Last Saturday, a young friend of mine invited me to go to the new Sacha Baron Cohen movie, Bruno. I was not excited about this particular choice since I saw Borat a few years ago and thought that for the most part, it was a waste of film. However, I wanted to spend some time with my friend and decided to join her. . . . Long story short, I had to suffer through the most disgusting, disrespectful, awful movie I have ever seen!

Please, don't go to see this movie!

The film has no redeeming qualities, and in my opinion, is an insult to the LGBT Community. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) president Jarrett Barrios agrees, stating the film "reinforces negative stereotypes and decreases the public's comfort with gay people." ("GLAAD: Bruno Reinforces Negative Gay Stereotypes") If you are homosexual, or have a homosexual loved one, you will undoubtedly be outraged at the impudence with which the LGBT Community is portrayed.

For its part, "Universal Pictures maintains that Bruno is a satire that 'uses provocative comedy to powerfully shed light on the absurdity of many kinds of intolerance and ignorance, including homophobia.'" I believe that this statement is utterly and completely disingenuous. In fact, if Bruno does anything, it will set back the understanding and acceptance of homosexuals many years.

For example, the scene where "Bruno is in a hot tub with his adopted infant son and two naked men involved in a sex act" is sure to insight intolerance (and possibly even aggression) against homosexual parents. Once again, Barrios feels the same, saying that this scene "[doesn't] help America understand the hundreds of thousands of gay families who get up every day, do the carpool then rush home to make dinner and be with their children."

It is my hope that the American public will vote with their dollars and make it a point not to see this repulsive, appalling excuse for a movie.

Anna Sherise
Co-Creator of Magna Sententia
Co-Author of Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society

Disclaimer
Anna Sherise and Ellie Sherise are not licensed or trained healthcare professionals, counselors, or financial advisors. This article is provided for informational purposes only, and is not intended to take the place of the care and advice given to you by your physician, counselor, other healthcare professional, or financial advisor. Sherise Media LLC, its members and representatives, specifically disclaim all responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this article and/or website.

If you are like multitudes of Americans, you may have just lost your job, been forced to downsize your home, or drastically curbed your spending because of our current economic recession. I know from personal experience how stressful tough financial times and unemployment can be, but instead of feeling hopeless and depressed, we can take our struggles as an opportunity to re-evaluate the path we have chosen for our lives and analyze where we are, where we have been, and where we want to go.

It is immensely satisfying to encounter individuals who love their work. You can always tell whether or not people do! Unfortunately, I don't run into this too often, but a few years ago, my husband and I hired a man to stucco our home, and it was a delight to watch the pride with which this man and his co-workers performed their work. I will never forget them. Just recently, we remodeled our bathroom, and the individuals we worked with were so enthusiastic and professional, taking pride in the finished product, that the process was a joy. How much different both of these experiences would have been if the people I hired didn't want to be there.

In fact, these two experiences are in stark contrast to what I normally come across. I'm sure you know what I am talking about: The waiter at the restaurant who never fills your water glass, mixes up your order, and seems annoyed when you ask for extra napkins. Or the college professor who delivers the same lectures each semester for years, never modifying them to reflect current events or other relevant changes. Sometimes, I feel like people are just going through the motions until their workday is over - and that always leaves me a bit frustrated and often disappointed.

Do you really love your job or is there another occupation that you have always dreamed of pursuing? Maybe now is a good time to return to school for new training or a completely different career. With every choice we make, there is give and take, but what matters most is that at the end of our lives, we have made the most of our days. Making sure that we are satisfied with our choices takes courage and perseverance, but in order to feel fulfilled, we must remember that our contentment is more important than the size of our paychecks. Life is much too short to do something day in and day out that does not make us happy.

A number of years ago, I read a great book on this subject: "Do What You Are: Discover the Perfect Career for You Through the Secrets of Personality Type" by Paul D. Tieger and Barbara Barron-Tieger. I would highly recommend this if you are at a crossroads and need to make a change.

Let me know if you decide that now is the time for you to pursue your dreams!

Anna Sherise
Co-Creator of Magna Sententia
Co-Author of Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society

Disclaimer
Anna Sherise and Ellie Sherise are not licensed or trained healthcare professionals, counselors, or financial advisors. This article is provided for informational purposes only, and is not intended to take the place of the care and advice given to you by your physician, counselor, other healthcare professional, or financial advisor. Sherise Media LLC, its members and representatives, specifically disclaim all responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this article and/or website.

As authors, we of course love books. In our opinion, reading is an excellent way to increase our understanding of the world, as well as the people in it (including ourselves).

Through reading, we can go places and meet people we never would have, we can learn from the mistakes of others and use this knowledge to make better choices in our own lives.

Here are two extremely thought-provoking books that we highly recommend:

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand first published this classic back in 1957, and it has sold over 25 million copies to date. Do not let the 1000 pages scare you away! Everyone should take the time to read this incredible work at least once in his or her lifetime. (Many people feel that it is particularly relevant today.)

She's Not There by Jennifer Finney Boylan
Not only is this memoir well written and witty, but it also gives the best account that we have ever read of the life of a transgender woman. If you are unfamiliar with transgender people and their journey, this will give you insight as to what it means to be transgender, how this condition affects loved ones and friends, in addition to the many aspects of transition. Most of all, She's Not There leaves you with an appreciation of the great courage it takes for transgender individuals to come out and become their true selves.

Anna and Ellie Sherise
Creators of Magna Sententia
Authors of Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society

I have always thought that exercising is a lot like studying for a test: There are subjects I enjoy learning about and subjects I can't stand, but whatever the test is on, I feel much more relaxed and confident if I am prepared. (Not to mention, the results are better!) In the same way, even if I don't always enjoy the process, there is nothing like exercise to keep me relaxed and confident (a.k.a. out of my fat jeans), and it is something I make sure to schedule in because I know it is an integral part of taking responsibility for my health.

If you haven't exercised in a while because you've been too busy, or you have never exercised a day in your life, now is the time to make it a priority. Even if you start with just a few minutes three times a week, a little bit of something beats absolutely nothing, and I guarantee you, it will improve your outlook on life.

I think the key is to find the right kind of exercise for you. Personally, I prefer being outside and breathing the fresh air, but if you have to exercise inside, you can't beat a Richard Simmons video: The music is great, the dance moves are fun, and the videos build in intensity so you don't get overwhelmed in the beginning. Most importantly, Richard is such an encouraging and uplifting person that you feel better about life and yourself when you're done.

Lately, Richard has been in the news because he is trying to get PE back into schools. Thank you, Richard! (Help him here.) Childhood obesity has become an epidemic in America, and in order to combat this, we need to educate students and get them moving. Further, this education has to start in the home: According to Magna Sententia, parents must take responsibility for their children, and this includes teaching your children (directly and by example) about proper diet and exercise.

Make the decision to take care of yourself today, for you and your children.

Ellie Sherise
Co-Creator of Magna Sententia
Co-Author of Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society

Disclaimer
Anna Sherise and Ellie Sherise are not licensed or trained healthcare professionals, counselors, or financial advisors. This article is provided for informational purposes only, and is not intended to take the place of the care and advice given to you by your physician, counselor, other healthcare professional, or financial advisor. Sherise Media LLC, its members and representatives, specifically disclaim all responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this article and/or website.