The Force Re-Awakens

“A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…”, Star Wars always begins. That little sentence that tells you that you are in for something truly unique. Then those yellow letters of title crawl fill the screen as you hear it, one of the most iconic pieces of film score ever written. The epic blaring trumpets of the London Symphony Orchestra playing the pure joy-inducing composition written by the legendary John Williams. The text and music drift off into space as you are transported to this galaxy that is part fairytale, part sci-fi and all marvelous imagination.

Growing up with Star Wars, it has become inseparably intertwined with my past, my present and certainly my future. Much like the mysterious force that binds all things together in the series, this universe from the mind of George Lucas is a part of who I am. How many people can say that they love something just as much now as they did when they were three years old. I vividly recall watching the original movies over and over on VHS and receiving my first action figures and Millennium Falcon toy. I have memories of anxiously awaiting the prequels to come out, Star Wars themed birthday parties and Halloween costumes, video games and plastic lightsaber battles—countless hours spent thoroughly immersed in this wonderful space saga.

For me, there are few things better than spending a lazy afternoon glued to the television watching these films. It is truly an experience for me, not just simply a piece of entertainment. The sense of wonder is something I strongly value my life, Star Wars has always brought me that feeling. Every time I re-watch the series, as I did just a few weeks ago, I cannot help but be completely overwhelmed with excitement and nostalgia. I have found myself particularly electrified lately as hype continues to build for the seventh installment premiering this winter.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens directed by J.J. Abrams (Super 8, Star Trek) arrives in theaters December 18 and I could not be any more ecstatic. The trailers alone instantly reignite a child-like joy within me, I am once again that little boy dreaming of a big galaxy. My cautious optimism for this film and the subsequent sequels and spin-offs has quickly shifted to an uninhibited level of excitement, sometimes we must simply trust the in force. The anticipation is palpable for millions of Star Wars fans, young and old, as we await the major resurgence of this beloved franchise. As the first teaser trailer asks, “There has been an awakening, have you felt it?”

Star Wars is forever a part of my life and the lives of so many others, it is an important cultural phenomenon that will remain for generations yet to come. The proverbial lightsaber has been passed to a new group of filmmakers, actors and dreamers of galaxies far, far away. The biggest lesson that this series has taught me is there is always hope, always a chance to make this universe a brighter place. To all the Jedi, Wookies and scruffy-looking-nerf-herders alike, I warmly say may the force be with you, always.

In honor of this week's post I give you... Darth Mike.

A Fighting Chance

Over the past several weeks, I have seen a disheartening level of anger in response to New York State’s decision to incrementally raise the minimum wage of fast-food workers to $15-an-hour. This somewhat divisive topic has personally gotten me into a few Facebook "debates" (not a surprise) but now that tensions have settled a little I would like to formally weigh in. Most readers of this blog realize that I am not one to avoid talking about subjects viewed by some as controversial. Keep in mind, I do not expect everyone to see eye-to-eye with me but please consider what I have to say. 

Anytime there is a major news story nationally or in the local community we see social media is quickly flooded with opinionated banter and angry knee-jerk reactions. When the news of the fast-food worker wage increase broke, sites such as Facebook and Twitter exploded with ignorant commentary. To me, no matter what your opinion may be, it is important to at least know the facts and be willing to change any preconceived notions. Information is cornerstone of intelligent discussion, something we should strive for more often.

First of all, it is crucial to understand how this wage increase will be implemented and why. Some people, I believe, fail to realize that these wages will be raised on a gradual timeline till 2018 in New York City and 2021 for the rest of the state. Over the course of the next few years the minimum wage for all New York jobs will, following current trends, also continue to rise along with all wages. Many, however, may still find it odd that only one industry was seemingly given special treatment but it is the result of fast-food workers striking and letting their voices be heard. Workers being able to stand up for themselves and affect change is an important freedom that we are guaranteed as Americans, a right that has allowed provisions such as child-labor laws and workplace safety standards. The resentment towards lower wage workers is a misplaced feeling that historically seems to only support the interests of the top few and not those in need.

One of the most troubling aspects of the widespread social discussion taking place is the outright rage towards fast-food workers and the jobs they do. So much of this negativity seems to stem from the stereotypes and misconceptions surrounding the industry’s workforce. Fast-food workers sometimes carry the perception of being lazy and entitled teenagers when, in reality, the majority are actually hard workers with the average age of around 29. Age and perceived character aside, these workers are human beings that certainly deserve livable wages, an "unskilled" job does not mean it is an easy one. It is quite apparent that the current national average wage of $8.94 is not a reasonable salary, with 1 in 5 fast-food workers living in poverty and nearly 50% requiring government assistance. Anecdotal evidence about "burger-flippers" occasionally making mistakes with orders does not justify the well known hardships of these workers.

Personally, I believe that all workers across the nation should be granted a $15 minimum wage, reducing poverty and giving people a fighting chance should not be considered a radical idea. No matter what you believe economically or politically, the  the fact remains that the United States has one of the most unequal distributions of wealth in the world. The potential side effects of higher wages on the market, that economists have hotly debated for decades, pale in comparison to the overwhelming struggles that millions of hard-working Americans face every single day. It is rather interesting that many people who balk at higher wages for fast-food workers rarely complain about the massive paychecks of fast-food CEOs. All in all, some of the biggest problems that we have as a society come down to runaway corporate greed and poverty, issues that we cannot solve divided against one another.

Open Doors

Life is filled with doors, unique chances to start something new. Every day we are surrounded by opportunities; some small, others large but all with the potential to change our lives if we simply have the courage to seize them. While, each opportunity that we are presented with may not be simple, they are still out there if we choose to fight for them. Benjamin Mee, author of the book We Bought a Zoo later adapted to a 2011 film starring Matt Damon, writes, “Sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just literally twenty seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it.” 

For me, life may have closed a few doors but it has also opened more than I ever possibly could have imagined. As I look back I realize the great number of amazing chances have crossed my path, some of which I would not have ever expected. I have learned over the years that many of the biggest opportunities that we face are, in fact, completely unexpected and often times absolutely terrifying. There is power in being able to recognize and react to unforeseen possibilities, to use those twenty seconds. There are times when taking that first great leap is the hardest thing to do but all great things must begin somewhere.

Things like starting my work with Make-A-Wish, beginning my blog and making connections with new people were all chances I decided to take not knowing where it would go. Sometimes the only way to know if something is worth doing is to simply try it—to step over that proverbial threshold. To quote Ralph Waldo Emerson, "All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.” In other words, we need to constantly put ourselves out there and try new things in order to get the most of what life has to offer.

When we open ourselves up to new ideas and experiences, more doors seem to appear and eventually every day starts to resemble the door warehouse from Monsters Inc. There are always opportunities to learn something new, to talk to someone new, to create something, to begin new chapters in our lives. It may always not be easy but, take it from me, it is certainly worth it. 

Missed chances—doors we let close—tend be some of the biggest regrets we hold. There is certainly a difference, however, between seizing the moment and being afraid of missing opportunities; sometimes things just simply don't work out. The trick is being willing to look for that next chance and remain optimistic that other doors will continue to open. May we all have the courage to enter the doors that are open, the serenity to accept the doors that have closed and the wisdom to know the difference.  

Rocket Science: A Guide to Launching

Life is not about leaving the launchpad but instead learning to fly mentally. To me, growing-up is more a path of self-discovery than a physical destination or specific accomplishment. So much of our adolescence is spent preparing to launch, to leave the nest, to become independent adults. For those of us who do not fit within this cultural directive though, it can sometimes be difficult to feel like successful members of society.

From a very young age, most of us are taught, bit by bit, to fend for ourselves. We learn to sit up, to walk, to talk, to feed ourselves, to tie our shoes, to drive a car, so on and so forth—launch preparations. We typically tend to see this as the natural progression of life, each step built on the previous, all leading to total self-reliance. This process may work for many people but it does not necessarily account for everyone. There is definitely value in developing certain life skills, however, it is different for each of us.

Early on in my childhood, I met many of the assumed milestones only to loose much of my physical ability; this change certainly did not make me any less of a person. Just because I do not meet our culture's strict expectations does not mean my existence is less meaningful. Unfortunately, we still live in a society where the phrase "lives with their parents" has an automatically negative connotation and success has a dollar value. I may not have launched in the traditional sense, so to speak, but I have still launched mentally. After all, not all astronauts get to go to space.

Finding oneself is no easy task though, especially for those who live at home. It was, no doubt, challenging to watch most of my friends take off. Another tough aspect was transitioning into adulthood with no concrete change in responsibility or living situation. Occasionally, it was a little tricky for my parents to remember that I was, in fact, an adult. We both had to shift our perceptions of just what it means to grow up.

Becoming an adult is difficult for anyone but it happens whether we want it to or not. I had to become my own person with my own priorities and interests. I have learned to expand my horizons intellectually instead of geographically. We do not have to visit the stars to understand their beauty. Whether we live where we grew up or somewhere that feels like a distant galaxy, we are all part of this brilliant expedition known as life.