The Martian

Space. It’s totally normal to want some to separate from life’s harsh realities. I take full advantage of my alone time to reflect on life and binge watch Golden Girls. But I’m definitely not at that ‘Hey I kind of got left on a desolate planet with so much alone time, space and 70’s music that now only staying alive matters‘ stage.

Here’s how I related Mark Watney’s wee Mars problem to my life (because this is my selfish blog). I’m real good at getting caught up in life. I’m in this vicious cycle of over-planning my day, feeling overwhelmed when I don’t have enough time, then reverting back to past depression-like habits.

When Mark first realized he was alone 354613+ miles away from his home planet, he didn’t just f*8ckin sit around and do nothing. NO. He made up his mind he was going to survive. He worked out each problem as it came, careful not to overwhelm himself. He was optimistic, but a realist. He just did what he had to do. He took control of his destiny.

It’s not in the stars to hold our destinies, but in ourselves. -William Shakespeare

What he did is no different than what we all choose to do every single day. It’s up to YOU. Understand what you can control. Yea, life will always be hard, unpredictable and complex. You’ve got to accept it, make a plan, and do work!

And never forget how important having a great sense of humor is with any situation!! Andy Weir’s The Martian is a complete riot. I highly recommend BOTH the movie and book. It was interesting to experience the story both visually and verbally. The book focuses on scientific explanations along with Mark’s hilarious internal monologue. The movie is quick-paced, but successfully invests the audience emotionally through a unique story of survival and hope.

“Yes, of course duct tape works in a near-vacuum. Duct tape works anywhere. Duct tape is magic and should be worshiped.”