Yes, that is correct. As of approximately 2:30 this morning, I have been alive for 6939 days.
Today is my 19th birthday!!!
In my opinion, there are 3 types of people in this world:
Those that don't really care about their birthdays.
Those that hate their birthdays.
Those that are like I am......
...If it were at all possible, I would celebrate my birthday with a giant parade. There would be huge, colorful floats, confetti, dinosaurs in tutus, and performances from Lady Gaga, The Backstreet Boys, The Spice Girls, The Beatles (I would bring John and George back to life), and Listener (my new obsession).
I have the best family in the world. I got this huge box in the mail today. And when I opened it, it was full of birthday presents and cards! I got 4 birthday cards from them, 2 from my sister alone. They got be $100 in giftcards to Panera, Starbucks, Subway, iTunes. And they got me a singing birthday teddy bear holding a stuffed cupcake. Basically they're the best. Ever.
So today should be a very fun day. Just after midnight, I was sitting in my room, watching some Gilmore Girls when Alessa, Kacie and Alison burst into my room yelling "Happy birthday!" and nearly giving me a heart attack. Then there was a 3am Dunkin Donuts run with Alessa and Matt. Now, it's just after 6am Chicago time and I have spent the last hour or so, in my suitemates' room discussing metal/hardcore/metalcore with Alessa. We may or may not actually go alseep yet, but so far the plan for "B-day-D-day" is:
Lunch at noon.
Craft Fair.
Dinner.
Zoo lights.
Ice skating in Millennium Park.
Christmas movie marathon/sleepovering.
I'm excited!!!
December 3rd, 2011... Get ready to be amazing! :)))
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Monday, November 14, 2011
When in doubt, TAP it out!
I am a tapper. There are so many other kinds of dance I've studied in my life. Tap is so different though, because it becomes a part of you to the point where it defines you. It's like, not just another genre of dance. It is it's own separate entity.
That probably didn't make sense...sorry.
Okay, lemme try to explain it this way. There are ways that dancers define themselves. (ie. I am a contemporary dancer; I am a modern dancer; I am a ballet dancer; I am a hip-hop dancer; I am a tap dancer.) And it always seems like you can -- if you're really looking for it -- tell what a dancer's core training is. Their modern movements always have a tiny hint of the angularity and pulse of a hip-hop dancer, or the tiny hint of épaulement and emphasized turn out of a ballerina. But other than an impeccable sense of timing and rhythm (which most every dancer has anyways), you probably couldn't pick out a tapper from a crowd of dancers.
And that, I think, is why tap is so vastly different conceptually. Because it is so vastly different in practice, from all other styles of western dance. It is also, I think, why tap is so often undervalued.
Without tap I would die. I would seriously just stop existing.
When I was little I took tap in combo classes. Our classes were 45 minutes (I think...it was many moons ago) and we would have half an hour of ballet or jazz, then 15 minutes of tap, all in the same class. Back then, I was not a huge fan of tap. It was okay, but I just didn't really care. So when I was 8, I decided to just stop taking it. I didn't feel I needed it.
But then, I saw how much my sister enjoyed tap. And I loved watching the placement tap dances in our studio's recitals. And I began regretting quitting tap. It looked like so much fun. So, when I was 12 I started again, taking a super, super beginner-level tap class. I still had a decent amount of the tap vocabulary, and I remembered a decent percentage of the basic moves. Within a few weeks my teacher at the time -- Miss Rian -- asked if I thought I could handle moving up into one of her higher level (but still not placement) classes. I gave it a shot. And I LOVED it.
The next year I got accepted into the placement 1 tap class. And from there I kept moving up, and I really started to get addicted to tap. After I had been in the top placement level for at least a year, my teacher at that point -- Miss Amber -- started a tap company at our studio. The studio already had a pre-professional Repertory (Rep.) company, a hip-hop company called Ensemble, and a performing gymnastics company called Exhibition, so Tap Co. joined the ranks. I had been a part of each of these different companies at some point, but Tap Co. really stuck with me.
As much as I love all dance, I cannot live without dance in general, there are some days when I just don't feel like going to classes. But I have never felt that way about my tap classes and our company time. When I would have a crappy day and have a ballet or modern class to go to after school, I would often feel like, "ugh, I don't want to have to go to dance today. It's just such a hassle. I don't feel like moving. etc." But on days when I would have tap class and Tap Co., it was always more of "Geeze, this has been such a crappy day. I can't wait to get to tap."
I don't know if they're going to read this or not, but in case they do, this next part goes out to my former tap teachers.
Miss Rian,
Thank you so much for everything you taught me. You really helped to reignite my love for tap, and that means so much! <3
Miss Amber,
You made Tap Co. into a family at a time when everything else felt so disconnected. With all of the injuries and disappointments I had to face in the last couple of years, I felt like a lot of people had just plain given up on me. But you never did, and that was so important to me. I don't think I can ever thank you enough for that. <3
That probably didn't make sense...sorry.
Okay, lemme try to explain it this way. There are ways that dancers define themselves. (ie. I am a contemporary dancer; I am a modern dancer; I am a ballet dancer; I am a hip-hop dancer; I am a tap dancer.) And it always seems like you can -- if you're really looking for it -- tell what a dancer's core training is. Their modern movements always have a tiny hint of the angularity and pulse of a hip-hop dancer, or the tiny hint of épaulement and emphasized turn out of a ballerina. But other than an impeccable sense of timing and rhythm (which most every dancer has anyways), you probably couldn't pick out a tapper from a crowd of dancers.
And that, I think, is why tap is so vastly different conceptually. Because it is so vastly different in practice, from all other styles of western dance. It is also, I think, why tap is so often undervalued.
Without tap I would die. I would seriously just stop existing.
When I was little I took tap in combo classes. Our classes were 45 minutes (I think...it was many moons ago) and we would have half an hour of ballet or jazz, then 15 minutes of tap, all in the same class. Back then, I was not a huge fan of tap. It was okay, but I just didn't really care. So when I was 8, I decided to just stop taking it. I didn't feel I needed it.
But then, I saw how much my sister enjoyed tap. And I loved watching the placement tap dances in our studio's recitals. And I began regretting quitting tap. It looked like so much fun. So, when I was 12 I started again, taking a super, super beginner-level tap class. I still had a decent amount of the tap vocabulary, and I remembered a decent percentage of the basic moves. Within a few weeks my teacher at the time -- Miss Rian -- asked if I thought I could handle moving up into one of her higher level (but still not placement) classes. I gave it a shot. And I LOVED it.
The next year I got accepted into the placement 1 tap class. And from there I kept moving up, and I really started to get addicted to tap. After I had been in the top placement level for at least a year, my teacher at that point -- Miss Amber -- started a tap company at our studio. The studio already had a pre-professional Repertory (Rep.) company, a hip-hop company called Ensemble, and a performing gymnastics company called Exhibition, so Tap Co. joined the ranks. I had been a part of each of these different companies at some point, but Tap Co. really stuck with me.
As much as I love all dance, I cannot live without dance in general, there are some days when I just don't feel like going to classes. But I have never felt that way about my tap classes and our company time. When I would have a crappy day and have a ballet or modern class to go to after school, I would often feel like, "ugh, I don't want to have to go to dance today. It's just such a hassle. I don't feel like moving. etc." But on days when I would have tap class and Tap Co., it was always more of "Geeze, this has been such a crappy day. I can't wait to get to tap."
I don't know if they're going to read this or not, but in case they do, this next part goes out to my former tap teachers.
Miss Rian,
Thank you so much for everything you taught me. You really helped to reignite my love for tap, and that means so much! <3
Miss Amber,
You made Tap Co. into a family at a time when everything else felt so disconnected. With all of the injuries and disappointments I had to face in the last couple of years, I felt like a lot of people had just plain given up on me. But you never did, and that was so important to me. I don't think I can ever thank you enough for that. <3
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Two steps forward, one giant grande jete back...
I seriously envy those dancers who have never had and injury ever. They have no freaking clue how incredibly lucky they are.
I rolled my left ankle (read: bad ankle) in a rehearsal tonight. One second I was doing a triple coupe turn and the next I was lying on the floor. Now, it's not really bad or anything. Worst case scenario it's a first degree and I just need to ice it, rest it, and take it easy in my dance classes for the next couple days. The worst part about the whole thing was that it was at the end of the rehearsal and it was supposed to be the last run thru of the dance before we gave up the UC studio. So there were about a million people waiting to use the studio who saw me bite the ground.
Okay, so it wasn't a million. But it was like fifteen or so people, and that's still not the most ideal of situations.
I've said it a hundred times, but I'm just sick of this. Even after my multiple sprains, and a surgery, and months of PT, it's still a liability to me. It pisses me off.
I'll be fine. I am fine. I'm just pissed and in a mood to rant. Lo siento.
I rolled my left ankle (read: bad ankle) in a rehearsal tonight. One second I was doing a triple coupe turn and the next I was lying on the floor. Now, it's not really bad or anything. Worst case scenario it's a first degree and I just need to ice it, rest it, and take it easy in my dance classes for the next couple days. The worst part about the whole thing was that it was at the end of the rehearsal and it was supposed to be the last run thru of the dance before we gave up the UC studio. So there were about a million people waiting to use the studio who saw me bite the ground.
Okay, so it wasn't a million. But it was like fifteen or so people, and that's still not the most ideal of situations.
I've said it a hundred times, but I'm just sick of this. Even after my multiple sprains, and a surgery, and months of PT, it's still a liability to me. It pisses me off.
I'll be fine. I am fine. I'm just pissed and in a mood to rant. Lo siento.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Different people, different priorities
Recently, a surprising number of girls I just graduated high school with have been getting engaged and married.
My first thoughts? :
I just don't get it! Why in the world would you get married straight out of high school? Why not go off to college, establish your career, travel a million places, have a million awesome experiences before settling down!? It just doesn't make sense to me.
But then again, it's not me. It's them. It's their lives, and experiences, and dreams. They are different people with an entirely different set of priorities than I have. I have trouble thinking outside of my own head sometimes. Understanding others. Other people's thinking just doesn't compute for me.
I have been obsessed with dance and performing since the second I first set foot on a stage when I was three years old. I get really tunnel-vision-y sometimes. All I can think about is "My career. My career. My career." And I think that's just how I am. My career will always be the most important thing to me.
Most little girls dream of getting married and having kids. Not me. It's just never really been a goal of mine. Of course, when I was little I guess I probably assumed I'd get married and have kids someday. But it was just never that big of a deal to me in the grand scheme of things. So now that I'm "an adult" and I'm "in the real world" (but not - as my sister puts it - in the real, real world) I quite frankly don't give a crap if I get married or not. I know that I don't really want kids. But getting married? Meh. It'll happen or it won't.
But that's what makes me so different from these girls I see getting married just months out of high school.
For me, it's : Career first. Everything else second.
For them, it's : This is my life. This is how I want to live it. I love this person and cannot imagine a life without them.
It's truly just a matter of having different priorities.
If you are one of those girls I'm referring to, I can't say I understand your priorities, but I most certainly respect them. So congratulations! I wish you nothing but the very best, and I hope that you and your husband/fiancee have a long and happy life together!
My first thoughts? :
I just don't get it! Why in the world would you get married straight out of high school? Why not go off to college, establish your career, travel a million places, have a million awesome experiences before settling down!? It just doesn't make sense to me.
But then again, it's not me. It's them. It's their lives, and experiences, and dreams. They are different people with an entirely different set of priorities than I have. I have trouble thinking outside of my own head sometimes. Understanding others. Other people's thinking just doesn't compute for me.
I have been obsessed with dance and performing since the second I first set foot on a stage when I was three years old. I get really tunnel-vision-y sometimes. All I can think about is "My career. My career. My career." And I think that's just how I am. My career will always be the most important thing to me.
Most little girls dream of getting married and having kids. Not me. It's just never really been a goal of mine. Of course, when I was little I guess I probably assumed I'd get married and have kids someday. But it was just never that big of a deal to me in the grand scheme of things. So now that I'm "an adult" and I'm "in the real world" (but not - as my sister puts it - in the real, real world) I quite frankly don't give a crap if I get married or not. I know that I don't really want kids. But getting married? Meh. It'll happen or it won't.
But that's what makes me so different from these girls I see getting married just months out of high school.
For me, it's : Career first. Everything else second.
For them, it's : This is my life. This is how I want to live it. I love this person and cannot imagine a life without them.
It's truly just a matter of having different priorities.
If you are one of those girls I'm referring to, I can't say I understand your priorities, but I most certainly respect them. So congratulations! I wish you nothing but the very best, and I hope that you and your husband/fiancee have a long and happy life together!
Monday, October 31, 2011
Just Kidding!
If you will recall, in my last post I listed a whole bunch of things I missed about home, and how I only had to wait three more weeks until Thanksgiving.
Well that was a load of bull-crap.
Because...... I WENT HOME THE NEXT DAY!!!
In fact, I had been planning to come home that weekend for about a month! Friday morning I got up at 7am and took a cab to Union Station where I got on the Megabus and left Chicago at 9am. I got into Columbus around 5pm Ohio-time and then went to the final Buckeye Valley football game of the season. All of my marching band friends thought I wasn't coming home until Thanksgiving (because that was the straight-up lie I'd been feeding them all on Facebook for weeks) so when I got there they kind of freaked out. My friend Maddy ran down the steps of the bleachers before skipping the last two steps and jumping -- quite literally -- on my face. My friend Sydney literally did a double take when she saw me. And I got to see their amazing half-time show for the first time! The next day I went into town and I got to see my friend Cara for a bit, and I got to surprise Knox by going to his band's show that night. His mom had told him that they had to stop by my house on the way to the show so my dad could buy one of the band's new shirts to send to me. But it was really to pick me up to go to the show. Which, by the way, was awesome.
Basically this past weekend was freaking fantastic.
And now -- for real -- it's only three weeks until I'm home for Thanksgiving. Then once, I'm back after Thanksgiving it's only three weeks until Christmas break starts.
I can handle three week increments.
Well that was a load of bull-crap.
Because...... I WENT HOME THE NEXT DAY!!!
In fact, I had been planning to come home that weekend for about a month! Friday morning I got up at 7am and took a cab to Union Station where I got on the Megabus and left Chicago at 9am. I got into Columbus around 5pm Ohio-time and then went to the final Buckeye Valley football game of the season. All of my marching band friends thought I wasn't coming home until Thanksgiving (because that was the straight-up lie I'd been feeding them all on Facebook for weeks) so when I got there they kind of freaked out. My friend Maddy ran down the steps of the bleachers before skipping the last two steps and jumping -- quite literally -- on my face. My friend Sydney literally did a double take when she saw me. And I got to see their amazing half-time show for the first time! The next day I went into town and I got to see my friend Cara for a bit, and I got to surprise Knox by going to his band's show that night. His mom had told him that they had to stop by my house on the way to the show so my dad could buy one of the band's new shirts to send to me. But it was really to pick me up to go to the show. Which, by the way, was awesome.
Basically this past weekend was freaking fantastic.
And now -- for real -- it's only three weeks until I'm home for Thanksgiving. Then once, I'm back after Thanksgiving it's only three weeks until Christmas break starts.
I can handle three week increments.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Things I miss.
This is just gonna be a super short post.
Basically I'm home sick. I have three more weeks until I can come home for Thanksgiving and at this point I'm practically counting down the days. So I think I'm just going to make a list of some of the things I miss.
I miss my friends.
I miss marching band.
I miss my Guardies (my color guard girls) <3.
I miss spending my Friday nights with the aforementioned marching band and Guardies.
I miss the smell of fall.
I miss seeing cornfields (I seriously thought I'd never say that).
I miss show choir.
I miss going to metal shows and such.
I miss trees. Like, real trees. Not the occasional tree in the middle of the sidewalk. Like, forests.
I miss my sister.
I miss HP-Ohio and Harry Huddles.
I miss my house.
I miss my bed.
I miss Goat, my fish.
I miss going to the Mean Bean get coffee to write blog posts.
Three weeks...I can make it!
I think.
Basically I'm home sick. I have three more weeks until I can come home for Thanksgiving and at this point I'm practically counting down the days. So I think I'm just going to make a list of some of the things I miss.
I miss my friends.
I miss marching band.
I miss my Guardies (my color guard girls) <3.
I miss spending my Friday nights with the aforementioned marching band and Guardies.
I miss the smell of fall.
I miss seeing cornfields (I seriously thought I'd never say that).
I miss show choir.
I miss going to metal shows and such.
I miss trees. Like, real trees. Not the occasional tree in the middle of the sidewalk. Like, forests.
I miss my sister.
I miss HP-Ohio and Harry Huddles.
I miss my house.
I miss my bed.
I miss Goat, my fish.
I miss going to the Mean Bean get coffee to write blog posts.
Three weeks...I can make it!
I think.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Changes
Starting in January of next year I think I am going to be abandoning this blog. My goal was to blog for a year and as of December 31, 2011 I will have accomplished that goal.
I will not be abandoning blogging as a whole -- I surprised myself with how much I enjoy blogging -- just this specific blog. (I will introduce my new blog URL closer to the end of the year.) I am also going to be consolidating my YouTube and Gmail accounts. Right now I have 2 YouTube accounts that are subscribed to essentially the same set of channels, and 3 Gmail accounts thanks to my Columbia email address being via Gmail.
I also hope to use my winter break to download and get familiar with a good video editing software. Then, hopefully, I will start vlogging on my primary YouTube channel. (I will also provide that username -- to anyone who wants to follow my vlogs -- closer to the end of the year.)
I have some other plans in the works but they're going to require some more thinking and planning before I know if they'll work out for sure.
<3 Alicia
I will not be abandoning blogging as a whole -- I surprised myself with how much I enjoy blogging -- just this specific blog. (I will introduce my new blog URL closer to the end of the year.) I am also going to be consolidating my YouTube and Gmail accounts. Right now I have 2 YouTube accounts that are subscribed to essentially the same set of channels, and 3 Gmail accounts thanks to my Columbia email address being via Gmail.
I also hope to use my winter break to download and get familiar with a good video editing software. Then, hopefully, I will start vlogging on my primary YouTube channel. (I will also provide that username -- to anyone who wants to follow my vlogs -- closer to the end of the year.)
I have some other plans in the works but they're going to require some more thinking and planning before I know if they'll work out for sure.
<3 Alicia
Monday, October 17, 2011
Are YOU a Nerdfighter!?
If not, you should be.
I'll let John and Hank take it from here...
Thank you John and Hank.
I am a Nerdfighter. I've introduced a lot of people to the concept of Nerdfightaria but with a lot of my friends I don't think it's really stuck. I've shown them this video when they've asked what a Nerdfighter is, I've explained my DFTBA bracelet and what DFTBA means when they've asked, I've explained Wizard Rock when they've asked. And while my friends always say things like, "Oh my gosh! That's so cool. These guys are awesome! Etc." I don't think they ever watch another Vlogbrothers video again. Which is fine. I mean, if they don't want to visit YouTube once in a while to check up on Nerdfightaria, then that's totally their choice and totally fine. I don't hold it against them or anything. It just sometimes makes me feel like there's this world -- and is in fact, a whole other world -- that means the world to me and the people who mean the most to me just aren't interested at all. Kind of like how I feel about chemistry: It's fascinating and I appreciate it's use and place in my life, but I don't care to learn about it or pay attention to it...ever.
The internet has changed my life. I would not be the girl who LOVES being a geek, and decreasing worldsuck, and tries to NFTBA (Never Forget To Be Awesome), and likes to "positive prank" (ie. Ding-ding ditching but leaving a package of tootsie-pops on the doorstep), if it weren't for the internet.
This is something that means so much to me that I can't even imagine how it can't mean anything to everyone else in the world. GAAAHHHHH! FRENCH THE LLAMA it makes me frustrated!
But that's just this Nerdfighter's opinion.
DFTBA
I'll let John and Hank take it from here...
Thank you John and Hank.
I am a Nerdfighter. I've introduced a lot of people to the concept of Nerdfightaria but with a lot of my friends I don't think it's really stuck. I've shown them this video when they've asked what a Nerdfighter is, I've explained my DFTBA bracelet and what DFTBA means when they've asked, I've explained Wizard Rock when they've asked. And while my friends always say things like, "Oh my gosh! That's so cool. These guys are awesome! Etc." I don't think they ever watch another Vlogbrothers video again. Which is fine. I mean, if they don't want to visit YouTube once in a while to check up on Nerdfightaria, then that's totally their choice and totally fine. I don't hold it against them or anything. It just sometimes makes me feel like there's this world -- and is in fact, a whole other world -- that means the world to me and the people who mean the most to me just aren't interested at all. Kind of like how I feel about chemistry: It's fascinating and I appreciate it's use and place in my life, but I don't care to learn about it or pay attention to it...ever.
The internet has changed my life. I would not be the girl who LOVES being a geek, and decreasing worldsuck, and tries to NFTBA (Never Forget To Be Awesome), and likes to "positive prank" (ie. Ding-ding ditching but leaving a package of tootsie-pops on the doorstep), if it weren't for the internet.
This is something that means so much to me that I can't even imagine how it can't mean anything to everyone else in the world. GAAAHHHHH! FRENCH THE LLAMA it makes me frustrated!
But that's just this Nerdfighter's opinion.
DFTBA
Monday, October 3, 2011
There are bad times.
* Disclaimer: I usually don't curse in my blog. And when I do, I usually stick to the ones that the Tonight Show wouldn't have to bleep out. But this post is especially personal, so I'm not censoring any of my honest thoughts. And sometimes my honest thoughts would have to be bleeped out on the Tonight Show.
There are times:
When I feel fat.
And then I think "You shouldn't feel that way. You're not."
But then I look at the dancer next to me and I think, "God. I look like a fucking Snorlax compared to her."
And then I think "But I'm really muscular. That's all it is."
But then I look at myself in the mirror, "Then why the hell can't I get my developés higher!?"
And then I think "My friends would KILL me if they knew I honestly thought I was fat."
So I'm never allowed to say it.
Even though I think it.
It's not fair.
It's especially taboo because I'm a dancer.
Which apparently makes me "automatically skinny and in shape."
Which is bullshit.
When I feel like I could help if you'd only let me.
And then I remember that you won't, because you're too fucking stubborn.
It gets better if you let it.
But you won't let it.
Bastard.
When I hate you.
For not shutting the fuck up already.
For being so shallow.
For asking me stupid questions.
For calling yourself fat, because it reminds me how insecure I am.
For straightening your hair. It makes you look like a douchebag. Which you are.
For being so far away.
For being so much like me.
For taking your life for granted.
For not letting go of the past.
When I hate myself.
For letting you get to me.
For not having perfect pirouettes.
For having fucked up knees.
For being this far away.
For my reflection.
For when I can't take a joke. Which happens a lot.
For not letting go of the past.
For being a hypocrite.
For being shy.
For tricking so many people into believing I'm not shy at all.
For being terrified of getting injured again.
For quitting gymnastics.
For quitting violin lessons.
For quitting piano lessons.
For feeling I'm fat.
For apologizing for feeling fat.
For not making changes sooner.
For this blog post.
When I want to cry.
But I can't.
Because I learned to fight back tears so well.
When I'm terrified.
That people will ignore me.
That I'm not special.
That I'm not pretty.
That people will give me "that look" when they find out how much I love Harry Potter.
-Or Doctor Who.
-Or Star Wars.
-Or Disney Princesses.
-Or dinosaurs.
That I'm not a good enough dancer.
That I don't work hard enough.
There are times:
When I feel fat.
And then I think "You shouldn't feel that way. You're not."
But then I look at the dancer next to me and I think, "God. I look like a fucking Snorlax compared to her."
And then I think "But I'm really muscular. That's all it is."
But then I look at myself in the mirror, "Then why the hell can't I get my developés higher!?"
And then I think "My friends would KILL me if they knew I honestly thought I was fat."
So I'm never allowed to say it.
Even though I think it.
It's not fair.
It's especially taboo because I'm a dancer.
Which apparently makes me "automatically skinny and in shape."
Which is bullshit.
When I feel like I could help if you'd only let me.
And then I remember that you won't, because you're too fucking stubborn.
It gets better if you let it.
But you won't let it.
Bastard.
When I hate you.
For not shutting the fuck up already.
For being so shallow.
For asking me stupid questions.
For calling yourself fat, because it reminds me how insecure I am.
For straightening your hair. It makes you look like a douchebag. Which you are.
For being so far away.
For being so much like me.
For taking your life for granted.
For not letting go of the past.
When I hate myself.
For letting you get to me.
For not having perfect pirouettes.
For having fucked up knees.
For being this far away.
For my reflection.
For when I can't take a joke. Which happens a lot.
For not letting go of the past.
For being a hypocrite.
For being shy.
For tricking so many people into believing I'm not shy at all.
For being terrified of getting injured again.
For quitting gymnastics.
For quitting violin lessons.
For quitting piano lessons.
For feeling I'm fat.
For apologizing for feeling fat.
For not making changes sooner.
For this blog post.
When I want to cry.
But I can't.
Because I learned to fight back tears so well.
When I'm terrified.
That people will ignore me.
That I'm not special.
That I'm not pretty.
That people will give me "that look" when they find out how much I love Harry Potter.
-Or Doctor Who.
-Or Star Wars.
-Or Disney Princesses.
-Or dinosaurs.
That I'm not a good enough dancer.
That I don't work hard enough.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Crappy, crappy day.
I have work to do so naturally I'm writing a blog post right now.
Today was just epically frustrating. My knee is kind of screwed up right now, which is a big part of all my frustrations. And I'm having alignment issues, and my modern teacher singled me out after class today to talk about them. Which, I guess, is a good thing. It's common knowledge in dance that teachers will, not really "pick their favorites" but will see potential in certain dancers and then focus more energy on said dancers than others. If that last sentence didn't make sense, please be reassured that I don't give a crap.
So sometimes when you keep getting a lot of corrections in class it's easy to feel like "I can't do ANYTHING right today!" but it's mentally healthier (and pretty much true) to think "At least getting all these corrections means the teacher likes me, and is paying attention to me."
So I'm trying to look at it that way. But it's still pissing me off. I've had some issues with alignment ever since I had to take so much time off of dance for my injuries. But alignment is one of the most difficult things to fix. It's strictly structural and I, quite frankly, FRIGGING HATE IT.
I have to go to class now, but I'm hoping things get better in ballet.
Which is not likely. Because I hate ballet. Ballet also makes my knee hurt more. FML.
Today was just epically frustrating. My knee is kind of screwed up right now, which is a big part of all my frustrations. And I'm having alignment issues, and my modern teacher singled me out after class today to talk about them. Which, I guess, is a good thing. It's common knowledge in dance that teachers will, not really "pick their favorites" but will see potential in certain dancers and then focus more energy on said dancers than others. If that last sentence didn't make sense, please be reassured that I don't give a crap.
So sometimes when you keep getting a lot of corrections in class it's easy to feel like "I can't do ANYTHING right today!" but it's mentally healthier (and pretty much true) to think "At least getting all these corrections means the teacher likes me, and is paying attention to me."
So I'm trying to look at it that way. But it's still pissing me off. I've had some issues with alignment ever since I had to take so much time off of dance for my injuries. But alignment is one of the most difficult things to fix. It's strictly structural and I, quite frankly, FRIGGING HATE IT.
I have to go to class now, but I'm hoping things get better in ballet.
Which is not likely. Because I hate ballet. Ballet also makes my knee hurt more. FML.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Sometimes you just don't have a leg to stand on
Around this time two years ago I was thrown a curve-ball that drastically affected my entire life.
I was dancing in the studio in my basement, like I do almost everyday when I'm home, so it was absolutely a normal day. I even remember what I was dancing to: Oculus Ex Inferni by Symphony X. I went to do a double attitude jump and as I was coming back down to land it I caught all of my weight on the side of my foot.
This was the first in a series of injuries that gradually screwed up my ankle for good. I was out of dance for about two months and quite frankly I probably should have been out for longer, but I am stupid, so the first second it didn't absolutely kill to relevé I was dancing again.
I am an idiot.
Because of that decision I was back doing risky jumps and turns way before I should have. After I had been dancing again for only a few months in March when I supinated my same ankle while walking. At first I thought I had broken my ankle because I heard a super loud cracking sound, but I later learned that ligaments tend to make a loud cracking noise when they tear apart.
That particular injury took a couple of months to heal. For a while I wasn't even sure if I would be able to attend the dance intensive at Ballet Chicago that summer that I had auditioned into. Luckily I felt strong enough several weeks before the 5 week long intensive started and decided to go. (That's how I initially found out about Columbia!) When I came back at the end of the summer I felt stronger than I'd been in months and I was excited to start my junior year.
However, it was apparently inevitable that I would get injured again. That December I was at a show for my best friend's band in Columbus when I was knocked over in a mosh pit. Again I supinated my bad ankle, but rather than get trampled my the mosh pit, I jumped right back up. I could tell I'd hurt my ankle again, but the combination of adrenaline and my heightened pain tolerance made me assume that it wasn't too bad. I initially ignored the pain and went to my dance classes like usual. I was also trying to make up for my previous absences from when I'd been injured before and so I was taking up to 2 1/2 hours of modern, 3 hours of tap, 2 hours of jazz, and 8 to 10 hours of ballet per week. This was all at the same time that rehearsals for the spring musical - Thoroughly Modern Millie - were starting, for which I was Dance Captain, and playing the parts of Alice, and the understudy for Millie.
The pain kept up so I went back to my ankle specialist who promptly informed me that I would need an MRI, and probably surgery. I was crushed. I had to worry about finishing the musical, then there was the BV choir's trip to New York City, and finally I had been accepted to the Jordan Academy of Dance's summer ballet intensive. The timing was so completely NOT conducive to having surgery.
My MRI indicated that my anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) was stretched by my injuries to the point where it no longer offered me any stability. So I was scheduled to have surgery on April Fool's Day of 2010. The surgery (called a "modified brostrom" surgery) required three small Xs to be cut in separate parts of my ankle to scope the area, then a larger incision be made on my ankle bone. Then my ATFL would be cut in half and overlapped - both for extra stability and to shorten the ligament. When I woke up from my surgery my ankle specialist/surgeon informed me that my ATFL had actually been detached from my tibia, so they had to take the extra step of reattaching it first. So. Much. Fun. But when I got home from my surgery my bestie Knox came over with chocolate ice cream and wafer cookies and we watched UP and Gilmore Girls.
A week later Visions, Baronettes and Symphonic choir were supposed to leave for New York City. There was no way I was going to miss this trip, so despite my choir director's underhanded attempts to get me to stay home, I went and I had a fabulous time! I got to see The Addams Family Musical which has become one of my all-time favorite Broadway musicals. I got to see Billy Elliot, and even though I didn't get to dance in the choreography workshop with cast members of Billy Elliot, they signed my bright green cast! I also "crutched" the entire span of the Brooklyn Bridge!
Even after I had my surgery I was an idiot. Why? Well, the day I got my cast off and my boot on was the day of show choir auditions. Additionally, I wanted to audition to be Dance Captain, which meant that I had to choreograph 8 eight-counts and teach it to the group in 10 minutes. So I went to the doctor's during school on the day of auditions and got my cast off. My doctor told me not to walk on my leg and to keep using my crutches until I was completely pain free. I crutched out of the doctor's office, threw my crutches in the back of the car, went back to school and did my whole audition on my boot. Not the smartest move I've ever made, but also not the worst -- I got Dance Captain.
After 6 months away from dance, tons of physical therapy, and a switch in dance studios I was back dancing and happier than ever. I've rolled my ankle a couple of times since but never badly, and now I'm always very careful to ice and rest it immediately and for several days after just to be sure.
I was dancing in the studio in my basement, like I do almost everyday when I'm home, so it was absolutely a normal day. I even remember what I was dancing to: Oculus Ex Inferni by Symphony X. I went to do a double attitude jump and as I was coming back down to land it I caught all of my weight on the side of my foot.
 | ||
| Note the sexy blue boot. |
I am an idiot.
Because of that decision I was back doing risky jumps and turns way before I should have. After I had been dancing again for only a few months in March when I supinated my same ankle while walking. At first I thought I had broken my ankle because I heard a super loud cracking sound, but I later learned that ligaments tend to make a loud cracking noise when they tear apart.
That particular injury took a couple of months to heal. For a while I wasn't even sure if I would be able to attend the dance intensive at Ballet Chicago that summer that I had auditioned into. Luckily I felt strong enough several weeks before the 5 week long intensive started and decided to go. (That's how I initially found out about Columbia!) When I came back at the end of the summer I felt stronger than I'd been in months and I was excited to start my junior year.
However, it was apparently inevitable that I would get injured again. That December I was at a show for my best friend's band in Columbus when I was knocked over in a mosh pit. Again I supinated my bad ankle, but rather than get trampled my the mosh pit, I jumped right back up. I could tell I'd hurt my ankle again, but the combination of adrenaline and my heightened pain tolerance made me assume that it wasn't too bad. I initially ignored the pain and went to my dance classes like usual. I was also trying to make up for my previous absences from when I'd been injured before and so I was taking up to 2 1/2 hours of modern, 3 hours of tap, 2 hours of jazz, and 8 to 10 hours of ballet per week. This was all at the same time that rehearsals for the spring musical - Thoroughly Modern Millie - were starting, for which I was Dance Captain, and playing the parts of Alice, and the understudy for Millie.
The pain kept up so I went back to my ankle specialist who promptly informed me that I would need an MRI, and probably surgery. I was crushed. I had to worry about finishing the musical, then there was the BV choir's trip to New York City, and finally I had been accepted to the Jordan Academy of Dance's summer ballet intensive. The timing was so completely NOT conducive to having surgery.
My MRI indicated that my anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) was stretched by my injuries to the point where it no longer offered me any stability. So I was scheduled to have surgery on April Fool's Day of 2010. The surgery (called a "modified brostrom" surgery) required three small Xs to be cut in separate parts of my ankle to scope the area, then a larger incision be made on my ankle bone. Then my ATFL would be cut in half and overlapped - both for extra stability and to shorten the ligament. When I woke up from my surgery my ankle specialist/surgeon informed me that my ATFL had actually been detached from my tibia, so they had to take the extra step of reattaching it first. So. Much. Fun. But when I got home from my surgery my bestie Knox came over with chocolate ice cream and wafer cookies and we watched UP and Gilmore Girls.
 |
| Rockefeller Center! |
 | |
| At Thespian inductions in my boot. |
Even after I had my surgery I was an idiot. Why? Well, the day I got my cast off and my boot on was the day of show choir auditions. Additionally, I wanted to audition to be Dance Captain, which meant that I had to choreograph 8 eight-counts and teach it to the group in 10 minutes. So I went to the doctor's during school on the day of auditions and got my cast off. My doctor told me not to walk on my leg and to keep using my crutches until I was completely pain free. I crutched out of the doctor's office, threw my crutches in the back of the car, went back to school and did my whole audition on my boot. Not the smartest move I've ever made, but also not the worst -- I got Dance Captain.
After 6 months away from dance, tons of physical therapy, and a switch in dance studios I was back dancing and happier than ever. I've rolled my ankle a couple of times since but never badly, and now I'm always very careful to ice and rest it immediately and for several days after just to be sure.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Three hundred and twenty-three miles away from home
I love it here.
It's really surreal sometimes.
For instance: the study/homework party we had tonight. I was working on a short paper about how competition in different communities (specifically in the dance world) affects the relationships in those communities, as well as a short journal entry of my reactions to today's dancemaking class. My suite-mate Alessa was sketching dress designs, my friend Alison was writing a paper about what has made her "her creative self," and my friend Kacie was writing a three to five page paper about a desk-lamp. Other assignments I've had so far include drawing my skeleton -- not anatomically, but how I picture it in my imagination -- and then some notes about it, writing about an animal whose movement I find interesting, and also just making sure to condition every day.
There's something very different about going to an arts school than there is going to a state school. Maybe it's the excessive number of Toms, combat boots, mohawks, and dreadlocks around me. Maybe it's because Columbia legitimately has a certified zombie-specialist on staff. Maybe it's even just the energy of Chicago, but there really is something different here. I felt it the moment I stepped on campus at the open house last spring, and that's what convinced me that this place is absolutely for me.
That being said, I'm really missing home right now. I've been away for a month and I have two more to go until I can come home for the first time at Thanksgiving. I miss my friends, and I miss the Delaware County Fair, and I miss the smell of fall in the country. I know that last part sounds super cheesy but, my hand to God, fall smells different in the city. Not like fall. Fall is supposed to smell like leaves, and wood-smoke, and chilly air. Here it just smells like chilly air and the subway. Fall is supposed to bring bonfires and marching band season (some call it "football season" but they're missing the whole point of football games: halftime). I'm really sad that I didn't get to see my seniors premiere their halftime show at the BV v. Hayes game (or see the Barons epically beat the Pacers). I won't get to march with my Guardies on Alumni Night, I won't get to see my seniors' Senior Night show, and I won't get to see the fall play. Two of my close friends who graduated with my sister just had a baby yesterday, and I won't get to see them for months.
Facebook and Skype are not enough sometimes.
Don't get me wrong, I really do love it here. So much! But if you're going to an in-state school, please don't take it for granted.
It's really surreal sometimes.
For instance: the study/homework party we had tonight. I was working on a short paper about how competition in different communities (specifically in the dance world) affects the relationships in those communities, as well as a short journal entry of my reactions to today's dancemaking class. My suite-mate Alessa was sketching dress designs, my friend Alison was writing a paper about what has made her "her creative self," and my friend Kacie was writing a three to five page paper about a desk-lamp. Other assignments I've had so far include drawing my skeleton -- not anatomically, but how I picture it in my imagination -- and then some notes about it, writing about an animal whose movement I find interesting, and also just making sure to condition every day.
There's something very different about going to an arts school than there is going to a state school. Maybe it's the excessive number of Toms, combat boots, mohawks, and dreadlocks around me. Maybe it's because Columbia legitimately has a certified zombie-specialist on staff. Maybe it's even just the energy of Chicago, but there really is something different here. I felt it the moment I stepped on campus at the open house last spring, and that's what convinced me that this place is absolutely for me.
That being said, I'm really missing home right now. I've been away for a month and I have two more to go until I can come home for the first time at Thanksgiving. I miss my friends, and I miss the Delaware County Fair, and I miss the smell of fall in the country. I know that last part sounds super cheesy but, my hand to God, fall smells different in the city. Not like fall. Fall is supposed to smell like leaves, and wood-smoke, and chilly air. Here it just smells like chilly air and the subway. Fall is supposed to bring bonfires and marching band season (some call it "football season" but they're missing the whole point of football games: halftime). I'm really sad that I didn't get to see my seniors premiere their halftime show at the BV v. Hayes game (or see the Barons epically beat the Pacers). I won't get to march with my Guardies on Alumni Night, I won't get to see my seniors' Senior Night show, and I won't get to see the fall play. Two of my close friends who graduated with my sister just had a baby yesterday, and I won't get to see them for months.
Facebook and Skype are not enough sometimes.
Don't get me wrong, I really do love it here. So much! But if you're going to an in-state school, please don't take it for granted.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Vintage, Vegans, and (ele)Vators [BEDA August 31]
So after having a really crappy couple of days, today was awesome.
I went thrifting this morning as one of the Weeks Of Welcome events that Columbia hosts. The thing that Columbia apparently didn't think about though was that this is an Arts school. Everyone here loves to thrift. So they were a little taken aback when 200 people showed up for an event prepared for 80 at the most. Luckily, my suite-mates and I were able to get free CTA day-passes (we haven't gotten our U-passes yet which will let us ride all CTA transportation for free) while, unluckily most people there did not.
I got separated from my suite-mates, but the group that I was in went on the blue line to Division and Milwaukee. I got to know some of the people in my group and we checked out a few decent thrift stores there. The real gold at that stop though, was this amazing record store we found called Favorite Records. They have amazing stuff, in great condition, and it's organized AND priced really well. Plus they give a 10% discount to students. *Insert winning here*
After the record store several of us decided to go one more stop down on the blue line to Dameon and check out some vintage shops in that area. A lot of cool, legit vintage stuff, but again the best discovery at that stop was this place called Native Foods Cafe. Native Foods is 100% vegetarian friendly and like 95% vegan-friendly. I know a lot of people don't have a very high opinion of vegetarian food, and even I don't to a certain point. But this place was AMAZING. They have all these burgers and things that, from the way they're described, one would totally think had meat on them. Ex: their bacon cheeseburger. But NONE of their food has meat in it. None. All the "meats" are really meat substitutes, like setian, or tempeh, or tofu. And while they definitely don't taste like beef, who said they have to!? I had a "scorpion burger" with vegan cheese (cheese made with soymilk) and sweet potato fries. Native Foods also has amazing drinks. Of course they have your basic fountain drinks, but they also have Lavender Lemonade (French lavender steeped with fresh lemons. Sweetened with organic sugar), Watermelon Fresca (Fresh watermelon and a touch of mint. Sweetened with organic agave), and their Native Iced Tea (Organic hibiscus and wild berry tea. Sweetened with organic agave.)
So. Fracking. Good.
Later I played Apples to Apples with some new friends. And when that got old, we played elevator pranks. For instance, we got onto and empty elevator and we all just faced the walls. When someone else got onto the elevator, they were super freaked out that everyone was just....standing there....facing the walls. Another favorite was to be really quiet when people got on and then clap and cheer for them when the elevator got to their desired floor.
Yea. Arts students. This is socially acceptable behavior here.
So this is my last post for BEDA!!!!! Blogging Every Day in August is OVER!!! Yay!
I went thrifting this morning as one of the Weeks Of Welcome events that Columbia hosts. The thing that Columbia apparently didn't think about though was that this is an Arts school. Everyone here loves to thrift. So they were a little taken aback when 200 people showed up for an event prepared for 80 at the most. Luckily, my suite-mates and I were able to get free CTA day-passes (we haven't gotten our U-passes yet which will let us ride all CTA transportation for free) while, unluckily most people there did not.
I got separated from my suite-mates, but the group that I was in went on the blue line to Division and Milwaukee. I got to know some of the people in my group and we checked out a few decent thrift stores there. The real gold at that stop though, was this amazing record store we found called Favorite Records. They have amazing stuff, in great condition, and it's organized AND priced really well. Plus they give a 10% discount to students. *Insert winning here*
After the record store several of us decided to go one more stop down on the blue line to Dameon and check out some vintage shops in that area. A lot of cool, legit vintage stuff, but again the best discovery at that stop was this place called Native Foods Cafe. Native Foods is 100% vegetarian friendly and like 95% vegan-friendly. I know a lot of people don't have a very high opinion of vegetarian food, and even I don't to a certain point. But this place was AMAZING. They have all these burgers and things that, from the way they're described, one would totally think had meat on them. Ex: their bacon cheeseburger. But NONE of their food has meat in it. None. All the "meats" are really meat substitutes, like setian, or tempeh, or tofu. And while they definitely don't taste like beef, who said they have to!? I had a "scorpion burger" with vegan cheese (cheese made with soymilk) and sweet potato fries. Native Foods also has amazing drinks. Of course they have your basic fountain drinks, but they also have Lavender Lemonade (French lavender steeped with fresh lemons. Sweetened with organic sugar), Watermelon Fresca (Fresh watermelon and a touch of mint. Sweetened with organic agave), and their Native Iced Tea (Organic hibiscus and wild berry tea. Sweetened with organic agave.)
So. Fracking. Good.
Later I played Apples to Apples with some new friends. And when that got old, we played elevator pranks. For instance, we got onto and empty elevator and we all just faced the walls. When someone else got onto the elevator, they were super freaked out that everyone was just....standing there....facing the walls. Another favorite was to be really quiet when people got on and then clap and cheer for them when the elevator got to their desired floor.
Yea. Arts students. This is socially acceptable behavior here.
So this is my last post for BEDA!!!!! Blogging Every Day in August is OVER!!! Yay!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Lies and falsehoods [BEDA August 30]
So today's post isn't super interesting either. This blogging everyday thing is zapping all of my creative energy.
I met some cool vegetarians today. We talked about a bunch of really great veg-friendly restaurants and grocery stores in the area, and got organic smoothies. Tomorrow I'm going with a bunch of people to go thrifting all over Chicago.
Really missing people.
Really, really missing people.
I met some cool vegetarians today. We talked about a bunch of really great veg-friendly restaurants and grocery stores in the area, and got organic smoothies. Tomorrow I'm going with a bunch of people to go thrifting all over Chicago.
Really missing people.
Really, really missing people.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Apparently I'm a liar [BEDA August 29]
So I know I said that today's post would be more interesting.....but I lied.
I'm really starting to miss people. I just want to start classes, but I still have 8 days until they start.
Eff.
I'm really starting to miss people. I just want to start classes, but I still have 8 days until they start.
Eff.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Lazy Sunday [BEDA August 28]
So I spent a lot of time with my suite-mates today. We went shopping, and walked around Millennium Park and the boardwalk for a while. Later we watched the VMAs.
I know this is a seriously boring post but I am kinda tired. I know I'm always saying this but I'll try to make tomorrow's post more interesting.
I know this is a seriously boring post but I am kinda tired. I know I'm always saying this but I'll try to make tomorrow's post more interesting.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
And All That Jazz... (face-palm) [BEDA August 27]
So today was my first full day of living in my dorm building.
My roommate spent last night with family, so I had the room to myself. I did spend some time talking with my suite-mates, getting to know them and all, which was a little "awkward-silencey." But we were laughing about it and I'm hoping that will pass really soon. My roommate got back this evening, and we seem really compatible. We're both sarcastic (insert Hallelujah Chorus here), and we both dance. We went to our floor meeting with our suite-mates and afterward spent a little time walking around the area trying to find somewhere to get food that was still open at 10:30.
Subway's open until 1am.
Score.
I recognized a few people on my floor from my placement audition who're really nice. I'm excited. Still a little nervous, but I can tell this is going to be good. (Insert naive smile of confidence here.)
My roommate spent last night with family, so I had the room to myself. I did spend some time talking with my suite-mates, getting to know them and all, which was a little "awkward-silencey." But we were laughing about it and I'm hoping that will pass really soon. My roommate got back this evening, and we seem really compatible. We're both sarcastic (insert Hallelujah Chorus here), and we both dance. We went to our floor meeting with our suite-mates and afterward spent a little time walking around the area trying to find somewhere to get food that was still open at 10:30.
Subway's open until 1am.
Score.
I recognized a few people on my floor from my placement audition who're really nice. I'm excited. Still a little nervous, but I can tell this is going to be good. (Insert naive smile of confidence here.)
Friday, August 26, 2011
College and stuff [BEDA August 26]
So I moved into my dorm today. I am suuuuuper tired so I'm going to watch and episode of Doctor Who then hit the hay.
Sorry. Another cop-out post. I'll try to make my post for tomorrow more interesting. I seriously can't wait for this whole Blog Every Day in August thing to be over.
Sorry. Another cop-out post. I'll try to make my post for tomorrow more interesting. I seriously can't wait for this whole Blog Every Day in August thing to be over.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
I find "you're" stupidity to be unacceptable [BEDA August]
People are stupid. It's just a fact.
However, one way to combat this sad fact is to be able to prove your intelligence as needed. Unfortunately this world that we live in does not pride itself on intelligence. Such things are apparent when items like THIS exist in the world.
If you can't immediately see what is wrong with this t-shirt then I am aiming the rest of this blog post directly at you.
This shirt says "If your single so am I," with the problem being the use of the word "your." I see people make this mistake daily, but I don't want to be The Grammar Bitch and piss people off so I usually don't say anything about it. But this is my blog. My place to vent, and rant, and share my opinions with the world. And when people make this mistake it pisses ME off. I once mentioned to one of my closest friends that it kind of (read: OMG! REALLY) bothered me when she wrote "your" in place of "you're" in her texts. She responded by saying "It's just texting. It's not like it matters."
But here's the thing: It really matters. It really fracking matters! When people get lazy in their texting and just use "your" and "there" for every application of their respective homonyms, then bad habits are formed. People start being unable to recognize the differences between the forms of the words and just write the first version that pops into their head.
Your: Belonging to the subject. Shows possession. "That is your cup of coffee."
You're: Conjunction of you and are. "You're holding the coffee."
There: A place. "My coffee is over there."
Their: Belonging to the subject. Shows possession. "That is their cup of coffee."
They're: Conjunction of they and are. "They're making fresh coffee."
I love it when the coffee's done. (If you understand this reference take 10 awesome points out of petty cash.)
Moving on now. Apostrophes are not all-purpose S-buddies. By that I mean, whenever there is an s at the end of a word, it does not automatically require an apostrophe to keep it company. They are meant to show possession and for conjunctions. All too often, however, people reverse these uses.
Incorrect: "Lets go over to Kellys house and watch some movie's."
Correct: "Let's (let us) go ever to Kelly's (the house belonging to Kelly) house and watch some movies (plural of movie)."
That brings me to my last point. Plural forms of a word do not need an apostrophe. The exception being a plural possessive. When you have a group of things -- let's say all of the Doctors from Doctor Who -- who all own something -- the Tardis (the Doctor's starship) -- then you write the word in it's plural form and add an apostrophe to the end.
Ex. "Because the Chameleon Circuit hasn't worked since 1963, the Doctors' Tardis always looks like a blue police call box."
I could write about this indefinitely, but I'm driving the rest of the way to Chicago tomorrow and moving into my dorm. So that's all for tonight because I need some sleep.
Happy trails.
However, one way to combat this sad fact is to be able to prove your intelligence as needed. Unfortunately this world that we live in does not pride itself on intelligence. Such things are apparent when items like THIS exist in the world.
If you can't immediately see what is wrong with this t-shirt then I am aiming the rest of this blog post directly at you.
This shirt says "If your single so am I," with the problem being the use of the word "your." I see people make this mistake daily, but I don't want to be The Grammar Bitch and piss people off so I usually don't say anything about it. But this is my blog. My place to vent, and rant, and share my opinions with the world. And when people make this mistake it pisses ME off. I once mentioned to one of my closest friends that it kind of (read: OMG! REALLY) bothered me when she wrote "your" in place of "you're" in her texts. She responded by saying "It's just texting. It's not like it matters."
But here's the thing: It really matters. It really fracking matters! When people get lazy in their texting and just use "your" and "there" for every application of their respective homonyms, then bad habits are formed. People start being unable to recognize the differences between the forms of the words and just write the first version that pops into their head.
Your: Belonging to the subject. Shows possession. "That is your cup of coffee."
You're: Conjunction of you and are. "You're holding the coffee."
There: A place. "My coffee is over there."
Their: Belonging to the subject. Shows possession. "That is their cup of coffee."
They're: Conjunction of they and are. "They're making fresh coffee."
I love it when the coffee's done. (If you understand this reference take 10 awesome points out of petty cash.)
Moving on now. Apostrophes are not all-purpose S-buddies. By that I mean, whenever there is an s at the end of a word, it does not automatically require an apostrophe to keep it company. They are meant to show possession and for conjunctions. All too often, however, people reverse these uses.
Incorrect: "Lets go over to Kellys house and watch some movie's."
Correct: "Let's (let us) go ever to Kelly's (the house belonging to Kelly) house and watch some movies (plural of movie)."
That brings me to my last point. Plural forms of a word do not need an apostrophe. The exception being a plural possessive. When you have a group of things -- let's say all of the Doctors from Doctor Who -- who all own something -- the Tardis (the Doctor's starship) -- then you write the word in it's plural form and add an apostrophe to the end.
Ex. "Because the Chameleon Circuit hasn't worked since 1963, the Doctors' Tardis always looks like a blue police call box."
I could write about this indefinitely, but I'm driving the rest of the way to Chicago tomorrow and moving into my dorm. So that's all for tonight because I need some sleep.
Happy trails.
Home in a to-go box [BEDA August 24]
So I literally just finished packing...
I was talking to my sister and our friend Carie earlier about it being like putting your home in a to-go container.
I leave in just a few hours so I'm going to try to sleep a little. Ta'.
 |
| ...and this is what it looks like. |
I was talking to my sister and our friend Carie earlier about it being like putting your home in a to-go container.
I leave in just a few hours so I'm going to try to sleep a little. Ta'.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Dreams and why they freak me out [BEDA August 23]
I don't dream.
I mean, yes I have hopes and dreams. I want to be a superhero-princess-dinosaur-wizard-ninja. But those aren't the type of dreams I'm talking about.
I rarely dream when I sleep. Maybe it's because of my insomnia, but it's true. When I do dream, I practically never remember them. Statistically, I probably only remember like, 2% of my dreams. So it's really weird that I've been dreaming a lot lately.
I keep having this dream where I'm in a big city -- probably Chicago -- and I'm outside standing on the sidewalk facing this building. Then all of a sudden I'm inside the building. I'm standing in a long hallway with stark white walls, dark green carpeting and several steps about halfway down. I'm looking at a light brown, wooden door at the end of the hallway. I walk down this hallway to stand right in front of the door and after a few seconds it opens. When the door opens I freak out and start running back down the hall and back out on the street. Only once I hit the street, I realize I'm being chased. Now, I know this person who's chasing me, and I also know that they're a friend of mine (Not just one of those non-specific friends that sometimes happen in dreams, but a real person I know. However I don't feel like disclosing the identity of this friend.) but I keep running for some reason. Down the street, through buildings, up escalators, down stairs. But every now and then, it becomes like running through water. I pick up my legs to run and I don't move anywhere, which sucks because I'm still being chased. And in the end, somehow I just wind up back in the hallway with the green carpet and the brown door.
It probably has some deep, philosophical meaning. But I'm not interested. I'm just freaked that I've been dreaming and remembering them.
It's weird.
I mean, yes I have hopes and dreams. I want to be a superhero-princess-dinosaur-wizard-ninja. But those aren't the type of dreams I'm talking about.
I rarely dream when I sleep. Maybe it's because of my insomnia, but it's true. When I do dream, I practically never remember them. Statistically, I probably only remember like, 2% of my dreams. So it's really weird that I've been dreaming a lot lately.
I keep having this dream where I'm in a big city -- probably Chicago -- and I'm outside standing on the sidewalk facing this building. Then all of a sudden I'm inside the building. I'm standing in a long hallway with stark white walls, dark green carpeting and several steps about halfway down. I'm looking at a light brown, wooden door at the end of the hallway. I walk down this hallway to stand right in front of the door and after a few seconds it opens. When the door opens I freak out and start running back down the hall and back out on the street. Only once I hit the street, I realize I'm being chased. Now, I know this person who's chasing me, and I also know that they're a friend of mine (Not just one of those non-specific friends that sometimes happen in dreams, but a real person I know. However I don't feel like disclosing the identity of this friend.) but I keep running for some reason. Down the street, through buildings, up escalators, down stairs. But every now and then, it becomes like running through water. I pick up my legs to run and I don't move anywhere, which sucks because I'm still being chased. And in the end, somehow I just wind up back in the hallway with the green carpet and the brown door.
It probably has some deep, philosophical meaning. But I'm not interested. I'm just freaked that I've been dreaming and remembering them.
It's weird.
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| Sketch I did of the hallway in my dream. |
Monday, August 22, 2011
Beda beda beda beda[BEDA August 22]
BEDA is getting so freaking old. I have absolutely nothing to write today and absolutely no motivation to come up with anything.
But this counts as a post, so I have fulfilled all obligations.
I promise I'll have something at least decently interesting to write tomorrow.
Ta'.
But this counts as a post, so I have fulfilled all obligations.
I promise I'll have something at least decently interesting to write tomorrow.
Ta'.
Crafty person is crafty [BEDA August 21]
So I just spent the last 2 hours making a papier mache Beauxbatons hat...
Now of course it's not done. Even after it dries I have to trim the bottom edges, make the brim out of felt, cover both pieces in blue fabric, then figure out how to attach them. No idea yet how I'm gonna do that, but I usually figure something out.
Then I need to to repeat this process like, three more times.
I'm totally okay with this actually. I love figuring out how to make things like this. In high school theater I always loved to figure out how to make the weird props we needed for plays. Like when we did The Complete Works of William Shakespeare [Abridged].......and we needed a human head pie.....for Titus Andronicus represented as a cooking show. So I figured out how to make a human head pie. It was probably the creepiest thing I've ever made. It had fake hair and everything. Eh-hem. Yea.
So yea, these actually have a purpose but I'll write about that some other time. It's 5:15 am and I'm just a tidge tired. Especially since I spent my Sunday playing pirate-wizard lazer tag.
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| (...which looks like this.) |
Now of course it's not done. Even after it dries I have to trim the bottom edges, make the brim out of felt, cover both pieces in blue fabric, then figure out how to attach them. No idea yet how I'm gonna do that, but I usually figure something out.
Then I need to to repeat this process like, three more times.
I'm totally okay with this actually. I love figuring out how to make things like this. In high school theater I always loved to figure out how to make the weird props we needed for plays. Like when we did The Complete Works of William Shakespeare [Abridged].......and we needed a human head pie.....for Titus Andronicus represented as a cooking show. So I figured out how to make a human head pie. It was probably the creepiest thing I've ever made. It had fake hair and everything. Eh-hem. Yea.
So yea, these actually have a purpose but I'll write about that some other time. It's 5:15 am and I'm just a tidge tired. Especially since I spent my Sunday playing pirate-wizard lazer tag.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
The Lorelai Paradox and other edible anomalies [BEDA August 20]
So I had my wonderful friend Forest over today for a long awaited Gilmore Night. Since I'm moving into college in a week and Forest is going to be a senior this year I made up a playlist of episodes from the 3rd and 4th seasons (Rory's senior year of high school and Rory's freshman year of college).
A very important aspect of Gilmore Girls is the Lorelai and Rory's ability to eat just about anything and everything in sight.
Luke: There's nothing in here but ice cream, candy bars, cookie dough, canned frosting. Why are you not 450 pounds?
Lorelai: I know. Scientists call it the Lorelai Paradox.
So Forest and I did the Gilmores proud. We ordered a large pizza, garlic bread, orange chicken, tofu, lo mein, egg rolls, white rice, and fried rice. We also had marshmallows, mini chocolate doughnuts, popcorn, RedVines, Hershey Kisses, and a tray of Poptarts. I was really disappointed later though, when I realized I had forgotten the frozen tater-tots and pizza-rolls.
Lorelai: Hey, do we want the apple turnovers or the cherry?
Rory: Yes.
I had only seen Forest one other time this summer, and only for a few minutes, so we actually did a bit more gabbing than Gilmore watching. But the show was playing in the background the whole time. And with the number of times we've each seen the entire series, at this point watching Gilmore Girls is sometimes like osmosis for us.
Luke: So, how did the four dinners work out? You guys must feel more stuffed than you’ve ever been.
Lorelai: I don’t know. Is this more stuffed than the great Six Flags hot dog consumption of ‘99?
Rory: No, or the taffy binge of ’97.
Lorelai: Not by a long shot. See, we didn’t eat at my parents because of the upset, so we really had three dinners, not four.
Rory: Which means. . .
Lorelai: What?
Rory: We didn’t have to skip rolls.
Lorelai: Oh yeah. Hey, do you have any rolls left?
Luke: No. Come on.
Lorelai: Just a little something for the walk home.
[Luke hands her a bag of rolls]
Luke: I don’t see how you do it.
Lorelai: Well, you’re not us, are ya? Night Luke.
And then the evening concluded on a high note when Madeline came home with her friend Mel, and the four of us sat around for almost two hours sharing the best "worst moments" we ever had with our former choir and theater director. Yes. We had two hours-worth of horror stories dealing with this woman.
It was a fabulous night!
A very important aspect of Gilmore Girls is the Lorelai and Rory's ability to eat just about anything and everything in sight.
Luke: There's nothing in here but ice cream, candy bars, cookie dough, canned frosting. Why are you not 450 pounds?
Lorelai: I know. Scientists call it the Lorelai Paradox.
So Forest and I did the Gilmores proud. We ordered a large pizza, garlic bread, orange chicken, tofu, lo mein, egg rolls, white rice, and fried rice. We also had marshmallows, mini chocolate doughnuts, popcorn, RedVines, Hershey Kisses, and a tray of Poptarts. I was really disappointed later though, when I realized I had forgotten the frozen tater-tots and pizza-rolls.
Lorelai: Hey, do we want the apple turnovers or the cherry?
Rory: Yes.
I had only seen Forest one other time this summer, and only for a few minutes, so we actually did a bit more gabbing than Gilmore watching. But the show was playing in the background the whole time. And with the number of times we've each seen the entire series, at this point watching Gilmore Girls is sometimes like osmosis for us.
Luke: So, how did the four dinners work out? You guys must feel more stuffed than you’ve ever been.
Lorelai: I don’t know. Is this more stuffed than the great Six Flags hot dog consumption of ‘99?
Rory: No, or the taffy binge of ’97.
Lorelai: Not by a long shot. See, we didn’t eat at my parents because of the upset, so we really had three dinners, not four.
Rory: Which means. . .
Lorelai: What?
Rory: We didn’t have to skip rolls.
Lorelai: Oh yeah. Hey, do you have any rolls left?
Luke: No. Come on.
Lorelai: Just a little something for the walk home.
[Luke hands her a bag of rolls]
Luke: I don’t see how you do it.
Lorelai: Well, you’re not us, are ya? Night Luke.
And then the evening concluded on a high note when Madeline came home with her friend Mel, and the four of us sat around for almost two hours sharing the best "worst moments" we ever had with our former choir and theater director. Yes. We had two hours-worth of horror stories dealing with this woman.
It was a fabulous night!
Dancers car-dancing...Word [BEDA August 19]
Once again not much to post today.
I had a sister-date today. Madeline and I got all cute and went to see One Day at the Rave. The trip back included Sonic milkshakes and some major car-dancing.
I had a sister-date today. Madeline and I got all cute and went to see One Day at the Rave. The trip back included Sonic milkshakes and some major car-dancing.
I guess I'm gonna talk about car-dancing. My sister and I are epic car-dancers. Car-dancing requires a special natural talent. The skills to rock it out using just one's upper body while avoiding driving the car into a ditch or accidentally punching the driver in the face. Car-dancing is usually most successful when listening to techno or electronic music -- my favorite being ALLCAPS.
Not everyone has the skills for car-dancing.
Madeline and I definitely do.
Friday, August 19, 2011
A little difficult to stomach [BEDA August 18]
Five years ago today I had major stomach surgery to remove a tumor that could have killed me.
At the end of the school year in seventh grade I started to have serious stomach pain. It was only on occasion, and never for very long. Over the course of the summer though it became worse and worse until it got to the point where I had to go to the emergency room sometimes twice a week. I even had to go to the ER during our family vacation to New York City.
Kinda ruined the trip.
It really seemed like there was nothing anyone could do. The doctors tested everything they could think of, but still they had no fracking clue what was wrong with me. I was on all kinds of meds but nothing was helping. Eventually though one of my doctors decided to send me to Children's Hospital in Columbus to having more testing done.
The first theory they had was that I might only have one kidney. So to check this theory they sent me to have an ultra sound. What they discovered from this ultra sound was that, while I do indeed have two kidneys, I also had a benign cystic ovarian tumor called a teratoma that was approximately the size of a softball. I was immediately scheduled for surgery that Friday. My doctor explained that because of it's size, the longer I waited to have surgery the higher the risk got of it rupturing, which could be deadly. So two days later I went in for my surgery.
My Grampy had died a week earlier and his memorial service was supposed to be the following Saturday. This was before all this medical stuff went down. This also meant that a whole bunch of my extended family was in town that weekend. I obviously couldn't go to the service the day after my surgery, but that Sunday they came to visit me before I got out of the hospital. Thoroughly ignoring the "Two visitors at a time" sign on the wall, seventeen of my cousins, and aunts, and uncles crowded into my tiny room.
The thing about my family is that we make jokes. All. The. Fracking. Time. Everything anyone says is game to be turned into a pun or a play on words, that may be somewhat lame, but clever enough to be really funny. The thing about surgery is that it hurts. The thing about laughing is that it uses your abdominal muscles. So when you're laughing your butt off because of the constant string of jokes your uncle is making, it also means that the laughing is extremely painful. Also, when you ask your uncle to "please stop making jokes because it hurts to laugh!" He replies with something along the lines of "I'm sorry. I know my jokes are sometimes hard to stomach." Which just keeps the laughter going.
Bottom line, that summer was miserable. But my family always makes thing seem better.
At the end of the school year in seventh grade I started to have serious stomach pain. It was only on occasion, and never for very long. Over the course of the summer though it became worse and worse until it got to the point where I had to go to the emergency room sometimes twice a week. I even had to go to the ER during our family vacation to New York City.
Kinda ruined the trip.
It really seemed like there was nothing anyone could do. The doctors tested everything they could think of, but still they had no fracking clue what was wrong with me. I was on all kinds of meds but nothing was helping. Eventually though one of my doctors decided to send me to Children's Hospital in Columbus to having more testing done.
The first theory they had was that I might only have one kidney. So to check this theory they sent me to have an ultra sound. What they discovered from this ultra sound was that, while I do indeed have two kidneys, I also had a benign cystic ovarian tumor called a teratoma that was approximately the size of a softball. I was immediately scheduled for surgery that Friday. My doctor explained that because of it's size, the longer I waited to have surgery the higher the risk got of it rupturing, which could be deadly. So two days later I went in for my surgery.
My Grampy had died a week earlier and his memorial service was supposed to be the following Saturday. This was before all this medical stuff went down. This also meant that a whole bunch of my extended family was in town that weekend. I obviously couldn't go to the service the day after my surgery, but that Sunday they came to visit me before I got out of the hospital. Thoroughly ignoring the "Two visitors at a time" sign on the wall, seventeen of my cousins, and aunts, and uncles crowded into my tiny room.
The thing about my family is that we make jokes. All. The. Fracking. Time. Everything anyone says is game to be turned into a pun or a play on words, that may be somewhat lame, but clever enough to be really funny. The thing about surgery is that it hurts. The thing about laughing is that it uses your abdominal muscles. So when you're laughing your butt off because of the constant string of jokes your uncle is making, it also means that the laughing is extremely painful. Also, when you ask your uncle to "please stop making jokes because it hurts to laugh!" He replies with something along the lines of "I'm sorry. I know my jokes are sometimes hard to stomach." Which just keeps the laughter going.
Bottom line, that summer was miserable. But my family always makes thing seem better.
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| I believe I was looking up at the ginormous Care-Bear (my obsession at the time) balloon my aunt got me. |
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Movie Magic [BEDA August 17]
I love movies. Of course I love seeing new movies in the theater, but my favorite thing is to have movie nights at my house. Honestly I'd say that it's one of the best party premises.
But I have movie rules. If I'm seeing a movie in the theaters that even looks mildly stupid from the previews, then I will only see it with a group of friends. That way it becomes a joke. Like the time I met my friends Nigel, Kala, and Jamie at The Mean Bean in town then went to The Strand to see Disaster Movie. By far, the biggest waste of 5 dollars ever. But now it's something that Kala and I look back on and laugh about. Movies that look really good from their previews are best to be saved for dates. That way if the date is really bad, at least you got to see a good movie so it's not a total bust.
But the point of this post is my top 10 favorite movies of all time.
In narrowing down my favorite movies to just 10 I had to give my self rules for that as well. They couldn't have a corresponding stage musical -- so Rent was out, along with Beauty and the Beast and Singing in the Rain. Also they couldn't be part of a series -- Pirates of the Caribbean was out, and Star Wars, and Toy Story. And eventually I got my list down to 10. So here it is.
1. Tangled - Disney's Rapunzel. Super, super cute movie.
2. The Wizard of Oz - Some might argue that it corresponds with Wicked, but I figure the plots are distinctly different.
3. Moulin Rouge - Singing, dancing, artists and whores. Doesn't get much better.
4. Newsies - Turn of the century New York newsies go on strike. Singing, dancing and 17 year old Christian Bale.
5. Forrest Gump - Seriously, who doesn't love this movie!?
6. An American in Paris - Gene Kelly meets a French ballerina. He subsequently falls in love and does some tap dancing.
7. The Blues Brothers Movie - Jake and Elwood Blues "On a mission from God" and "Gettin' the band back together." Absolute classic.
8. Monty Python and the Holy Grail - I know there are several Monty Python movies, but they're not actually a series.
9. Monsters Inc. - So much cute it's .....scary! Yea, yea I know that was lame. Sorry.
10. Chocolat - A woman and her daughter come to a tiny conservative French town and start a chocolaterie in the middle of Lent. Johnny Depp plays a French river gypsy.
But I have movie rules. If I'm seeing a movie in the theaters that even looks mildly stupid from the previews, then I will only see it with a group of friends. That way it becomes a joke. Like the time I met my friends Nigel, Kala, and Jamie at The Mean Bean in town then went to The Strand to see Disaster Movie. By far, the biggest waste of 5 dollars ever. But now it's something that Kala and I look back on and laugh about. Movies that look really good from their previews are best to be saved for dates. That way if the date is really bad, at least you got to see a good movie so it's not a total bust.
But the point of this post is my top 10 favorite movies of all time.
In narrowing down my favorite movies to just 10 I had to give my self rules for that as well. They couldn't have a corresponding stage musical -- so Rent was out, along with Beauty and the Beast and Singing in the Rain. Also they couldn't be part of a series -- Pirates of the Caribbean was out, and Star Wars, and Toy Story. And eventually I got my list down to 10. So here it is.
1. Tangled - Disney's Rapunzel. Super, super cute movie.
2. The Wizard of Oz - Some might argue that it corresponds with Wicked, but I figure the plots are distinctly different.
3. Moulin Rouge - Singing, dancing, artists and whores. Doesn't get much better.
4. Newsies - Turn of the century New York newsies go on strike. Singing, dancing and 17 year old Christian Bale.
5. Forrest Gump - Seriously, who doesn't love this movie!?
6. An American in Paris - Gene Kelly meets a French ballerina. He subsequently falls in love and does some tap dancing.
7. The Blues Brothers Movie - Jake and Elwood Blues "On a mission from God" and "Gettin' the band back together." Absolute classic.
8. Monty Python and the Holy Grail - I know there are several Monty Python movies, but they're not actually a series.
9. Monsters Inc. - So much cute it's .....scary! Yea, yea I know that was lame. Sorry.
10. Chocolat - A woman and her daughter come to a tiny conservative French town and start a chocolaterie in the middle of Lent. Johnny Depp plays a French river gypsy.
Apparently Land Before Time really stuck with me[BEDA August 16]
I am somewhat obsessed with dinosaurs.
I know. Dinosaurs? But seriously. Dinosaurs. They're adorable, as long as they're not trying to eat your face. And seeing as dinosaurs are extinct, that's sort of a non-issue.
One of the first things I ask people I've just met, or I'm getting to know, is "What's your favorite kind of dinosaur?" It kind of tells a lot about that person.
My favorite? Triceratops. The main reason being that when I was in second grade we had a unit on dinosaurs. Our unit project was to pick a dinosaur and create a diorama based on that dinosaur. I picked the triceratops and made a model of it out of blue and green clay. It was a pretty kick-ass project.
The other day my sister was telling one of the little boys at the childcare program where she works that her 18 year old little sister bought a dinosaur blanket to bring to college. He looked at her like she was crazy. Apparently little kids think it's weird for A) girls and B) adults to like dinosaurs.
Who knew?
I know. Dinosaurs? But seriously. Dinosaurs. They're adorable, as long as they're not trying to eat your face. And seeing as dinosaurs are extinct, that's sort of a non-issue.
One of the first things I ask people I've just met, or I'm getting to know, is "What's your favorite kind of dinosaur?" It kind of tells a lot about that person.
My favorite? Triceratops. The main reason being that when I was in second grade we had a unit on dinosaurs. Our unit project was to pick a dinosaur and create a diorama based on that dinosaur. I picked the triceratops and made a model of it out of blue and green clay. It was a pretty kick-ass project.
Who knew?
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Interwebz TV [BEDA Audust 15]
So I mentioned several posts ago that I want to start vlogging. However, vlogging is no easy task. It takes a decent amount of time to put together each video. And I have no idea right now what kind of free time I'm going to have starting college and everything.
I follow so many vloggers on YouTube, including the vlogbrothers, Strawburry17, meekakitty, Ray William Johnson, charlieissocoollike, WinterSpringPro, wheezywaiter, and many more. The people that I listen to, whose opinions I value, vlog. Vlogging is a seriously effective way to share your thoughts with the world.
Interwebz TV.
Now, the thing about vlogging is that everyone sucks in the beginning. Their camera and audio quality is iffy at best, and it takes a while to get settled into a basic format. I certainly am not, at the moment, fiscally capable of buying a good quality camera, microphone, and wide angle lens. But I'm working on that. I currently have two YouTube accounts, one that I set up about three years ago just for my subscriptions, and one that I intend to be my vlogging channel. Info on that at a later date.
I follow so many vloggers on YouTube, including the vlogbrothers, Strawburry17, meekakitty, Ray William Johnson, charlieissocoollike, WinterSpringPro, wheezywaiter, and many more. The people that I listen to, whose opinions I value, vlog. Vlogging is a seriously effective way to share your thoughts with the world.
Interwebz TV.
Now, the thing about vlogging is that everyone sucks in the beginning. Their camera and audio quality is iffy at best, and it takes a while to get settled into a basic format. I certainly am not, at the moment, fiscally capable of buying a good quality camera, microphone, and wide angle lens. But I'm working on that. I currently have two YouTube accounts, one that I set up about three years ago just for my subscriptions, and one that I intend to be my vlogging channel. Info on that at a later date.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Conversing with the voices [BEDA August 14]
I have no clue what to write.
Absolutely none.
"Well Alicia, just write what you're thinking about."
"No. That's stupid."
"No it's not. Just be yourself."
"'Just be my--' Who are you!? Go away!"
Okay, so this is what you people get to read. The ramblings of a crazy person, having conversations with the voices in her head via her blog. My sincere apologies.
Eleven days until Chicago.
Absolutely none.
"Well Alicia, just write what you're thinking about."
"No. That's stupid."
"No it's not. Just be yourself."
"'Just be my--' Who are you!? Go away!"
Okay, so this is what you people get to read. The ramblings of a crazy person, having conversations with the voices in her head via her blog. My sincere apologies.
Eleven days until Chicago.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Cop out post is a cop out [BEDA August 13]
So I'm going out for a Girl's Night with a couple of my best friends tonight, so this is a bit of a super short cop out post. I'm leaving in like 5 minutes.
I went shopping for collegey school supplies today. It basically gave me a panic attack. But school supply shopping always does that to me. Too many choices -- it freaks me out.
That's kind of all I have time to write for now.
Same time tomorrow....
...Ta'.
I went shopping for collegey school supplies today. It basically gave me a panic attack. But school supply shopping always does that to me. Too many choices -- it freaks me out.
That's kind of all I have time to write for now.
Same time tomorrow....
...Ta'.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Picture perfect [BEDA August 12]
These are the pictures I'm going to have framed/displayed in my dorm room. Basically this post is just a bunch of my favorite pictures. But I'm keeping each one out for a reason.
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| My band family photo! Maddy, Abbey, Knox and I. |
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| Sydney and I on "dress like your favorite HP character" day at school! She was McGonagall, and I Bellatrix. |
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| With my favorite little cousin Ben! |
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| Amber and I being little monsters in our jazz dance this past June! Born this way! |
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| A big group of my very best friends at our senior class trip to Cedar Point. |
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| Conducting on Senior Night for band. |
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| Madeline and I in Paris. |
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| With Frak (!!!!!) at LeakyCon. |
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| With the best sister in the world! |
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| My ballet class back in 2008. Last class with Miss Kathy (the pirate:D) before she moved. I'm the second from the left in the front row. |
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| Knox and I for our senior prom:) |
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| This is what best friends look like. lol :) |
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| When Nikki, Rachel, and I pulled together Senior Spotlight even after our horrible director underhandedly canceled it. |
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| Visions Show Choir 2011. Our closer: Separate Ways by Journey. |
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| Painting my name on the stage. The tradition for senior thespians. However, our names are all gone now because a random construction worker "didn't realize they were important" so he sanded them off the stage. Every single one. |
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| Amber and I. Besties till the end! Wonderful night at Waffle House, with Backstreet Boys:))) |
The most wonderful [BEDA August 11]
Five years ago today my Grampy died. I've written one sentence and I'm already tearing up, so I don't think I can write much.
Here's to the most wonderful man I've ever known: Dr. Robert L. Wilson.
Math professor.
Computer genius.
Master of jokes and puns.
Keeper of Bugles and Wilber's chocolates.
Baseball fanatic.
I miss you so much. You made learning so much fun, and I'm so proud to be your granddaughter. Love you <3
Here's to the most wonderful man I've ever known: Dr. Robert L. Wilson.
Math professor.
Computer genius.
Master of jokes and puns.
Keeper of Bugles and Wilber's chocolates.
Baseball fanatic.
I miss you so much. You made learning so much fun, and I'm so proud to be your granddaughter. Love you <3
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Using the Force and Carryin' the Banner [BEDA August 10]
People always talk about obsessions like they're a bad thing. And they certainly can be.
I mean, when you're standing on a window ledge, four stories off the ground, with your face pressed up against the glass of your ex's apartment, with a bouquet of flowers in your hand, just because they wouldn't answer the door...all 276 times you rang the doorbell....That's a bad obsession.
But when you're thirteen, and your best friend has recently introduced you to the movie Newsies, and you watch the movie twice a day, and any mention of Christian Bale makes you scream like the little girl you are. It's cute. Sort of. Blame Rachel. I spent the weekend at her dad's riverhouse the summer before seventh grade, and she told me, "There's this movie you HAVE to see!" So we watched it. Then we watched it again. Then she let me borrow her DVD. Then two weeks later my mom bought me the DVD. Our notebooks were plastered with pictures of Christian Bale, and Gabriel Dameon in their newsboy caps. Carryin' the banner. When I was bored in science, I would write out the lyrics of King of New York, Santa Fe, or any of the other awesome songs, in neat little columns instead of writing notes (miraculously I had an A in that class all year, despite my lyric writing, constant sketching and doodling, sleeping, and frantic homework-ing 5 minutes before said homework was checked).
That however was not my first big obsession.
My first major obsession started when I was three. Star Wars. My family had episodes IV, V, and VI on VHS, and I watched them constantly. My best friend in preschool - Elliot - and I would go to each other's houses to watch Inspector Gadget, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and, of course, Star Wars. We would trade our Han Solo, and Darth Vader action figures back and forth. At recess my friends and I would play Star Wars. I was the only girl so I ALWAYS had to be Leia. Which was a total gyp, because they would always be "coming to save me" so I had to sit in the same place until they shot down enough stormtroopers to get to me. However, I quickly figured out that -- being four-year-old boys -- they were much more interested in shooting down the stormtroopers than saving Princess Leia. So Leia/I would always wind up breaking herself out of her cell and fighting a stormtrooper to get his gun, then join the boys in their quest for intergalactic, misogynistic peace-keeping. I didn't hate being Leia though. In fact I loved Princess Leia enough to dress like her for Halloween when I was five.
Of course there's also my obsessions with dance, and music, Hello Kitty, Disney Princesses, Harry Potter, Wizard Rock, Nerd Rock, and dinosaurs.
But some obsessions are more legendary than others. :)
I mean, when you're standing on a window ledge, four stories off the ground, with your face pressed up against the glass of your ex's apartment, with a bouquet of flowers in your hand, just because they wouldn't answer the door...all 276 times you rang the doorbell....That's a bad obsession.
But when you're thirteen, and your best friend has recently introduced you to the movie Newsies, and you watch the movie twice a day, and any mention of Christian Bale makes you scream like the little girl you are. It's cute. Sort of. Blame Rachel. I spent the weekend at her dad's riverhouse the summer before seventh grade, and she told me, "There's this movie you HAVE to see!" So we watched it. Then we watched it again. Then she let me borrow her DVD. Then two weeks later my mom bought me the DVD. Our notebooks were plastered with pictures of Christian Bale, and Gabriel Dameon in their newsboy caps. Carryin' the banner. When I was bored in science, I would write out the lyrics of King of New York, Santa Fe, or any of the other awesome songs, in neat little columns instead of writing notes (miraculously I had an A in that class all year, despite my lyric writing, constant sketching and doodling, sleeping, and frantic homework-ing 5 minutes before said homework was checked).
That however was not my first big obsession.
My first major obsession started when I was three. Star Wars. My family had episodes IV, V, and VI on VHS, and I watched them constantly. My best friend in preschool - Elliot - and I would go to each other's houses to watch Inspector Gadget, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and, of course, Star Wars. We would trade our Han Solo, and Darth Vader action figures back and forth. At recess my friends and I would play Star Wars. I was the only girl so I ALWAYS had to be Leia. Which was a total gyp, because they would always be "coming to save me" so I had to sit in the same place until they shot down enough stormtroopers to get to me. However, I quickly figured out that -- being four-year-old boys -- they were much more interested in shooting down the stormtroopers than saving Princess Leia. So Leia/I would always wind up breaking herself out of her cell and fighting a stormtrooper to get his gun, then join the boys in their quest for intergalactic, misogynistic peace-keeping. I didn't hate being Leia though. In fact I loved Princess Leia enough to dress like her for Halloween when I was five.
Of course there's also my obsessions with dance, and music, Hello Kitty, Disney Princesses, Harry Potter, Wizard Rock, Nerd Rock, and dinosaurs.
But some obsessions are more legendary than others. :)
Nothing quite as perfect [BEDA August 9]
On my way home from Chicago today. Eatin' a Resses Fastbreak. That's kind of my roadtrip tradition.
Stop at gas station.
Buy Fastbreak.
Get back in car.
Try to acrobatically eat Fastbreak while keeping outfit chocolate-free.
Get to end location and discover tiny spot of melted chocolate on sleeve of shirt.
Face-palm.
Stop at gas station.
Buy Fastbreak.
Get back in car.
Try to acrobatically eat Fastbreak while keeping outfit chocolate-free.
Get to end location and discover tiny spot of melted chocolate on sleeve of shirt.
Face-palm.
The beginning of a creative posse [BEDA August 8]
I hurt. I was an idiot for not actually taking dance classes this summer. I had orientation today, which meant having my level-placement class. The first real dance class I've taken since June. Like I said, I hurt.
I got placed in 1 and 1. Which just means level 1 ballet and level 1 modern. Our placements seemed surprisingly low to everyone but no one in the audition placed higher than 1 and 1. The next level down is IDT or Introduction to Dance Technique, and the levels only go up to level 3 ballet and level 4 modern.
After our audition we had to wait for our results before we could go and schedule our classes. So the thirty-or-so people of us in the audition grabbed some lunch and ate in one of the studios at the Dance Center. People were already starting to section themselves off. Grouping off like people do when nobody knows anyone else. But the weird thing was that even though everyone had grouped up like that, everyone was talking to everyone. I was sitting pretty much in the middle of the room and I kept turning around to talk to people behind me, and leaning way over to talk to people across the room. Everyone was doing this same sort of conversational-acrobatics. Maybe it was the bonding/ice-breaker games we had played while waiting for the audition to start. Maybe it was because we were all fairly nervous. Maybe it was because we were all trying to build our "posses."
Yes, I just said "posses." As part of the nine principals for success laid out by Columbia, they encourage every student to "form your creative posse." This actually makes a lot of sense beyond just making friends. Columbia College Chicago is an über artsy school -- they don't have sororities or fraternities, they don't have regular sports, they don't even have school colors or a mascot. Every major is creating something all the time. So it's important to have people around you who aren't just friends, they help inspire your work.
I'm excited to be taking class and creating with these awesome people! I seriously can't wait.
I got placed in 1 and 1. Which just means level 1 ballet and level 1 modern. Our placements seemed surprisingly low to everyone but no one in the audition placed higher than 1 and 1. The next level down is IDT or Introduction to Dance Technique, and the levels only go up to level 3 ballet and level 4 modern.
After our audition we had to wait for our results before we could go and schedule our classes. So the thirty-or-so people of us in the audition grabbed some lunch and ate in one of the studios at the Dance Center. People were already starting to section themselves off. Grouping off like people do when nobody knows anyone else. But the weird thing was that even though everyone had grouped up like that, everyone was talking to everyone. I was sitting pretty much in the middle of the room and I kept turning around to talk to people behind me, and leaning way over to talk to people across the room. Everyone was doing this same sort of conversational-acrobatics. Maybe it was the bonding/ice-breaker games we had played while waiting for the audition to start. Maybe it was because we were all fairly nervous. Maybe it was because we were all trying to build our "posses."
Yes, I just said "posses." As part of the nine principals for success laid out by Columbia, they encourage every student to "form your creative posse." This actually makes a lot of sense beyond just making friends. Columbia College Chicago is an über artsy school -- they don't have sororities or fraternities, they don't have regular sports, they don't even have school colors or a mascot. Every major is creating something all the time. So it's important to have people around you who aren't just friends, they help inspire your work.
I'm excited to be taking class and creating with these awesome people! I seriously can't wait.
Staying safe in Chicago? Don't be a dumbass [BEDA August 7]
So behind in BEDA I know, I know. Shame on me. Blame being in Chicago and not having internet access for several days.
Okay, so I had access to internet.....for $7.50 an hour. Um....No. Effing hotel prices. But I wrote blogs, old-school -- in a notebook. Gasp! -- so I'll post them individually.
[BEDA August 7]
So I've got orientation tomorrow. I have spent all day in the car. I am in Chicago. I am a happy camper!
Despite the fact that I will have to walk 8 blocks home, after dark, twice a week, I have no reservations about living in Chicago. Just kidding. It's really not that bad. Also, as long as you're smart about it, getting around Chicago after dark is not a big deal.
Don't walk alone if you can help it. Don't walk around with your earbuds in. Only keep your stuff in a bag with a zipper AND keep it zipped. And it doesn't hurt to have a safety whistle and pepper spray. If things seem sketch, act like they're sketch. And last but not least: Don't be a dumbass.
Okay, so I had access to internet.....for $7.50 an hour. Um....No. Effing hotel prices. But I wrote blogs, old-school -- in a notebook. Gasp! -- so I'll post them individually.
[BEDA August 7]
So I've got orientation tomorrow. I have spent all day in the car. I am in Chicago. I am a happy camper!
Despite the fact that I will have to walk 8 blocks home, after dark, twice a week, I have no reservations about living in Chicago. Just kidding. It's really not that bad. Also, as long as you're smart about it, getting around Chicago after dark is not a big deal.
Don't walk alone if you can help it. Don't walk around with your earbuds in. Only keep your stuff in a bag with a zipper AND keep it zipped. And it doesn't hurt to have a safety whistle and pepper spray. If things seem sketch, act like they're sketch. And last but not least: Don't be a dumbass.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Goats are no kidding matter [BEDA August 6]
Goats.
Not a terribly scary animal. However there are people in the world who are terrified of goats. Not a big deal.
However sometimes those people are paranoid, and assume that any mention of goats anywhere in the world is a direct frontal assault on them. Especially when those people are stupid, evil, immature, narcissistic, soulless, talentless demons. Then it becomes a big deal. Naomi Campbell level hissy-fits and temper tantrums are thrown. Also, people like that are completely incapable of noticing that every single person around them despises them. No. One. Likes. Them. No one. They are also incapable of noticing when their really dried-out, bleach-damaged hair looks like straw. (Straw with really bad dark brown roots.) Which might be incentive for a goat to attempt to eat said hair.
I have a blue beta fish. His name is Goat.
You know when you watch Criminal Minds or Law and Order or other shows like that, and the plot of the episode almost exactly matches that of crimes that had been in the news around the time it aired. Except they put one of those disclaimers in the credits that says that the episode is absolutely and definitely not based on any real life event or person at all. That way none of it can be used as definitive proof of anything.
*Disclaimer: This blog post is not under any circumstances based on, nor has anything to do with any real person or event. Ever.*
I think goats are absolutely adorable.
Lawls.
Not a terribly scary animal. However there are people in the world who are terrified of goats. Not a big deal.
However sometimes those people are paranoid, and assume that any mention of goats anywhere in the world is a direct frontal assault on them. Especially when those people are stupid, evil, immature, narcissistic, soulless, talentless demons. Then it becomes a big deal. Naomi Campbell level hissy-fits and temper tantrums are thrown. Also, people like that are completely incapable of noticing that every single person around them despises them. No. One. Likes. Them. No one. They are also incapable of noticing when their really dried-out, bleach-damaged hair looks like straw. (Straw with really bad dark brown roots.) Which might be incentive for a goat to attempt to eat said hair.
I have a blue beta fish. His name is Goat.
You know when you watch Criminal Minds or Law and Order or other shows like that, and the plot of the episode almost exactly matches that of crimes that had been in the news around the time it aired. Except they put one of those disclaimers in the credits that says that the episode is absolutely and definitely not based on any real life event or person at all. That way none of it can be used as definitive proof of anything.
*Disclaimer: This blog post is not under any circumstances based on, nor has anything to do with any real person or event. Ever.*
I think goats are absolutely adorable.
Lawls.
Emotionally scarred by denim [BEDA August 5]
So my Pottermore issues have been resolved thanks to the ever-so-amazing Carie Clark. I basically owe her enough to name a child after her. Seeing as I don't want children, it wouldn't be my own, but I would find a child, and I would name it after her. I digress. Pottermore username: FireboltMist13. (Upon registration you get several choices for usernames, but cannot come up with your own. I liked my initial one better -- PhoenixPixie184 -- but I like this one too!)
So I went shopping today. For clothes. Jeans in particular. Sigh. There is -- and never will be -- anything quite as emotionally painful as shopping for jeans. That's all I think I will say on the subject for the time being, because the bitter memories of this afternoon are threatening to return.
Prayers for my friend/little sister Maddy. She had decently big-deal surgery today, and I heard it went well, but prayers that she recovers quickly. No emergency or anything, this was planned surgery, but still.
I know, I know. Pretty dull post today. But I thinking tomorrow's post will be about goats. If this makes no sense to you now, it will after said post.
So I went shopping today. For clothes. Jeans in particular. Sigh. There is -- and never will be -- anything quite as emotionally painful as shopping for jeans. That's all I think I will say on the subject for the time being, because the bitter memories of this afternoon are threatening to return.
Prayers for my friend/little sister Maddy. She had decently big-deal surgery today, and I heard it went well, but prayers that she recovers quickly. No emergency or anything, this was planned surgery, but still.
I know, I know. Pretty dull post today. But I thinking tomorrow's post will be about goats. If this makes no sense to you now, it will after said post.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Lots of new stuff [BEDA August 4]
So I went to the doctor today. I, A) discovered that my albuterol inhalers that I've been using for the last four years have actually started to make my asthma symptoms worse, and B) had to get two shots. On the upside, my hair looked fantastic all day!
On a different note, I move to Chicago in twenty two days. Commence omg-I'm-going-to-college-really-far-away-from-home freak out! My roommate seems pretty cool from the emails we've exchanged, even though it's mostly been about minifridges and majors. I've got orientation on Monday, and I'm seriously nervous. First thing is my audition for level placement. Yea. Freaking out.
On another different note, I think I want to start vlogging. I don't know yet. It wouldn't replace my blogging -- probably -- but it might be a fun new chapter in this whole venture.
Until tomorrow:)
On a different note, I move to Chicago in twenty two days. Commence omg-I'm-going-to-college-really-far-away-from-home freak out! My roommate seems pretty cool from the emails we've exchanged, even though it's mostly been about minifridges and majors. I've got orientation on Monday, and I'm seriously nervous. First thing is my audition for level placement. Yea. Freaking out.
On another different note, I think I want to start vlogging. I don't know yet. It wouldn't replace my blogging -- probably -- but it might be a fun new chapter in this whole venture.
Until tomorrow:)
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
BEDA two days late...
So I have decided to do BEDA, or Blog Every Day in August. I'm two days late getting started on this. Blame Pottermore. I've been so concerned and distracted lately about my Pottermore registration. For those that do not know, Pottermore is a website where fans will be offered an extended HP experience. Jo Rowling is releasing more info on the stories and every user will be sorted by a test designed by Jo herself, and will be given a wand. Basically every single person in the HP fandom wants to be part of this, and as of October they can be.
However, the beta version of the site will be available to 1 million people starting in a few days. The trouble with this is that there are certain clues going up at certain hours and then a semi-complicated process to follow to sign up. After you register you are supposed to receive a verification email and activate your account within 48 hours of registering. Later however, we discovered that they were having issues with Yahoo accounts. The emails had apparently been sent out, but Yahoo accounts were receiving theirs extremely slowly.
I have a Yahoo account. Eff my life.
So according to the Pottermore blog, they were "...currently talking to Yahoo in order to resolve this problem and will update this blog post with new information as we get it." Then later they updated the blog with this little gem. "Is there any update on the Yahoo! Mail issue?
This has now been resolved and everyone who registered with a Yahoo! Mail account on Sunday or Monday should now have received their validation email."
This however was a blatant lie. I had not received mine, and shortly thereafter, my 48 hours had run out.
I can register again, but I'm REALLY pissed. And the best part? There's really no way at all to contact Pottermore. You can tweet them your issues on Twitter, but it does absolutely no good, because they never @reply.
However, the beta version of the site will be available to 1 million people starting in a few days. The trouble with this is that there are certain clues going up at certain hours and then a semi-complicated process to follow to sign up. After you register you are supposed to receive a verification email and activate your account within 48 hours of registering. Later however, we discovered that they were having issues with Yahoo accounts. The emails had apparently been sent out, but Yahoo accounts were receiving theirs extremely slowly.
I have a Yahoo account. Eff my life.
So according to the Pottermore blog, they were "...currently talking to Yahoo in order to resolve this problem and will update this blog post with new information as we get it." Then later they updated the blog with this little gem. "Is there any update on the Yahoo! Mail issue?
This has now been resolved and everyone who registered with a Yahoo! Mail account on Sunday or Monday should now have received their validation email."
This however was a blatant lie. I had not received mine, and shortly thereafter, my 48 hours had run out.
I can register again, but I'm REALLY pissed. And the best part? There's really no way at all to contact Pottermore. You can tweet them your issues on Twitter, but it does absolutely no good, because they never @reply.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Where everything is magi-cool!
I am sitting in the airport. I am waiting for my flight back to Columbus. There is a woman sitting in front of me who is entirely too old to wear a tube top and mini skirt, but is doing exactly that. These things make me extremely sad because this past week was, quite possibly, the best week of my life. This past week was LeakyCon.
For those not in-the-know, LeakyCon is a giant Harry Potter conference put on by a website called The Leaky Cauldron (Visit it! You'll love it...unless you don't like HP, in which case, I don't think we can be friends anymore). The first LeakyCon was held in 2009 in Boston, which my sister attended. That was where she saw her first wizard-rock show and really started getting involved in the HP fandom. This time LeakyCon was going to coincide with the release of the second part of the seventh HP movie and I knew I HAD to go!
This post is mainly a list of my favorite 10 moments – kind of in order, kind of not – of the last five days.
10. Opening Festivities. At the opening ceremony for the conference Melissa Anelli asked a “randomly chosen fan” to come up on stage to “help with something”. When the fan got to the stage her boyfriend came out from backstage and proposed. After all the marital cuteness there was a video chronicling the journey that the HP fandom has taken from the very beginning. Between sections of the video there were live performances from Harry and the Potters, Hank Green, Starkid's Joey Richter and Lauren Lopez singing “Granger Danger,” and a live performance by The Potter Puppet Pals.
9. Open at the Close. This was the private overnight event at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. This part of the park is designed to look like Hogsmede, including an owlery, Zonko's joke shop, Honeydukes candy shop, the Hogshead pub, the Three Broomsticks pub, and a 1/6 scale model of Hogwarts.
8. Closing festivities. On Sunday morning there was a huge brunch in the conference center. On stage the Starkid cast came out and started singing “Days of Summer.”
I don't wanna see you go,
But it's not forever, not forever!
Even it was,
You know that I would never let it get me down.
You're the part of me that makes me better,
Wherever I go!
So I will try
Not to cry--
But no one needs to say goodbye...
I, and everyone around me, was crying when they sang it. Then the Leaky staffers came out when they broke back into “Going Back to Hogwarts.”
But it's not forever, not forever!
Even it was,
You know that I would never let it get me down.
You're the part of me that makes me better,
Wherever I go!
So I will try
Not to cry--
But no one needs to say goodbye...
I, and everyone around me, was crying when they sang it. Then the Leaky staffers came out when they broke back into “Going Back to Hogwarts.”
7. Starkid t-shirt issues. In the vendor room the Starkid merch table was constantly surrounded by a huge crowd of fangirls, so my friends and I decided to wait until the Starkid signing time-slot to get our Starkid merch. However this meant that they had started to run out of a lot of their shirts, which they were printing on-the-spot. When I was second in line and ready to ask for my small black V-neck with a homemade darkmark design, the girl in front of me was getting the regular silver Starkid logo, also on a small black V-neck. However, the shirt came out with a splotch of silver beneath the logo so the t-shirt guy tossed it aside and re-ironed it on the LAST small black V-neck that they had. When I told him what I had wanted, he took the messed up shirt, and placed a small Pigfarts crest transfer over the splotch and then re-ironed it. It wound up looking cooler than the shirt I had originally wanted, so he offered it to me and comped a pair of pink Starkid sunglasses too!
6. The last Oliver Boyd performance. Christian Caldeira retired as Oliver Boyd and the Rememberalls last November at Wrockstock. However, he wound up getting talked into coming back to play one more show at LeakyCon. His performance was amazing and he even played a re-worked version of one of his most popular songs called “End of an Era” (which I played a cover of at Senior Spotlight).
5. The Nerdfighters gathering. I got to do a “GOOD MORNING JOHN IT'S WEDNESDAY!” greeting for the beginning of a Hank video, which is something I've always wanted to do. I got to hear an excerpt from John's book that comes out next March, which I've already pre-ordered on Amazon. I got to hear Hank play A Song About An Anglerfish, and several others, live. I got to join a bunch of other nerdfighters in following Maureen Johnson's instructions via Twitter (including randomly standing up, jumping up and down, and laying on the floor all while Hank talked). Also, Hank explained colonoscopies. It was an incredibly fun experience.
4. The Ministry of Magic show, and The Remus Lupins' last show at the Deathly Hallows after concert. At one point during the Ministry of Magic set, I was right up against the stage and Mark Jennings was leaning way out over the crowd – doing that thing where they hold the microphone out to the crowd, like it'll actually pick up our voices – and leaning right over me. I had to cease my fist-pumping/jumping to avoid punching him in the face. Also, a couple weeks before LeakyCon my favorite Wrock band, The Remus Lupins announced that their show at LeakyCon would be the last show they would ever play together. This was the most energized show I have ever seen! The cheering, and screaming, and clapping was deafening! After their last song, after Alex and Tyler walked off stage, the entire 3,000 people in the audience began chanting “One more song! One more song!” until Alex came back on stage to play...one more song. The love and sense of total community I felt in that room, at that moment, is just indescribable!
3. Deathly Hallows Part II. The movie!!!! Because we were at LeakyCon we were able to see the movie a little more than five hours before the midnight release. Granted, a lot of the Leaky staffers had already seen the movie weeks or days prior, but it was still amazing. Several of the actors from the movie, including Ellie Darcey-Alden (young Lily), Arthur Bowen (Albus Severus), Will Dunn (James Potter II), Ryan Turner (Hugo Weasley), Rohan Gotobed (young Sirius), Benedict Clarke (young Snape), Helena Barlow (Rose Weasley), Scarlett Byrne (Pansy Parkinson), Christopher Rankin (Percy Weasley), and Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood) were at LeakyCon, and one of the kids commented that seeing the movie with Leaky fans was much better than the London premiere.
2. The Weapon. The one song that basically HAS to be played at any major HP event is a song written by Harry and the Potters called “The Weapon.”
And there's
One thing that I've got
One thing that you've got inside you too
One thing that we've got
And the one thing we've got is enough
To save us all
One thing that I've got
One thing that you've got inside you too
One thing that we've got
And the one thing we've got is enough
To save us all
The weapon we have is love
At the end of the Harry and the Potters show on Friday night they began to sing this. Every single person in the audience joined in and began linking arms with the people next to them, and we created a huge circle. At the end of the song everyone jumped and ran back into a giant mosh-pit of love and Harry and the Potters went right into their song “Smells like Harry Potter” with Evanna Lynch on bass!
1. Frak. Frankie Franco III, is a member of Pottercast, was one of the Leaky staffers, and is also my favorite artist. People call him “Frak” because the way he signs “Frank” on his artwork looks like the N is missing. About 2 years ago at Christmas my dad got me one of his sketchbooks, and my sister filmed me opening it and flipping out. Frak saw the video after Madeline posted it to Youtube, and retweeted it. So when we met him at LeakyCon we mentioned that I was the girl from that video, and he said he was really excited to meet me! *insert fangirl moment here* I went to his art workshops (which were so much fun!) and he signed and looked through my sketchbook! *insert more fangirling here* That was basically the most epic moment ever!
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