Muz Loves: Enjoying Media

Hello Blogo-sphere.

You know what I find amazing about human civilization? Media. The fact that we have this whole paradigm that consists of different medium sources that branch out to even more sources. For example:
Print media branch out to newspaper, magazines, stories (fiction & non fiction), blogging, etc.
Visual media can branch out to photos and videos. And those branch out to even more like black and white photos, portraits, television, movies... Really, the different ways media impact our lives are infinite.

But let's get back to movies. Going to the theater to see this week's box office is such a standard part of being American. Even better, there are different kinds of movies you can go to see: horror, comedy, drama... you all know this, but really think about it. I mean, what other kind of animal in God's creation on Earth does that?

So with that being said, I thought I'd give a shout out to one of my favorite media: documentaries. And I'm not trying to sound snobbish in that. I  adore all the National Geographic, Frontline and other documentaries Netflix recently added. They are entertaining and I can always learn something new.  So I thought I would share a few of my favorite documentaries with you. Who knows, maybe you'll watch one tonight on instant queue.

Before we get into this: I claim no ownership over the film images below. And what's listed isn't in any real order. They are also not the "most up to date."

Also, the views I'm about to express are mine, and mine alone. If you disagree, then please let it be. After all, this is my blog. With that being said, if you would like have a healthy debate over any of these topic over a cup of coffee, I'm game.

LET US BEGIN.

"The Business of Being Born": Most of you know that I do not have any children yet. But due to my husband's stubbornness, we will one day. Frankly, I'm glad I found this documentary before we decided that we were ready to have children. This is a beautiful film about the classic story of women: becoming mothers. It makes you really think about some of the "standards" of giving birth, like inducing and caesarians. And as a person who does not know much about home births & mid wives, it showed me why some mothers chose to do a more natural birth. Whatever a mother chooses is right for her baby, it's right. But the film is very informative & has us thinking about what we will do in the future.

"Frontline: The Science & Politics Behind The Vaccine War": While PBS knows how to stay controversial, I'm surprised that they didn't shy away from such a debatable topic. While some would argue whether the film is unbiased, I personally (key word) found it to be very moderate and gave both sides on whether to vaccinate your child or not. Once again with children eventually on the way, I found this film informative. In the least, it encourages you to participate & communicate with your family doctor verses just listening.

"Fast Food Nation": Amazing book & a great movie. Both take a deep dive into the local & global impact of fast food companies. While the film is almost five years old and is more of a plot driven movie with actors, it inspires you to think about what's in the happy meal. While some say the book & movie drive them to vegan-ism, I mostly just feel bad for the employees that get stuck in cycle of working at a major slaughter house or fast food restaurant (not that there's anything wrong with that). Needless to say, you get a much darker view of the fast food world.

"Food, Inc.": Similar to "Fast Food Nation", "Food, Inc." takes a broader look at the food in our grocery stores. In fact, the movie inspired a rant-filled blog a few months ago. It motivates you to look at all your food whether it's ground beef or genetically altered soy beans in your ketchup. You would be surprised by what you find. The film has also driven us to aim for a more  simple life. Maybe we'll have a self-sustaining commune one day...

"Waiting For Superman": One goal I have when watching a documentary is learning something. But frankly, this film did more than just that; it opened my eyes to the world of education. I normally joke about my quality of education since I was raised in a modest farm-based town, but that was all in fun. I had no idea of the major issues this documentary brought to my attention. I feel it gave a moderate view of some controversial issues. Unfortunately, I feel lost in what I can do. In most documentaries, you are inspired to just be better informed, but frankly, our education system in America is so broken, it's not going to improve by just me attempting to get the best kind of education for my children. Our nation's education is a huge issue with a lot of separate problems. And there's no easy answer.

So there you have 5 documentaries that I adore. I feel that these films help you make crucial decisions in your life. And hopefully, it's for the better. But mostly, it informs you while making you hungry for more details. As news producer I feel that media should never tell you what to think, but rather what to think about (debating over that fact will be saved for another day, but keep up with me here). That's what these amazing films do. It's so easy to get caught up in our day to day lives that many of us don't take the time to sit and really think about what's going on in this world. C'mon, we have our troops at war in a country that's half a world away, the leaders of our country care more about arguing than to solve any problems, companies are growing larger without caring for their employees or consumers... Not to mention worldwide hunger, debt & violence... There is much more occurring outside our yard, yet it deeply impacts us as a whole.

As for an update in my world: I'm attempting to keep up with everything as the husband & I attempt to find a new home. Yay for first-time home buyer jitters.

Also, don't ask about the French non-diet book. I got so caught up with visiting friends in Illinois & a very busy work week that I... didn't keep track of what I ate... Started again yesterday though. And I recently found out that I've lost a few solid pounds since this time last year. Go me.

Wondering what I'm going to write about next month? So am I. I guess we'll both find out next week. Until then, take a moment to think about a few things:
- The world outside your home
- What recent accomplishments you can enjoy (Frankly, just being you is astonishing... in a good way)
- What you can look forward to