LOTLEO-Loving Ourselves Through Loving Each Other

Our novice attempt at filmmaking-we introduce to you our new Vimeo channel, LOTLEO Films

barriga llena corazón contento from Cinéma Vérité on Vimeo.

Introducing LOTLEO Films

la nourriture de l'amour from Cinéma Vérité on Vimeo.

12AM; where sofa meets bay bridge - filmed by Alexis

New Years 2013 from LOTLEO Films on Vimeo.

feliz año nuevo 2013!!

Merry Christmas Mama!

www.merrychristmasleslie.blogspot.com

What Are You Famous For?

Written by Alexis

If someone were to come up to you and tell you that you were going to be on Good Morning America tomorrow morning- what would it be for? What would you be on national TV for?

Last week, my English teacher told us in class that we were to write a poem on what we wanted to be famous for- would we be the pro-football quarterback on the back of milk cartons, or creepy next door neighbor with twelve cats? Would we be the pop superstar that you hear all over the radio, or the teenage checkout lady who won't stop smacking her spearmint bubble gum?

The minute she said to start, I looked around the classroom, and I could practically hear half of the people's thoughts either screaming "SUPERSTAR! SUPERSTAR!" or "QUARTERBACK! QUARTERBACK!" This assignment really got me thinking- this is so pointless because everyone wants to be in the public eye, or be recognized in some way. But, if we are all being honest- how many of us are going to be the next pop icon or pro football player? Seriously, if all of us were famous- the word famous wouldn't have the same value as it does.

Instead of writing about being a world known author- I wrote about being famous in my own way, right now. Being that person who always smiles at anyone who crosses their path. Who loves the people who love you the most. Who waves at the person with the frown on their face. Writing this poem made me realize that being famous doesn't mean everyone has to know your name, it just means that you made a difference in someones life.

So here is my poem, what I am famous for. What about you?

A Smile, a Kiss, a Wave
by Alexis Szoke

A smile,
A simple smile,
A simple smile smiling,
A simple smile smiling for the sake of simply smiling.

A kiss,
A gentle kiss,
A gentle kiss blown,
A gentle kiss blown to a desperate nobody across the room.

A wave,
A distant wave,
A distant wave traveling,
A distant wave traveling into the heart of the solemn sulker across the street.

That smile,
That simple smile,
That simple smile smiling,
That simple smile smiling back at the person who simply smiled forth.

That kiss,
That gentle kiss,
That gentle kiss touching,
That gentle kiss touching the face of a shy faced school girl sitting across the room.

That wave,
That silent wave,
That silent wave noticed,
That silent wave noticed by the solemn sulker waving back.

Being the You that You Were Meant to Be

Written by Alexis

More and more these days, I have heard my friends say, "God, I'm so fat!" or "Jeez, my clothes are so lame!" or "Man, my hair is so drab!" (Okay so we don't say drab, but you get the point!) But usually I see it as them to put themselves down so they can get compliments. Quite frankly, it typically annoys me. But lately, all of these girls who are saying this, aren't trying to get attention, it's that they really believe that they are fat, or lame, or drab. Well Houston, we have a problem.

You know, tweenism is a very impressionable age. We constantly are looking for someone to idolize, someone to follow. Many times this can be an actor, a singer, aunt, a cousin, or maybe even an older sibling. But whoever it is, we tend to want to be exactly like that person. So in the process there is constant comparing one's self to be that person- your hair, your clothing, your attitude, and even your figure.

Well parents, you're probably like, I tell my daughter is "Beautiful no matter what, so why would she have any reason to compare herself," right? Not right. You think we really care what our parents think of us? We are more concerned with what our friends are thinking, not our parents. I mean think about it, we come downstairs in our favorite outfit and our mom tells us, "Aw, you look so cute," the first thing we do is go back and change! Tweens don't want to hear they're CUTE from their mommy's! So why would we care if she told us we were "beautiful no matter what?" See where I'm getting at?

So if the power of moms words don't snap us out of it, what will? What can get these girls to stop thinking they are lame? Well, I believe its all physiological. The reason why they feel like this is because they know they are on the couch all day eating chips and their eyes sucked to the TV. So of course they are going to feel bad about themselves, because they know that there is so much more they could be doing.

So what's the first step? It is for parents, to make them get out and feel like they aren't being so lazy. I believe that when you go exercise, play sports, run, or even just take a walk, you feel like you just lost 100 pounds in itself. Now forgive my scientifical terms, but when you exercise, you sweat and when you sweat, that's when you feel the difference. Your skin pores open up, you feel like you really, truly worked out,- even if it was just a run- and you feel the 'lameness' practically slide right off your shoulders with everything else.

Step two is to eat right. When you eat cheesy puffs and pizza for all of course you're going to feel heavy and sluggish and insignificant. If you want to be a better YOU, you have to eat like a better you. Now I'm not saying go on a diet, (I actually think that tweens shouldn't try to put themselves on diets because since they are growing, the lack of nutrition and food will stunt your growth, but anyways) I'm saying feed your body with all the good stuff first so you feel good and like a better you and then, if you are still hungry have a cookie or something! I mean for goodness sakes we are technically still kids- not 40 year old woman here- cookies are still our friends! :D

And step three is get out of your head! When you compare yourself to other people- you naturally hate yourself more! Because when you compare yourself, you only focus on the bad parts of you. Which makes no sense, but for some reason that's just how it is. The minute you stop comparing yourself, stop criticizing your body, your hair, your clothing, your family, and everything else about your life you wish was different is the minute that you can let yourself be the best YOU that YOU were meant to be.