WSWC 1st Quarter Report!

Look at those wonderful, smiling faces that say, "holy crap, I need more sleep." Alright, besides the horrid sleeping conditions  of a charter bus, I think it's safe to say that everyone who went on the Chicago trip had a good time.
 To start, the conference was a great experience, and I'm very glad that I attended. Aside from being a lot of fun (and rather fancy) I got a lot of useful information out of it. The conference took the topics I had already learned in school, and expanded on them to the point that I felt like I could teach it myself. It was just a great learning experience.
 Speaking of learning experiences, I was super excited to go as far north as Chicago because I don't get the opportunity to travel much. I had never been that far north, and it was really interesting for me to be that close to Lake Michigan. After spending a few days in Chicago  I've come to really like the city, and i do plan to go back sometime soon. I also liked the places we got to go to, and as you can see, we all had fun at The Bean.

 So, all in all, I had a wonderful time in Chicago, and I'm so glad that I decided to go on the trip, despite the absolute lack of sleep.

Marty's thoughts on Chicago

I'll begin with the obligatory mentioning of the thirteen-hour bus ride from here to Chicago. It was as though time itself had just run out of gas in the middle of the nowhere and had to walk ten miles to get more. That was my most prominent thought on the way up to Chicago, along with discovering zen and the art of sleeping comfortably with two square feet of space. In all seriousness, the trip itself was worth the 26+ hour travel time twentyfold over. There were so many different aspects of the trip that I absolutely adored, so I suppose I'll start with my favorite:

Friends. When I first stepped in to the West Springfield Writing Center over two years ago as a timid sophomore, I thought to myself, "Oh no." It was the ultimate fear of every underclassmen: upperclassmen. These deified men and women had infinitely more experience with writing, social interaction, and life than I could ever hope to. By some celestial event, I was able to make friends with a handful of them at best, which I was extremely thankful for, especially considering that I wasn't really friends (and just barely acquaintances) with the two other sophomores in my class. That is how I learned the true value of friendship - having familiar faces to lead you through unfamiliar environments, and I hope that now some of my classmates who I had the pleasure of going to Chicago with have learned it too. I made great friends, and what friends I already had, we're that much closer now, the kind of closer that only wandering through Chicago together can describe. You all know who you are.

I think my next best experience was the convention itself. I learned that tutoring can mean so many different things to so many different people, a fact that would be well-remembered by any new or nervous tutors out there - there is no right or wrong way, there's only your way, and whatever makes that tutee happy to come back time and time again is what you should be striving for. All of the panels I went to were interesting (including a certain presentation about tutor identity), and at the end of the day, my perception had been broadened to extreme proportions. The convention taught me that sometimes an alternate point of view, seeing the issues shared by so many people from so many different angles is the best way for you to figure out your own solution.

 Chicago itself was brilliant once you got past the way it smelled. Plus the way people drove, too. And I think our waiter at one of the restaurants we went to was on something (the pizza was great, though). All in all, I'm extremely glad I went and I pity those who couldn't, or those who chose not to. Between all of the collective shenanigans, you missed quite an adventure.

Eye Opening Chicago Experience - Andrew Han

For the past 2 years in high school, I would always just glance at the Writing Center and think, "It doesn't look like that big of a deal", after always hearing about it around the school. I always assumed that the Writing Center was just a small place where West Springfield students could go to get help with their writing and never thought about whether other schools also had them or not. I did not realize how clueless and narrow minded I was until the trip to Chicago.

While attending the national writing conference in Chicago, I was amazed to see how large and prominent writing centers were at other high schools, and especially at colleges. It gave me a new outlook on tutoring and made me think, "Wow this really is a big deal". I never imagined that so many other people could be so enthusiastic about tutoring and have their own techniques, viewpoints of the identity of tutors, and other ideas or opinions on tutoring. In a way, I was comforted to know that so many other people around the nation tutor as well which made me feel less different compared to other students in my school that aren't tutors. I also left the conference more motivated to tutor, knowing that tutoring is so prominent around the nation and that it benefits students more than I originally thought.

Touring around Chicago was also an eye opening experience in itself, despite not being related to tutoring, but rather the history and culture of a city I had never visited before. Going through the art museum was perhaps not the most interesting for me compared to other aspects of the trip, but there were some unique and intriguing pieces of art that I found captivating. Walking through the Millennium Park and viewing the famous Sears Tower and the Waterview Tower were amazing experiences as well. I loved the show at the Comedy Sports Club and was astounded by the improvisation done by the performers. All these moments and experiences helped give me a new viewpoint of Chicago as well as an understanding of why it is so famous.

I am extremely glad to have gone on the trip to Chicago because I benefited from the national conference in many ways as a tutor and overall had a great time as a tourist.

In Chicago It's All Fun & Games

The night was full of Shakespearean monologues, 99 problems rap battles, Beyoncé and Justin Bieber commercials all combined by blue and red teams of men and women in a show of pure humor, oh and did I mention it was all impromptu? Yes, it’s true! Everything about ComedySportz that night was unplanned and hilarious. The set was compiled of about 5 members in both teams. The teams were competing on being the most amusing for audience.  They were measured by the applauses and shouts from the crowd which was then complied into a number. It was like watching an actual sport game except with no real athleticism but only full of wittiness, silly antics, and good jams. I loved how the show was very interactive with the crowd. Throughout the show they would call on people for ideas and input. I remember when I raised my hand to get Beyoncé picked for one of the games and later watching the Beyoncé commercial come alive. I nearly jumped…well I actually did jump right out of my seat! It felt great to not only watch but actually be a part in the show. I love how every second I would turn and face Lauren and we would either burst out laughing or stand up dancing to whatever song that was being played during the short breaks. The best part was watching the facial expressions of the actors and actresses when they would mess up. ComedySportz was a blast! I am happy to have been able to experience the Chicagoan nightlife and I hope you can experience it sometime of your own. For more information CHECK OUT!!

Blogged by : Lehna Asongwe

India's round about thoughts on the journey to Chicago :)

Significance.

Whether the word has what it describes is totally based on perspective. I think it does. To label something as significant is, in my opinion, is a significant act. It is an act of allowing something to have value to you and to become vulnerable to its meaning.

These are the things my mind drifts off to after a thirteen hour, not particularly comfortable, bus ride. They were thoughts that became an underlying theme throughout my trip. I don’t mean that in a “I spent my whole trip philosophizing” way, a lot of the time it was just the opposite. I found bored in moments that should have been gripping and completely enthralled by objects, people, and moments that would usually be completely looked over.

Specifically at the Chicago Institute of Art, I was surrounded by obviously highly praised works of art and I found myself…unimpressed. It sounds cocky, ignorant, shallow, to name a few, I know but I’m being honest. After visiting the Louvre this summer I swore my taste in art had finally come alive, I thought I had learned to appreciate what the world has labeled masterpieces. However, possibly due to the lack of sleep, I was for the most part belligerent to accepting any significance in the art. I was instead skeptical and critical.

On the other hand I found myself hanging on to our tour guides every word as she took us around the city. I soon felt like I could tangibly see the city’s vibe, the history, the significance of every corner. Maybe it was her passion, as she enthusiastically retold old tales of Chicago’s past, its plans, and its dreams. In those words the city came alive, a whole city, when the art would not.

I found a real joy in discovery of perspective throughout this process. I picture taking anything, a concept, an idea, an object, and putting it in a suspended glass sphere, or imagine someone under the Chicago Bean. In a lifetime one would never be able to look at it from every possible angle because they are infinite. My theory is that on every sphere there has to be a significant angle. My own personal challenge is to find it for everything I can.

I know I sound cliché and probably lofty and still definitely with room to grow but this was the significance Chicago held for me. The significance of significance J      

Attempted Thoughts from Places: NCPTW Conference in Chicago, IL

One of my favorite writers, John Green, will occasionally post videos on YouTube entitled "Thoughts from Places", in which he documents trips he takes and then uses the experience to make a profound statement about life, love, literature, and everything in between.* Now, because he's a professional manipulator of words, everything he has to say is genuine, thought-provoking, and beautiful. He can take ten seconds of footage he took while driving down highway and turn it into a reflection of the idea of home and make it seem effortless, which is frustrating when a simpleton such as myself makes an attempt.

I won't lie to you, I tried making this blog entry Thoughts from Places-esque, but everything I had to say was just forced and vapid. I took pictures of the frickin' Bean and wrote about our perceptions of one another and true reflections of ourselves, and then connected that to Tutor Identity, (which was the point of the conference afterall) and it was disgusting. I tried being deep, and that just failed miserably, so instead let's just talk about my trip to Chicago.

I boarded a bus on a Thursday night, digesting a greasy Dollar Menu meal from McDonalds, knowing I was about to spend 13 hours with a group of people I hardly knew. The only thing that was certain in my mind at that point was we had a destination in sight and I was going to have difficulty trying to fall asleep. And while those two premonitions were absolutely true, everything else this trip brought with it was nothing I could have expected.

First of all, let's talk about the conference itself, since that was the whole reason for going. On Friday night, we received nametags upon registering, which made me feel immediately important and cool, and headed into the ballroom to listen to a young man named Colin give the keynote address. At that point, we were all tired and wanted nothing more than to sleep in a real bed, but the guy was captivating. He talked about tutoring in a way that was so refreshing; he talked about the feelings attached to helping others instead of just harping on the importance of posing Socratic questions. He made me realize that our job is important, that we do something worthwhile in our schools, all while managing to gracefully drop the F-bomb in front of a bunch of university professors, which I didn't think was possible.

Anyway, that speech set the tone for the rest of the weekend: finding surprises in every session room. I learned from tutors at colleges that were too small to pinpoint on a map and from kids that went to a high twenty minutes from my house. Listening to all these different perspectives was fascinating, because we all had one thing in common: we like helping people just as much as we like a good Oxford comma.

Oh yeah, and then after lunch there was my presentation. My friend Lehna and I had been perfecting a Powerpoint that started out as just a simple end-of-the-year project for months, and now we were using it to connect with people from all over the country in a meeting room of the Hilton Doubletree. We were nervous, and we played Foster the People to calm ourselves down until people started filing in. Once we got talking, though, there was no stopping us, and honestly my worries subsided once I started talking about “Tutor Identity, or Lack Thereof”: I was in my element. The applause we got signaling the end of our panel discussion was so rewarding, as were the hugs Lehna and I received from our fellow WSWC tutors. That was the big task of the conference, and suddenly it was over: now it was time to have some real fun.

Okay, so this blog post is starting to run a bit on the long side, so I’m gonna go ahead and go, but before I do, I’ll leave you with a list entitled “Things I’ll Remember About Chicago 2012”

1)      Deep, emotional talks about the state of my wellbeing with Lehna on the 26^th floor of the hotel.

2)      Meeting out-of-town friends on Sunday in front of the H&M

3)      Trying to get a straight answer out of a possibly stoned waiter at a pizza restaurant. All I wanted to know was if he had met Tina Fey!

4)      Deep, emotional talks about the state of my wellbeing with Marty on the bus at 2 in the morning on the bus ride home.**

5)      The most confusing sculpture ever at the Chicago Institute of Art. Seriously though, since when can we eat art?

6)      Bridget Mendler jam sessions

7)      Loving, loving, loving my job as a tutor and hating, hating, hating leaving the city.

So yeah, that was my trip. I hope you all enjoyed, and for your reading pleasure before I go, here’s an excerpt of my original Thoughts from Places post in which I tried to be deep.

“We looked into that giant metal sculpture and saw ourselves in our most vulnerable states. This whole trip was surrounding around our identity, and there in that glorified mirror, we truly saw what that meant.”

Seriously? Who am I?

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed!

Lauren

*I was running out of things that started with "L"
**I get emotional sometimes, okay?

NCPTW Reflection - Adrienne Stolte

Being a first year tutor and a sophomore is really nerve-wracking for me. I’m really glad I went to the conference. It gave me a bit more confidence in my tutoring. I know my goal so far has been to help the other students at my school. It was nice to get reassurance of that goal and tips on how to achieve it. I really liked the presentations about how to treat the tutee and specific qualities a tutor should have. The tutor should focus the session on the tutee and empower the tutee with analysis questions. The tutor should also make the tutee feel comfortable and good about them. An ideal tutor helps in the time of need, has a desire to help, has patience, is knowledgeable, is a leader, and has confidence. I think I heard a tutor from Niles West HS say, “It takes more than a smart student to be a tutor.” I really like this quote because I don’t have much confidence in the level of knowledge I have now. I know now that with experience I will improve in tutoring. I hope that I am able to attend again and maybe present in the future. To pass on knowledge to future tutors is a precious gift. (^  ^)/

 

The Logic of Abstract Art (Alexandra Hoenscheid)

 

"Ah clearly, the jagged lines and bold borders represent the eternity of human struggle."


Me:

Like many people, I'd always found abstract art a little crazy. The random squiggles, the toilet seat in the National Gallery of Art? I dismissed it, partly out of confusion, partly out of refusal to spend serious time considering it..

At least, until I met this guy named Pedro. Over breakfast. In France.

It really sounds like something out of a novel, but on the second day of my European tour, a random boy came up and explained modern art to me. Combined with jet-lag and a new culture, it was the most surreal thing, and I found myself open to everything he said.

Pedro taught me that, rather than random dots or splotches, abstract art is used to symbolically represent ideas that cannot be captured by portraits, landscapes or photography alone. Were you to paint anger, what would it look like? What does a mind, in its purest essence look like? A heart? A feeling?


Colors are the most commonly-used symbols of emotion; happiness is synonymous with yellow, sadness with blue, and so on. But feelings are more complex than that; they are not monotone. Every yellow is tainted with blue, and every blue contains a speck of yellow. Shading, blending, shadows, highlights; here is how abstract art captures emotions that  regular painting simply cannot.

Another thing: while meaningful, abstract art is also individualistic. Slight variance in interpretation is perfectly alright; deep reds and a swirl of orange may be seen as anger, ambition, or passion. Take the above painting for example. To me, the glow appears to be the rejuvenation of hope, highlighted by whites and yellows and isolated in a once-dark place. The hope is tinted with a new burst of emotions; the predominant blue reveals the sorrow felt before hope, and perhaps the red reveals resentment at a former situation. When someone else looks at this, they might see what I do, or perhaps something completely different, and that's perfectly fine.

So, after my stint in Europe I gave abstract art some thought, and even began creating some of my own. I'm grateful for the possibilities Pedro (and my new open-mindedness) opened up to me:

Want more abstract art? View an online gallery here. 

 For questions or comments, feel free to email me at idol_fan2012@hotmail.com. Thanks! :)

Who Says Tots Can't Write Too? An inspiring blog by Mary Claire Ragan

When it comes to writing in high school, it seems to be very involved, complex, creative, and requires hours on end to perfect a piece. However, before we ever knew how to write a persuasive essay, do a works cited page, incorporate quotes, write a thesis, or even a sentence for that matter- where did it all begin? If I had a time machine to go back in time, I would interview myself in my toddler years when I first became influenced by a piece of paper and a writing utensil. The bad news- I have no time machine. The good news- I have a three year old niece!

My niece Amina is just about the happiest little girl I know. She loves Disney princesses, Dora the Explorer, dancing, ballerinas, and fortunately for me, writing! For only being three, Amina interacts with people surprisingly well. She can ask me questions, she can answer my questions, she offers her opinion (which isn’t always pleasant, particularly when she doesn’t get what she want), and she can even sing songs. So, I had a three year old who is wildly entertaining, a video camera, and a blog assignment to complete. What does this equation add up to? An interview with a three year old. Below, you can watch the video to get the full scope of our interview, which I highly suggest. JUST KIDDING BECAUSE THIS BLOG IS AWESOME AND WON'T SUPPORT MY VIDEO FILE. 

You Already Know Though (Anna Goodwin)

Life is short, so let's live it up.

Eat that extra brownie without worrying about bikini season.

Ask that hot girl/guy for their number with a cheesy pickup line.

Make a Youtube video parodying a well-known saying?

After all, you only live once. YOLO.

After Drake's new, song "The Motto" was released, thousands of teenagers were enlightened. No longer do they save things for their next life after reincarnation. They have finally realized that they truly "only live once".

 YOLO has become a common saying leading to excuses for things like eating an extra brownie to not wearing a jacket on a cold day. If you have not noticed this epidemic, this Youtube video explains it perfectly. And if you think watching a bunch of immature, awkward teenage boys caught in puberty on Youtube isn't worth your time, just remember-You only live once:

I am in no way against this growing epidemic. Although I do not endorse situations that use yolo as an excuse to jump off bridges or drive drunk, hoping a broken neck won't come out of the process, I do think that we can learn a lot from Drake's creed.

People waste their time with far too many worries. I fear people aren't using yolo in areas of their life where they need them the most.

1. Stress

Living in Fairfax County, half an hour from DC, everything is so fast paced. Sign up for 12 APs, get a job, join a sport, get into the top colleges. With all this pressure, it's hard to experience high school the way it's supposed to be experienced. It's only 4 years of our life, but that is 4 years of our life. Imagine how many heart beats, how many breaths that is. We only live once, so why stress? We should be enjoying ourselves. It may be hard to turn the stress off, but think of it this way: what's the worst that could happen? You miss a homework assignment? You don't get into the college of your dreams? Life is what you make of it, so even if you don't make it into an Ivy League, you can still be happy. It's all about your attitude.

2. Bad News

So, I don't know if you've heard, but life isn't fair. Bad things happen all the time. Sucks to be you. But guess what. I don't care. Everyone has hard times. Everyone experiences pain. Some may experience it more than others, but that's the way the world works. You can't change that. But that doesn't mean you should go around throwing yourself pity parties all the time. Why swim in your own tears when you could be swimming with a bunch of shirtless guys or girls in bikinis at the pool? Yeah, life sucks sometimes, but you only live once. Don't waste your time on bad emotions. If you need to cry, call a friend and get a pint. Of ice cream. Then pick yourself back up and be happy. By the way, a child in Africa just died of starvation. You better be grateful that you even got to drown your sorrows in that pint of ice cream.

3. The Future

I'm going to say it right now: even if I end up working the night shift in a crappy bar with nothing but a cardboard box to live in, I will still be happy. And if I'm not happy, I will take the initiative to change my life. You only live once, so don't waste your time worrying about what will happen in the future. Live in the moment. Go with the flow. Whatever happens, happens. You need to realize that it's your decision to be happy. You will always be able to change something about your life-- whether that be your situation or attitude. 

When you're tied up to the oxygen machine taking your last breath, you won't be counting the number of beach houses you own in your head. You will be too busy smiling at all the memories flashing before your eyes. By not worrying about school, or wallowing in bad news, or stressing about the future, you create more time for happiness. YOLO.

Email me if you have any comments or questions.

Toby by Sasha Thomasson

Toby is the love of my life. Since February 24^th, the day he joined my family, he has brought nothing but joy and happiness. If it was normal to marry inanimate objects, I would marry Toby. I always take care of him; I constantly wash him to make sure his yellow color is gleaming and his windows are sparkling clean. Bird poop is the enemy. There has only been one incident where the enemy succeeded in blemishing my beautiful Toby with poop, but not to worry, I cleaned him immediately. I have come to the conclusion that birds are not attracted to yellow cars, because everyone else’s normal colored cars are constantly being 
spoiled with bird doo-doo, while Toby is not.

If you didn’t infer this already, Toby is a yellow punch buggy. He was a gift from my parents for my 16^th birthday. I can’t legally drive him by myself for another 13 days. I am so excited; I have a countdown app on my phone that counts it down to the seconds! Driving Toby is so much fun. I utilize his small size; he can fit in any parking space. It’s miraculous. However, learning to drive Toby has not been the easiest task.  On occasion, I may accidently leave him on. It’s not that big of a deal though. It happens, right? After pulling into a spot, I put him in park. I fix my make up, finish jamming out to “Call Me Maybe” or whatever song is playing, hop out, and go on with my day. I haven’t yet added “taking out the keys” to the routine.  Thank goodness my parents still are legally obligated to ride with me, because they are always the ones that notice. I could leave Toby on all day without a second thought. Although, I must admit I have been getting better about remembering. Even with this progress, I have small setbacks. When I do turn off Toby, I sometimes forget to take the keys out and lock him. The thought of him being taken away from me breaks my heart, but for some reason I cannot remember to press that one simple button in order to protect him.  Furthermore, my mother and I concluded that I need a sticky note of reminders taped to the back of the sun visor.

1. Put parking brake on
2. Turn Toby off
3. Take the keys out
4. Lock the car

I have definitely improved on remembering some of the things 
on the list. 


Baby Steps.

I have always wondered how many bruises Toby has caused from the punch buggy game, “Yellow punch buggy no punch backs” or how many points he has given to competitors in the yellow car game. I claim that I have an infinite win in both games, because I own Toby.

If you have similar difficulties and want to vent, you can email me here

One blog that I really enjoy is http://www.dad-isms.com/. It puts things in perspective. 

On the Road Again (Sarah Schlichting)

Ever since I was a toddler, my family has taken a three-week long road trip up to Minnesota and North Dakota. Each trip with its own experiences, and its own mishaps. Thus I feel that I am obviously in the position to share my wealth of knowledge on road trips with you. Below I have compiled a few valuable tips that I find most important.

1.       Avoid high-traffic (buffalo) areas.

Living right outside Washington, D.C., we’ve all experienced traffic jams.  Either on the beltway or right outside our high school, we always find ourselves trapped behind some idiot who can’t drive, or we’re stuck crawling down the road due to people gawking at some major car accident. But a few summers ago, in the small town of Medora, North Dakota, my family was caught behind a 2,000 pound buffalo just sitting in the middle of road. It had no intention of moving, and we had no intention of trying to move it. Soon enough there was a traffic jam of five cars (and yes, this was a traffic jam by North Dakota standards). Luckily, the buffalo eventually found a new spot to graze, and we were able to continue on our journey.

                                              This is the actual mayhem-causing buffalo.

2.       Don’t let 16 year-olds drive.

On last summer’s vacation, during my attempt to complete my tedious 45-hour driving log, I thought it would be the perfect idea to drive for one day of the trip. I mean, it was in North Dakota, which was virtually hours of driving on straight road. Somehow my parents agreed, allowing me to drive an SUV, while pulling a jet-ski (still confused why parents agreed). The speed limit was 70, and my parents said I could go 80. I mostly followed that rule, except for the *teensy weensy* amount of time when I pushed that up to 85. Partly because I’m a rebellious teenager, and partly because that road felt like the Autobahn, and I didn’t know when I would ever have that chance again. I know I gave my family a few white-knuckle moments, but hey, at least I was 5 hours closer to completing my driving log.  

3.       Plug in your cooler the right way.

This last tip might be the most important. So let me repeat, PLUG IN YOUR COOLER THE RIGHT WAY. For every trip, we have this navy blue electric cooler filled up with water bottles, pop, and small snacks. Well, we learned out the hard way that our cooler, when plugged in incorrectly, can act as a heater. The first day we drove to the middle of Ohio, unknowingly super-heating all of our food. When we reached the hotel, we settled down, plugged in the “cooler” and continued to sleep. Throughout the night, we all noticed small popping sounds that appeared to be coming from a distance. Living in the suburbs of D.C., noises from outside aren’t out of the ordinary. But this was Ohio. Yet we thought nothing of it. We didn’t make the discovery until early the next morning, when all the pop cans were too hot to touch, each grape had exploded from its skin, and the plastic water bottles were starting to melt. While we had to restock our supply, it definitely provided us with a humorous story to tell for the rest of the trip.

Any questions, comments, or funny road trip stories? Email me.

“Moira - Sound Horizon” - Kevin Yi

It was on my birthday 2 years ago that I received a gift card for iTunes, perfect for me because I loved to find new music. It's always so refreshing to find a good tune and get addicted for hours on end. To my surprise, there was a section for J-pop (Japanese pop music). There, I found a little 15 minute album that translates to “A Connected World Beyond The Mist” by Sound Horizon.

I loved the suite-like arrangement of the music. Fortunately for me, the artist, Sound Horizon, specialized in suite-like albums. Each of their releases tells stories, either in individual stories in each song or like an epic poem where all the tracks continue one long story. Additionally, each major album is referred to as “The (n)th Horizon.” So far, there have been several albums released by Sound Horizon, but seven major releases:

-Chronicle: the first album which had no vocals

-Thanatos: a girl who can't sleep because her dreams are always about death

-Lost: the connections between people who have experienced loss and feel lost

-Elysion: a father who will do anything to make his dying daughter happy

-Roman: a story about the cycle of life and death, morning and night

-Moira: a musical epic of Iliadic proportions

-Marchen: a fairy tale of love and revenge

Many, if not all of their albums have recurring themes such as life and death, happiness and sadness, love and desire, etc. What really strikes me as unique about this band is the use of so many different languages in the music. Roman uses French in all of its songs, Moira incorporates English and Greek, and Marchen uses a German narrator. I feel this allows the band to be very accessible even for people who don't know Japanese.

However, the only beef I have with the band is that so much of their music has mysterious lyricism and that means there will be as many different interpretations as there are listeners. Of course, that is also part of what makes Sound Horizon so enjoyable to listen to. According to Revo, the head member and composer of Sound Horizon, “All interpretations are valid,” leaving the story up to the imaginations of the listeners, much like how a person imagines a story in a book.

My personal favorite album is Moira, so I'll give a general overview of each song in the album. Plus, it's the most straightforward in terms of story so I won't need much “literary/musical analysis” to convey their style. Moira is based on ancient Greek epics like The Iliad and The Odyssey, and it is the sixth major album and the first to use a large chorus in its songs to emulate the “epic” feel. Below is the album cover. It's probably Sound Horizon's most detailed album cover to date. On the cover are characters featured in the story such as the twins Elefseus and Artemisia in the center.

Moira

1. King of Hades -Thanatos-

This introduction to the album uses the imagery of the underworld as a foreshadowing of the events to come. The king of Hades, Thanatos, sings about his plans to fight his mother, Moira (which means destiny), in order to “free” the living from the tyranny of destiny. His prophecy is that the night that Elefseus kills his mother, he will become Thanatos' vessel.

2. Life is a Matryoshka Doll -Matryoshka-

The setting changes to an excavation site like the city of Troy. Alexei Romanovich Zvolinsky, a Russian billionaire, digs up a barren desert in hopes of finding the ancient city from the book his mother had given to him as a child. He sings of his childhood in poverty and his hardships on the way to becoming a billionaire. At the end of the song, he hits a pillar, the ruins of the ancient city.

     3. Myth -Mythos-

This short song covers how the story's world was created and introduces the Muses who sing throughout the entire album. It also covers the lineage of the gods and explains the origin of Thanatos.

     4. The Twins of Destiny -Didymoi-

Two twins, brother and sister, are shown playing in the mountains peacefully. They are actually the children of the queen of Arcadia. As the two return home, their home is visited by the general Scorpius who wishes to draft the father into his army. The father, Polydeuces, refuses and the two begin to duel. Polydeuces sends his wife away with the children, but the twins are captured.

     5. The Slave Market -Douloi-

The twins, Elefseus and Artemisia, are sent to a market to be sold as slaves. The two are then separated to different places in Greece.

     6. The Hero of Thunder -Leontius

This song introduces the prince of Arcadia, Leontius. In this song, he is seen inspiring his generals and surveying the strength of his opposing nations.

     7. The Wind Capital of Death and Lament -Ilion-

Artemisia becomes the apprentice of two Hetaera, high class courtesans. They arrive in the city of Ilion, where Elefseus also happens to be. It is here that Elefseus discovers his ability to see who will die in the near future. However, he is forced to serve a corrupt priest who had ordered the Hetaera to his place. As the priest is about to molest Artemisia, Elefseus kills the priest and the two escape with Elefseus' friend Orion.

     8. The Holy Island of the Poet -Lesbos-

The twins are separated again and Artemisia ends up washing ashore on the island of Lesbos. There, she becomes the disciple to a poet named Sophia. Artemisia finds herself at home on the island, as the inhabitants value peace and love.

     9. Across the Distant Horizon -Horizontas-

While Artemisia is living on Lesbos, Elefseus becomes the disciple of a blind poet named Milos. Together, the two search for Artemisia. When they arrive at the temple of the Thunder God, Milos ends their master-disciple relationship and advises Elefseus to head to Lesbos in times of trouble.

   10. The Story of the Dying Ones -Historia-

Leontius engages in battle with the queen of the Amazons, Alexandra. After defeating her, she demands that he execute her, but Leontius refuses resulting in an alliance between Arcadia and Amazones. Meanwhile, Elefseus and Artemisia sing of their wish to see each other again one day. Finally, Leontius questions what he is fighting for.

   11. The Sybil of the Star Goddess -Artemisia-

At this point, Artemisia has become a mature woman and Sophia has discovered that Artemisia can read the future through the stars. Suddenly, soldiers invade Lesbos and storm the temple. The disciples of the temple panic while Artemisia accepts her immediate fate.

   12. In the Hands of the Dying Maiden is the Watery Moon -Parthenos-

Artemisia is killed by Scorpius and falls into a pool of water where her body appears to be holding the moon. Elefseus arrives at Lesbos too late to save Artemisia and grieves her death. Her spirit meets with Elefseus for a short time for one final farewell.

   13. The Hero of Slaves -Elefseus-

Elefseus, having fallen into despair, gives into Thanatos' whispers and decides to take up arms against Moira (destiny). He returns to the slave market where he and Artemisia had first been sold and kills the slavers. He then frees the slaves there and tells them to fight alongside him against Moira if they have the courage. Elefseus' actions incite a slave rebellion.

   14. The Battle of the Dying Heroes -Heromachia-

Elefseus takes up the name of Amethystos and invades Ilion with his army. Once inside, he tears down the wall which he had been forced to build as a child. After Leontius arrives, the two engage in a duel, resulting in Elefseus disarming Leontius. Leontius' mother interferes, begging the two to stop fighting. Elefseus throws a spear, killing both Leontius and his mother. Elefseus then becomes Thanatos' vessel, having fulfilled the prophecy.

   15. The End of the Myth -Telos-

Elefseus, having become Thanatos' vessel, reaches Moira's domain. However, the story ends here and does not have a true ending, much the Iliad by Homer.

I hope you enjoyed reading the plot as much as I had fun writing it. I definitely recommend giving Sound Horizon a listen. Even if you don't find a song you like at first, Revo has composed so many songs that you're bound to find something you like eventually. Personally, Sound Horizon has not composed a song that I did not like. There are even some songs that I have not listened to yet. That's how many there are! It's sure to be a great experience listening. Here's their website if you'd like to know more. Sound Horizon

-Kevin Yi

iYniveK@yahoo.com

A Longwinded Post Concerning Cats (Helen Keim)

     You would not believe how long it took me to come up with a topic to blog about. I tried all the normal ways (brainstorming, asking your friends, asking them again) but that just seemed to end in lots of annoyed band kids and no new ideas. I tried looking at random scenery like they do on Project Runway for inspiration, but still no luck. I even resorted to scouring the internet which turned into unproductive Facebook stalking pretty quickly. The pages flew by in my planner as the due date drew near and my stress level rose. Then suddenly, I realized that the perfect topic has been literally staring me in the face (and standing on my keyboard…): cats!

     I have had at least one cat in my house at all times since I was born. They were always tolerant of me pulling their tails and not being very gentle as a little kid, and they still work their magic by changing crappy days at school into relaxing evenings. Because I am aware that not everyone likes cats as much as I do, I present my top five reasons for why cats are the greatest pets ever in hopes of changing your mind.

1.       Cats have personalities.

As far as I know, dogs have two modes: super excited and unconscious. Cats are far superior because they shake it up a bit in the personality department. For example, my cats, Mollie and Annie are resourceful enough to have created their own version of hockey. The rules are simple: bat your dry food around the kitchen floor until you get bored or get caught.

2.       Cat hair on your clothes is totally in style.

Just wait and see if you don’t believe me.

3.       Cats are an awesome way to lower your heating bill in the winter.

With each cat at a toasty 102.5 degrees, they work nicely as heaters if you can get one to sit on your lap.

4.       Cats require significantly less exercise than dogs.

Ever wished your dog walked itself? Well cats do!

5.       Cats are great companions.

There is nothing better after a bad test or a fight with our best friend than a cat who is always happy to see you. No slobber or weird wet dog smell, just a purring comforter.

     I hope that this has convinced you to love cats as much as I do (If not, I have some work to do on arguing before my AP Lang exam…). Click here to see a great website to find a rescued cat in the DC area. Or click here to email me your cat story and/or rant about why I’m wrong!

It's All Fun and Games...Until Your Roommate is a Psycho (Sara Carter)

Name: Sara Carter

Hometown: Springfield, VA

High School: West Springfield

Intended Major: Undecided at the moment, but maybe education or sociology?

Going to Pledge: Seriously considering it

Favorite Music: I’m a fan of everything except classical and I like some country, but I don’t go looking for new songs if you know what I mean. I also might have been black in another life because I love listening to rap haha

Favorite Food: CHIPOTLE, pizza, burgers, Chinese, force myself to stay away from McDonald’s but those fries are to die for!

How Important are Your Grades: VERY IMPORTANT

Study Habits: I have an issue with procrastination, but hopefully I can fix that in college. Also, I should probably study more than I do, but my grades are always good regardless

Night Owl/Early Bird: On the weekdays, I’m usually not up past 12, but on the weekends it just depends on what I’m doing

Personality: Extremely outgoing, I’m not afraid to talk to complete strangers and I love going out with friends!!

Anything Else: I’m really excited about going to VT and cheering on the football team! I want a roommate who will work out with me, study, and go out so message me if you’re interested! :)

First off, whoever came up with the idea of filling out a survey in order to find a roommate is a genius, but I hate them. It’s awkward! Even though I’m the outgoing type, it’s sort of like online dating and I hadn’t planned on dipping my feet in that pool anytime soon. You fill out the survey and anxiously await a response from some unknown person, or you don’t get any at all. I had this redheaded horse back rider message me and say we had a lot in common...? Um, no we don’t. I think horses are pretty and all, but I’m not about to hop on the back of one with you and go galloping through a field. Plus, all our answers on the survey were completely different, but I wish you luck in finding a fellow horse back rider! I have yet to find a roommate and as the deadline of June 1 speedily approaches, my fear of having to room with a random girl begins to seem like a reality.

The only issue I have with getting assigned to room with a random person is that they could be crazy. What happens if my roommate becomes one of those people that they make movies about?! I really do not want to get killed as a freshman in college just because my roommate was obsessed with me. So, if you don’t hear back from me by next summer, it is up to you to know that I was killed by my roommate.

Wish me luck! :)

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me!!

For the LOVE of GLEE

Glee! Glee! Glee! The four letter word has been ringing through my head this past four days, and to imagine I had no idea what I wanted to write about for my blog project. It’s actually fascinating how the brain works sometimes. So why am I am posting about Glee? Let me clarify everything right now, I am not an overly obsessed fan who might sketch the faces of the cast members of that show and declare an overwhelming love for Finn nor am I a bitter critic who hates the sure talent of show choir and rants about it over and over. I just want to express my appreciation for music and how Glee really does a great job presenting a choral remix of popular songs. I just want to thank the producers of that show because I honestly I think GLEE is like a never ending musical on TV, and you know what WHO DOESN’T like a good musical?! The episode that I seem to be so hung over lately is the episode where the students were singing many of Whitney Houston top hits. Some of my favorite numbers

 they performed in that episode (basically all of them) were How Will I Know, Saving All My Love For You, It’s Not Right, But It’s Okay, So Emotional, and …okay let me be honest here, all the songs were AMAZING. I mean I think the episode was just perfect. I think one of the best part was the It’s Not Right, But It’s Okay video and how the students reenacted the actually music video to the original song. I could go on and on about how great the episode was, but what I am truly trying to say is that for some reason Glee honestly makes a viewer have a great time.

The songs they sing whether its new or old, or slow or upbeat, it sparks memories and you catch yourself reminiscing on moments in you life when you vividly remember hearing that specific song. The voices of the singers are so distinctly different but it is just astonishing how well they blend and enhance one another to present such a harmonious sound. Simply beautiful *tear*. It is so sad to say, but sometimes they perform better versions than the oringal songs (however NO ONE will ever be able to sing I Will Always Love You better than Whitney herself, RIP Whitney). Sometimes it seems like you hear a song and you get chills and goosebumps from the voice of the singer or the overall performance, and honestly that’s how I feel when I heared the songs from that episode. Well thats all I need to say, this post wasn’t intended to sound like a review; however, I do hope you get the chance to really check out the episode and hear the songs for yourself because I’m sure you will enjoy them just as I did.

Anywhoooo! EMAIL ME sometime and I would love to chat more about Glee or other great songs and shows!

Blogger : Lehna Asongwe

It's Not that Easy Being Green - Brittany Morgan

I’m 18 years old,  5’ 7”,  long blonde hair, and I’ve just been cast in my high school’s production of the Wizard of Oz to play the Wicked Witch of the West.

Regular me...

When I first found out the I would be playing the same role that the terrifying Margaret Hamilton made iconic in the 1939 movie the Wizard of Oz, I was ecstatic to say the very least.  In my previous theatre experiences, I always played the pretty blonde damsel in distress.  Although fun, I became tired of playing the same roles over and over again and actually became bored with performing the same old tricks on the stage.  The challenge of playing the villain both intrigued and delighted me and I knew that I would do fantastically in the role if I were given the chance.

The cast list came out on March 2, and that’s when I learned my wish had been granted.  Little did I know about all the rigorous, intense, and painful work that lay before me,

It’s been two months since the cast list went up, and we are currently in the middle of our run of this fantastic production. 

Through the run of this show, I haven’t exactly been looking like myself.  I’m pretty sure that my hair will forever have streaks of black in it and my skin permanently tinted green.  At the beginning, I didn’t initially think it would be a problem washing off the standard stage character makeup, but I thought differently when I had to attend school the Monday after a performance with green ears.  I’ve tried babying oil, make up remover, and regular soap and water, and nothing has gotten rid of the makeup completely.  After realizing my dream of normal colored ears was impossible, I wore my ears with pride for three whole days at school before it completely washed off…of course, just in time for the next performance.

Ain't I purty?

It took over an hour to get "in face", as I liked to call it.  Understandably, each part felt a little different.

The teeth? Self explanatory.  They were gross.

The eyes are an interesting story.  I ordered yellow contacts from For Eyes, the same place that had been keeping me from being categorized as “legally blind” for 5 years now.  I didn’t stop to think, however, that I have dark eyes, meaning that yellow contacts probably won’t show up well on brown eyes.  Luckily, the contacts took on a neon green color, which also worked for the role.  Good thing too, because my mom would have been pissed if she found out that I spent $70 on something that didn’t turn out right.  The only problem with them is that they are sometimes difficult to see out of.  So much so that I wouldn’t be able to tell Ellen DeGeneres from Justin Bieber…

      Just for the record, I think Justin Bieber and Ellen are very different.  One is suave, seductive, and so talented that any girl would die to date them, and the other is the Biebs.

The hair is done from using a colored hairspray.  All over.  I need a good three washes to get somewhat back to my blonde self.  I also need a lot of lipstick from all the butt-kissing I have to do to convince my mother to wash the tub after I’ve been in there.  (Yes, it gets everywhere. Even the ceiling.)

Another spectacular element to our show is that we have numerous amounts of special effects, the favorite being the flying effects.  From multiple rehearsals and performances of the show being jerked here and there in my harness has left me bruised in some of my...most sensitive areas.  My “racing stripes” of black and blue between my legs would make a gynecologist blush…or just tell me that I’m doing it wrong.

Dorothy and me in our harnesses before the performance.

Oddly enough, the children really seemed to like me.  Good thing I wore a lot of deodorant, because if I didn't scare them, my overwhelming pit stains would have.

The overall experience has been more than magical, and I can not think of a better way to end my high school experience on stage.  I never dreamed that I would be blessed enough to perform with such a talented group of people and I know my stay in Oz is something that I will NEVER forget.

Great cast, wonderful people

If picture aren't enough and you would like to see clips from our show, please visit this link for a few snippets from our Cappies Night.

If you have any questions for me about this post, feel free to email me!