15th. If you send it any later, say, December 24th--all it communicates is that you were compelled to send your cards out of some vague social obligation, not because you really wanted to. Thanks, but uh, no thanks. 

4) You decide to send holiday cards after Thanksgiving, complete with photos of your cherubic children...to ALL 50 people on your mailing list. Listen, if you're not part of my immediate family and you send me a 3x5 of little Johnnie--it goes in my trash on December 26th. What do you imagine people do with the 50 pictures of 50 different children who aren't even related to them...every single year? 

5) Writing year-end letters to close family is a great way to catch everyone up on your world. It's nice to hear about what your sister and her family did over the summer or read how Grandma surprised everyone by reliving her days as a gymnast, doing not one, but two(!) cartwheels across your lawn at the Labor Day BBQ. But if you're not my sister, brother, or close relative--please don't ask me to read about the tedium of your life...twelve whole months worth. And if you do insist on sending a letter to people who aren't part of your immediate family--skip the showing off, pare down on the ego, and especially at this time of year, have some humility. Some of the people on your holiday-card mailing list had a really terrible year...about 25%, according to recent government stats. Maybe it was the loss of a job, cancer diagnosis, loss of a family member, divorce, bankruptcy...or some combination thereof. Even if you had the best year of your life, remember that there are other people in the world besides you. I know it's hard to believe that some people couldn't care less about your two-year old's new pooping talents...but the holidays are about giving--not receiving. Give the gift of humility. Be charitable when writing and sending your holiday letters by remembering that not everyone is on top of the world at the bottom of 2011.

It's more important than ever to be sensitive and compassionate during the holidays--and no, throwing a $5 bill into the red bucket as you enter your local mall does not cover it. December has one of the highest suicide rates than almost any other month. Live in reality...even  though every retailer and media-mogul out there asks you to do otherwise. Remember that not everyone's life looks like a Norman Rockwell painting, or magically becomes one, simply because most of the population throws lights on plastic pine trees. People genuinely suffer during the month of December because, though it's touted as "the most wonderful time of the year," baby, it's cold outside. Really cold. Divorce is on the rise. Bankruptcy. Joblessness. Cancer diagnoses. Get the picture? The world doesn't stop because we want it to. If it did, I'd be perpetually 35. Yup, 2006 was a good year. But it's not 2006...it's the end of 2011 as we know it and the majority of Americans do not feel fine.

This isn't a bah-hum bug a la Dickens. It's a simple request. Fulfilling it is the best gift you can give, or, receive this holiday season. What it says to people is that you truly care about them and their lives at this crucial time of year. And really, that's how the tradition of sending holiday greetings was born. 

So Merry Chanukah! Happy Christmas and Kwanza! And may your holidays--whether you celebrate one or all--be filled with the warmth and light of good family and loyal friends.

From my "home" to yours, best wishes for a peaceful holiday season and a happy, healthy 2012....




    


 

Living in the second decade of the 21st century hasn't been very fun. Admit it. The global economy is in the proverbial toilet, evidenced by unprecedented highs in precious metals like gold. Joblessness is an epidemic. And while those diagnosed with cancer have a much better chance of living longer, cancer itself is on the rise. Global warming is creating natural disasters around the world. Oil spills infect our oceans, which now have 98% less fish than ever before. Let's face it--things have gone from bad to worse, with no end in sight. But don't despair! There are a whole host of reasons why, despite everything else, 2011 and beyond is still a GREAT time to be alive:

1) A recent Harvard study found that when female participants drank 1-2 glasses of alcohol 7 days a week beginning in middle age, those same individuals lived to 70 without any major chronic diseases, including cancer and diabetes. More good news? Yes! The participants were relatively healthy well into their 80's. The benefits of red wine have long been touted as beneficial to heart-health, but new findings also show that a dose of daily alcohol can help with Alzheimer's and dementia, too. Teetotalers beware!

2) Did you also know that just tasting fatty foods can release endocannabinoids in your body, mimicking the effect of...you guessed it, cannabis. Looks like Harold and Kumar were actually on to something. Bring on the brie! It's time to get legally-lit....

3) Carbs are brain-food, despite their bad reputation as diet-killers, and there's no more beloved carbohydrate than potatoes. Fried, baked, mashed, roasted, grilled, sauteed...we all love 'em! If you've wanted to lose weight in the last, say, twenty years or so--chances are you've banished this simple, delicious root vegetable from your diet. No more! Potatoes help lower blood pressure in obese people as much as oatmeal...without the added pounds. I'll take mine with extra cheese!

4) Though processed carbohydrates like white bread still get the thumbs down, eating a slice of wholsesome whole grain ups your dopamine...a feel-good chemical in your brain. So does eating a square of dark chocolate. And in case you're not sure what that means, eating these foods have the same effect on dopamine-release in your brain as the 80's-chic drug, cocaine...without the big ups and down, or, disfigured nostrils. Bonus!

5) Sex! Let's talk about it., baby Women who have sex on a regular basis not only live longer, but look younger...up to EIGHT years younger! Who needs Botox??? Oh, and sex is a decent calorie-burner as well, girls--250 calories or so--or the equivalent of snowshoeing for 30 minutes.

6) Caffeine-addiction has come under recent scrutiny thanks to sugary energy drinks but it seems that caffeinated coffee may be a brain's best friend. New studies have found that anti-oxidant rich coffee is good for your brain! Who knew that all those Starbuck's splurges would have such long-term benefits??? Not only are there implications of reduced stroke and dementia, but it helps prevent brain cancer as well. By the way, brain cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-death in the States. Think of that ridiculously expensive daily latte as one of the best investments money can buy. Gold? Who needs it!

7) The Sun. Skin cancer is rampant...and rather deadly. It's the number one killer in Australia, who has more skin cancer clinics on Bondi in Sydney than corner drug stores. We've been told to stay out of the Sun. Avoid it between the hours of 10am and 2pm. And people have listened. Now, Vitamin D deprivation is considered one of the leading causing of depression, also accounting for a rise in osteoporosis, osteopenia and osteo-arthritis. Ouch! New research is showing that we actually need to go out into the Sun instead of avoid it at all costs...but in moderation. Heading outdoors between the hours of 10am and 2pm are now recommended. Try getting out for ten minutes at a time, wearing sunblock--which helps block damage of UVA and UVB rays without blocking Vitamin D benefits--about three times a day. Or, go take your lunch break outside in the sunshine for 30 minutes. Vitamin D supplements also work, but nothing works as well as the natural conversion process instigated by having fun in the Sun. Other benefits: Being out in the sunshine is a proven method of combatting depression, without the nasty side-effects of anti-depressants. Take two and call me in the morning, Sunshine!

No, I'm not going to tell you that exercise is now bad for you--we still have to move our bodies to live longer, combat disease, and keep our minds sharp--but all-in-all, the second decade of the 21st century is pretty darned good. As with everything, moderation is always key. And by no means should you start engorging on fried food to get a natural high or become an alcoholic to live longer. Always talk to your doctor before changing your health routine. But barring the obvious extremes, I'd say human bodies have it made in 2011 and beyond.

Seven reasons to live better? You bet!

Cheers to that...and, to you.