The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Wednesday, March 26, 2011

List the
things you re
gra e

Actors starting to
embrace the little screen

could quote some bril- of Michigan no lon
liant scientists and me suitable to oper
well-cited academic vehicle ... for at le
research When that happen
that proves your dream car.
why culti- Then after a ye
vating an a license, in whic
attitude of bussed and hitc
gratitude to wherever I ne
creates ben- the State granted
efits for your restricted driving
physical, which included t
emotional, CARLY tion of a breathal
and mental KEYES car. Before I coul
health, but key in my ignitio
I think it's blow into a machin
fairly obvious that counting I had no alcohol in
my blessings is a far healthi- and then I had to
er pastime than complaining odically as I drove
about my life circumstances. And I was grate
So, instead of the "Why?" After a year wi
I'll focus on the "How?" and ing, living in subur
reference the wisdom of Joni gan, I was ready t
Mitchell and her song "Big the tail pipe if that
Yellow Taxi" regarding my asked of me. Eve
experience with gratitude: Nov. 2013, after t
"Don't it always seem to go / of sobriety, I was
That you don't know what you full license back, t
got / Till it's gone." lyzer was remove
Unfortunately, I couldn't car, and I am free
learn the definition of grati- any legal consequ
tude by looking it up in the to normal, but so m
dictionary. For me, gratitude ent ... and grateful.
wasn't learned; gratitude was So, on Sunday, w
earned, but not in the usual to go pick up equil
way that your earn something. the basement of N
Not in the usual way that you to shoot my latest
earn money by excelling at a a class, I knew it
chosen trade or a medal for tad strenuous. I h
finishing first place in a com- around a bit to s
petition. In order to earn the spot, I had to lug a
attitude of gratitude I now stuffa relatively lo
sport, I had to lose ... almost and load it in my t
everything. knew that eventua
And while Mitchell's catchy to unload it from
track zeroes in on valuing and lug it back.
the environment, the prac- But what was o
tice of losing something in "I'm so glad I have
order to recognize its impor- this and that I'm
tance is a universally under- drive it."
stood conundrum. Whom I had the privile
I don't understand are you ing around to scope
gifted individuals who can, I had the privilege:
almost inherently, be grateful lot of heavy stuff,
for what you have, and fully long distance and I
acknowledge the gravity of my trunk, and I ha
what it means to be healthy, lege of unloading
loved and happy. trunk and lugging
I salute you, and I am eager Number one oi
to adapt: I've got my list. list: Driving is a pr
At the end of each day, I for that, I am grate
write down twelve things
for which I am utterly grate- #2. My freedom
ful based on my experiences
of the previous twenty-four Incarceration.
hours. It could include some- nately, it was anot
thing as simple as "Had a quence of my pas
great text convo with my sis- fortunately, a nece
ter" or as exciting as "I got or heaping helpin
to work with some incredible rude. Never did I
people today on the set of my that I'd ever know
music video," or as monumen- like to feel metal
tal as "My friend just cele- wrap around onn
brated five years sober." twice. And the sa
And, though I do my best around, jail came a
to make these twelve items deal.
unique to each day, there are Ten days. I sper
three things that always, in in Oakland County
some way shape or form, find Jan. 2011. It doesn'
a way onto my paper: a long time, and it
In no particular order... in the grand schem

ger deemed roommates withirn
rate a motor - people were alw
east a year. in and out, makin,
s, any car is more - including
seventeen year old
ar without tiple felonies for di
h I walked, and an elderly w
hed rides would be there for
eded to go, for shoplifting. I
me a set of pieces of loose-leaf
privileges, a sawed-off little p
he installa- kind soul there gav
yzer in my read through thos
d turn the from time to time, j
, I had to in touch.
:e to ensure And then I'm a
my system, sented with reminc
blow peri- Monday, I at
screening for my
fu . class, and it was
thout driv- of "Orange is the N,
'ban Michi- I'd watched it beft
o blow into even though it'
's what was make-believe, mei
ntually, in in orange jumpsuit
hree years though I was at a,
granted my and ten days doesr
he breatha- to the usual amou
d from my people remain in
and clear of see women behind
ences. Back see my past.
uch differ- Number one on
list: Freedom is a g
when I went that, I am grateful.
pment from
North Quad #3. My sobriety
project for
would be a Considering nu
ad to drive and two above, 1
cope out a like a given, right)
lot of heavy Every day I wake
ng distance first thought that
runk, and I my mind: "Damn, I
illy, I'd have don't have to drink
my trunk that my first action
in my car, speedtc
n my mind? store and replenish
a car to do al stock.
allowed to But there are 1
few and far betw
ege of driv- fully, when it's noc
e out a spot, Times when, being
of lugging a a college student, s
a relatively feel isolating as I
oading it in the campus and ov
d the privi- conversation about
it from my or that conversatiot
it back. party.
n Sunday's I'm fortunate, th
ivilege, and have some incredib
ful. my life who are also

ten days
ays coming
g room for
a pregnant
with mul-
rug dealing
oman who
six months
wrote on
paper with
encil that a
e me, and I
e memories
ust to keep
ilways pre-
ders.
ttended a
TV theory
an episode
New Black."
ore because
's fiction,
rely actors
s, and even
County jail
't compare
ant of time
prison ... I
bars, and I
Monday's
ift, and for
mbers one
this seems
? And it is.
up, it's the
comes to
'm so glad I
today," and
isn't to hop
othe liquor,
my person-
times, now
een thank-
it so clear.
young and
obriety can
walk about
erhear this
that party
n about this
ough, that I
le people in
committed

ByGRACE HAMILTON
DailyArts Writer
There's a certain excitement
thatcomes from seeingafaceyou'd
typically view from the comfort
of your bed, via Netflix, on a big
screen. TV has been the starting
point for many successful film act-
ing careers: Sally Field, Meg Ryan
and George Clooney are a few
names that should ring a bell. In
recent years, however, as TV has
grown to the level of film in popu-
lar culture and households, many
actors are making the transition in
the other direction.
Matthew McConaughey sur-
prisingly became HBO's newest
star in the past few months with Woooh politics!
his performance in the first sea-
son of "True Detective," surpass- viewers and cr
ing much of his previous work the perception
in film. The platform for excel- art, since its vis
lence in the cinematic and media in its entirety
world has broadened. Actors like with many stro
McConaughey are jumpingon this a single picture
moving TV train for a ride that's TV, on theo
proving to be both exhilarating more of a myst
and entertaining. shape a role to
TVhas typicallybeenviewed as nation. In a w
a lesser form of entertainment - a something mo
place where real cheese and crap this, since the
can find a nesting ground. Even as acter is more
the quality of television programs choices of th
has improved, it seems that film arguable that
never fails to steal the spotlight, mimic reality
raising its chin well above the in that the fut
height of your flat screen. As far
as I know, no one throws viewing
parties for the Emmys.
That being said, in the last
decade, TVhas undergone a trans-
formation in that it now strives for
more than entertainment value
and ratings; it is aspace for artistry
and style, in the same waythat film
has been from its onset. The shows
that are products of these recent
years have offered us profound
social commentary, masterful act-
ing and significantly more exciting
weeknights. Series such as "The
Sopranos," "Breaking Bad" and
"Mad Men" demonstrate TV'strue
capacity.
TV is sexier
than film. j
Withthisinmind, it'snowonder
that film stars, such as Halle Berry
and Kevin Bacon, are making the
crossover. Suddenly, opportunities
for stimulating and rewarding
work have snowballed. In the
search for dynamic characters
and meaningful stories, actors are
no longer limited to film scripts.
Being in a TV show expands the
horizons in other ways as well. A
film script offers the rising action,
climax and resolution of a story
in a single read. Of course, this
means faster gratification for both

eators. It also feeds
of film as a piece of
ion is preconceived
and materializes,
ikes, no doubt, into
ether hand, provides
ery and freedom to
the liking of imagi-
ay, there might be
re personal about
fate of the char-
dependent on the
e actor. It's also
a TV show can
more effectively,
ore is often unde-

termined. There is serious appeal
in this for actors who are hungry
for greater personal freedom and
direction.
TV is sexy in a way that mov-
ies can't be; its indefinite resolu-
tions, longevity and the continual
necessity for surprises make it
unique. It's not as if people didn't
catch onto this earlier, but the
results are most evident today. If
the trend continues, and actorslike
McConaughey or Kevin Spacey
continue to recognize and appre-
ciate the merits of TV roles, then
we can expect TV's golden age to
continue. absurd in the process.

----i


Unfortu-
ther conse-
t behavior;
ssary dose,
g, of grati-
ever think
what's it's
handcuffs
my wrist ...
econd time
s a package
nt ten days
jail during
t sound like
really isn't
e of things,

to staying sober ... friends of all
ages, genders and races, who
just get me, and when I explain
how I'm grateful for my car and
for my freedom, they just nod
their heads, because they've
been there, too. My relation-
ships, my human connections
run deeper than they ever did
when I was partying and rely-
ing on alcohol to lubricate my
social life.
Number one on Tuesday's
list: I have an authentic rela-
tionship with myself and oth-
ers, and for that, I am grateful.
When I first started mak-
ing a gratitude list, I didn't
start with twelve items. I
started with three. But, what
you appreciate, appreciates. So,
find three things to be grate-
ful for as you go about each day,
jot them down before you go to
sleep each night, and I prom-
ise, you'll find more without
having to look too hard. And,
I promise, you will be grateful
you did.
Keyes wants you to start listing.
To tell her about your progress,
e-mail cekmusic@umich.edu.

#1. My car
I remember feeling so
uncool because the Chevy
Trailblazer with leather inte-
rior that I got when I was six-
teen was used. "It's actually
'Certified Pre-Owned,' " I'd
tell people ... like maybe that
made it sound fancier.
Fast forward five years, and
after a second DUI, the State

but it is when you're inside.
I got there around 5:30 p.m.
on a Sunday evening, they
took all of my possessions,
my shoelaces, pretty much
everything but the clothes on
my back, and I still remem-
ber how it felt to walk behind
those bars and how the door
sounded as it shut.
Closed. Cold. Closed.
Colder.
I went through a series of

WE LIKE
TWEETS AND
WE DON'T
CARE WHO
KNOWS.
@MICHIGANDAILY

Monday, March 31, 2014 Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy
Annenberg Auditorium
4:00 PM 1120 Weill Hall
Free and open tothe public. 735 S State Street
Reception to follow. Follow us: @fordschool
Info: fspp-events@umich.edu join the conversation:
fordschool.umith.edu #policytalks
GERALD R. FORD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

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