The Untitled MCU Project - Chapter 7: Iron Man 3

August 14, 2020 by Krystyn Slack in The Untitled MCU Project

While I knew I would be able to extract some great lessons on life and leadership that would be worth sharing from the movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I didn’t anticipate being taken on a journey of immense self-discovery and self-reflection as well. I’m definitely completing the project at a much slower pace than I initially anticipated, but I guess that’s working in my favor now since we just seem to be stuck in this never-ending groundhog day that just plays on repeat until infinity.

Job Hunting in a Pandemic

July 29, 2020 by Krystyn Slack

Job hunting in the time of a rapidly changing world looks about the same as it did pre-COVID, just on an exponentially larger scale as millions more are now in the rat race. The arduous process begins with scouring the internet and various job posting sites to find positions that you believe align with your unique skill set, the positions where you know you could become an invaluable asset to the team, but this is only the beginning of the enduring process. We take the time to craft thoughtful cover letters tailored to each individual application and update our resumes with targeted keywords from the job posting that align with our capabilities and skill set in hopes that the algorithmic gods might smile down upon us and grant us that “golden ticket” out of application purgatory - because that’s where the applications go if you don’t know someone who knows someone who is willing to give you a shot. If it’s a larger company, especially, there is very little “human” to human resources anymore these days, at least for the first steps of attempting to secure an interview. Hours upon hours of labor poured into our attempts to secure a ticket to the next destination on our career journey - or in many cases, yet another “thrilling” entry level position that will likely undervalue and underpay us, even though we have more than 15 years of valuable experience in the business sector.

Five Years? Impossible.

July 11, 2020 by Krystyn Slack

In loving memory of my dad. How has it already been five years?

The Untitled MCU Project - Chapter 6: The Avengers

July 01, 2020 by Krystyn Slack in The Untitled MCU Project

It’s been a minute since my last chapter of “The Untitled MCU Project”, mainly because I’ve been grappling with rapidly failing mental health due to a multitude of variables, and in those seasons, getting words on the page is often one of the most challenging things for me. But the more I think about it, the more I’m realizing that this project provides some much needed catharsis for me. Chapter 6 of “The Untitled MCU Project” is the first time we see “earth’s mightiest heroes” come together as a unified group effort, even if it does take a couple tries to work as a cohesive unit.

The Untitled MCU Project - Chapter 5: Captain America: The First Avenger

May 17, 2020 by Krystyn Slack in The Untitled MCU Project

Captain America: The First Avenger was another one of the few Marvel Cinematic Universe movies that I actually saw in theatres when it was released, but haven’t seen it since it premiered in 2011. As someone who has always been drawn to vintage style with a modern twist, Captain America was an instant win for me. I also loved that he was a beacon of inspiration, and a symbol of unity and hope for the American public as we fought to defeat the Nazis in World War II. Captain America brought the country together to fight off a common enemy in a time where they needed it most - even if he is just a fictional character from a Marvel movie.

The Untitled MCU Project - Chapter 4: Thor

May 03, 2020 by Krystyn Slack in The Untitled MCU Project

Chapter 4 of “The Untitled MCU Project” takes a look at 2011’s “Thor”. The further I find myself engulfed in this project, the more I realize how ultimately applicable the lessons I’m extracting are to our survival during the current global pandemic. Not only do we find ourselves in a completely unprecedented situation, but we are attempting to tackle an enormous problem without anything closely resembling capable leadership on a national level. We are are now more than 40 days into our statewide “Safer at Home” order, and Thor has revealed some of the most presently applicable life and leadership lessons yet.

Thor is particularly interesting to me, merely because he’s so far the only “mythical” superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Both Iron Man and The Hulk were essentially the results of science experiments, where Thor is not even from Earth, but hails from the kingdom of Asgard.

Here are my favorite life and leadership lessons from Thor.

The Untitled MCU Project - Chapter 3: Iron Man 2

April 24, 2020 by Krystyn Slack in The Untitled MCU Project

Chapter 3 of The Untitled MCU Project features the second installment of the Iron Man franchise, “Iron Man 2”. If you’ve been following along, you know that I started The Untitled MCU Project as a way for me to both watch all of the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies in order (including catching up on the many films that I missed when they first came out), and also to deploy some creative energy in a way that incorporates two of my favorite expressive outlets - writing and photography - while we are “safer (quarantined) at home” during the largest global pandemic in more than a century. Especially during a time of uncertainty, where our lives have been flipped upside down, it’s been refreshing to be able to turn toward some of our favorite superheroes for “guidance” and inspiration for how to persevere in the face of adversity.

The Untitled MCU Project - Chapter 2: The Incredible Hulk

April 14, 2020 by Krystyn Slack in The Untitled MCU Project

Chapter 2 of The Untitled MCU Project takes a look at 2008’s “The Incredible Hulk”. Even though many would consider this film and outlier in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there are still plenty of great lessons to learn from the film.

The Untitled MCU Project - Chapter 1: Iron Man

April 07, 2020 by Krystyn Slack in The Untitled MCU Project

The Untitled MCU Project is officially up and running! In each chapter, I will be seeking life and leadership lessons from our favorite heroes and villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Chapter 1 features none other than the film that really started it all for superhero films being launched into the mainstream, Iron Man.

The Untitled MCU Project - Intro

April 05, 2020 by Krystyn Slack in The Untitled MCU Project

It’s a crazy and chaotic time in US and World History. A global pandemic was declared on March 11, 2020, and shortly after, those of us in California, and around the world, were under “Safer at Home” orders. Non-essential businesses were ordered to be closed, and corporate employees were moved from office to their home office, and suddenly, we found ourselves with more hours at home and less approved activities as we try to beat a virus that is infecting millions and killing thousands around the globe. Unfortunately, our national leadership is nowhere near the hero of this story. In looking for comfort in this chaotic time, I’ve decided to turn to the Marvel Cinematic Universe to catch up on all the movies I’ve missed since Phase 1 (unpopular opinion: I don’t watch many movies). Since our national leadership is severely lacking in the competence department, I decided to turn my movie MCU watching experience into a motivational experience for the rest of you. I’ll be writing about my lessons and observations from some of our favorite superheros. With the extra time at home, I really needed an chance to flex some of my creativity muscles and thus, “The Untitled MCU Project” was born! I hope you’ll join me on this cinematic adventure filled with life and leadership lessons as well as some Marvel-Inspired outfits and self-portraits as I explore three of my favorite things: writing, costumes/themed ensembles, and photography.