Anythink blog

Calendar with flowers and a cup of tea on a desk

A Year in the Life

Aug 4 2023
I love the movie "Julie and Julia." It’s got it all. Cooking. Whimsy. Streep. And the “year in the life” trope that I am the ultimate sucker for. I think it’s the promise of redemption. I know that at the start of the year, our character will be struggling in some way. A catalyst will lead them to...
The backs of two people, one person leaning their head on the other's shoulder

What is Intergenerational Trauma?

Aug 3 2023
You may have heard the term “intergenerational trauma” being thrown around a lot in the last year. And even if not, you’ve likely heard of some of these 2022 movies and TV shows in which intergenerational trauma was a major theme: "Everything Everywhere All at Once," "The Whale" and "Encanto." Last...
Racing gaming rig set up

The Evolution of Video Games: From "Pong" to Virtual Realities

Aug 2 2023
Nestled within the enchanting realm of our Wright Farms branch, step into a world of gaming as you enter The Studio. Our current focus is centered around an array of video games with a variety of experiences that we invite you to participate in. From our cutting-edge PlayStation 5 VR racing setup...
Various comic book covers featuring superheroes like Spider Man and Batman.

Zero to Hero

Jul 12 2023
Like many kids growing up, I always wanted to be a superhero. I wanted to fight crime and save people from danger. I wanted to be like Wonder Woman, agile and strong, or swing from builds and swoosh through the air like Spiderman. Comic-Con played a huge part in my early 20s as it offered both a...

The ABCs of LGBTQIA+

Jun 28 2023
Happy Pride Month!  The LGBTQIA+ community is one that prides itself on words and language, slang and nicknames. It is best described as a culture with varying ideologies and opinions, all overlaying principles and messages of equality and acceptance. LGBTQIA+ is an inclusive acronym used as a...
Pink cake with meringue kisses on top, flowers in background

Let's Bake a Cake

Jun 21 2023
  PLAN Let’s bake a cake. What kind? Do we think chocolate? Vanilla? Lemon? Ooh, lemon. Now it’s time to consult several cookbooks from the library; options are important. This recipe looks amazing: lemon cake with buttered rum syrup and honey frosting. But how about this one: lemon and blueberry...

Agatha Christie, Author and Mystery

Jun 20 2023
Agatha Christie became an author of mysteries in 1920, with the publication of her first novel, “The Mysterious Affair at Styles.” Just six years later, Christie herself became a mystery, when she disappeared for eleven days in December, shortly...
A board room with a central table and the words "Do Good Things" written on the wall.

The Success of "Succession"

Jun 15 2023
My father and I agreed about many things. “Simon & Garfunkel.” “...
a blank name tag with markers on a table

What's in a Name?

May 26 2023
“Hi, this is Anythink Wright Farms. My name is Zesha. How can I help you?”  “Hi...what’s your name?” “Zesha. With a Z.”  “Oh... Okay. Anyways, I need help with...”  That is a real conversation that I’ve had while at work. It’s just one example of the many variations of conversations that I’ve...
Photo of drum set in a nightclub with the word Princess on it and a few plushies in front.

The Butterfly Effect in Action

May 24 2023
Butterfly effect [noun]: a situation in which an action or change that does not seem important has a very large effect. My butterfly effect started with a simple question from my dad. "What do you want to watch?” It was May 15, 2018, and a new show called “Safe” had just premiered on Netflix. It...
A light brown concrete building near Galaxy's Edge Black Market at Disneyland.

Is May (Not So) Secretly Star Wars Month?

May 2 2023
There are many holidays celebrated within the Star Wars universe, like Boonta Eve on Tatooine and Naboo’s Festival of Light, or even the galaxy-wide Empire Day. As fans, we have plenty of ways to celebrate on Earth, too, from May the 4th to Life Day on November 17. Still, many fans don’t realize...
Image of a desk covered in various paraphernalia. On the left, a stack of VHS tapes sit behind miniature game figurines. On the right is a clapboard, a vintage camera, and a pair of tickets.

Cult Classics and Classic Cults

Apr 20 2023
cult  [NOUN]  a relatively small group of people having beliefs or practices, especially relating to religion, that are regarded by others as strange or sinister or as imposing excessive control over members. a misplaced or excessive admiration for a particular thing. a person or thing that...
Pink and red dice resting on a character sheet next to a Dungeons and Dragons Player's Handbook.

Snacks and Spells Campaign Log

Apr 12 2023
As the teen guide at Anythink Huron Street, my favorite part of my job is to lead programs at the branch for any and all teens who want to come. One of the programs I am most excited for is called “Snacks and Spells.” We meet every other week to play ...
Books and a flower tied together with twine

How I Stopped Feeling Guilty Over Guilty Pleasures

Apr 7 2023
When you're an English major at a small liberal arts university, there are unspoken expectations of what you wear, the books you read and how you act. However, I always felt like such an imposter among the other English majors. My brightly colored outfits stood out against their stark, fashionable...
The front of a movie theater bathed in crimson light, as seen from the front doorway.

The Fifth Annual Retroactive Academy Awards

Mar 28 2023
The Oscars are changing. Among 2023’s nominees were a historically popular spectacle ("Avatar: The Way of Water"); an all-time great acting performance ("Tar"); a vulnerable,...
Eight different mugs of coffee beverages

"Could I get a Black Eye with an almond milk substitute?"

Mar 24 2023
I love cafes. I love (the idea of) sitting down in a cozy chair in the corner of a novelty cafe with a transporting book in my lap and a steaming cup of a coffee I know nothing about in my hand. In all honesty, I don't love the fact that my coffee order at these niche locations is normally decided...
A snowy city street with brown brick houses and trees.

An Anythinker on an Album that Shaped Him

Sep 22 2022
Recently, I checked out a book from Anythink titled, “Long Players: Writers on the Albums That Shaped Them.” It’s a...

The Poetry of Fall

Sep 6 2022
There is something so comforting about the arrival of fall.  When the season begins to lean heavily into August, I find myself longing for the scent of pumpkin, a light blanket on my legs and the scent of frosted grass. My body tells me I’m ready for autumn — and to if I’m honest, I was ready in...
Six jet planes fly across the sky in a triangular formation.

How Top Gun Might Have Saved the Summer

Jun 29 2022
Things have been heavy lately. The news is horrible; if you’re like me, you have cut off a good portion of news for your sanity and self-care. The weather is hot and muggy; delightful June of cool nights and pool days will be a distant memory soon as we head into the dog days of summer. The...
A woman reading by a pool

The Perfect Summer Reads for 2022

Jun 15 2022
Picture it in your mind: the perfect summer day. Your children play quietly in the pool at your feet, glistening with aqua blue as the sun reflects off the water. Shadows of little waves dance across your face. In your hand is a cold beverage, sweating against your palm. You smell sunscreen touched...

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