The 2001 MTV VMAs-An Overview essays

The 2001 MTV VMAs-An Overview essays 2001 has been a great year for the music and entertainment channel, MTV. New seasons of The Real Word and Road Rules, various concerts and specials, and the Movie Awards have all been big highlights of this year so far. The channel also celebrated its 20th Anniversary this past August. However, arguably, the biggest event of them all is the Video Music Awards. Known for its tendency to push the envelope when it comes to what can and cant be shown on cable television, the VMAs are more about the show than the awards. This year was no exception. Live from the Metropolitan Opera House, the show opened with host Jamie Foxx performing a very fitting opera rendition of several of this past years most popular songs. Then, he quickly shifted gears into a monologue, insulting several celebrities that were present at the awards, contrary to earlier reports that he wouldnt do so. Thankfully, Will Ferrell of Saturday Night Live fame ran onto the stage in the middle of Foxxs act, climbing up a prop on stage while shouting, Im raging! This was a homage to a similar act performed by the bassist of the band Rage Against the Machine from last years VMAs, and forced MTV to cut to a commercial break. Thus began a constant stream of performances and awards. An interesting theme to the VMAs this year was the jungle. Before the nominees for each award were named, small nature documentary clips were shown, however, in true MTV fashion, most of them were rather provocative. Britney Spears lip-synching performance also featured a zoo-full of caged animals behind her, not to mention a snake around her neck. Another moment of the VMAs that cannot be overlooked is the tribute to Aaliyah. Several artists including Janet Jackson and Missy Elliot said a few words. Aaliyahs brother also made a rather moving speech. The moment wouldve been perfect, had Janet Jackson not read t ...

Gratitude as a Ritual Expressing Thanks on Thanksgiving

Gratitude as a Ritual Expressing Thanks on Thanksgiving What do you think of when you think of â€Å"rituals†? For me, the word conjures up Shabbat dinners, Passover seders, and lighting the Hannukah menorah. Growing up in a Jewish household, we observed these rituals at the proper time on the calendar, and I always found they were an opportunity to take a step back from the other routines of life and reflect on the theme of the holiday. With Thanksgiving coming, many of us are preparing for a popular ritual: A big dinner, likely comprised of turkey (or Tofurkey), cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie, amongst other goodies. In the air is a general sense that the theme is gratitude. But do you actually take time to express your gratitude on Thanksgiving, or do you just stuff yourself silly? And do you find yourself uplifted during this season, or like so many, do sadness and anxiety creep in? Expressing Thanks on Thanksgiving In my family, we usually go around the Thanksgiving table at some point and each say something we’re grateful for. I like this ritual. Expressing gratitude is scientifically proven through positive psychology research to increase happiness. It gives us a sense of our own goodness (it’s sure more self-affirming than complaining!) as well as a recognition of the good things around us. I have noticed that there’s often a level of discomfort in expressing gratitude publicly, even amongst family. But everyone still does it and I always feel more connected with the family after we express our gratitude. People often give thanks for food and health, for something that has happened in the past, or for being safe given specific world events. This year, the sense of gratitude will be very real given that I will be with my sister’s in-laws who have family in Puerto Rico. It occurs to me that there is also a deeper level we can reach: a direct personal expression. I’m inspired this year to bring a deeper aspect of gratitude to our Thanksgiving ritual. A New Gratitude Ritual? There’s a video series on the Science of Happiness that came out in 2013 and that for some reason I just saw for the first time last week. The experiment in the video was based, I believe, on research by Martis E.P. Seligman, who found that people who wrote and delivered letters of gratitude exhibited a huge increase in happiness compared to a control group. In the video, individuals were asked to write a letter to a person who influenced them and then to read it to that person. Before and after the exercise, their happiness was tested. Overall, there was a strong trend toward more happiness after the individuals read their letters to their recipients. This has me thinking, what if we take time this Thanksgiving to appreciate someone in the room who has made a difference in our lives, in addition to the standard things we’re grateful for? To me, that will make for an even more memorable Thanksgiving and will likely start out my holiday season- and the holidays of anyone who participates- with a higher happiness quotient. What’s in Your Gratitude Basket? What are you grateful for this holiday season? Who will be at your Thanksgiving table to whom you want to offer gratitude for the way they’ve influenced your life? Are you willing to go the extra step to express your feelings to them? And if you won’t be with someone who fits that category, would you be willing to write a letter and read it to the recipient? Let’s get the gratitude ball rolling, and bring it into all aspects of our lives. Into our home, our relationships, and our workplaces. The science shows we’ll all have more well-being, motivation, and overall success. In that spirit, thank you for reading my blog week after week, letting me know I make a difference, and inspiring me to bring my thoughts and creativity to life. You give me a weekly boost in my own gratitude and happiness. Thank you and enjoy your Thanksgiving ritual! Did you enjoy this article? Sign up for my Life and Leadership e-list for more inspiring articles like this one.