Rethink.

I just wanted to announce a new Web site that I will be dedicating myself to for the next four months. I will be studying abroad in Lille, France, until the end of the year and have created a site to tell about my experiences. Some people do different things to inform their friends and family about their semesters abroad - there are blogs, journals, video entries on YouTube, picture postings on Facebook, e-mail and even snail mail (normally via postcards). I can announce I will probably use all of them. BUT the one which will be updated the most will be my special Web site I created. I wanted to be unique, creating something different so here you have it: http://jmolnar.net/abroad . It is a site set up like a newspaper, called "Les Devoirs" (meaning homework in French). I thought it was an appropriate title, and not too long either. With that said, I hope to blog more this year and can just tell you to check back now and again. Au revoir! A bientot!

So this past weekend was amazing. The anticipation had been building for months for all of us Disney-philes (you just don’t have to be a 10-year-old to enjoy this stuff!). It was time to see what the East High Wildcats were up to; Friday night was the premiere of High School Musical 2 on Disney Channel, accompanied by an entire weekend of showings. The sequel, I have to say, is refreshing. It’s much better than the original; HSM2 is also more original than the original. The first movie finds a group of high schoolers in a similar situation as the classic musical Grease and the movie version featuring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John (and Grease is a updated retelling of the classic Romeo & Juliet ). The numbers in the first were well-done, but the plot was a little too cheesy and trying for me, which only added to the fact that the lead character’s voice (Zac Efron’s Troy Bolton) was dubbed over and instead, Canadian Andrew Seeley sang the parts. (This is a little annoyi...

I sit here typing moments after finishing the final Harry Potter book, delayed, I know, but finished nonetheless. I didn’t want the book to end, the adventures to come to a close. While it is early Friday morning, almost two weeks since the book’s release, I find myself teary-eyed and not ready to sleep, but to reminisce – for finishing the book has given me a renewed shot of adrenaline. Don’t worry, my post will remain spoiler-free for all those (like me hours earlier) who have not completed their adventures with the bespectacled, lightning-scarred wizard. The end of the book – to be brief – was amazing and everything I hoped it would be. But I won’t be focusing on the end, but the journey, which had held us all captors for some ten years now – and will continue as the two more movies debut and the stories are re-read and passed down generations. This is what I want to look at. The book’s legacy. J.K. Rowling , admittedly, will never be able to top Harry Potter. But who would want to,...

Friday afternoon I was listening to music at my dad’s house in the living when I looked at the large buffet mirror about 10 feet away. I stared into the mirror and back at myself and at that moment I realized – or rather reminded myself – that time is a fleeting entity of my life. I am now a junior in college (50 percent done), at a paid internship (getting ready for the workforce) and about to study abroad (something I’ve dreamed about for years now). In short: I’m growing up and my dreams are becoming a reality. This moment, however, was truly realized about eight hours later (a few minutes ago) when I was getting something out of the living room and briefly glanced into the mirror again, from the same spot as before. I proceeded to walk towards the kitchen when I stopped and continued to look into the mirror. “Wow. I really am growing up,” I thought to myself. In 12 hours, I had stopped to notice time passing. Things had changed since yesterday afternoon. The sun had set and I had ...

Lady in the Water is simply beautiful. When I first heard word of the film back in November 2005, I was automatically anticipating this summer flick. However, it is by no means your average film. From the creative genius that is M. Night Shyamalan, Lady in the Water brings a twist to the bedtime story we know and love. Though, I probably shouldn’t use the term “twist” and Shyamalan together for this movie. The writer-actor-director is known for his shocking plot changes towards the end of the film which ultimately help explain the entire feature; however, he neither employs this ending nor does he expect audiences to anticipate it. This, I believe, is one of the reasons why film critics across America do not appreciate this film. Movie critics, like the one ironically portrayed in the film, know plots and cannot get around Lady ’s basic simplicity. A heart, even with Shyamalan’s added complexity, the film is a fairytale, a bedtime story. The teaser trailer and poster from the beginni...

Currently, I have been using my journalistic ability to stalk my friends around the Internet. It's not a bad thing, really. I find people I know and learn about their lives. Two and a half weeks ago, I started my first summer internship at a local television affiliate (I would give details, but I myself don't like to give too many in case someone might be stalking me). I was looking at my usual Web site when I spotted someone whom I know. Next thing I know I’m reading a Web log (“blog”) by one of my colleagues at the affiliate. I read for about half an hour. The details. The photographs. The emotion. I felt as if I was reading a journal. And then I realized that my colleague – I would call him a friend but I have only known him a short time and do not believe we have befriended one another – is pouring out his soul and feelings while typing . Expressing emotion with others has always been something that is hard for me, but I do believe sometimes expressing what is inside you ca...

In Memoriam Peter Jennings 1938-2005 ABC News reporter Charles Gibson came on in the special report saying: “And it is with a profound sadness and true sorrow that I report to you Peter Jennings has died tonight of lung cancer.” Tears begin welling up in my eyes as I watch. He is the reason I watch and count on ABC News to stay informed. The quality of news at the network is a result of his constant push for excellence and real news. In recent days, I have been waiting with baited breath for Mr. Jennings to return to the anchor desk. Unfortunately, my wish – along with the wishes of countless viewers and colleagues – will not be granted. Peter Jennings was my role model, inspiration. He is one of the reasons why I love journalism. Whether it was breaking news or a scheduled newscast, the way he informed was poetic, simply beautiful. “Peter did it all,” Mr. Gibson described. “He reported from every corner of the globe. No one in this business understood events overseas better than Peter...