Look Closely

The 20s are all about finding your own magic. We've all got a few tricks up our sleeves. Me, I'd say my excessive knowledge of pop culture, killer smile, dance skills, and impeccable style - all my powers of seduction charming. I'd say I'm #teamsmoldering always. Magic has it's allure but some things should be an arms length away. "Look closely, because the closer you think you are, the less you will actually see" Now You See Me

Honestly this post is a stretch, but I'm pretty sure I can pull off talking about magic anyway. I watched Now You See Me recently and I would highly recommend it. That movie was mindblowing and awe-inspiring, just like a good magic show will leave you flabbergasted and totally perplexed. It's a rush from beginning to end with a stellar cast (I don't like Jesse Eisenberg however, maybe it's because he's been typecast as an arrogant prick) with Mark Ruffalo and Dave Franco standing out the most to me. Definitely see it, even Morgan Freeman displays his awesomeness. Even if you don't like magic, it's cool to see how they pull off the tricks - never a dull moment. Now, magic in and of itself is a long time thing embedded in the story of humanity. From the agent Egyptians, to entertainers in medieval times, and the island voodoo players in the 1800s, it's been an interesting and often overlooked part of history. Even in Biblical times (here's the religion major part of me coming out), Pharaoh had magicians that tried to mimic Moses' powers from God. Nowadays, we look back at Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Charmed, Harry Potter, Wizards of Waverly Place and notable mention the Narnia series. All of which display people using magic for good and bettering their worlds with a contrast of using magic for evil aka the dark arts. It's a funny thing, if you're a superhero buff like myself, you'll know Superman is invulnerable to everything (except kryptonite, obviously) except magic. Some of the most interesting episodes of Smallville are when magic comes into play and Clark Kent gets messed around with. Why magic - it defies all odds and makes the impossible ... well possible. On the Vampire Diaries we see magic plays a huge part of the plot and making things happen, Bonnie Bennett (as portrayed by Kat Graham - don't get me started on the ridiculousness of the misuse of her character and the fact that she's the only person of color on the show). Magic has it's allure, it's mystery and it's veil of secrecy. Whether you believe in magic or not, some things just can't be explained. Look closely, objects in mirror life make closer than they appear.

Things That Have Lost Their Magic:
1) Joy Rides with My Parents - As a kid I used to love being driven around by my mom and dad, it would get me to go to sleep and cheer me up. There used to be these hills we go to and I felt like we would zoom down them and I would yell "yeehaw" as we reached the peak and drove down. Nowadays, it's headphones in and I read a book or we'll just talk (aka lecture time). The cool thing about cars now is the privilege life of 3 different Benz #mylife.
2) Disney Channel Original Movies - Let it be known that I've seen ever single DCOM since the year 2000, I just have to see them all. I really looked forward to them and there were some powerhouse years. The older movies are classic, and then the super hype ones like High School Musical, Camp Rock 2, Cheetah Girls 2, Princes Protection Program etc. from the golden age of Disney are absolutely amazing. The most recent ones however have been a disgrace, terrible plots, bad acting, and no heart (with the exception of Radio Rebel). No more magic in waiting for those world premiere nights.
3) Fairy Tales - Freaking a, fairy tales are so messed up once you know their origin and look at all the injustice that goes in them. Most of them are based up crazy twisted stories, and have some sort of oppression in them, I'm not about that life. Magic or no magic. Plus all these TV shows and movies based on fairy tales have saturated the market, it's too much (but does represent what our society is looking for; comfort)
4) Lunchables & Pizza - Yo, Lunchables used to be the move but they've fallen off. You used to get candy in them and those nachos 'n' cheese, and the pepperoni pizza ones were on point. Now it's all this healthy crap, that nobody wants to eat, and that "uploaded" rebrand is just dumb as hell. Pizza, I've eaten way too much of it and I'm always unimpressed. I no longer crave it, and now that I know how to make my own, it's lost it's magic touch.
5) the Mall & Facebook - Both of these things used to be so cool but they've gone out s.tyle recently. I do all my shopping online, it's easier, and there's a great selection to choose from. Facebook is a place where I upload pictures and like witty statuses, that's it. I really need to unfriend more people #irrelevance. No more retail therapy or digital stalking, magic is lost.

*I am now, and will forever be #teamvine - instagram threw the gauntlet down with their new video feature and the filters, but come on, no videos have been even remotely funny. Vine > everything, still gets me laughing everyday. Here's my favorite vines of the past couple days: Morning After One Night Stand - Fruit Snack Threats - How To Wake Up Sexy

The 20s are all about getting your mojo together and working your own personal magic. Time changes things, and sometimes the magic just seems to fade away. We've only got a limited number of wishes, and eventually the magic runs out.  We all have something special that we can do. Use what you've got and take center stage in your own life. Lights go down, all eyes on you, and you perform your best. Get ready, look closely.

My blog post question for the day ... what's the best movie you've seen all summer? Hands down Man of Steel but I'm ready for the Lone Ranger