Vacation From What, Exactly

I've never been too big of a believer in the golden rule.

I mean, treat others as you want to be treated? But what if the others are big, fat idiots?

Yeah, I'm too brash for that.

But to an extent, I do understand it. On a basic level of respect, I understand it. Not for everybody, mind you, but for some people. If I like somebody, or consider them my friend, then unless they do something to merit disrespect, they deserve golden treatment.

Because to me, respect shows that you care. If you consider somebody your friend, you will respect them enough to tell them the truth, or stick to plans, or not disappoint them.

One would think.

However, that has not been my experience. At all.

I know that I stick to plans more than most people. I know that I don't tell just anybody "sure, let's hang out" like most people do. I only tell the people that I actually care to hang out with. The others get rejected. Tastefully, of course.

What with it being summer, I feel like I should see people more. Do more stuff with them. Talk to them. Whatever.

So instead of my typical "meh" attitude, where my rationale consists of the satisfaction that I see people at school and the lack of necessity to see them elsewhere, I've actually been trying to do things with people.

And getting blown off.

Every time.

Now, it's not exactly a new sensation to me. The people that I befriend apparently don't hold the same moral values of respect that I do, and the past three or so summers I'm pretty sure I've gone the whole time without seeing my school friends once.

So you would think that the fact that it still happens wouldn't daze me at all.

But it does.

I feel like if I plan something with somebody, even if I'm not too invested in it, it's my obligation to go through with it. And I've discovered over and over again that even the things which don't sound fun on paper usually end up being twice as entertaining or fulfilling as originally forecast.

Yet time and time again I see that other people don't feel the same sense of obligation, and time and time again I'm disappointed.

Despite my efforts, I see that this summer will be just like all of the others.

Shattered plans and a proliferation of disappointments.

R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

Some actors are great on-screen, but not in real life. Some are very admirable people, but not so much as actors. But my favorites are the ones who are great on the screen, and then turn around and are just as great in their everyday life.

"I admire actors and artists who devote just as much time to their life as they do to their work."

Perfect quote by Jake Gyllenhaal. Who, by the way, is one of those few individuals that I have that level of respect for. He is a fabulous actor, and though regrettably I haven't seen him in much, he commands the screen, and may I say he's not unpleasant to look at either.

I saw this on facebook this morning and it just made a little smile creep onto my face. Ashton Kutcher is another one of my favorites, and it's a video of him and his step-daughter. They were just messing around and wrote a song and decided to share it. And even though that's tiny, it seemed to me such a character-boosting occurrence.

Acting is nothing less than a demanding career, and many of the people who enter into it end up getting so swept up into the world of it all that they turn into workaholic zombies who care for nothing but publicity.

Which is why whenever I see an actor or actress with a normal, loving marriage, or a family of their own, or anything else that shows they are devoted to their life as well as they work, they become just that much more revered in my mind.

Take Eric Bana, for instance. He's an amazing actor, and yet, instead of giving all of his time to movies, he opts to stay in Australia with his family for up to a year or two at a time.

In such a demanding industry, the existence of people who can balance their work life and their home life in such a way as to keep their decency as a human being without being any less of a contribution to their industry is incredibly freeing and reassuring.

Nicole Kidman is happily married. Sandra Bullock has adopted children. Even Brad and Angelina are a cute little family, despite their common appearances in the limelight. I mean, did you see them at the Golden Globes? Adorable.

Unfortunately, though, they are rare jewels in the movie world.

Don't even get me started on the assholes.