Did you ever wake up one morning thinking about something you wish would change dramatically in the world? For the past couple mornings I’ve had something on my mind involving a subject that has been near and dear to me since my middle school days. For those who have followed my blog and/or my Twitter feed for some time know that supporting women is a social cause I’m passionate about. I grew up around women all my life and learned all that I ever needed to know about being an ally to women and women’s rights. It’s with this passion for supporting women that I thought: How great it would be if the world came to its senses and became a more empowering place for women?
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Rocket Mortgage and Sarah The Robotics Genius
Just recently Quicken Loans and Rocket Mortgage just came out with this really cool pro-Women in STEM (short for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) ad. And not only is Sarah confident, she’s one badass Robotics genius and teacher too. It’s nice to see companies promoting and encouraging women in STEM, but the use of pink, purple and cats in the ad, comes off (to me anyway) like a subtle dig that, “We support women but everything is pink, purple and cats to them” – as if that’s what Quicken Loans and Rocket Mortgage think women associate everything with. But without going too further into my minor criticism, I will give Quicken Loans and thumbs up. Let’s hope we see more Sarah in ads inspiring more young people too.
Wonder Woman (2017): The Greatest Superhero of All Time
Normally I don’t start film reviews this way but, “Wow!” 100 times over. Why all the excitement, you ask? Because yesterday morning – and one day after arriving home from a Las Vegas adventure, I caught the first screening of Wonder Woman, the highly anticipated superhero film by Academy Award-nominated director Patty Jenkins (Monster) and starring Gal Gadot, Robin Wright, and Chris Pine. I don’t count myself as a superhero film fan but Wonder Woman is the only exception. And Jenkins has created an action masterpiece for the ages. One hell of a patriarchy-smashing hit.
I’m an Early Riser Traveler – And Proud of It.
Whether it’s 2 a.m. or 3 a.m., I live for waking up early – even if it’s during a work week, the weekend, or on the day I set off on a new travel adventure. But having an early morning routine like mine isn’t for the faint of heart – nor anyone’s cup of tea. But that’s okay with me for when it comes to daily routines and travel life, I don’t follow what everyone does. And major kudos to Delta for recognizing us early morning travelers in their ‘4 a.m.’ ad. After all, who doesn’t like driving on near empty freeways and enjoying a quiet airport early in the morning? I certainly do.
Experiencing A Five Star Life – And Loving It
Traveling around the world is anyone’s perfect dream job. But what if traveling around the world meant staying at the world’s most luxurious five-star hotels? While the idea of traveling around the world isn’t a viable option for many people, immersing oneself into a film about travel works just as well. But with Hollywood’s obsession with remakes and less original stories, finding a good travel film with interesting, engaging characters and a first-class story is hard to find. That was until I came across Italian filmmaker Maria Sole Tognazzi’s A Five Star Life (Viaggio sola) that sparked my travel wanderlust once again.
Helen Mirren’s Perfect Anti-Drunk Driving PSA
The world is full of people who make stupid choices. But driving drunk is beyond inexcusable and those who choose to do so should not be able to drive (or walk) the streets in freedom ever again. Earlier this year, Budweiser debuted an anti-drunk driving commercial featuring my favorite actor of all time, Helen Mirren. With her first class wit and humor, Mirren elegantly tears into drunk drivers in the best way possible. I have always admired Mirren for her talents both as an actor and a spokesperson. Well done, Budweiser!
A Summertime Classic of Strong Love
It’s been said before that the best films are the ones that don’t get lots of attention and “Oscar buzz” – as the film media likes to use during awards season. Such was the case when I discovered Summertime (La Belle Saison), a 2015 French romance film, through my Strong Women in.. Netflix recommendations. Like most Disney and animated films, I tend to stay away from seeing most romance films, as many are sexist in tone and treat women as if they’re “princesses in distress and can’t live or think without a man”. But Summertime changed all that on this early Christmas Day morning.
Positive Portrayals of Women: Walgreens and “Carpe Med Diem”
I’m not sure where I saw this Walgreen’s ad before, but I love it for many reasons. Other that being fun, it’s an ad that positively promotes women living life to the fullest – regardless of age – without any worries of society bombarding them with “anti-aging” ads and basically telling women they’re not beautiful over 50. Well done, Walgreens. Hopefully, we’ll see more ads like this that celebrate women and empower them to live life to the max – even at the nude beach.
