Disney happens to have a very short list of films in which the heroine has both parents, let alone a decent relationship with them. In fact, only two Disney films show our protagonist living with both parents. Mulan and Merida are the only princesses who don't lose a parent throughout their respective films. Each leading lady does what they do because of a relationship strain with one parent. So, what is Disney trying to say? We often see that the main character is already missing a parent, or they're kidnapped and raised away from their parents. So, what's up?

Mulan showcases the father/daughter relationship differently than most. With mama Fa still around that makes this relationship very sacred. Mulan wants nothing but to protect her father, if that means taking his place in the army, she does. His failing health forces Mulan to make the tough decision to do what she does. After all, she kinda had failed at the Match Maker earlier that day. The opportunity to do something that would make her father not only proud but save him is just an added bonus. Mulan later admits in the film that she did this to prove she could, but I feel that's more of a justification than the truth behind why she did what she did. In the end, she saves China, and comes home a decorated war hero. The first person she goes to is her father, who tells her that he didn't need any of this, he'd always just loved her for her. 
 
Contrasting that is the strained relationship between Merida and her mother. Merida just wants to do whatever she wants, but her mother wants her groomed to be a proper princess. She's grooming Merida to take over the kingdom and be a great ruler someday. The two seem to clash often, and as Merida is a force to be record with, well, she does what she wants. In doing so she gets her mom transformed into a bear. The two have to learn to communicate their issues without her mother being able to actually talk. The whole ordeal is truly inspiring in a way, as these two who refused to see eye to eye had to come together and solve a problem. Eventually they do, and just in the nick of time too. Things are forever changed after that. Merida can marry when she's ready, more importantly, her mom understands her teenage daughter just a bit better.

The commentary on each type of relationship, mother/daughter and father/daughter is so different it's hard to compare the two. One was about acceptance the other communication....one was subtler while the other more blatant. In the end, both are needed and valuable life lessons.

When last we left off, I'd shared some of my favorite Vampire lore with you guys and what I'd learned from vampire media. Well, today I'm going to tackle the arduous task of how to kill a Vampire.

This also depends on what type of lore we're going with. It turns out, there's many different ways to kill a Vampire as there are Vampires. There are two basic ways to kill them that rings true in almost all lore. Cut off the head and/or stake them in the heart. Simple, right? Sure! If you ignore the fact that these creatures are generally super-fast, super strong, and sometimes can read your mind.

In Supernatural, Vampires are strong, fast, and connected to the Alpha Vampire. To top it off, all their teeth are sharp fangs. But it's okay, just cut off the head and you're safe from ever having to deal with them again.

Yet, that doesn't always work. In many an Anime, cutting off a Vampire's head doesn't guarantee a dead Vampire. Like in NightWalker: The Midnight Detective and Hellsing, Vampires can totally survive having their heads chopped off. So, what's the next best thing? Buffy, Dracula, and The Originals tell us that a stake through the heart will solve that pesky Vampire problem easy. Fright Night was a fantastic example of this and went along the same lines as Dracula. Stab the main Vampire in the heart with a stake, and every person he turned into a Vampire turns back to human! The Originals takes it a step further. If you want to kill an Original Vampire (such as Dracula) then you need to stab them in the heart with a stake made out of white oak. 

Fire, though, works enough to do some major damage on a Vampire as Moonlight and Interview with a Vampire taught me. But it won't kill them. So, stake them or cut off their head. Easy enough. But how do we survive in a world ruled by Vampires? That's pretty easy, just stay inside or always in a sunny region. Because if there is one thing a Vampire hates, it's sunlight. The Originals proves this wrong. If you happen to be an original Vampire, then you can totally walk around in sunlight. So do many Anime/Manga Vampires. What about garlic? Vampires hate that, right? Not according to Hotel Transylvania. Vampires don't like garlic because it just smells bad. Which is kind of true…What I also loved about this line of lore was that it was a throwback to the old Vampyric lore. Vampires turning into bats, hiding from sunlight, it’s a fantastic tale. There's no mention of how to kill those Vampires but that's okay.

Pale skin, fangs, not going into sunlight; yeah that's a Vampire. Not something that sparkles and has an emo haircut. The best way to survive in a Vampire run world is to keep a sword, and a stake handy, stay in sunlight, and if worse comes to worse, just…don't befriend them. While Vampires are fun characters, their lore has taught me that unless you're Buffy, a therapist, or possibly a love interest, a Vampire will eat you. And being eaten, looks fun, after all, we have many a Vampire inspired novel to make it look sexy. But hypodermic needles made out of teeth going into your neck is not the ideal way to go.

Also, seriously, sparkly Vampires? That's just an insult to Dracula himself.

What goes great with shark bowls? Shark slippers. I don't actually know that for sure, but I just assume they do. Currently on sale for $11.99, these guys strike fear into the hearts of any mere mortal. It also sends a message to other people to not talk to you in the morning. That last part was made up, but it would make a lot of sense. Cute, comfy, more importantly they could bite off the feet of your enemies! Keep your own feet warm with shark slippers. Maybe you can wear these with that Shark Onsey someone awesome bought you...for maximum shark transformation.

If we're going for a total Shark transformation, why not get a shark mask? I mean, I'll admit this kind of scares me on multiple levels. But realistically, this shark mask could be fun for pranks, like scaring your friends, family, and so on. Or it could be used to run around your house pretending to be a shark. Either or, this Jaws Replica mask is available on Amazon for $67.99. Does anyone else have the sudden urge to do a live reenactment?

For something slightly less terrifying and publicly acceptable, a Shark backpack serves several purposes. It can carry food, and other stuff, but also look really awesome. This backpack comes with an angry shark face and awesome fin and goes for $19.99 right now. Whether you're in school, or just wanting a fun travel accessory, this shark backpack is the perfect gift for you or your shark loving buddy!

​Well, while Shark Week may be coming to an end, we can still live every day knowing that these majestic creatures of murder live on. Not to mention the wonderful merchandise that exists for us out there, helps make every week, Shark Week.

Lately, it's been a bit of a running joke among some of the team, that I am a Vampire. By joke, I mean I text John telling him I'm a vampire. Which is a nice break from texting him saying I'm a leafy sea dragon. Yeah, I don't know either, but it's fun. This got us on the topic of Vampires and Vampire lore. That got me thinking on how, like Zombies, Vampires have so many different story lines and types. And, well, if Zombies have taught me things, so have Vampires!

Now, before we get started, here, there are many different types of Vampires and lore. I'm only going to touch on a few, because I can rant about this for hours. Since we're here, let's make one thing clear, shall we? Vampires don't sparkle. Moving on! How awesome was Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Yeah, that show was amazing. It was also a really good movie! Buffy taught me that you could be a normal teenager and totally still kill monsters. It also taught me that if you fall in love with a Vampire he's most likely going to be a jerk.

If a Vampire doesn't drink blood, is it still a Vampire? Blade answered that question. Yes! Well, in many lore they're called Dampyres, but they're also half breeds, so there's that! Half human, half Vampire; interesting mix that always makes for a great protagonist. Vampires are always painted as bad guys in the world of Blade, but there is good news; Vampyrism is curable in this world. However, Blade taught me that even if you're a little bit Vampire, you still can drink blood, and be awesome. And that Vampires hate anything that's half Vampire. Also, if you're a hybrid that you're stronger than all the other Vampires and can totally just murder all of them. Which was awesome to watch!

Interview with a Vampire taught me that Ann Rice has a few novels that aren't half bad to read! The movie adaptation taught me that Tom Cruise actually looked decent in a long wig and fangs. This movie/book taught me that it's totally okay for Vampire's to be gay…because that's literally all that book is about…the movie, though, was fun! Brad Pitt was adorable. Also, if you feed a Vampire dead people blood, and set them on fire, there is no guarantee that they are going to be dead. So…decapitate it or push it into sunlight to make sure that, that evil being of hell-spawn isn't going to come find you, years later, because it's a crazy stalker. This is also the quintessential being turned against a person's will story. Like, oh, did you want to be a Vampire? Because, surprise. You are one. Now never leave my side. Ever. Seriously! Lestat is like a stage 5 clinger with no qualms about personal space.

The Underworld movie series taught me that I am very particular about my Vampires and their fangs. Seriously Underworld shows their Vampires with these tiny little fangs and it just does not work. If you're going to be a Vampire, you need respectable fangs. Fangs that scare and seduce people! Also, apparently Vampires have color changing eyes. Which, I thought they just turned into like cat type eyes. You know, with the slitted pupil…but whatever.

Priest taught me the most important lesson of all. That Karl Urban is hot Which was kind of confusing and made me question my sexuality a little bit. But then he was Bones on Star Trek and John Kennex on Almost Human, so I figured, eh, he's attractive and I should just stop questioning that. Oh, and the movie taught me that Vampires were their own species until they infected humans. Speaking of infections, does I Am Legend count as a Vampire movie? They were kind of Vampire-esque but I'm not sure if they count. If they do, then they were terrifying. If they don't, then they were still scary, and I will never forgive them for the dog. Anime and Manga just taught me that they're all pretty and that being a Vampire totally looks fun. Like, there's no repercussions with being a living dead being…and that they're all just rich beyond reason. And all of them live in nice houses. 

But of course, Dracula, the original Vampire tale taught me that vampires are irresistible. They can also control you telepathically. This is also where a lot of the original ideas come from. Like turning into a Bat (how cute was Hotel Transylvania?) and sneaking into people's rooms at night to feed on them. All kinds of craziness happens here. 

Well, that's it for now! Part Two will come shortly and delve into how to kill Vampires and survive attacks!

Throughout the various things I’ve learned, I can say some very interesting life lessons have come from television. Anything from comedies to reality TV, every show has something to learn from. As such, why not write about it?!

Friends taught me so many things. I actually watched the premiere of that show and the end of it. Every single episode was seen from the couch, in my parents living room, with my parents. Every single Thursday night; typically, with pizza too. The first thing I learned from this show was that OCD was totally okay to have. Growing up, my mom was a little on the neurotic side with her cleaning. On the show, so was Monica. That was really cool to see. Aside from that, this show also proved that Italians are totally stereotyped. I’m just saying….

Friends also taught me that it was really okay if the girl you really liked and dated broke up with you. Because in the end, you’d both get back together, and break up, have a kid, and then get back together again. If there were any major life lessons in that, it was don’t date your friends. It makes things really awkward when things don’t work out. Also, they were on a break. I always liked how these six different people got along so well with their distinct personalities. Watching this show as an adult I can honestly say I have a different view on it.

Seinfeld taught me that being snarky is totally okay. I’d like to say that this show is where I get my snarky attitude from but let’s agree that some of that is genetics and move on. No, but really, this show was really fantastic. I recently watched the first season on TV the other day and I can’t believe how dated it is. It’s so fantastic. This show made me want to live in New York. It also taught me that the normal lives of everyday people are hilarious and filled with sarcasm. With so many quotable lines, and always a hidden Superman, this show was really amazing. The ending however, robbed me. Kind of like How I Met Your Mother. This show was really good. Except for the Robin/Ted constant love thing. It was no different than Ross/Rachel and their thing. The ending of the show was beyond not at all what should have actually happened. Regardless, this show taught me a lot about being an adult. Mostly, New York is expensive and seems to always be raining. It also showed a lot less traffic than what actually exists in real life. Yet, this show makes me want a relationship like Lily and Marshal have. Barney is utterly amazing but taught me that being promiscuous is hilarious and has a great story to tell. That and really, Canada. That’s all I have to say. Canada.

Of course, there are other shows out there. Modern Family, for instance, made me realize that my family isn’t so bad. It also taught me the value of being there for your family, and that sometimes, you just have to laugh at the disasters. Arrow was good for life lessons like, ‘don’t be a super-rich bad person’. While Supernatural taught me that maybe learning how to do an exorcism isn’t such a bad idea. I mean, you never know when you’ll need to do one. It also taught me to get into shape for fighting demons. Firefly was great for learning that the government is probably going to be a bad thing in the future. And stealing is okay. The Walking Dead made me realize I really need to work on my cardio…and become a ninja.

Reality shows have even more life lessons to them. For starters, Real Housewives taught me that I never want to be on that show. Ever. Below Deck is a good reason to never go yachting. Or that if I do, that its really expensive and people working the yacht expect a really, very, large tip. Million Dollar Listings has shown me a different side to real-estate. I honestly had no idea that that industry was so cut throat. Also, multimillion-dollar homes are either super large and extravagant, or normal looking. Really, it depends on the area. Unless it’s New York City, then, they’re all small apartments worth millions of dollars and everyone wants to live there. The Millionaire Match Maker taught me that just because you’re rich, doesn’t mean you will find love. And just because you’re pretty doesn’t mean you’re a gold digger. But you have to be super pretty in order to be set up on a date with a millionaire. Like, seriously, you have to be stunning or you’re not allowed in that club.

Catfish taught me that I will never date anyone I meet on the internet ever…because they’re probably a liar and trying to mess with me. Unless they’re a genuine person with genuine intentions…It’s a confusing show. Half the time things work out for the bad…. like more than half the time. On that note, any crime show ever, has taught me that regardless of what I do, I will get caught. Because police and investigators have super vision and senses that will magically find that one tiny skin follicle left behind. And they will throw me in jail. And I will be sad. I guess the better answer is that to just not commit crimes…

Any cooking show ever has taught me that I really cannot cook. Like, seriously guys, I can’t. Chopped is the main show that proves no matter what I do, I will never be able to make ramen noodles and tortillas into delectable 5-star appetizers that every chef in the world will drool over. That and I burn water. How do you burn water? I don’t know, I just do. Most importantly, cooking shows just make me hungry.

For one moment, let’s think about all the romantic comedies we’ve sat through. Maybe you’ve begrudgingly watched one with the person you liked because, hey that’s what we do when we like someone, right? But, for the most part, these movies (and we all secretly have at least one that we don’t hate), are total lies. We all know this, or do we? Most of us do…there is a formula, however, that might just explain why some of us secretly want our lives to work out like a rom-com. Person A meets person B under some quirky/awkward circumstances. Person A or B thinks they’re not good enough for the other. One of them works hard to win the affections of the other. Then they screw up and break up. Then person B does something drastic to win person A back, and boom, they’re magically over whatever happened.

Cute, right? Wrong! Let’s be honest, here, if anything in real life happened the way it did in rom-coms we’d all be filing restraining orders. We are all secretly a little awkward, and every last one of us has insecurities, so when we see relatable characters on the big screen overcoming that to be with someone, we think we can do it. That part is totally awesome, and we should all take a page from those characters and just go for it. Why not! After all, we’re all wonderful people with great personalities, right? 

Yes, we are, stop arguing. Where this all differs is in the communication department. And here is where I start yelling at TV and movie screens. People in these movies do not communicate. For whatever reason, they’re completely incapable about talking to their love interest about their feelings. Which maybe is more accurate than I am willing to admit. But, listen, guys, 90% of problems can be solved by communicating them in positive, non-aggressive ways.

And while these movies are funny and adorable, and that’s why we like them, they also have some pretty powerful messages in them. Like stalking is wrong, and filling someone’s mailbox with love letters is creepy after a bit. And nobody gives heart-warming monologues! Unless you’re Batman, or Chris Evans, showing up to someone’s work and declaring your undying love for them is probably not going to go over well. IT might result in you getting arrested. Then again, if someone showed up right now dressed as Batman and told me they loved me, I’d be a little concerned and just a smidge melty…

Even some love arcs in comics and video games are a bit weird. Except for Mario, that’s just classic…I mean, you can’t just let giant Turtles’ steal your girlfriend! It’s not cool! Link will always try and save Zelda, Sora will do his best to protect Kairi (or find Riku, I mean I feel Kingdom Hearts is just admitting those two are a couple outright), and Batman and Catwoman will always do some strange things to show they don’t hate each other. Like she’s sometimes not stealing things, and he’s sometimes always going to put her in jail. What even is with that? That’s right…I just made nerdy things seem as if they’re romantic comedies…in a way, I’m not wrong…