If you find yourself struggling with a drug or alcohol problem it can often feel like a tug of war is going on inside of you. You will probably be flicking between convincing yourself that you don’t actually have a problem to wondering if you are strong enough to seek the help that you’re pretty sure you need. You will probably also be feeling shame, both at where you have landed in life and the fact that you are considering asking for help. But there is no need to be ashamed on either count.

Letting go of the shame is the first step in seeking help. There are some great addiction recovery programs out there that can help you deal with the shame you are feeling and help you get clean. Choosing to seek help for an addiction can be a hard decision to make and it doesn’t in any way mean that you are weak. In fact, it takes a strong person to face their issues and realize that they need help.

You can try to get clean on your own, but it can be difficult, and sometimes impossible. With a recovery program you not only get the support you need to succeed, but you learn new life skills and coping mechanisms that you can put into place to help you stay clean. You also leave a treatment program with a support system that will continue to help you. And you will have the skills that you need to manoeuvre your life healthy and sober.

If you are struggling with alcohol or drugs and think that you need help, don’t be ashamed. Seek the help that you need and deserve and you will be well on the road to recovery. Don’t let unnecessary feelings of shame stop you from getting better.

Don’t be Ashamed to Get the Help You Need is a post from: Faux Reel

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There is a certain forward momentum in film that unhinges in certain uncertain moments. Looking at the span of years where the Western served as the great genre for action and adventure, and then looking at the years where the less-determined action genres where cars serve as the primary source of transportation, and there is a certain development. The golden age of Westerns might very well be gone, although they do make them now and then. The car movie, that action genre that really dominated the box office in the 70s and 80s, could also very well be on its way to the past. Robots and spaceships are usually somewhere to be found in every Cineplex. The movement does seem to be from horses to wheels to air and space.

While it’s unlikely that they will disappear altogether, it is a little more difficult to find films with mud tires these days, especially in contrast to the movies with battles in the air. In this regard, then, the Mad Max films could be the high point, and possibly even that place where everything began to turn.

The setting here was very much the stuff of the old west. It doesn’t matter that it took place in the future, the idea of a lawless outpost is one that made every cowboy movie exciting and mythically potent. While horses are enormously valuable commodities in Westerns, and at times even beloved pets, the car and truck becomes powerful in the Road Warrior, and more because gasoline is scarce, not that vehicles are rare. This dark version of the future is one that sets up the next generation for another dream, and another mythical reference point.

By the time science fiction reaches a certain peak, something very interesting starts to happen. The genre dies out somewhat, but not because the ideas are gone, but because it enters into the mainstream so deeply that the stuff of science fiction isn’t even perceived as science fiction any longer. In the action films of the last generation, heroes sometimes had challenges like changing off-road tires in the middle of a dangerous moment. This has its counterparts in the Western where the hero’s horse suffers an unfortunate fall in the middle of a big battle. The most contemporary films might have problems with fuel and parts, but this time in the air.

There were science fiction films in the past, and there are Western films in the present. The genres have moments of rising and falling, but they don’t go away. There are many ways of telling the same story. There may only be one story, as some would claim, with different flavors, and all of them have a potential to move the imagination to where it sees itself, and sees itself reflecting toward the past and the future simultaneously.

Horse Power to Horsepower to Air Wars is a post from: Faux Reel

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In terms of pure nostalgia, thinking about the past is never an attempt to rescue it. Nostalgia works through the elusive senses, particularly through smell, opening up a passageway that is entirely temporal and always on the verge of closing again forever. Smell is the thing that wafts in and wafts out, and nostalgia works the same way. Like a perfume, there are ways of constructing it, but it depends almost entirely on the chemical responses on the other side of the equation. Not everyone will take to the perfect smell, revealing that the perfect smell does not exist in itself.

This is brilliantly illustrated in one of the great nostalgia films of all time, American Graffiti . Here, the film about a moment of adolescence that anyone over 18 has walked through, captures an enormous sensibility, and one that is as elusive as any scent. It has produced a generation of fans, particularly among those who just missed the 50s, that particularly self-aware wave of baby boomers who still articulate their experience in terms of instable perceptions. It is that particular kind of self-awareness that fuels a lot of the most complex arenas in hot rod culture. It is a quotation of a certain past, and it is also coupled with an awareness that this will always be the present.

A perfect replica is not the goal, otherwise there would be tires of questionable quality that look the part, rather than centerline wheels and other accoutrements of modern high technology. This does come home with the rider who wanted to recreate the one Paul Le Mat drove in the film. The attempt was not worthy in itself, until the product started to bear a real resemblance, and became, in effect, a convincing replica of a machine that is a quotation of another recreation of a replica. Although this particular fun house is full of complex mirrors, instead of deflecting our gaze, they pull us in further, because this is precisely what nostalgia does.

So while there is a sense that the film that marked Richard Dreyfus in our celluloid imagination forever, it did so for a number of reasons. There is the charm in the style of the visuals, and the crisp and clean performances. There is also a charm in the nostalgia, where it’s not trying to mark a moment to bring it back, but to feel its particular loss. A memory of a car can make any other car look like a ghost, and our own childhood suddenly starts to look like a version of ourselves seen on the other side of a river.

American Graffiti and the Invention of Nostalgia is a post from: Faux Reel

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It might just be every young filmmaker’s dream to make the perfect buddy movie.  Most aspiring performing artists have considered it at one time or another, getting a camera and taking a road trip with friends, and faking their way through the rest of it.  Even the ones who do break through in the business have these dreams, like a young Robert Downey making plans for an art project with his friends, or Jonny Depp, living out a very popular fantasy and turning Hunter S. Thompson’s masterpiece into a cinematic daydream.  All these projects are fragile and tentative, and most of the great ideas with friends never do see any light, but the ones that do are powerful documents for a generation.

For the aspiring filmmaker, then, the main thing to keep in mind is that most of these projects do fail.  The reasons for their failures are multiple and complex, but deciding to actually make the project can put you in a better position than most.  It is kind of a slacker dream, after all, and slacker dreams don’t often make their way into any kind of palpable reality.  One way to avoid having your film become something that only gets talked about is to make a decision to not talk about it.  If it stays under wraps, then it has a better chance of getting seen, because it becomes something you want to show people.  Because you haven’t told them about it already.  And the trick here is to keep it secret long enough that it turns into a film.

The next decision is to consider the genre.  Do you want to make a buddy film, or a road movie?  There is a distinction.  Of course, like any distinction in the art world, it’s not fixed, just as genres are not set in concrete.  Every filmmaker has the right, and in some cases the genius, to redefine these things.  There are, after all, plenty of films that do cross over into both categories.  Buddy films focus on the relationship between two people, and road movies focus on an adventure.  In films like Thelma and Louise, or the Motorcycle Diaries, the adventure and the friendships are equally important.  It’s a very good idea, then, for new filmmakers to know their traditions, to make a choice that is based on knowledge, and a willingness to break with certain forms.

The next step, then, is preparation.  If you are hoping to make a film that inspires generations, you’ll need to spend a significant amount of time developing the script and working with the actors.  But if it’s a project that’s intended to be a rough document of a cultural moment, there isn’t much more that’s necessary than enough money for gas and food, and a link for a saturn repair manual download in case of emergencies on the road.  It is an adventure, after all, and the road to adventure is sometimes well paved, and sometimes filled with potholes.

The First Movie with the Handheld is a post from: Faux Reel

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Everybody loves to sit down and watch a good movie. Whether it is better to do that at home or at the move theater is a question being debated more and more in a world where movies are available on demand, or can be sent right to your mailbox.

There are a few definite advantages to watching a movie at home as opposed to in a movie theater. Getting an on-demand movie at home means you get to watch the movie when it is convenient for you, rather than at a specific time set by the movie theater. If you need to pause the movie for whatever reason, you can do it. If you watch a movie at home there is no need to pay an exorbitant amount of money for a soda and a tub of popcorn or box of candy. There is no line for the bathroom, and if you talk during the movie no one is going to throw you out. Perhaps the biggest reason people watch movies at home is because the general public has become a bunch of inconsiderate movie goers. As long as their are people who continue to talk and send texts during movies, people will watch movies at home even more.

For most people, when they move to a new home one of the first things they do is to make sure the cable TV is set up. Whether you have a traditional cable company or satellite cable, most people want their cable set up right away so they can turn on the TV and feel at home, even if most of their other possessions are still sitting around in boxes.

The new advancements in home entertainment have expanded to include the ability to have surround sound in your house. With TVs becoming bigger and thinner every day, a lot of people are having a big screen TV installed in their house so they can have the movie theater experience without the hassle of having to go to an actual move theater.

As the cost of going to movies rises, and more and more alternatives are being presented to people to be able to view movies in the comfort and privacy of their own home, the debate over whether it is better to watch movies at home or at the movie theater will continue until eventually one outweighs the other in terms of popularity.

Home Movies vs. Movie Theaters is a post from: Faux Reel

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Many people have fantasies about being a movie star, rock star or other famous celebrity. Meanwhile, there are others who seem to be oriented toward a passion for film or music and these are the individuals that actually devote their lives to perfecting their trade and dedicated themselves to their career. This is a particularly tenuous ambition for the actual changes of a making it big are about the same as getting struck by lightening. And that’s for those rare individuals who happen to possess the talent, stamina and “it” quality necessary. In addition, being at the right place at the right time, or knowing the right people definitely makes a huge difference for many talented hopefuls. Meanwhile, if the passion is there, it has to be accepted that no matter what, that individual will pursue their art regardless of obstacles or life elements that get in the way. And this, of course, includes money, which is frequently the biggest challenged faced by most film makers, even those that come from privileged classes or others in the industry. Money Mutual and other personal loan options are a frequent consideration, though there are some standard pieces of advice given to young filmmakers.

So, how do burgeoning independent filmmakers get started? Is going to film school a good way to start? Of course getting a solid education is always a great idea, and regardless of one’s personal genius gift, a solid knowledge of one’s medium and the industry is essential. Of course another argument is that there are various ways to get this understanding, which is true. However, it is true for the film industry as it is for all, or most others, that a solid education in one’s field is necessary for most jobs and greater respect. Meanwhile, depending one what exactly you wish to do in film, your decisions might be a bit different when seeking your first employment . If you intend to become a director, you will likely want to attend a film festival. Having quality samples, short films, etc is great to have around when it’s time to be noticed. Film festivals are a great way to get shorts and low budget films seen. In addition, some potential directors take jobs with major production studios, thinking this will be a great way to make solid connections while earning a living and learning more about the industry. Others insist on making their own movies and nothing else. If this is the route you take there are plenty of personal loan options, a cash advance loan , and other services that will help you with that big project.

Financing Your First Film and Building a Career is a post from: Faux Reel

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TV channels like Home and Garden TV highlight the difficulties that homeowners go though trying to decide on a home that is right for them.  However the reality is that for many prospective home buyers getting a mortgage can often be more difficult than choosing what home is right for them.

With mortgage rates at a near all time low many people with mortgages are scrambling to rake advantage of these rates and lower their monthly payment.  There is a refinancing boom out there and mortgage brokers just cannot keep up!!  The reason being that they had to drastically reduce their workforce when the economy declined and house purchases went down.  Now that refinancing accounts for almost half of all their business they are struggling.

Banks are also struggling as they reduced their staffing levels at the beginning of the year when interest rates rose.  During this time refinancing came to a standstill.  Now things have turned around  the demand has increased – but so has the time its taken you close the loans.  In some cases the turnaround time on a loan has doubled.   With applications up 83% from the beginning of the year it is no wonder!

An associated problem that is compounding the delays are the tighter controls put on the applications by underwriters after the mass foreclosures of the past few years.  They are stricter than ever before.  Another associated issue is the fact that other businesses associated with mortgage loans (appraisers, title companies etc) have also downsized.

All of the above makes for difficult times for the government who are trying to spur a recovery in the housing industry.  If lenders cannot deal with the volume of loans then any benefits to the recovery of the economy are lost.  With refinancing and lower monthly mortgage payments consumers have more disposable income to spend.  Banks can benefit too as they pick up associated fees etc that go with the loans.

This has resulted in recruitment drives across the country as lending institutions and banks attempt to hire trained professionals – many of whom were let go at the start of the year.

Information provided by mortgage calculator helping prospective home buyers with their finance options.

Home & Garden TV – Helping Home Buyers is a post from: Faux Reel

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The interior decorating and design field has been of great interest recently due to the popularity of two of Bravo’s television shows. Both Million Dollar Decorators and Flipping Out are two of the television network’s biggest hits.

Million Dollar Decorators follows the work lives of 5 high-end designers and shows their decorating projects from start to finish. These decorators are used to extremely high budgets and are into lavish decoration and luxury. Their projects range from celebrity homes, hotels, and even restaurants. The decorators conceptualize everything and choose everything from the interior wooden shutters to the fabric of the throw pillows. They usually include lots of decorative pieces and the final design is mind blowing. While their design taste is exquisite, this show is fully of juicy drama. Anything goes in this show and you will see that anything that can go wrong will go wrong. It is a great summer reality show to watch and everyone is anxiously awaiting the second season.

Flipping Out has always been a fan favorite on Bravo. Jeff Lewis is quite the character and he never seems to disappoint on the drama. Whether it is his obsessive compulsive tendencies or his kooky employees, Jeff is always fun to watch. Now that the housing market has slowed down, Jeff has turned solely to design. He no longer flips houses, but his show is still full fantastic design ideas and will add a sense of comedic relief. One of the best parts about this show are his employees, whether it be the maid, Zoila or his assistant, Jenni, there is always something going on at his house.

Bravo television usually produces entertaining shows and it comes as no surprise that some of this summer’s shows are a huge hit. With Million Dollar Decorators and Flipping out, the interior design field has seen a great amount of interest and business in an otherwise slow economy.

Bravo TV Turns Eyes on Interior Design is a post from: Faux Reel

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This summer’s movies are expected to be blockbusters, but thus far, none have really lived up to the hype surrounding each one.
 

One of the major duds of the summer was Pixar’s Cars 2. The movie has high expectations from viewers because of Pixar’s reputation of producing fantastic movies. The original Cars movie was a huge hit and everyone expected the same with the sequel. Unfortunately for Pixar, the movie did not receive good ratings; in fact most major media sources really disliked the movie. The original was witty and had great characters such as, Luigi who sold automobile tires, or Flo who owned the gasoline station. The second movie features mostly Lightening McQueen, who has brand new rims and tires, and Mater, the old tow truck. While the new Cars movie will provide humor for the children, it may be a bore for the parents. It is sad to say that Pixar’s golden streak has now been tarnished with an unnecessary sequel.
 
The next major letdown of the summer was Transformers 3. It seems that whenever a movie company strikes gold on a new movie they have to try and extend it as much as possible. Almost every movie that has come out this summer is a sequel or part of a trilogy or saga. The first Transformers movie was revolutionary in the use of graphics and action scenes but the second movie seemed to lack in plot and character development. This last one was too full of action and lacked any sort of plot development.

The Green Lantern was probably the third biggest failure of the summer, as it had much hype surrounding it but did not deliver. Many comic book readers are huge fans of the Green Lantern and with stars such as Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively, the movie was expected to be entertaining. The plot took too long to develop and the graphics and action was extremely unrealistic. It is unfortunate that a comic with such potential ended up a dud in the theatres.

While this summer was expected to produce some major movies, it has unfortunately let the public down with its overhaul of sequels, prequels, trilogies, sagas, and series.

Summer 2011′s Movies Disappoint is a post from: Faux Reel

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Very few people were untouched by the Great Recession. Home foreclosures , layoffs, lost investments and retirement savings, and rising credit card debt were only the most obvious problems. Even those people who managed to hang on to their homes and jobs faced rising prices, falling property values, and increases in credit card interest rates and fees.

The recession has served as a wake up call after several decades of living on credit and not worrying about what things really cost. If a lender was willing to hand out credit, then borrowers assumed they would be able to pay for it eventually. Otherwise they wouldn’t have qualified in the first place. Unfortunately that has proven false across the board — to the detriment of not only individual finances, but to the national and world economy .

The first lesson that people need to learn, or relearn, in order to combat this problem is how to calculate the true cost of an item before they buy it. Unless they are purchasing something with cash, the actual cost of an item is higher than the price tag. Everything from a house to a car to a meal at a restaurant has a sticker price and a real price. Knowing the latter is much more important when determining whether something is affordable.

Look at the largest example: buying a house. Borrowers need to use a Mortgage Calculator in order to figure out what they will end up paying each month for their home. Taking that figure, which includes interest rate, taxes, and insurance, and multiplying it by the length of the loan will show them what their home will actually cost, which will be considerably more than the amount they are borrowing. The same calculation can be done with an auto loan or even with a credit card. Taking the principle amount, the interest rate, any associated fees and how long it will take to pay it off will create a formula to determine the real cost of an item. Is a single romantic dinner really worth months or years of 15% or 20% interest tacked on to the bill?

With larger items there are even more considerations to be made. Houses require maintenance, utility payments and HOA fees. Cars need gas and repairs and regular maintenance. Even things like computers, DVD players and game consoles require additional purchases in order to make use of them. All of those costs need to be considered a part of the real price of an object.

Know What Things Cost is a post from: Faux Reel

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